title research: Dark

-How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
There are 18 titles in this opening sequence.
-What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
There are prominent images of eyes, trees, and weapons.
-What connotations do the images carry?
The connotations of these images shown definitely carry a scary connotation for the audience.
-How is the genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is reinforced because it has many of the typical conventions such as a thrilling mood for for audience, mostly dark opening sequence, and also a mysterious mood.
-How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
This film establishes an enigma by using somewhat confusing images in the opening sequence. They are puzzling because you can't quite figure out what they are or what they mean.
-What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
They use puzzling yet interesting images that would appeal to the viewers of this movie. This also draws in the viewing and makes them want to continue watching the film.
-How has technology been used effectively?
The editing of this opening sequence plays a major part in how the audience views it. Many of the images are mirrored and many of the images look like ink blots which is also interesting for the audience. So, the technology used to edit this is involved, most likely some sort of computer. Also, machines used for lighting are also important technology because the darkness was a major part of the mood created.

Title research: Split

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
27 titles

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The scenes of the opening title sequence alternate from a black screen with the name and credit for each job and scenes of a ceiling that gradually reveal a girl getting dragged down a hall then into a room.

What connotations do the images carry?
The constant switching between scenes create suspense and carries an eerie mood. The shots of the ceiling also create a creepy setting for the movie and the scenes set the whole mood for the film.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The movie is intense from the very first scenes. Flickering lights symbolize the danger or uncertainty of where the main character is right then. The scared girl in a dimly lit hallway/room is meant to show that she may have to try to escape and that she is not safe. Intensity is a major element of the thriller genre and this movie executes this very well for the audience to perceive. The editing of switching between scenes builds intensity, suspense, and mystery all within the opening sequence.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The scared girl, who is the main character, is also meant to produce the same emotions the creators of the movie want the audience to undergo while watching.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
It is psychological and intense which will intrigue the target audience.

How has technology been used effectively?
The camera movements helped create an intense, ominous mood and set the tone for the movie. The editing also did this by making it so the transitions between scenes affected the audience in a way that made them feel scared yet psychologically intrigued.

Title research: Zodiac

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
31 titles are displayed during the opening scene.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
There is a cart that a man is pushing around the office the main characters work at, that contains many envelopes. Throughout the opening sequence, the cart is shown every few clips from a few different camera angles.

What connotations do the images carry?
There are not a lot of people working in the office however, the men that do work there are all gathered up which could indicate they are analyzing something important.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The scenes of the cart build some tension and show something big may be introduced soon. There is a book one of the characters has that is opened for only a couple seconds, but it is just enough time to reveal drawings that are ominous and a bit creepy.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The drawings are mysterious and create an eerie feeling. Everyone gathered up together looking at something that seems to be very serious also creates suspense.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
This movie includes mysterious subjects that the audience doesn't know fully about yet. It also contains crime which keeps the target audience intrigued throughout the film. The film includes a child to emotionally connect the audience with the character by adding the element of sympathy if something ever happens to the main character.

How has technology been used effectively?
The camera movements helped create a mood and set the tone for the movie. The editing also did this by making it so the transitions between scenes affected the audience in a certain way.

Title Research: Twister

      On the watchthetitles.com under "Feature Films" the film twister caught my attention. The film Twister is a Thriller-Horror film created in (1996).
The number of titles that are displayed during the opening sequences to the film are three. The first title is a "Warner bros present", the second title is "An AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT production" and the third is the name of the movie twister. The warner bros logo is also shown in the opening sequences.
The images that are prioritized in the opening sequence are, the big bold black three-dimensional letters that sweep of the screen and the overflow of fog behind the letters.
The connotations that the images carry are, it gives off a spooky, mysterious vibe and has the viewer thinking what's next?
The genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset by, the technical codes that are reinforced for the genre are the camera is still, but the titles are creeping towards the camera while the letters get bigger. The symbolic codes are that, the titles are creating an uncertainty of what will come next due to the titles disappearing and re-emerging through the heavy fog.
The film establishes an enigma from the outset by, the opening title sequence sounds like very strong gusts of winds, and leafs (really pieces of letters) are seen flying all around the words TWISTER. This makes the outset wonder what is to come in a film named twister that has so much sound in the background.
The strategies that are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience are, there is always something happening even if the titles are not on the screen. From the moment the opening sequence starts, a low gust is heard, but everytime a title emerges the gusts get louder and louder creating uncertainty for why it's becoming louder.
Technology has been used effectively by, the film was created in 1996 so the technology has been outdated. But specifically for the time the movie was made in, it was at an advancement for it's time. In Twister they used State-of-the-art CGI, which was made to look as realistic as possible, especially when creating the three-dimensional black title letters. Also when the letters break apart they use CGI to make it look as if its actually leafs flying around in the background.

