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• IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

Challenging, Developing and using conventions of short films

Why I decided to be experimental and unconventional

Referring back to some of my previous research, the conventions of a short film are: Concise plot line- enables to cover the entire narrative within a time of 40 minutes, Limited dialogue- Dialogue often allows for more complex story lines which cannot be covered within the timing, Clear focus on film- the problem is quickly directed to the audience so that they understand the plot line clearly, and Limited setting/ one location- this allows a less complex storyline which can be resolved within films duration. I will explain why and how I challenged, applied and developed these conventions.

Convention:Limited locations/ settings

In my film, I challenged this convention. In my final piece the production was filmed in three locations: My home, Actor's home and the surrounding streets. However, I filmed in different rooms and in the garden. Via editing and cutting the clips down, collectively they come together as different locations. I did this because the main theme in my non-linear narrative is flash-backs to 'torture' that is suggested to the audience.

Convention: Limited dialogue

This was a convention that I used and developed. This is because of the experimental nature of my film, I believe that limited dialogue is a successful convention of Short Horror films. For example, in the short 'Lights Out' there is no dialogue, the film relies on soundscaping and the conventional, linear narrative, which I found as very effective because it helps build the ominous atmosphere and the sense of feeling isolated. For my film, there is no diegetic dialogue, as these would make the audience more susceptible to becoming passive. I wanted to limit the passivity of the audience as much as possible, so I did not include dialogue. I believe that this was a good idea because the dialogue would influence the viewers thoughts and this is something that I wanted to avoid.

To conclude this section, my film is largely experimental because it is a short film, where the limited duration allows for this type of exploration within the film, mainly because today's audiences have a short attention span and if my film was any longer it would not have the same affect. Moreover, I was inspired by auteurs whom have made up their own rules to cinema and in doing so have created some of the most iconic and unsettling film scenes in history, unlike the majority of conventional horrors which regurgitate the same plot line one film after another. In my opinion, in today's cinema i believe it is essential to break the forms, codes and conventions of the horror genre because we are becoming aware of the human condition and more desensitized to violence. The philosophy of deconstruction inspired my production: the audience must look beyond the face value of a text, this theory suggests that there are no absolutes- conventions don't work or last because how a viewer reads the text is determined by social and historical conditions. Thus, i wanted to question whether or not a concise linear plot line is really needed.

I wanted to highlight that the true horror lies within...

Convention: Concise Plot Line +Rejecting Narrative theories

One way that I challenged conventions was by rejecting a clear narrative. This is unconventional for Short Horror films, as they often have clear and concise plot lines which are easily established by the audience because of the limited duration of the film.

For example: the majority of short horror films ' follow Todorov's narrative theory, (Equilibrium, Disruption of Equilibrium, Recognition of disruption, An attempt to repair disruption and New Equilibrium.) My short film completely breaks this convention. I believe that short films allow experimentation with conventions because I wanted the overall reading of the text to be 'negotiated reading' where the audience modify my intended readings and bring to it their own experiences, once again, enhancing the activity/participation of the viewer.

My film's narrative does not establish an 'equilibrium' at the start, this acts as enigma code, so the audience is hooked into the unanswered questions, I wanted to create a sense of ambiguity, so this would increase tension from the start. My film does include however, a recognition of disruption (which is the image of the dead body in the bath) this is further put into effect by the non-linear editing effects and transitions that I used. By making the protagonist 'walk away' from the scene, i wanted to show this as a failed 'attempt to repair the disruption' by literally trying to 'walk away' she was ignoring the problem of her ultimate fate (death, which is revealed at the end) which leads to grave consequences.

I was inspired by the philosophy of 'deconstruction', where there is more than one meaning within a text because the audience bring their own experiences to it, the reading depends on the viewer. My main aim in breaking narrative conventions was to confuse the audience, so that they feel helpless within the situation. I wanted to project the feelings of the protagonist onto the viewer.

