Quick Recap on theories…

<div style=”margin-bottom:5px”> <strong> <a href=”//www.slideshare.net/belair1981/scream-postmodern” title=”Scream Postmodern” target=”_blank”>Scream Postmodern</a> </strong> from <strong><a href=”//www.slideshare.net/belair1981″ target=”_blank”>Belinda Raji</a></strong> </div>

Audience Theory

Dyers Utiopian Theory: 

• his theory is used to motivate and encourage the audience, offering them solutions and energy to distract them from day to day live.
• This theory explains how it encourages the audiences escapism that they are experiencing every day live
• This will then make the audience feel energised and exhilarated when watching movies/trailers.
• This theory explains how society and reality is full of negatives and not enjoyment, thus audiences watching new films provides watchers with enjoyment and pleasure.
• Therefore idealism that an audience can delve into distracts from realism that the audience can shy away from
• So, as a collective, the media put forward for show, offering a contrasting world, allows audiences to delve into a state of utopianism, giving the audience a chance to fixate onto other things, reducing worry and boredom from the world we live in, through media consumption. This offers people a new, thrilling experience.
• Words to link to the theory: Inadequacy, poverty, confusion, exhaustion, isolation, solution, abundance, clarity, energy and community.

Relating “Dyers Utopian Theory” to my horror trailer: LUC▲D

I will be using Dyers Utopian Theory to help motivate and encourage my audience for LUC▲D (My Own Idea). As my audience will be between the ages of 18 to 30, (near there or abouts), Dyers Utopian theory will be specifially used with ‘Solution’ and as I am targeting teenagers and young adults, also ‘Energy’. This theory is relevent to my horror trailer in particular, as a horror film may offer energy through portraying scary and jumpy scenes, or for example a scene that will build up tension. Specifcally in the explanation of: Scene 5

“As Josh slowly approaches what is seen as a person who is sat on the floor, cross legged, alone, rocking forwards and backwards. Josh taps the person on the shoulder, and as the person turns around”  

Through special effects and special lighting once the film is actually made, the trailer will be perfect for building up tension. A horror film also tampers with the audiences emotions, and therefore as the character “Josh” is a very relatable character, Dyers Utopian Theory will be even more fitting. As I have created a twisted storyline that opposes the social norms (which is any horror film anyway) this reinforces the Utopian theory even further, thus connecting with the audience.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

How does this relate to horror films and the audience:

General society have overwhelming fear relating to their specific needs. Humans have a fear of pain and a fear of not being able to fulfill everything that is basic in our lives even without thinking about it, psychiological needs are all subliminal. Being without oxygen, food and everything else for most is not at the forefront of our minds, therefore, horror films bring it to the forefront of the audiences minds, making the audience aware of the needs that we desire; loosing control, fearing pain and experiences that may effect our need for affection and family is all highlighted and strengthened when people watch scary movies. So, if scary films portray something that people fear, and bring everything to the forefront of ones mind it would be a successful horror movie.

For example, when relating this to my horror movie, in the trailer it will portray a normal teenager showing his needs when in the pub with his friends, and sleeping in his bed, however as this is taken away from “Josh”, abnormality starts to kick in, therefore the audience will see this abnormality especially as “Josh” experiences mental health problems. Especially in scene three Josh starts to experience his crazy dream, and it slowly starts to become his reality: “Suddenly snippets of the extreme, trippy and crazy dream that Josh has, flashes of sudden appearances of Josh bugging out within this dream, these flashes will include changes from the dream to Joshes face. The camera effects will be glitchy. The soundtrack for the trailer will also be glitchy increases the tension and upheaval about to happen.” This camera scene will portray weird things happening and as Joshes nightmare begins to come true the audience will find this fearful because it is not the norm, it challenges Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

The Audience and the cinema experience

Cinema Audiences:

Define “Audience”: the assembled spectators or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert, or meeting.

These graphs can help my primary research to help select my target audience. From these graphs you can see that people for the ages from 15-34 are more than likely to attend the cinema. Also, as you can see in the first graph, the horror genre is more popular, therefore creating a horror trailer, has been the genre I have chosen.

I asked family and friends and random people at school, “what do you want when you go to the cinema?”

