This document discusses research into effective camera angles for horror trailers. It analyzes angles used in the trailers for films like Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Wide establishing shots are used to set the location and context. Medium shots of characters introduce them and show relationships. High angles suggest vulnerability while low angles make a location seem eerie. Shots like over-the-shoulder POV shots draw the audience in. Mysterious close-ups of objects pique curiosity. The document concludes with recommendations for camera angles to use in a horror trailer based on this research.

1. RESEARCH: CAMERA ANGLES
Arfa Shah
K1109528
Digital Media Foundations

2. Why Research Camera Angles?
• I decided to research the use of camera angles
within horror trailers in order to best
understand what kind of camera angles to use
during filming and to also understand which
shots to include in the trailer.

3. SINISTER
Medium close up shot of the killer without
revealing too much of his face. The shot
itself is quite blurry which conforms to
Barthes's enigma code which is that all
media texts contain a mystery which draws
the audience in.
Wide medium shot establishes the location
of the story and trailer. The establishing
shot is important as it allows the audience
to establish a connection with the story and
a sense of familiarity. By knowing the
location of the story, it is almost as if the
audience are right there; they are
transported to the world portrayed
onscreen.

4. Over the shoulder shots – establishes the
point of view of the character.
Medium close ups of objects of interests-
allows the audience to see inside the world
of the character and makes the audience
feel as if they are directly involved in the
story.

5. Medium close up of the mysterious
symbol- adds to the enigma code and
adds to the audiences curiosity.
Medium shot of the main character- helps
to establish the character’s relationship to
the location and to the story. For example,
in this shot the audience can tell that
character has recently moved in due to
the empty room and boxes in the
background and that the character is
looking for a fresh start by moving to a
new location.

6. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
High angle shot of location/ wide establishing
shot: The high angle shot of the location
suggests that the setting of the story will be
a dark one as a high angle shot usually
suggests vulnerability .
Medium close up of the main character’s
face to introduce the character to the
audience and to let the audience know
who the story is based around.

7. Medium close up of the other main
character which is used to introduce
all main characters to the audience.
Medium point of view shot is used to
establish the character’s mindset. In
this shot, it appears the main
character is seeing visions of demonic
activity which suggests that she is
disturbed and not in the right mind.

8. INSIDIOUS
Medium shot of one of the main
character’s is the opening shot of the
trailer which is unusual for a trailer
because the physical location is
usually the first shot.
Low angle establishing shot of the
location comes second in the trailer.
The shot itself suggests that the
house will play a huge part in the
story as it is presented in an eerie
and disturbing way.

9. Medium shot of the family in their home-
suggests equilibrium within the story, the
calm before the storm and it also includes all
the main characters within the story.
Medium close up of the main character and
a demon unveils more about the story and
also adds tension to the horror trailer itself.
Also, the fact that the shot consists of the
demon hiding behind the main character
suggests that the supernatural entity within
the trailer is unseen and the plot of the
story is to discover how to capture it.

10. Ideas For Our Trailer
• Include an establishing shot to set the story.
• Medium shot of the main character and some
friends to establish equilibrium within the story
(Todorov’s narrative theory)
• Medium shot of the main plot point- the curse.
• Medium shot of the killer which is unclear- adds
to the mystery of the story and conforms to
Barthes’s enigma code.
• Medium shot of the other main character
(perhaps the demonologist, Sofia)
• Close up of objects of interest the audience and
make the audience question the relevance of the
object.