Techniques and ideas used in the horror films I have analysed which I am going to use in my own film

openingClose- up shots –

Horror movies use close- up shots to heighten emotions, show possible importance of objects or people, create an atmosphere and make audience feel closer to increase

fear.

We are going to use many close-up shots in our own film opening. Here are some of the times when we will use close-ups-

• Nyran’s feet whilst walking through forest

• To show dolls body parts in the forest

• Hannah’s body parts in flashbacks

•Dolls face

•Nyran’s face and his reactions

Uses of close-ups in our film opening-

Dark/low level lighting – Low level lighting is very often used in horror films to create a creepy mysterious

atmosphere, as darkness is usually associated with evil. Darkness also makes people feel more vulnerable and threatened as they are unable to see as much and people

fear the unseen and unknown. They also use many shadows.

Use of low level lighting in our film opening-

-We are filming most of our opening in the woods so the shade from the trees will make the lighting fairly low.

- We are also going to use dark lighting in the flashbacks of Hannah, to add a dark and evil atmosphere.

Synchronous sounds – Synchronous sounds are used in horror movies to exaggerate sound and help create an atmosphere . For example, the nightmare on elm street uses synchronous sound

when Freddie is creating his gloves and using a hammer and in woman in black when the girl’s step on the china on the floor and it smashes.

Use of synchronous sounds in our film opening-

Here are a few times when we may possibly use synchronous sound in our film-

•Crunching of leaves when Nyran is walking through the woods

•Nyran’s breathing

•Sweeping leaves off doll

Non-diagetic creepy background music –

Non- diagetic music is probably one of the most important features in a horror film. It is used to create a creepy atmosphere and build suspense and change the mood

and emotion of a scene. Horror movies usually use high pitch sounds or violins as this is sounds like a animals cry for help.

Use of non-diagetic music in our film opening-

We will most likely use non-diagetic throughout the whole of our opening. Here are some types we may use-

•Contasting menacing mixture of high and low piano chords (like in Halloween)

•violins

•Children slowly and creepily singing old rhymes (‘if you come down to the woods today your sure of a big surprise-’)

•Music box sounding (inspired by woman in black)

•High pitch music

•Dramatic low pitch music

Victim is attacked/ killed by villain – At the beginning of every horror movie I have analysed victim’s are either attacked or killed by the villain. This will capture the audiences attention and make engaged

right from the beginning. It also sets some idea to the audience what the film is about and what they should possibly expect from the rest of it.

Victim attacked/killed by villain in our film opening-

•Flashbacks of Hannah show how the last person to own the doll was previously effected.

•Nyran is introduced as the new victim

Introduced to villain in slow mysterious way – In most horror films openings the villain is introduced in a slow mysterious way to add creepy suspense and keep the audience watching. In woman in black we do not see the murder until the victims are already dead and the camera slowly tracks out to show a woman right in the corner. In nightmare on elm street we see a series of close ups of Freddie’s hands and feet before seeing the whole of him. And in Halloween we are introduced to the antagonist by seeing his point of view shots but we do not actually see him until the end of the opening.

Villain introduced slowly and mysteriously in our film opening-

•The doll is revealed very slowly with a few close-ups and mid-shots. First we see the doll’s leg poking out from leaves, then the leaves are swept off the doll

everywhere except her head, then we when Nyran picks it up he is face to face with the doll.

Introduced to villain in slow mysterious way – In most horror films openings the villain is introduced in a slow mysterious way to add creepy suspense and keep the audience watching. In woman in black we do not see the murder until the victims are already dead and the camera slowly tracks out to show a woman right in the corner. In nightmare on elm street we see a series of close ups of Freddie’s hands and feet before seeing the whole of him. And in Halloween we are introduced to the antagonist by seeing his point of view shots but we do not actually see him until the end of the opening.

Villain introduced slowly and mysteriously in our film opening-

•The doll is revealed very slowly with a few close-ups and mid-shots. First we see the doll’s leg poking out from leaves, then the leaves are swept off the doll

everywhere except her head, then we when Nyran picks it up he is face to face with the doll.