The typical conventions of the horror genre :
It also has diegetic sounds like a screams that evoke the weariness of the audience and non diegetic discordant sounds of with maybe that slowly becomes louder the closer the main character is to the figure which builds the suspense of the overall opening with the helpless and desperate dialogue from the characters which makes us feel bad for the characters being slaughtered. They also use non diegetic contrapuntal music in some scenes to give some foreshadowing to the viewers on what will happen later in the next scene with the ominous music maybe playing with a relatively happy lively scene.
Some of the popular camera angles used are close ups and medium to emphasizing on the characters emotions and gestures like trembling which also make the audience feel the same way as the characters in the movie introduction. They also use extreme close ups of the objects / props used in the films such as a knife, body parts, etc to show that the object is important to the plot (e.g a close up of the main character's eyes opening their eyes wide open which could indicate that something important that happened which would kickstart the movie ). Low angle shot are also used to show how powerful the creatures are compared to the humans / characters and high camera angle for the characters that are about to be slaughtered to show how helpless they are.
Common camera movements such as pull in to the main character so the audience can feel like they are part of the action, pull outs to reveal the creature, making a jumpscare and a cut away at the end so the audience can imagine the horror that happened after. In a scene where the mysterious figure appears, there are usually multiple jump cuts or cuts that only last a less than 5 seconds which quickens the pace of the climactic scene getting the audience excited on the next scene or a character's flashbacks on how he/she ended up in this situation to give the audiences context in the introduction. action. Handheld movement is also used to show how panick the character is when the creature suddenly appears. Tracking when the character tries to run away from the creature and the effect of this is so the audience can become immersed in the action. The conflict of the story usually involve the binary opposite of good vs evil or human vs creature or something inhuman.
Five Nights At Freddy's
Produced by: Blumhouse and Universal Pictures
Distributed by: Universal Pictures (The main distributor)
Genre: Horror /Mystery
They conform to the typical mise en scene with the mostly dark backgrounds and props supported by lowkey lighting that creates a eery atmosphere and a perfect environment for the main creature to hide in. The costumes uses a cold color palette as evidence by the grey security guard costume which blends in with the terrifying environment. The blocking mostly also focuses on the security guard which is typical for a horror movie so the anxiety of the character is also felt by the audience.
In the diegetic sound aspect they also confirmed since they use a scream, gears turning or the thumping sounds of the metal that banged against the characters that becomes louder the closer the main character is to the figure which builds the suspense and adds realism to the overall scene as if it is happening in real life.
They also use multiple close ups to emphasize the characters emotions and medium shots to show the characters body language. Multiple extreme close up to give context about how the plot is going and to add tension to the scene because if the bolt doesn't unscrew the security guard could die. High camera angle for the characters that are about to be slaughtered to show how helpless they are in this situation.
Some of the movements used are dolly when the character tries to run away from the creature and the effect of this is so the audience can become immersed in the action. A pull in to the main character so that indicate to the audience that the creature is very near / they are trapped. They also use a cut away at the end so the audience can imagine the horror that happened after. The conflict also seems to be human vs robot which is similar binary opposite to the conventions of the typical horror movie.
What conventions does it subvert?
For the mise en scene, they didn't include any blood and gore like the typical horror movie only including the red beady eyes which is a semantic code for death in this context. They also don't have non diegetic sounds like instrumental or sounds for the whole introduction. I think this is intentional to amplify the realism of the scene and so the audience can fully enjoy the scene without any distractions. Like steven neele ince said a text must be similar enough to be recognize and really this intro does represent a horror film but diffeent enough like the typical elements that are removed to create an interesting media product.
What are the representations and what technical elements are used to give meaning to the representations?
The character are represented as a blue collar security worker at night as evidence with the cool toned dull grey uniform and the flash light. It usually represent authority and power like in the real world and they are usually shown as confident and brave. However, In this movie the security guard / worker is shown as a scared, cowardly character as he struggles to hold the flashlight as shown in various medium shots of him. This represents the irony of his actions despite the title and the fragility of the authority in front of the mysterious "horror" creature.
Winnie The Pooh Blood and Honey
Produced by: ITN Distribution, Jagged Edge Production
Distributed by: AV Jet International Media (The main distributor)Genre: Horror / Crime
The whole set, props and costumes were mostly monotoned using black, gray and white as one of their main color scheme setting the tone for the overall movie being bleak and harsh. For the makeup they use many red elements that correlate with blood and gore which is a semantic code for death and in the end of the trailer their clothes are covered in dirt, sweat and water which contrast in the beginning when they first looked at the wooden cabin / lodge where their clothes look clean, neat and dry which typical for a horror movie to show how the turn of events eventually had horrible effects on them and the destructive capabilities of the horror creatures.
