T.M. Production and Distribution of Horror Films

Discuss the ways horror films are produced & distributed

• The film industry produces and distributes films to their audiences in numerous ways, depending on whether they are an independent film company such as 'Vertigo Films’ or industrial such as a major studio like ‘Paramount Pictures’. 
• However, the differentiation's of horror movie distribution and production are not drastic due to the similar conventions, mainly focusing on mise-en-scene as opposed to CGI and expensive locations; therefore the genre tends to be reasonably cheap and easy to produce for industrial as well as independent studios due to the expectations of horror.
• An example of a horror film produced and distributed by an independent company is ‘The Strangers’ (Bertino, Vertigo Films).
• Director Bertino wrote the script for the movie as well, originally titling it ‘The Faces’. He had a particular interest in the genre, due to the connection with the audience which can be made through the technique of scaring them. 
• Bertinos’ inspiration came from a number of sources, consisting of  the thriller films of the 1970s, events which took place during his childhood; from when a stranger came to his house and asked for someone who did not live there, the true crime book ‘Helter Skelter as well as Keddie Cabin Murders of 1981.
• When distributing the film, vertigo focused their advertising campaign on the fact the narrative is inspired by true events.
• The stars of the film (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman)  along with Bertino attended San Diego’s annual Comic-Con event to promote the film. Each celebrity was a panelist in a question and answer session.  A teaser was also shown at the event in late July 2007.  
• Several weeks after the release of the movie teaser at the Comic-Con event; trailers and billboards began to be shown, then in late March a full length trailer was exposed, to promote the film for the release in May.
• The budget to the movie was $9 million dollars, and the movie box office achieved $82.3 million. This movie is a great example to suggest that the gap between independent and industrial film makers is reduced due to the conventions of horror.

• An example of a horror movie produced and distributed by the industrial company Paramount Pictures is 'Shutter Island' ( Scorsese, 2010)
• The concept for the idea came from Dennis Lehane's 2003 novel of the same name. Originally, the novels film rights were first optioned to Columbia pictures, however the rights lapsed. Therefore the concept was sold to Paramount where they hired screenwriters Laeta Kalogridis and Steven Knight to adapt the novel. 
• The movie received a budget of $80 million. And was a success at box office, its domestic total gross reaching $128 million in North America and 167 million dollars in foreign markets. 
• The movie included numerous innovative methods such as dynamic cinematography, to highly atmospheric production design. The soundtrack included also created an outstanding eerie effect, consisting of often discordant passages from modern composers. 
• Shutter Island was scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures in the United States on October 2nd 2009, however the film finally premiered on February 19, 2010. This was due to Paramount Pictures not having the finance in 2009 to spend the 50-60 million dollar needed to market and distribute the blockbuster, as well as DiCaprio's absence of promoting the film internationally at this time.
• When Paramount Pictures were able to fund the distribution to an expected standard, the company heavily promoted the film. The movie promotion was on magazines such as 'Total Film' ideal for the films target audience of movie fans in the age bracket of 15-35, teasers were released and press conferences were held including the main stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio.
• The premier took place at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival as part of the competition screening on February 13th, 2010. 
• Shutter Island was released on DVD and Blue-ray on June 8, 2010, in the USA and on August 2, 2010 in the UK. The UK released a standard edition as well as a limited steel-case edition. 

• In conclusion, the comparison between  ‘The Strangers’ and 'Shutter Island' are in some respects very different, likely due to the fact that the films have been funded by different types of companies, (Industrial and Independent) this has a large influence on the success of the film due to contrast of financial backing which contributes greatly to a films success as more finance results in better locations, special effects, marketing and advertising etc... For example; when distributing the film Shutter Island were able to release teasers months before the movie was scheduled to release, where as The Strangers wouldn't have had this luxury and therefore the independent film wouldn't have been  recognised as well as the Industrial film was. Another comparison between the Industrial and Independent companies are their intentions for film making. The Strangers would have likely of been made due to Vertigo's love and passion of film making, in correlation to Shutter Island, whose main aim would have been more geared towards making a profit, the two contrasts in motives for making the film would have contributed to the success as well, because Paramount Pictures would have had a guaranteed audience due to being one of the five major studios, where as Vertigo would have had a more specific demographic, therefore less likely to make a large profit. However the movies both have the similarity of being a success due to both achieving an impressive profit; The strangers bringing in $82.3 million from a $9 million budget, and Shutter Island making $295 million worldwide.

