Archive for October 2016

Whilst looking for the aspects of our preferred genre, we found some critical theory based on Jungian Archetypes in Horror films by James F. Iaccino. This critical theory is what we'd like to be the deeper message within our teaser trailer, as the subgenre of Psychological thriller and horror are based quite heavily on the mind and state of self.

Iaccino based his article on the psychological theories on Cinematic horror by Carl G. Jung

According to Jung:

"The persona archetype originally referred to the "mask" that an actor wore when assuming a role in a play. Jung acknowledged that the persona is not real; it is a deception that the human uses to convince others that he[or she] can conform to society and be an upright and law abiding citizen. With the persona, the human can "take a name, earn a title, exercise a function"...

..." In horror, the recurrent Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde syndrome simulatneously evokes our outward persona and repressed part of ourselves. In society, we have learned to act oroperly, to love appropriately, and to prize our intellectual gifts- that is to appreciate our "Jekyll" persona. But there is another side to us, "one that wants to do all the things we don't allow ourselves to do, who is everything that we are not, the Mr. Hyde to our Dr. Jekyll."...

..."We try to excuse our rages and strong emotions when they come out , denying these inner feelings by expressing the sentiment that "I don't know what came over me". What came over us was that shadow side of our personality, reflecting those uncontrollable animal impulses that we try to keep in check and hide from others as much as possible, as Jekyll does to his Hyde. The reality is that we are two selves, not one. It's no coincidence that each time the Jekyll and Hyde story is filmed, the same actor, is used to portray both roles, since outer and inner faces are "parts of the same self"...

... Jung explored this shadow archetype in great detail and concluded that it's potentially the most powerful and dangerous image of the lot. Because of its evolutionary roots, the shadow possesses a demonic strength that knows no bounds or restraints. Moreover, the shadow has a strong desire to live and wants to express itself just as outwardly as the persona. Looking in the mirror and "seeing your own shadow" is the first step in confronting that "dark self", yet it must be done, no matter how painful the process, if we are ever to acknowledge the bestial part within our unconscious"...

A diagram detailing the overlap of our psyche according to many
famous psychologists.

..." Within the medium of [psychological] horror film, one message is continually expressed; The dark shadow "cannot and perhaps should not be repressed". One technique that has been used to depict this shadow side is the insertion of a "divided" figure into the story line. This character outwardly projects a very normal, perhaps even noble persona, but underneath this exterior, a demon lurks, waiting to be unleashed."

MISE-EN-SCENE

Before filming, we made sure to know every aspect of our genre as much as possible, to allow our trailer to be realistic. To achieve this, we looked closely into the conventions of psychological horror and I particularly focused on mise-en-scene (to see other aspects, check blog).

Image result for psychological horror trailer

Whilst researching, I noticed the majority of trailers were set in secluded areas/ isolated houses/dark places etc. to show separation from the rest of society, possibly to solely focus on the specific characters and their plot rather than the world as a whole. Of course, this differs from each film, but I feel that being in a secluded area will be a great way to conform to the chilling tone of a psychological horror.

Image result for psychological horror knives

Another aspect found to be a key feature within these trailers are the use of weaponry. This has varied from small weapons such as knives to ones on a much larger scale, such as bombs. Due to our low budget which is a big restriction in terms of props, it is our challenge to get as many fitting weapons as possible that are within reach for us. This will be something we will experiment with when it gets closer to our filming days. In some trailers, normal items such as tape or scissors were seen as weapons, which is something we could think of using for our trailer as they are much easier to get hold of whilst also conforming to our genre in the most realistic way possible.

The use of props also comes apparent with the continuous use of mirrors found within my research. This is a very symbolic use of a prop as it can represent the emotions of the character and their duplicitous nature- which is definitely an aspect that is prominent within our own trailer. It is therefore safe to say that the use of mirrors/reflections can be something we can use to conform to our chosen genre and appeal to our audience.

Image result for dark setting psychological horror

Lighting is a very key attribute of our chosen genre- trailers mostly consist of low key lighting with very dark and ominous colours to correlate with the Preferred Reading of the tone being sinister and chilling.