The set mostly takes place in a naturalistic mise en scene environment which are forest and wooden houses that do exist in real life relating to the real life audience watching the movie as if the actual scenes could happen in real life giving a sense of realism with low key lighting creating a dark, gloomy ambiance implying dangers of the woods when in turns dark. It also align with the fact that each scene mostly takes place at night with a rainy or stormy weather that supports the overall theme and atmosphere. In the scene above where the group of girls encounter the wooden house for the first time, they use green as a semantic code for lushes and safe which totally opposite to what happens after this scene. They use high key lighting and vivid colours to give off this false sense of hope and security to the audience that everything would be fine.
Besides that, they also implement non diegetic discordant music in each scene which also gets louder when the character / creature wreaks havoc. They also use non diegetic contrapuntal music for the scene where the girls first encounter the wooden house for the first time, their diegetic sounds in a form of dialogue where they talk about how "cool" it is while the music has an unsettling / cold feel to it. This is common for most horror movies to connote to the viewers that something bad is going to happen and gives of a slight foreshadowing for the plot ahead. This could evoke a sense of anxiety and fear among the audience as the action goes on as they are helpless in telling the character of the potential dangers the characters might encounter. The diegetic sounds like a screams that also evoke a sense of adrenaline in the audience and the helpless and desperate dialogue from the characters which makes us feel bad for the characters being slaughtered.
Like a typical horror movie opening, they use multiple extreme close up to give context about how the plot is going to go. Close ups and medium shots so the emotions and gestures of these characters are clear to the audience and it also builds suspense leading up to the eventual climax. In addition to that they also use low angle shot to show how powerful the creatures are compared to the humans / characters. They also use establishing shots to introduce the audience to the place where most of the movie takes place in. For a horror movie this is common to show how isolated the characters with little to no signs of human civilisation to help them from the massacre which could spark worry into the viewers watching.
One of the typical camera movements that are used in this scene is tracking when the character tries to run away from the creature and the effect of this is so the audience can become immersed in the action. Handheld is also used to show how panick the character is and give a high energy action sequence spiking the adrenaline of the audiences watching. Pull outs are also very common for horror movie to reveal more information about the scene and what evil plans the characters have in store giving the viewers a sense of dread when they understand the full picture.
For the editing process, they use multiple jump cuts or cuts that only last a less than 5 seconds which quickens the pace of the climactic scene getting the audience excited on the next scene and a character's flashbacks which gives context on what could happen next. Besides that, cut aways at the end so the audience can imagine the horror that happened after the several shots of slaughter. The conflict of the story also involve the binary opposite of humans vs inhuman creature which is a very typical conflict with horror movies in general.
What conventions does it subvert?
The conventions this movie subvert is very minimal but some of them are the mysteriousness of the creatures. A horror movie opening usually hides the creatures until the climax where they will reveal the whole figure. However, here they have revealed the creature way before the climax. The main horror figure revealed also doesn't meet the typical color palette mise en scene of the usual creature in a horror movie with its warm colours of red and yellow.
Unlike most horror movies, the girl protagonist is usually scene as "scared" and "helpless " but this shots shows the same girl with a face of makeup full of blood and gore holding a gun ready to face against the horror creature. Like the theory presented by David Buckingham which states that movies change throughout societal changes, this movie is a great example of that where society back then have women playing a more housekeeper and quote on quote "innocent" and "vulnerable character to know society demanding that women work like men and play a bigger role like this women acting "heroically" and "manly" which is prevalent in today's society.
What are the representations and what technical elements are used to give meaning to the representations?
They represent female and male teenagers or young adults as evidence with their costumes of tank tops and jeans usually popular among those types of people. These people usually represent rebellion and freedom as evidence with their choice to stay at a house in the middle of the dangerous woods without supervision. In the scene with the handheld camera movement it is clear that one of the girls are holding this device and possibly recording which is one of the young adults / teenagers typical habits. The setting mostly takes place in the woods. The woods usually represents adventure and beautiful nature but in this trailer the woods are represented as dangerous and brutal with lowkey lighting and the movie mostly taking place at night where there is no sign of human interventions. The main events in the trailer are the slaughters represented by the murderous spree of the horror monster which creates a sense of anxiety using medium shots of them swinging their axes and the victims in the end of the advert being tied up and diegetic sounds that screams for help which shows the teenager's innocence.
