Storyline and Characters - Horror film storylines are very basic, but the elements and editing techniques

that are used

lead the viewer to think more about what is really happening. The story line of a horror is meant to be unsettling they are designed
to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our worst fears, often in a terrifying and shocking way which
captivates attention and entertains . The story line of a horror film focuses on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and
alarming events. The story lines makes the audience deal with our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our terror of the
unknown, our fear of death, loss of identity, the fear of sexuality through primeval nature and its fears. Storylines evolve around the
process of discovery either the discovery of death or the discovery of a monster.
A horror film tends to always have both a antagonist and a protagonist. The antagonist is always the killer or the evil person and the
protagonist tends to be the main character which the action and event is based around. These are both the main characters in the
film. These characters are used the most in the film, the audience may not ever know what they look like, but they have a clear idea
about their role within the story. In some Horrors there is a Monster or a creature these characters induce fear in the viewer and add
emotion and provoke the audiences thoughts and feelings.

Setting- The landscape or the environment can suggest the type of story that will be presented. Interior shots allow for different
meanings opposed to exterior shots. The settings of a horror are varied depending on the character and the script of the media. A
chosen setting is used for the sake of the plot. These settings can develop through out the film, revealing more about the plot or a
discovery. The settings within a Horror film can be very important, they create certain moods and lead the audience to think and
feel in a certain way. Horror films tend to be set in very dark, wet, damp places where things are able to jump out and add
atmosphere to the film. Certain light is used to also create a certain atmosphere, the filming of the film tends to take place when the
light is brightest- either at dusk or dawn. Darkness can be used to connote the unknown, making the audience feel fear. Red or
orange light connotes death, pain or danger to the audience as redness denotes blood.

Structure- The narrative structure within a horror tends to stay the same. There is always a setup, confrontation and a
resolution. This is a conventional structure of a horror film, this impacts the audience as they are able to tell what is going to happen
without knowing the details and the storyline. This structure can be changed but then this changes the audiences expectations. In
psychological horrors the structure may be changed, this may be used to surprise the audience and change the fear they feel as
they are unaware of what might happen meaning that thoughts within the film are more important than the characters actions.

Events and Actions- In a horror there are always events and actions. An action is when a character does something to
themselves and an event is something which happens to the character. In a psychological horror there are more events than
actions. Although the event is mental not psychical it is something that happens to them to make them think and feel in a certain
way. This makes the audience react making them feel scared and frightened.

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Tolliday
 Technical Codes

Camera Angles- Camera Angles can be used to express a point of view or the
relationships between people and their environment within a scene. Camera
angles can also be used to create an emotional meaning between the character
and the audience. For example, a high angle long shot focused on a single person
can suggest the person’s insignificance and weakness as they are presented as
being small. A low angle shot can suggest that the person is important and
powerful as the camera is looking up to them. The frequency and number of cuts
can create atmosphere. A small number of cuts in a long piece of film could
create the feeling of tranquillity, stability, or calm. On the other hand, the same
technique could suggest the monotony of the main character action. Quick,
frequent cuts might indicate urgency, excitement, or chaos.

Lighting- Lighting can be very important in a film, brightness, dim light, or

shadow can affect
our response to characters. We are more likely to fear a character who is always
seen in the shadows as the audience is unable to see their facial and body
expression and what they look like this adds tension to the scene. Altering the
colour or quality of the picture can also add atmosphere. A red filter could be very
effective to emphasize a scene of danger and pain as this denote blood. Soft
filters can be used to create white and pale colours create atmosphere as these
denote innocence.

