Deconstruction

Website Deconstruction - Megan Is Missing

http://meganismissing.com/

Looking at another influential film website, we looked closely at the layout of the page. The tabs were placed on the edge in a simple white font. The image is the same that is seen on the films poster. To create a similar effect, we used the same background image on our blog and our website. We also placed our tabs on the side to create a similar layout. The films website also has two opening pages. An introduction page is first seen with the image of the young girl sat at the computer desk. However as you enter the website the girl is shown to have disappeared. We used a similar idea creating an introduction page before entering our main homepage,showing a short clip from our trailer. 

                           

Research

Poster Research and Deconstruction

 

One of the posters for "Megan Is Missing" influenced our initial poster design.


The central focus of the poster is the computer and the young girl who is in the centre looking at the image on the screen. The editor of the poster was able to create this effect by darkening the surrounding edges. We created a similar effect by making the central focus of our poster our hanging scene on the computer screen which relates to the genre of a gothic drama.

Deconstruction

Megan Is Missing - Trailer Camera Shots Deconstruction

As well as a similar narrative, "Megan is Missing" also acted as an influence in the type of shots we carried out. Due to the significance of the narrative being based on social networking we decided to use a webcam as well as a video camera. The film was influential as it featured an unknown online predator similar to ours. As well as the webcam shots it also contained a montage sequence of news stories towards the end. We wanted to create a similar effect so we used shots of social networking sites instead.

Deconstruction

When deconstructing the "Disturbia" website we came across an interactive area called videos. This allowed us to preview many different versions of their trailer. We deconstructed three contrasting trailers to see what makes them different and which one is more effective. 

Disturbia Trailer 1)

• Music builds towards the end
• Editing gets faster
• Scenes get shorter
• Equilibrium at the start followed by the disequilibrium

Disturbia trailer 2)

• Voice over 
• Makes it more action than horror thriller
• Distracts from the scene and the action

Disturbia trailer 3)

• Pop song
• Modernises it
• Makes it romantic
• More of a love story with a twist

The official trailer is effective because it builds the tension and shows the audience the genre of the film and the main characters all within the first sequence. By having alternative trailers on their website it shows how different music can portray the same events from a different light. For example each trailer contains the same images but in different orders but the one with a voice over appears like an action movie whereas the pop song sounds more like a romantic horror. This shows the importance of music and how it affects an audience’s view on the film

Deconstruction

Disturbia website deconstruction

When clicking onto the disturbia website you are initially led to a page where you can either ‘enter the site’, watch the trailer, buy the DVD, ‘scare your friends with disturbia’ or scroll down to see the synopsis and other bits of information. 


Disturbia Webpage

 The image on the first page of the website shows the main character looking over the top of a pair of binoculars, where in both lenses an image of a woman and a males silhouette is shown against an orange background, which contrasts against the black and white photo. Above the image is the title of the film ‘disturbia’ and the films tag line ‘Every killer lives next door to someone. When clicking on ‘enter the site’ you are taken to the characters room where the male is sitting on a chair in the centre screen. When scrolling your mouse across the screen the editors have added a setting where you are able to look 180 degrees around the room, with some of the items being hyperlinked to another page within the site.

The hyperlinks include photo gallery, about the dvd, disturbia suburbia, about the film, videos, downloads, registration and dark secrets. Each of these hyperlinks leads you to another page which all have different images as their background, giving the audiences the knowledge of all the major playing characters. When opening ‘dark secret’ the website opens another window where the makers of the film have allowed space for people to tell their own scary stories which happen in their neighbourhood. On these comments you can rate them out of five and also send their story on to a friend.

In the photo gallery are a range of screenshots from the film which are shown again through the lenses of the binoculars, which continues the theme of the first webpage. The audience can also see how important the binoculars are in this particular film as it is a pivotal part of the design of the website and can be seen in both major photos, on the first webpage and the 190 degree photograph. 