Convention:Clear focus on film

Similarly, this is a convention that I adapted. If we take the conventional short 'Lights out', the audience is directed to the problem within 0:17 seconds of the short. This enables the audience to understand the plot line more clearly. In my film, I developed this convention by not having an 'equilbrium', this was to suggest to the audience that the 'problem' is constantly present, creating the atmosphere of suspense and fear. It is further developed by misdirecting the viewer into thinking that this sense couldn't get worse, but it does because the viewers encounter problems throughout the whole film, which are made clear via the suggestive imagery; such as: the victim being featured when we do not know they are the victim, the suggestions of a supernatural antagonist.

Well, aren't you glad that that's over?!

(Enjoy my next three evaluation points!!)

Un Chien Andalou + My film

My film + David Lynch

All of these directors have been considered 'unconventional', and have challenged the forms and conventions of the horror/psychological thriller genres. I took most of my inspiration from these auteurs because their techniques were successful in making the audience question what they are seeing, the audiences often become confused by what they've seen but will continue to discuss the film after they've seen it. Therefore, my film is unconventional because the films which truly impact the minds of the viewer are the ones like these.

How I used, developed and challenged: The Codes and Conventions of Psychological thrillers

I will now discuss how I used codes from Psychological thrillers in my film. These are the forms of the psychological thriller, which make it distinguishable from any other sub-genre of the Horror genre umbrella.

Mirror +

Lighting

Mise-en-scene

A convention of psychological thriller's is the use of props. The props used within a psychological thriller are used to manipulate the characters mind as well as the audiences. What is used within the setting and what we can see on screen often have a deeper meaning. For example: an important prop in my production was the mirror. The mirror which is used as a sign should connote the characters inner thoughts (the realization that they've been trying to outrun their own fate) , whilst answering the enigma code of who the POV angle is taken from.

Lighting is used in this genre to help create an intense atmosphere. In my film there is limited lighting used for mise-en-scene and this limited brightness was enhanced in order scenes; when editing a adjusted the brightness to make the image darker,so that there would be more shadows. The 'darkness' and limited lighting connotes the 'darkness' within the characters lives, it shows that not much light or purity will come to this character.

Developing conventions of media texts

Wheatley + My film

Another aspect of film producing that I touched on in my last slides was that I wanted to explore was the use of intertextuality- where I cross-referenced media texts which I was inspired by. In my planning stage, i created a mood board of inspirations and some of the images inspired the frames of my film, as well as the mise-en-scene...

My mood-board.

As mentioned in previous slide, i was inspired by Un chien andalou.

Overall, the images and frames that I was inspired by are all related in the fact that they are disorientated and address a theme of existentialism.

This still is from a David Lynch short, I referenced this in my final scene when the protagonist is revealed in the reflection via an over-the-shoulder shot.

I was heavily inspired by art because I was intrigued with how 2D images can conjure up unconscious thoughts which help to better understand ones-self, thus allowing me to create the psychoanalysis effect . In particular, i was inspired by the work by Francis Bacon. His work is raw and honest which create a sense of dread that we try our best to avoid. I referenced the meat which is used in his work, which symbolizes the consequences of over-indulgence.

The use of settings in the psychological thriller genre is used to outline and portray the characters personality, as well as provide signs for the audience which will signify a deeper meaning to the narrative. My use of setting was conventional for a horror film, set in a a rural area- which connotes a sense of isolation and the feeling of the inability to escape. Also, in my film the house that the character walks into is not tidy and remains this way until the end. Again this acts an enigma code, so that the audience wonder why it is that state but it also connotes violence and how they have walked into a 'mess', which is their own murder.

Costumes are used to introduce/represent a character's personality, through aesthetics. For example, a an old women is usually represented as weak and fragile; stereotypically wearing dull, earthy colours and maybe with a walking stick to emphasise their character. However, the horror genre often turns rejects stereotypes. This is because it is easier to distinguish the protagonists from 'normal' people. In my production, it was important that the costumes were not significant or stood out because I wanted the audience to take the place of the protagonist, so a plain costume would allow this is because the audience would fill in the gaps with their own experiences.

Camera movements: the most commonly used shots in a psychological thriller are : the mid shot, close up and extreme close up. These are common because it helps the audience to understand the characters more, by seeing their facial expressions. The POV shot is also used commonly in psychological thrillers and horrors e.g. in paranormal activity. This makes the audience become more involved and less passive, the POV shot was essential for my production because the whole aim was to make the audience active, this was achieved by using that camera angle. This is a convention which i thought was essential for this genre, so i did not want to challenge it,so that my film falls into this genre.

