Preliminary Task

This is our preliminary task that was set, to help us get use to filming and to see what variety of shots we could take within a small sequence. I worked with Natalie & Yasmin to create this short film in which an exchange of an object or two is to take place. We also showed our awareness of the 180 degree rule.

Prom Night

Movie Summary

'Prom Night' is a classic horror with some slash genre aspects. The movie stars Brittany Snow and Johnathon Schaech. The film is about a young girl named Donna, whose family is murdered by an obsessed predator, who happens to be Donna's Teacher. What Donna doesn't know is that the deranged psychopath has escaped from the asylum and is intent on killing anyone who gets in his way.

Scene Summary

I've reviewed scene 17/18 of 'Prom Night', In which a friend of Donna's, Lisa is killed by the crazed stalker. The scene starts off with Lisa and her boyfriend Ronnie in a hotel room rented out for the prom. Lisa suddenly realizes the mystery man she saw in the hotel lobby is the killer and quickly rushes off to warn Donna. She is cut off by the killer and the chase begins. Lisa runs down the stairs into a construction site and hides. Her friends look for her as she has been nominated as Prom Queen and Ronnie was meant to purprose to her. Thinking the killer is gone Lisa runs, unfortunatley into the arms of the murder where she is gruesomely slaughtered.

Mise en scene

Lisa and Ronnie have black skin and are both dressed in dark blue, this gives them visibly common traits and helps to represent their boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. Ronnie is in a fully black waist coat and shirt with a blue tie and Lisa is in a long dark blue dress and has curled hair. The hotel room is bright and uses netrual colours. Ronnie and Lisa kiss while laying down upon the bed, Lisa runs off leaving Ronnie. He opens a small box with a ring to show that he was about to propose to Lisa. The killer finds her he is wearing a cap and very dull clothes to show mystery and coldness. She breaks her heel on the stair falls, the killer pulls out a curved knife that represents his twisted mind and spirit. He chases her into a construction site that has plastic wrapping on all the windows and furniture, a blue light flashes on and off. She trys the elevator but it doesn't open the shadow of the killer is cast upon the wall making her jump, he attacks her. Lisa falls as she gets to her feet her dress is ripped by the killer. She runs away closing two big wooden doors behind her. She is then swarmed by a flock of pigeons. She hides under a table with a plastic transparent sheet over it, the elevator opens and Ronnie is in it, he calls her then goes, she is unable to reply without alerting the murderer. The elevator has connotations of escape and freedom. A bright blue light flashes on the killers face as if unmasking him or confirming his identity. He goes or so Lisa thinks she runs out and down the hall, knocking over two canisters. She runs backwards sure that he is behind her, unfortunately running into his deadly lock, he slits her neck and blood splats up a plastic sheet showing she is most definately dead. The construction site has connotations of unfinished buisiness, as the killer is back to finish off the rest of the family by killing Donna. The site is also dark giving an evil mysterious sense to the scene and set.

Camera

-Establishing shot of hotel room
-Close up of Lisa as she realizes who the killer is
-Medium Long shot as she runs down hall
-Framed through glass window on door and key hole
-Close up of knife and ripped dress
-Point of view shot from killer and victims perspectives
-Foward tracking of Lisa's feet at low level during chase
-Shot through plastic sheets as killer walks away and when Lisa is killed
-Close up of Lisa's paniced face to express emotion
-Subjective Shots

Music & Editing

-Seamless Editing throughout
-Quick cuts
-Music tempo and volume increases when Lisa is being chased and is decreased when she loses sight of killer.
-Heartbeat as background noise throughout the chase
-Dialogue
-Bird noises
-Elevator noise
-Screams from Lisa
-Ambient sound of students talking at Prom and teacher on mircophone

30 Days Of Night

Movie Summary

'30 Days Of Night' is set in Barrow, Alaska a remote isolated town that has 30 days of night every Winter. A group of marauding vampires are coming led by Marlow (Danny Huston) and are planning to have a month long feast on Barrows helpless residents. It's up to Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett) and Stella (Melissa George) and a ever-shrinking group of surivors to do anything to last till daylight.

Scene Summary

I've reviewed scene 06 of '30 Days of Night' in which the group of bloodthursty vampires pilage the town of Barrow and a small group of infromed survivors meet at a diner.

