What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Using IMovie, I was able to manipulate the sound and special effects of my opening sequence to create different meanings and emotions.

Here are some examples...

Use of effects:

• Black and White (click on the picture to view the clip)
  

The use of black and white infers that the current scene is set in the past. This is the effect that we decided to use, as we wanted to emphasize that the scene happened a few days ago, and it also gives it a mysterious atmosphere.

• Red gain (click on the picture to view the clip)

Using a high red gain makes the camera appear to be from the eye of a mutant, making the scene more sinister and frightening.

• High contrast and high saturation (click on the picture to view the clip)

The high contrast and saturation amplifies the cold icey atmosphere and weather.

• Low exposure with low brightness (click on the picture to view the clip)

Lowering the exposure and brightness has emphasized the forest to be more daunting and scary, creating a frightening and eerie effect.


Use of Sound:

• Suspense sound Click here to listen to the sound
  

This sound effect, which we found from IMovie sound effects, creates tension and suspense and suggests to the audience that something is wrong, and that something bad is about to happen. It does this through the fading in of a high pitch off-key sound, which leads to eerie connotations. This is the sound effect that we used for the scene, as we wanted to create and increase the tension.

• Tense bass Click here to listen to the sound

The sound creates tension and panick, through the use of the long and slow pace of the bass, and staccato and irratic synth.

• Up beat drum Click here to listen to the sound

This beat creates a sense of panick through the echoing drum beat that mimicks a fast heart beat. This fits in with the scene particularly well, as the mutant is moving in closer to the girl, while she looks around panicking and scared.

• Eerie sound Click here to listen to the sound
  

This sound effect creates suspense and mystery, and creates a dark and sinister atmosphere through the fading in of a low pitched synth that echoes- reflecting the emptiness of the park.


Overall, digital editing has helped to create different emotions (such as tension and suspense) different connotations about what is about to happen, and it gives the audience a greater indication of the atmosphere of the scene. This is achieved through the use of camera effects and sound effects. However, we used IMovie 08 to create our film, instead of IMovie HD, and so we were more limited to using special effects as IMovie 08 does not have many.

Developing my skills on IMovie has made me realise the significance of digital editing, and how to create meaning through it. Moreover, it has massivley improved the quality of my opening sequence, and has helped it to conform to the conventions of a thriller.