Sound- In physiological horrors both diegetic and extra diegetic sound is used.
Diegetic sound is used within the scene, this could be a conversation between the
two characters or music that is within the scene or sounds made by objects in the
scene. Sound effects are also used with a film to add extra meaning, sound
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technician’s and editing techniques allow the audience their attention on key
Tolliday
 Symbolic codes

Language- Dialect, choice of words, and slang can all indicate the
character’s background, social class, or education. The symbolic
meaning in this case is in the form of the words rather than in the
content. These are very important as the audience may interpret the
character very differently after hearing them speak apposed to just
looking at them. The language used explains a lot about a person, the
audience is then able to build up an opinion on the character.

Costume- The style of dress can indicate historical date or the type of
character. A lot of information can be distinguished from a characters
costume, it can indicate what the person has been doing and where.
Costume can signal a characters personality and plot situations or as
metaphors to reinforce the action.

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Tolliday
 Camera Angles and shots
Horror focuses on two main characters the antagonists and the protagonist. Close ups, extreme close ups and mid range shots are used
to make the audience focus on these characters. This enables the audience to follow their movements and become familiar with the
characters personality, thoughts, feelings and attitudes and meaning that the audience know their role within the film making the
audience feel comfortable. As well as the antagonist and protagonist in a horror there is always a monster or a creature created by
accident, these may never been seen by the audience. Camera angles and shots may be used to connote its is presents within the film.
Shadows can be used to show that it is these but not to show it identity. This puts the audience on edge as they aren't aware of what it
looks like but they are aware of its purpose in the film, this creates fear.

In a horror film the use or close up shots and mid shots are used to stop the audience from seeing the surroundings, events or people
that would reveal the plot ending or give away information that would make it easy to figure out the mystery to early. Close up shots
can create suspense because you can never see everything around the characters so the audience becomes anxious and frightened.

Tracking and panning is used a lot with horror films. Characters are tracked or the camera pans around the scene to show their
movement, instead of cutting between shots to show what they are doing. Panning and tracking shots are used to make the audience
think and feel what the character is in the film. Long or mid-range shots are used for these sequences as they set the scene and show
the audience where they are. Wide shots from a further distance are usually for setting the scene also

Conversations between two characters are filmed using shot reverse shots and an eye line match. Both these shots are used to show
who is talking in the scene allowing the audience to focus on the character speaking. When these shots are used an extreme close, a
close up or a mid shot is used to show the character. An extreme close up or a close up shot is used to show the importance of the
conversation and the expression on the characters face. A mid shot is used also to show the characters body movements and body
expressions, this may be important to the audience as it shows how they feel and think about something. When showing two characters
talking, the 180 degree rule is always used. This shot is used in the same scene showing the same left/right relationship to each other,
this is to used to show the two characters in the scene. If the camera passes over the imaginary line connecting the two subject this
may confuse the audience as is may confused them to where the characters are positioned within the room.

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Tolliday
 The Blair Witch Project
Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend, The Blair Witch.
The three went into the forests on a two day hike to find the Blair Witch, the party sets out to look for
facts that prove the legend, equipped only with two cameras and a little hiking gear. They have to admit
to be lost in the woods. Eerie sounds at night and piles of stones in places where they have not been
before cause the already desperate group to panic and never came back. One year later, the students film
and video was found in the woods. The footage was compiled and made into a movie. The Blair Witch
Project.
The Blair Witch Project follows the traditional conventions of horror
as it makes the audience feel a sense of powerlessness due to the
hopelessness of the unknown and the fear of being haunted.
Dutch angle shots and close ups allow the audience think and feel
what the characters are, this makes the audiences sense of fear
even realer.
The dark lighting used and the eerie settings connote the sense of
the unknown putting the viewer on edge as they don't know what is
going to happen next. The Blair Witch Project
is similar to most other
psychological horrors,
the film follows other
common elements
including its story line. It
frightens, panics and
invokes our worst fears.

Both diagetic and extra diagetic

sound is used throughout the Directed by: Daniel Myrick
film, the sound used impacts the Eduardo Sánchez
Date of release: October 27,
viewer adding atmosphere and
1999
tension.
Certificate: 15 Lauren
Country: USA Tolliday