Title Research: Watchthetitles.com

     On watchthetitles.com there is a variety of things you can do and experience. When you initially go on the website, you are greeted with a large banner that plays snippets of titles of movies. The banner is constantly changing to other shows or movies. The website uses very dark colors, and the snippets of movies are horror themed. this could lead to the creators wanting the cite to have an eerie or ominous feel. There are many things you can explore once you are on the website. You can scroll down and view interviews, review feature film titles, tv shows, event titles and many more. “Watch the titles” was created so that other creators could view how others used titles in their films. It helps bring inspiration for other people when viewing all the unique titles in different genres. It also, offers a behind the scenes look into certain films as well, which is yet another reason this cite is so popular. "Watch the titles" is going to help my group and I because when we explored this cite, we started to gain many ideas. The ideas other filmmakers come up with for their titles is absolutely amazing. It's so cool to see how the different genres of movies and Tv shows reflect how the titles look. The very first thing you observe in a film is the beginning title, so first impressions really matter. That's one of the reasons why titles are so important. 

Title Research: artofthetitles.com Overview

The website artofthetitles.com is a very useful and resourceful website. It allows you to watch and  learn about a variety of title sequences. On first sight of the website, I noticed that it is very visually pleasing to the eye. It presents the top 10 title sequences of 2019. This is helpful if you want to see the best examples. Also, the opening page shows you an article about the best title sequences. If you click on ‘title sequences’ it shows you recent, recommended, and classic title sequences. You can look at these for a general look but you can also search for specific genres or movies. Additionally, you can click on designers and studios. This shows you all the different people and companies who create these title sequences. It gives you a list in chronological order and you can click on each name to learn more about it. When u look at a title sequence it also describes the movie in depth. Each title sequence is different for every movie. The title sequences help produce the mood of the movie for the audience. The title sequence clips are usually up to 2 minutes long. After the title sequence, the movie typically begins.

Genre Research: Ocean’s 8

     Oceans 8 is a thriller movie that is not scary. It has a lot of suspense because it is a heist movie. It is very intense and keeps viewers on the edge of their seat awaiting the upcoming scenes. Camera angles used often in this film are eye level, high angle, and occasionally low angle. Common camera movements used in this film include tracking shots and tilt shots. Camera shots that were very usual in this film were 2 shots, the range of closeups, 3 shots, wide shots, and establishing shots.
      The costumes in this go along with the events they are attending. For example, if they are out at a nice dinner, the women wear nice and classy dresses. The setting varies a lot in this movie so the costumes also vary. The lighting changes with scenery and can range from using natural light to artificial lighting to create the needed ambiance. The audience for this movie would be anyone who likes to see heist movies, especially when they are led by women. The makeup in this movie is nothing excessive because there are no inhuman characters to portray. There are many props in this movie and the most important ones would be the weapons. Without them the the heist would be a little ridiculous. The editing in this movie contributed to the suspense and made certain scenes seemless. The sounds in this movie also contributed to the mood being created. Music would play in the background and fighting scenes also had emphasized sounds. I really liked how unique the first scene of this movie is. The woman is stealing and the editing makes it seem so easy.

