Due to an unexpected death in the family, I was unable to attend this week’s class in person but luckily as always Cat provided the class notes after, so I was able to see what we learnt, and I didn’t have to worry about falling behind in class. This week seemed to start with a recap of basic production terms, techniques and tips and it’s always nice to have a refresher in my opinion before looking at immersion art and virtual reality. The immersion art section was interesting to look at as it’s probably not something I’d consider for a media pathway for me but could definitely be for others who maybe has a passion for art as well as their media studies and want to combine them. The virtual reality slides were interesting as I’d considered virtual reality could be used for therapy for humans but never heard of them being used on cows and it was interesting to see how it helped them so much and made me consider how much this could benefit other animals as well as how much it could help humans.

This week had another focus on A.I. to help with assessment 2 this week we took a look at hive minds in both how they portrayed in films and how the real world handles this type of technology and how their ideas can overlap with and inspire each other at times. This week also took a more expanded look at colour grading which as I said in last week’s post is something I’m passionate about, so I had zero issues with discussing this topic further. We also took a look at synthetic media production which interested me due to the film industries ever growing technological advancements it also made me start to question which technology might start to be phased out for example with the introduction of LED screens being used as backdrops for shows such as “The Mandalorian” it made me question how much green screens would be used anymore should this become a widespread universal practice.

Unfortunately, I was late to the first part of class and missed out on the gif and meme making exercise but when I got there I was happy to realise I didn’t miss the discussion on LUT’s and colour grading as it is a career pathway I have considered once I leave RMIT despite directing being my main goal editing has been a passion for me as well. From there the class discussed AI in preparation for assignment 2 it was interesting to look at the cultural anxieties that stem from potential developments in artificial intelligence and how those fears and concerns could be used as driving forces in our film narratives it was also interesting to look at these films and realise how many consider artificial intelligence to be a threat instead of something beneficial. I really enjoyed this class because it took a deeper look at dystopian and cyberpunk films and I happen to really enjoy those genres which was a major factor in me choosing this class.

This week we looked at sound which I was keen to do as I feel like sound is probably one of my weaker skills so I’m also down to learn how to improve in that department, we also took a look at VFX with the different postproduction companies based in Australia which interested me because I would like to get an internship at one of these places when I finish my bachelors mainly in the colour grading department since I really enjoy studying the uses of colour in film.

It was also fun to mess around in apps such as AI Duet because it gave me a chance to mess around with my primary school piano lesson knowledge. This week has been really stressful trying to organise the shoot for my future tech project but I’ve looked into a few backup plans, it might not be the exact film I wanted to make but it’s better than giving up and submitting nothing.

This week was the first face to face meeting with the class and it was great to finally meet the class in person instead of on a screen. It was also good to present my elevator pitch and get some feedback to know I was on the right track with my plan. This week we looked at the idea of creating human likeness such as deep fakes and the uncanny valley in places such as games and films in my opinion if the situation calls for it such as flashbacks then creating a younger version of a character played by or at least with the help or permission of the actor is okay such as Jeff Bridges in Tron Legacy (2010) and Mark Hamill’s recent cameo as a younger Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian (2019-) however, if the actor is deceased I don’t believe in creating a CGI recreation to replace them such as the current discussions of resurrecting James Dean with CGI more than 60 years after his death.

This week one of the benefits of an in-person class we getting to shoot footage on campus for the first time in forever as well as use a green screen it was also fun to shoot in the same room I shot my first green screen project in back when I did the diploma in 2018. It was also great to get back into some after effects exercises because I’m hoping this course will teach me some news skills to add to my current list.

This week was all about getting to know the class and the topics we’d be covering over the course of the semester. This week has a particular focus on artificial intelligence and augmented reality which I was excited about since learning about this was a major factor in why I picked this course. This week also had a focus on topics such as futurology which is where we look at today’s current technology and attempt to predict the future based on where that technology leads and expands into and how that concept has been used in media such as ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Westworld’ which is referred to as Neo Futurism.

