AS MEDIA STUDIES
FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO
Research
this page includes:
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Film Opening Observations
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Initial Idea Generation
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Reflection
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Genre Selection
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Genre Codes and Conventions
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9-Frame Analysis x 3
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Genre History
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Representation
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Institutions
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Directors
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Audience Survey
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Audience Response Analysis
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Viewer Profile
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Equipment Research
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Summary
Film Opening Observations
I watched 3 different film openings individually which are:
1. Jurassic World:
the fallen kingdom
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name of production
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a submarine traveling inside a stormy ocean
For more than a minute, the film included the names of productions and companies.
Therefore, it wasn't enough time for me to identify the narrative of the film and the theme, as the scenes were only 30 seconds.
3. No hard feelings
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name of production
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a happy background music
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a hook hanging on a car
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extreme shots of the setting
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very bright and colorful setting and iconography
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a woman and a man speaking
This film seemed the most hooking and interesting among the three films I watched. The dialogue between the two characters reveals who they are, and their relationship. I liked how the film directly revealed the theme and the basic story of the film, which made me want to watch until the end.
2. The Equalizer 3
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name of production
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a road in Italy
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a man and a boy in a driving car
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dead men on the street
This film started quite directly without showing loads of production names. During the first 2 minutes, I noticed the theme of the film is quite dark and includes crimes. There weren't many dialogues so it was still not easy for me to be immersed in the film.
Initial Idea Generation
Reflection
After generating my initial ideas, I had time to consider whether my ideas were appropriate for an education-based setting. The answer is YES.
As my ideas do not include extreme violence or inappropriate features, it would be suitable. Moreover, I considered whether I could achieve the outcome to a standard - for example, there might be scenes that would require us to rent a whole park or a building, or a dangerous action scene that would require an expensive support crew. Fortunately, the settings I'll need to film my production at would be affordable for me as I only need a vast field, also there wouldn't be any danger as no hazardous equipment are used.
Genre Selection
Genre Selection
Genre Selection
The members of my coursework group are Minh Chau and Tri Nhan.
As a group, we all happily agreed to decide our genre to a THRILLER.
We all wanted to produce the same theme of a film, which was a great fortune. Our sub-genre is HORROR; which was also what the three of us wanted.
Genre Codes
and
Convention
Symbolic Codes
The black outfit of the character conveys the meaning of danger and anonymity, as the character will not reveal their identity throughout the film opening.
The vast green field reveals the endless chase of the girl, as there will be no obstacles or hints for the girl to escape the tensioned horror.
The mysterious box that will appear in the end exposes the image of a blackhole; blackhole is known as a trap that's unescapable eternally, which could convey the meaning that the girl will be unable to get out of the chaser.
Color Codes
The film's opening will include lots of the color black, which will highlight the sense of danger, tension, and horror. The chaser's outfit, the color of the box, and the color of the chaser's weapon all relate to this meaning and further convey an ultimate dark image of the film opening.
The vast green field will be the main element of color throughout this opening. The color green symbolizes hope, safety, energy, etc. This may hint to the audience that the girl might survive the chaser, moreover gives a sense of hope that there would be no violence.
Audio Codes
Technical Codes
As the setting of this film is outdoors, the lighting will include natural low-key lighting. This is because as the theme of this film is dark, it wouldn't match if the lighting were too bright.
Shots and Angles
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closeup of the girl's facial expressions
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extreme shots of the two characters running
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over the shoulders shot to expose their relationship and location
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high-angle shot of the girl to present her as vulnerable
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low-angle shot of the unknown creature to make him strong and big
Written Codes
The default bgm: tension increasing and contains firm drum beats. The bgm will exist nearly the whole film opening, which makes the audience maintain their tension during the whole time.
When the girl is sucked by the box, all music will stop. This will suddenly make the audience feel an intense shock and make them have goosebumps.
