The document summarizes the narrative structure and key events in the opening two minutes of a student horror film. It establishes the equilibrium of normal college life, the disequilibrium caused by a bully targeting the main character Kai, and leaves the resolution unknown to engage the audience. It also introduces the main characters of Kai, the loner seeking revenge against his bully Taylor, and establishes the college setting and conventions used to create tension and isolation.
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Media cw question 1
2. The Narrative of our film was to clearly
address the template of our film through the
predictable set of events found in the horror
genre. Without our narrative structure it
would be difficult for the audience to
establish the genre of the film.
3. We were inspired by Todrovs narrative theory of
equilibrium disequilibrium resolution.
The equilibrium within our film is represented through
the college montage which shows the state of
normality of the teenage characters lifestyles.
The disequilibrium is shown when Kai is being bullied
by Taylor and his friends which disrupts the calm
atmosphere within the college classroom. Kai reacts
to this with a plan to kill Taylor.
The resolution is not shown within our opening two
minutes which is what we believe the audience will
want to find out by watching the rest of the film.
4. The primary aim of the narrative to our media
product was to set the framework and the
tone of the story to engage with the audience
to understand what the film is about and
establish who the characters are. We also
tried to make it entertaining by addressing a
progressive build up to the utterly shocking
moment of the innocent looking and
vulnerable character of Taylor holding a knife
ready to kill Kai.
5. This shot sums up the effect of
Taylors abuse towards Kai taking
him all the way to the edge of
destruction and to finally seek his
revenge and kill Taylor. This is a
nerve racking and genuinely
shocking moment of the film.
It is often a stock setting of the
horror genre to conceal the
killers identity behind a mask.
Which is shown in our film with
Kai wearing a scream mask.
The knife represents the evil and
violent side to Kai and gives an
insight to his brutal mind.
6. Kai and Taylor were the main characters
within the film but we also needed a lot of
extras to effectively create an atmosphere
of the college and the teenagers preparing
for the party dressing themselves in
Halloween masks.
7. Kai is the loner who is normal looking and
doesnt dress in a way similar to the rest of the
characters. He keeps himself to himself and tries
to blend into the background away from the
popular kids . He is viewed as being physically
and emotionally weak which leaves him being
the perfect target for any bully. He doesnt say
much and he keeps his thoughts to himself but
there's only so much grief he can take until he
snaps.
We challenged the conventions of the typical
horror movie by addressing the weaker
character as the murderer.
8. Taylor is the popular boy who seems to have
everything going for him. He is always
wearing nice clothes and looking very up to
date with the latest fashion trends. He is the
leader of the group of popular boys who all
want to be like him. He enjoys to make the
weaker characters feel socially weak with his
constant physical and verbal abuse which he
uses to enhance his own reputation.
The horror genre always includes a character
who is the victim and Taylor turns out to be
this character.
9. With our primary audience being teenagers, the
setting of the film was within a college which
represents normality and acts as a safe haven
within the teenagers lives.
Once the characters have left the college they
are open to the wider world without the
supervision of the teachers and having to obey
the college rules which exposes them to many
dangers. This breaking of the rules is
represented by Kai when he takes a knife from
his house ready to kill Taylor.
11. We noticed from other teen horrors we had
watched during our research there is usually a
theme of violence and a sense of isolation
created by shooting the scenes in low light
levels. This sense of isolation increases the
vulnerability of the characters.
We developed these conventions when showing
the vulnerability of Kai. He is always shown to be
by himself.
When Kai prepares to kill Taylor he conceals his
innocence behind a mask to make himself look
threatening.