2. As part of my media coursework, I had to choose a film genre in order to create a film opening. I began to
research different genres and decided I was going to do horror therefore I did extra research. I looked at different
horror film openings on Art of the Title and analysed the ones that I thought would help with my media product.
As part of the research, I did an auteur study that involved me analysing a certain director’s films. Throughout this
research I used PowerPoint to present my work as it would be well organised and be a proper presentation.
Throughout my research, one of my tasks was to analyse a film opening and do a voiceover rather than a
presentation as it was so I can learn technology skills. I edited the film opening and my voiceover together on
Final Cut Pro so it helps me learn skills on editing my own media product.
During my planning process, I used different technology equipment such as a camera for my location idea as I
had to upload it to my blog and say why I’ve chose this location. Me and my group also used ‘storyboard that’ to
create our storyboard online so it’s easier when we film and we have evidence on our blog of how we are going
to make our opening and how we would use our storyboard during our filming process. Before we got the
storyboard the way we wanted our film opening to be, we done a few more before that to show more planning
and our different ideas. Throughout my planning, I used different editing software’s on the iMac such as Motion,
GarageBand and LiveType. The different software’s allowed me to learn how to a different variety of editing
software’s and how I can use the software in my final media product. Whilst using these editing software’s, I learnt
many things such as how to create an institution logo on Motion and how I can add shapes and add in an effect.
I also learnt how to play around with music on GarageBand and make something that I would like and add
different sounds together to make music that would fit in within the horror genre. Whilst using LiveType, I used
different fonts, colours and effects for my titles.

3. Throughout the process of using Final Cut Pro, I have learnt many different ways in which different
software’s can work together. Whilst I was editing and adding my titles, institution logo and music, I
discovered it could easily be imported into Final Cut Pro, which allows me to add it into the
sequence and edit it together to match my film opening.
There were many tools that helped me to edit my film opening. For example, the pen tool allowed
me to add in fades which made my clips not jump and fade in together to match the clips. As our
film opening clips were fast, we changed the speed as we added in each clip to make them
slower to match our genre and mise en scene and for the audience to feel a slow effect of the
titles. I used the razor blade tool to trim some parts of the clips I didn’t need and only needed a
certain part of that clip. Colour corrector was used many times as the footage I had didn’t have
good lighting and was not good enough for our opening therefore I changed it to make it look like
a horror film opening by making the lighting dark. After I had finished editing our opening
sequence, I converted it into a movie using QuickTime player, which allowed me to view my
opening and see what changes I can make on it.

4. As the footage I had didn’t have good lighting, I decided to use motion. I done this because I thought I
could add more lighting to the setting so it creates a more horror effect and fits in the genre. As I edited
each clip, I sent the clip to motion, which allowed me to edit on there then save it which would directly
change and save onto the certain clip. This made it easier and quicker as I wouldn’t have to add in the
clip again. In the clips of the occult signs, satanic drawings and skulls, I added lights which allowed the
focus to be on the certain object which created tension and created a stronger mise en scene. Whilst
doing this, I learnt how I could move the colour effect around and make it look more effective rather
than being completely still on the certain object. In the final clips of the priest and the possessed person,
I added many lights and made them a different colour so there were certain parts of the priest focused.
I also made the lighting a red colour from the possessed persons point of view shot as it connotes
danger and shows that the possessed person sees everyone else in a different way.
I didn’t have any problems on motion apart from the fact that there was a problem with the software
and it kept shutting down which meant I had to reopen it and redo my work.

5. To create my titles I used LiveType. As I had previously done research on how titles
come in, in other horror films, I used the research to create my own titles. What I used
from the research was that I added different names; it also allowed me to change
the colour and font and add an effect. I also had to add timings in the sequence of
the titles so that when I put it into Final Cut Pro, the time of the title matches within the
clip. Throughout the editing process, I had different colours for certain parts of the
titles, but as I got feedback, I decided to keep it all the same, it was easy to change
as I just had to open up the title and change the font and import it back into Final Cut
Pro.

6. On GarageBand there are many different types of sounds and instruments you can
get hence why I used GarageBand to create my music. I found a great collection of
sounds, which I thought would be useful for my opening. Once I put them together I
realised that the music doesn’t match within the genre and also the loops that were
used could be heard in the final product and didn’t sound continuous. I then decided
I was going to use the keyboard which allowed me to make my own sound and at
different paces. By doing this, it would build more tension as the sound was ongoing
and the audience would expect something to happen.

7. As my final product had to be made into a movie, I exported the sequence using
QuickTime. After exporting the final product a few times, I noticed many differences
within the sequence. One of the big difference changing the sequence into a movie
had was the lighting became brighter there didn’t have the effect we wanted it to.
After noticing the mistakes, I then went back onto Motion and Final Cut Pro and
experimented more after converting the opening to a movie.
This part was not supposed to
show the computer screen as
we didn’t want it to look like a
proper bedroom just yet.
The light was only supposed to
focus on ‘The Church of Satan’
and nothing else around it.