The footstep and deep-breath sound effects will appear every time the two characters run and chase. This will increase the reality and emphasize the exhaustion of the girl.
Written codes will only appear during the title introduction because I want the audience to only focus on the film itself. I want the footage to gain as much attention as it can so that the meaning is fully conveyed to the audience.
Character Conventions of a horror:
Visual Style Conventions of horror:
Genre Conventions of a horror:
Visual Style Conventions of horror:
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scary looking villains
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blood
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darkness
Genre Conventions of a horror:
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thriller
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mystery
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crime
Character Conventions of a horror:
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a violent villain (men)
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a victim (women)
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hero
Setting Conventions of a horror:
Setting Conventions of a horror:
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car road (for car accidents)
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dangerous locations
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dark place
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where there are no people for help
Narrative Conventions of a horror:
Narrative Conventions of a horror:
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death of a naive character
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betrayal among the villains
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characters surviving after they were almost dead
Nine Frames Analysis
Nine Frames Analysis
Nine Frames Analysis
The First Film:
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022
The First Frame
The film starts by presenting a frame that reveals nothing but a blue figure. The color blue represents negative emotions such as sadness, loneliness, disappointment, depression, etc. This creates a gloomy mood in the film, which allows the audience to infer the genre is dark. Moreover, the written codes and the superimposition of this frame suggest a view of the camera as the words ' Play' and 'Input DVD' are on the top of the frame. During this short frame, the ambient sounds of the wind and the birds' chippers imply that the footage is taken outdoor. This can set the mood of the immediate environment. The frame moves on to the next, by cutting off the frame quickly adding an edited element of a broken camera.
The Second Frame
As the second frame enters, a non-diegetic sound is played, which is a sinister and parallel music that conveys a sense of horror and intense tension to the audience. The lens flare in this frame creates a feeling of being blinded by a light and a sense of realism as it makes the camera explicit. The filter of this frame is a warm brownish yellow, which suggests that the scene is from the past because it's reminiscing an old memory. The small rainbow on the right connotes the idea of joy and brightness. The rainbow color contrasts to the color of the previous frame which can be a small subversion of the negative mood of the film. The shot is a low angle shot which makes the spinning black wheel to look big and focused. As the wheel spins, the diegetic sound of spins makes it more realistic.
The Third Frame
Same as the previous frame, the frame enters quickly. By this, there's no difference in sounds. The yellow filter highlights the effect that it is reminiscing the past situations. which means something has happened in this place. The ripped tent hanging on the dead tree suggests there isn't a shelter; a tent is usually used to protect something or someone, however, a damaged tent no longer can protect anything. Not regarding the filter, the scenery is recorded with high-key lighting. But covering the color scheme with the dull yellow filter suggests that the beauty of nature is destroyed like the damaged tree.
The Fourth Frame
The house is built with weak materials. This is a sign of vulnerability and hints to the audience that the house might collapse. The broken crook metal board below the house suggests the fragility of the materials. The fragility of these materials could be a foreshadowing of another character's fragility, who might be the victim of this film. The eerie emphasis is the mood of this frame, which is ominous and scary. By this, the audience can imply that a crime has occurred in this house, moreover, the lens flare makes the frame look like a photograph which creates a meaning that the picture is used for solving the crime that has occurred in that house. This highlights the horror mood of this frame.
The Fifth Frame
The fifth frame opens with a full shot of a house. The exterior appearance of this house differs from the house in the previous frame. This house is built in good quality and reminds a Western housing style. It has more windows than the previous house, which can connote the idea of more chances of escapism from the crime. The visual effect of a dusty color grading creates a mysterious effect of this frame as if the house is a significant factor of this house. Moreover, the spooky music bed leaves the frame eerie.
The Sixth Frame
With the entrance of the sixth frame, a VoiceOver enters into the concept of a news reporter. The narrator tells the audience that the film is set in the summer of August 18, 1973. This reveals that the weather was hot and the orange-colored sky highlights the warm mood of the season. The closeup of the sun suggests the meaning of energy, strength, and passion, which are the positive connotations of it. However, the sun can also symbolize fire, which could kill people.
