Formatting/order of credits researching!

 Researching specifics on formatting/order of credits!

Most movie credit sequences follow a strict order such as this one:

1. Studio/producer companies logos are shown

-Often changed in psychological thrillers/horrors (distorted sound, slow graphics, silence)

2. Main production credit introduced
-"A "Production Company" Production"

3. Film Title Placement 

- This is super important in horror, most times it is delayed or random

4. Most known cast introduced

-Usually the most famous actors appears first. Most times goes like "Starring" or "With" 

5. Less known cast introduced

-Often minimized or belittled

6. Key roles (creators)

-Casting director

-Music composer

-Editor producer 

-Director of photography

7. Writer(s) presented

- "Written by" or "Screenplay by"

8. Director introduced

Almost always shown last: "Directed by (director)"

For example, a film that follows these guidelines would be the movie "Se7evn" a 1995 movie directed David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker.

Three Credit Sequences from Psychological thriller films!

 Three Credit Sequences from Psychological thriller films!

Don't Worry Darling (2022)

-In this credit sequence, they show very dystopian images such as identical houses in a roundabout. It starts with a clip of a car pulling into the driveway with very dark exposure and lighting. While this clip is occurring, this very elegant and pretty font  (cursive) appears on the screen but glitches, indicating that even though it may be pretty there must be something wrong. The fonts change into a more formal and straight font while they go through the credits but the videos in the background are glitching and moving around. What I noticed a lot of though, is the amount of unison in the video; the same houses, a dance routine where girls are in a circle and dancing perfectly aligned, and more. Throughout the sequence, we see everything and all the clips follow like a rustic type of vintage color scheme to tell the audience what timeline they're setting. The vibe becomes creepy when they show split screens of disturbing images such as half of the screen pouring wine into a glass cup and the other half being microscopic red cells expanding. During the entirety of the credit sequence, a really creepy song plays in the background, making the entirety of the scene more disturbing.

The Silence of The Lambs (1991)

-In this credit sequence, the scene begins in a dark and eerie forest. The background music is a subtle yet dark classical song. The scene shows a woman running frantically up a mountain using a rope to help herself up. It seems as if she's running away from something until she starts climbing nets for exercise. She jumps over logs to do exercise and continues running until she's stopped by a patrol officer and is told to meet somebody in their office. It seems as if she's in some sort of program or bootcamp. During the credit scene, a casual and outlined all upper cased font is displayed, showing casualty. We are later shown that she is in an FBI program. The scene ends where the girl is waiting in an office but looking into the distance, leaving us viewers with a mystery.

The Black Swan (2010)

-In this credit sequence, every graphic is shown in black and white only. The background music is a dramatic and orchestral ballet type of song. The font is a very basic yet classy font that looks like the infamous "Times New Roman" font. We can only infer from this scene that it is about swans or birds as a paper swan floats across the screen and as black feathers fall from above. The title appears in a bright white kind of radiating font, it appears dramatically against realistic black feathers instead of the graphic and animated ones from before. As the title approaches, the music gets stronger and louder and builds up to momentum, but once the title is revealed, the music simmers down into a more calm version of the intense orchestral from the start.

Three Psychological Thriller Film Openings!

 Jan 28, 2026

Three Psychological Thriller Film Openings!

-For my 3 film openings, I chose some of my favorite movies: Split, Us, and Midsommar. all these movies follow the theme of suspense and fear while maintaining a mystery. 

Split (2016)

-Split is a psychological horror-thriller written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. In the film, actor James McAvoy plays Kevin, a man with 23 distinct personalities who kidnaps three teenage girls. Kevin suffered from dissociative identity disorder (DID) and kidnaps Casey and her friends. While captured, the girls interact with Kevin's varying personalities in attempts to escape. In the opening scene, the camera focuses on the quiet girl while the others laugh in the background, showing that she is isolated and more observant than her friends. The scene shifts to the girl on the phone while two of her "friends" talk about her troublesome behaviors in school. The friends hadn't left yet because they were waiting on her to find a ride home. Ultimately, she got offered a ride home by one of the friends dad. As they walk to the car, he stays behind to load gifts into the trunk while the girls get inside. Inside the car, the two girls in the back seat are giggling and talking, while the quiet girl sits silently in the front seat. As she puts on her seatbelt, she hears a thud and notices something strange in the rearview mirror; the boxes of food were on the floor. Suddenly, a man hops into the drivers seat. This man is infact NOT the "friends" dad. He begins spraying the two girls who were giggling in the back with a chemical that'll knock them out to sleep and thinks he does't need to do the same with the girl in the front. Until, she attempts to boldly open the door when it made a loud noise. The man and the girl locked eyes and he sprayed her aswell, leaving us readers in a suspenseful spot.

