Researching Distribution Practices

 Who Produces These Movies?

    Welcome back! In this post, I wanted to explore more about who produces horror/slasher films and how they distribute them. How you distribute your film is a huge part of making sure it reaches the right audience, which ultimately controls a film's success. So, today I will be looking into how Blumhouse, a popular production company that specializes in horror films, distributes its movies. 

~ Blumhouse Productions

    Blumhouse is an American production company, founded in 2000 by Jason Blum, that mainly focuses on producing horror films. It utilizes a low-budget, high-turnover model that prioritizes audience testing to determine distribution. They are mainly known for their films The Purge, Halloween, and The Black Phone. Since 2014, most of its theatrical films have been released through a first-look deal with Universal Pictures, which gives Blumhouse access to major marketing and wide theatrical distribution while still keeping production costs low. 

    Through Universal Studios Hollywood, Blumhouse manages to get their movies to reach the right target audience by including a select few of their movies as themes at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights by turning them into haunted houses. By doing this, people can get to experience and be immersed in the movie, promoting and boosting the chance of getting more people to watch it.

    Films that perform well in screenings are also given a wide release on around 3,000 screens with a large marketing budget, while movies with average results receive a more limited release on about 1,000 screens, with them reducing the money they spend on promotion. Blumhouse will also sometimes do hybrid distribution, where they might release a film in limited theaters while also releasing it on digital platforms to maximize its revenue. For wide releases, they use mostly traditional and broad marketing, but for smaller ones, they rely on targeted, digital, or social media campaigns. 

~ Conclusion 

     Because of this research, I now have a better understanding of I could be able to distribute my own film and what would be the best strategy to do so. I’ve learned that smart marketing is just as important as making the film itself. The goal would be to start small, listen to the fans, and grow my audience from the ground up, just like the pros do. 

Sources

- https://thewaiterspad.com/2022/04/20/blumhouse-business-model/#:~:text=It's%20twenty%20to%20twenty%2Dfive,Each%20movie%20is%20a%20test.

- https://www.emergentmediapartners.com/p/case-study-blumhouses-secret-formula

- https://anandsanwal.me/blumhouse-blueprint-tech/#:~:text=Pre%2Drelease%20audience%20screenings%20determine,trigger%20ancillary%20and%20international%20deals.

Researching Color Theory in Horror/Slasher

 Color Theory In Horror/Slasher

    Hey guys! In horror and slasher movies, color theory is crucial since it helps control the audience's feelings during a scene. Before anything scary even happens, movies intentionally choose certain colors to create tension, fear, and discomfort. Colors like red, green, blue, and yellow are often used to draw attention to danger, the unknown, or a figure. These colors often draw attention to the killer's presence or danger.

    One of the most common colors in horror is red, which is linked to blood, violence, and danger. The color red is often used to show intense or violent moments, alerting the audience that something bad is about to happen. Green is often associated with sickness and decay. This color can create a sense of unease or disgust, especially in scenes showing infection and rot.

    Blue is usually associated with isolation, sadness, and coldness. It is often used in nighttime or suspenseful scenes to create a sense of emptiness or anxiety. Yellow, on the other hand, is typically linked to madness and caution, creating an unsettling atmosphere. 

    Movies also use techniques like color grading and lighting to heighten these effects. Desaturated colors can make a scene feel lifeless and tense, while bright, oversaturated colors can make the scene feel surreal and disturbing. Harsh lighting and deep shadows help hide threats and build suspense, and filmmakers often switch from warm tones to cold ones to show when a situation turns dangerous. 

~ Conclusion

    Overall, color is an important tool in horror/slasher films because it helps guide the audience’s emotions. By using specific colors and lighting, movies can create fear, tension, and suspense without even showing the threat. With this, I could plan informally what colors I want to show in my opening to bring out the right emotion and atmosphere.

~ Sources 

-https://slowburnhorror.com/2021/09/10/the-meaning-of-color-in-horror/ 

- https://lwks.com/blog/blood-red-to-morgue-blue-the-role-of-color-in-horror#:~:text=Common%20Colours%20in%20Horror%20Films,they're%20watching%20on%20screen.