Deconstruction

Insidious website deconstruction

Deconstruction

Chatroom website deconstruction

Deconstruction

Deconstruction - "Hard Candy" Poster Deconstruction

- At the top of the film’s poster there is a quote from “Film Threat” with a specific part of the quote’s typography made to be larger which is “Absolutely Terrifying”  reinforcing the genre of the film and due to it being reviewed by a company involved in film the audience can assume it is from a trusted source.
-  The poster appears to be set on a plain white background that gradually fades to a grey colour towards the bottom of the poster. The grey section also appears to be stylised to look like stone therefore linking to the films title of “Hard”. The idea of the stone could also link to the character of the film , indicating her hard personality and strength.

-  The use of the bag in the poster could be seen to indicate the age of the character as it is similar to a school bag , however it could also be seen as symbolic as if to say that the character has a great weight on her shoulders.

- The character is dressed in a “hoodie” which would stereotypically be associated with teenagers and gangs , however this character is alone therefore suggests that they are dangerous alone and also emphasises the theme of isolation in the film. The character’s identity is hidden by the hood and the back is turned showing the secretive nature of the film , however it is indicated that the character is female as she is wearing a skirt.

 

- The red clothing against the white background of the poster , makes the individual character stand out of the shot and focus audiences attention for the poster.

Deconstruction

Poster Deconstruction - Chatroom Poster 2

- During research we found more than one poster design for the film "Chatroom" one of our main inspirations for our film trailer. This showed the importance of promotion for the film on social networks due to the theme of the film

- The title of the film is styled differently the the first poster deconstructed as "Chatroom" appears in a basic white font all in lowercase , but the a is styled differently to @ to create the effect of an email address , linking with the film's theme of social networking

- In a similar way the figures styled an image in the background of the first poster - lots of screen shots from the film appear to have collated into a college that forms the face of the films central character played by Aaron Johnson.

- A mouse curser appears to be placed on the character's mouth . This can be seen as quite symbolic of silence and secrecy. The curser also appears to be styled in form of a hand suggesting the idea of humanity in the film

- No details of the films release date are given in the poster suggesting like a teaser trailer this is a teaser poster.

- Similar to the poster for the film  "The Social Network" the films title appears to the side of the poster turned like a sidebar of a computer screen.

Deconstruction

Poster Deconstruction - Chatroom

- In the centre of the poster the main character of the film is given the central space. The actor is Aaron Johnson and is featured at the centre of the poster not only because he is the main character but also because he is the most recognisable actor of the film


- The film appears to have two taglines - one featured above Aaron Johnson , the other under him . The first reading "welcome to the anti-social network", therefore indicating that anit social behaviour will be featured in the film


- The background of the poster is very effective. It is styled in the format of a computer screen with green lettering and figures similar to the style of "The Matrix"- therefore indicating that the film will centre on the theme of technology.


- The figures in the background are also styled to create the image of eyes, playing with idea of social networking of being watched and intimidated. The eyes also appear to be those of Aaron Johnson suggesting his is an intimidating character.


- The poster also shows the statement that the film is from the creator of "The Ring" a well known horror film , suggesting that the film will also have elements of the horror genre.


- The title of the film is similarly styled in the same way as the figures of the background but much larger at the bottom of the poster with the release date.

Deconstruction

Hard Candy Trailer Deconstruction

Whilst looking for inspiration for our film we found the film "Hard Candy" which was made in 2005. The film follows a mature 14-year old girl who meets a photographer on the Internet but suspecting that he is a pedophile she goes to his home in an attempt to expose him. This film served as inspiration for our film trailer as it addresses similar issues of social media. 

The trailer opens with diagetic sounds of a keyboard with no image. The films idents are stylized to be presented as blinds and symbol that there is something to hide. An image of a computer screen appears as an online chat appears to take place. This part of the trailer was particularly useful as we plan to open our trailer in a similar way. Identities are hidden with the use of user names, however they give some indication as to what the characters are like with "Lensman319" linking to the fact that the character is a photographer and "Thonggrrrrl14" showing that the character is provocative as well as the number shown being the characters age. The online chat is also very suggestive as they discuss meeting for the first time.