Us (2019)

The movie Us is based on a 1986 childhood trauma where a little girl named Adelaide wanders off into a Santa Cruz beach funhouse while at the fair with her family, where she encounters her doppelganger, Red, who chokes her and swaps places with her for a better life. The movie follows a family whose vacation turns scary and violent when they are confronted by people who look exactly like them. The intro starts at a crowded fair where a little girl is with her parents, holding a candied apple while her dad wins her a T-shirt. As her parents argue about whether the shirt will give her nightmares, the girl quietly looks around and their voices become muffled, showing how disconnected she feels. She watches attently while her dad plays Whack-A-Mole and her mom goes to the bathroom, even though her dad is supposed to be watching her. After hearing thunder from the beach, she wanders off alone into the dark and finds a funhouse. Inside, everything feels confusing and creepy with strange reflections and voices. When the lights go out and only exit signs are reflected, she whistles a singy songy type of whistle and hears it copied back, when she realizes she is standing face to face with another girl who looks exactly like her.

Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar is a psychological horror film written and directed by Ari Aster and was released in 2019. The movie starts in a way that feels calm but also a little eerie before anything scary actually happens. The opening shows a detailed painting with one half full of bright sun and life, and the other half showing a skull, which already suggests the movie will be about life and death. While the painting is shown, classical music plays in the back, making the scene feel beautiful and unsettling at the same time. Then, the scene cuts to a snowy forest where a girl sings a slow, sad song while the forest keeps getting darker, which makes you feel like something scary or ominous is coming. It suddenly  and abruptly switches to a view from way above of a quiet town at night with the irritating sound of a phone ringing. When the voicemail starts, we go through a house at night, seeing things like family photos, clocks, and furniture, which makes the setting feel personal and real. The voicemail itself is from someone checking in with her parents because she got a scary email, which creates a sense of worry and unease before the main story even begins. This intro builds tension through mood and detail instead of jump scares, create a sense that things may be beautiful on the surface but could also be hiding something unsettling underneath.

Portfolio Project Schedule!

 Portfolio Project Schedule!

Jan 27, 2026

Establishing a timeline

-In this class, it is so crucially important to have a schedule or some sort of an idea to have when it comes to projects and assignments. In this case, our Cambridge Portfolio Project most definitely requires a schedule to stay on task and complete all tasks on time. We are starting this project January 16 of 2026 and ending on March 17 of 2026, ultimately giving me 2 months to perfect and complete my portfolio.

Quick Breakdown

-When it comes to research, it's beneficial to watch other film introductions that also align to my genre

-To plan, I must come up with a unique story plot idea for my theme "Psychological Thriller". I need to make a script, find my actor(s), create my storyboard, and find a set location to film. 

-Once I figure out all the components listed above, I will be able to connect all the editing and sound techniques I have gathered in this class and put them to use. 

Actual Timeline

Week 1 (1/16-1/23)

-Choose a genre

-Begin research for genre

-Create script 

- Find music 

Week 2 (1/26-2/1)

- Finalize script and plot idea 

-Create storyboard

- Find actors/locations

Week 3 (2/2-2/8)

-Find props 

-Start filming

-Record foley sounds and voice overs if necessary

- Record bts for CCR

Week 4 (2/9-2/15)

-Finalize filming if necessary and not completed

- Put all clips together into editing platform (including foley sounds and VO)

-Start editing and adding necessary effects 

- Record bts for CCR

Week 5 (2/16-2/22)

-Editing 

-Revising edits made earlier 

-Trying various editing techniques and leaving the best one to come out on top

- Record bts for CCR

Week 6 (2/23-3/1)

-Compare all the "various editing techniques" and choose the best one

-Finalize editing

-Revisions

- Record bts for CCR

- BEGIN CCR

Week 7 (3/2-3/8)

- BEGIN CCR

-To begin CCR, must research and gather information to add to reflections

-Edit and review CCR 

Week 8 (3/9-3/17)

-Finalize CCR 

-Revise entire project

-Use this week as a "just in case!" - delays may occur

-Turn in beforehand (March 14-15) , incase of any issues

DUE March 17

Transition into Cambridge Portfolio Project Blog Post !!

Transition into Cambridge Portfolio Project!

January 26, 2026.

Hello, and welcome to the start of my Portfolio Project for Cambridge! From now on, my blog will consist of the entirety of my project and my progress! Any blogs I have made leading up to now have helped build my knowledge for media context and analyzing. In all honesty, starting this project is terrifying as things are really starting to get serious, but I am over the moon excited to start filming and bringing my ideas to life. For a little guide/checklist, my teacher provided us with notes to help us kick off our blogs: 

As I start documenting my process, the directions for the project must be clear; my film opening should reach to 2 minutes and nothing less. When developing a genre, which has bene tough, I chose to do Psychological Thriller. Without saying too much and spoiling it, I am extremely excited to share my ideas and how I plan on executing them. As a student who has expanded her passion for Journalism over the past 4 years, working with a camera isn't anything new to me. I'm glad I'll be able to express my passion through recording and filming the whole thing. 