It was fun to look into the activities this week such as making a starter pack meme where we can all have a bit of fun with the meme but it’s still a quick and effective way to recite your thoughts to the class.

The Scene in Cinema – Research Assessment
By Ruby Williams

FILMS

• BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974)
• BLACK CHRISTMAS (AKA BLACK X-MAS) (2006)
• CARRIE (1976)
• CARRIE (2013)
• HALLOWEEN (1978)
• HALLOWEEN (2018)
• FRIDAY THE 13^TH (1980)
• FRIDAY THE 13^TH (2009)
• THE EVIL DEAD (1981)
• EVIL DEAD (2013)
• CHILD’S PLAY (1988)
• CHILD’S PLAY (2019)
• IT (1990)
• IT (2017)
• IT CHAPTER TWO (2019)

Through the Eyes of a Killer

Introduction

In the history of horror films very few camera techniques are more chilling than the POV killer shot where the audience sees through the eyes of the antagonist which is primarily used to create suspense and unease for the viewers as they gaze upon their future victims while the characters usually don’t realise until it’s too late, however, when applied correctly it’s also one of the most creative choices for horror films as it can be used beyond making the audience feel dread the technique can generate mystery and even surprise in the audience and has also been proven to be a budgetary lifesaver in some cases. The POV killer shot has been used across many horror films over many years particularly among iconic slasher horror movies (Halloween, Friday the 13^th, etc.) and in the last two decades or so Hollywood has been reinventing these classics for the modern audience with bigger budgets and updated equipment.

The purpose of this research assessment is to examine a handful of horror classics along with their modern remakes and examine this camera technique did they reuse the technique and if so, how is it used? Is it a recreation? an homage? Did they reinvent or modernise it? While breaking down how the shots were filmed and the narrative purposes behind them.

Black Christmas (1974)

Director: Bob Clark
Cinematographer: Reginald H. Morris

The original Black Christmas is a staple in the horror genre for being one of the earliest, if not the earliest, movie to kick off the slasher genre. Black Christmas also stands out due to the mystery of its killer known as Billy as the audience discovers though the various phone calls he makes to the sorority girls he torments and kills though the night. we barely see him fully due to him always being hidden in shadows or hiding from his victims and essentially no details about him are revealed except his name. The film is also famous for how it chooses to present its killer as director Bob Clark has his antagonist showing the audience what he’s up to almost entirely in POV shots through Billy’s eyes. The POV shots were filmed and performed by having camera operator Bert Dunk film the shots using a rig he designed attached to his shoulder so that the shots were at eye level, but this also freed his hands so that Dunk could portray Billy’s actions on camera. Choosing to never fully reveal the killer makes for a great surprise twist as just when the audience thinks final girl Jess is safe after killing her boyfriend Peter who she thinks is the killer and with the way Clark structures not just the film itself but how Peter appears and behaves throughout the film he makes the audience consider she might be right however since thanks to structure and editing we don’t see Peter either admit anything or show any confirming physical evidence the audience can’t be one hundred percent sure. The dust settles and we are shown shot of the attic where two of his victims remain undiscovered and we hear Billy singing showing the killer was not only not Peter but is still at large as the camera pans to the exterior of the house as the phone begins to ring again as the credits role leaving the fate of the surviving characters unknown.

