Foley

At the start of my editing process, I realize that specifically for my film opening the most important part of creating it would be editing. Now I am realizing the music and sounds that I will be inserting into the film is just as important. Due to the fact that my film opening is alluding to conflict and setting the tone for the rest of the movie sound is crucial in delivering the tone I want to deliver. One of my earlier on blogs I created was research on sound effects and one of my blogs was even the scary music I would be playing in the background. However, I didn’t realize the amount of small and extra sounds I needed to create the overall tone of the scenes. For example, simply the sounds of different animal noises, crickets, owls, or even the howl of a wolf. For the foley aspect of the film I would use the actual sounds of the knives and the feet walking in the grass or the gravel street, but create foley sounds for music playing that is heard from a distance. So for this my idea would be to play a speaker and just cover it with my hand, this will give the effect of what’s person would hear a couple houses down from the house playing the actual music. In addition to filling in scene s with music, I had an idea of adding suspenseful music at the end of a scene before it cuts increasing the volume then turning it off when the scene actually cuts to add the element of fear in the audience that something bad is about to happen.

Filming process

These are short clips of the filing process. These scenes with the actors were crucial due to the fact that this would be the last time recording people because of the corona virus and the restrictions placed requiring everybody to stay in their homes. Later on I would add in the scenes with the slasher being introduced. Filming in all took longer than expected. I didn’t realize how strong the lighting would play a role in that, obviously it is dark but I didn’t realize the faces of the actors would be so hidden, because of this I used an extra light, but just slightly so it wouldn’t be seen as a spotlighting on their faces. In addition, I needed all the shots the first time and also wanted them perfected in my sense. These clips reveal how crucial the editing process is in pulling together the entire tone and story of the movie I want to express.

Script

The script for my film opening, pertaining to the dialogue, is very short due to the fact that I didn’t want the killer saying anything to draw the audience in, the other characters also do not have many lines because they are simply not that important. The opening is meant to allude to conflict and portray a haunting tone, so I did not want to introduce those characters in any way because they are about to die making then irrelevant for the rest of the movie. The slasher character will slowly be revealed to the audience throughout the movie, not in a unmasked sense but rather personally, for example his motives for killing.

The 

script 

It’s a dark night, owls are noisy and Sydney just arrived at Becky’s, the two of them are setting up for the party that will start in two hours.

Sydney steps out of the car

             Stephanie

Hey syd come on in

SFX: Night time silence 

The killer is now being introduced with a variety of shots from the back.

POV as the slasher sharpens knives and walks to butcher pigs(as this is his career)

SFX: Animal noises

POV of slasher eventually hears the music blaring from the house and walks toward the music to investigate in a rather sketchy and mysterious tone. He approaches the outside of the house where he can see two girls talking(he knows this is a typical high school party). He slowly approaches the door where he knocks and a girl answers.

          

  Sydney

(confused who it could be, the party doesn’t start for another two hours)

Can I help you?

Cuts to

SFX: Night time silence

Scene cuts to the aftermath of the slashers effects on the girls in the house.

Reasoning

For my storyboard I chose specific shots and angles to incorporate into my film opening.

For the first part of my storyboard I wanted to use a low angle to show guests arriving and to introduce the character with a close up in the third box. I wanted to make sure I had establishing and long shots as well to let the audience know where the characters are. In the sixth box it is a shot of the night sky, I wanted to use this shot to show the silence and darkness of the time that everything is happening. The next two boxes show the killer in a mysterious and suspenseful fashion, where he can’t be seen.

All of these shots in the second half of the storyboard are point of view shots. I got this inspiration from Halloween. It makes the audience feel uncomfortable as if they are in the killers shoes, this also helps with hiding who the slasher really is.

For the last part of my storyboard the first two boxes are continued pieces of the killers point of view while the last two boxes are for the audience to realize what has just happened essentially setting the tone.

Characters

Due to corona and the limitations of human interaction, there will be no more than two characters, not including the slasher, in my film opening. The house party scene, I would rather have many people which will portray an actual party, however corona pit restrictions on that idea. Instead I had two friends of mine act out quick scenes entering a house party, which the correct shots and angles, as well as lighting I might be able to make it look as if there are more people there. I used colorful lighting for the party scenes and if I use the correct tools when editing I will attempt to make the light flash making it difficult for the audience to see how many people are in the actual space of the house. However if this technique is unsuccessful then I will only portray the two characters simply setting up for he party instead of being in the middle of one.

Changes

Due to the corona virus I had to change my filming location which resulted in changes in my storyboard as well.

Revised storyboard.

