Zombie MaKe up Inspration

Zombie Horror Make up inspiration

 

 

Evaluation Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Question 2 

Evaluation Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

Question 5:

      Once having a story line and establishing an audience that we wanted to aim our product towards ;15-25 year old 'zombie' enthusiasts (complying with our age certificate),we decided in order to create a successful film we have to listen to the people we are catering for;the audience.

As a result we asked our audience a series of questions in the form of a questionnaire,so we could work upon the feedback.One of the questions asked was ; Are you a fan of the 'Zombie horror Genre?'.Despite seeming like a simple question it helped us establish that they already liked the generic conventions of the genre.This meant we knew what to add to our film to be more appealing for example;

Blood and gore; 

In zombie films there tends to be an excess of blood,gore and violence.This is due to the nature of zombies and there cannibal instincts.Also as a result of them being un-dead, people/characters attempts to kill zombie's just results in limbs coming off etc.

This addition to the film based on the principle that we had an established audience of zombie horror fanatics and therefore all the generic conventions that came with it can be seen in the make up choice of the 'zombie' character; it features blood,a well known piece of iconography for the 'zombie horror' genre.

Another factor that came back from feed back on our story line was that ;the audience  wanted it to feel very realistic as many  felt that films with in this genre can seem too far fetched,one respondent

saying ''it can all seem too fake,then I cant enjoy the film properly because I know its not real''.

With this in mind our group made conscious efforts when planning to include certain elements that would add to the verisimilitude of the film,for example the use of a green screen in the news reporting scene.This reflected reality because in a situation similar to the  story line,the news of the virus would be first reported on TV.

Once the final film was ready to be shown we did a small screening of  'Zebola' and asked the audience to answer another series of questions based on what they had just watched.From this we learnt multiple things about our film both good and bad; one of the main points that was drawn to my attention is that the audience enjoyed the suspense of the black screen and the sirens at  the end of 2 minutes, as they felt it built more suspense and and left them intrigued,one of the audience members to say this was Liam (16yrs):''I didn't want it to end,defiantly want to see the rest''.Another aspect of the film that the audience enjoyed was the fight scene because it was a subtle introduction to the action side of the film.

However feedback also brought to our attention some negative points for example; people found the close up shot of the mouth when the zombie is biting Danny(the male protaginist) chaotic and felt it did not link in with the rest of the footage.Tanya (17yrs) said ''it was all a bit weird,it just didn't make sense''.

Overall i feel that we met the expectations of our audience because we presented

 them with a new,innovative perspective on the zombie theme but keeping all the blood and gore the genre is known and loved for.Despite this I personally believe there is always room for improvement and in regards to our product we could do this by  incorporating a wider range of camera angles and shots in order to ensure we hold the audiences attention throughout the full film.

Evaluation Question 1 : In what ways does your media product use,develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Question 1:

In the initial stages of making our media product we took a lot of care when planning the details of the film.However without any inspiration we had no set vision.It was at this point we decided to look upon what had already been achieved in the zombie horror genre so we could not only pay homage to the pioneering  films before 'Zebola',but also to be able to excel what has already been done.

In order to research I chose to watch and make notes on certain aspects of films with in the 'Zombie Horror genre' for example;28 days later,night of the living dead etc.

When researching into our genre I noticed a lot of common themes and patterns that were generic conventions of the 'Zombie-horror' genre.Theses ranged from the story line itself - the key characters are slowly killed or affected by the virus,leaving the main character isolated and left with the task of saving the city alone,to the lighting choices - low key.

Once decided upon what elements in a film truly define the zombie horror genre, we applied this to our own product.I personally feel that a title sequence is integral to setting the atmosphere and expectations for a film.With this in mind we set to work on creating a fitting title sequence that not only intrigued the audience but allowed them to understand what genre it was.This was done by using a dark color scheme of reds and blacks that had an image of a DNA strand at the forefront,representing the DNA in blood and therefore the virus.We also used slow and eerie music to set our audience on edge. We were inspired to do so by the choice of sounds

for the beginning of the 28 days later trailer:(below)

The clip then proceeds to show a incoming news report.We decided to utilize the opportunity of a news report and allow the news presenter to establish the plot as she explains the on-goings of the virus,therefore making the narrative clear.We chose to use this technique as we had not seen it done in a film of the 'Zombie horror' genre,therefore making 'Zebola'  distinctive.

