Media A2 Coursework

2.  He is influential in the shaping of our
production as his filming technique
pioneered the horror genre through the use
of suspense and orchestral scores of
music.
 This affects our production as it can give us
an insight to how correctly balance shots
for full horror effect and to accompany the
shots with our (planned) contrapuntal
music.
 An example of this would be in his
production Psycho which, after the death of
the main protagonist, through the iconic
shower scene, revolutionized the genre,
creating the fear that anyone could be a
murderer or a "psycho". This is relevant for
our production as our murderer is normal
apart from the voices he is suffering from.

3. • He was influential in forming and directing “slasher” and
horror films. HE is known for lasting horror films like
Scream and The Nightmare on Elm Street.
• He pioneered the “metahorror” genre with the production
of “the Nightmare on Elm Street”, this means that it is a
self aware production which deliberately uses
stereotypes, sometimes breaking them ironically
• This influences our production so we could do the most
used conventions, but using them to comment on the
genre itself; through sarcastic use of them. We could
comment sarcastically on the conventions on our
antagonist due to the fact in stereotypical horrors – the
antagonist has distinctive features, whilst in our
production at the start you can only tell he is different
through the audio. SO this disregards the conventions of
a mutilated or obvious antagonist
• We can also examine Craven’s auteur signature as when
he makes a horror production he also ties it with another
subgenre like a horror-thriller. He also creates the
“psychological idea of the villain” where throughout the
productions various people can inadvertently becoming
the antagonist – shown in the “Last house on the Left”
where the antagonist shifts from Krug to Mari’s parents.

4.  Makes “one-note” ideas into pieces, allowing for a simple plot and
through line.
 He would be influential in shaping our production as he undermines
his audience, making them expect one thing but have a different
outcome instead. This would be in our production as through the
addled vision of the antagonist, who suffers from mental illness,
thinking he is doing one thing; however he is doing something dark.
 His filming technique also plays on peoples “primal fears” an
example being darkness, which is shown in his production “Lights
Out”. This can be effective in our production as we could play on
the primal fears of “mutilation” as one of the victims will loose an
hand or an arm.

5. An example of his expertise is show in the end
of SAW’s end scene as one person is being left
behind. As there is no lighting creating a dark
scene apart from the green hue coming from
the open door, creating a feeling that the door is
there but it is out of reach. The green lighting
helps increase the tension and desperation in
the room. The two contrasting tones in the
scene reflect the two outcomes that the two
characters are presented with, one surviving,
the other dying.
We can also apply the auteur theory to Wan, as
in his pieces, for example Insidious, he
performs and long shot and take alongside
appropriate non-diegetic and diegetic music –
this establishes the tone of the piece as well as
the setting.

6. Twisted Pictures deal with mainly horror releases. This could have a positive
influence on our production as they have a large repertoire of previous releases and
experience, this could allow our production to have the most potential as a horror
centred piece. Twisted Pictures has also been known to create successful short films,
but mainly longer productions.
Furthering this it can influence our production as their experience in the horror genre
could increase the tension and other conventions of horror. This would make the
production become more cinematic and believable. However twisted pictures is US
based which is negative as we have created a very British representation of the short
films location and themes as we have also not conformed to various conventions and
stereotypes in the horror / thriller genre, therefore it would not be as suitable as
needed.

7. This would be influential for our
production as this institution
focuses on “innovative video
content”, this would allow us to be
advised in the creation stage of
our concept and the
accompanying distribution and
marketing stage.

8. The introduction of John Doe’s character as the antagonist in the horror film
“Se7en” influences our production through the confronting representations of
mental illness in the production and how it is portrayed as a man with a lack of
emotion and empathy. This can influence our productions portrayal of the
mentally ill antagonist as there can be clear differentiations, however there is
the line shown that he has crossed into insanity.

9. The production “Silence of the Lambs” is influential to our production through the
characterisation of the people in the piece. This would be beneficial for our
production as the introduction of the characters is important to make the production
believable.