Location Research

Greenwich Foot Tunnel 

The tunnel was built in 1902 and is 370 metres long and 15 metres deep meaning that there is plenty of space in order to place multiple security cameras and also a lot of space in which to film in which means that the scene can either progress as the protagonist walks down the tunnel or the paranormal actions could get more intense. Due to it being so enclosed it means that echoes can be created and therefore this adds to the scariness of it because if you where alone then sounds from down at the end of the tunnel can be heard at the other end depending on how load the noise is made to be. I think it would be a good filming location because it is quite enclosed and also there is a lot of space in order to film in and help to the opening progress to the final part. The sounds can be carried and therefore this means that you can create ghostly effects by just using what the tunnel is providing. The presentation of the tunnel also conforms to horror with the green algae growing up the wall (connotes consumption) and the overhead lights that are similar to a warehouse which if flickering could make a really nice strobe like effect. However the only problem with this location is that people may be walking down it and therefore finding the right time when it is quiet would be necessary in order to make sure that none of the shots where ruined and that sound travelled without someone shouting in the background and therefore early in the morning or late at night would be the best time before people start to use the tunnel more frequently. Overall I think it would be an amazing place to shoot but the practicality of it may be a problem.

Payne's Wharf, Deptford 

Payne's Wharf is a derelict site where the old industry buildings have been left in order to rot over time in derelict workshops and wharves. The left over arches of one of the workshops looks over onto London's skyline which provides a good back drop for our opening and also establishes where it is being filmed for the viewer. At night also the skyline would be line up and therefore along with out own artificial lighting we would also have background lighting provided by the city which would be interesting to work with in the filming of the scene. It is an open area and therefore this means that we could bring props etc and again like the tunnel we would have a lot of space in order to film in. By it being derelict this means that there would be no body there making it easier to film adn with grass and left over buildings it provides the perfect places in order to hide an antagonist or create jump moments for the audience within the scene. However the only problem that can be seen with this location is how it would link into the story of paranormal as because it is quite an open place it would mean that the protagonist could run away rather than being enclosed. Also there is the problem of why are they there? Overall it is a good location in terms of that it has an amazing backdrop for the opening with the skyline of London and with it being derelict this means that filming could take place at any part of the day deepening on when we wanted to film. However it may not be very practical for the plot line of our opening and therefore that is the only downfall in it.

The Schools Studio 

The schools basement/studio is the third option we have towards a place in order to film to scene. The positives about using the basement is that it is accessible to us very easily compared to the two other locations with lights, props, stairs and good places for CCTV already available as well which makes it easy to set up and film in because it has a sort of horror effect due to the white washed walls and the various different doors around the room. The lights are photography lights and could be used in order to create strobe lighting effect within the room and the corners of the room could be used for the CCTV cameras to sit and film. By having the cupboards in the centre of the room creating a neat divide this means that something could be happening on one side whilst the protagonist is on the other therefore giving the viewer more information before something happens to the protagonist (setting the scene). However one of the main problems is  the accessibility to it in the half term when we need to start filming the scenes as the school will be closed and therefore we wouldn't be able to use it, also another problem is the amount of space we will have to work and the risk that with CCTV that other people could be caught in the shot due to the limited space we would have. Overall it is a practical place in order to film and has a very good horror effect for the type of horror we are going to film (Supernatural)  but due to it being the school our filming time would be limited and possibly rushed.

Supernatural Deconstruction

Mise en scene

• The figure that we can see is just a silhouette and this adds to the mystery of the shot because we, as the audience, do not know who (or what) this is. 
• Going with the wooden wall and the rags that are on the left side of the shot, we can guess that this is quite an old house.
• The way that the right side of the shot is much neater than the left suggests that there may be two types of people in this house. It could be showing the different personalities of those in the house.
• Depth of field with this shot is particularly deep. This allows us to take in the surroundings and the shadowed figure.
• The dominant in this shot is clearly the silhouette as it is the only thing blocking the light.

Sound

• During this particular part of the scene, there is a non-diegetic burst of sound when the character begins to move. This sounds like a short and sharp high pitched note. It adds a lot of tension to the scene and makes us jump a little.
• The only other sound in this scene is the, rather scared, voices of the two teenage boys who have wondered into this house.

Lighting

• The main source of light is coming from behind the character in this shot and I think that it is effective because it makes the shadowed man look more mysterious.
• The lighting also highlights a mist of some sort, adding the paranormal twist.
• There is no lighting coming from the other side of the character so it makes the whole shot look incredibly dark and this makes us feel a bit uneasy as we cannot see much of what else is in the shot.

Editing

• There is continuous cross-cutting to connect the two boys and the shadow figure.

