The document discusses how the group used a blog to collaboratively plan and improve their horror film project. They posted planning updates and received feedback to strengthen their work. Through analyzing example horror film openings, they learned conventions like typography, color, and plot elements to incorporate. They filmed across four locations using a DSLR camera and equipment for stable shots. Editing challenges like desaturating footage and stabilizing shots were overcome. They chose simple title designs and added visual effects to denote flashbacks.

1. WHO HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT
TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE
PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING THIS
PRODUCT?

2. HOW DID YOU USE A BLOG TO
WORK COLLABORATIVELY?
We used blogger to record all of our
planning. We were assigned tasks that
contributed to our understanding of the
conventions of horror. This was useful
as we could effectively plan our shoots.
After we posted our blog posts we would then get
feedback from fellow group members and teachers on
how we can improve and how well we did. This
allowed to develop and improve our posts which then
improved our planning and ultimately our film.
Using blogger allowed us to easily look through our own
and each other's posts and allowed us to look and take
ideas from the opening sequences we analysed. We
analysed opening sequences to give us a good idea of the
conventions of horror. This included typography, colour,
mise-en-scene and plot. This helped us meet conventions
of horror.
http://twgsbmedia15asgroup8.blogspot.co.uk/

3. HOW DID WE FILM OUR WORK?
During our filming, we used a Canon DSLR (500D). We also
used a tripod, track and camframe to get steady shots. We
carried out four shoots overall. The first shoot was in our
friend Andy’s warehouse. This is where we filmed the
interrogation scene. The second shoot was carried out at
Freddie’s house, which is where the flashback scene occurred.
The third shoot was in an alleyway in Rusthall, where the POV
shots were filmed. And the final shot was at school in the
drama studio.
Some issues we had during our shoots was firstly that we were not able to
go back to the warehouse in which we did the first shoot as there was
building work going on after we finished filming. The caused problems as
we had to make a compromise and finally film in the drama studio. This
was an awkward situation as we struggled to make the two locations look
the same. However, we overcame this problem and it turned out fine in the
end.
Another problem we had was finding a suitable location
to film the shots we couldn’t do at the workshop.
Eventually we decided to film in the drama studio. The
only problem that arouse with this is that the wall in the
workshop was white where as in the drama studio is was
black. We could not do anything about however so we
decided to keep the shots.
The shot on the left is in the workshop
and the shot on the right is in the drama
studio.

4. HOW DID WE EDIT OUR PIECE?
We decided to de-saturate our footage to give it a dull look
which connotes horror. This also got rid of the orange
colour that some thought was too bright. We then adjusted
brightness and contrast to give it the right look.
The shot on top is the original
untouched footage and the bottom shot
is after desaturation.
We also stabilized our tracking shots using after effects
as they were too shaky. That was one of the problems
we solved with editing.
For our titles, we went for a simple serif font with white text
on a black background. We cut to black every time we
showed titles to create tension. We went against the typical
rule of thirds and centralised all our titles. We also added a
slow zoom in to the titles by adding keyframes on the title
and changing the size. We took inspiration for our titles from
another independent horror film called Monsters (Edwards,
2010), which went for simple titles. This gives it the look of
an independent production.
We also utilized visual effects such
as adding a quick white flash at
the beginning and end of the
flashback scenes to represent to
the audience that it is a flashback.
We did this by adding a white
screen at the beginning and
increasing the opacity every frame
for 4 frames.