Responses reviewed were:

• Films that relate to you as a viewer
• More of an experience rather than a pass-time, I want something to WOW me
• Having a profound affect on all viewers so much so people won’t stop talking about it
• A cheap experience

Similar horror/ thriller trailers to my horror trailer:

1. Fight Club

   1999 Film
2. 8.9/10-IMDb

   80%-Rotten Tomatoes
3. A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground “fight clubs” forming in every town, until a sensuous eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of control spiral toward oblivi… More
4. Initial release: October 15, 1999 (USA)
5. Director: David Fincher 
6. Running time: 140 minutes
   

First draft of my horror trailer: LUC▲D

Expanded notes:

First draft

• Scene 1:

This will start off as Josh is waiting at a bar to be poured a pint. The camera will focus on the barman pouring a pint. As the pint is being poured, the camera will be diffused, tracking backwards onto the back of Joshes head. As the audience still haven’t seen his face at this point, it gives the watcher something to look forward too. This immediately gives Josh a sense of mystery. Without seeing his face, it optimises the ambience of Josh and his character even further. This will subconsciously make the character more dark, and as a result his presence becomes more prevalent.

Further on into the scene, the camera moves to Joshes friends, at this moment in time there could potentially be a quick portfolio describing all his mates, (this is not definite), this will include a comedic part of the film, increasing the unexpected horror about to happen. This will add to the tension that’s about to unfold. Afterwards, with or without the character portfolios, the camera will concentrate on Josh downing his drink, however, only showing his lips. This could perhaps be in slow motion to show the effect of beer dripping down his face.

He then walks out of the pub, the camera using a pan effect (following him) out the door. As he opens the door to leave, a distinctive ‘bell’ sound will signal his exit, this will become more and more symbolic throughout the trailer…

• Scene 2

As Josh walks into his house, at this point, there will be crisp and fast noises, the camera will be in close up on the key lock, screening him struggling to get into his house. As he gets into the house he goes straight to his room. The sound of his footsteps up the stairs are also louder, his face still isn’t shown, just his feet. He barges into his room and slumps on his bed, you hear a “sigh”.

This whole scene will be more dark, the lighting will accentuate Joshes silhouette, still amplifying his omniscient presence and hidden identity. He hears a knock at his door, its his mum, she opens the door and asks Josh if hes ok. The camera pans towards Josh, but then the camera effect quickly changes to an extreme close up on Joshes eyes. As he says hes OK, his eyes droop, the camera holding onto his eyes, allowing the audience to see into them, experiencing his hidden pain. His eyes will be dark and purple highlighting the stress and secretes he may withhold. His eyes shut

• Scene 3

Suddenly snippets of the extreme, trippy and crazy dream that Josh has, flashes of sudden appearances of Josh bugging out within this dream, these flashes will include changes from the dream to Joshes face. The camera effects will be glitchy. The soundtrack for the trailer will also be glitchy increases the tension and upheaval about to happen. 

• Scene 4

Darkness appears in the camera after the intense dreaming episode, whilst the dream scene will be very surreal it will also be very realistic. As this ends, the camera will turn to black, and fade into pure whiteness, dissolving into the lamp light held above Joshes face. He realises that a doctor is shinning a light into his face… The doctor says “You are fine now, you are officially discharged”, you hear it breathless shudder, his confusion is shown in the camera, the scene glitches out again, the music explain this too increasing the atmospheric entity to the trailer, reaching the pinochle of the trailer; meeting the main character; Josh. 

The scene again goes white… as he opens his eyes (the camera in a hand held position) , the camera also showing Joshes perspective, looking into the white distance, Josh sees a slight black figure, he starts walking, shouting screaming at this silhouette  as he gets closer he exclaims ‘excuse me, excuse me!’, showing the watcher the confusion on his face

• Scene 5

As Josh approaches what is seen as a person who is sat on the floor, cross legged, alone, rocking forwards and backwards. Josh taps the person on the shoulder, and as the person turns around, dramatically, a person who looks exactly like Josh turns around and stands up, this person finally reveals Josh’s identity, his hands covered in blood and his mouth covered in blood, the camera stays on his face for three seconds, the camera then turns black. 

The psychology of scary movies

The Horror film allure: Glenn D. Walters

• Tension
• Relevance, horror film has to be relevance to the viewers
  -Universal relevance – fears of things like ‘death’
  -Cultural relevance – societal issues
  -Subgroup – teenagers
  -Personal relevance
• Unrealism

When we walk into a theature, we know what we are seeing on a screen is fabricated reality.

• Multiple camera angles
• Soundtracks
• Black humour

Children have a hard time understanding whats reality and whats fake

Fear of animals:

• Millions of years of evolutionary psychology have ingrained in our minds certain fear triggers – a survival instinct – Fear of the Dark where predatory animals might be laying in wait – Fear of animals with large sharp teeth who would make a quick meal of us
• Fear of Poisonous Spiders who can kill with one bite.
• This may explain the shape of our movie monsters: creatures with sharp teeth or snake like appearance.