The Seventh Frame
A long shot of the corpse of the Armadillo appears right away after the sun by fading into the screen. This is the first death in the film, and this can relate to the sun in the previous frame, as the sun symbolizes death. The corpse facing towards the sky can suggest that it's heading to the sun which has killed itself. The superimposition in the middle of the frame reveals the place. This can be a symbolic element because Texas is famous for its legendary cowboy culture; this could be a hint to the upcoming events that will occur later in the film.
The Eighth Frame
The superimposition of a mid-shot photography film implies that it is an actual photograph taken in this movie. In the photograph, 3 white men are staring at a little white girl. This can suggest that the girl is the victim and the men are the criminals. Regarding the girl's appearance, she is a female child which implies that she is both physically and mentally vulnerable than the 3 men. However, according to the narration, the voice says that 5 youths were been killed. This could change the idea that the 3 men and another person were also the victims.
The Ninth Frame
The image of a white man aiming his victim with his gun reveals that the film is a horror-based crime film. The closeup of his facial expression emphasizes his concentration on the victim, moreover, the hat he is wearing implies that his action is related to his job. The sinister sound effect highlights the danger of the weapon he is holding. Again, the visual effect of a dusty color grading creates an effect that the photograph is old and has mysterious secrets hidden.
The Second Film:
The Call
The First Frame
The color scheme of this frame is blue which associates with a negative emotion such as sadness or loneliness; this creates credibility as the character is literally presented as alone. The character is wearing a black outfit which also links to a dark imagery, that presents negative emotions. The setting is a vast field with a huge mountain behind, which doesn't include any type of modern factors. This could suggest that the film is set in the past. The wide shot of the setting and the character, focuses on the landscape or highlight how small a character is in their setting. Also, as the character is shown so small, it does not reveal the character's gender, age, visual, etc. The diegetic ambient sound sets the mood of the immediate environment and helps the audience to focus more on the visible elements.
The Second Frame
This frame includes cold colors gradings which associates with the character's facial expression and the color of her muffler. Like the mood of the color, the close up of the character's face allows the audience to see her emotions clearly; worries, depression, etc. The natural lighting creates realism of the setting and the situation. The diegetic sound of her suitcase dragging implies that she is with her suitcase. This could hint that she is traveling, or going to a place to stay.
The Third Frame
This frame exposes a foggy sky and a rough road. This could suggest that it is a rural area, where vehicles do not travel often. The wide shot reveals the character and a truck. The composition of the truck and the character suggests that the truck is small because it is a similar size to the woman. The synchronous Sound of the truck emphasizes normality as the sound and the screen match. The truck follows the character with her pace which could suggest that the truck driver knows her.
The Fourth Frame
The frame enters by cut-on-action and is again filmed by a wide shot which highlights the size of the object and the character. The truck stops right next to the character and the character stops walking as well. This could mean the driver and the woman know each other, and the woman was waiting for the truck to come. he woman is composed at the center of the frame. This could mean that she is the main character.
The Fifth Frame
The fifth frame enters with a deep focus and an establishing shot of a wide shot. The frame reveals the agricultural fields and trees which implies that this is a rural area, also there are few houses which could mean that it is an underpopulated area and is isolated. The ambient sound of the birds singing and the wind blowing sets the mood of the immediate environment. Despite the are has no people and seems cold, the sound of the nature subverts the scary mood.
The Sixth Frame
The full shot of the truck enters the frame. The truck's vehicle number is hidden by the dust; this emphasizes the anonymity of the truck, which could symbolize danger and ominousness as it is an establishing shot so the location is different from the previous frame. The diegetic sound of the wind and the truck gives the audience a sense of the real environment in the character’s world.