H.C. An analysis of production and distribution in horror

Introduction:

• The horror industry in general breaks away from the typical model of production and distribution because of its particular features in style. 
• The gap between industrial and independent film makers is reduced thanks to the conventions of horror, as it exploits features of mise en scene and sound more heavily than special effects and prime locations. 
• This allows for a more competitive market, and a broader range of films for consumers to view.
• Furthermore, the development of new media technologies such as web 2.0, smartphones and internet capable devices has brought about a more level playing field between independent and industrial film makers,in terms of production and distribution.

Friday the 13th

• Friday the 13th (Nispel, 2009) is an American slasher film, created as a fresh start for the 'Friday the 13th' franchise.
• Over a year was spent by producers Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form to secure the rights to the film. 
• The producers were keen to follow original concepts in the franchise's narrative,such as the way in which certain characters were murdered and the inclusion of the iconic hockey mask worn by the lead role 'Jason'. However, the trio also wanted to emphasise their own influence on the film, ensuring it was not just a remake, but a redesign as well. This was achieved through the fact that it was not made a period piece but brought forward into modern times. The script was also re-written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.
• The budget for the project was $19 million, which is considerably small compared to typical industrial budgets, however as previously mentioned, this lends itself to the conventions of horror. Many of the effective techniques displayed in the film were achieved through pro-filmic effects such as lighting, make up and camera work.
• The significant distributors involved in the distribution process for the film were New Line Cinema and Paramount Pictures. 
• The film followed a typical marketing campaign, with an initial teaser trailer released virally, followed by a t.v. trailer. 
• The reputation held by New Line and Paramount aided the film on general release (13th February 2009)as it was distributed to 3,105 theatres in North America and 2,100 other theatres in other global territories. It was released on Blu-Ray, DVD and Apple TV, on 16th June 2009.
• The wide release of the film helped it significantly, and it was a commercial success, garnering $91,379,051 in total.

Saw

• Saw (Wan, 2004) is an American torture horror, based on a true story. 
• The concept for Saw began when director James Wan and screen writer Leigh Whannell had finished film school. Taking inspiration from the low budget but highly successful independent film 'The Blair Witch Project', the pair decided that shooting two actors in the same room would be the easiest concept to achieve, given the budget they would be working with. 
• The plot for the film developed when Whannell was admitted to hospital, convinced he had a tumor. He then played with the idea of the antagonist only having a limited time on his life, and wanting to make others realise their fortune in life, by putting them on the edge of their deaths.
• The film proved unsuccessful at attracting Australian producers (The nationality of both Wan and Whannell). This led to the two searching for approval in Los Angeles. 
• In America, the concept proved far more versatile, and the pair eventually settled to work with Evolution Entertainment (who later formed a horror genre production label 'Twisted Pictures')as they were willing to allow both men to keep significant roles in their creation.
• Saw was produced with a budget between $1 million and $1.2 million. 
• The film was distributed by Lionsgate, which picked up the worldwide distribution rights days before its premiere, at the Sundance Film Festival. At the festival it was played to a packed audience three nights in a row and recieved extremely positive feedback.
• Because of the good nature of its recption, the film was released theatrically on 1st October 2004 in the U.K. , 29th October 2004 in America and 2nd December 2004 in Australia. 
• It proved hugely successful on a global scale, earning $103,096,345 at the time being one of the most profitable horror films ever made.

