Suspense films analysis

 For the project's second week first blog we have to analyze three film openings from movies of the same genre we chose so I will analyze about "The Silence of the Lambs", "Zodiac" and "Black Swan" as they are suspense films and very well rated.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The film starts in a forest not focusing on anything, and seconds later, the camera lowers to a long shot of a woman climbing a rope and getting closer to the camera. When she reaches the top of the rope, she stands up to a close up of her face smiling and changes to a mid, tracking shot of her, jogging, from the back but the camera starts slowing and the woman keeps her rhythm, so it cuts to a close, tracking shot of her jogging but now facing her face and not her back for a few seconds before changing to a mid, tracking shot recording her from the back. Then the camera focuses on a close up of her feet running and then to a close up of her face before switching to a long shot of her climbing ropes with the form of a spider web and when she gets down the camera stays behind waiting for a male character that was running from behind, as she keeps jogging but then the woman stops to speak with the man who tells her to go back. Then it cuts to a long shot of the woman running by a group of men in what looks military uniforms and gets into a building, all while the camera is steady in the same place.

Zodiac (2007)

The movie starts with an establishing shot of the city "San Francisco" and cuts to a mid shot of the bathroom in a little apartment where a kid is sitting on the sink and a man goes in while both of them brush their teeth and then it switches to a close up of both of their faces while they have a conversation. Then they get out of the bathroom in the same mid-shot as before and it cuts to a long shot of the kid and man getting into a car. After that they get to the kid's school and in a close up of their faces, they say goodbye to each other. After, the man gets in the car, it cuts to a mid shot of him sketching in the car while the traffic is honking at him and then switches to deep focus shot where the camera is focusing on the building behind the man that it's a chronicle inferring that he works there. He proceeds to get in the building in a mid-shot but when the camera loses sight of him because it's outside, it focuses on a mail van like if it was going to be important in the film. Then a mid shot of the man getting in the elevator and a long shot of the van parking and a man getting out while a sliding gate opens and a guy gets out of the building with a cart where the mail man puts all the mail. After putting the mail, the scene follows the man from the beggining and the cart with the mail while they both go to the same office and then showing with a close up of the hands of some people ordering the mail that had already got to the first office it was directed. Then the mail and the man are shown going to their destiny and finally they get to where they wanted with a mid shot showing the man and another mid shot showing the cart. The opening has a very fast background music to create a sense of lateness.

Black Swan (2010)

The film starts with a light slowly turning on and aiming to a woman dancing in a long shot and everything else is pitch black, then switches to a tracking close up shot of her feet dancing showing her remarkable footwork, she slowly sits down and when a man followed by the camera appears on screen, she stands up and they start dancing syncronized while he is always facing her back and with a close up of her face the music gets heavier and she gasps like she was afraid and then the camera turns to the left while the dancers turn to the right. The dancer gets close enough to the camera to make her face visible showing that she is very scared and then while dancing they keep turning to the right until with a mid-shot of the man, he spins where he is standing and switches clothes unexplicably. He proceeds to dance faster, aggresiver and then makes her spin so she changes clothes too while the background music gets faster and faster. Finally with her new clothes representing a swan she starts dancing with her arms like she was flying with wings and the close up turns into a long shot while she and the light start fading away.

Film Opening Possible Genres

Of the film openings we watched in class from previous students, there's one that called my attention and gave me some ideas about what I can do for my opening and one of them is the genre. The two possible genres I would like to do the most for the opening are suspense and horror since you can create a lot of mystery, not show any charachters's entire body, record the opening somewhere with poor lighting, and more.

Suspense Characteristics:

JAWS(1975)

1. Slow-Building Tension: building tension is the best way to make the public unease by slow-pacing the scene, using slow and eerie music, making sudden noises and hiding information of the setting or characters. Like in JAWS where the film builds tension by not immediately showing the shark. Instead, the audience sees the impact of its attacks or the slow-revealing of the shark, combined with false alarms keeps the audience anxiously waiting for the encounter.

GRAVITY(2013)

2. High stakes and Danger: High stakes and Danger are situations where the protagonist faces extreme consequences, like death. These stakes create urgency and tension, making the audience very focused in the outcome. These scenes maintain suspense by putting characters in very hard situations where every decision matters. A good example is the movie from 2013, GRAVITY, where Dr. Ryan Stone is stranded in space with no rescue, limited oxygen, and debris threatening her survival. Every action she takes could mean life or death.

