This is my presentation about the micro elements/ technical codes & conventions in the horror genre.

1. MICRO ELEMENTS/
TECHNICAL CODES &
CONVENTIONS
A PRESENTATION BY TONI BUCHHOLTZ

2. with the example of
28 DAYS LATER

3. PLOT:
The film plays in a London after the breakdown
of civilisation caused by a very contagious and
dead-bringing virus. The virus spread when apes
who were infected with the virus were released
by a group of environment activists. The disease
is given from one to another by blood, for
example through a bite. 28 days after the
release protagonist Jim wakes up in a totally
empty hospital. He starts to wander around and
discovers that the whole town is empty when he
is found by two survivors Selena and Mark. And
their fight against the mysterious virus begins.

4. SOUND
Sound is used in two different ways diegetic and non-diegetic. Diegetic sound
discribes all the natural sound, meaning sound whose source is visible on the
screen or whose source is implied to be present by the story of the film, for
example voices of characters or noises made by objects in the film. Another
term for it is actual sound. Non-diegetic sound on the other hand is all the sound
originating from music placed above the scene, meaning all the sounds and
tunes that have been edited on the shot. Sound is used to trigger the audiences
fear through a range of different ways. If you want to build up tension a nerve-
racking non-diegetic sound can be placed on top of the shot. If you want to
shock the audience and trigger emotions of horror at the same time you could
combine a nerve-racking non-diegetic sound with a sudden, loud diegetic noise.
Sound is definitely one of the most important Codes & Conventions in the horror
genre.

5. SOUND -28 DAYS LATER-
The absence of diegetic sound in the beginning is the first sign of abandonment
and a presage for the things that are going to happen throughout the film. The
screaming of the apes in combination with non-diegetic sound create a nervous
and tensed scene. The silence in the hospital later on links back to the first
scenes where there is no diegetic sound with the addition of literally no sound
at all which intensifies the feeling of isolation and excommunication from the
beginning. This is followed by a sad non-diegetic music playing when Jim walks
through the empty streets of London which however gets louder and louder and
turns into a more adventurous tune the more he discovers in the city. A loud and
annoying siren from afar disturbs this sequence of discovery and so creates the
effect of an unknown source of sound towards which Jim walks. Throughout the
film this pattern of silence being disturbed by loud noises continues and so
supports the tension of camera work, editing and mise-en-scene.

6. EDITING
Editing gives a horror the final kick. No matter if you do a heavily
montaged peace or a natural one, different editing techniques and
shot types will help create the degree of horror needed for a good
horror film. Different techniques will obviously create different
effects. A while an action match is good for motions and a parallel
edited peace creates the feeling of time running faster. Depending
on which sub-genre of horror your film belongs to different shots
might fit better than to others.

7. EDITING -28 DAYS LATER-
The news footage montage shows the whole size of the crisis and the
mass panic all over the world while the extra bad TV screen creates a
scene of neglect. Fast edited scenes (flashes) in the beginning
support the panic and create a nervous surrounding while the dark
atmosphere in the laboratory and the filter used support the
element of horror. A greenish filter is used to create tension
throughout the whole film and to provoke emotions of isolation and
abandonment.

8. CAMERA WORK
Camera work includes far more than only holding a camera and moving around
with it. It also includes creating different shots from different angles to create for
example the effect of a villain looking more dangerous through a low angle and
a victim looking more vulnerable and weak through a high angle. Furthermore
different shot types like a shot/ reverse shot, for instance, are used if you for
example want to portrait a conversation. Camera work definitely is one of the
most important codes and conventions of the horror genre as, in the end, it is
the one thing that creates the scenery and atmosphere of a film, no matter
which editing techniques you use. In the camera work you see reflected if the
crew worked successfully and with a passion or just for the sake of the industry.

9. CAMERA WORK -28 DAYS LATER-
The hand held camera in the beginning makes it seem very disorientated and
chaotic. Adding to that the area shot of the scene shows the panic and the riots
that are going on. Furthermore several low angle tilts represent that something
bad is going on which leaves the audience with a feeling of uneasiness and
sinister. The low angle of the hospital kind of warns the audience that what they
are going to see inside is going to be scary or shocking. Jim's point of view shot
from the balcony represents the first sign of abandonment as the city is
completely deserted as far as he can see from up there. the short cuts when Jim
starts to clean up the city show his inner panic and represent the sorrow he is
feeling and the fears he has bottled up inside. The shots of the dead people
from for example inside the church represent the horror and the size of the virus
and show how dramatic the situation really is which is supported by slow tilts of
the camera in different locations which show the scale of destruction in a world
metropolis like London.

10. MISE-EN-SCENE
Mise-En-Scene contains many different elements, some of them
being: lighting, make-up, casting, framing, locations, props,
location of characters and costumes. These work together to
create the right atmosphere for the scene and create suspense
and tension in the context of a horror film. Mise-En-Scene
represents everything material that is shown in a film which is
only logical as it is French and means “placing on stage“. In
cinema it is considered to be “placing on screen” while the
director is in charge of the placement and frame working.

11. MISE-EN-SCENE -28 DAYS LATER-
Right after the outbreak of the virus Jim wakes up being naked in a hospital
which shows the relation between him as a human to the infected apes that
were also naked and makes a connection to his vulnerability as a human when
even strong apes get infected. Furthermore his hospital clothes that he puts on
later on and his bare feet represent his weakness at the level of being open to
attack as people brought into hospitals are usually ill and weaker than 'normal'
humans. Adding to that the failure of technology represented in phones show
his isolation from communication. The old shop in which the surviving people
take Jim is also very isolated and dark but that makes it safe and easier to
protect. the fact that the film plays in London, the capital of the united Kingdom
shows how serious the situation is if a city with a population of nearly 9 million
is deserted in only 28 days.