The image fades to black with the sound of a keyboard closing the conversation. From the black screen a male character is revealed who the audience assume to be "Lensman319". He appears to be an intelligent character indicated by his glasses and suit and also in a position of power as it is a high angle camera shot. The camera then zooms into a central shot of a young female who the audience assume to be be "Theonggrrrrl14". She is not dressed in a stereotypically feminine way with a short boy-like hair cut. The camera appears to focus on her face to emphasise the innocence of the character to the audience. Here the two lead character's names are also revealed.

The scene cuts to a shot reverse shot conversation between the two characters as they discuss the idea of online chats. The male character still appears to be in a position of power as he talks down to the young girl. The camera then catches close ups of the girl during conversations as the characters discuss how peoples' "faces can lie" as the girl playfully asks if hers lies. Soft piano music begins to play in the background to create a calm and happy atmosphere to the scene as the two characters get to know each other in person. A very suggestive scene then follows as the male character eats cake off of the female characters lips rather than getting a piece himself. 

A brightly lit long shot of the two characters in a car park appears to emphasize the isolation of the two characters as there appears to be no other cars or people around. The female characters clothing also appears to stand out in this shot perhaps to represent blood and therefore foreshadowing events to come. More close up shot reverse shots are shown as the two discuss "Romeo and Juliet" again foreshadowing the tragedy that is to come.

A Wide shot of an expensive house where the saturation appears to be altered to make the shot have a darker toning,suggesting the narrative of the trailer is going to move into a different direction and that this house is the centre of the fatal events to come.

In a similar way to how the films idents were shown, awards that the film have won are then shown for example "Sundance" film selection. A slowly edited jump shot is then shown of the male characters photography work showing a heavily made up female, suggesting the type of photography the character is involved in. The photo is black and white to stand out against the brightly coloured walls. Blinds then cover again to show a journalist's comment on the film.

The tone of the trailer suddenly changes as the editing becomes faster with many fade to blacks with separate close up shots of the two individual characters. In one particular shot the male character appears stressed as his surroundings are manipulated into moving whilst he is still and sweating.

Another journalist's comment is then shown as the editing then becomes even faster as numerous struggles are shown between the two characters, ending the line "Playtime is over...now it's time to wake up" before the blinds come over the screen to reveal the films title, details and release date.

Deconstruction

"When a Stranger Calls" Website Deconstruction

The website for "When a Stranger Calls" starts with a small intro with clips from the film which has sounds to conincide with the clip being played. The viewer is lead onto an interactive time line of events from the film, requiring user interaction. This for example is as simple as ringing a doorbell to open the door to the next scene on the website. After the interactive trailer is finished the screen returns back to the main page with headings.

A particular heading we found

interesting on the website was the "Tell us your story" tab. This gives the opportunity for people to share their storis annonymously, about scary experiences of being isolated in their homes and babysitting, similar to the narrative of the film. This could be particularly interesting when creating our website as audiences could post stories of dramatic online experiences.

Another tab included the "Synopsis" of the film giving an insight to some of the films events. However the description of the film is kept to a minimum acting like a blurb for a novel.

Other interactive sections of the website includes a "Photo Gallery" containing screen shots from the film, and a "Downloads" page where users can download wallpapers, screen savers and icons.

Deconstruction

When a Stranger Calls Poster Deconstruction 

Deconstruction

4,3,2,1 Deconstruction - Webcam Scene

Close up of the photos on the wall, hand held panning across them, slightly shaky which makes it look realistic and believable but also makes it more frightening. The camera does a quick pan across his items and the computer then rotates around Cassie to reveal more of the room. Photos with black background on a white wall makes them stand out, she has blonde hair and she is wearing light clothing which makes her stand out in the pictures.  

The shots of the boy are always low angle shots which shows Cassie has the power of the situation and it shows the weakness of the boy. Close up of both faces shows the different emotions and fear.

Dvds and a laptop can be seen in many shots which repeats the technology theme. A close up of a folder on the laptop shows that the folder is important. Videos of Cassie start to flash up on the laptop, the camera swaps between her reaction and the videos showing the shock and disgust of the situation. A close up of one of the videos shows Cassie undressing which shows the audience why he's been watching her.

The computer is black with a small webcam on top with a classic black swivel computer chair. The screensaver/background is once again Cassie showing the obsession with her. It is light and has a white background which stands out on the dark computer. Dvds and a laptop are seen.