Horror Characteristics:

The Blair Witch Project(1999)

1. Fear of the unknown: It creates fear by hiding information like who, why, what, where and when, leaving the audience to imagine the worst. It relies on the idea that what we don’t see or understand is scarier than what is shown. In the film The Blair Witch Project from 1999, it's never clearly shown the entity haunting the characters. Instead, eerie sounds, unsettling symbols, and the characters’ growing paranoia build the fear.

The Conjuring(2013)

2. Jump Scares: This technique is used in almost every horror movie because it builds tension in the public and then a sudden shot scares you only for a moment but it grows tension within the audience for the next jumpscare. A movie with very good Jumpscares is The Conjuring from 2013, because it carefully builds suspense before delivering sudden moments. Unlike cheap jump scares that rely on loud noises only.

Transitioning into the Cambridge Portfolio

In this tuesday's class we went over the portfolio project and what will we submit. So, here is my first of many blog posts about my portfolio progress. Although, at first when we were mentioned about the project, I was pretty scared but now that it was explained to us, I understand it better and I feel more relieved. Now, in thursday's class we learned about film openings and took some notes.

For my film opening, I would like to develop the context, because I feel that in the two minutes that we can use for the opening, developing the context could be useful for any genre, is going to be pretty useful and it could be a good way to leave it open or to end the opening with a change of scenes. I also think that developing contexts offers more ideas for the time, setting, situation and plot of the opening.

Another thing I want to develop in my film opening is the genre because I can easily develop context while stating the genre of the film and because I can develop it with so many things like setting, situations or characters, etc.

 MUSIC MARKETING #1

For our planning for the music marketing project, we first thought chose between artist or band, then we thought about the brand name of the artist and a name for the song. We also did the schedule document where we planned what we were going to do each class and the parts every group member would do. The next class we did the storyboard of how is going to be the video of the project and started the powerpoint. Today's class we advanced on the powerpoint and thought about bacground information for our artist.

Science fiction Research

       How is science fiction?

Genre

Science fiction (sci-fi) is a genre that explores, futuristic, and imaginative concepts that often challenge the boundaries of scientific knowledge and cultural beliefs. Typically set in outer space, alternate realities, or future worlds, sci-fi frequently develops into themes like space exploration, advanced technology, time travel, artificial intelligence, and extraterrestrial life. By asking "what if?" about technology, society, and humanity's future, science fiction serves as a vehicle for examining philosophical questions.

Content

Sci-fi genre content includes certain key themes and elements, it often features futuristic or currently non-existent technology, such as space travel, Artificial Inteligence, and cybernetic enhancements. 

This genre often presents explorations of space, distant planets, or parallel dimensions, showcasing humanity’s quest for knowledge. 

Sci-fi uses speculative elements to comment on present-day issues, like the impact of technology on society, moral dilemmas, and environmental issues. 

Sci-fi stories frequently attract the viewers with questions of identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human. 

Interactions with extraterrestrial beings and Artificial Inteligence often serve as metaphors for understanding “the other” or exploring the implications of machine intelligence.

Production Techniques

 Sci-fi relies heavily on visual and special effects to create realistic portrayals of futuristic landscapes, alien species, and space travel. 

Production design, from costumes to set design, is crucial in creating unique worlds that feel believable within the speculative universe. 

Futuristic sounds (often synthesized) accompany technological or alien features, from spaceship engines to robotic voices, enhancing the immersive experience. 

To bring otherworldly creatures or distant planets to life, many sci-fi films use computer-generated imagery and motion-capture technology. 

Blue, green, and cool-toned lighting is often used to evoke a futuristic atmosphere, while high-contrast lighting can signify high-tech or alien environments.

Marketing

Science fiction films are marketed through several strategies, aiming to appeal to audiences’ fascination with the future and technological advancements.

These often highlight special effects, showcasing futuristic landscapes, space battles, or advanced technology to attract audiences.       

Sci-fi films often collaborate with technology brands or gaming companies to reach a tech-savvy audience.    

Sci-fi films frequently spawn extensive merchandise lines, including action figures, collectibles, and video games, tapping into fandom culture.   

Sci-fi films, especially franchises, engage audiences through conventions, social media platforms, and online discussions, often releasing behind-the-scenes content to build hype.

