Genre Research Blog Activity

Overview:

 We have been tasked to do a research activity based on the near pod lesson that we learned in class. The information in the near pod covered all the information we as students need to know. Genre is a big part of media studies and is what helps characterize a new film that is coming out. This helps reach the targeted audience and helps with marketing. The genre I have chosen for this activity is none other than Horror which seems fit since we are in the month of October.

Horror

Content

Horror films typically include things meant to scare or shock the audience, creating strong feelings that last long after watching. Common themes in this genre involve supernatural events, like ghosts or monsters, that tap into basic fears. These movies often explore psychological terror, where the real horror is in the minds of the characters, showing feelings of paranoia and madness. Usually, horror stories feature a main character, often an everyday person, who must face a frightening villain. This villain can be a killer, a ghost, or even something from nature, representing fears that reflect society's worries. Horror films often build a sense of dread, using suspenseful pacing and surprises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The genre also plays on fears of darkness and the unknown, using sound and visuals to create tension and provoke strong reactions. In the end, horror films are both entertaining and a way for people to explore complex emotions, helping viewers face their deepest fears in a safe space.

Production Techniques

Horror films often use different production techniques to create a chilling and scary atmosphere. This includes dim lighting, which makes scenes feel darker and more unsettling, along with creepy sound effects and suspenseful music that help build tension throughout the movie. The camera angles and editing are also very important; fast cuts can make scenes feel more intense, while point-of-view shots help the audience feel like they are part of the action, seeing things from the character's perspective. Costume design and makeup are used to create realistic looks for the characters, showing fear and horror in a way that feels believable. For example, makeup can make someone look injured or terrified, adding to the overall impact of the film. Additionally, CGI can be used to create supernatural events or creatures that wouldn’t be possible in real life. This technology helps to create fear and suspense, making viewers feel more scared and excited as they watch. Overall, these production techniques work together to pull the audience into the story and keep them on the edge of their seats.

How is the Genre Marketed

Horror films are usually marketed with exciting trailers, eye-catching posters, and strong social media campaigns that focus on creating suspense and fear. These marketing strategies often target specific groups, especially teens and young adults, who are typically the biggest audience for horror movies. To grab their attention, marketers use thrilling images and intense clips that show just enough to make viewers curious about the story. Releasing these films around Halloween is a common tactic because many people enjoy scary movies during that time, making it easier to attract larger audiences. Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter are also important for promoting horror films, as they allow fans to share their excitement and talk about the movie with their friends. This online buzz can help spread the word even further, encouraging more people to watch the film. Overall, these marketing techniques work together to make horror films popular and draw in viewers who are looking for a thrilling experience.

Samples:

The Conjuring(2013) is a strong example of a horror movie that uses supernatural elements and tells a scary story based on real-life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. The film creates a spooky atmosphere with smart use of lighting and sound, which builds feelings of fear and tension. For instance, one memorable scene features the family playing a game of hide and seek in their dark basement, where a malevolent spirit suddenly appears, causing panic and dread. The plot follows a family that faces frightening events in their farmhouse, which fits with common horror themes of being alone and feeling vulnerable. The marketing of the film highlights that it is based on true events, tapping into the audience's curiosity and fear of the unknown, making it a memorable part of the horror genre.

IT (2017) is a good example of a horror movie that uses supernatural elements and tells a scary story based on Stephen King's book. The film features a creepy clown named Pennywise, who feeds on the fears of children in the town of Derry. The atmosphere is full of tension and fear, especially in scenes where the kids see Pennywise in dark and spooky places, like when one character, Georgie, meets the clown in a storm drain. This moment shows the fear of the unknown because the clown tricks him with promises of fun. The movie also looks at themes of friendship and bravery as a group of kids, called the Losers' Club, come together to face their fears. IT uses common horror ideas, like isolation, since the kids often find themselves alone against this evil clown. Overall, the mix of supernatural horror and relatable characters makes the movie stand out in the horror genre.

Examples 

A Quiet Place (2017)

Get Out (2017)

The Invisible Man (2020)

The Forever Purge (2021)

The Nun (2018)

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Representation

    

Intro

    Hi, in class we learned about the meaning of representation in media. There are some terms that I have never understood but know the definition too. I needed to familiarize myself with the impact these concepts have when creating a piece of media one sees or reads. As instructed I am talking about a TV show today that has gained a lot of popularity that show being "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story." This covers in my opinion many of the terms that have been discussed in class.

Construction and Selection 

    The construction of Monsters significantly helps develop the audience's emotional response. The show uses close-up shots of Erik and Lyle to focus on their isolation. Selective editing in courtroom scenes, as the brothers recall abuses they've endured, pulls viewers into traumatic experiences. Because these moments are focused on, this empathy could create a breeding ground for audiences to begin viewing the brothers as victims of child abuse rather than just murderers.

Selection is done in support of the abusive lives that the brothers led, excluding other reasons that could show motives for such actions. This is evident in the narrative that such exclusion portrays an audience being directed to look into their trauma. It's a show that includes some moments like the detailed testimonies of abuse on purpose, whereas other parts of their lives might make the victimhood narrative less likely, and vice versa. In this sense, what is included or not hugely affects the way the Menendez brothers are perceived by the audience.

