RESEARCH: WOMAN IN BLACK

In class today I researched the woman in black trailer. I am using this research to look at how a horror trailer should look like and what ideas I shall take from it.

Due to this being a trailer it is made up of main establishing shots that show the audience the setting and style they can expect when watching the film. The main props are seen mainly in close up shots, showing that they each link into the myth of the "woman in black" and it makes the audience think why they might be important when trying to uncover who the woman in black is.

Here is the trailer:


The music in the background is loud and dramatic and is therefore parallel to the shots being shown. When there is a movement into another part of the trailer, usually where it is establishing major sets or props the dynamics become louder. The emphasis of the clock ticking and the armchair rocking is also a traditional way in which fear is built up in a traditional ghost film.

At the beginning of the trailer the pace is quite slow. This puts the audience member in a position of waiting and wanting to find out if anything dramatic happens. The trailer then quickly speeds up with quick insert shot of major and distressing shots from the film. The titles are also designed in the same dark colour scheme in which the film's mise-en-scene is based around. It also enters from a blank screen and then dissolves which signifies that the pieces of text are important.

I think that the contrasting views from the woman to the psychologist was interesting because you see the character of Kipp doesn't listen to her and investigates the house anyway - this is a stereotypical construct of a horror film. Also, the establishing shots of the exterior and interior of the house was good as it gave the film a sense of chilliness to it. The music also gives the audience a rush of adrenaline which creates suspense and tension, thus making the viewer want to go and see the film.

RESEARCH: NEXT DOOR

Today I looked at the short film, Next Door by visiting the website Short of the Week. This film is about falling in love - with a terrorist. Although there were a few death scenes and sci-fi action, the film was still able to make the audience laugh due to the funny nature of the main character since he has fallen in love with a terrorist. Both aspects of the film are cleverly carried out, but it is the love story that provides a lot in terms of humour and honesty.

There was also use of some simple special effects that were included in this low budget film. For example, when the helicopter was pulling dead people up from the ground this was really only done by using a simply blue scene and literally dragging the actors across the floor. Yet these scenes look very realistic.

RESEARCH: HIGH MAINTENANCE

High Maintenance is another short film that I watched today. The film is set in the near future and it is about a woman whose robotic husband fails to meet her standards returns and upgrades him for a better version with standards that she now fails to meet.

The film is clever in that it uses a sci-fi concept relating to relationships to explore the very real human connection. It also gives an alternative insight to modern relationships in the future. The writer of the film conveys with the idea of the "perfect" relationship, showing how a lot of people concentrate on the perfect job, house or man/woman but never on the small, personal details and human emotions that truly bring two people together.

There is also a clever twist at the end of the film when not only is the husband a robot, but so is the women - who we are led to believe that she is human since she upgraded her robotic husband. By creating this original storyline the audience stay interested throughout the duration of the film.

At the beginning of the film we see both the husband and women eating together. However, there is no conversation - just loud eating and chewing on the food which seems to be amplified to make the sound more noticeable. This technique therefore emphasises the awkwardness and uncomfortableness of the scene.