- https://fotodioxpro.com/blogs/news/the-horror-color-wheel-the-color-lighting-used-in-horror

Researching Fonts

 Different Fonts used in Horror/Slasher

    Welcome back! Today, I thought about researching different fonts related to horror because of the importance they have in horror/slasher films, as they help set the mood of the movie before the audience even knows the story. The font choice can make the film feel scary, violent, or disturbing. Horror/slasher films usually use fonts that look messy, sharp, or distorted to show the fear in the film, making the viewer recognize the genre. 

    Grave Danger and Shlop are two fonts that are usually connected to horror. Shlop has a dripping, uneven design that brings out a creepy and disturbing vibe (like blood dripping), making it good for slasher movie titles and posters. Grave Danger also has that same dripping effect, but instead, more uneven and disproportionate in the size and angle of the letters. Both of these fonts suggest blood and messiness, creating a sense of danger, letting the audience know the movie will most likely be gory. 

    ITC Serif Gothic and Weiss give different effects in horror. They both have sharp, rough edges that show off a dark atmosphere. They have a cleaner, more traditional look. This makes it appear calm while the movie is still frightening. This can increase the unsettlingness of the horror. 

    Lastly, Trajan is a font mainly used in horror movie titles because it looks serious and has a chilling vibe. It can be used in slasher films to make the movie feel dramatic and professional. Many Horror movies are known for using these fonts, like The Conjuring, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Texas Chainsaw. To make it more unsettling, movies change the size and angle of some letters to make it look more chaotic and scary.

    Overall, fonts play a big role in demonstrating how a horror/slasher film is seen by the audience. Each style helps set the tone and build suspense before the movie even starts. Choosing the right font can make a title feel creepy, intense, or chaotic, which can help attract viewers. Researching these fonts gives me a more open mind when considering what font I will choose for my film. 

Researching Target Audience

Target Audience 

    Hello everyone! The target audience plays a big role when making a film. You need to know 'Who will watch these films' and the 'why'. So, in order to make my film, we need to research more on the target audience and who will watch it.

    Horror movies typically attract younger audiences, mainly those under 25. Many watchers like the excitement and thrill that comes from being scared and going into a place that feels terrifying and different. Horror films tend to be less attractive to older viewers because younger audiences are more likely to want this thrill. Also, studies show that a significant amount of both men and women watch horror movies, showing that the audience is equal by gender.

    In the late 1970s, horror movies were highly targeted toward teenagers and young adults. Over half of American viewers were between the ages of 12 and 20, and many of them went on dates. Movie makers took into account how younger women looked because teenage females often picked the film for a date. For example, the female characters in Halloween discuss dating, school, and childcare in order to relate to younger viewers.

    Although slashers are often known for killings, many early films also focused on relationships and friendships. Advertising showed couples and feelings instead of just fear. This worked, and almost half of the audience for Halloween and Friday the 13th was under 17, and more than half of the viewers were girls.

    Horror is still very popular with Gen Z and Millennials, with most people in those age groups saying they often watch horror films. The genre is often considered a “date movie” and is popular with people who like thrills and tension. Through events like Halloween Horror Nights, which target those who enjoy intense and terrifying experiences, companies like Universal Studios sell horror.

~ Conclusion

    This research helps me understand that my film should be made mainly for a younger audience who enjoys thrills and relatable characters. Knowing that horror is popular with Gen Z and is often watched as a date movie helps me plan my story and characters to match what the audience likes. By doing this, I can make my film more engaging.  

  

~ Sources

-https://cmpalexgilbey.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/8/7/38878453/horror_film_research.pdf

- https://daily.jstor.org/selling-slashers-to-teen-girls/

- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1498439/horror-movies-tv-shows-age-generation-worldwide/#:~:text=Table_title:%20Share%20of%20consumers%20who%20watch%20horror,Boomers%20%7C%20Share%20of%20respondents:%2058%25%20%7C

- https://fearworm.com/who-is-the-haunted-house-demographic/