The document discusses camera techniques used in horror film trailers. It notes that close-ups of victims showing fear and villains are often used, especially for jump scares. Wide establishing shots set the scene before evil occurs. Camera height and angle are used to convey power dynamics, with low angles making villains look powerful and high angles making victims look vulnerable. Camera movement can make scenes scarier by bringing the audience closer to the action. The document concludes by outlining specific shots the author will use in their own horror film trailer, including close-ups, high and low angles, and point-of-view shots, to convey fear, domination/control, and the idea that someone is stalking the victims.

1. IdeasFor Use Of Camera
During the course of producing the coursework i have watched many horror film
trailers, and it is evident that the same range of camera shotsare used with every
trailer.
For example extreme close ups of the victim and the villain are often used. Close ups of
the victim are used to show fear as their face fills the screen and the audience are
forced to notice their horrified facial expressions. Close ups/extreme close ups of the
villain are used for jump scares, often the villain will be wearing a scary mask, so
suddenly cutting to a close up of this mask can shock and scare the audience. There are
also always some wide angle establishing shotsto set the equilibrium, this enables the
audience to see what the setting was like before the evil behavior started totake place.
The height of the camera and the way in which it is looking at a character can change
the audience's perception of them. For example high and low angle shots are used to
create a representation of power/ authority among the characters. Often when the
villain is about to kill a victim a low angle shot is use to look up at the villain, this makes
them look powerful as they are towering over the camera. A high angle shotis used to
look down upon the victim when they are about to be killed, this portrays how
vulnerable they are and that they are being totally dominated by the controlling and
powerful villain. The camera movement can make a scene more scary, as it can quickly
bring the audience closer to the action sothey feel as if they're in the thick of it. Point
of View shots are also sometimes used so we can see what the character is seeing
through their eyes. Some examples of common camera movement that we may use
within our trailer are pan, tilt, tracker, handheld, zoom and PoV.
In our trailer we will be including close up shots of the victims faces as they're about to
be killed togive the audience and understanding of the fear the character is going
through. We will also use a close up of our villain (the butcher) for a jump scare.
Conventionally we will use a high angle shotto look down a our victim before they die
to signify their hopelessness. Similarly we will oppose this with a low angle shotlooking
up at the butcher, just before any killings to suggest the domination and control he
withholds at this moments in time. We will include shots of our victims (the teens)
throw a car window from the opposite side of the street as a point of view shotafter
filming over the butcher should to suggest the butcher is watching them. We will
include hand held shot from behind the teens as they walk home from school to reflect
the ie that someone is following them. Inthe same scene we will have a shot where the
camera is placed in the bushes, looking out at the path and tracking the teens as they
will past, this will be followed by a shotof the butcher in the bushes so the audience are
aware that it was a point of view shot and the butcher is watching them without the
victim's knowing.