Genre Research: Get out

      The last movie I researched was Get Out. This film is on the borderline between thriller and horror. Some common camera angles used in this film specifically are low angles, high angles, and eye level angles. The angles are very useful in conveying the meanings of the characters action. Common camera movement used in this film include tracking shots, when the characters are traveling in a car; 2-shots, of the couple; and establishing shots, which are in most movies. Shots that were used very often in this film included the range of close-ups, especially extreme close-ups which provided emphasis on the character in the moment and what was happening in that moment.
      The mis-en-scene of this film, along with most films, help convey the story in more detail and with greater clarity. Costumes for the characters in this movie were casual in the beginning and for anyone not at the lake house. The woman’s family were dressed in more formal clothes, which included servants of the house. Women were in dresses and men in suits. The lighting utilized throughout this film was most natural light, or bright fluorescent lights. The makeup in this film was also kept neutral and to a minimum. There were no crazy inhuman characters that needed to be portrayed with excessive makeup. Props used in this film included cell phones, dining wear, vehicles, and many other small yet important things. The setting of this film was at a lake house in the suburbs.
      The sound in this movie was very unique. At one point in the movie, the main character is being hypnotized with the use of a spoon stirring in a ceramic tea cup and the noise of the spoon touching the the ceramic. Digetic and non-digetic sound we’re each very important to this movie. The editing in the movie were mostly jump cuts. No split screens or anything that would take away from the simplicity of the movie. It had many elements that were consistent with other thriller movies. The darkness is used to scare the audience and create suspense. The thing I liked most about this movie was the unique plot and how the plot was portrayed. Overall, it was a great movie and it represented exactly what a typical thriller film is.

Genre Research: Date night

The next movie I research that was apart of the thriller genre was Date Night. Date Night takes a whole new aspect on the thriller genre. This film is more comedic than most thrillers however, it is a good representation of the variety of movies that can be included under the thriller genre. Common camera angles used in this film include low angles, high angles, and eye level. The camera angles help the audience view a character from different view points depending on what the director feels is necessary to best convey the vision for each shot. Common camera movements included tracking shots and over the shoulder shots. These are used throughout the film when the camera is following where the characters are going or when they are speaking to each other. Medium close up, close up, and wide shots are a few examples of the types of shots used in this film.
      The characters in this film are out on a date when things start to go terribly wrong and sporadic. Because they were meant to be on a date, the two leading characters are wearing formal clothes. The female lead is wearing a cocktail dress and heels while the male lead is in a suit. The lighting in this film is not harsh, it is night time for a majority of the movie so it was vital that in each of the scenes where it was dark outside, the main characters were still visible. This movie targeted teenagers and adults because it included kids and a married couple who wanted a nice date night, however, they undergo a huge conflict that is less family oriented and more action packed. The make-up in this movie only extended to what a person would wear on a day-to-day basis. This movie used wine glasses, books, and computers as props. The movie takes place in Manhattan, New York, however, the setting was constantly changing throughout the film because the main characters were always having to escape or search for something all around their city. This movie includes cutaways and cross cutting. The way this film was edited is what makes it a comedic thriller, if scenes weren’t put together correctly, they may have not come across as funny to the audience or shocking to the audience. This movie uses diegetic sounds like music playing in the restaurant they’re at and dialogue between characters.
      This movie went against what most thriller movies do, which is take a comedic look effect. And yet, the movie still followed most of the conventions of a thriller. The movie had many heightening scenes and they appeared numerous times in the film. I liked this take on a thriller movie because it was different yet it kept me on my toes the whole time. There was not much of this film I didn’t like, I think it was a great demonstration of the variety of movies that can fit under a genre.

