2. What is research and planning?
Survey conducted to investigate what section of consumers
read which newspapers and/or listen to or watch which
radio or television programmes.
In the process of planning the media planner needs to
answer questions such as:
How many of the audience can I reach through different
media?
On which media should I place ads?
Which frequency should I select?
How much money should be spent in each medium?
3. Research and planning stages
needed for a horror film
Get a scary idea for the movie. But make it good so they wont suspect it coming. And
when it comes, make it as scary as it can be. It could be more frightening if you HEAR
noises, rather than SEE the ghost or monster etc. Download free software for Windows.
Easy video editor everyone can use.
Turn your idea into a plot, or story. A great way to get an idea is to brainstorm ideas,
then choose one and write the story. Always have a story before filming, or else it might
turn out cheesy.
Find a place to film the movie. Good ideas are in the woods (especially at night),
cabins, wooden buildings, abandoned houses, etc. Make sure that you have permission to
film at the location before you start.
Find a cast who's willing to star in your thriller. They don't necessarily need acting
experience, but that depends on the complexity of your movie. Make sure they are willing
and able to take orders from the director.
Add scary and scratchy, eerily atmospheric music for suspense. Add scary, screechy
music for when something surprising happens.
Have a scary killer/monster/whatever. For some reason killers that don't talk are
scarier than ones who do. Make sure their motive is simple (revenge/insanity is good)
4. Make something completely ordinary the centre of the drama (paper
bag, telephone, toilet, doorbell, TV, videotape). If you do it well, it will be scary!
Have a plot twist (at the end or middle end).
Add good effects (if the blood looks like ketchup you're not going to scare anyone so use
hot sauce or tomato soup instead. It looks more realistic) If you choose to go with
effects...that is. Its proven that a sudden moment of suspense without graphic bloody violence is
more scary because the watcher's imagination finds the scariest possible outcome that they
personally can imagine... much scarier than even a realistic gore fest... think De Niro's Hide and
Seek... Scary because of the suspense, not because of the blood, or the realism of said blood.
Make sure you use good effects. if you want to make magic balls, fire, explosion etc. use
effects lab pro! An alternative, which is more expensive, but can give much more professional
results is called Adobe After Effects (it has motion tracking, color correction etc., see a site called
VIDEO COPILOT).
◦ If its murder in your film, make it realistic by cutting out newspaper articles and terms
After all of the filming is complete, start moving it to the computer. Editing it is often
fun, but frustrating, seeing as it could be erased with one click.
About half way into editing, set a release date. Put up posters around school or the
neighbourhood. Try not to invite general public though, just people you know.
Cont.