Analysing Horror

After our 'Genre' discussion our decision was to study and create a 2minute Horror movie opening. To help me understand what camera work, mise en scene, sound and editing help create a good horror opening I have picked to analyse the trailer of a extremely popular horror film released in 2010; Strangers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1TBlPelvbE.

The trailer starts using a night time establishing shot of a lake surrounded in trees, this suggests to the audience that the film is set away from the city in quite a remote area. Also non diagetic light piano music is used to set the scene.

A Pan of the camera is then used revealing red petals on a bed as the contrapuntal music continues and a fade to a romantic dinner table is revealed. Cuts are used to view two different characters in a home, a women naked in the bath this suggests her innocence and romance and a smartly dressed male setting a table. A cut of a two shot of them both is then revealed as diagetic sound is used as a close up of the twos arms wrapped round each other whilst stating they 'love' each other. 

In the first 20 seconds of this clip we can now see the wealthy couple are in love they are young and innocent and an 'easy target'. A loud diagetic BANG is then used to make the audience jumps this makes you feel tense and nervous for upcoming events. titles then appear on screen 'based on true events' this now builds more tension as the audience feel more for the characters. 

Cuts of the couple in there home, there back garden shed and the old swings swinging outside are shown between the titles 'We all tell ourselves', 'There is nothing to fear', 'but sometimes.. We're wrong' these quotes involve the audience with the action on screen, the non diagetic music picks up however stops to silence as a long shot of a women standing in her living room is shown as a unknown character exposes them selves slowly behind her.

Throughout this trailer clip, loud noises are used to make the audience jump and build tension; also the characters are shown but not fully revealed this makes the story a mystery to the audience. Quick snap shots of action, dark areas and close ups of scared face are used to help the story line come together without revealing the whole film.

   

Near the end of the clip discordant sound is used this makes the action disturbing for the audience, although antagonists and victims are clearly shown in the clip the story line is not completely revealed, this makes the audience eager to watch more.

Watching this clip helped me build ideas on making our own horror clip as i was able to pick up some useful techniques such as using discordant sound to make the scene on edge and build a disturbing tension to the audience, also quick shots to build tension and loud diagetic sounds to make the audience jump and have them on the edge of their seats.