The scene then cuts away from the news reporter to a close up of Melissa's (main female protagonists) face,to display her reaction to what she had just witnessed.From my research I learnt that many films within the Zombie horror genre also use reaction shots to convey there characters emotion towards a zombie attack or perhaps a character seeing a  zombie for the first time.We then used a range of essential shots such as mid-shots in order to create professional looking footage.

Whilst 'Zebola's plot may be fictional,we still wanted the scenes to feel real as it allows the audience to suspend their disbelief. For this reason we opted to follow the events in order,as oppose to eliptical editing.This made it easier for the audience to feel like they were truly watching the events unravel before there eyes,therefore adding to the verisimilitude.

The final part of our introduction to the film goes to black;this represents the zombies unconscious state.At this moment police sirens and alarms being to play.This not only builds tension for the audience and foreshadows more danger to come,but it also conforms to the zombie horror genre as such sound effects are used in multiple films with in this genre.

Throughout the film we have put a strong importance on mise en scene as we  have considered what clothes the characters wear to the the lighting used in the clip.A key example of this is the make up look we did on the 'zombie' character because not only did it add to the verisimilitude of the character and therefore the film but it also featured a key part of zombie horror iconography- blood.

In zombie films there tends to be an excess of blood,gore and violence.This is due to the nature of zombies and there cannibal instincts.Also as a result of them being un-dead, people/characters attempts to kill zombie's just results in limbs coming off etc.

Upon reflection i feel Jamm productions has used the codes and conventions of the zombie horror genre in order to identify with a established audience of zombie film enthusiasts,who have become a custom to such elements being in a 'Zombie horror film',therefore making our film attractive to a wider audience.It also allows the final product to be more professional as we have done the proper research into such matters as generic conventions and followed them to an extent.

Evaluation Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Question 7:

The clip below (Jamm production preliminary task) clearly demonstrates how far we have come as a group. It was at this point ,in the very early stages of the year,that we focused  purely on executing new techniques, such as using a variety of close ups and mid shots to create a match on action in order to achieve the goal of continuity.Whilst we understood how to do such techniques,the clip reveals that doing so is our main focus.



However as the year continued we as a group became more knowledgeable of what media actually was as oppose to our assumptions.This was done through research and practical experience of making short films.I personally learnt that in order for a media product to be effective, it had to suspend all disbelief that the audience may have and allow them to delve into a world of entertainment.

Once discovering this key piece of information i recognized that techniques within cinematography,mise en scene,editing and sound,although absolutely integral to our film, needed to be subtle in order to create verisimilitude and therefore a better experience for the audience.

With this in mind our group began to consider how we could film this particular clip,thinking more so about what techniques would enhance the plot of our film as oppose to putting unnecessary techniques into the clip in order to tick items off a checklist.As a result we used a shot list to plan the first 2 minutes of the clip in order to be able to work in a systematic way.

I also found myself thinking more about mise en scene for our film than I had done for the preliminary exercise;going into detail about what the characters would where,there body language ect.This allowed the product to have a more professional feel once finished and once again contributed to the verisimilitude.

The best way of improving my knowledge and skill set for media personally was to look back at the preliminary task and reflect upon where it was maybe not so good or what we could of done better.The main negative aspect of the task I noticed was that at times the clip could look disjointed and not as seamless as possible.However when it came to editing our raw footage to create the final media product using the software 'Final cut pro' for our film 'Zebola' we focused upon connecting scene to scene with accuracy and taking care in details like sound bridges to ensure maximum fluency.

Jamm also experimented with new techniques that could add a different depth to the film for example the green screen.We used a green screen for the news reporter scene as it allowed us to replicate what we see in a actual news broadcast and therefore mimic reality.By doing so it once again added to the verisimilitude.I personally loved learning about the logistics of working with green screen as it opens up so many new editing opportunities, such as special effects and I consider it an important skill to have when working with film.