Mise en scene

• The depth of field with this shot is quite shallow in contrast to the one before. The camera is focused on the two torsos that we can see.
• One odd thing about this shot is that the man has his fist through the boy's body, but there is no blood coming from the hole. Yet, we still sense the danger.
• The boy's shirt is a dark blue, which could usually connote masculinity but if we look closer, we can see the lines crossing over. 
• This suggests that he probably isn't as masculine as he thinks.
• Although we cannot see the man in the dark jacket, we can assume that he has a lot of power as he is being filmed from a low angle. 
• This clearly shows that he is of a higher status than the teenagers.
• There is a lot of black in this shot, mostly coming from the colour of the man's suit jacket, and black connotes suffering. This is supported by what's actually going on in the scene.

Sound

• There is an overlaying non-diegetic tune in the part of the scene. The tune is long and chromatic notes all of a higher pitch. 
• This adds huge amounts of tension to the scene and shows just how much danger these boys are in now.
• The only other sound in this scene is the gargling of the two boys.
• Towards the end of this part, we can hear the blood dripping onto the floor.

Lighting

• The lighting in this shot makes the man in the suit jacket look a lot darker than the two boys. 
• This clearly sets him apart from the other two characters. Making him more mysterious.

Mise en scene

• This is a close up of the man's face who has just killed the two teenage boys.
• His eyes are incredibly dark, even the iris. This shows that he is evil from the inside as eyes are believed to be 'windows to the soul'.
• By making his eyes dark, it also means that we cannot connect with the character, making us feel uncomfortable as we then can't figure out what his next move will be.
• It is obvious that this man is well kept, which suggests that he comes from a well-off family. We can tell this because his mustache is well trimmed and he appears to be wearing a shirt and suit jacket.
• With concerns to depth of field, it is incredibly shallow. We cannot see anything else in this shot apart from the man's face. This adds to his importance as a character and promotes his power.

Sound

• The only sound around this shot is the diegetic conversation between him and Dexter. 
• With this being the only sound, we are able to tell that what we are hearing is very important.
• Also, the lack of non-diegetic sound adds a lot of tension because we are then waiting for something to happen.

Lighting

• There is very little lighting in this scene and what lighting there is, there is a blue tint to.
• This blue tint makes the scene a lot colder, connoting that this man may be cold hearted. 

Mise en scene

• The way that the man's eye colour and the colour of the strange light coming our of the other man's head are exactly the same, shows that they are linked. 
• It shows that the man in the suit is clearly controlling whatever it is that is going on.
• The purple on the man's suit shows individuality and sets him apart. This may be due to his extreme methods of punishment.
• Also, even though the man on the right of the shot is much brighter, the man in the suit is still the dominant. This is because he is placed almost in the middle of the shot. All of this shows that he is definitely the most important person in this shot.
• The man's suit is all perfect except for his tie. His tie is not straight and this tells us that something is not right with this man. That he may be perfect in nearly every way, but something about him is not right.

Sound

• There is a diegetic sucking sound when the man in the suit touched Dexter. 
• This sound gives us the idea that he may be taking the energy (the bright light) for himself.

Lighting

• All of the lighting in this shot is coming off of Dexter and this illuminates the whole shot.

Supernatural Horror (Pros and Cons)

Advantages to making a supernatural horror film opening:

• Within a supernatural horror (for example, paranormal activity) the cause of evil and anxiety and death is not always seen and can be shown using a movement of object or other simple low-budget effects. This would make it beneficial for us creating a film opening as it allows us to create an eerie atmosphere and show what is to be feared without a large amount of funding needed or the possibility of our lack of resources being obvious (e.g. it would be more difficult to make slasher killings look realistic in opposition to a demonic force or possession).
• Loud, sudden noises are used as a device within supernatural horrors to cause fear and are easily re-creatable without high-tech equipment and can be as simple as dropping a book onto a concrete floor, which would be useful for us as we would be able to achieve our desired effects without large complication.
• In terms of lighting, a supernatural horror would conventionally be filmed within dark location and late at night, allowing us to use natural light setting throughout the majority of the scene, allowing the amount of artificial light needed to be limited if we chose.
• Although the supernatural/demonic aspects of the genre are far from ordinary, the basis of a film of this category is that it is set in modern reality to appear more frightening to the audience and appeal more to their own fears and perceptions of the dangers they could face. This would enable us to effectively achieve the location and time set of the film with ease, without having to use elaborate costume or setting of another time period or a fantasy world if we chose to.

Disadvantages to making a supernatural horror film opening:

• As opposed to some other sub-genres of horror, supernatural is based largely upon the importance of a well-thought out, quality storyline which would be difficult for us to come up with and also show within the first few minutes of the piece.
• If possession is chosen or supernatural human power, it can be difficult to imitate without a high standard of actor and therefore the scene may not achieve the intended effect and may appear to be overtly amateur.
• Supernatural horror is very popular currently and it would be difficult to make the piece original with so many current films of the sub-genre being produced within the last decade.