The camera shows another computer folder and pans to the left to reveal another screen with cctv footage of Cassie's house showing how he has hacked into her computer, cctv, creating his own personal footage. A shot of Cassie holding the phone and a look of disgust shows that there are also images on the phone. This shows how technology and different forms of technology can be used and can be dangerous.

He has comic book posters on the wall which coincide with his nerdy/geeky stereotypical appearance and personality, lots of comic figures and collectable action figures around the room show his childish side and his immaturity. This also shows his obsession and his hobby. In all the shots there is bright, natural light coming into the room which helps emphasise the dark photographs on the minimal walls. 

Editing: Quick, fast, straight cuts which is typical of a fast paced action scene. The camera alternates between the characters, the room and the obsessive features within it to position the audience with sympathy towards Cassie. However the shots of the boy are always very similar with quick changes between the laptop and Cassie.

Sound: An eery drone which rises slightly in pitch and also grows louder as she discovers the photos.

Deconstruction

"Tormented Poster Deconstruction"

• The central character of the poster is actor Alex Pettyfer. He is given this central positioning due to the fact he is the most recognisable British Teen Actor in the film therefore he would draw a young audience to watch the film

• Alex Pettyfer appears to be amongst a pile of dead bodies indicating the genre of the film to be a slasher due to a large amount of death

• All characters appear to be dressed in school uniform to emphasise that the target audience is teenagers. However Alex Pettyfer's character appears shirtless suggesting his dominance and also suggesting him to be a provocative and confident character

• The review line at the very top of the poster suggests the film for the "Skins" generation, making reference to the popular UK teen drama and also emphasising its genre further

• The film's title is in bold red capitals against the black background with other texts in white. The colour scheme of the poster appears to follow the colour scheme of the actors school uniforms

• The film's tagline appears directly below the title of the film and is cleverly phrased to link with the idea that the characters are still at school

• The film's release date is shown at the bottom of the poster in May which would be a close time to the "May" half term therefore targeting teenagers at school to see the film during their school holidays

• In small print at the very bottom of the poster the listings of the film are displayed including actors,directors and producers

• The film's website  also appears at the bottom of the poster to target the online generation

Deconstruction

British Horror "Tormented" Trailer Deconstruction

As British Films differ greatly from American films we wanted to research modern British Horror Films. As a case study we looked at the comedy-horror “Tormented” (2009) which although a comedy shows typical codes and conventions of the slasher genre for example numerous characters being hunted and killed. The films narrative also contains elements of technology but unlike our narrative which uses online social media, Tormented sees its victims being tormented through the use of texting, leading to a gruesome death.

The film trailer contains the title and release date throughout in a red font with a black background which are two typical colours used to symbolise blood.

During the first part of the trailer a party environment is showing a sense of normality before the later events of the film occur. The diegetic heavy base sounds means the characters are forced to shout over the heavy music. The scene then follows two characters that are shown to be in an intimate situation, again emphasised by the sound of a heart beat.

There is a sudden shock to the audience as a masked character jumps into the scene with a chainsaw, a particularly recognisable icon of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. However the character rips off the mask and starts laughing, showing the comedic value of the film as well as the horror.

There is particular emphasis on the youthfulness of characters with a carefree lifestyle. After showing the film title the trailer cuts back to the party and The editors use fast cuts.

The sound of an echoing voiceover is heard creating a sense of isolation. The poor quality and shaky movements of the camera suggests the shot is from the mobile phone (hand held). The characters are dressed in school uniforms. However they appear to be represented as the “rebels”, involved in bullying, heavily made up and wearing their uniform incorrectly. This is a contrast to the victim who is over weight and helpless as they throw his inhaler to the ground.

The use of technology is evident with a close up of a mobile phone with a sadistic message threatening to kill the holder of the phone. The editing appears to speed up which contrasts to the eerie music and shows a build up of tension as the characters become stressed, paranoid and deaths are shown on camera.

One particular death that stood out in the trailer was the close up shot of a body by a fence with blood pouring down the leg, emphasising the gruesome death of the character.

The trailer then ends with the same message shown on the phone earlier and reveals the films website to the audience.