Upon reflection i feel we made a huge improvement in all aspects of creating a media product and this is portrayed in the difference in standard between the preliminary task and the first two minutes of our film.However in my opinion we did not achieve this through learning new techniques and applying them (although we did do so);we improved because we understood more so what we wanted from the media product due to research,planning,and our audiences influence through questionnaires,therefore altering our approach and resulting in a more professional final product (shown below).

Evaluation Question 3:What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Possible film distributor

There are numerous film distributors working within the UK;

• 20th Century Fox
• Icon film 
• Universal Pictures UK
• Dogwoof 
• Artificial eye 
• Lionsgate

Some are recognized world wide while others are only know within the UK.The widely recognized distributors tend to work with various genre's of films,where as the UK based distributors tend to specialize in one type of film.

A key part of creating a good film is getting a good,reputable distributor.Without this, all the hard work done before hand is irrelevant; because without the right marketing and promotion it will not reach your audience, which are in fact the people who determine your films success.

As a result we must find a suitable distributor for our film.After researching into various different film distributors,I came to the conclusion that Hammer film productions (British) could be the ideal choice.Founded in 1934 the company has years of experience and longevity which helps us trust the distributor with our film.Having specialized in films within the genre's of horror,science fiction and thrillers,they would be knowledgeable in how to handle and promote our genre of film.When researching further i found that 'Hammer film productions' has even released one of the pioneering British zombie films of that era ; 'The plague of the zombies'.

Moreover the companies success is not only proven in there history,it is also proven in the present,with successful recent releases.For example;

• The Woman in black (2012)
• The Quiet ones (2014)

Again showing that this distributor is reputable and can evolve in order to stay current.

Evaluation Question 4:Who would be the audience for your media product?

Media evaluation: Question 4 from mlsmedia

Evaluation question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from theprocess of constructing this product?

Question 6
Throughout the process of making our zombie horror film i learnt about numerous technologies that previously i wasn't aware of due to being new to media as a subject.These technologies came in a variety of forms; some were software based while others were physical pieces of technology. In the initial stages of making our film we as a group focused on planning the details of the film,from the script to the outfits.To do so i relied heavily on a piece of software called Blogger.This is where I was able to upload my plans,inspirations and descriptions for the film in a variety of platforms,for example;PowerPoint presentation.This software also allowed me to embed other forms of media e g; images and sound clips,in order to give another dimension to my work and explain explicitly my ideas,therefore making them easier to understand.For these reasons I found Blogger essential when planning the process of making our film,it not only let me  communicate my ideas and input to my group,it also let me do so in an time efficient way.More over blogger allowed me to keep all my plans and work in one space as oppose to carrying around pieces of paper  with me that I could potentially loose.This again made the process easier.However, despite the many positives of using Blogger,it did have some downfalls,the main one being; the software was Internet dependant. This meant that without Internet access you could potentially loose work or simply not be able to access it.This means that you could fall behind if you do not cut out time specifically for writing/uploading blogs where you have Internet access.

Another piece of technology that has helped me and again made the process more efficient is the apple macs.These computers, unlike others,allow me to edit and use soft wares that elevate our work to a more professional level,therefore allowing us to create a a final product to a higher standard.In order for our footage to transition from raw footage to a edited and smoothly flowing film,we used Final cut Pro(an editing soft ware).This not only allows us to rearrange the order of the scenes (elliptical editing) and edit out unwanted footage,it also makes other elements of our footage tangible,for example the sound; in post editing we are able to create sound bridges when editing conversations in order to make it appear more natural and increase the verisimilitude.I could also edit the films pace and edit it in particular ways to create certain effects.For example using Final cut pro,i could cut a scene abruptly and attach a new piece of footage to create  jump cut; this technique of editing would be perfect and conform to the generic conventions of horror.

    

Despite the technological elements of this process largely being an advantage and aiding me it can also hinder the process.Whilst we have a lot of control when creating our film,some things are not left to us to decide due to lack of resources.For example the model of camera we used ; Panasonic HD camcorder .This camera,while being capable of preforming what was needed,did not do so to a high standard as often the picture was not of high resolution.This prevented us from achieving a truly professional looking product.Also i think a weakness of our film was the quality of sound; which i have learnt throughout media,is integral in making a good film as the audience is more likely to suspend their disbelieve and become consumed in the film.This was as a result of a lack of equipment like microphones ect.

