A level Media research task

1. Horror genre research

2. Subgenres of
Horror
Slasher
Torture porn
Psychological – the
one we have chosen
Action
Body
Comedy
Gothic
Sci-fi Zombie

3. Camera work and editing
It is important that the camera shots and movement is varied in order to achieve a range of effects. Increasingly in recent
years, cameras ‘set up by the characters’ has become more popular: we see this in films such as Paranormal Activity and Blair
Witch. This gives the more realistic effect; the shakiness of the camera when It is handheld makes it difficult to know what
might happen next, adding to the terror. Other camera shots such as P.O.V’s and close ups are used frequently in horror films,
this could be to put the audience in the characters position and also to see their emotions and facial expressions.
Editing can change a way a scene is interpreted by the audience, from watching other horror films, the way non-digetic sound
is added to a shot; the pace of the editing and also continuity. For example, adding synchronous music to a shot conventional
to a romance film adds to the warm feel of the film. Whereas, adding the same music to a shot within a horror film makes it
become asynchronous sound, therefore, it gives more of a sinister feel and can confuse the audience, giving a different effect
than it did in the romance film. Along with the pace of the editing, we usually see faced paced editing with short takes and
cuts to different shots such as shot-reverse-shots and cause and effect shots, this is used to add tension and make the
audience feel unsettled.

4. Mise-en-scene
For costumes and make-up, we see a lot of the time that the villain is wearing a mask or disguise, this can hide what they
really look like and make them seem paranormal and mysterious to the audience, making it scarier and more unknown.
Props are used a lot in horror films, mostly weapons, such as the traditional knives. Guns are not frequently used as
audiences don’t like deaths to be quick because it does not feel as disturbing as knives etc. which is, essentially, the aim of
the horror genre. Other props to do with spiritual things e.g. crosses are usually associated with demon/possession films.
Positioning of characters in a film is highly important as it shows who/what is the main subject of the shot, as if they are
centred in the shot they are what the audience should give their attention to. Body language can indicate what character
they play in the film (Propps theory) for example, the villain could have very open body language showing confidence and
power over the victim, however, who would usually have close body language portraying vulnerability.
Locations used in horror films are in places like suburban areas, graveyards, woods, abandoned areas. These isolated settings
are used to give the loneliness fell and that there is no one around to help. The lighting in shots are mostly low key and dim
to create shadows and make the atmosphere more frightening. Filler lights are used to slightly light up the darker areas,
which can sometimes be where someone/something will pop up and scare the audience. In films such as paranormal activity,
when the lighting is high key (day time) nothing happens, only when the lighting is low key and dark does something
sinister/demonic happen, this could be because the victims are even more defenceless at night, making the scene more
tense.

5. Iconography & Ideology
Iconography
There are many conventions that allow audiences to identify a film from the horror genre. Throughout horror films, they
usually have some sort of colour scheme within their shots and titles like red and black to connote danger, death and
blood. Other things like low key lighting and shadows also can relate to the horror genre.Often isolated areas and suburban
houses illustrates a horror film due to the secluded areas etc. Finally, often in films like Insidious, priests and Christians are
used to fight against demons. Therefore seeing churches in openings of films can indicate the horror genre of the film.
Ideology
These are the messages that the producers are trying to portray, along with how they are interpreted by the audience.
Stereotypes within the horror genre I have noticed that the victim is usually female or a child, this is because they are
stereotyped as weak and should be protected by a male. The ideology is create within a horror film that
religion/Christianity can save someone’s life, due to the fact that things like exorcism are performed and priests and
crosses are used against demonic creatures.

6. Narrative Structure
All horror films use Propps theory of the narrative. We see the character types like the villain, the hero and the victim. In
recent films we see the villain prevailing and defeating the hero, this can shock the audience and therefore, make a better
film because it makes the audience feel emotion. Horror films usually follow a non-linear structure with multiple strands of:
fighting the evil; relationship problems; family issues, which intertwine throughout the film. Other aspects of the non-linear
structure that are used in horror films are flashbacks to times that have influences on the film. For example, flashbacks to the
family in the house before them and showing that the same thing is happening to the current family.
Todorov’s theory can also be referenced as we see in the film the ‘set up’ of the characters and how their lives are. Followed
by the ‘disruption’, which is usually the supernatural/paranormal thing creating many unpleasant events along the narrative.
Finally, we see the ‘resolution’ which could be evil being defeated which is seen in Insidious or maybe, even, the hero being
defeated.
Binary opposites
Binary opposites are always used within horror films to show the difference between two characters, usually, the hero and
the villain. Audiences can spot these straight the way as the features of each character are, essentially, opposite.