The psychoanalytical community
Freud: 

• Freud himself posited that horror came from the “Uncanny” – emergence of images and thoughts of the primitive id that were being suppressed by the civilized ego
• Jung thought that horror movies tapped into primordial archetypes buried deep in our collective subconscious
• images like shadow and mother play important role in the horror genre.
• Greek Philosopher Aristotle – he thought that people were attracted to scary stories and violent dramatic plays because it gave them a chance to purge their negative emotions (catharsis)
•  Using Aristotle’s argument, we would watch violent movies and play violent video games to release the pent up feelings of aggression.
• HOWEVER Pent up feelings of anger can actually be reduced by watching something else like humor or erotica. But there may still be a correlation between watching horror films and the reduction of fear.
• The Excitation Transfer theory is sort of a new take on Catharsis. Dr. Dolf Zillmann, argued in 1978 that the negative feelings created by horror movies actually intensify the positive feelings when the hero triumphs in the end.
• Film Scholar Noël Carroll puts forth the idea that horror films are the product of curiosity and fascination.
• Horror exists outside of the everyday existence of normal behavior. This “enjoyment” of the punishment of those that deserves it makes up the Dispositional Alignment Theory. We like horror movies because the people on screen getting killed deserve it.

Categories of Horror Watching

• Gore watching – characterised by low empathy, high sensation seeking, and in males a strong identification with the killer
• Thrill watching – high empathy and high sensation seeking – motivated by the suspense of the film and more identification with the victims.
• Independent Watching – high empathy for the victim with a high positive effect of overcoming fear
• Problem Watching – high empathy for the victim but characterised by negative effect – sense of helplessness.

Horror as a vehicle for growth

But the images and connections we make while dreaming aren’t totally random, they’re guided by our emotions – maybe working through a recent trauma or dealing with angst and fear. This idea will be used in relation to my idea for my coursework- the film called

LUC▲D 

Click on the link and you’ll find out what my film is based. 

Horror movies require us to face the unknown, and this will be especially effective as my idea for my coursework is based on an actual nightmare coming true as it slowly becomes someones reality.

Theory notes

Wood (1986) says that Horror films are about repression:

Define repression: 
“the action of subduing someone or something by force.”

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=s0d9AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=wood+says+that+horror+films+are+about+repression&source=bl&ots=BPvGoSKOX8&sig=5gENwkaFwFRW9J8H9NTcry_fr88&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sm4-VJ6IK-SR7AadjoHwDQ&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=wood%20says%20that%20horror%20films%20are%20about%20repression&f=false

• Here is the exorcist trailer, this will be inspiration towards my horror trailer for my coursework :

Overall

• Men have got a feminine side to them, they have been brought up in a society that encourages them to despise feminine qualities
• Men then project there feminine qualities onto women and make them feel inferior

Carol Clover – Castration complex:

• ‘The final girl theory’, the final girl standing in a horror film, comes face to face with a usually male killer.
• The killer in most slasher films is often a male who has failed to meet the demands of a patriarchal society on men, he is not successfull with woman, he is not athletic, hes is not scientific or competitive, he does not fit into a group, he is an outsider & as he is not a stereyotypical man, by default he sees himself as an unworthy masculine man, therefore, he projects his hatred of his non masculine self by killing women who he considers through which he fills will reduce his feminine qualities and overall become the aspired masculine man and as a result he uses phallic objects to penetrate women.
• ‘The final girl’ has also been a failure within the patriarchal society she is not meeting the expectations of femininity, she is studious rather than frivulous, she is virginal rather than sexually available thus, she is the one who survives because the killer doesn’t target her because she isn’t a stereotypical female. She becomes successful when she is able to kill the killer and castrate him of his masculine ability to dominate women.

Theory notes from ‘the Horror film’

Genre
Defining horror: 

• 1930’s there was a Horror movie Boom in America
• The ‘Horror film’ itself did not become widespread until later on in the 1930’s
• Dracula and Frankinstine are seen as classic American horror of the 1930’s

With regards to the audience of the Horror film, it is hard to distinguish a true relative audience in relation to the Horror sphere, there are many different types of horror film subcategories, thus defining the word ‘horror’ even harder. The audience have there own idea and opinion on the horror genre, therefore making the definition more of a speculation rather than a definite idea of ‘horror’. Its is difficult to pin down different horror means, because of the socio political context; the society and political attitudes at the time.

The audience and horror:

However, ‘Horror’ itself can be defined as a whole through the stars and genres within the film itself, Why do the audience see mainstream entertainment films? Because of the stars and genres within the horror sphere, therefore, the main definition the encompasses horror is defined by the celebrities and stars involved in the horror film. The word ‘genre’ is what we collectively believe it to be.