Video clip

Stereotypes and Exoticizing

    This series also involves stereotyping, especially in depicting the father of the Menendez brothers, José Menendez. The man, well-placed and powerful in real life, has been carved into the mold of the archetypal abusive patriarch, which is nothing but the regular stereotyping in media to explain the degree of abuse within a family. First of all, such portrayal strengthens the trope of an abusive, controlling father figure, one which is commonplace in the media and sometimes does justice to the different nuances involved in such cases. While the show does deal with much of José's controlling behavior, it is here that it risks overgeneralization and simplification of abuse and its use in an overblown manner with the telling of only a part of the picture which is their family life.

Exoticizing in the depiction of the Menendez household on the part of the series also occurs. The obviousness of the family's wealth and privileged lifestyle serves to make it sound all the more shocking that abuse was happening, as if abuse within affluent environments is not foreseen. Rather, this sensationalizes the abuse as being all the more unusual or "exotic" since the outward appearance of this family is one of success and normality. In reality, abuse knows no economic barriers; here, however, the show uses this place as a means to heighten drama.

Othering and De-Centering

The use of othering is shown, where it subtly presents the brothers as outsiders within their own family and society. The Menendez brothers are shown throughout the series as utterly different from everybody surrounding them, partly due to their traumatic experiences and eventual decision to kill their parents. Such a mind-state of alienation is then exacerbated by how public judgment and the media portray them as monsters rather than victims. The series does encourage viewers to consider such "othering" and perhaps to reconsider whether the brothers' actions were purely a product of personal evil or whether their abusive upbringing played a part in shaping them.

De-centering is also used in the way the traditional family narrative has been flipped on its head with the Menendez family's dark secrets. Their abuse becomes the centerpiece of that narrative, where normally the thriving and wealthy family would be the focus. In that sense, it points toward a shift in focus from the so-called "normal" family narrative to one surrounded by hidden trauma, with the series critiquing societal expectations over what a family should look like and how abuse can stay buried beneath the surface.

Sound Project

 Sound Project

Summary

    Hi! This is my reflection on the sound project that took place in my social media studies class. The directions for this assignment were pretty similar to our One Word Film project that took place a few weeks prior, the only major difference for this project was that it consisted of just an audio clip called a soundscape and a video called a Foley stage of me and my partner making sounds for the main Soundscape video. Additionally, instead of a storyboard that was visually drawn we had to brainstorm our ideas in a Word document. Thankfully, there was an amazing example that was provided so that there would be little or no issue regarding how to brainstorm. This time the groups were chosen at random by our teacher. I was assigned to someone I had yet to learn before this assignment. This project consisted of an audio clip that was from 1 minute to 2 minutes long. I unfortunately was not in class for the first day of the assignment, but I was aware of what was to come thanks to the syllabus provided for the class. 

Approach

    The approach that me and my partner Benjamin took was pretty straightforward. We had a pretty straightforward idea. Benjamin plays football for the school and I proposed the idea of doing a football game. The idea was pretty straightforward, but it was now time to put it onto paper. Our first scene was pretty easy to determine, we agreed on using the most common noises that are heard whenever someone attends a football game such as crowds, bands, grunts, etc. Our second scene consisted of some of the same sounds but our foley audios came into play, showcasing the hitting of pads on players and different grunts to make the audio clip that we were making more appealing to the viewer. The third and fourth scenes focus more on when the player on the field makes a touchdown and the celebration that comes after that. This was supposed to enable the viewer to understand that the touchdown that was made in this video was a very important one. The brainstorming was well put together and the way we were gonna approach this project seemed to be pretty well.

    When it came time to get the audios for our main Soundscape and Foley stage audios, there was a small lack of support from my teammate. It was becoming really hard to find the proper audio clips for the Soundscape video and my partner was not able to as well. The assignment started to become way more of a challenge figuring out how to tackle the project correctly. I was eventually able to find most of the clips I was looking for, now what was needed was the Foley stage audios. I had asked my partner to make some specific Foley audios to use for the project and was glad to see that I had gotten some help. I had made my own prior just in case of an emergency and was already in the main Soundscape project. It was now time for editing, I had to edit the soundscape video. Once I uploaded everything from my computer onto Adobe Premier it came time to edit the audios with the features that were provided on the app. I learned a lot in fine-tuning the decibels and changing the way audio sounds to make them fit the idea we were focusing on. This was successfully accomplished but I had a major issue because when I wanted to edit the audio clips again my progress was lost and had to restart. 

Analysis

    Many things could have been improved with this project. The one day that was missed in class was very crucial in understanding the task. Some questions could have been asked earlier to avoid some easy time costly mistakes. The editing went pretty smoothly but overall I would like to say I could improve a lot in trying to compose all the audio clips together so it sounds more like a natural project. This was a problem I was facing during the editing part of the project and I just wasn't so sure about how it sounded. I believe some practice can help me achieve this concern. I understood the assignment completely and tried best to my abilities to complete all of it, I learned so many new things in such a short amount of time, and I will say I am a big fan of editing and enjoy it.

This is the link to the project:

Soundscape Video