Smaller research: Evil Dead Rise
Year: May 5 2023Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
Demographically, the audience are young American adults and teenagers of all genders, aged 15 - 30, who enjoy the horror genre that involves characters that are related with the supernatural world. They appealed to audiences by using bloody, gory and dirty makeup with dull costumes that blend in with the background with lowkey lighting which is what audiences of a typical horror movie would expect and like. They also use diegetic screams that evoke the weariness of the horror audience and non diegetic discordant sounds which is something horror fans would greatly enjoy. They also use characters that do fictional / supernatural things which would appeal to the fantasy/horror genre enthusiasts using long shots of them floating showing contrast between the otherworldly atmosphere of the character and the bright, grounded background around the character with cuts that last for around 5 seconds which quickens the pace of the case scene getting the audience excited on the next scene.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I would like to use the Mise en scene like casual costumes used to represent teenagers that are in the movie with grey infused colors that blend in with the dark background. I also like the color palette / the filter of the movie that gives it a cool tone and dull look which is something we can implement for our own movie opening.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
Demographically, the primary demographic consists of older teenagers (possibly high school or college ) and adults of all genders, aged 16 - 35. The secondary age demographic would include individuals aged 40 - 55 as the main actress in this movie,Winona Ryder, is famous for her work in the '80s and '90s. Both age demographics are located in urban areas where they can easily access the cinema and other digital devices. Psychographically, the target audience are fans of the mystery, horror and thriller genre as the film has elements of each. They appealed to audiences by revealing that someone from the crew via dialogue or diegetic sounds is missing after staying a vintage cabin which would trigger curiosity and mystery solving skills of the mystery genre enthusiast. In the end of the trailer, there is a close shot of the main character's face with bloody scars on her face which increases the sense of curiosity and what happens next giving a sense of adrenaline for mystery watchers and thriller enthusiast who sees the ever rising tension. The mise en scene of the costumes also consisted with gloomy colors and like previously mentioned the makeup has splashes of blood which is something a horror fan would expect to see. It also uses non diegetic discordant sounds like a sinister laugh, high pitch eerie music which builds up tension that horror fans would enjoy. There is usually multiple cuts that only last a less than 5 seconds which quickens the pace of the climactic scene getting the audience excited on the next scene and jump cuts which quickly cut to the character in a different makeup that indicates something has happen giving the audience room to imagine what would happen which is what mystery fans typically enjoy so they can figure out the plot / mystery of the movie based on the movie opening.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
My team wanted to use the flash forward as the scene seen in the introduction is the climax which will keep the audience interested at the overall movie. The stakes of the movie will be clear also to the audience when we reveal the climax / fun part of the horror film.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
I would like to avoid the use of extra gory and bloody for the make up or on the props or background to open the opportunity for more parents letting their pre teenager (age 10 - 12) to see this movie opening and avoid many supernatural action sequence to not lean too much into the supernatural genre instead of horror even though horror does have some supernatural elements.
Smaller research: Gone In The Night
Year: May 1 2022
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
Demographically, the primary demographic consists of older teenagers (possibly high school or college ) and adults of all genders, aged 16 - 35. The secondary age demographic would include individuals aged 40 - 55 as the main actress in this movie,Winona Ryder, is famous for her work in the '80s and '90s. Both age demographics are located in urban areas where they can easily access the cinema and other digital devices. Psychographically, the target audience are fans of the mystery, horror and thriller genre as the film has elements of each. They appealed to audiences by revealing that someone from the crew via dialogue or diegetic sounds is missing after staying a vintage cabin which would trigger curiosity and mystery solving skills of the mystery genre enthusiast. In the end of the trailer, there is a close shot of the main character's face with bloody scars on her face which increases the sense of curiosity and what happens next giving a sense of adrenaline for mystery watchers and thriller enthusiast who sees the ever rising tension. The mise en scene of the costumes also consisted with gloomy colors and like previously mentioned the makeup has splashes of blood which is something a horror fan would expect to see. It also uses non diegetic discordant sounds like a sinister laugh, high pitch eerie music which builds up tension that horror fans would enjoy. There is usually multiple cuts that only last a less than 5 seconds which quickens the pace of the climactic scene getting the audience excited on the next scene and jump cuts which quickly cut to the character in a different makeup that indicates something has happen giving the audience room to imagine what would happen which is what mystery fans typically enjoy so they can figure out the plot / mystery of the movie based on the movie opening.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I would like to use the plotline / story line since it's about the sudden disappearance of a character which is something we also want to do with the horror genre. I also enjoy the non diegetic sound of the trailer which lingers in the minds of the viewers stirring up suspense and keeping the audience on edge about what's to come. The trailer also uses many hermeneutic codes of the mysterious girl that allegedly kidnaps the main characters boyfriend's which doesn't reveal many explicit information right away but intrigues the audience to watch all the way to uncover the missing pieces of the boyfriend's disappearance and the horror character's qualities.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
I would like to avoid the part of the storyline where the 2 main characters are presented as couples since it lean into romantic genre. Sure it's good for the emotional stake of the movie but I think a group setting in the beginning would appeal more to our target audience (teenagers).
