The Music Box

EvaluationBy Sophie McNamara

In what way does your film use, develop or challenge

forms or conventions of real media products?

• We discovered the main conventions were that they mostly had scary themed music, sound effects, blood, a killer/stalker, a victim and lost of suspense to make the storyline gripping and watchable. So, we then decided to use these in our film, so that we used the forms and conventions of real media products. E.g. a scary type font:

• In order to develop our understanding more, we research in to Hitchcock as he produced and directed the first classic horror film “physco” and so we researched in to some of his ideas and theories

• We challenged the existing media product that are within the horror/thriller industry by using an unusual plotline that you wouldn’t normally see in horror films today as music box’s and ballet girls are usually portrayed as innocent, yet this film opening turns that all around.

How does your film represent particular social groups?

The Victim: Elle (as pictured) was representing the contemporary modern ballet dancer. Usually, ballet girls are innocent and harmless and a colour that would represent this would be white, to show her purity. So, in order to show that she was under threat, we made her wear all black, so the audience were able to suspect something. Usually, blonde girls are represented in society and being more vunerable, so we twisted this around to and thought the brown hair would try and change this stereotype.

The Villain: Billy (as imaged) we thought had the right look for our villain as we didn’t want him to look too harsh and so by having a little bit of facial hair and by dressing him all in black, with the black hood up at all times, it was perfect for the character we were trying to create. He is tall and stocky and so had the right build for a typical serial killer and we thought he was perfect for our villain.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product?

• After researching several film companies such as Universal and Paramount, I found that the one that would be most likely to produce our media product would be the company “New Market Films” as they have distributed films such as “Prom Night” which are similar to our film, what with their being a main killer and victim and also has the same rating which is a 12A certificate.

• As well as this, there is also another company called “Original Film” which produced a film called “Stealth” which too is a Horror/Thriller with the same certificate as The Music Box.

• When it comes out after the cinema and becomes available on Blue Ray and DVD, entertainment shops such as HMV and virgin megastores will sell it as this film will appeal to many teenagers that visit these sort of shops when they are looking for a good film to buy.

• Also, as the internet is becoming more popular with teenagers, it will be available to buy of online websites such as Filmfour.com and Play.com

Who is the Target Audience?

• Following the guidelines form the BBFC website, we have decided to rate our film with a 12A certificate and so this means people under 12 are permitted to watch it, but within adults company (anyone aged over 18).

• Due to the content being mostly implied and not being explicit, the certificate rating is acceptable as children don’t actually see any harsh violence or blood scenes, but still may find some parts disturbing and so its best to be watched with an adult.

• Our film can be watched by both boys and girls, but it may see more of a particular interest of girls, due to it being related to ballet dancers, which in most cases, are girls.

How did you attract your audience?

• Our actual film title itself is ambiguous as you wouldn't normally associate a music box to a horror/thriller film. So, immediately our audience are drawn into watching it more due to a slight state of confusion.

• Everybody who watches horror/films loves a good chase and so we included a nail biting chase between the victim (Elle) and the villain (Billy) so that the audience would get more involved whilst watching and wondering whether Elle will ever be caught or kidnapped.

• We set our film in our local Town surroundings and with continuity editing and maintaining verisimilitude, so that it appears more realistic to the audience, especially with the police message right at the start, so it looks like it is based on a true life event.

• With a use of jump cut editing techniques and low key lighting, it creates a sense of unease and will hopefully help the audience feel how the victim is feeling and make them more involved with the film.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing your film?

• In term of constructing, we were given pieces of equipment such as the camera and tripod. We were able to use the tripod for steady shots such as long and wide shots, so the camera wasn’t shaking. However, by using the handheld camera by itself, we were able to construct some realistic shots whilst running behind either the victim/villain during the chase so that the audience feels like they are part of the chase due to the shakiness of the shot.

• We have been able to pick up excellent editing skills on both iMovie and Garage Band when it came to editing our film itself and also the music that plays along with it. We were able to add effects, adjust the lighting and contrast in certain clips and also add a variety of different transitions in order to make the continuity of the clips flow smoothly together. With Garage Band, we were able to upload a piece of music and edit it down by using the various tools. We shortened the piece of music to exactly fit our film and produce a piece of successful music that contrasted with our film.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it, to the film?

• This exercise was very helpful as it helped me know and how to use the camera and taught me how to use the “180 degree rule” whilst filming, which insures that u don’t film things from one side and then put the camera on the opposite side as this affects the continuity.

• With mise en scene, i learnt that everything had to stay the same in every shot, even the position of my feet on the desk. Otherwise, when it came to filming our actual film, if the continuity was wrong, we could confuse our audience.

• Lighting and composition in a shot is also crucial and it’s important that everything can be seen, even if filmed in dark areas and the composition must be perfect in every shot to make it seem realistic and affective as possible.