Intro-
My name is Kevin Gutierrez and for my AICE Media Studies coursework I'm making a two-minute film opening in the slasher horror genre. The whole point of this project is to create the start of a film that shows the genre, tone, and what the story's about within a short time period. I already finished my storyboard where I planned out what shots I'm doing, the camera angles I'm using, and how the transitions will work. In my previous research blogposts that I wrote, I looked at how professional horror openings use lighting and sound and camera movement to create tension right away. This production part is where I actually apply and use those ideas in my own film.
Why Slasher Horror?-
I picked the slasher horror genre because it has really strong and recognizable conventions that make it easier to show what genre it is quickly. In my earlier research that I did, I noticed that a lot of slasher films start with a violent event or something bad happening that disrupts a normal situation that seems fine at first. This structure right away creates suspense and makes the audience ask questions about what's going on. I also looked at how horror films usually hide the killer's identity and who they are and use dark lighting that's dim, isolated settings where no one else is around, and limited information to build mystery and make you wonder. I wanted to pick a genre that depends heavily on visuals and what you see, pacing and timing, and atmosphere and mood rather than long conversations with a lot of dialogue, because that lets me show my understanding of cinematography techniques and editing skills.
Target Audience-
My target audience is teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 specifically. Based on my audience research that I conducted, this age group regularly watches horror films and is familiar with common slasher tropes and patterns like masked killers who hide their face, jump scares that surprise you, and final survivors who make it to the end. However they also expect tension to build up properly and gradually and for the story to have meaning and depth beyond just violence and killing. Because of this, my opening will focus on slow suspense at first that builds, followed by a shocking moment that's intense that clearly establishes danger and threat. The goal is to meet audience expectations of what they want while still making the concept feel thoughtful and engaging instead of just generic.
(Goes back to my "Research: Who is my target audience?" post)
Representation-
In terms of representation and what my film shows, my film will explore ideas about justice and whether the system always works fairly for everyone. The story suggests and implies that someone can be blamed and accused simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time when something happens. I am considering and thinking about making the main character part of a racial minority group to reflect and show issues such as bias and stereotyping and profiling that happens. This adds a deeper social meaning and commentary to the film instead of making it only about fear and scares. The killer's actions and what he does may seem justified and reasonable at first because he targets and goes after people who were convicted of serious crimes and did bad things. However the story will later show and reveal that being convicted and found guilty does not automatically mean someone is truly guilty or evil as a person. This idea connects to themes seen in The Green Mile which is a movie, where a character gets punished despite being innocent and not doing anything wrong, showing that the justice system can fail and make mistakes. By including these themes and ideas, my film combines horror with social commentary about society.
Editing Software-
For editing and post-production which is after filming, I will primarily use Adobe Premiere Pro as my main software. This software will allow and let me control pacing and timing, transitions between shots, and continuity which is keeping things consistent between shots. Since timing is very important and critical in horror films, I will carefully adjust cuts and edits to build suspense and tension. I may also use Adobe After Effects if I decide to enhance and improve the title sequence or add subtle visual effects that aren't too obvious. Sound design will be a major focus and really important, including background ambience and atmosphere, silence and quiet moments, and sudden sound effects to increase tension and make you nervous. I will also use color correction tools to darken the scenes and make them dimmer and create a colder tone that fits the slasher style and genre.
Basic Plan-
The basic plan for the opener is divided into multiple scenes that will be filmed in chronological order which means in the order they happen. The first scene will take place in a garage location, which creates a closed and slightly uncomfortable environment that fits the horror tone and mood. I will need to secure and find a suitable garage location that works and gather props and objects to make the setting look realistic and believable. The film requires and needs three actors total: one playing the killer who does the killing, one playing the main character who's the protagonist, and one playing the first victim at the start of the movie who dies. The killer's identity and who they are will remain partially hidden to maintain mystery and keep you guessing.
The next scene will likely be filmed in Adam's (my team member) house, mainly in the kitchen area. The windows in this area and room will help with lighting and natural light and framing the shots. In this scene, the first victim will be doing something normal and everyday, such as getting water from the sink or fridge, before the attack occurs and happens. This calm moment before violence and killing reflects the pattern and trend I noticed in many horror openings we researched and studied. After that, there will be a shot of the garage door opening, filmed in the same garage location to keep the setting consistent and the same. The final scene of the opener will take place in a car, where the main character gets in and sits down and turns on the radio. This shifts the focus toward the main character and their story and suggests that the story continues and keeps going beyond the first violent event that happened.
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