The Seventh Frame
The road is filmed in low-key lighting which creates tension and a mysterious impression. The road is lacking light, and the only light in the middle is colorless; the light is white and is not yellow. This could mean that there is no brightness or energy.
The Eighth Frame
The dog is the second living creature that appears in the film. The dog is lying down and seems to be unenergetic which matches with the mood of the film: dark and cold. The dog's clothes are white; this could suggest that the dog is pure and innocent and also its cushion is green which is a symbol of peace and safety. The diegetic sound of the dog's moan hints that the dog is uncomfortable and may be suffering from something or someone.
The Ninth Frame
The closeup of the woman's face shows her emotions and where she is looking. Her facial emotion suggests that she isn't happy, and is exhausting due to a reason. She is not wearing any makeup which could mean that she has no special occasions to attend. The voice of a man enters. However, the woman does not look at the man but stares through the window. This could mean that she isn't greeting the man, or that she is in a bad mood.
The Third Film:
The Perfection
The First Frame
The film starts with silence and a frame showing a closeup of an old woman staring at the audience blankly. The woman has no facial expression which creates a creepy image of her. Her skin is pale and has lots of wrinkles. This emphasizes that she is old and not healthy. Her hair color hints at her nationality, which could be Ireland because of the stereotype that the Irish have ginger hair.
The Second Frame
The figure of Jesus dead on the cross implies the death of the old woman. As Jesus appeared right after the old woman, this could suggest that the woman believes in Christianity and hopes for Jesus to save her from death.
The Third Frame
The bottles of medicine symbolize an alert to health. To link with the previous frames, the medicines would be the old woman's which means that her health is deteriorated. The color of the bottle is orange, which symbolizes vitality and energy, which could mean that the medicines will save the woman from death as well. A downbeat music bed enters which is hard to notice, but creates tension or boredom.
The Fourth Frame
The photograph of a young girl smiling with her instrument and her award shows her love of music and that she is skillful. To associate this girl with the woman, she might be her grandchild. Her clothes don't look formal which suggests that she is a free person.
The Fifth Frame
The fifth frame enters with a mid shot of a woman sitting on a couch. The woman has no makeup on and seems to be worried about something. Her outfits are not ironed which could suggest that she is exhausted and has other things to focus on. Her eyes are red which implies that she was crying, or she's very tired. The downbeat music bed gets a little louder, which creates more tension and a sense of sadness which matches with her facial expression.
The Sixth Frame
The sixth frame reveals the two characters' location by the shoulder shot. The old woman is keep staring at an empty space, while the woman looks at her lying down. The Jesus is hung above the old woman, which reveals that she adores him, also that she believes that Jesus is her world. The wallpaper has a tree pattern on it. This gives a sense of vitality to the atmosphere where everything is in pale tone, and has no vividness.
The Seventh Frame
The seventh frame enters by cutting in with a mid shot of the woman staring at an area. Her face looks like she is worrying something, and her posture seems comfortable which implies that the room is hers, or she has been staying here for a long time. The voices of two women whispering enter as the woman stares at the area. This means that the woman is looking at where the voice is coming from.
The Eighth Frame
The long shot of the old woman reveals the room where the two women are whispering to each other. By this, the location of the young girl's photograph is shown. However, the area the old woman is staring at is still not revealed. One of the women whispering outside is wearing a formal outfit. This could suggest that she is a visitor of this house, or that she is a nurse.
The Ninth Frame
This is a closeup of the woman's face. As she hears the phrase "such a good daughter" from the women, she stares back at them. This suggests that she is the daughter that the woman mentioned. The woman has blue eyes, white skin, and brown hair. This implies that she is a Western, the same as the old woman who might be her mom.
Genre History - Horror
The history of the horror genre is extensive and varied, spanning several centuries. Over time, it has changed and evolved, reflecting the apprehensions, concerns, and cultural settings of many eras.