Black Christmas (aka Black X-Mas) (2006)

Director: Glen Morgan
Cinematographer: Robert McLachlan

Unlike its predecessor this take on the 70’s classic attempts to give billy a backstory (which is one of the most, if not the most, disturbing origin I’ve ever seen in a horror film) making his origins well known to the sorority sisters and the town itself as a kind of urban legend where the events actually happened which gets rid of the mystery entirely, however, POV shots from Billy’s perspective are used in this film in the form of flashbacks, homages and a few shots in between struggles but there are still a lot less compared to how many the original did and done to a less impactful effect. While the movie tries to include shots that may appear like the characters are being watched they’re all done smoothly on tracks and appear more like interesting shot choices instead of POV shots due to their robotic smoothness as opposed to the realistic movement handheld camera techniques provided. The POV shots this time around weren’t shot by one camera man and a custom rig but several crew members and an actor for shots including an homage to the original using the technique to show someone climbing up the Sorority house like the we witnessed in the 1974 film from there POV shots are typically one person with the camera and are used to spy on one of the girls showering which makes Billy creepier than he already was and are used very briefly in struggles between the killer’s (spoilers: there’s two) and the victims and they, in my opinion, feel like they were just thrown in there like they had to be for reference because they lack all the suspense and shock the originals had as the technique served a narrative purpose and these shots don’t.

Carrie (1976)

Director: Brian De Palma
Cinematographer: Mario Tosi

It’s rare for horror movies to show their killer as the central character whose perspective we follow throughout the movie, but Carrie is a rare case as she is not some premeditated murderer but a bullied high school girl who gets pushed too far by her classmates. The POV shots are used to show Carrie’s mindset before the massacre begins it doesn’t justify the killings, but it does shine a light and explain why she snapped, while putting the audience in her shoes and trying to explain why she does what she did. The film uses it’s time to build the events leading to the prom with showing Carrie White being picked on by her fellow female classmates, we see her being mistreated by her fanatically religious mother and we see the top mean girl Chris get her prom ticket taken away after she expresses zero remorse in her role for what she did to Carrie and refusing to complete the punishment that gym teacher Miss Collins had given the class leading her and her prom date to slaughtering pigs to dowse the blood over Carrie when she accepts the title of Prom Queen. When the announcement comes Carrie heads to the stage with her date Tommy while a POV shot shows her fellow classmates smiling, cheering and applauding her as they head to the stage Carrie smiling herself as she believes she’s finally been accepted amongst her classmates which makes it only more heartbreaking when the bucket finally drops and the camera cuts between Carrie’s horrified reaction and POV kaleidoscope like shots and the camera whipping between people laughing at her. According to the cast in their minds it was only one girl, Norma (the girl in the red hat shown laughing without the kaleidoscope effect), who was laughing while the rest were hallucinations which enhances De Palma’s intentions with the kaleidoscope effect. These shots contrast with the previously happier shots and really makes the audience sympathise with Carrie, again it doesn’t justify her actions, but it serves a purpose by explaining them from Carrie’s point of view.

Carrie (2013)

Director: Kimberly Peirce
Cinematographer: Steve Yedlin

While a more modern take on the Stephen king adaption this movie really does nothing new aside from bringing it to the 2010’s as opposed to the 1970’s. While it follows the same story beats as the 1976 original with some minor added details and changes when the prom scene arrives it features no direct POV shots (which leaves me with little to write about as I can’t talk about how the shots that don’t exist were filmed) instead choosing to actually show us the classmates laughing instead of it being a figment of Carrie’s imagination with standard close up and mid shots and deciding to show us an overview of the layout of the scene and show scenes not technically considered POV shots but the camera is with the teens as the chaos erupts around them.

Halloween (1978)

