This document provides a detailed summary and analysis of shots from a horror film about strange children with supernatural abilities. It analyzes various shots that show escalating tension between the children and a janitor who threatens them. Through shot reverse shots and close ups, the children are shown using their powers to take control of the situation and force the janitor to climb a ladder and fall to his death on a brush. While the janitor initially sees himself as in control, the shots convey that the children have been manipulating events and see the janitor as a threat to eliminate through their supernatural abilities.

1. Horror Film Analysis
by Lauren Hodge

2. Shot Reverse Shot The children are reading quietly
between the janitor and and the silence is broken by the
the children. janitor slamming the door open.
His position is
working near kids The lighting is
as he is natural, along with the
employed by the lights of the class
school. While he room.
is not in a The janitor is wearing
position of power a typical orange jump
he is still has a suit one that also has
certain amount of connotation of
control over the prisoners. The children
children making are dressed all in
him more white that matches
scary/dangerous. their hair.
This particular shot shows the emotion on When the janitor speaks his
the mans face as well as the children's. The voice is gruff and sounds
man is angry at them, the children curious slightly drunk, he becomes
but not at all scared. more hysterical as the shot
continues.

3. The shot shows the
This shot is a
janitors facial and
medium shot and
partial body
shows the janitor
expressions. He’s
becoming more
loosing himself to his
violent towards
emotions and his
the children
actions reflect
jabbing his
that, he’s coming
wooden brush at
closer to bodily harm.
the children and
He looks crazed.
threatening them.
The janitor threatens the children saying ‘I got a gun too’ he thinks the children are
abnormal and are ‘wrong’. He talks about someone climbing on to the roof and
‘picking of you little bastards.’ However the children are completely unaffected and just
stare at him, this clues the audience in that there is something different and perhaps
unnatural about the children due to the fact there is no response from them. The
stereotypical children would be afraid.

4. This shot is a close up and The mans haggard looks
shows the janitor striking makes the man seem more
the boy with the brush. The dangerous, but he is
seems to hate the children unaware of how dire the
due to the fact they were consequences will be.
‘conceived’ during the
‘Blackout’.
After he hits the boy
the music becomes
The only sound low and tense, this
really heard is the represents how much
mans demented of a dangerous
ramblings. situation that the
janitor is in. It’s only
now that he becomes
aware of how much a
threat they are.
This shot starts of with the janitor thinking he’s in control of the
situation, he’s an adult and has a weapon. He’s physically bigger
so could control them that way. He’s abusing the authority that his
position in the school gives him.

5. What makes this
This high angle shows the shot even more
children's dominance over janitor. scary is that the
This subverts stereotypes as even children react
though he’s an adult the children simultaneously. After
have more control. the boy was struck
they all stood up.
I think the fact They show a untied
that the children front, almost as if you
are so alike in hurt one you hurt the
looks and rest of them.
clothes makes
the film more
scary as it
shows how
different and
separate from
the other town
members they
are. One of the boys David hesitates slightly before
standing, he is the only unpaired out of the children
and the most human like. The other children notice
this later on and say that his developing of human
emotions is regrettable.

6. This close up shows the ‘leader’ of A shot reverse shot is
the children using his powers used between the
along with the rest of the others in janitor and the boy
the background. This shows us showing the boy using
again how unlike the rest of the his powers and the
town and even humanity they are. man falling under his
control, though the fist
few seconds are of the
The janitor is
janitor’s face in shock.
finally realising
that he was never
in control of the
situation the
children were
looking for an
excuse to strike. I You can hear the
think that this sound of the children
situation worked in using their powers as
the children's well as the janitors
favour as if Special effects are used in this small gasp of
anyone says shot to show us the children shock, then his
anything they can using they’re powers. Their breathing. He’s scared
claim self defence. eyes turn bright green and and is starting to regret
there pupils pulse. casing trouble.

7. His facial expressions shows a
This over the shoulder shot
combination of horror, confusion
shows the man backing out
and detachment. He’s horrified
the class under children's
at how different the children
influence.
truly are and what he’s being
made to do. He’s confused as to
how they are controlling him.
And the detachment comes
from the ‘mind control’.
He holds the brush
in front of him For every step
perhaps as some the children
sort of defense, a take forwards
part of his mind he takes one
knows what back.
happening but he’s
trying to protect
himself.
Music that can be described as sci-fi plays in the back ground quiet and
slowly, showing how deadly the children are,

8. The tracking shot is used to follow The children are all paired
the children out of the door. It shows off except David who’s
them advancing on the janitor. partner died at birth, they
automatically gravitate to
their partner.
They are
looking for
The children are very
revenge
alike in their
upon the
movements and
janitor who
mannerisms, they walk
struck their
huddled together in
leader. They
some form of
wish to
misguided protection.
cause him
the same
pain he
caused the
boy, though
Only David looked hesitant at attacking the janitor but
they magnify
follows them because they are ‘the same’ as he later
it.
tells his mother.

9. This long shot shows the
janitor being forced to walk up Sound perspective is
the ladders backwards. used, you can hear the
tap tap tap of him
climbing the ladder
and then when the
camera focuses on the
children you can hear
them using their
powers.
This shot also
looks to be a low
angle showing
how the children
are in control. He’s
subordinate to
them now as they
can make him do One thing that makes this scene more
whatever they scary is the setting a school, a public
want. place anyone can see the children
using their powers but they don't care. It
shows that they have faith in their
powers and don't feel threatened by the
other people.

10. This low angle shows the man being Moments before his fall
forced to impale himself on his brush you can hear drums and
after falling of the roof. the music gets louder
and more
insistent, showing that
this scene is the demise
There is little to of the janitor.
no sound when
the man is
The janitor is found
falling save
by the children's
when he
teacher who is also
smashes in to
Mara's father just
the windscreen
seconds after
of a truck. You
impact, he knows
hear the glass
that the
shatter and a
children, his child
yelp from the
caused this and is
man.
scared of them.
Again special effects are used in this shot to show the children's
eyes turning red simultaneously. The red colour fits them well as
red gives connotations of blood, insinuating his death will be
messy and blood. Red is also the universal sign of danger.