Analysis: Avatar is a groundbreaking sci-fi film that embodies the genre through its use of advanced technology, immersive world-building, and exploration of complex social themes. Set on the alien planet of Pandora, the story follows a human’s journey of transformation and understanding of the Na’vi people, highlighting environmentalism, colonialism. Director James Cameron employed cutting-edge CGI and 3D technology to create the realistic, vibrant flora and fauna of Pandora, setting new standards for visual effects in sci-fi cinema. The film’s extensive use of motion-capture technology allowed actors to perform in a fully digital environment, blending live-action and CGI to immerse viewers in a truly alien world, while the vibrant soundscape added to the exotic and high-tech feel of the setting.

Analysis: E.T. presents science fiction through its exploration of alien contact and human empathy. The story centers around a young boy named Elliott who befriends E.T., a gentle extraterrestrial stranded on Earth, creating a tale of friendship that bridges two worlds. This film is an example of "soft" sci-fi, focusing more on character-driven and emotional elements rather than technical or futuristic details. The production used practical effects to bring E.T. to life, capturing a unique realism that emphasizes the creature's vulnerability and innocence. With its nostalgic suburban setting, warm color palette, and touching score by John Williams, E.T. becomes a heartfelt representation of the genre, exploring the theme of “the other” while showcasing humanity's capacity for compassion.

Science Fiction Examples:

Alien (1979)

          Star Wars

The revenge of the Sith

            (2005)

The Terminator (1984)

The Matrix (1999)

Back to the future (1985)

Jurassic Park (1993)

Ghostbusters (1984)

Representation Essay

In "Everybody Hates Chris," the representation of Chris and his parents, Julius and Rochelle, plays a key role in shaping the show’s themes of race, family, and economic hardship. Chris, as the main character, navigates the challenges of being the only Black student in a mostly white school. Through him, we see the everyday struggles of fitting in while dealing with casual racism, stereotypes, and bullying. His experiences with teachers and schoolmates often highlight how society, even in seemingly small ways, can make someone feel like an outsider. Chris’s resilience and humor, however, make him a sympathetic and relatable figure.

Julius, Chris’s father, represents the hardworking but often overlooked figure in a family dynamic. Working multiple jobs to support the family, Julius embodies the grind of a working-class Black man in America. His constant concern with saving money might be played for laughs, but it speaks to a deeper reality for many families living paycheck to paycheck. Despite his quiet demeanor, Julius’s love and dedication to his family are clear, offering a counter-narrative to common stereotypes of Black fathers as absent or uninvolved.

Rochelle, on the other hand, is the strong, outspoken, and loving matriarch who keeps the family together. Her fierce love for her children and her no-nonsense attitude bring both humor and heart to the show. Rochelle is a complex character who challenges traditional depictions of Black mothers, combining toughness with warmth. Together, Chris, Julius, and Rochelle provide a multifaceted representation of Black family life, one that celebrates resilience and love while acknowledging the real struggles of race and class.

What we learned in class about representation is that it is about presenting content again, that it has 4 major factions that influence when doing a representation, Ownership, Creator bias, Governing factions, and Majority rule then we learned about construction, selection, stereotypes, exotizing, de-centered, and othering. The last thing we went through class was the Historically Unrepresented In Western Media, these are:

• Women
• LGBTQ+
• People of color
• Range/Size of body
• People with disabilities
• People with mental illness
• Elderly

Sound Project

 What I learned from my sound lessons is that it gives dimension to the scene, complements visuals, makes visual realistic, and it adds emotional impact to the scene. I also learned some types of sound used in films, these are, synchronous sound, asyhnchoronous sound, diegetic and nondiegetic sound, sound motif, sound perspective, sound bridge, voiceover,  adressing audience, epistolary voice, score, music, and foley art. What I remember most from the lesson and the videos is the foley art. Foley artist are the people in charge of making the sounds of the movies and most of the times they have to think about how to create a sound and almost always they do the sounds with objects you would never imagine these sounds were made with.

The directions for the sound project were to make a 1 to 2 minute film of a scene, we had to think of, using 7 or less words and only sound, no visual characteristics with a partner our teacher chose.

For my sound project, I started brainstorming with my partner about the scene and the sounds we should use. After thinking for almost 5 minutes with our partner about the scene we decided to make a scene where some guys are at a campfire but then hear a bear roar. The brainstorming helped us too to decide what sounds we were going to make with foley and what sounds we would get from internet. And for our editing we used Imovie because my partner and I were more comfortable editing with that resource.

I think that we could have done better in making some sounds sound a little bit louder when editing like the crickets or the fire, but other than that, I don't think we could have improved it in other ways.