Z-Bola Final Film

Preliminary Exercise

Soundtrack

The soundtrack

When making a film,I have learnt that every detail is detrimental  to the outcome.However,one of the most important elements to the film is its soundtrack.It often insinuates to the audience the films mood and creates atmosphere.This is why we had to take our time when deciding on the music.There was many routes we could of gone down;A classic horror soundtrack,that has eerie music but is not blatantly scary, a rocky soundtrack that reflects the violent nature and fast pace of the film,or we could work with the idea of contrapuntal sound.Based on these thoughts we decided the eerie sound track would be most appropriate as the idea of contrapuntal sound is used in more paranormal based horrors.Once we were decided on this,it became apparent there was a range of choices within this genre.We listened to multiple tracks,trying to decide if it fitted the pace of the film and reflected the feeling and plot.Considering these factors we decided on the track heard in the clip below.

Similar films

Research into similar films

There are many films that show numerous similarities to the type of film we want to create.The one I have chose to investigate is the ' the book of zombie'(released in 2010).

The film starts with a couple having an evening in on a cold evening in Utah.This night is an attempt in trying to rekindle there love as there relationship has gone cold.There daughter(Charlotte) is sleeping out at a friends/relatives.There night is interrupted by two Mormons calling at the door asking for a minute of there time.The man who opened the door shrugs off the encounter with a few jokes,thought nothing of it and resumes his evening.However the doorbell rings again,this time as blood thirsty Mormons,along with some recruited zombies who are overrunning the neighbour hood.They escape.The male protagonist (David) seeks out a weapon doubled barrelled shotgun) from acquaintance, Harry Linderman; bar and shop owner.The couple (David and Jenny) go to harry's shop,meeting two new characters in the process - Darwin and Charlie.The gun is not at the shop.Feeling fearful of what could happen if they were to go get Charlotte without a weapon,they stay in the shop. Boothe Gardener,a new character,makes a dramatic entrance to the shop and also stays the night.Despite the safety of the shop friend Charlie is killed.The group soon find that the Zombies weakness is Caffine and they can be killed using this.To reinforce this theory when a zombie invades the shop Darwin kills the zombie with Caffinated soda.The group are forced to evacuate the store and head to Lindermans bar.However there journey attracts zombies.They are saved at the last moment by Piper Mckenzie who leads them inside.She tells the group that Linderman has been Zombifies,but she couldnt bring herself to kill him,so he is locked in a room in the bar.David still fixated on saving his daughter,devises a plan;to reach Pipers car  by letting Linderman out.However,once free,Linderman bites Darwin.Having no choice Darwin shoots Linderman.Knowing his fate once bitten,darwin takes the role of suicide bomber,to kill the zombies approaching the bar.Although all does not go to plan as Darwin turns into a zombie before the new plan was able to be acheived.Despite this there was attempts to still light the bombs fuse,but the explosion proved to be too weak.Beefore the door can be re-barricaded,zombies enter the bar and devour piper alive.David and Jenny retreat,but jenny is still bitten by the zombies,leaving her mortally wounded.David promises his dying wife he will find his daughter,then holds her utnil she dies.To prevent her turning into a zombie,David decapitates her.As morning dawns,David staggers off,filled with revenge.

Treatment for 'Z-Ebola'

Title : Z-Ebola

Duration : 2 minutes

Audience:This film could interest a range of individuals,both young and old.The younger audience could be teens(mainly boys) with an established interest in the zombie-horror genre.The older audience could be inquisitive film enthusiasts willing to watch any type of film,or zombie genre fans.

Distributor:Hammer film productions

Summary of story:
Melissa Jane (17) had come home from a hard day at college feeling uneasy and scared about the rumored outbreak of 'Z-ebola'.To confirm Melissa's fears a news report interrupts her normal TV viewing,speaking about outbreak and urging people to stay inside.Melissa becomes increasingly  nervous as her attention turns to her boyfriend and him still being at work.At this moment Danny(Melissa's boyfriend) returns home.Overjoyed and relieved with his return,she begins to ask where he has been and warns him about the virus.Annoyed and exhausted from his day at work he has very little patience with his 'paranoid' girlfriend and goes outside to have a cigarette.It is at this point that Danny is attacked by a blood thirsty zombie.

