R5 - Shots used in horror films and how they are effective

Close Ups and Extreme close ups: These shots are used in horror movies in order to show the characters reaction towards something. It allows to the audience to see their facial expressions and lets the audience know their emotions.


High Angles: Used in horror movies to make the subject seem as if it's being looked down on and therefore makes the subject seem a lot more vulnerable and powerless.

Low Angles: Low angles are mostly used to emphasise how intimidating a villain is and how dominant they are. It can also be used to make the audience feel weak and scared. 

Tracking: can also be effective in horror films because it makes out as if the character in the film is being followed or watched. It also allows the audience to see a full view of the scene.

Tilted Angle: give dramatic tension to the scene. Tilt shots can also be used in a way to make the audience feel as if they just got knocked down

Extreme Long Shots: can be used to present the setting of a horror film. It allows the audience to see how deserted or isolated a place is.

Handheld camera shot: This is mostly used in horror films because it gives a sense of reality and also makes the audience feel like they're a part of the scene, it makes them feel like they are there in that moment and time. An example of this being used a film would be in The Ouija Experiment

My initial ideas for a horror film

My initial idea for a horror film would be a psychological theme combined with a paranormal theme. I would like the scenes to be located in an abandoned and scary building or room.

 I would like the horror film to include a character who is very popular and she meets a girl that is unpopular in a store room and she's never been seen or heard of her in school, she decides to become friends with the unpopular girl and she decides to introduce her new friend to her friends but every time she does the unpopular girl disappears and the popular girl's friends think she is going mad. Eventually we find out that the unpopular girl is a psycho and turns out to be the villain.

R3 - Genre Theory: The Horror Film

Horror films are seen to bring to mind our worse buried fears. As well as that it seems to captivate and entertain us at the same time. Horror films are based around the gloomier side of life. Lawrence Grossberg came up with three theories that can be used to discuss the relationship between genres. One theory states that genres have a common set of conventions. This includes that horror films usually have a ‘somber, low-key lighting’ and that most of the terrible scenes take place at night time. A key convention that is common is the ‘sustained use of the point-of-view shots’. Also another important convention that is commonly carried out is the’ strategic use of sound’. This convention helps to build up fear when a certain part is building up to a frightening scene, so it prepares the audience.

THE HORROR GENRE

Horror films are seen to have become more popular than before as it is now that horror films are shown on TV more regularly and bookshops contain more horror based novels. Also there are more horror based series viewed on TV especially by teenagers.

CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Codes and conventions allow the audience to identify the genre. The idea of genre is very beneficial for media producers as they allow producers to ‘adopt and adapt’ formulas that can help them become successful and popular with the audience.

Iconography is an important convention as it shows how horror films have changed over time.

R2 - Conventions of Horror films

"If movies are the dreams of the mass culture... horror movies are the nightmares" - Stephen King -

R1 - Sub-genres of Horror