Director: John Carpenter
Cinematographer: Dean Cundey

At some point in 1977 horror legend director John Carpenter asked Black Christmas director Bob Clark what he would do if he were to make a sequel and while Clark had decided against a sequel as he did not want to reengage with the genre at the time told Carpenter he would have had a sequel where Billy would have been caught and institutionalised only to escape a year later around a different holiday and with Clarks approval Carpenter took the idea and in 1978 directed arguably the most iconic slasher film of all time, Halloween. The film sets itself apart with its hauntingly silent killer Michael Myers aka The Shape with his altered William Shatner mask and kickass final girl Laurie Strode played by at the time relative newcomer Jamie Lee Curtis but also through Carpenters directing and classic score. It’s not just the mask and jumpsuit that makes Michael Myers so well-known but also how Carpenter surprised audiences in the opening scene that cleverly uses POV so that when the reveal at the end of the scene comes it shocks first time viewers. The opening puts the audience in a POV shot that follows outside the house and inside as someone reaches for a knife. The figure goes upstairs and puts on a Halloween clown mask that partially obscures the killer and the audience’s vision where the young naked victim says Michael’s before she’s savagely stabbed several times to her death. The POV continues back down the stairs and out the front door where a car pulls up and Michael’s parents get out of the car where his dad takes his mask off. The POV ends here as the audience is met with a mid-shot of a 6 year old in a clown costume holding a bloody knife revealing to the audience the shocking reveal that not only were the audience witnessing a child committing a murder but also revealing that Michael Myers’ first kill was in fact his older sister Judith. The shot is one of the most iconic opening scenes to a horror film and was filmed using relatively new steadicam technology which adds a chilling smoothness to the boy’s movements that he would continue to use throughout the movie as an adult.

Halloween (2018)

Director: David Gordon Green
Cinematographer: Michael Simmonds

After a collection of (mostly) poor received sequels and a previous 2007 remake by Rob Zombie Halloween made a return to form in 2018 with Halloween sequel that ignored all previous remakes and sequels excluding the original 1978 film directed by John Carpenter taking place in the year it was released in showing what’s happened to Haddonfield and how Laurie Strode has dealt with her faceoff with the shape 40 years later. Like a lot of the remakes on this list it chooses to ditch the POV shot but it does choose to reshow pieces of the original POV when one of the podcaster’s starts discussing the details of Judith Myers murder. That said the film does try and succeed in getting creative with its shot choices to elevate Michael’s instead of just reverting back to standard camera angles like so many remakes do.

Friday the 13^th (1980)

Director: Sean S. Cunningham
Cinematographer: Barry Abrams

The original Friday the 13^th is infamous for kicking off a slasher icon in the form of Jason Voorhees yet the original barely has Jason present at all and he’s yet to begin killing or even don the hockey mask which he won’t actually do until the third instalment in the original the killer is actually his mother Pamela as she seeks vengeance against camp councillors who’s negligence led to her son drowning. A handful fo Pamela’s victims are shown through her eyes and the film continues to show Pamela committing these horrendous acts without revealing her to the audience she finally comes face to face with the film’s final girl and it’s not until she reveals her motivations do people suspect that a seemingly nice mother could be behind these killings which adds a huge shock to the movie as the audience learns not only what Pamela’s capable of but the audience had to get rid of all the suspects they assumed in the movie making it an interesting and shocking twist.

Friday the 13^th (2009)

Director: Marcus Nispel
Cinematographer: Daniel C. Pearl

This remake chooses to honour the events of the first movie from the 80’s as opposed starting a completely clean slate where we follow Jason Voorhees from the start instead of waiting for the sequel as the open recreates the ending of the original film with Jason’s mother Pamela Voorhees being decapitated and Jason picking up after her however without the mystery and the movie lets the audience know almost immediately who the killer is the POV shots don’t serve the same purpose here and were therefore deemed unnecessary to the director.

The Evil Dead (1981)

Director: Sam Raimi
Cinematographer: Tim Philo

The original Evil Dead is unique with its use of POV shots with a tight budget due to it being the directorial debut of Sam Raimi the POV shots are achieved with multiple forms of transport including boat, bike and camera men running with the camera which helps the unseen force that would later be known as a Kandarian Demon that unnatural touch with the technique’s speed and shakiness. The handheld POV could allow the unseen force to hover above water, weave between trees, and even the cabin itself which was achieved by Raimi and some crew members in a boat while Raimi held the camera as is hovered above water, having camera operators run through the forest and between the trees and even included a shot achieved by Raimi riding the previously mentioned bike through the woods and the cabin with a camera attached to it. The film stands out due to how the POV is used to remind the audience of an ever looming presence throughout the film that gives the viewers an extra sense of dread when the camera twists and turns before heading at Ash, the film’s final survivor, as he screams and the screen cuts to black just when we thought he was safe and the movie was over.