Conclusion

• Through the comparison of my case studies, it is evident that the conventions of horror allow for far greater competition in the film industry. Digital technologies allow this as they are more responsive than traditional filming equipment, with faster feedback and editing opportunities. This reduces the necesity for big budgets to create effect.
• In actual fact, in this example the independent film was significantly more successful than the industrial production. I will consider and take confidence from this when working with the group on our own concept, as I have now found evidence that the right concept makes a big impact.

J.R. Production and Distribution of Horror Films

Discuss the ways horror films are produced & distributed

 The film industry is possibly the most successful industry within the media world. When making a film whether or not it is made in the United Kingdom or Hollywood, the same process is under taken. The process consists of four prime areas. These areas are; production, distribution, marketing and exhibition.  Key to any hit film is perhaps due to the fact that it is distributed and marketed in a sufficient way. There are six main conglomerates within Hollywood including Warner Brothers and Universal. The reason that these studios are so big is solely on the fact that they use vertical integration. This provides the studios with a chance to uses methods like synergy to distribute and market their film correctly and to the right audience.

The evolution of digital technology has determined the movement of the expectations of the audience. Expectations that a film will provide a more spectacular viewing and portrayal of a story by using high quality effects are all prejudices made before a viewing of the film. Independent producers may find it difficult to find enough funding to meet these expectations meaning that the ultra-high budget tentpoles and mainstream films appear to be more appealing to consumers. However, the conventions of a horror film allow independent movie producers to create films that can be visually spectacular. For example Paranormal Activity (2007) had an extremely low budget of $15,000, yet due to its unique style the filming expense of it was extremely low. For example, horror is normally set in everyday locations to maintain a sense or normality in the otherwise twisted and unrealistic narratives, this is often a characteristic of an independent film. The experimental nature of independent films such as paranormal activity can benefit producers because they can substitute expensive techniques with cheaper and often incredibly similar practices. This has been proven in Paranormal Activity. Although this films budget was so small that it was not able to advertise itself a great amount it still achieved an astounding $193,000,000 in box office, through this huge success the film was then able to establish a sequel meaning profit form then onwards was inevitable. In addition to this they would also be able to have a larger budget for the other films due to the large profit made previously.

When it comes to distribution, it is difficult for independent films to gain prominence over the ever-present hegemonic status of the 6 major Hollywood studios. An independent studio such as 'blumhouse productions' that created paranormal activity often favour style over genre and challenge conventional film techniques. As the budget for paranormal activity was so low the distribution for this film was even more of a challenge. However the distributions could not consist of billboards or adverts publishing the film throughout the world but promoting their film for low prices at film festivals such as the BFI (London) film festival, even thought independent films tend to spend 50% of their production funds on marketing for a film as this is such a large aspect of its success, know as the 'budget commensurate with target audience'. Independent films generally rely on the ‘water cooler’ culture and cinephiles but often find it difficult to budget enough to globally advertise their movies to the extent that the 6 major Hollywood studios distribution of the film more successful. However in the 21st centaury the development of Web 2.0 has really brought about the rise in independent films meaning that they can easily and cheaply advertise their films globally using this resources. This has subsequently affected both independent and industrial film in a positive and negative way.

·         Mainstream industrial horror films are distributed much like any other industrial film: with an advertising campaign involving trailers, posters, websites, billboard adverts and TV adverts etc. For example "The Conjuring" (Wan, 2012) first released posters introducing the stars' characters, followed by a teaser trailer which was released at Comic Con.

·         The film based its advertising campaign heavily on the idea of the film being "based on a true story" as it follows the tale of real life paranormal activity specialists Ed and Lorraine Warren who inspired "The Amityville Horror" (Douglas, 2005).

·         In the final weeks leading up to the film’s release the real-life family made appearances on talk spots, which was finally followed by a feature entitled "The Devils Review" which showed the real-life Lorraine Warren explaining some events in the film.

·         The film was a huge success at the box office, with a budget of $20 Million making $316,700,141 at the box office.

 As with all industrial films the size of the budget available to industrial filmmakers is significantly larger than that of independent filmmakers. This often means films are more visually impressive, contain extensive visual effects containing effects such as CGI and pro filmic effects, or even have Hollywood A-list actors as they not only potentially offer better performances, they hopefully provide a reassurance of the films quality to the audience.

