Reflection of Practical: TV Drama Still

1)  I planned my photography practical by using the sheet given to us by Miss Dymioti. I was really keen on planning a still from the horror genre since I think it would be interesting to plan a still experimenting with different shots and lighting linking to the genre. I made sure to plan the actor and props beforehand and have an idea in mind as to what lighting I was going to use. The original location the planned second shot got changed, so I ended up producing my still made up of shot one and shot two combined. I decided to use Ben as my main focus because I've worked with him before and he's a good actor. He also looks younger than the others in my group, allowing him to look more vulnerable - perfect for the shot I had planned. This was originally going to be shot in the toilets but I then changed location to the changing  rooms. This is because the changing rooms had darker lighting which is a great signifier of the horror genre. This would also allow me to shine a spotlight onto Ben's face so his scared facial expression could be visible. I have inserted my planning sheet down below:

2) I feel as if my shot fits the horror genre really well. Firstly, the position of Kush's hand strangling Ben when he looks in the mirror, has connotations of violence and panic, conventions of a horror genre. Also, the dark lighting covering the majority of the still apart from Ben's face could symbolise death or fear surrounding Ben, helping add to the scary, sinister atmosphere of the still which works perfectly with the horror genre. The casual costume Ben is wearing makes the still look more realistic so it's scarier for the audience since it feels more like a realistic situation, like a lot of horror dramas.

3) I was meaning to communicate a fearsome, sinister still and convey that Ben was the victim in the situation. I was attempting to create the peak, most intense section of my narrative - possibly where Ben is in trouble the most. This should make the audience feel tense, afraid and

4) The main thing I was happiest with on this still was the lighting. I liked the way that the bright lighting was all situated on the side of Ben's face. This could denote that Ben is the innocent, pure character in the film. The dark black lighting around Ben, covers Kush's face. This creates a sense of ambiguity to who Kush actually is, creating enigma.

5) If I were to repeat this activity, I would change the framing of the still. I think it would look cleaner and more professional if the top line of the mirror was straight and the still wasn't taken at a slight angle. To ensure this, I will make sure the camera is positioned properly on the tripod. I think it would also look effective if special effects makeup were used. This would really link well with the horror genre.