Sound Effects

My task was to find several sound that could be used in our opening to contribute to the effect of our chosen supernatural horror genre. I found this hard as without the final clip being edited, it is tricky to work out which particular sounds are needed, and also what may and may not work. I found and manipulated three different sounds, one which sounds like demon 'music', the second is an eerie song sung by a young girl and the final is a demonic scream which was achieved by layering and manipulating sounds.

To create a demonic scream I was able to layer different sounds to create the final product. I used the sound of demons growling, layered with other distorted and un-natural sounds, before finally layering the sound of a pig 'screaming' to make a disturbing demonic scream. I manipulated the sounds by adding an 'echo' effect to the demon sounds, before adding a 'large room' effect to the pig scream to distort it.


The 'demon music' could be used throughout the whole of the opening clip, to give a disturbing audio element. It can be played quietly so other sounds can be added over it, as it creates a distressing mood which adds to the supernatural horror genre. I manipulated the music by adding an 'echo' effect, which distorts the sound and allows it to sound more unrealistic and therefore more disturbing (linking to the supernatural horror genre.)


The non-diegetic audio of the little girl singing is the most effective. This is because children are a symbol of innocence and youth, and the use of them to represent evil is un-nerving. The little girl singing links well to the young girl used in our film opening. I manipulated the girl singing by using a 'muffled' effect, to make it sound quieter yet more sinister.

Natural Vs. Possessed Make-up

Natural vs. Possessed 

The first look that I created was the 'natural' look that the girl will have when not completely possessed. I kept it simple so it looks like she's barely wearing any makeup, to keep her innocence and young age obvious.

Here is the finished result. I used a light concealer and powder to give a flawless yet not obvious look.  I also filled in her eyebrows lightly and added a thin coat of mascara to add a slight definition to the eye area without looking dark and heavy. 

Finally, I added some pink blusher to give a natural flush to the cheeks that is stereotypical of 'sweet' young girls and a slight pink to the lips. Overall the look is flawless yet is light to keep her innocence and just defines the features of the face.

Equipment used to achieve possessed look (girl already wearing make-up from 'natural look')

• Light-dark brown and black eyeshadows from the pallet 
• Very light pressed powder
• Eyebrow wax
• Various brushes

The eyebrow wax allows texture to be added to the look, and gives the illusion of a cut or some type of infection to the face, both of which are common conventions within possession make-up.

Here the girl has no make-up on, apart from the extra powder I have added to make her appear paler and more disturbing as the colour has been drained from her face.

Here I have added the different shades of eyeshadow to various points of the face and under the eyes, to make her appear darker and more effected by the possession that is overtaking her.

I have now added the wax to add depth and texture to the look, I placed it evenly arohnd the face so that the physical effect of the possession can be seen at any angle by the camera.

I added some of the eyeshadow to the wax to add depth to them, allowing them to look more realistic and therefore more disturbing, linking to the supernatural horror genre.

I also made sure the eyelashes, eyebrows and lips were very light as my aim was to drain all colour from the face to make the girl look extremely 'unwell'.

This is the overall look. I am pleased with the outcome as it looks realistic and disturbing, but to improve I could have added red to make the wounds look more 'fresh' and gory.

Victim Costume

Victim Costume

The last costume ideas for the victim in our film opening were a good starting point for the final product.  We want to portray our victim as innocent and young.  This is because the stereotype for the main, female victim in horror films are usually young, innocent and pure.  So after looking at other horror films for inspiration I decided on a simple, white nightgown from Primark with a light pink floral pattern to make it more feminine.  

So after looking at other horror films for inspiration I decided on a simple, white nightgown from Primark with a light pink floral pattern to make it more feminine.  I then put the dress on some muddy ground and stamped down onto it and rubbed it against outside dirty walls to give it a more grunge look.  This will give the effect that the victim has gone through some sort of physical trauma, or in this case, like she has been running away.

As the opening goes on I will make the costume more dirty as the girl gets more panicked and more possessed.

Religious figures in supernatural horrors.

In many supernatural horrors religious figures are shown. They all wear the same type of costume. A dog collar with a black shirt and suit. This is very effective because the white dog collar stands out from the rest of the colours and makes the person instantly recognizable. We could possibly go down this route for our film opening but we could also have our priest in lighter clothing that goes against the common convention which would make us different from all the other films that are already out there. You would still recognize the person instantly. this religious figure is from the film the devil inside but there are many more films which incorporate the same costume.

Props are also a important, you would need to have a bible an maybe some ceremonial robes to make it more authentic. Rosary beads would also be useful as they have connotations to religion but would make a nice sound when they were moved. This could possibly add depth to our film sequence. 

Costume Practical

Costume Practical

Our main character of the film opening is a young girl on the run.  My first idea was to create a costume that any young girl in reality would wear and then make it look rough as though she has been through some kind of physical struggle.  