·         An example of an industrial Hollywood horror film is "The Cabin in The Woods" (Goddard, 2012) which had a budget of $30 Million, generating a disappointing $66 Million technically making the film a failure.

·         Given the success of certain Horror films, often sequels, occasionally prequels, and a host of spin-offs are made. An example of this is the previously mentioned "Paranormal Activity" film which since became a franchise, with six films in. The films become less well celebrated as the franchise continues however despite the lack of critical acclaim the films manage to remain huge successes.

To conclude, the comparison between ‘Paranormal activity’ and ‘The Conjuring’ is in some respects very different but in other very similar. The process in which, both the big five studio films and the independent studio films, is they are identical but with different means of going about each area. For example when distributing a film the Hollywood film would start releasing information and trailer a year before the film is released, on the other hand when an independent film is distributed they have limited about of money and recourses to send it round the world to be advertised. Another vital element is that the films that both film studios produce is very different as the Hollywood films prime goal is to make a profit, where as a small independent film makes a film for the passion and enjoyment of filmmaking. This shows in the film themselves i.e. ‘The Conjuring’ already has a guaranteed audience and is inevitably going to make a lot of money where as ‘Paranormal activity’ has a hard demographic as it is a new film with a unique story that only certain people may find appealing. In answer to the question, the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences is essentially very different between two types of filmmaking but all film undergo the same process. I believe that both types of film are uniquely very good and are part of a rising media.

Group. 2nd Preliminary Task & Review



Preliminary task 2

 

After a lot of hard work we have finished our second preliminary task. Camera work was lead by harry cozens, footage editing lead by Tom Midgely and the sound editing lead by Jack Rodgers. 

What we wanted to Achieve?

• In this Preliminary task we wanted to improve our camera work and general editing knowledge
• In addition to this we wanted to develop techniques which would aid us for our final piece. This would include using new equipment to improve our work like the tack and dolly and handicam.   

Personally from comparing this preliminary task to our first one I can see a large improvement all across the different technical aspects, and moving on believe we can create an even better piece. For our final piece I believe our concept development and planning must be extremely detailed so we know what exactly we are doing, meaning there will be no improvisation of shots which causes some of our previous footage (in the preliminary tasks) to look unprofessional and rushed.

 

T.M. Technical Analysis of Shutter Island (Scorsese, 2010) Opening Sequence

Shutter Island Opening 

Camera Shot	Duration	Mise-en-scene	Sound
Establishing shot of a boat accompanied by thick fog.	7 seconds.	The fog connotes mystery, allowing the audience to build a sense of suspense due to the unknowing of what is ahead.	Eerie non diegetic soundtrack accompanied by diegetic sound of boat horn.
Mid close up on Teddy coming into the shot from a reflection in the mirror.	6 seconds	The characters facial expression suggests a sense of foreboding accompanied by the dialogue.	“Pull yourself together” dialogue suggests apprehension therefore creating tension.
Close up of Teddy anxiously looking out the window of the boat.	5 seconds	Again suggesting that the character is anxious, however his nervousness is not yet revealed as to why to the audience yet.	“A lot of water” His voice is only heard accompanied by a light eerie soundtrack running subtly in the background.
Tilt up from the sink view to then showing Teddy splashing water onto his face. And then starting directly into the camera.	6 seconds	The character directly looking at himself in the mirror portrays the characters reflexion which suggests connotations of split personality which later becomes relevant .	“Common”- diegetic sound is used, accompanied by an increase in volume of the soundtrack.
A pan shot follows Ted making his way outside of the boat.	4 seconds.	Teddy walks past chains and handcuffs dangling from the ceiling which suggests a dark, foreboding atmosphere.	Synchronized sounds of the boat and wind are heard to add to the sense of realism, and position the audience with the characters.
A still of Chuck looking out to the sea, Teddy then walks onto the shot. And the two begin a discussion, cutting between dialogues.	1 30 seconds	Little surroundings to where the boat is situated on the ocean is revealed, adding to the uncertainty of where the characters are located.	Dialogue from Teddy and Chuck is predominantly heard, however the continuation of diegetic sounds such as wind, accompanies the discussion.
Extreme Long shot of ‘Shutter Island’	6 seconds	The secluded island suggests that there is no escape for the characters, accompanied by the grey clouds suggesting a storm is brewing, meaning again that there will be no escape.	Low orchestral music increases the tension and creates an unsettled mood. The sudden rise of the soundtrack suggests that terror and corruption are associated with the island.

