Jibran Karamat Film Blog (AS 2023)

 We decided to hold a team meeting outside of school to set our schedules straight and organize our free times for filming and to find locations around the area to film a meeting scene between 2 characters. First we checked a cafe, Chaaye Khana under Muskaans recommendation.  We talked to the manager and he showed us one of the VIP rooms we could use to film. The room didn't really fit the theme of "murder mystery" and more so looked like it belonged in a scene from "The Godfather". They were also asking for Rs.5000 per hour we used the room, so we decided to check out some other options. We went around the area and found a restaurant with outdoor seating that looked pretty, so we went to check it out. We talked to the manager and the marketing manager of the restaurant, and they asked what our film was about and what we'd have to film; who gave us permission to film at no extra  as long as we paid for a meal and called ahead of time to reserve.

 Once we fleshed out our plot, we decided the next step is to find suitable actors who could fit the role of an innocent, unassuming man who will be the victim of a murder, and a cunning, intimidating woman who will be the murderer. Muskaan went around asking students from our school to see who would be available and willing to act on camera and we arranged to meet at school to film some audition reels to test our actors and equipment. We decided to get Nasir Alam and Sophia Khan as our leading roles.

 Typical Elements of the horror genre include: 1. Jumpscares 2. Low Key Lighting 3. Flashbacks 4. Quick, flashing shots 5. Large houses/sets 6. Dark color palettes 7. Pathetic Fallacy (applying human thoughts and feelings) 8.  Children (as an audience surrogate to make them feel helpless) 9. Religious iconography 10. Secluded locations All of these in some way are meant to serve the purpose of making the audience feel alone, uncomfortable and afraid, as is the goal of any film in the horror genre.

Since we decided to change our idea to a thriller, horror, murder mystery, we decided to start working on our mood board. Our plot follows the story of a man who falls victim to a serial killing woman who likes to toy with men's emotions and lure them so she can kill them. 

  What is "genre"?: Genre is the central theme or category on which a film is based on, that dictates all the other elements of the film. For example, a film in the horror genre might have a darker, suspenseful sound track and close camera angles to sell the genre. How is genre used in film openings?: Each film opening will be different from the other but we will be able to see some similarities within the same genres. If we look at the horror genre the film openings will usually start with dark lighting filling the first scene. The title might also contain some kind of reference or foreshadowing to the content within the film, for example "Smile (2022)" is a reference to the main antagonist of the movie.

  What is an "archetype"?: The term "archetype" has its origins in ancient Greek. The root words are  archein , which means "original or old"; and  typos , which means "pattern, model or type". The combined meaning is an "original pattern" of which all other similar persons, objects, or concepts are derived, copied, modeled, or emulated.  Some Character Archetypes in Film and Media: Heroes: Central figures in stories Mentors:  The hero's guide or guiding principles Allies:  Characters who help throughout the quest Trickster:  Clowns and mischief makers Shadow:  Villains, enemies, or perhaps the enemy within Villains:  The main opposing force/antagonist in stories

 We discussed the original idea that I brought forward about a man out of tune with his emotions, however after evaluating with the rest of the team we decided that we wouldn't be able to get the whole plot across in the allotted time. So we brainstormed some more about possible ideas, and Alishba Jalal thought of a murder mystery about a female serial killer who stalks men she likes and kills them if they are found with other women. We all liked this idea and found it much easier to work with

Sound: Helps derive information (i.e: through dialogue) Evokes emotional response/experience Emphasizes what's on the screen and is used to indicate tone/atmosphere Setting location and time period Building a sense of continuity (moving in and out of scenes/ bridging them with J and L cuts) Underpinning the theoretical buildup of a scene

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eQHIsDoCS7DxLa6Bpj3HWH9uA5VGtSoH/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cM9roXp8dJa85b9Ro89v11_fQmB1uRrL/view?usp=sharing This is a project done by me, based on the analog horror genre.