AICE Media Studies

 In the thriller/horror short film Unleaded , sound is very important in building suspense and fear. The film uses sharp noises like creaking doors, bangs, and whispers to make the audience feel uneasy. These sounds keep viewers on edge and make the atmosphere tense. Music also helps by building up during dangerous moments, signaling when something is about to happen. Silence is used in some parts to make the audience feel like something is going to jump out, adding more tension. The setting in Unleaded is dark and uses shadows to create an eerie feeling. The costumes show that the characters are afraid, and makeup is used to show distress, like sweat or blood. Props, like creepy objects, add to the spooky atmosphere. The actors’ performances are tense, with characters reacting to fear, which keeps the audience engaged. The setting is often isolated, adding to the feeling of being trapped or in danger, which is common in horror films. The editing in Unleaded helps build tension a...

 In Four Nights and a Fire , several conventions of the thriller/horror genre are used effectively. The film uses close-up shots to capture the fear in the characters’ expressions. Wide shots help set the eerie and isolated atmosphere. Low angles make the characters appear weak or vulnerable, while high angles create a sense of danger or being watched. The camera moves slowly to build suspense, but sometimes quick movements are used to startle the viewer. Tracking shots follow characters through the dark, creating a feeling of being pursued. Sound plays a huge role in building tension. Silence is used to make the audience feel uneasy, with sudden loud noises or musical stings creating jump scares. Subtle sounds like footsteps or whispers add to the suspense. The lighting is dim, with shadows that hide parts of the scene, making everything feel uncertain. Costumes are dark and worn, suggesting something terrible has happened or will soon. The makeup shows the physical damage or trau...

       In  Blue Hole , the thriller/horror genre uses several techniques to create suspense and fear. The camera angles in the film, such as close-ups, wide shots, and point-of-view shots, help the audience feel close to the characters. Close-ups show the characters' fear, while wide shots show the dark and scary setting, making the characters look small and helpless. Point-of-view shots let us see what the characters see, which makes us feel more connected to their experience. The camera moves slowly to follow the characters, making the audience feel like something might happen at any moment. Fast camera movements are used during scary moments to surprise and shock the viewer. Lighting is important in building the creepy atmosphere in Blue Hole . The film uses dim lighting and shadows to make the setting look mysterious and scary. The darkness hides parts of the environment, so the audience feels unsure about what could be hiding there. The lighting also makes ...

 In Good Intentions , a thriller/horror short film, common camera techniques include close-up shots to show fear and tension. Low and high angles are used to show power between characters, and quick camera movements surprise the audience during intense moments. Sound is important in this genre. Sounds like footsteps or creaking doors build suspense, while eerie music adds to the scary feeling. Silence is also used to make the audience feel uneasy before something happens. The film's setting follows typical thriller/horror conventions. Characters wear simple, dark clothes to blend into the setting, which makes the story feel more real. Lighting is dim, creating shadows and a mysterious atmosphere. Actors show emotions like fear and anxiety, which adds to the tension. Props, like weapons or phones, are used to move the story forward. The setting is often dark or isolated, such as an old house, which makes the environment scarier. In editing, quick cuts are used to create chaos, and j...

  La Jetée (1962), directed by Chris Marker, is a short film told almost entirely through still images. It tells the story of a man who travels through time and remembers a haunting moment from his past. The film explores deep ideas like memory, loss, and fate. Even though it’s simple, it leaves a strong emotional impact. What makes it powerful is how much it conveys without using motion or dialogue. The still images, combined with narration and music, create a unique and engaging story. It shows that a film doesn’t need big effects or lots of action to feel meaningful. This is a great example of how visuals and sound can work together to tell a powerful story, even with limited resources. 12 Monkeys (1995), directed by Terry Gilliam, is based on La Jetée but expands the story into a full-length movie. It keeps the core ideas of time travel and fate but adds more details to the plot. The movie also focuses on character development, especially the struggles of the main character....

 The 9 short film (2005), directed by Shane Acker, is a visually powerful post-apocalyptic story that relies on its eerie atmosphere and striking visuals to tell the story. The plot is simple but effective, focusing on the character 9 as he faces a deadly machine in a quiet, lifeless world. There isn’t much character development, but you can see that 9 is brave and curious. The animation is very detailed, with rough textures and a dark, mechanical look that makes the world feel bleak and mysterious. Acker’s style uses shadows, light, and sounds like clanking metal to build tension. The short film has no dialogue, which makes it feel mysterious and adds to the sense of danger. The full-length 9 (2009) takes the short film’s idea and expands it into a longer story. It explains more about the post-apocalyptic world and introduces several other characters like 1, 7, and 5. The plot explores bigger themes, such as survival and sacrifice, as the group fights against an evil machine arm...

  Pitch A: A girl with a friend turns out the friend is imaginary. Pitch B: Slumber party between girls turns to a killing.... or a suicide? Discuss Pitch A: We like this film idea because we would add a plot twist. This was a cool idea and we all thought it would be a nice twist. The problem is we would have to edit the person out the shot to make it work. We are confident in our editing skills so we feel as if the idea will be executed well. The plus is it will involve less people so we can work quicker.  Discuss Pitch B: We like the this film idea as well because it would be able to incorporate each of our members in different ways. The ending would be a nice twist because we would kill off one of the people and it wouldn't be revealed until the very end. The problem is that we would have to continuously create suspense within the film without the watcher figuring out the ending. A set back of this film of doing a slumber party is that we would need to incorporate enough...

    In my second year of A-Level, I’ve changed some of my group members. I’m continuing to work with Nijah Sarduy, who was part of my team in AS Level. I already know that Nijah is consistent and hardworking, so I’m confident that working with her this year will be smooth. She was an excellent director in our previous project, and I believe in her abilities because we’ve worked well together before. I’m sure we’ll get everything done without any issues. Nijah is very reliable, and I trust her judgment in any task we take on together. My new teammates are Janiah Charles and Natalie Obando. I’m confident both of them will work hard. Janiah received the same grade as I did last year, a C, but I know she really tried and succeeded. I was impressed by her film from AS Level. The camera angles, editing, props, and location were all well thought out, and it showed that she cares about her work. Her film was engaging, and it clearly showed her dedication and attention to detail. I fee...

I am back for A Level Media Studies!  Hi, my name is Callie Brown. I am a junior at Fort Lauderdale High School in the Cambridge program. I love hanging out with friends and going to Barnes and Noble. Barnes and Noble is one of my favorite places because I work better in workspaces. I love hanging out with friends because it is a way to destress after doing lots of schoolwork. I took Aice media studies because I love movies. Watching movies is one of my favorite hobbies, and Jordan Peele is my favorite director. My favorite film distributor is A24 because my favorite movies are from them, such as Waves, Moonlight, and Mid90s. A24 produces the best movies for me because they are all so deep and have a significant meaning. Another reason I took this class is because of the high passing rate, thanks to our great teachers.  I also love listening to music because it fits every feeling, and you can always find something to listen to that matches up with what you are going through at...