H.C. Technical analysis of the opening sequence of 'Ghost Ship' (Beck, 2002)

Camera	Duration	Mise en scene	Camera effect
Mid shot	0.00 - 0.04	Character blocking is the most prominent theme of mise en scene exploited in this shot. The girl is placed in the right hand third of the shot, with a hand out stretched opposite her. The backing track of a band and singer sets the tone, depicting a dance floor.	This mid shot establishes the girl as the narrative of this opening scene.
Mid close up	0.04 - 0.06	Again, character blocking is exploited showing the girl this time, dancing in the crowd with the character that held out the hand for her. Her facial expression, smiling, connotes a sweet innocent scene, and a sense of the calm before the storm.	The mid close up helps to confirm the girl as the lead in the narrative, she is instantly exposed again.
Mid close up	0.06 - 0.09	In this shot, the framing switches to focus on the man the girl is dancing with. Both characters still appear to be in the crowd on the dance floor. This again creates a sense of false security, as it appears to be an innocent scene.	Both characters are in shot and appear in the centre of the dancefloor, crowded by people. This helps to confirm their importance in the narrative.
Mid close up	0.09 - 0.11	This shot switches back to the girl, to create a false sense of security, as the girl's facial expression connotes sweetness and innocence.	The combination of all of these shots in parallel, in quick succession, suggests to the audience the significance of the girl in this scene.
Extreme Long shot/ pan	0.11 - 0.16	In this shot, the setting for the sequence is shown. The attention is drawn to the top of the boat to the dancefloor, where the lighting is most prominent.	This camera technique shows the audience where this sequence is taking place, setting the narrative for not only this scene, but the film as well.
Mid close up	0.16 - 0.18	The key aspect of mise en scene used here is the use of props and character exposition, or lack of. The shot shows a hand lifting a lever. This initialises a sense of foreboding, as the lack of identity to the hand creates mystique.	This shot is used to change the tone of the narrative.
Sweeping pan	0.18 - 0.23	The most significant development in this shot is the change in sound. High pitched strings are added in the soundtrack to add tension, as the drum begins to wind in the length of wire, connoting a sense of foreboding.	The sweep is effective as it develops the narrative, showing the action unfolding.
Mid long shot	0.23 - 0.25	In this shot of the singer, the sound of her voice becomes less prominent compared to the building sound of the strings, further developing tension.	This creates a sense of foreboding, as the innocent scene is taken over by the tension of something that is a bout to happen.
Long shot	0.25 - 0.26	Character blocking is used to show the number of people in the line of fire. Combined with the increasing volume of the strings, this builds tension in the sequence.	The sense of foreboding is further developed in this sequence, as the large number of vulnerable characters are shown to the audience.
Sweeping pan	0.26 - 0.28	The wire and its construction is shown to present the sense of forboding. The strings are again intensified, as the murder device is shown.	This technique reveals to the audience the what is about to happen.
Close up	0.28 - 0.29	The girl's facial expression shows her content, again creating a sense of foreboding, as the audience can sense the scene is about to take a dark turn.	This positions the audience with the girl, but we know what is about to happen.
Mid shot	0.29 - 0.31	This cut back to the singer mirrors the effect in the previous shot, building the sense of foreboding as the party on the boat are unaware of the impending doom.	The effect is roughly the same as the previous shot, as the audience are aware of the situation unfolding.
Pan right	0.31 - 0.34	The audience are shown the position of the party on the dancefloor in relation to the wire.	Again, with the fast cutting pace of this sequence, this shot builds tension through the identification of doom.
Mid close up	0.34 - 0.35	The girl is shown again with a smile on her face, dancing with the gentleman.	This is another shot designed to intensify the sense of foreboding.