Mise en scene

The vampires have pale white skin, long fangs and noses and have blood smeared upon their faces. Their eyes are extremely dilated giving them animalistic connotations and nails long like claws. They wore relatively dark dull clothes in contrast to their pale ghostly skin. At the start of the scene a clan of vampires stand in the snow which like their clothes contrasts with the dark skyline, which gives off connotations of Good (White) V.S Evil (Black). People begin to gather at local diner, the diner is gently lit. The group of people are dressed casual in furry warm clothes and hats to make the cold climate more authetic. The scene then cuts to a couple defending themselves from the vampire leader and his female partner. The human man holds a gun and is bearded and heavy built. When the vampire leader lifts the man up against the wall and strangles him it makes the audience aware of the strength of the vampires. The living room is messy and shows that there has been a previous struggle. The clan boss impales the man with a metal bare and the female vampire bites the girls neck. The scene then follows to the people of Barrow jumping out of windows and doors being chased by vampires. Residents are dragged across ground and out of cars, vampires jump from roofs giving them a sense of agility and speed. Blood stains and snow contrast in colour. Wooden houses and the small amount of them supports the look of an authentic isolated town. Stella and Eben arrive at diner and plan a diversion.

Camera

-Medium Long Shot of the couple fighting the vampires
-Close up of their panicked faces
-Aerial Shot of Barrow and the carnage
-Forward Tracking of people being dragged

Music & Editing

-Gun shot sounds
-Diegetic music as vampire leader scratched record with nail
-Vampire roars and screeches
-Peoples screams
-Car engine and wheels
-Windows being smashed
-Quite background muisc

Cloverfield

Movie Summary

'Cloverfield' is a deconstruction horror, mixing elements of horror with the ingredients of a documantary. From visonary producer J.J. Abrams and director Matt Reeves.

Scene Summary

I've reviewed the 09 scene of 'Cloverfield' In which four surviors travel through a underground subway and are attacked by small alien like creatures.

Mise en scene

The set lighting is dark and even as an audience member you cannot see which makes it more authentic, the characters switch one a light on the camera, enabling them to see. There is rail way tracks and a narrow tunnel. The creatures attack. The night light upon the camera is switched on so you can see the aliens, they are quick and have tentacles and lots of eyes. Lilly is first attacked then the camera guy, but Gwen helps him causing her to be biten, blood sprays onto the camera screen. The four people run up on the side platform and through a metal door.

Camera

-Handheld consistantly throughout the film (inspired by the 'Blair Witch Project')

Music & Editing

-Ambient sound of explosions in distance
-Sound of creatures

Doomsday

Movie Summary

'Doomsday' is set the United Kingdom, 27 years after the outbreak of the deadly Reaper Virus kills millions. The diease erupts in London and threatens to wipe out the entire population. An elite fighting unit led by the deadly Major Sinclair (Rhona Mitra), has to find a cure for the Reaper Virus within 48 hours, which unfortunately is located in the post-apocalyptic zone in Scotland, controlled by cannibal gangs.

Scene Summary

I've reviewed scene 09 of 'Doomsday' in which Major Sinclair is imprisoned by a gang of cannibals. The leader Saw is putting on a circus show in which he kills one of Major Sinclairs
team by burning him alive and feeding him to the crowd.

Mise en scene

Prison hallway, a man with a chain saw connotations of torture and fear. Saw walks onto a stadium stage, not many windows or light so there is connotations of being underground. The crowds are dress as stereotypical punks with mad hair styles, piercings and tatoos. There are pole dancers, stunt motorcylcists, gymnastics and scottish dancers. The scottish dancing and strong scottish accent of Saw give the set basing in Scotland an authentic look. The bring out the man on a crane then lower him into the fire, connotations of hell. Saw then gives the savage crowds plates contrasting their animalistic behavior with the traditions of civilisation. Saws female partner wears a crown similar to the statue of liberty, this shows she is important and a leader of the community.

Camera

-Close up of Major Sinclair as she listens to her friend being slaughtered
-Close up of Saws imprisoned sister
-Pans around crowd
-Medium Long Shot of Saw on stage
-Close up of dead body
-Foward tracking of Saw

Music & Editing

-Diegetic Music throughout performance, three changes/songs
seamless editing
-Ambient sound of crowds roaring and chanting
-Comentator dialouge
-Chainsaw sound