Techniques I like

I like the look of low key lighting as it creates an eerie and tense atmosphere. In Annabelle the use of low key lighting makes the scene more intense and spooky. The scene feels haunted and controlled by something. As the scene is dark we can see the character is feeling nervous and on edge as in the darkness anything could be hidden. The lights are used to create shadows which make the audience feel as if more than the characters known are in the room. Moreover the characters vision would not be as clear therefore sinister events may happen. The dim hue and shadows created by this lighting are suited to the conventions of a horror film; it creates tension due to its mysterious and dark atmosphere, controlling how much of the surroundings and characters are revealed. It sets the tone, mood and creates a dangerous association with enigma through the shadows and dull shades. When I make my short horror film I am going to use low key lighting to emphasize the horror genre. To create this lighting I will use a reflector and a key light. I will place the reflector quite low to the ground and put the light near eye level, this will create shadows on the face of my character which could signify danger. To cast a shadow of the person I will use a white background. A black background could also be used to absorb the light so it doesn’t bounce back on the face so prominently. However it will still cast a shadow of the person being lit up. The audience depend on the lighting to work out who the bad guy is.

I like close up shots in horror films as we can clearly see their emotions which reinforce the type of situation they are in. Close up shots also help us to identify the character and it creates verisimilitude for the audience as they can understand what is happening. Moreover it creates suspense as the audience isn’t shown the surroundings so they do not know what is happening around them or where they are. All they can see is the characters face which will dictate what is happening. When I am in the production process I am going to film close up shots as they are effective for the horror genre. I will use the camera and position it close to the characters face as it will frame the person or an object, thus we can set the atmosphere for the scene. I will use a close-up shot when something sinister is about to happen. This is because it will reflect how the character is feeling thus we understand that something unusual is going to happen or is happening. Moreover they create a sense of urgency and foreshadows that the character will be in danger if not already.

I like the use of jump cuts in horror films as it creates a fast pace and builds up the tension for the audience. As the scenes shots will be changing quickly the audience will feel on edge shaken up about what is happening. This type of edit gives the effect of jumping forwards in time. These quick cuts can indicate urgency, excitement or chaos. Discontinuity editing is used in the Japanese horror 'Audition' as it helps move the story along but at the same time engages the viewer. Moreover this confuses the audience’s feelings towards the two main characters. Also it was used to disconnect the order and importance of the events. Furthermore I like the look of montage editing for the horror genre, this is because as it emphasizes the quick jolting or jumps in the film. This reinforces how scared the characters are and shows how quickly their emotions are changing. Montage editing uses close ups and frequent cuts which suits the horror genre. To produce the montage editing I will take two pieces of film and combine them, this will emphasize their meaning. For example one shot could be of my character and then the other shot could be a shot of the prop such as an axe which is going to be the killing of the person. Montage editing for horror speeds up the pace and enhances the dramatic scenes.