SP - Deconstruction of Madhouse

Madhouse (William Butler, 2004)

Budget: $3 million
Remake of a 1974 film.

• High amount of narrative enigma.
• Flickering light.
• Blue writing dripping like blood.
• White corridor could be a hospital.
• Jump cut to a baby (dead maybe?)
• Quick shots used frequently to add intensity.

ALL - Deconstruction of April Fools Day

April Fools Day (Fred Walton, 1986)

Budget: $5 million
US Box Office takings: $12.5 million
Remake released in 2008

• Beginning is a home video, this signifies that this is a flashback.
• Quality of the home video shows that the opening is old.
• The location is near a pier.
• The clothing of the characters symbolises upper class.
• Blonde girl= scream queen (anchorage)
• The other girl finds a Jack-in-the-box.
• Stereotype breaking = dis=equilibrium.
• Change of focus.

AN - Deconstruction of Cry Wolf

Cry Wolf (2005, Jeff Wadlow)

Budget: $1 million
UK Box Office takings: £190 k
US Box Office takings: $10 million

I decided to take a look at this film for the group, in order to find out what ideas from this film we can incorporate into our opening, since it is a slasher that has a twist and that's what we aim for our opening to be.

• Narrative enigma of the killer, due to the lack of lighting.
• Phone symbolises time period.
• Point of view shots are used when the killer is chasing the girl during the opening.
• A white flash transition is used in the opening to move onto the next scene.
• A gun shot can be heard during the transition, this signifies what the killer's weapon of choice is.
• High angle panning of a red forest is used to signify the season the film takes place in.
• The wolf in the lying game could hint at a possible killer.
• Cry Wolf has similarities with The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
• The killer's face is hidden via a mask = another narrative enigma.

ALL - Podcast Number One: Meet the Group

This is our first Podcast, introducing the members of our group, our original ideas for the coursework and what we'll bring to the table, enjoy.

ALL - Deconstruction of 5ive Girls

5ive Girls ( Warren P Sonoda, 2006) 

Budget : $ 3 000 000 

Box Office : Not Available

• Fence infront of school signifies it has very strict rules
• Religious connotations (Catholic)
• Old school building 
• Bright light signifies purity 
• Non-diegetic music adds tension 
• Cross breaks which foreshadows events that are about to happen 
• Lighting changes along with the music which becomes faster and sharper 
• Girl wearing short skirt, long socks, white shirt and she has blonde hair
• School girl is alone in a classroom signifies she is going to be killed 
• Catholic school but girl draws the devil on a peice of paper
• Close up of hand  on girls shoulder signifies they might be in a relationship 
• Door slams and the girl is trapped 
• Fire which signifies danger and the devil is reflected in girls eyes 
• Everything turns normal again but the girl isnt there anymore 

Media Prelim

This was a time-limited task with a simple brief: film someone approaching, opening a door, crossing a room, sitting down, comversing with someone already there; in doing so, we used the aspects of continuity editing: match-on-action; shot-reverse-shot and most importantly, the 180 degree rule. 

AN - Deconstruction of Babysitter Wanted

Babysitter Wanted (Jonas Barnes and Micheal Manasseri, 2008) 

Budget : Not Given

Box Office : Not Given

• Music is very slow and childlike at the start which links in to the film name 

• Close up and fuzzy effect of an unknown object which is polysemic 

• Low angle/close up of someones legs wearing black trousers which is narrative enigma as we never see his face but also he is the killer

• Unknown object turns out to be a girl tied up

• Close up of a box of tools on a desk which signifies a weapon could be used from that toolbox 

• Extreme close up of the womens face and it shows her eyes which shows emotion because she is crying

• High angle of the desk again but htis time there are a series of knives lined up 

• High angle of the women tied up and the camera slowly pans over her body where we find she is only wearing her underwear but she also has lines drawn all over her which could connote that the killer could be about to disect her body

• Close up of womens face when we see a hammer being lined up on her forehead. This signifies the mental state of the killers mind 

• The music at this point is really loud and intense to create fear in the audience 

• The last shot we see is the hammer in mid air and a sound affect to signify that the girl is dead

• We dont actually see the killing as our imagination is better than anything they could film 

• The music stops and the camera goes black