Evil Dead (2013)

Director: Fede Álvarez
Cinematographer: Aaron Morton

The “remake” works as both a remake and sequel by using similar narrative beats from the original but with a new set of characters and some slight changes to the originals narrative. While the film has it’s POV shots it’s nowhere near as intimidating as it’s lost its more unhinged shaky effect its predecessor  had likely due to the upgraded budget and equipment the 2013 film provided and the force takes a physical form of the person they’re about to possess which also takes away from the use of POV as characters and the audience can now see what’s attacking them.

Child’s Play (1988)

Director: Tom Holland
Cinematographer: Bill Butler

Child’s play is a standout in the horror genre. (and my personal favourite of the classic horror franchises) due to the fact that while chucky does start off human the film franchise centers around a possessed doll as opposed to a standard human killer which has led to some great films (and some not so great) as well as some unique camera choices as the film caters to a 2-3 foot killer as opposed to a 5-6 foot one. The movie opens with Charles Lee Ray played and then voiced by Brad Dourif engaging in a shootout with police detective Mike Norris before being fatally shot and transferring his soul into the body of a good guy doll using voodoo. The doll eventually makes its way into the arms of Andy Barclay an adorable and innocent 6-year-old who owns a lot of good guy merchandise and has been dreaming of owning one for a fair amount of time. Director Tom Holland shows Chucky’s first kill in POV both to create mystery and surprise the viewers as audience and the films characters aren’t one hundred percent sure who killed Maggie although it appears more obvious to the audience and we don’t need to be convinced the doll is alive however at the time it happens Andy is wearing good guy pyjamas and is a similar height to the doll which adds to the confusion until the scene ends with proof it was chucky despite the movies characters failing to believe the child. The second kill we see shows that while it’s clearly the doll commenting the crimes as the POV cuts between the shots and Andy nowhere near where the killer is the director chooses to do this to build up anticipation this time instead of create mystery so that when we finally get to see the doll the payoff is huge showing how lifelike the doll is as not only is he turning human in the narrative the animatronics are pretty impressive for the eighties as well the director realised there needed to be a big reveal but the character couldn’t sit there doing nothing for half the film which is where the POV saves this aspect of the film. It shows the audience what the character is doing without actually revealing the character until the script requires it.

Child’s Play (2019)

Director: Lars Klevberg
Cinematographer: Brendan Uegama

In this 2019 remake director Lars Klevberg seeks to take the POV shot and modernise it which is one of the smartest decisions this film makes as it elevates the horror and takes it to a whole new level. While the POV shots in the original Child’s Play aimed to confuse, create mystery and were used to build up a shocking payoff for the audience the POV shots are applied in this remake solely to terrorise both the audience and protagonist a now 13-year-old Andy Barclay. This time around instead of a serial killer possessing the body of a good guy doll through Chucky is a jacked-up AI who gets all his inhibitors switched off by an overworked employee before he commits suicide with cameras in its eyes so that it can keep an eye on and record its surroundings which can be shown on Andy’s smartphone through the buddi app. This results in a deadly game of cat and mouse between Chucky and Andy as Chucky uses prerecording’s of Andy’s mother and past victims as threats and with Chucky able to switch the camera off at will gives Andy hints of who he’s going after and where he is before turning it off again to toy with him which has a chilling impact on the audience. It’s in my opinion the cleverest of the use of POV shots in the mentioned remakes as it reinvents and modernises the POV that also serves a narrative purpose instead of being a clever call back.

