Thought Process

For my project I decided to make it about a veteran who suffers from PTSD. PTSD is a severe disorder in which many soldiers contract after coming back home from war. I would represent this through flashbacks of him at war fighting to defend his country but he is constantly reminded of the loud gun shots and the terrible conditions. The movie Edward Scissorhands  uses flashbacks of when he was growing up and getting the scissors as fingers. By using these flashbacks the story was easier to understand as to why he was neglected at this point in his life.

Flashbacks are essential in certain stories as they tell you information that was not clearly stated throughout the film. The flashback in our film will explain why the veteran is suffering from PTSD and will show how this has affected his everyday life since he has gotten back from war.  Saving Private Ryan is another film which used flashbacks to convey an important message to the audience.
In this film the flashback shows that of the Ryan brothers there was only one that still was alive from the war.

I feel as if these representations were fair and used properly for the story line of the films. The flashbacks in both of these cases were used to show why it was important to get private Ryan back safely and also why Edward was neglected. They both have a negative flashback that show why they are the way they are as well as their significance to the storyline. I would challenge the representation of when they put the flashback in the film as it would have mad the storyline a lot better knowing more about the character from the beginning rather than figuring it all out towards the end of the movie but I would retain the use of the quick flashbacks.

Genre Database Entry

Genre: Comedy

Genre Conventions: The comedy genre is used to entertain people through a comedic approach. It’s main goal is to get people to laugh and enjoy what they are watching. Comedy films are targeted for all ages as anyone can relate to certain situations that may occur. In most of the comedy films there is at least one person that is known for being funny in either other movies that they have been in or from their every day life. The directors attempt to make the films relatable to the audience so that they can understand where the characters stand in the situations and fully understand what is going on.

Genre Conventions: There are many different techniques to create a comedy film. One of the main ways is through strange but funny actions that the actors do. Many of the comedic scenes occur because of something that is happening on screen rather than something that the directors added after the scene was done being recorded. One of he things that is done though is that the director leaves the camera steady during a scene and the main character will come and go off the screen. Certain movies also break the fourth wall which creates a different type of comedy film in where the character interacts with the audience.

Film sample #1- Central Intelligence is a perfect example of a comedic film as is encompasses a lot of aspects "required" for a comedy film.  For starters the director decided to choose a combination of actors that when they are together can make any movie funny. Also they entire plot of the story was well written and gave lots of room for Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson to improvise and use their ability to naturally be funny together.

Film sample #2-  Deadpool 2 is another good example of a comedy film although it is a different type of comedy. In this movie the actor breaks the fourth wall and begins speaking to the audience which creates a new aspect on comedy movies. The plot of this film adds to the comedic aspect because it is an action/comedy film in which he struggles to achieve his goal and constantly talks about his failure.

• Hangover (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119646/)
• We're the Millers (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1723121/)
• 21 jump street (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232829/)
• American Pie (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163651/)
• Dumb and Dumber (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109686/)
• Ferris Buellers Day Off (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/)

Genre Database Entry

Genre: Horror

Genre conventions: The horror genre is used to create a feeling of fear and suspense for the audience. Usually horror films are targeted for teenagers as they can relate more to the movies than the younger and older audience. Horror usually brings out our worst fears as it causes the body to be filled with adrenaline since the brain is programmed to believe that it is in danger. The most common feature in horror films are the use of monsters, blood, death, and evil. They are the most common because they cause discomfort and anxiety. The directors tend to relate the movie to real life events to cause the feeling that the movie is real and it is all happening in front of the audience.

Genre conventions- There are many different techniques used to create a horror film. These techniques are all used to convey the discomfort and fear. One of the main techniques is the use of shadows and underexposure of the characters. The use of underexposure creates the feeling of mysteriousness and curiosity, which sets the tone of the film. Another important technique is the use of dark colors. Dark colors create a sinister feeling throughout the film and contribute to the suspense and fear. The use of shadows is one of the most important because the shadows use both dark colors and under exposure which builds fearfactor since anything can be hidden in shadows. Horror films typically use black and red throughout the film as it has a hidden meaning. Black and red both signify death, evil, and blood; in most horror films the main antagonist uses black and a bit of red to show that he is evil without blatantly stating it, while the protagonist uses white as it represents heaven and purity.

Institutional conventions- There are many ways to advertise a horror movie some of the most common are the use of trailers and posters. Trailers are on of the best ways to advertise a horror movie because if it is done correct it creates the mysterious feeling before the film is even in theaters. Trailers are used to hook the attention of certain audiences and cause them to want to go watch the film. Posters usually show either the protagonist, antagonist, or sometimes both of them. Posters are a great way to show and introduce the main characters and give a visual representation of what might occur in the film.

Film sample #1- The Nun is a perfect example of a horror movie as it encompasses all the techniques that are essential to create a good horror movie. Throughout the film the director uses a lot of dark and creepy areas to set the tone of the film and show that it is no ordinary film. In certain scenes he uses pop ups to frighten the audience and make sure that they are focused on the film. There are two versions of the main character, one is all black with a small portion of white ( to show that they used to be good and is now taken over as evil), the other is in all white to show that they are pure and good. Also the setting of the movie is in a castle in which is known for being a creepy and scary location. The use of minimal lighting throughout the film contributed to setting the tone as a dark and scary place. The trailer for the movie also grabs the attention of the audience and causes them to come back wanting to know more about the movie.

Film sample #2- The film IT embodies the horror genre as it includes a lot of the “requirements”. The director used a character that some people already consider to be scary (clown). The director choose to have most of the scary scenes in a dark area. One of the most memorable ones was when the girl was in the bathroom because they used the color red for the light and also included a lot of blood. Most of the pop out scenes occur in a dark area so the audience would be least expecting it as well as only being able to see the clowns eyes when he is in the shadows. The clown itself is white but when he turns into the monster he becomes a dark black color to signify that he is the evil one. The director uses natural light from the day and night so that people can associate it with a real life thing and believe that it is real and not only on a screen.

• The Conjuring (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1457767/)
• Insidious (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/)
• Heredity (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7784604/)
• Don't Breathe (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4160708/)
• Rings (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498381/)
• Psycho (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054215/)
• The Shining (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/)

Introduction

Good Afternoon,
            My name is Artur Diniz Santos and I am here to explain some of the aspects of a quality horror movie. My blog will include two well produced horror films that include a lot of the techniques that contribute to creating a horror movie. By the end of the blog posts you should be able to understand some crucial techniques to advertise and create a horror movie but before I continue let me introduce myself a little bit better.
             I am originally from Brazil and moved here when i was little, I have on older brother who is also interested in movie making, I play soccer for Weston FC Black and my goal is to go to a good college and become a successful person.
             Now we can get into the good part which is about the horror genre and what makes it a good film