I used distressed denim  shorts as they are frayed and casual.  These are quite common with young girls so our victim would not look out of place anywhere, as she is trying to blend in so she is not found.  As we would be filming in winter, our audience would not be convinced on the realism of the opening if she is not appropriately dressed.  I layered black tights underneath the shorts then cut in some holes and ladders.  This gives the effect that she has not been able to change her clothes recently and has been going through some physical hardship.  This is appropriate for our film and the supernatural horror genre in general because victims are often on the run and are not very clean cut.

  For the top half I used a plain navy vest top and an oversized burgundy hoodie.  These pieces of clothing are very casual and appropriate for our character because it enables her to blend into the background.  The vest top is a dark colour which makes her seem more introverted as it does not make her stand out.  The hoodie is layered on top to fit in with the time of year and to give her some protection as the hood can be put up to hid her face so she is not seen.

I also wanted to try a white vest top to fit with the convention of the victim being a young, innocent pure girl.  White symbolises purity and innocence so the audience are more likely to sympathise with her.  To give the top a dirty and distressed look I stamped it into some muddy ground which made it look as though she has not changed in a while and so has been travelling or running away from something.  I also layered  a darker hoodie over the top to again give the chance to blend in and hid from society.

My second idea was for a slightly younger victim.  It is a convenyion of supernatural horror to have the main girl as innocent, young and pure.  To capture this is ideal I used a white dress with pieces of lace which is similar to old style night gowns, which have been used heavily in past horror films.  The angle of the first picture is too see what it would look like from her point of view in one the scenes where she is tied down onto the bed.

I then layered a grey cardigan over the top of the dress.  The cardigan is cute and youthful, it is very appropriate for a young girl and fits in the overall look we are trying to give to her.  I also put some white converse with the outfit as they are quite a common shoe type for a young girl and fit in with the white innocent persona.  The whole outfit at the moment is very clean cut so when it comes to filming we will make it more rough and maybe add some dirt to create the impression she has not been able to change in a while.

In conclusion I think that the ripped tights and denim shorts would be good to use because they make the victim look dirty and hints at physical traumas.  But I feel that the white dress and cardigan will be a better costume as it is more stereotypical and conventional for supernatural horror.    

Little Girl Costume Practical

Little Girl Costume Practical

Research

Typically, in horror films, when there is a possessed or demon antagonist who is a female, specifically little girls, there are common aspects of the costumes which they happen to wear. For example, there is a nonoccurrence of long, white (or off-white), night-like dresses (which can be seen in the following picture). The significance of white is to symbolize the innocence which is usually associate with little girls; this is usually juxtaposed with the demonic aspects of supernatural horror. 

The innocence is further emphasized by the long sleeved dresses which is usually worn. As well as this, it is common for the characters to be bare-footed, which could be to show the vulnerability of the characters, as they are usually being overridden by a superior force, causing them to act out of character as they are being possessed.

Furthermore, during my research, I found that with male characters, it is common for them to be dressed in dark colours. For example, in Insidious and Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy Krueger and the little boy are dressed in dark red and black clothing. Red is significance as we know that it is symbolic to violence and danger, which is suitable for the genre of supernatural horror. 

 

Practical

From my research, I decided to try and modify a simple shirt, similar to ones in supernatural films, to make it suitable for the character of a possessed little girl.

I started with a plain, baggy white shirt (which could be used as a dress if long enough). It was baggy as I didn't think that a tight fitting shirt or dress would be suitable for the genre. Also, the shirt hadn't been ironed, which i felt was suitable as in supernatural horror films, the antagonist is rarely neat and tidy (when possessed).

As this was intended to be for a little girl, I wanted to incorporate some child-like elements. Firstly, I tried to do hand-prints, which is an activity that many children engage in, therefore i felt that this would be appropriate for the character. As this is supernatural horror, I wanted the hand-print to be in a red colour, which resembled blood, as this would also add a supernatural edge, and so suit the intended genre.

I also decided to add some other darker colours, such as black and brown, which emphasizes this tarnished and messy look. 

Furthermore, as in many supernatural film, violence, as well as scratching is common, therefore I also decided to cut some of the shirt in an attempt to make it seem more realistic; as if someone possessed had worn it. I simply cut random areas of the shirt, and in some areas, I also ripped the cut open. In addition to this, to mimic scratch-like cuts, I made several half an inch wide cuts in a small area, in order to achieve this look.

Evaluation

When carrying out my practical, there are a number of things which I would have done differently, for example, i could have used more things and/or colors to stain the shirt, including mud or grass. This would've helped to create a scenario for when this shirt could be used. For example, if the victim or antagonist  had been in a scuffle on the ground.   As well as this, when using the paint, i could have used a better quality paint which may have made it stain the shirt better. Alternatively, I also could have used 'fake blood' to give the shirt a more realistic look. 

Furthermore, in terms of cutting the shirt to make it look as though this has been in a fight, i could have added scratch-like cuts, as scratching is common in supernatural horror films as it compliments with the impression of possession. Also, if this were to be used in our actual opening scene, I would have to ensure that the sizing is suitable for the actor, as we would want it to be big enough to look like a dress, as this is common in supernatural horror films.