Tackling genre conventions

Shall we talk about...the editing...????

Sound plays a crucial part to every horror film. The sound is often eerie, which adds to tense atmosphere. This will help build up to the climax. I developed this convention in my film. I layered original sound that I created which was speech saying 'run' which echoes throughout the film, I used pre-recorded sound from final-cut pro: such as doors slamming to create a impact sound during the realisation scene, nature soundscapes to tackle the binary opposition of 'human vs nature' which is a theme in my short film.I used prerecorded sound which I found on youtube such as the 'decibel scale' which is played throughout. I decided to use this sound because it gradually becomes more and more discomforting to listen to and stirs dread within the audience because it is associated with the build up to an explosion. I used music from Ghedalia Tazartes because this sound comes from a human voice but sounds so unfamiliar, thus making the audience feel uncomfortable.

I did not use diegetic sound in my film, this decision is unconventional because the ominous noises are used to scare the charcters but in my film the main character were the audience, thus, the non-diegeic sound is actually diegetic in the sense that the viewer is active role within the film.

My Horror short film falls into the sub-genre of Psychological thriller. What is a Psychological thriller? It uses forms and conventions to reflect the characters thoughts, fears, wants and guilt. Tension is built up, by using relevant music and sound effects. Psychological horrors differ to other horror sub-genres; such as 'Slashers' and 'Zombie' which depend on conventions such as gore and violence.In a psychological thriller there is less physical harm and the main threat of horror is centered within. And these films commonly play on the unconscious mind of the viewer.

I would say that my film takes the conventions of the psychological horror and develops them, creating the 'ultimate psychological thriller.'

Developing the Themes of Psychological thrillers- Including my inspirations and thought processes

Conventional editing techniques for the psychological thriller sub-genre include: Black & White- to enhance shadowing the film, Flashback editing-this gives the audience an insight into what has happened in the past or used to highlight a significant message into the film, often it reveals why circumstances are the way they are, Montage editing is also used- to highlight important moments in the film and signifies emotions of suspense and tension. Jump shots are relied on within the horror genre, to scare the audience which gives it that 'thrilling' sensation.

My film is heavily edited and the reasons for this are discussed in slide 3.

Close up

POV

This was where I applied one of the main themes of the psychological thriller which is: 'Identity.'- Characters often have a self-conflict within their mind, and the film centers on them trying to discover their true identity.

However, I challenged this theme by placing the audience in the role of the main character, thus, it is the audience who are discovering self-truths when they watch the film. I wanted to trigger the viewers unconscious thoughts because our unconscious thoughts are what we have repressed due to the fact that they can be traumatizing and can be what is considered the most frightening memories we have. Ultimately, the antagonist in my film is actually 'the true self.' To achieve this, I was inspired by the psychologist Sigmund Freud's 'Free association form of psychoanalysis; where the "The importance of free association is that the patients spoke for themselves, rather than repeating the ideas of the analyst; they work through their own material, rather than parroting another's suggestions".

I found this to work successfully during the actual production stages of filming, where I directed the actor to be 'weird' with the meat and they laughed as they thought it implied being venereal. Similarly, after viewing my film, some viewers associated the meat and knife with sex. This would be an example of how my film was successful with awakening repressed thoughts, as these were 'Freudian slips'

I achieved this through editing in an unconventional way. For example: I applied jump shots where many of the shots last under 3 seconds, there is also rapid editing, because I wanted to create a 'subliminal message' effect but seeing as the audience would become active, they would process these messages consciously, again awakening unconscious thoughts.

Extreme close up

Rejecting a passive audience

I decided to develop the conventions because I wanted to reject the Hypodermic needle model theory where media messages are accepted by the passive audience; they do not question the text. I wanted the audience to become active within the film that they bring their own experiences to the text and create a deeper meaning for themselves. For example: I achieved this by using the Point of View camera angle throughout the film, and did not reveal the face of the protagonist at the start because I wanted the spectator to mentally place and associate themselves within the role and situation of the protagonist.

