Character profiles

In my product there are four main characters, Lauren Sarah Kate and Chloe. I have designed them to all have differing personalities that distinguish them apart in order to enhance the like-ability and recognizable traits of each character.

For my character profiles, I took inspirations from the character profiles on the 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' website:

I love the way the text is somewhat casual and cool, yet remains abrupt and straight to the point. When reading these character profiles, I instantly felt a sense of personality and individuality for each one. Having a picture aside each one helped from an audiences perspective as it helped match the description with the face, allowing for greater audience involvement.
 
In terms of character profiles for my characters, I abided to the identity of each character suggested through my trailer. Below are the character profiles that I have written for each character, I plan to place these on my website homepage:

Lauren
Lauren is the girl with masses of spirit. In rain or in shine Lauren is up for a laugh, and more importantly, up for a challenge. Bright and bubbly, Lauren remains the glue of the group, bonding the girls through the hardest of times. With a keen fighting spirit she is often the voice of the group, speaking her mind and defending her friends. Lauren is a modern-day dreamer, with huge aspirations. Laurens hugely likeable nature progressively aids her in obtaining the opportunities that she strives for.

Sarah-Jane
Sarah-jane aspires madly to work within the film industry. Her love of filming and documenting almost everything technologically, has gained her recognition throughout her studies. Her kind nature ensures that she is always there for her friends, yet her mature outlook on life lands her many of times as the voice of reason. Sarah-jane loves to have fun with her friends yet has a sensible and responsible nature and holds this influence over the group.

Chloe
Chloe seeks adventure. Where-ever and whenever, she is the girl that will go the extra mile to find the excitement in almost everything. However, this is not always a positive and unsurprisingly has landed her and her friends in some unstable situations in the past. With a keen dedication to writing and reading, Chloe seeks to find an explination in everything and will not stop until she has done. Curious and inquisitive, their venture to the remote cottage seemed the ideal getaway.

Kate
Kate is a fashionista. With her head in her studies and mind on her money, the getaway to the cottage seems anything but the perfect holiday. Quietly confident, Kate is successful in what she puts her mind to yet can crumble in situations unsure to the norm. From the dark to creepy crawlies, Kates ever-girly nature see's her in fear of many things, relying on her friends to help her out many of times.

Font decision

Using Photoshop, I ensured that I created a new image to a size that would fit my trailer, and took a photograph of these measurements so that I would be able to abide to them and remember them for each title slide within the trailer:

I think made the background black and font white as I think this will be most appropriate and effective for my product. Reffering to my previous font research, I knew the type of font that would be most appropriate and effective for the type of horror film that mine is.

Searching through dafont.com, I found the font Evenescent:

This font was perfect for my product, I will use it in my film logo and my title slides. Here is an example of one of the title slides in my trailer. I am very pleased with the result:

 

Structuralism

In class we have been studying structuralism. Our lecturer gave us a set of questions to answer regarding this topic, and applying them to our own product.

What identifiable phases does your text move through?

Click below to view a Prezi I made regarding this:

http://prezi.com/htycftenwhbj/present/?auth_key=vn5zofw&follow=zdxaol4ao4cj

Does your text deliberately deny resolution, setting up enigma codes?

Roland Barthes Enigma code theory. In terms of enigma codes, the enigma code that applys to my product extremely well is the Hermenutic code.

"The Hermenutic code is where the story avoids telling the truth or revealing all of the facts in order to drop clues throughout to help create a sense of mystery"

Below is a video I have made detailing the Hermenutic code and how it applys to my product:
 

 
Does your text use recognizable character types to help audiences understand the kind of experience they are going to get?

Vladmir Propps theory or character types:

To an extent, I do agree with Propp as my product includes some of the character types however, I don't believe my product fits into the exact representation of Propps idea as not many do appear in my text.

My text does not however include a hero which could be, perhaps, regarded as strange due to the nature of a horror film. However, with my product only being a trailer, I did not feel that it was necessary to include a hero as the trailer focuses on the problems throuhgout and does not real if/when the characters are saved. This enhances the elements of mystery throughout my trailer keeping the audience on edge.

The victim character type appears in my product very often as one by one, the girls are all taken victim by the book. It is essential to my text to include the victim character role as it builds up sympathy from the audience toward the characters and enables them to become more emotionally involved. It is very clear that they become victim as their characteristics and physical appearance changes when they have had some form of contact with the book, and are possesed regardless of their efforts to stop it.

Chloe becoming possesed and falling victim.

Kate becoming possessed and falling victim. 

Sarah becoming possessed and falling victim.

Lauren becoming possessed and falling victim.

Lauren and Sarah adopt the temporary parental figure role when Kate and Chloe go missing and, without any communication with any other potential other parental roles or authoritative figures, they have to go and find their friends. This is demonstrated in the trailer when they are sitting outside and attempting to come to a solution explaining the devastating situation at hand. Lauren then states "we are going to find them Sarah" showing a 'parental figure' role and decision.

This is a still of Lauren and Sarah having a 'parental' discussion.

This is a still of Lauren making the parental decision of: "We're going to find them Sarah"

Time management

25th January 2014:

As the end of the January approaches, I have reflected upon my time management. Since my last time management and progress video in November, I have completed the goals and tasks I set myself to complete in order to actively progress in this project.I believe that my time management has been productive so far and that I have produced a significant amount of work in the time that I have. I have been following my schedule that I produced at the beginning of the coursework and I am on track to complete my coursework ahead of the deadline.

Photoshoot

When beginning to think out my ancillary tasks, I was adamant that I wanted to take my photographs in a studio. This is the email that I sent requesting studio time to Colin Young who is responsible for the Photography studio at Sunderland University. 

I also had to check if this timing/plan was suitable for my actors/models. Here is the inbox I sent requesting their attendance: 

Below is a video detailing my photoshoot planning:

Flikr - problem

I used Flickr to complete my deconstructions of horror movie posters and website homepages that I found most relevant and inspirational to what I wanted my text to be. I completed these annotations of Flikr, a program that I used last year during my AS project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/117110789@N03/12441867163/

I did however endure a problem with Flickr, when reflecting on my annotations while checking over my blog. Below is a video of myself detailing the problem that I had with this software program, and why I won't be using it again:

Copyright - sound effects

Searching through youtube for music and soundtracks appropriate to my trailer, I found two that would fit in perfectly with my trailer. When playing them over my in-progress trailer, they were extremely relevant and helped to enhance the feel that I wanted my product to have. In order to abide with copyright laws I will ask their permission to use their pieces of music.

I have commented on the sound tracks asking permission to use part of it in my coursework:

 

The other one however is marked as royalty free:

I will not need to ask permission for this piece of music due to this.