Research into Genres

There are many types of film Genres which directors, producers and writers include within their films such as :

• Action
  Adventure
• Comedy
• Romance
• Crime/Gangster
• Drama
• Horror
• Musical

These genres include certain conventions which hold the key to a certain genre.

For example: Action films contain a lot of physical movement, stunts, energy, races, fights or battles, such as James Bond. This is one of many examples of action films where the focus of the audience is centralized around a hero whether it is James Bond or Indiana Jones. As an audience we can see how James Bond has achieved success with winning a conquest against the enemy, including romances from 'Bond Girls' and always maintaining the initial objective.

Firstly the conventions of a classic horror movies has been incorporated within the film ‘Scream’ and an example of this is the use of a constant chase. The chase and stabbing that is to occur after an intense conversation, accompanied by low string music, emphasise the tension and suspense the audience feels for the protagonist.

The dramatic orchestral music which climaxes throughout the clip suggest what is happening in the chase (for example at 1:22 when there is a sudden increase in pitch when the masked killer is spotted on the stairs).

Further more the fast paced cuts are cleverly used to extend the action throughout the whole scene which ensures the audience’s attention is constantly occupied by always looking for the killer and reoccurring danger.

The camera angle of the ‘exterior shot’ drew me into the setting and made me as the audience feel the helpless and defenceless the protagonist is due to the isolated situation therefore connotes the vulnerability.

The use of phone calls in horrors and thrillers to inject terror is nothing new, but I liked the way it served as a basis for the chase, as soon as they trace the call from inside the house, she knows she must be scared and try to escape. I also liked conventional shots of the victim from the stalkers perspective or point of view, I think this reinforces the protagonist’s vulnerability in contrast to the power the antagonist and would like to try and experiment with our filming of how we could incorporate such effects and emotions.

In addition we looked at M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Village'. Again early on we formed a basic idea of setting our film in a sinister village deserted of people and so we looked into 'The Village' for inspiration. We knew our film would not be as rural as the setting shown in the clip, we loved the idea of a eerily tight-knit community and the use of a chiming bell to signify danger from an unidentified source and therefore wanted the setting of our film to hold a similar feel or the isolation represented in both ‘Scream’ and ‘the Village’. While this film probably applied the least to our ideas, the shots used of the village and the idea of a very atypical community really allowed us to brainstorm some well-thought ideas of local locations such as rural villages near members of the groups own home and experiences of feelings in places we have felt scared by for example, the woods or being alone in a field.