Genre Research: A simple favor

The first Thriller movie I researched for this project was called A Simple Favor. This movie is a roller coaster of events and takes the audience to many different points. The first thing I will be analyzing is the camera angles, shots, and movements. For camera angles I noticed that the angles went along with what the character was doing. An example of this would be in the beginning of the film one of the main characters is opening her trunk. The scene cuts to a low angle and shows the character along with the inside of the trunk. Some of the common camera shots included in the film were eye level, over the shoulder, and two shots. The over the shoulder and two shots were used numerous times throughout the movie between the two main female characters. Camera Movements used in this film were long shots, close ups, medium close ups, and establishing shot. Long shots were used to capture the characters entire body and the entity of the character. The medium and close up shots were used to show the characters together in a scene but bring more attention to what the character was saying. The establishing shot was used to show the audience where the story was taking place in each setting.
      The costumes used in this movie varied. Stephanie, a lead in the movie, wore bright colors and outfits that were more kid like while the character, Emily, wore suits and luxurious clothes. The costumes represent each character's persona and their outfits in this film definitely reflect on who their character is. It seemed as though the lighting used throughout this film was meant to look natural and like the sun was providing the light in the homes of the characters. This movie targeted an audience older than 18 because it is rated R. This movie would bring interest to people who like mysteries and thrillers. For the make-up used in this movie, there was nothing drastically noticeable other than lipstick and mascara. Props used in this movie include an umbrella, a gun, a painting, and a few other basic props like plates or a bottle of alcohol. The setting of this movie changed a few times, however, the main setting of the movie was Emily's home which was in the woods yet, very expensive and big. Mostly diegetic sound was used in this movie. The editing of this movie is what makes it a thriller. Editing can change the way the audience will perceive the film so it is important the editing stays on track with the thrilling events going on in this movie.

Genre Research: choosing our genre

For our movie we mutually decided to choose the genre thriller. We believe this is the best option for our movie. We ideally want to produce something that will keep our audience entertained and attentive, but at the same time we don't want our film to be too serious. When creating a thriller, it's much easier to leave the film on an open ending rather than a finished one. The thriller genre will help us accomplish that. The genre now helps us make sure our movie is not too serious. We will implement suspenseful parts into our movie so that the audience will feel like they are searching for more after the film is over. 

Genre Research: Thriller & Comedy

       For the Thriller Genre, the common camera movements are, Low angles which are used to display power in a character, high angles are used to show vulnerability, and eye level is used to show tension between two characters. The movements traditionally consist of, panning and zooming because this generates tension during the film. In thrillers close-up shots are mostly used to create more tension, while wide and long shots are avoided because it takes away from the tension of the movie. The common costumes in thriller films are extremely diverse, but many films choose to use deep, dark colors so it can set more of a mood. The lighting is usually darker in thriller films, so low-key lighting is used throughout. The audience for thriller films are usually 18+ because there is violence, blood, mental illnesses, etc. Makeup is usually a minimum but on certain characters like monsters or nuns etc. use a lot of make-up. Props are a big part in thrillers because they can help create more of an eerie mood. In thrillers settings remain the biggest part because, they help create the tension because they use places like forests, old houses, and very dark areas. The editing process in thrillers typically consists of these major edits; jump cuts, elliptical editing, graphic matches, and fast/slow paced editing. Using sound in thriller films help create and set the mood for the audience. sound really does change the way a film is perceived. For example, in a quiet place, the director decided to choose sounds that are mostly diegetic sounds for the purpose of making the film more thrilling.  The elements of thrillers that I like are, the feeling of uncertainty, suspense, and how it makes you always think what's going to happen next. The elements of thrillers that I do not like are the terror scenes, I usually do not like "pop-up scenes" which are parts of a film where an object goes into the frame very fast. 

  

     For the Comedy Genre, the common camera movements are push/in out clips, perspective shots, but also most camera movements are just the most primary ones. The most principal movements that are being used are zooms, tracking shots and tilts. Zooms help show emotion in actors faces, tracking shots (in comedies) are usually running or car scenes and tilts can sometimes show costumes/makeup. The most common costumes in comedies consist of bright, bold colors. For example, in the movie Zoolander, extremely bright and excessively bold colors are used to produce an emotion about the characters. Lighting in comedies helps move the plot along, so using high key lighting is the best option. The audience for comedies is very diverse; some comedies are meant for families, but most comedies are also 18+ due to language, substances and many more. Props are used in many comedies because a lot of directors will use a prob as something that helps move the storyline along. Editing comedies is tricky because you do not want to leave any humor out, multicam editing helps ensure that they get each scene correct. Sounds in comedies are usually non-diegetic sounds, or sounds added into the film so that the audience can thoroughly understand what’s going on. The elements of comedies that I enjoy are, how it makes me happy and the laughter that comes from watching them. The elements I do not enjoy in comedies are that sometimes the storyline is often slow, and most comedies are very similar, just with different actors. 