A genre is defined by its iconography and the distinctive thematic and structural terms– therefore the conventions of a horror film define the genre ‘horror’

• There is a general agreement that Horror Films present us with fearful and unpleasant events

Audiences understanding of horror is similarly fragmented, pragmatic and short-term, audiences understand horror through their own experience, and they understand what horror is which specifically relevant to them, horror is therefore inevitably different for everyone.

History and horror:

For example, originally, the Dracula film was marketed as a weird thriller  but the audience accept it as a horror film since the 1950’s. The audience changed the genre as the majority experienced it as scary watching the film. The ‘horror’ genre changes over-time in relation to the changes within society. Different opinions are made on what a horror film is, obviously the term ‘horror’ would have changed from the 1930’s until the 1970’s, the context in which you find horror changes massively, historical changes will occur as time goes on.

Dracula as a thriller (1931)

Dracula as a horror – film (1958)

Other historical horror films:

• Frankinstien – 1910 – Frankenstein is a 1910 film made by Edison Studios. It was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley. This 16-minute short film was the first motion picture adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
  
• The werewolf – 1913 – The Werewolf is a silent film short that is considered the first werewolf and Universal horror film. It was directed by Henry MacRae, produced by Bison Film Company, and released by Universal Studios.
  
• Life without a soul  – 1916
  

The presence of such films in the pre-1930’s period showed that when horror cinema did emerge, it did not come from thin air, so to speak, but instead often drew upon and reworked elements already present within cinema.

Many critics have also seen gothic literature as providing another important source for the horror film.

Here is a scanned image of how horror has developed overtime:

Horror movies also change and reflect in relation to the present day social cultural issues, here is a word-document that i’ve highlighted the relevant quotes and issues showing examples of how Horror films reflect the present day socio-cultural issues within society…

Section A part B – discovering theory

I am studying this book to help me disavover different theories in relation to the genre, narrative, representation, audience and the media language for my horror trailer idea.

An example of a past paper question to link to the theory included:

Apply theories of narrative to one of your coursework productions

In the part b section of question a, I will be explaining specifically how theories will be linked to certain criterium of my own horror trailer.

So far I am studying ‘the horror film’ by Peter Hutchings, my findings and work will later be blogged

First storyboard ideas for LUC▲D – Planning the film title

Intro–> guy walking around, his life is normal, it reflects the life of a typical teenage boy
Slowly as the editing portrays this weird images start to crop up in the horror trailer, black pictures start to seep onto the screen, insanity slowly kicks in
The trailer itself, will show flashing images as this happens, the soundtrack will build up and more and more images will crop up as the sound becomes more intense
At the peak of the soundtrack, there will be a glitch of the music, when this happens pictures videos of the characters life with quickly change and show the audience the ordeals of LUC▲D.
CRASH! There’s a black screen when the music stops, and a creepy video will appear of the character after LUC▲D finally takes over

Choosing the title for a horror film is an extremelly important part of a horror moive, the title has to encaptivate the audience and make them want want more. The title has to stick in the audiences eyes, from my research I have seen that a lot of the top grossing films only have one word for the name of the horror film, and as a result subconciously, the word will ultimately stick in the audiences mind. Successful horror films with just one word are (with the or a number atatched to it)

• (The Saw sequels) Saw II (2005): $87 million. …
• Scream 3 (2000): $89.1 million. …
• Scream (1996): $103 million. …
• Scream 2 (1997): $101.4 million. …
• The Haunting (1999): $91.4 million. …
• The Others (2001): $96.5 million. …
• The Grudge (2004): $110.4 million

In IMDB I checked to see if ‘Lucid’ had been used as a horror film:

And to my knowledge it hasn’t (as a horror film) therefore I used the word Lucid for the title of my horror film.

Synopsis for LUC▲D

Do you have dreams? What are your dreams? Have you ever wondered why some dreams are so vivid? Meet Josh, a normal teenager waiting to lose his virginity, to go to the pub and have a laugh with his mates. Until something starts to control him, molester his brain.

Dreams become reality, as perspective melts away, where will he hide when his nightmare catches up with him?

Although my synopsis may be minimal, this is done to ensure that tension is built throughout the making of my project, I want to keep the audience involved and interested in my trailer. In my horror trailer research I have seen that keeping the equivocation of any horror film is a necessary as it keeps the audience involved and engrossed. This will be one of my promotional strategies as I want to make the audience want more and to be curious about whats to come next.