I took inspiration from the Auteur: Stanley Kubrick.

In particular the editing used in the scene where Danny comes across the twins in the corridor.

Kubrick uses continuity editing to heighten suspense, by using a tracking shot to follow Danny before he encounters the twins. For mine, I used POV to instead of tracking to get a similar effect. Kubrick then conditions the audience into getting used to what Danny is seeing, by using a shot-reverse-shot editing technique. Then he uses a quick jump cut to reveal to the audience, a flashback/vision of the slaughtered girls. This immediately shocks the audience and creates discontinuity. I used this editing technique throughout my film- e.g. For 20 seconds, via a POV we follow the protagonist and at 20 seconds there is a jump cut which last less than a second, which reveals the problem that the protagonist is facing. This is used again at 0.23-0.33 seconds where the same POV angle is used and then there is another jump cut which suggests a flashback or vision to the potential threat.

I was conventional in the use of black and white editing. This was to signify a change in the film, as it happens as soon as the protagonist leaves the threat that is in the house. I also used as a contrast to the narrative- the situation is not simply 'black and white', it is a rather complex one. I was inspired by David Lynch's 'Eraserhead' film, where the whole film is in black and white- this creates a cold, isolated and unfamiliar sensation, which is a feeling that I wanted to project on the audience.

A shot that also inspired me is from Salvidor Dali's 'Un Chien Andalou', where there is a close up of an eye-jump cut to a cloud passing the moon-jump cut back to the eye being cut in half. This creates discontinuity but also foreshadows what will happen next. In this case, it creates surreal atmosphere. The intertexuality to this in my film is used to create a surreal sense of discomfort.

Ben Wheatley's film, A field in England (psychological horror) inspired my editing technique immensely. In particular what is called the 'Trip Scene', throughout this scene (and the whole film) Wheatley creates discontinuity through his use of jump cuts. The 'Trip scene' is heavily edited where he uses mirrored effect, montage cuts to different moments in the film and reverses the image and the images are not sequenced. I used all of these techniques in my film, i also wanted a psychedelic effect/ theme in my film because one of the main themes in my film is 'the mind' and how everything is not what it seems; there are layers to our conscious minds.

I have included film stills from my film to highlight those which are mentioned in this slide.

Inspiration for challenging and developing conventions

"...Therefore we must judge a weird tale not by the author's intent, or by the mere mechanics of the plot; but by the emotional level which it attains at its least mundane point... The one test of the really weird is simply this - whether or not there be excited in the reader a profound sense of dread, and of contact with unknown spheres and powers; a subtle attitude of awed listening, as if for the beating of black wings or the scratching of outside shapes and entities on the known universe's utmost rim.” -H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature

This is a quote the author, H.P Lovecraft, where he discusses supernatural Horror. This whole idea of an unknown, human condition is a theme that I wanted to include in film. Lovecraft's interpretation is similar to the theory of the 'uncanny valley' which is a theory that explains why we are afraid of certain 'human-like' creatures/inventions (this often inspires the costumes and makeup of antagonists). Lovecraft's definition of supernatural horror is different to the Horror films we see today, often the type of horror that is described by Lovecraft is replaced by Special effects, CGI Ghosts or Antagonists with extravagant costumes. Audiences aren't frightened by these characters or plots today because the horrors and fears are put into the antagonist which makes it easier to comprehend. Whereas, Lovecraft understood that what we truly fear goes beyond human comprehension, the dread and fear cannot be measured. In line with Lovecraft's beliefs; 'Cosmic horrors' are not successful in films because writers and directors depend too much on the mechanical structure of a plot. He emphasizes that in order to create a successful sense of dread, the plot should be vague. "The one test of the really weird is simply this - whether or not there be excited in the reader a profound sense of dread, and of contact with unknown spheres and powers; a subtle attitude of awed listening, as if for the beating of black wings or the scratching of outside shapes and entities on the known universe's utmost rim.”

Simply, this quote is the reasons why I decided to make my film unconventional, non-linear and experimental. This exact feeling is one that I wanted to conjure up within the audience- I truly wanted to make a film that would unsettle and make the the audience feel discomfort; unlike the sequels upon sequels of horror films which are produced today.