IT (1990)
Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
Cinematographer: Richard Leiterman

Due to the way the miniseries was shown, being a two-part televised miniseries, as opposed to a theatrical release the crew had to avoid the gory factors that are present in Stephen King’s source material in case it was watched by children at home which lead to the POV camera technique saving this film having most of Pennywise’s victims being shown through its POV as they scream in terror typically cut between images of pennywise attacking with his gruesome teeth on display or whatever form IT has decided to take at that time. Despite not being overly violent with its gore the POV shots stuck with the minds of the viewers making it a really well known POV which managed to haunt viewers till this day as they were left to their imaginations with what Pennywise was capable of. The use of POV also would have saved the production a lot of money as they didn’t have to invest in money recreating the gory factors they adapted from the novel with makeup or special effects.

IT (2017) + IT Chapter Two (2019)

Director: Andy Muschietti (Both Films)
Cinematographer: Chung Chung-Hoon (Chapter One)
Cinematographer: Checco Varese (Chapter Two)

27 years since the 1990 television adaptation Pennywise the dancing Clown and the Loser’s Club came to the big screen with its MA15+ rating and a cinema viewing that was suited for more mature audiences as opposed to its predecessor’s televised miniseries that was broadcast on television where any child could see it Muschietti took the chance to make a more gore filled remake which lacked POV shots compared to its predecessor as they could finally show what happened to Pennywise’s victims instead of showing their last moments through the being’s eyes. While the POV shots are lacking in this two-part cinematic remake and are more quickly used like the previously mentioned Black Christmas remake I think the lack of POV for once benefits this film as showing horrifying experiences the victims go through makes for a more horrifying set of films.

CONCLUSION

From this research I concluded that the modern remake would prefer to leave the POV shot in the past or use it sparingly and I think it’s a shame that some directors on this list didn’t use the POV shot in their sequels at all when others in this list showed how it could be upgraded and/or still work well within the films narrative as I’ve stated in this piece just how many ways a POV shot through the eyes of you killer/monster/antagonist can heighten a horror film beyond creating a good scare.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Black Christmas (1974)

Dir. Bob Clark

Back Christmas (aka Black X-Mas) (2006)

Dir. Glen Morgan

Dead Meat – Black Christmas (1974) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wlKAPBO_-M

Black Christmas (1974) – Ending Explained + Analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yYfkOBnARE

The Scariest Scene in the original ‘Black Christmas’ Maximises Yuletide Terror with Minimalism and POV

https://www.slashfilm.com/scariest-scene-in-black-christmas/

Proper Value: Black Christmas

http://www.the-culture-counter.com/proper-value-black-christmas/

Dead Meat – Black Christmas (2006 Remake) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5W3BCnCgg

Exploring Black Christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTe-DYpQMRg

“What Have You Done” The Remaking of Black Christmas Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YF41kpCKrk

Carrie (1976)

Dir. Brian De Palma

 Carrie (2013)

Dir. Kimberly Peirce

Dead Meat – Carrie (1976) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_dDpmoQjqg

Carrie’s Prom Scene: An Oral History (part one)

https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/11/03/carries-prom-scene-an-oral-history-part-one

Carrie’s Prom Scene: An Oral History (part two)

https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/11/03/carries-prom-scene-an-oral-history-part-two

Dead Meat – Carrie (2013) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzayfQzldug

Halloween (1978)

Dir. John Carpenter

 Halloween (2018)

Dir. David Gordon Green

Dead Meat – Halloween (1978) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfVQMYvgXuQ

Watch: John Carpenter Shows How to Master Point of View

https://nofilmschool.com/2016/11/watch-john-carpenter-shows-how-use-point-view

Opening Shots: Halloween

https://www.rogerebert.com/scanners/opening-shots-halloween

The Depiction of Evil in ‘Halloween” Gets What Made the 1978 Original So Scary

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2018/10/22/the-depiction-of-evil-in-halloween-gets-what-made-the-1978-original-so-scary/

Dead Meat – Halloween (2018) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHfGhuidwBg

Friday the 13^th (1980)