BLACK SWAN

EDITING

Slow paced at first but climatic point in the trailer speeds up the rhythm and length of the shots to build up tension
At first the shots are played in synchrony with the music, but after the climax a fast paced montage begins to create distortion and chaos for the viewer, to embody the theme of the film
Constant black flashes on the screen to provide a sudden shock for the viewer and to build tension

MISE-EN-SCENE

Protagonist wears baby pink to represent innocence and childlike behaviour, yet her strange and chilling behaviour cleverly opposes this
This contrasts with the other girl, who seems to be her 'enemy', and this is shown through her stark opposition in colour. Her outfits consist of dark blues and black which is opposite to the light and dainty colours the protagonist is seen in
Location mostly set in the home and dance studio- simple setting to match with her lifestyle- making it realistic.

ANGLES

A lot of variation in the shots to create more detail and allow the viewer to receive a massive insight on what the plot will entail
Close up shots to distinguish the true emotions the character is feeling (mostly fear/horror)
Establishing shots / medium shots for the viewer to get a glimpse and better understanding of the surroundings

MOVEMENT

Not a lot of movement when it comes to camera before the 'switch' that occurs in the middle, mostly still shots so the reader can properly concentrate on the content rather than the editing
However, change occurs at the ending part of the trailer, where a lot of camera movements take place to correlate with the protagonist's sense of disorientation and the hectic acts that are occuring. The camera portrays this through 360 spins, hand held movements and zooms into the faces.

SOUND

This trailer is different to others in the aspect that the music is not its main focus, but instead the actual dialogue and shots that appear on the screen.
Before the pivotal point in the trailer, there is a relaxing orchestral melody playing in the background to correlate with the theme of ballet and theatre.
However after the climax, the pace picks up and becomes much darker. There is now an eerie tone to the orchestra, much different to before, to match with the shots and the frightening things taking place.

Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers
Black Swan (2010)

A “psychological thriller” is a thriller sub-genre that focuses on the unstable emotional or mental states of the characters, often in combination with elements of mystery, suspense or psychological horror (the last one, in my case). As a thriller sub-genre, it’s permeated by tension and suspense, often surprising the reader with twists or different angles on the same problem. It can contain elements of terror like dread, anxiety and fear, or elements of horror like revulsion, trauma and shock.

Some features of Psychological thriller characters are:

* In classic thrillers, there's a clear distinction between the good guys vs the bad guys, in action as well as thoughts. Even if the antagonist is elusive, the audience will never doubt that the protagonist is good, however in a Psychological Thriller, the nature of the protagonist it is often questioned, and sometimes good or benign characters become or are revealed to be monstrous.

* Character and state of mind are extremely important in a psychological thriller. The writer will often have to have a good understanding of human psychology. The emotional and mental developments of characters in a psychological thriller must always be plausible and believable, even when they are outrageous (such as a child becoming a murderer) or come as a surprise (such as the protagonist being revealed to be insane)

Amanda Seyfried as Chloe Sweeney
Chloe (2009)

* The most common types of narration chosen to create psychological suspense and maintain tension and emotional stress, are stream of consciousness and deep first person POV. The main aim is to erase the barrier of the story from the audience and plunge them deep into the character's terrors.

*The most common themes it touches upon are philosophical or psychological in nature, such as identity, honesty, determinism, fatalism, sanity, dualism, and the exploration of the darker sides of the human behavioral motivation. It’s less aimed at direct entertainment, and more at provoking thought and shifts in understanding of the human mind, often making the audience question their own lives.

*With a psychological thriller, the conflict is through the mind, skills, and wit of main characters, reversing the more normal thriller “plot over character” expectations i.e. a psychological thriller reader needs to understand the character, character can sometimes be slightly more important than plot.

*Characters shouldn’t succeed in their actions using physical talents or efforts, but rather using their mind, wits or smarts.

* There are Life and death situations and certainly at the end or denouement, but this could well involve death or danger to the mind or intrinsic identity or values of the hero rather than a physical threat.

Guy Pierce as Leonard Shelby
Memento (2000)

* Cinematographic elements are also very important in a Psychological thriller/horror. some include:Low level lighting- shadows to create fear/tension.
Quick edits & changes in camera angle- increase the feeling of fear and shock. Often used during significant scenes.
Music(Diegetic and Non-Diegetic)- high tension, eerie, silence.
Flashbacks- time disorientation confusing the audience or showing the past to give an insight into why the characters are the way they are.
Black and white colouring- increase effectiveness of shadows.
Claustrophobic spaces- entrapment of the mind, planes or house.
Font/colour of title- may be written in a certain way to emphasise the theme of the film.