Long shot	0.35 - 0.39	The party are shown in full, and then blurred, bringing the wire into focus.	This elevates the tension in scene, hinting at the eventual death of the passengers.
Mid shot	0.39 - 0.40	The singer is again shown in shot, her voice is very low compared to the sound of the strings.	With the fast cuttng pace of the sequence and these series of shots, the tension is elevated as the audience is aware of the impending doom of the party.
Close up	0.40 - 0.41	The girl's expression is again exposed conveying the innocence of the scene in contrast with the inevitable horror.	This reaction shot is used in the montage to deepen the tension in the sequence.
Reverse mid shot	0.41 - 0.42	The whole party is shown out of focus, as the singer is given prevelance in shot. The audiences attention is drawn still by the sound of the strings.	This very rapid cut builds the monatge sequnce.
Close up	0.42 - 0.43	The drum which holds the wire is shown spinning faster and faster as the wire is coiled up.	This turn of speed builds the pace in the narrative.
Mid shot	0.43 - 0.44	The singer is shown with focus on her task, but she is unaware of the wire being pulled tight.	The technique further develops the sense of foreboding.
Extreme close up	0.44 - 0.45	This shot shows the drum placed in the bottom right third of the shot, as the wire is reeled in in the background.	This technique futher elevates the tension as the inevitable end to the party draws closer.
Mid close up	0.45 - 0.46	The singer is exposed again, in the middle of the shot, with her focus firmly on singing.	Foreboding.
Close up / Close up / Close up	0.46 - 0.47	In this time sequence, a close up of the barrel cuts to another angled close up of the barrel and finally to a close up of the wire snapping a joint.	This ends the build up montage sequence, signifying to the audience the change in the narrative.
Close up / Long shot	0.47 - 0.49	The lights connected to the wire break off and they explode.	This symbolises the change in the narrative, whilst maintaining the rapid pace at which the drama is unfolding.
Close up	0.49 - 0.50	The tops of the flowers are sythed.	Infers to the audience what is now about to happen to the passengers.
Close up	0.51	The gentlman turns his head, as his attention is grabbed by the sound of the commotion taking place.	This makes the audience aware that the passengers are aware of what is going on.
Montage sequence	0.51 - 0.55	The wire is shown first upending a table and chairs and then making its way through all of the party on the dancefloor.	The makes the audience aware of the sinister nature of the horror in the genre.
Close up	0.55 - 0.58	The wire is placed in focus, stained with the blood of the passengers.	The deliberate exposition of blood is used to make the audience realise the horror of what has just taken place.
Panning reaction shot.	0.58 - 1.01	The party on the dancefloor stands in dead silence. only the twang og the wire is heard.	This silent shot leaves the audience in confusion over what has happened, as there is a level of disbelief.
Long shot.	1.01 - 1.04	The wire and flowers are shown in focus, with the stunned party out of focus in the background.	This again creates a sense of confusion.
Panning reaction shot	1.04 - 1.06	Further reactions from the passengers are shown, each with a stunned look.	This silent shot leaves the audience in confusion over what has happened, as there is a level of disbelief.
Close up	1.06 - 1.08	This close up shows the blood stained wire and reel.	This shot provides the audience with confirmation, as the amount of blood shown is undeniable to the horror.
Panning reaction shot	1.08 - 1.10	More reactions from the passengers are given through facial expression and body language.	The characters appear confused, but the audience is now clear over what has happened through the positioning of the cuts.
Close up	1.10  -1.14	The barrel which reels in the wire settles, stained with blood.	Provides further confirmation to the audience that the wire has just cut through the passengers.
Close up	1.14 - 1.16	A close up with a pair of shoes and blood running onto the floor.	Provides confirmation to the audience that the wire has sliced through the boat passengers and begins the next sequence depicting the aftermath.