Suggested elements:
Due to a short period of time to film in,we decided to incorporate a photo montage in to the film,as seen in 'Shaun of the dead',a film that is also from the 'zombie horror genre but with a comic spin. This will allow us to convey a lot of the story and let the film progress at a more interesting pace in a both time efficient and effective way.

Public Questionaire

Questionnaire

(Participants are briefed about the plot before answering the following questions:)

(Asking a minimum of 10 people)

1)     Judging by the plot, who is our target audience? ............................................................................................. ............................................................................................. ............................................................................................. .............................................................................................

2)     Judging by the plot, what is our genre? ..............................................

3)     Does our film conform to the generic conventions of   the genre? Why/why not? .................. ............................................................................. ............................................................................. ..............................................................................

4)     What could we improve? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ............................................................................................ ............................................................................................

5)     Would you go and watch our film? ................................................................................

Research into horror- Generic Conventions

Research into horror

From the start our group knew that we wanted to do a horror film.However we realized that there are many different variations in horror.In order not to restrict ourselves by getting stuck on one idea we   brain stormed individually in order to come up with different concepts on horror.After sharing our idea's we decided that we liked the idea of a zombie horror.

Sub Genre: Zombie Horror

In order to research this topic I have watched many films in this genre and have found that there are recurring themes that allow the audience to identify that the film there watching is zombie horror.Therefore allowing them to decide if to continue watching or not.

Some of the more prominent reoccurring themes in Zombie horror are;

The story line;

The majority of zombie story lines rely on the idea that there is some kind of epidemic that affects the majority of the population in the film.You then have a few main characters,(maximum of 5), 

often loved ones eg; friends or family.The key characters are slowly killed or affected by the virus,leaving the main character isolated and left with the task of saving the city alone.Although,sometimes the main character finds comfort and companionship with a potential love interest.

Few survivors;

I have found that multiple zombie horror films only have minimal characters.This is done for a variety of reasons, the most prominent being to create a strong feeling of isolation.This translates to the audience,and allows them to empathize with the characters almost immediately.Also it intensifies the film as your focus is drawn to only a few characters, therefore your concentration is not diluted by numerous sub plots and different characters.

In order for a film to conform to a certain genre it often uses iconography to make it easier for the film to be identified and categorized as that genre e.g; Zombie horror.

The iconography for Zombie horror are ;

Blood and gore; 

In zombie films there tends to be an excess of blood,gore and violence.This is due to the nature of zombies and there cannibal instincts.Also as a result of them being un-dead, people/characters attempts to kill zombie's just results in limbs coming off etc.

Weapons;

In zombie films a helpless victim often gets attacked.Due to the nature of the attack the victim often defends themselves with a random object e.g ;plant pot.However as the film escalates the main characters carry weapons in order to defend themselves at any given time.This is where the more serious weapons are introduced to film e.g;knives and guns.

Examples

-Knives

-Guns

-Plant pots

-Baseball bat

-Axes 

Death related items;

These items often represent the strong presence of the un-dead and therefore set the scene for the zombies.

The mise en scene in the film is an integral way of identifying the genre of the film and often contain multiple generic conventions,for example;

Deserted locations;

The location in which zombie film's are set is often desolate.This is as a result of the zombie epidemic and helps demonstrate the scale of the problem.This again helps create the feeling of isolation,creating an atmosphere for the film to run with.

Low-key lighting;

Numerous zombie films rely on low key lighting to create a sense of anticipation and a scary atmosphere.The lack of lighting also lends itself to the idea of a deserted,unkempt town with no electricity for lighting.

Costumes;

The stereotypical dress of a zombie is everyday clothes,but they are torn,dirty and bloodied.The zombies themselves have messy hair and a vacant expression,with the blood of there last victim smeared across their face.

Music/sound;

The right choice of sound/music for the film contributes greatly to the films atmosphere.However in film of this genre sounds and music are minimal as it reflects the silence of the deserted city.When there is music it is often slow and quiet.This creates a sense of anticipation and foreshadows what is to come.

(Insert examples of this type of music)