This is our initial Narrative Arc from our pitch. this outlines what we basically want to do , if our project was a full scale movie.

Here is the moodboard documenting our narrative arc for the whole movie. It follows a basic 3 act structure: Exposition (beginning), Development( middle/climax) and Recapitulation (End/Denoument).

From our pitch, we outlined that the story is centred around a group of mentally disturbed or disabled people, with two characters as our main protagonists. Originally we intended to show all 4 characters' double nature, but based on feedback from a control group, we decided it would be much more effective to focus on one character's double, then the group as a whole, rather than all 4 at the same time.

This is our full Narrative Arc, documenting how the story should move, if this were a full scale movie. Here, we followed a simple 3 act structure, with several plot devices such as Inciting incidents, rising action, falling actions and the Denouement. From this, we can pick certain moments to include in our teaser trailer, without giving the ending/most exciting bits away.

List of all points:

EXPOSITION:

In a deserted tunnel, four characters with severe mental disturbances are drawn to one another, forming a group. All of these characters have normal personalities and a murderous/dangerous alter ego, the boundaries of which, are firm.

INCITING INCIDENT:

As time goes on, two of the characters emerge as the leaders of said group, acts of violence are becoming more frequent and more public. The boundaries are beginning to break within their minds.

RISING ACTION:

One person now feels that this double life they are leading is destroying their health, relationships and their life, and try to leave the group. Internal conflicts rise within, and boundaries are now permeable.

CLIMAX:

One person is killed by another member, this is done in full exposure, as the boundaries drawn within their minds is broken, no longer applicable to them. The eyes of society and the law order a witch hunt to exterminate them from society.

FALLING ACTION:

The remaining members of the group try to convince themselves that killing/murder/disobedience to normal societal rules is the only way they can be accepted and validated. Their alter egos are now being seen within their normal lives, inciting panic across the town.

DENOUEMENT:

The leaders are no longer able to differenciate their alter ego from themselves, they have fallen into a state where they re deemed monsters and freaks of society. Even more violent and destructive acts occur until their eventual imprisonment n a mental institution and /or deaths.

My character's general looks fall under the 'Skinhead' aesthetic; a title given to an early punk style of clothing in Britain; as opposed to mods who could afford the latest fashion trends, skinheads were often of the working class; typically wearing Dr. Martens, plaid shirts, suspenders, and boot-cut jeans.
My character most-likely suffers from some form of depersonalisation, or dissociative identity disorder. After researching, I found a good description of what my character should be going through, which were symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder:

"Dissociative identity disorder is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct or split identities or personality states that continually have power over the person's behavior. With dissociative identity disorder, there's also an inability to recall key personal information that is too far-reaching to be explained as mere forgetfulness. With dissociative identity disorder, there are also highly distinct memory variations, which fluctuate with the person's split personality.
The "alters" or different identities have their own age, sex, or race. Each has his or her own postures, gestures, and distinct way of talking. Sometimes the alters are imaginary people; sometimes they are animals. As each personality reveals itself and controls the individuals' behaviour and thoughts, it's called "switching." Switching can take seconds to minutes to days. When under hypnosis, the person's different "alters" or identities may be very responsive to the therapist's requests." - Web MD

People with dissociative identity disorder may also find themselves experiencing headaches, time loss, and doing things they would not normally do, such as being outwardly violent, though they feel as if they are compelled to do it and have no choice. Whilst 99% of the time, this disorder comes as a result of childhood trauma or neglect, I feel as though this should be subverted with my character, and instead, they have chosen to detach themselves from a violent/obscure side of themselves which has always been present; for example, when they were younger they would do things like picking the wings off butterflies or pull the heads off small birds, once told this was extremely unnatural, they buried it deep within themselves, though as they could not control their urges, they eventually developed the disorder, and whenever they go out killing, they experience a time loss where they do not remember what happened.
The image of someone smoking is more like a 'symbol' of how they vent or cope with their issues. Rather than smoking, the character will go out and kill to satisfy the 'needs' of their other identity; the bloody images representing this violence.
When not experiencing time loss, they are fully aware of the acts they commit, and understand that the majority are extremely morally wrong, though their second identity is the complete opposite; they have a love and even fascination for violence, blood, and gore, and will by any means do what they must to experience it.

SVS

Psychological Horror

Psychological Thriller

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