Dir. Sean S. Cunningham

 Friday the 13^th (2009)

Dir. Marcus Nispel

Dead Meat – Friday the 13^th (1980) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reHO3XcA3sI

Frame by Frame: Friday the 13^th (1980)

https://mattmulcahey.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/friday-the-13th-1980/

Dead Meat – Friday the 13^th (2009) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_N1xgGvDc4

The Evil Dead (1981)

Dir. Sam Raimi

 Evil Dead (2013)

Dir. Fede Álvarez

Dead Meat – The Evil Dead (1981) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVoAxh22yl8

Dead Meat – Evil Dead (2013 “Remake”) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZYOKR83QU4

Child’s Play (1988)

Dir. Tom Holland

 Child’s Play (2019)

Dir. Lars Klevberg

Dead Meat – Childs Play (1988) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INo8_xMA3tQ

Dead Meat – Childs Play (2019) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU6xXdlaZIg

IT (1990)

Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace

 IT (2017)

Dir. Andy Muschietti

 IT Chapter Two (2019)

Dir. Andy Muschietti

Dead Meat IT (1990 Miniseries) [PART 1 of 2] Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF2xjP83yVo

Dead Meat IT (1990 Miniseries) [PART 2 of 2] Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWiFsm87H_I

Dead Meat IT (2017) [PART 1 of 2] Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZbala54uzk

Dead Meat IT (2017) [PART 2 of 2] Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR1J1tZ_HRE

Dead Meat IT Chapter 2 (2019) Kill Count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8oWjgLaU54

I spent this week solely dedicated to completing the last of my uni work as I had a huge video presentation on how genre conventions are played with in “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014) directed by Ana Lily Amirpour for my introduction to cinema studies class to be completed as well as my finishing off my horror movie killer POV research project as they were both due at similar times and since I want both to be done to the best of my ability I haven’t had much time to look into any new films or tv shows this week which I’ve been trying to do in isolation which is a disappointment but it’s worth it if it improves the overall quality of my work. So far my research project is doing far better than expected as the reason I picked horror movies was because Robin asked us to pick something we’d enjoy writing about and since I’m so passionate about the genre I believed this would give me the ability to easily reach the eight hundred word minimum which I was not only right about but my research piece has turned into an four thousand word piece which was not my intention but the filmmaking process around horror movies and narrative purposes of shots is something I know how to talk about and I can’t find anyway to shorten it as I believe it’s all essential information for my project.

This is my last reflection and as much as reflections aren’t my thing the classes have been really fun to do and made writing them less intimidating and they were as educational as they could be during this time of quarantine and isolation so I’m really proud of the work I’ve been able to put in over the course of the semester.

This week we had our last zoom meeting as a group and went over any last questions we had about the research project with Robin which for me was turning out to be a lot bigger than I planned, despite actually trying to make it smaller but cutting some films I originally planned on watching. I decided to get rid of the most recent Black Christmas remake that was released last year as it only includes one repetitive camera set up of the same shot shown three different ways which was the closest thing to POV the film had and doesn’t actually follow the story of the original and the 2006 remake it only includes a handful of references but other than that is a whole new story about sorority girls being attacked which made me question why the studio called it a Black Christmas remake when they could of marketed it as an entirely different and new film. I also decided to cut the 2007 Rob Zombie remake of Halloween due to time but also due to how much people compare the original to the 2018 remake/sequel in terms of quality and suspense and I thought that’d make a more interesting analysis I also had to cut the two My Bloody Valentine films as I only own the 1981 original and was unable to find the 2009 remake in any form to watch or buy which made analysis difficult when i haven’t been able to see the remake previously.

Over half of the films have been watched and I’ve started to make some progress with the actual writing of the piece in between watching classes and completing my other assessments for introduction to cinema studies and textual crossings: literary adaptation and it seems like I’ll be able to do more than the minimum requirement of eight hundred words which I always strive to do but sometimes depending on the assessment it can be difficult.