Target Audience Research and Findings

Before we even started to plan our film opening in any detail, we had to decide on a target audience. As we decided to make a horror film, it was almost impossible to have the age rating as under 15 because horror films are almost always scarier and more intense than any other genre. As well as this, we looked at our sub-genre, slasher and took inspiration from their age rating certificates.

Some of the most popular slasher films and their age certificates:

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003 - 18

• A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010 - 18

• You're Next - 18

• I Spit On Your Grave - 18

• Halloween - 18

• Friday the 13th - 18

Clearly, a common age minimum is set at 18. This means the  target audience would range from 18-25, young adults/teens to mid twenties, as this is what seems most appropriate for our film genre. 

The age certificate which we have placed on this film is a 15. This is mainly because of the high level of violence in the film where there are strong brutal images in which we feel that it is not suitable for people who are below the age of 15. Also because the brutal images are not shown  for long periods of time we felt placing an 18 certificate on the film was not necessary. Furthermore, there is no sexual violence or upsetting themes of that type.

"The 18 certificate was created in 1982 as the successor of the previous X certificate, which in turn was the successor of the H certificate (with H standing for "horror"). Typical reasons for restricting films to the 18 certificate category have included scenes of hard drug use, supernatural horror, explicit sex, sadistic violence and sexual violence — the last two of which have in the past led to a certificate not being issued at all, effectively banning the film in the UK. It was only recently that the censors passed films with explicit ('hardcore') sexual acts despite the 18 certificate existing for many years."

So what kind of content can we show and what can we do to attract the target audience? 

• If our age group is the maximum age limit, we are technically allowed to have gore, violence, sex, drug use, frightening scenes etc. However, this would not be appropriate for our film as it doesn't suit the narrative. As a 15 rating, there would still be some gore, but not shown for long periods of time. Furthermore, there would be no strong sexual scenes/violence. 

• We will have no foul language in our teaser (as it has to be appropriate for everyone) but in the film, swearing could be used mildly. 

• In our whole film, gore and violence would be acceptable, as this is clearly a common convention for our genre

• For our film trailer, we would keep the gore and violence to a minimum, to keep the most intense scenes secret and to tempt the audience into coming to watch the whole thing.

Test shots of Lorna (Actor Scouting)

As we prepare to film, I decided to meet up with the main character of the Final Girl to film some test shots outside, to see how she acted, what kind of shots we could get and what the footage turned out like. I also just wanted some footage to play around with to try some editing.

I asked Lorna to do various things including: 

• run away from the camera, looking back, scared
• scream and cry and put her head in her hands
• look at the knife as if she knows what she has to do
• look scared and cry 

Here is the edited footage:

To achieve this, I mainly used Bad TV at different levels of roll and 'amount', I also used grayscale, different levels of exposure and brightness and various other simple effects to see what the outcome would be like. I also chopped up the footage into smaller chunks and mixed it up to make it seem faster paced and random.

Next time I will

• film when it is lighter. Unfortunately, we met up too late and so it was almost pitch black when we went to film, with only limited light. I would meet up an hour earlier to make sure we got enough filmed when it was still light enough
• Make sure all props and costume is 100% correct, as I did not notice she was wearing some jewellery which I would prefer she didn't, to fit the character better.

Filming Schedule

Date: Monday 25th November
Time: Meet 4pm at Tor's house
People needed:

• Rebecca
• Holly
• Gaurav
• Tor
• Fraser
• Lorna
• Edgar

Equipment needed:

• Tripod
• Camera
• Torches (as many as possible)

Props needed:

• All alcohol bottles
• Cigarettes
• Keys
• Jackets etc
• Cards
• x2 Knives (killers and final girls)

To be shot:

• Opening sequences (party sequences), laughing joking, try to capture real laughter etc, to look realistic
• All shots of the door
• Basement shots
• All final girl shots
• All killer shots
• Should all be filmed

Deconstruction of Teaser Trailers (editing)

I wanted to take a closer look at a couple of teaser trailers and how they are actually edited together i.e. the transitions used, type of sequence used, typography used, where the titles go etc.

I Spit On Your Grave

• starts with production companies, followed by a dimly lit establishing shot of an old, wooden looking cabin
• transitions are fade to black and black to picture again
• short, 2-3 second long sequences are used in conjuction with non-diegetic creeking noises
• dimly lit, ambient lighting used only - adds to realism of the sequence
• tracking shots, and steadicam used.
• edits of sudden black and white and tears appear across still images, like a ripped/folded photograph
• the typography uses a simialr type of edit, with flashing/beaming light, as if a torch is going over it. 
• fast paced edits of crying, turning around are used to build the tension
• sudden flashes of colour, as if a shutter has been used over the image
• the typography is used to set the narrative, in a slow building way
• most of the fast paced horror sequences happen in the last third of the sequence, with no more fading transitions, only straight cut edits
• the title is at the end in the same style as the typography throughout
• one more gruesome image is shown, followed by 'coming soon'.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

• starts with production companies
• establishing shots, dimly lit, greeny/bluey hue throughout. desolate land. very eerie.
• non-diegetic music starts the audiences fears. 
• a chase scene starts and slow motion is used to really capture the actors fearful facial expressions and body language
• the contrast of the firey-red petrol bomb and the bleak greeny-grey hue emphasises the importance of the fire.
• slow motion sequences show the anguish on the actors face as he burns alive.
• 'from producer' shows legitimacy and will give the audience high expectations
• the font used is red on black, with a serif style
• fade to black transitions, accompanied by a clicking noise
• establishing/long shots used of freddy at first, to keep the mystery
• yellow hue starting to be used
• panning shot of 'elm street' referring to the film title and as this is a remake, reminding the audience of what they may already know
• establishing shot of house, accompanied by creepy non-diegetic singing, '1,2 freddy's coming for you, 3, 4, better lock your door'
• fast shuttering again, to build tension, make audience jump
• slower sequences are mixed with 'jumpier' sections 
• several long shots, showing the immense lighting and special effects used to create decrepit scenes
• again last 20 seconds show the really fast paced moments, building to the girl being lifted from her bed. this shows the audience a lot of the action to get them scared
• fade to black, show title
• then last little scare - small scene of freddy talking, doesn't really do much but we finally see his burned face - the final reveal
• tag line shown, then the date of the release.

You're next

• starts with panning shot, seemingly normal, old, grand house used - shows definite wealth
• ambient lighting. 'girl next door' type actor, brown hair, plain clothes
• then sudden shattering of glass
• slow motion, low angle shot of all weapons falling and girl falling - non-diegetic ringing music - implies panic
• distorted slow motion view of people escaping, reflecting the moment of panic by the actor
• low angle shot of masked perpetrator entering the home, axe visable, makes the killer seem bigger and powerful 
• slow motion shows girl crawling away, particular interest in her very scared facial expression and body language. non-diegetic music gets faster, more panicked
• close up of axe hitting the ground next to the 'final girl', music stops, straight cut to black

For ours

• definitely use fades to black at the start, until final third, where all the action happens - use straight cuts
• use non-diegetic building music and shuttering sounds 
• use ambient lighting, play around with hues and effects 
• keep title til end, then 'coming soon'
• use fades to black for typography
• use some kind of shuttering over the text also, and serif fonts.