Mid shot	1.16 - 1.18	The young girl is shown with her arms clasped around the gentleman.	This shows to the audience the trauma of this sudden occurence, as it is as if time has stopped, as the girl is dead still, unable to take in the horror.
Close up	1.18 - 1.20	The top of a champagne glass topples over.	Connotes to the audience the power with which the wire cut through the bodies.
Mid shot	1.20 - 1.21	We are shown a man's reaction.	This opens the next sequence of the scene, showing the aftermath.
Close up	1.21 - 1.22	The man's arm falls away.	Shows graphic horror.
Mid shot	1.22 - 1.24	The young girl clasps her arms around the man, as the rest of the party begin to fall to the ground.	This shows the audience the character they have identified with, giving them
Low angle	1.24 - 1.27	A man's clothes fall away and blood pours from his chest.	Exposes the graphic horror in the scene.
Low angle/mid shot	1.27 - 1.28	A couple collapse on each other.	Shows the audience graphic horror.
Mid shot	1.28 - 1.29	The girl is shown again, still clasping the gentleman, with the rest of the party falling to the floor around them.	This shows the girl's reaction.
Close up	1.29 - 1.31	A man's upper body falls on top of another dismembered body.	This shows graphic horror, in detail.
Two mid shots	1.31 - 1.33	Two couples' bodies are shown falling to the ground, as their torsos come apart.	Graphic horror is conveyed to the audience.
Mid shot	1.33 - 1.35	The girl is again shown, this time looking around her at the bodies falling to the ground.	This plays wih the audiences emotions, as we are given the girl's reaction.
Mid / long shot	1.35 - 1.39	The top half of a man scrabbles around on the floor, trying to get up.	This positions the audience with the man, as we try to empathise with the horror of the situation.
Mid shot	1.39 - 1.41	A woman groans and attempts to hold onto the bottom half of her body.	This is designed to make the audience recoil in disgust at the gorry horror on screen.
Mid close up	1.42 - 1.45	An out-stretched arm falls to the floor and blood runs from a man's mouth.	The blood has been used in an attempt to chill the audience.
Long shot	1.45 - 1.48	The girl and the man are standing in the centre of the dancefloor, with the rest of the dismembered party littered about them on the floor.	This shot conveys the scale of tragedy, again designed to make the audience attempt to empathise with the young girl, as she is left facing this horror.
Over the shoulder/ high angle shot	1.49 - 1.50	The girl looks up at the man.	Here, the audience, like the girl are searching for reassurance given the horror that has just taken place.
Low angle shot	1.50 - 1.51	The man is looking down at the girl, with an astonished look on his face, his head with a sythed mark through it.	The sweeps away the audiences hopes for any form of relief from the horror, leaving only despair.
Over the shoulder/ High angle shot	1.51 - 1.53	The girl gasps, standing open mouthed at the man in front of her.	Here the audience are shown that the girl is the only survivor, establishing the main character in the narrative at this point.
Low angle shot	1.53 - 1.55	Blood pours from the slice in the man's head, and the top half of his skull tumbles off.	This shows graphic horror.
High angle shot	1.55 - 1.56	The girl backs away, astonished and whimpering.	The sound of the girl panting is used to provide emphasis on the unnatural shock.
Close up shot	1.56 - 1.58	The man's body topples over and crashes to the floor.	The body falling away and the eerie silence as it moves conveys the supernatural element of this film.
Mid close up shot	1.58 - 2.03	The girl pants heavily, still backing away from the body and then lets out a loud, high pitched scream.	The scream is designed to chill the audience, as it is an action that we are able to empathise with.
Extreme long shot / lower camera	2.03 - 2.07	The whole of the boat is shown with the sound of the girl's scream. The camera then moves down into the sea, ending the opening.	This shows the audience that the girl is now isolated, perfetly setting up the narrative to present to the audience what exactly happened.