The following is a synopsis of the history of horror:
The House of the Devil
(1896)
Frankenstein
(1931)
Psycho
(1960)
Child's Play
(1988)
Insidious
(2010)
Early Origins
(18th and 19th Centuries)
Golden Age of Horror
(1920s-1950s)
Horror Renaissance
(1960s-1970s)
Slashers & Supernatural Horrors (1980s-1990s)
Modern Era & Subgenres
(2000s-present)
Representation
Representation
Representation
The Villain
1. Physical Appearance
The antagonists in horror films frequently have eerie, distinctive physical characteristics. To project an unsettling and terrifying presence, they could dress in gory makeup, possess otherworldly abilities, have malformed features, or wear masks. The audience is supposed to feel afraid and uneasy due to these physical attributes.
2. Supernatural or Paranormal skills
A lot of the villains in horror films have traits that distinguish them from regular people, such as supernatural or paranormal skills. They might possess abilities like superhuman strength, invulnerability, telepathy, or elemental mastery. They are strong opponents because of their skills, which heightens the tension and sense of danger in the narrative.
3. Gender
The villains of horror films are usually portrayed as male. This is because traditional gender roles and stereotypes are long associated with masculinity, power, aggression, and dominance. These attributes can align with the portrayal of a villain who is imposing, threatening, and capable of committing acts of violence. Over time, these gendered expectations and archetypes have influenced the representation of villains in horror films.
The Victim
1. Vulnerability
In horror films, victims are frequently shown as weak people who end themselves in frightening or hazardous situations. They could be portrayed as gullible, naive, or unprepared to deal with the dangers they come upon. Being exposed to danger heightens the suspense and increases the audience's empathy for the characters.
2. Gender
Horror films generally follow existing narrative structures and conventions, in which the male protagonist or hero plays a more prominent part in the narrative and the female characters are positioned as potential victims or helpless women. In recent years, these gender-based conventions have influenced how victims are portrayed in horror films. According to gender stereotypes, women are prone to fragility and require protection. These preconceptions have affected how victims are portrayed in horror films, where female characters are sometimes perceived as being more vulnerable to harm and hence more likely to become victims.
3. Empathy and Relatability
In horror films, the objective is frequently to evoke empathy and a sense of emotional connection between the audience and the victims. Character development, attractive traits, and the establishment of relationships with other characters all contribute to this. The audience can more easily feel emotionally engaged in the characters' survival or fate thanks to these efforts.
Institutions
is a horror film-producing company that has produced nearly 200 films and television series with theatrical grosses amounting to over $5.7 billion in worldwide box office, founded in 2000 by Jason Blum. Their revenue is $5 billion, including 200~300 employees. They have been worked with directors such as Leigh Whannell, Jordan Peele, Scott Derrickson, Christopher Landon, James Wan, Mike Flanagan, James DeMonaco, Jeff Wadlow, Damien Chazelle and M. Night Shyamalan.
Directors
Directors
Bong Joon-ho
A Famous South Korean director Bong Joon-ho
was born in Daegu on September 14, 1969, and has become one of the most well-known and significant figures in modern film. Before making his direct debut with the movie "Barking Dogs Never Bite" in 2000, he started his career in the film industry as a screenwriter, contributing to several popular projects.
The 2003 crime thriller "Memories of Murder," which is based on an actual crime occurrence, is one of his most well-known films. The film includes themes of obsession, morality, and the human condition while examining the investigation of a serial killer in a small Korean village. It won praise from both in Korea and abroad, confirming his reputation as a skillful director.
With his genre-bending monster thriller "The Host" released in 2006, Bong Joon-ho gained international acclaim by fusing elements of humor, horror, and social satire. The movie was a huge commercial hit and won numerous awards for its inventive use of genre filmmaking and captivating narrative. The biggest characteristic of his films is that they mix multiple genres, and subvert the conventions and clichés of genres.
