Locations

Locations

Pre-planning locations

The locations that I choose for the comedy-horror trailer should be suitable for both the comedy and horror aspects of the genre. As the film trailer will partly belong to the horror-genre, the environments that I pick should be fairly creepy/unsettling. Environments that fit this criteria include woods and the countryside, perhaps on quite a cloudy, dark day. If the script required indoor environments then I would be looking at darkly-lit, claustrophobic rooms with little props (referring to research done into the horror genre such as the movie "Don't Breathe.") However if I were to film in an indoor environment (which I feel is less likely than an outdoor environment) then I would have to be very careful in my selection of the room and the props that can be seen inside. This is something I found difficult last year, and an area where I lost marks (specifically mise-en-scene.)

I feel an outdoor environment is more likely as if it is shot outdoors then it will be easier to make fun of the typical horror cliches (for example car breaking down, having no cell reception, victim running off into the woods.) It will also give us much more space to film, and to use as many camera angles as possible to make the trailer very visually dynamic. Remember this is a convention of the comedy-horror genre, as my timeline analysis of the trailer for "Scary Movie," showed that a variety of long shots, medium shots and close shots were used throughout.



Analysing specific location choices

1st location choice: Footpath leading into woods

My first possible filming location is a footpath that leads off into some woods. As can be seen from the picture below, the footpath is very shaded and dark, which will obviously add to the horror aspect of the trailer. I feel this is a good spot to use because as well as having an eerie atmosphere to it, there is a lot of space to use, meaning a lot of camera angles can be exploited. A good shot to use in this specific location would be a long shot, as the footpath leads off into the distance in a straight line, meaning things can be seen at the other end that could add to the atmosphere of the trailer, and/or establish the scene.
The disadvantages of filming in this space however is that because it is quite dark and is shaded by trees, some things might be hard to make out. As such I will need to be careful that where I am filming has enough light in order for things on camera to be seen, and perhaps will have to wait for a day where there is a reasonable amount of sunshine in order for everything to be seen.

2nd location choice: Field surrounded by trees

My second location choice is a field which is predominantly surrounded by trees. As can be seen in the picture below, there is also a path that skirts round the edge of the field, which could be used for dramatic effect in the trailer (for example if we wanted a car as a prop, we could use this path for the vehicle.)
The advantages to this potential filming location are that there is a lot of space for a number of different camera angles. Long shots, medium shots, close shots and high angle/low angle shots could all be used in the area, and as such if I were to film here it could potentially make the trailer more visually dynamic and interesting.
Unlike the last filming location the area is not very shaded, and as such brightness will not be an issue. However if it raining on the day of shoot there will be less chance of protection from it, although the trees that are visible that surround the field can be used in the case of unexpected weather changes.
A possible disadvantage to this filming location is that as it is very open there will be little space for the villain/victims to possibly hide and/or fight each other. When there are a lot of trees scenes of this nature are easier to shoot as there are more places for, for example, a villain to jump out unexpectedly and scare the audience. This is something I will consider when finalising filming locations.

3rd filming location: Track leading through forest

This filming location is similar to the first one, with the fundamental idea being track/footpath going directly through a wood. However, I feel this idea is better than the first, as this time there is a track going through the trees instead of a footpath. This means that we can potentially have a car in the area as well. As it is a track instead of a grassed footpath, it will be easier to walk around and set up the camera, as the ground is already established. Also, at this location (although not visible in the picture), there are ditches running down both sides of the track, potentially meaning the trailer can be made more tense through the paranoia that someone might be watching from either side of the track. As there are slopes it also means that we can possibly make use of the high angle/ low angle shots more often as well, which again will serve to make the trailer more tense and dramatic.
A disadvantage of this area compared to the first however is that there is light at either end of the track. In the first location, the path goes deep into a wood and light is not visible at the other end, however in this location the exit to the woods can be seen at both ends. This could make the trailer slightly less scary, as it could unintentionally be signifying to the audience that there is hope for the main characters. However, as I am making in the comedy-horror genre, not all the locations have to precisely meet the usual horror criteria, and the light at the end of the track might actually help to establish that the trailer is a comedy as well as a horror. In other words, this may actually be a positive thing.

























4th filming location: Abandoned house in the middle of woods

The fourth potential filming location is an abandoned house in the middle of some woods. This location is very near location 3, as the abandoned house is actually down one of the ditches that leads away from the track. This is personally my favourite location, as I feel it looks like a location that would typically be used in horror movies. I think audience members, upon seeing the shot, would immediately be able to identify the genre of the trailer as having a horror aspect to it.
I think the location is also very good because, as the abandoned house is at the bottom of a ditch, a lot of camera angles can be used to add to the effect of the trailer. For example, the camera can be placed at the top of the hill and can get the whole area in shot, which would be very effective as an establishing shot. As the house is surrounded by trees there is also a lot of potential for exploiting the feeling of paranoia which often comes with horror movies, as the audience will probably work harder to try and find out where the villain is and when he will next attack.
A disadvantage to this filming location is actually the overall safety levels of it. The ground surrounding the house is very uneven, meaning tripping is much more likely. The house itself is very derelict and old, and we will potentially be putting ourselves in danger if we go to close to it (as can be seen from the picture, one side of it has already collapsed.)
This is something I will need to consider when doing my risk assessment and also of course when I actually film there. More planning will be required if I decide to shoot at this area, and a ground check might be necessary before we begin shooting there.



















5th filming location: Old railway bridge

For the fifth and final filming location I chose to investigate an old railway bridge, with a path that leads underneath it into a small wood. The railway bridge is abandoned and overgrown, making the area look eerie and sinister. This will obviously fit with the genre, which is comedy-horror.
There is a small hill leading down the path under the railway bridge, again meaning high angle shots and low angle shots can be used more easily. This will be good in the trailer to show difference in status and power, and to perhaps help distinguish between villain and victim. There is also a fair amount of space at the location, meaning a lot of camera angles can be used to make the trailer visually dynamic. It is relatively safe as well, with quite smooth ground and little in the way of derelict structures which may collapse, unlike the last location.
A disadvantage to this location is that, like the first location, it is quite dark and overgrown, meaning more time will need to be spent with the camera in order to ensure good lighting. Also, the wood at the end of the path is quite small, perhaps meaning that the trailer is less dramatic. However, as established in location 3, this might actually be a good thing, as it might establish that this is a comedy-horror rather than just a pure horror.

























These locations can be seen within my storyboard which I have now completed. I am going to use page 1 as an example:



























In  my storyboard the shots seen can be linked with the filming locations that I have looked at. In page 1, shot 1 where the two boys can be seen walking towards the camera on the track is location 3. Meanwhile, shot's 2 and 4 are location 2, with the boys standing in the open space with trees and countryside visible around them. Shot 3 will take place in location 2, as the dialogue within the shot flows on from shot 2, meaning it must be in the same location.