1. {
The Descent (2005) Textual
analysis and Micro/technical
Codes and Conventions.
Directed by Neil Marshall
The storylineof the Decent: A mother goes on a hiking trip with 5 of her friends a year after her
daughter and husbands tragic death in a car accident.they venture into a cave and find themselves
trapped with littlesupply's. they soon come to realisethey are not alone which then forces them to come
to terms with what they need to do to survive.
The film is a 18 which means there will be blood gore very strong language and maybe sexual scenes.

2. Through this powerpoint I will be showingyou how The film "the Descent" uses
micro features in the film and also be showing how the commonhorror film would
interpret these into the film, The four Micro elements I will be analysing is Sound,
Mesc-en-scene, Editing, Camera work and explaining what effects each can give on
the audience.
The Technical Micro
elements Codes and
Conventions/ The
Descent textual analysis

3. In most horror films low pitched sound is used to build up intensity which tells you when something bad
is coming up we know this because the music builds up and up getting louder and faster then going
completely silent when something is about to happen (tension and Jolt).
A loud noise happens when the bad guy or commonly known the antagonist pops out. This technique is
used in all sub genres of horror, it also tells the audience that this person/monster/ghost is near by.
To build suspense the film would go completely silent this gives the effect of tension and jolt, because
this builds up the tension when a non-diegetic sound is eventuallymade it is expressed by the silence
before it, often makes the audience jump or go into shock.
The noise of a phone going dead or ringing gives the feel of mysteriousness and often is known of a way
of the ghosts can let the people know they are there. It also works vice verse – When the antagonist is
called by the protagonist, a mysterious voice which hasn't yet been heard the other end of the phone
which is often very low pitched and difficult to understand. This is often used in the Ring and tells the
people once they have seen the tape the unbelievableis now believable.
The Descent uses these techniques commonly throughout the film, the tension and jolt is used when the
antagonist is close by and coming in for another attack. The sound is often silent in this film to give a
more of a realistic effect on the audience.
Sound.

4. Misc-en-scene
The misc-en-scene in a film is everything that appears in a frame and the way it has been arranged such as; Props,Costumes,
Lighting, Make up, Casting, Framing and location.
Props: The props in the descent have a significant effect on the audience one of the main props are torches, which when in the
cave are the only sources of light, alone being props these have a great meaning of loneliness and whenthey are used create quite
a narrow viewing for the viewer for example whenthey are in a vast cave, the torch only allows them to see minimal in the cave
which creates tension on the audience. Also climbing equipment is used to showthey knowwhat they are doing even thoughthey
are a groupof lonely girls they still have past experience of caving.
Location: Many horrorfilms decide to use cold and dark settings in a film to create different effects on the audience as well as this
it gives the feel of reality an example of this in the Descent wouldbe the cabin in the woodsas many people can relate to it as they
might have been there in the past and foundit a creepy experience. The director has made the cabin look a lot more paranormal as
it is wet and the woodis water logged the director has done this to make it look like it desolate (nobodyhas been there for a long
time). There is also an undergroundlocation used in the proportion of the film this tells us they are outof there comfort zone as
they haven't been in that cave before. The location also looks very cramped and sharp which creates suspense as it wouldmake the
audience feel as if they were in danger.
Costume: The Asian women in the Descent is the Character with the most sex appeal and will often lead the groupinto danger the
Descent follows this perfectly to the point where the Women with sex appeal dies first as she is stupid and immoral but it
contradicts this as she is the first to kill in the film. People usually want that character to go first as they are immoral and irritating
to the audience.

5. Slow and fast paced editing: The beginning of the clip is slow as it
establishes the scene it last from 29 seconds. These images are cuts and
the conversation taken place between the family it is calm and also uses
the 180 degree rule to have the conversation between the child and
women. The shots give a safe environment as it is focused on the
family inside of the car. The last shot then introduces a van as you can
see it through the windshield, the pace builds up as well as the tension
with the mother and father of the child in the front of the car. The
conversation cuts 9 times, the scene allows to make it seem as though
that nothing is going to happen apart from when the guy admits the
truth. The editing pace of the crash scene is fast as It all of a sudden
happens within 3 seconds the shots are placed in an order to show the
crash in different aspects and put it in action. The crash is shows to
obviously have two deaths within the car the shots disguise the gory
image but make it clear what has happens this is easy as the audience
can easily fill the gaps. The computer generated imagery part of the
crash scene is focused on the physical crash of the people inside as It is
about to happen the first bit of generated image used is the copper
polls on the van as they are inserted by computer and the effect of them
sliding forward and crashing through the screen is also Computer
generated imagery. Furthermore the rods going through the mans head
and through the seat is also done using Computer generated imagery
with the effect of the blood produced this was done post production.
Lastly the Transaction used in the scene is a fade to black the only fade
in the scene which was used at the end when the crash had played
through. The fade is a zoom out away from the crash showing the scene
had finished.
Editing

6. Handheld: this is used In horror films to make it look like a documentary
this effect gives us the feel of realism like it could actually happen to us. The
Descent uses this in many parts of the film as they are going through the
cave and discovering different parts the most it uses it is when a character is
alone and the music has paused for tension to make the audience feel like
they are they. This film is really good at this as it uses it when the music
builds up and up so we know when something bad is going to happen.
Most horror films will use this when the character is alone and unaware of
his/her surrounding.
Horrors also use Bird eye/high angle these kinds of shots are used in
horrors to make the figure or object that is being looked down on seem
completely powerless and vulnerable. The Descent uses this uses this to
show of the massive cave compared to the size of the characters, it also
emphasises the dangers of where they are and what they have not
discovered yet which could mean there is something lurking in the cave
with them.
Close ups are used in the horror genre to see clearly the reaction of his/her
face. This is the shot the director would use to show emotion of the
characters. They are used in key scenes to capture the detail in a important
scene. The descent uses this often to show the girls in the cave have no idea
and express the terror on there faces, a key scene this is used is when the
Asian girl stabs the other girl in the neck by accident it then follows up with
several reaction shots of each of there faces expressing how something
really shocking has just happened.
Low angle shots are very strong and overpowering in horror films as they
really express how intimidating and scary the villain or creature is. They
usually tie in with close ups as they show the persons reaction to the
terrifying thing above them. This makes you as the audience and the victim
in the film feel insignificant and weak.
Camera work