Genre Research: Drama

This project was to do a power point on a genre picked randomly. My group mates and I got the genre drama. We researched everything there is to learn about the genre. We had to research and identify the common lighting, sound, music, and costumes for films in this genre. Along with the items previously listed, we also had to research the camera angles and movements commonly used in Drama movies. Some examples of drama movies include Jaws and Titanic. This was the first project my class was assigned. I think this project was a good introduction to this class. I still use all of the materials I had to use in the power point so in the end, this project was very beneficial. This project also allowed my group mates and I to be creative.

Picking the final task

Originally there were three pictures left to decide from. In this blog we will be narrowing it down to one. We have started by eliminating one idea to make our decision a little bit easier. We are getting rid of the second pitch, which was about two people racing on a beach when they discover a message in a bottle that contained a map to an unknown destination. Although this idea had potential, we thought it did not fit for this project and may not keep people interested enough.Two ideas remain.
      The first remaining pitch idea is about a women undercover who discovered some major news about an impactful person. This is a good pitch for the assignment because it will keep the audience intrigued for the whole two minutes. This is also more of an action packed and suspenseful beginning to a movie rather than a montage of somebody waking up in their bedroom or a comedy. This plot would also be a lot of fun to film. With this movie plot, there are a lot of impactful camera movements and shots that can be used to create and intense, interesting start to the movie. The only downside of this idea would be that there would not be enough time to have a backstory that explains why this person is impactful. Overall, this pitch would be very good to use for this project because it is action packed and will keep the audience wanting to know what happens next in the film after the two minutes are up.
      The other remaining pitch is about someone running away from authority after they steal something from a shopping mall. This could be a good pitch to use for the movie because it is also action filled. Since it is action packed, it will most likely not be boring or confusing. The downsides of  using this pitch would be that a person running away from security may not be long enough to last  the full two minutes. It would also be hard to find people to play the security.
      The pitch we have decided on is... the one about the person who goes undercover! The full final pitch is a women undercover who discovers some major news about an impactful person. My group mates and I feel we can do a lot with this idea. Filming with this plot will make it so the audience can follow along and stay intrigued for the whole first two minutes but still leave them wondering what happen next after the time is up. This idea also seemed like it could leave a lot of room for creative freedom. Overall, we are most excited about this pitch and we will began planning the beginning of our film.

Starting the Final task

     Hello, I’m Kelly and I go to school in south Florida. I’m very excited to be starting the final project. This is my first year participating in the class aice media studies. For my final project, I will be creating my movie with two of the closest people I know in my class; their names are Haylie and savanna. I’m only working with two people because we all feel very comfortable and confident when we work together. I’ve learned that it’s best to work with people you feel comfortable with because the final result will always come back great. I’ve worked with Haylie and savanna before and they always are very reliable, and have amazing ideas always.

     I’ve learned many things while in the class aice media studies. I know what my weaknesses are and what my strengths are. Of course I want to strengthen what I’m not as good at, but since this is our final project I want to make sure everything we do, we do at our best. I am particularly good at story-boarding and filming. I will probably film most of the scenes in our final project, switching between my group mates Haylie and savanna. Storyboarding is a very important part in starting a movie, we need to know what our plan is. I’m good at being creative and using all of the spaces on our storyboard outline. If my group mates want to do either storyboarding or filming I will completely let them. I will Remember to bring my creativity into this movie. I will also critique our project because since this is the final task, we don’t have room for errors. This is a group effort and I’m very excited to do my part!

     Now I will be explaining my pitch to you. A pitch Is a Hollywood term to describe an idea where a film is explain in under 25 words or one sentence. A pitch is sometimes described as an “ Elevator pitch.”It is called this because in an elevator you will be there for a short amount of time, which is usually the amount of time that it will take you to describe the pitch of a movie to someone. My group and I have three pitch ideas;
- A woman under-cover discovers some major news about someone she did not expect to find.
- Two People racing on a beach find a message in a bottle slightly buried under the sand, they open the bottle up and discover it has a map inside.
-A robber steals something from a mall which is unknown (the object) and causes a chase throughout a mall.