The original filming location was at a friends house because around the house was a relatively rural area which would have been perfect for the serial killer to hide, however with the virus I changed the location where having a rural area part of the story will be very difficult. In addition to the house, the weapon will have to be changed as well.To add onto the schedule, I will be completing the filming portions and during the week working on editing.

Weapon

Due to the fact that the ideal weapons I wanted to use for my serial killer, a cleaver, I did not own one and the prices were higher then expected, I chose from a variety of knives that I owned and picked one out of them.

The very first knife in the picture seemed the most ideal out of the rest, because it was the largest and seemed to have the most reflected shine to use when filming. The second knife in the picture was also a good size, however it had a lessened shine to it, in addition the three silver dots on the bottom of the handle made the knife look less scary and more “kitchens”; the shine would be used when shooting the reflection of the knife to get a more creative and unique shot. The third knife seemed like a good choice, but it was a smaller knife compared to the first one. The fourth and final knife also had the same silver dots as the second knife which decreased the tension the the knives with out the knives would have the capability of bringing.

Storyboard/Sound

This is the first half of my storyboard, it consists of the guests arriving at the party house with jump cuts to the serial killer sharpening his knife and hearing the music blaring from the party. It consist of close-ups, medium shots, and even long shots. There are also a variety of angles from low to point of view shots to allow the audience to see what the serial killer is seeing. Using a shakey affect combined with foley sounds to express the secrecy and motives of the slasher.

https://www.audioblocks.com/stock-audio/suspense-horror-movie-music-repg7oytuwsk0wyan71.html


This is the song that I would use when the serial killer hears the house party as well as the scene when he arrives at the house and is hiding from the guests that are at the party. It will create mystery and tension for the audience, creating the overall ''horror'' look of the movie. This sound can also be used leading up to a jump scare which will set the tone for the rest of the movie.




Other potential songs
https://www.audioblocks.com/stock-audio/tension-and-suspense-music-with-explosive-ending-rlll1f02upsk0wy4dl0.html
https://www.audioblocks.com/stock-audio/suspense-music-bed-bxcmmik6iwhk0wyan7a.html
https://www.audioblocks.com/stock-audio/thrills-and-chills-rg0bcba3uwrk0wy3cci.html

Serial killer research

Serial killer research

A serial killer has specific characteristics, in reality they contain an anti-social personality disorder which means they can be quite charming and very manipulative. Famous serial killers such as Ted Bundy and Charles Manson were both were manipulative and charming which tricked many people into dangerous situations leading to their deaths. Many serial killers grew up unloved, neglected, and abused. Micheal Myers for example was given the situation of abuse as a younger child resulting in his desire to kill. Some serial killer movies do not fully describe the reasons for their desire to kill. For example Scream does not explain where ghost face got his want to kill. In my own film, I would want to describe the origin of the slasher desire to attack and kill teenagers at house parties. For my slasher killer, he would have been bullied at a high school party, a tragic event occurred to this slasher that reflected his feeling and the way he felt turned into hatred and revenge.

Target Audience

Target Audience

Research
Typically the ages that are most attracted to the horror genre are younger, specifically for a slasher movie, ages would range from 17 to 25. Due to the fact, for my own personal movie, I would be incorporating the lives of teenagers, my horror film would attract an even younger auidence; for example, starting at around age 14 and reaching up till the age of 25 as well. Older ages usually do not enjoy watching horror movies because it is no longer exhilerating or adrenaline rushing for them.

Distribution

Due to the fact that my target audience is younger, the idealistic way to distribute my movie would be off of a media type platform, for example youtube. Teens now a days have almost every platform of meida imaginable, therefore the best way to advetise the movie would be to post about the release of the movie on youtube in other platforms such as instagram, twitter, or even creating an advertisment or trending filter that relates to the movie on snapchat.

Represntation

The sterotypical high schooler that is lazy and rebellious will be challenegd in my movie with hard working students that are responsible and just taking a day off and attending a party. The slasher in my film is also challenging the typical slasher character by having a somewhat reasonable motive, while most slashers just kill to kill, mine will have his or her own motives. I would like to add diversity to the cast, to create the snes of whoever you are there is no escape from this slasher. In addition, instead of having the casual ''dumb blond'' dying in the first two minutes of the movie, I would like to challeneg that sterotype by doing the exact opposite and creating '' the blonde'' as one of the most intelligent characters.

The Breakfast Club is an example of representing sterotypical high schoolers as '' the criminal'', ''the jock'', '' the nerd'', '' the quiet'', and '' the popular''. This is something I personally want to challenge in my film, to show the better more intelligent side of teenagers. I also think the fact that my characters will be smart and show responsibilty it will create more of a shock that the slasher is able to kill them and frighten the audience into thinking the killer is much more powerful then believed to be. It will also create a sense of '' if they could'nt escape, how would I be able to escape''.

