This document analyzes and summarizes the techniques used in a film extract to represent social groups and create atmosphere. It discusses the use of close-ups, movement, music, lighting contrasts between indoor and outdoor scenes, and montage sequences to disorient the audience. Stereotypical horror film tropes like a young blonde female victim lost in the woods are also employed. The analysis highlights how techniques like fast-paced camerawork, loud music, confusing shots and flashing images put the audience on edge and build tension throughout the extract.

1. 2. How does your media product
represent particular social groups?

2. The extract begins with a midshot, the image is
unclear. The frame shows people very close up
and some a lot further back giving the
impression of a crowd. The two people in the
foreground distort the frame by standing in the
way of the whole picture making it unclear.

3. The credits come on in white which stand out
because it contrasts to the darker colours
displayed in the background. The credits blink
on the screen making it a bit harder to read
and add to the disorientation for the audience.
The blinking of the credits is a running theme
throughout the clip because later on it is used
to flash a scary image.

4. The frame cuts to the same people from a
different angle and immediately zooms out; this
is because the camera is never still for very long
as it is fast paced which is a classic convention of
a horror film, because it puts the audience on
edge. The angle of the camera shows the
bouncer’s point of view, giving the audience a
wider view of what is going on. This makes the
audience more aware of what is going on.

5. There is non-diegetic music playing in the
background; it is clubby sounding music with
a strong base beat. This is done to add to the
‘club’ atmosphere. A sound bridge is used to
cut from this scene to the next to make the
link between the two scenes clear to the
audience.

6. The volume of the music dramatically
increases as the scene changes from outside
the club to inside, there is also a dramatic
contrast in what is happening on screen as it
becomes a lot busier and a lot of close-ups
are used which adds to the confusion.

7. This next scene uses a continuous tracking shot
which is contrasted to the faster pace of the
previous scene. This shot is used to create the effect
of someone wandering around the party with a
camera. This is appropriately used here, because
pictures are often taken at parties. The use of close-
ups and lots of movement creates the atmosphere
in the club. Freeze frames are used to split up the
continuous tracking shot which allows credits to be
added, with, again, white writing being used to add
continuity.

8. This shot cuts to a midshot of a boy clearly out by
some bins outside. Bins are used because that is
usually where you would find someone passed out
outside a club. There is a contrast in dark inside the
club and light outside, the contrast prepares the
audience for a change in tone and mood. This then
cuts to a close up of a bottle of vodka in his hand
highlighting to the audience that he is passed out
because of the drink.

9. This cuts to a series of montaged shots that
have been overlayed to make it disorientating
to watch. The confusion is made evident here
by using shots from earlier and new shots but
confusion is also made clear through the
main character being lost and looking for
something.

10. The main character is a blonde young girl; this
is a prevalent stereotype for the victim in a
horror film. She is also lost and isolated in the
wood, a strong convention of horror films.
Throughout the montage is a blinking image
or a scary clown painted face which further
adds to the confusion.

11. To add to the tension that is created by the
confusing shots, scary eerie non-diegetic music
starts in the background. It crescendos until
the title of the film ‘Masked’ appears, written
in bold white writing on the screen. Then the
music comes to a sudden mute which is very
effective in building tension in the audience.