Media studies

Pixx Productions
SimranHussain

Treatment
Product
For the product we will be creating an opening sequence for a supernatural horror film which
will last approximately two minutes, this would mean that we would have to ensure that we
create an impact on the viewers from the start. The idea is that the storyline will be based on
a house haunted by a spirit. The opening sequence begins with a typical night, Blaire
organises a movie night in with her boyfriend, creating a romantic atmosphere with a candle
lit room and dimmed lights. She lights the last candle and picks up her phone to text her
boyfriend, She tells him Cant wait for you to come over, this is going to be a perfect night.
x. She sets her phone aside.
Then, focussed on getting the movie started; she walks towards the television across the
room, switches it on and grabs the remote control. Whilst focussed on the trying to get the to
work TV which only shows static, behind her we see a figure in a white dress staring into the
room through the door (Anna), (only the audience will see this) the figure then walks away
before Blaire turns around.
She sits on the sofa with the remote control in one hand, when suddenly she hears whispers
from the hallway. She jumps to her feet and approaches the living room door as the
whispers stop, she opens the living room door and then looks to the right and then the left
(the direction of the basement) the basement door then slowly creeks open, the whispers
begin again, this time, louder, she takes a few steps closer to the and reaches out to open it
further, As she opens it, a longing basement of darkness stares back at her, she takes three
steps forward, and reaches out to switch the light on, when she does, the light flickers on,
she walks down the stairs (about 4 steps down), Blaire stares at her and the basement door
slams shut behind her and the screen turns to black.*Silence* A view of the house is shown
and the title appears.
Target Audience
we will be aiming our opening sequence at people aged between fifteen and thirty-five. We
will aim it at a Niche audience, which is an influential group of people with a unique interest
in horror films, this is because, from my research I have found that not everyone is a fan of
watching horror films for their own particular preferences, therefore to achieve a high
popularity rate we will have to match the codes and conventions to aim at a wider target
audience. Ensuring we have a variety of different feedback for the opening sequence. We
will also aim it at both sexes: male and female, to open doors to more creative ideas and to
gather a variety of different responses. Having a target audience with both teen and adult
age groups would mean that the lifestyles of both would be mature, hence why the lowest
age would be fifteen. From my research It has come to my attention that people of these
ages are quite experimental, enjoy excitement and thrill. Having had a minimum age of
fifteen means that this type of audience is more likely to believe in paranormal activities and
ghosts in the real world, which is what our storyline is about, therefore meaning that they
would be more easily frightened. For us, this can open doors to a much more imaginative
concept for a story-line/opening sequence of a horror movie. We intend to leave our
audience shook, scared and make them jump in their seats; we also aim to hopefully ensure
that it has left the audience thinking about the story. Another aim to this opening sequence is

Media studies
Pixx Productions
SimranHussain
allow the audience to make the decision of whether or not this film is worth watching and/or
worth recommending to other family and friends.
Context
We will advertise our opening sequence on different social networking sites. The use of
social networking sites ensures we attract the right type of people because we know that it is
commonly used within our target audience. Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook
and YouTube are easily accessible and so are ideal for gaining recognition and feedback for
our film.
Media Concepts
Media Language
The style of the product will link effectively with the story line of the sequence. We will think
cautiously about every aspect of the forms and conventions of a horror film, these include:
themes, narratives, characters, the camera work, colours and the setting. These will be used
to ensure practicality in our horror production. The theme will follow the idea of haunting with
an involvement of ghosts. Following the 90-minute synopsis, the film is going to gradually
develop aspects of religious belief as the story unfolds.
The Narrative of our opening sequence involves a protagonist, an antagonist and a group of
supporting characters. With the horror based around a conflict, it involves the death of a
young girl in the basement of the house. This leads to the dilemmas that the protagonist is
put the through throughout the rest of the film. Scenes that present these dilemmas, above
all, are used to try to connect and influence the audience. For example, in our opening
sequence, the character is tormented by whispers and constant feelings of supernatural
presence, allowing the audience to feel the thrill. They should be able to identify the
characters in order to establish an understanding of the typical horror film narrative. In our
case, there will be a number of supporting characters, which undergo death in different
stages of the film. It is also typical to have the destiny of the heros life after the story to be
left unknown. Our production follows a similar context.
It will be necessary to ensure that the audience are able to connect with the characters and
so; we will ensure that our characters meet the stereotypes. Examples of these may be:

The protagonist, who is usually a female, with distinct characteristics, allowing them
to be able to make smart decisions in order to survive through the whole film till the
end. In our production, the characters who play this role would be Anna and Julia
The sex appeal who is usually always an unrestricted woman who is first to die
Along with the sex appeal, comes the annoying character, their behaviour causes
them to die a very specific death, they are normally one of the first to go.
The false enemy is a character who is presented to be the antagonist with a
suspicious role due their behaviour or appearance.
Finally, the antagonist who is the evil spirit in our production is present throughout
the whole film and is killed off at the end.

Looking at the camera work with referral to horror films, it is evident to the audience what the
film will be trying to show through the different angles, shots and movements. For example,
typically in horror films, disorientated angles and movements are used, (e.g. canted and tilt),
a variety of shots to ensure that the feelings (such as fear, build up of tension etc.) of the

Media studies
Pixx Productions
SimranHussain
actors are clearly portrayed to the audience are used(e.g. P.O.V and close-ups).
With horror films, it is significant to have a clear visual styling within the production.
Iconography looks at using specific colours such as dark colours in costume, props and
anything within the frame of the camera. Colours such as black, red and white are typically
used to connote danger and blood and white can be associated with supernatural horror
films which relates to our production. Standard locations used in horror films are isolated
areas in remote places that are partly inaccessible to the rest of the world, examples of this
may be an abandoned house, isolated islands etc. the setting for the film usually always at
night, allowing scary scenes to take full affect in building tension and scaring the audience.
Props that will be used in our production consist of matches and an insufficient TV, which will
be used to show static in the opening sequence, denoting that something is wrong.
Institutions
in order to have a clear sense of its place in the film industry it is important to know who the
distributors are, in our case this would be magazines, newspapers, television the internet
from which different social networking sites will be used. For example:

Twitter.com
Facebook.com
YouTube.com

These social networking sites will enable us to increase our recognition not only nationally,
but also internationally. Previous research has shown us that social networking sites,
magazines and television are commonly used within our target audience.
Our production company:

Name: Pixx Productions

Logo:

Representation
We will represent characters in a way that the stereotypes of each character in the horror
film are clearly shown. Our opening sequence is very stereotypical, almost predictable. Their
will only be two characters, in that first scene, one of which is the female antagonist whos
identity will not be revealed, this will lead up to the haunting story-line of the rest of the film.
The main protagonist in this opening sequence will be a vulnerable, attractive female who
meets the requirements of stereotypical characters in a horror film, this would also allow her
easy-to-target character to be attacked by the antagonist (shown in our opening sequence
as Anna (the protagonist) is attacked by the spirit in the basement of the house).

Media studies
Pixx Productions
SimranHussain
Genre
We will follow the typical horror conventions to meet the aim of satisfying our target audience
with our opening sequence. The conventions consist of an isolated location, some sort of
danger (supernatural danger in our production), a loss in connection from outside world,
having characters investigate noises that could potentially lead to danger, running in the
wrong direction or taking the wrong exit, where the victim is then trapped, a surprise scare,
fake scares where the audience expects something to happen, but in reality nothing
happens, the disregard to warnings about potential danger, having had someone in the
group killed in the first few minutes (shown in our opening sequence)