With all the knowledge I have collected over the pat few months in this course, I have learned the key factors that play into sound and editing techniques, and I plan on using my knowledge on this project. It gets me excited to think about how these techniques will contribute to my film opening and how they'll all blend in together. Overall, I am pretty excited to execute this project and I know I will work on it and finalize it to the best of my abilities. I hope this project flourishes and comes to life in the way I see it in my head, and I will try my hardest to make that happen. 

Portfolio Project Genre #2

 January 21st, 2026

As my second option for my portfolio project I chose Contemporary Romance.

-Contemporary romance focuses on love stories that take place in modern, realistic settings. These films usually explore relationships between people dealing with everyday life, such as school, work, friendships, and family. Instead of dramatic fantasy elements, contemporary romance shows love in a way that feels relatable and emotional, focusing on personal growth, connection, and real-life challenges.

Target Audience

-The typical target audience for contemporary romance is teenagers and young adults. This genre is especially popular with people who enjoy emotional stories about relationships, self-discovery, and growing up. Many viewers connect to these films because they reflect experiences they may be going through themselves, like first love, heartbreak, or trying to balance relationships with personal goals.

Genre Convention with content 

-Contemporary romance films usually focus on a central romantic relationship. The story often follows two characters who meet, grow closer, face obstacles, and either end up together or learn something important about themselves. Common themes include love, heartbreak, communication, and identity. Conflict often comes from misunderstandings, outside pressures, or personal insecurities rather than dramatic villains. These stories tend to feel realistic and emotionally driven.

Genre Conventions with techniques 

-The techniques used in contemporary romance help highlight emotions and relationships. Cinematography often uses warm lighting, soft colors, and close-up shots to show intimacy between characters. Music is also very important and is often used to emphasize emotional moments or montages. The pacing is usually steady, allowing time for characters to develop and for the audience to become invested in their relationship.

Institutional Conventions- Narrative, Image, and Marketing 

-Contemporary romance films are usually marketed in a way that emphasizes emotion and relatability. Movie posters and trailers often feature the main couple, romantic imagery, and emotional taglines. The narrative usually focuses on character development and emotional arcs rather than action. Marketing often targets younger audiences through social media, streaming platforms, and soundtracks that are popular with teens and young adults.

2 Films That Represent the Genre 

-Two films that strongly represent the contemporary romance genre are To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and La La Land. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before shows a modern teenage romance, focusing on first love, relationships, and personal growth in a realistic high school setting. La La Land explores love between two adults chasing their dreams, showing how relationships can change as people grow. Both films represent contemporary romance by focusing on emotional connections and realistic life situations.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

La La Land (2016)

Portfolio Project Genre #1

 January 21st, 2026. 

As my first option for my portfolio project I chose Psychological Horror.

-Psychological horror is a genre that focuses more on the mind and emotions rather than just scary visuals or jump scares. Instead of monsters or lots of violence, these films create fear by showing a character’s mental struggles, fears, and inner thoughts. The horror usually comes from confusion, paranoia, or not knowing what is real, which makes the audience feel uneasy and uncomfortable throughout the film.

Target Audience

-The target audience for psychological horror is usually older teenagers and adults. This genre is meant for people who like thinking deeply about a story and paying attention to details instead of just being scared for a moment. Since psychological horror often deals with serious topics like mental health, trauma, and fear, it is more appealing to viewers who can understand complex emotions and situations.

Genre Conventions with content

-Psychological horror films usually focus on one main character who is struggling mentally or emotionally. The story often shows the character slowly losing control or questioning reality. Common themes include fear, isolation, guilt, and obsession. Instead of a clear villain, the main conflict is often inside the character’s mind. These movies also tend to leave the audience with unanswered questions, which makes the story more unsettling and memorable.

Genre Conventions with techniques

-The techniques used in psychological horror play a big role in making the film feel disturbing. Cinematography often uses dark lighting, close-up shots, and uncomfortable camera angles to make the audience feel trapped or anxious. Sound is also very important, with long silences, quiet background noises, or unsettling music that builds tension. The pacing is usually slow, which allows suspense to build over time instead of relying on sudden scares.

Institutional Conventions - Narrative, Image, and Marketing

-Psychological horror films are usually marketed as more serious or artistic compared to other horror genres. Movie posters and trailers often use simple imagery and don’t reveal much about the story. This makes the audience curious and adds to the mystery. The narratives are usually character-focused, showing emotional struggles rather than action. Marketing often highlights strong performances, symbolism, and critical reviews to show that the film is more than just a typical horror movie.

2 Films That Represent the Genre

-Two films that strongly represent the psychological horror genre are Hereditary and Black Swan. Hereditary focuses on grief and family trauma, using slow pacing and disturbing moments to make the audience feel tense and uncomfortable. The fear comes from emotional pain rather than constant jump scares. Black Swan shows how obsession and pressure can affect someone’s mental state, using visuals and sound to show the main character’s breakdown. Both films clearly show how psychological horror relies on the mind and emotions to create fear.

Hereditary (2018)

                                                          

Black Swan (2010)