Smaller research: The Night
Year: January 29 2021
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
The target audience are mostly Iranian adults/ young adults of all genders, aged 18 - 35, but it could also appeal to other people like americans as well because some of the dialogue is in english, an international language who are horror enthusiast and also mystery enthusiast as the audiences don't know what is casing / haunting the main characters. They appealed to audiences by using low key lighting consistently and the scenes mostly taking place at night which is what horror fans would like to see to set up the movie's overall atmosphere. They also use a jump cut in the corridor scene as if the boy is teleporting which draws slightly into the supernatural part drawing in horror fans while also creating a sense of confusion and mystery behind the character doing that action for the mystery genre fans.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I would like to use the Mise en scene location that it primarily takes place in which is a an old 24 hour hotel. The low key lighting is also something I enjoy, especially in the corridor scene because it sets up the disturbing factor into the scene and solidifies the horror genre quiet nicely.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
Like the second smaller research, I didn't like the cast of characters chosen especially for the main characters. It is best to have actresses and actors play a less religious role (the headpiece that muslims usually wear) because the actress is already representing a lesser known race that could only fit with a niece iranian - american target audience while my group and I want to reach everyone not only a small unique target audience.
Smaller research: Don't Breathe 2
Year: August 13, 2021
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
The target audience are adults/ young adults of all genders, aged 18 - 35, who are usually a fan of the original don't breathe movie or the don't breathe movie franchise in general. The first timers are usually horror enthusiast and thriller enthusiast as there are various chase / high paced fighting scenes. They appealed to audiences by using multiple cuts and jump cuts that last only a few seconds or even milliseconds when a character appears and attacks out of nowhere which catches the horror and thriller viewers off guard, giving them the adrenaline rush they would appeal to them. The main character in this trailer seems superhuman as his makeup is different with white grey hair yet he has muscles of a 20 year old in low key lighting and a cold colour scheme which would appeal to horror audiences since most horror movies have supernatural elements in them.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I would like to use the editing process of this trailer with multiple jump cuts and or quick cuts because it made scene look more impactful and makes the jumpscare more effective which hooks the audience into seeing more of the movie. I also enjoy the fact that they hardly scenes with blood or gory scenes which could open up the opportunity for teenagers to come watch the movie. We will still use blood but not as much as the typical horror movie just so we can reach our intended audience.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
I would like to avoid the over usage of fight scenes in this trailer since it made the trailer seem more thriller then horror.
Smaller research: Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin
Year: October 29 2021
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
The target audience are adults/ young adults of all genders but it could possibly lean into a more female audience since the movie focuses on the female main character, aged 18 - 35, who are usually a fan of the paranormal activity franchise in general. The first timers are usually horror enthusiast and mystery enthusiast. They appealed to audiences by using pov shots of them in the rooms of the house/ church which would immerse the horror audience into the scene as they will see the places at the characters eye level as if they are also in the scene. In the beginning of the trailer and the end of the trailer has completely different atmosphere and when it suddenly changes there are many hermeneutic code like the non diegetic melodic to discordant sounds that gives hints to the real meaning / plot of the movie something mystery fans like to explore and discover. This trailer also utilize many handheld camera movement which is something a horror audience would like as it is high energy bringing the realism in these scenes as if the horror monsters are actually there and makes it more relatable for audiences since they wouldn't typically have a high budget camera when filming unique places.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I would like to use the camera angles and movements from this trailer, especially the handheld camera movements which makes it seem like the movie is a typical vlog for social media which is something teenagers can understand the cultural code.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
I would like to avoid using churches and historical houses (like in the trailer) as a place to film these shots as it would be rather difficult to film in especially when it's a public place where people often go to daily (once a week).
Smaller research: Behind You
Year: April 17, 2020
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
The target audience are adults/ young adults of all genders but it could possibly lean into a more female audience since the movie focuses on the female main character, aged 18 - 35, who are usually horror enthusiast that like characters that are related with the supernatural world. They appealed to audiences by using mise en scene of mirrors to give hermeneutic codes by using extreme close ups of the objects / props used in the films such as a knife, body parts, etc to show that the object is important plot and the identity of the horror monster which appeals to horror audience as it gives them a sense of mystery to know who and what it is. They use the color red as a semantic code possession from the evil character which the horror viewers that the villain is serious and worth watching.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I would like to use the props and environment mise en scene (like mirrors, glass etc) from this trailer. How they utilize everything to move the narrative forward and keep the audiences interested.
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?
I would avoid only using mostly one gender for the main cast of characters (e.g females) so we can reach the appropriate demographic for our movie opening.
Self reflection:
I don't think we will be using mirrors like what I stated in the smaller research in the trailer "behind you"
but we will be using a vague footage of using the reflection on the window glass to build suspense. We would also almost not use anything "supernatural' except for maybe a few scenes using jump cuts that make it as if they are moving "unnaturally". I think this research has given us a good idea in what we will do in our own intro video.
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