Bong Joon-ho's film "Parasite" 2019 is what made him a global star. With multiple accolades, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film, "Parasite" rose to prominence on a global scale.
I chose him as one of the two directors because he has produced lots of horror and thriller movies, which became all successful. How he represents the characters and the narrative is very appealing, also his unique style of filming makes a difference to the other directors.
James Wan
Australian-Malaysian director James Wan was born in Kuching, Malaysia, on February 27, 1977.
Wan has become a prominent character in modern horror cinema through the successful and significant films he has produced and directed.
The horror movie "Saw" in 2004, which Wan co-wrote and directed became well-known due to its complex storyline. The film turned into a cultural sensation and gave rise to a hugely prosperous franchise
despite it being a low-budget film.
The supernatural horror movie "Insidious," which Wan directed in 2010, won lots of praise and went on to become a box office hit. The movie demonstrated Wan's talent for establishing a spooky mood, delivering excellent scares, and increasing tension using creative camera work.
In addition, Wan directed the films "The Conjuring" (2013) and "The Conjuring 2" (2016). Based on real-life incidents, these supernatural horror movies further highlighted Wan's ability to evoke a strong feeling of fear. Both movies were in rank at the box office.
I chose him as the second director as he produced the most famous horror movies with his style. He is a director who frequently uses jump scares, and is also a pioneer who made jump scares popular. He is often praised for being scary along with his thoroughly crafted mise-en-scène and directing. By this, he became much more sensational in the horror movie industry.
Audience Survey
I conducted a basic audience survey to learn more about the interests and preferences of our potential audience for my coursework. Fortunately, 28 people responded to my survey, which helped me better grasp my potential audience.
Audience Response Analysis
Gender
17 people out of 28 people were female (61.3%).
11 people out of 28 people were male (38.7%).
Of this, I know that the majority of my potential audience is female.
Nationality
Korean: 21 people
Vietnamese: 7 people
After seeing this result, I have decided to add some elements related to Korea in my film opening to satisfy the Korean audience.
Location
I asked them about the place they watch films the most, and the majority answered that they use online websites the most. Only 1 person answered TV, 8 people chose the cinema and 19 people chose online platforms.
Purpose
I also asked my potential audience about their purpose for watching films, and the main purpose was to entertain.
Age
The responses to the survey showed that the medium age of my audience is 17. 10 people out of 28 people were at this age, moreover, there were very few adults; 2 people out of 28 people. Because of this, I've decided to target my audience as teenagers.
Genres
I asked my potential audience about the genres they like, letting them choose as much as they
would like to. The results told me that they enjoy romance and fantasy films the most. However, there were enough fans of horror and thriller, which is the genre that our group chose.
Socio-Economic Group
The responses to the survey showed there is no lower-class potential audience for my film. Except for the 5 upper-class people, 23 people were in the middle class where I'm also included. This could help me to easily come up with elements that evoke their empathy while watching our film.
Openings
Finally, for the last question, I asked them about their favorite type of film openings to use their answers as a reference for my film opening.
The most preferred opening was 'in medias res' which is throwing the audience right into the middle of an action. This type of opening will suit our genre, thriller, and horror, as these genres signify rising tension.
Viewer Profile
Gender: both
Age: young generations (15~30)
Nationality: Asian
Genres: thriller and horror lover
Location: prioritize online streaming more
Socio-Economic Group: middle class
Purpose: entertain
Openings: prefer in medias res
Equipment Research
Canon Camera
Clapperboard
Tripod
Premier Pro
Wireless Mic
After Effect
Research Summary
After all of this research, I have noticed that there are so many things to prepare before producing a film. The journey was long but worthy. I have learned so many facts about my chosen genres, moreover, I came across a role model Bong Joon-Ho, during this process. To add on, I have decided whom to target as my audience; Asian teenagers who stay close to social media. Overall, the research that I have done was very helpful and I had lots of inspiration throughout the process.