Location Images

Locations

Killers workplace; a specific community has its own golf course. Within the golf course there are small bridges crossing over a lake. At night, using the correct shots and angles, the area can be developed to be seen as quite rural, even though there are houses all around. It would be the perfect spot to introduce the slasher character because of the creepy tone the whole area has potential to give off. With the correct editing techniques, the area can be seen as isolated, tense, and mysterious. With the help of lighting, the golf course can be made to seen as empty fields surrounded by almost nothing.


















In addition to my last blog posting, the house that will be used to throw the party of the teenagers where the attack will take place, can also be attempted to look slightly more isolated then it really is. This would add alot of tension giving the victims nowhere to run or hide. Right before the house scene, the street where the killer would walk at night also creates a creepy tone, with no cars around and all of the lights out, even in other houses, the entire scene will set the tone for the rest of the film opening.

Location

One of the locations I am using to film is the house posted below. This is ideally where the house party will take place and the killer will attack. The slasher will walk down the street with a weapon in his hand indicating the killing about to happen. A few yards before the street scene there is a typically more rural area that with the correct shots and angles can be convinced as a completely isolated area. This is where the killer works and where he would hear the music playing from afar. The angles used would be from the killers hand never showing his face to keep the audience at the edge of their seats instilling them with curiosity. Due to the fact that my own film opening is not one hundred percent planned out, the house will give me many options on the different angles and shots; for example, if I do want to expose a slight piece of the killer I could use the reflection of a window to show parts of the slasher.

Story

Dilemmas

Having two ideas of the story.

Story A.
The killer targets teenage parties, (80's vibe), killer is at a coffee shop and hears two girls talking about the party they are throwing. It is a small town so the girls are putting up flyers to attract people. The killer sees the flyer and knows exactly what he is going to do. Shots of him getting ready for the party, sharpening knife, then he slowly walks to the address and attacks his victims.


Story B.
A man living in a rural area, who is a farmer( butchering animals/cutting wood) is shown doing his work at night in a wooden barn. As he is sharpening his knife, he hears the sound of loud music from afar. He is aware of the neighborhood he lives by that is filled with teenagers. At night he steps out of his barn and slowly walks towards the noise until he finally reaches the noisy house. He sees teens running around outside, (they don't notice they're drunk), he walks into the house and attacks.

Killer would use a cleaver as a weapon.

Unsure if the use of a flashback of the killers experience to a high school party and getting bullied will be a good addition to the opening, or even possible. Neither story will show the killers face( if a blur through the window or even possibly wearing a mask), main shots will be of his feet, clothes, and shoes as he is walking.

Location Research

Location Research

The horror genre typically uses cheaper location sites when filming their movies. Weather its an abandoned house, a creepy parking garage, or just a ghost town, the setting of a horror movie helps set the tone and create the horrifying atmosphere.

Real Filming Locations

A Nightmare on Elm Street was filmed in Los Angeles California mainly in the bedrooms of one specific house. The scenes filmed in a boiler room were actually filmed in a boiler room in a downtown Los Angeles jail.

Scream was filmed in Santa Rosa, California mainly taking place in a single house, shooting scenes throughout as well as the surrounding of the house.

Halloween took place in South Pasadena, California. It was filmed in a variety of locations such as an elementary school, a cemetery, and an abandoned house.

Friday the 13th was filmed in Hardwick, New Jersey on real camp grounds belonging to the boy scouts of camp No-Be-Bo-Sco.

Location Ideas

Town Center/small coffee shop
A house representing the house party/Hills
The kitchen, sharpening knife/barn/
Bedroom of the killer/Hills bridge with a wooden background angles, represents a closed house
Creaking wooden door/feet angle of walking
Walking towards party noise/Hills bridge
Displaying empty fields with silence, rural area of the killers house/Hills
Streets at night walking toward the loud house/Hills street
House of kill scenes, music is heard from a distance/Hills house/night time


A Nightmare on Elm Street



Scream



Halloween



Friday the 13th

Slasher Character

Character ideas

Slasher name                        Slasher Weapon

Roger Fueller                       Saw

Ralph Canzer                       Meat Hook

Carl Mendz                          Bowie Knife

Nick Morkan                       Cleaver


Clothing Designs

Clothing Examples

For my slasher, I want to make sure to incoporate the color black as it represents death, power, mystery, and evil. I would aslo incoporate some type of blue, such as the jean jacket but darker, because it stands for dominance. The charcters pants will most likely be brown, darker blue, or black. The brown represents how the slasher is involoved in similar to a farmers labor by cutting wood or hunting animals.