Horror Film Trailers

Subgenre: psychological thrillerResearching the mise-en-scene of horror

trailers

LightingHorror films generally use low-key lighting in tense scenes as shown in the screenshots on the left. Horror films usually use this lighting because it’s human nature to be scared of the unknown and what we can’t see. When the brain can’t see its surroundings, it panics and becomes disorientated. Due to the dark being a common fear of most people, it is an easy way for the creator to make fear among a large audience. Low-key lighting also allows scary characters to appear in jump-scares and adds to the effect of ‘surprise’. An example is when a character is walking down a dark hallway and scary objects/people are concealed by the dark. The audience are expecting a shock or violence to follow when the scene becomes dark, causing adrenalin and tension. These screenshots are all filmed in dark lighting, proving that it’s the best way to create an unnerving atmosphere.

PropsProps can be used to add to the atmosphere and setting. Props are often associated with a particular place. Using books can show ancient information or possibly information about the villain of the story. The most popular props are usually weapons used by the villain. For example, a kitchen knife is used in Halloween. This is usually how characters die in horror films, and also a way of associating something with the villain, signifying violence. Props are the best way to create association. They are used a lot in adverts, because companies have to be cautious about what they show. When we see a weapon we think of a bad person and when we see crosses or bibles we think of religion and possession. The character in unfriended is forced to put his hand in a blender, which is quite gory and would shock the audience.

Body language & Facial ExpressionAll 3 screenshots show facial expression of fear. This is key in a horror film because the character needs to show a sense of fear in order for the audience to be scared also. If the character was emotionless, the audience wouldn’t connect to them as well as possible, and probably wouldn’t fear for them. The facial expressions of these 3 characters are realistic given the situation, which makes the story become more alive. For example, the way Amy is peering out of her bed sheets in Gone girl shows that she’s hiding her body, and has a weak, vulnerable body language, but at the same time, she wants to know if there’s anyone in her house so she’s curious, which is shown from her facial expression. This is true to a real life situation because its how we imagine most people would react.

CostumeCostumes in a horror film generally allow the audience to determine whether the character is good or bad. Carrie, top screenshot, is covered in blood and appears to be wearing a red dress. The colour red connotes to the audience that she’s dangerous, so the audience should fear her and associate her as the bad character. On the contrary, the bottom two screenshots show characters wearing normal, everyday clothes which suggests to the audience that they’re the good/normal people of the story, making it more realistic for the audience because they believe it could actually happen to them. However, this can sometimes be used to the directors advantage because it can trick the audience into underestimating the character, creating an unexpected surprise when they turn evil. A characters story can change through their change of appearance and costume; they sometimes start out in ordinary clothing which changes as they turn evil.

SettingA film being set in an isolated house can cause a tense atmosphere, because it creates the idea that something is coming after you, and there is no where to go for help or to escape. It’s also very common for scenes to be set at night, because it’s easier to create fear in the dark. The audience can’t see surroundings so don’t know what’s there. Pair an isolated house with low-key lighting and it’s the perfect setting to create fear because the character has no where to go and their vision is limited, meaning there is opportunity for a lot of jump-scares. This puts the audience on edge, waiting for something to happen. The use of a house can also bring familiarity to the audience; we all live in houses and neighbourhoods so it makes us believe it could happen to us. The boy in the bottom screenshot is alone in a dark house, which means he is alone and can’t escape for help. This makes the viewer on edge and creates a tense atmosphere because they know the character is vulnerable.