What makes an EFFECTIVE HORROR opening sequence?

Micro features –

•Sound/Music, diagetic and non diagetic sounds to build up the mood, atmosphere, suspense and tension in the opening scene.

•Lighting, good use of lighting can make a horror opening very effective. It can represent many things, e.g. lots of dark shadows casting the victim to represent he/she is in danger.

•Camera angles, different series of shots can be used to help convey a horror opening sequence. Close up shots of the victims, over the shoulder shot can be used for the antagonist looking at the victim.

•Mise en scene, the setting of the scene, in an isolated area. Where props are placed, where the characters are in the room: where the antagonist is placed in the room etc.

•Editing, how the opening scene is edited to create an effective horror scene.

Macro features –

• Iconography, what in the mise en scene represents. For example a knife signifies a weapon, in a slasher film this would be the only weapon used for the series of killings. Music, eerie music represents that something bad is going to happen. Clothes, what the characters are wearing and why? Usually the antagonist/killer would hide their identity by wearing a mask. Setting, where and why would it be specifically set there.

•Characters. Who the characters are, if they are male or female. Usually in a horror genre film the antagonist is male and the victims consist of females/males. In a slasher film, it is usually a female character that survives. Also what the characters are wearing and why?

•Setting, where it has been set. If its in a open spaced setting or a closed space setting. Usually an open & isolated spaced setting for the horror genre.

Target Audience

When producing opening 2 minutes of a film, there are many things you need to consider such as target audience:

AGE RANGE - when targeting an audience with a specific age range, you must question yourself and ask which age range and why? By choosing a specific age range we are able to research what types of films middle aged teenagers watch. Or what is the most popular genre watched by that age group? The age range that we want to target, will be teenagers from the age of 15 and above, the reason for this is that as teenagers ourselves from the same age range, we have an understanding of what teenagers expect from a film.

GENDER GROUPS - for example, high school musical is targeted to both genders because it involves two main characters, one female and male which any of the two genders of an audience can relate to. The film also includes sports for the males and singing/theatrical for females. Another example is the type of films called 'Chick Flicks' which is specifically targeted to females and follow the conventions in which a female can enjoy for example a happy romantic ending. In our opening, we are going to be aiming for both genders by including a range of both male and female characters.

ETHNIC GROUPS - you can target an ethnic group when producing a film by the use a range of ethnicity in the cast. The race of the main characters can target people of the same race because the audience can feel related to the character on screen therefore the use of ethnicity in the case, can open a wide range of audiences. We are aiming for hopefully a wide ethnicity group so that anyone from any ethnicity can watch our opening.

Case Study 2: Scream

Micro features – Begins with the title of the movie showing across a blank black screen with the sound of a phone ringing and a female voice screaming running parallel with the title. Also the special effects sound of a knife being pulled out comes after the scream. This could be used to represent what the movie is about and to show the audience the routine order of how the antagonists kills its victims. Medium shot of the telephone is the first shot shown; the telephone is a very important use of prop in this movie as it is the signifier of a murder beginning to happen. During the conversation between the mysterious caller and the female character, the camera shots and movements are very steady and smooth. The shots last quite long as well to represent the calm quite atmosphere in the beginning. A close up of the victim, brings the focus on the victim. Dim lighting to set the mood of the scene; it also causes the shadows to be casted over the victim. Diagetic sounds, sounds that only the victim can hear in the mise en scene. Then non-diagetic sounds are played to build up the suspense and tension in the opening scene, it is also played to lead us up to the kill. Slow movement in camera angles and shots in the beginning of the scene of the victim and the space around the room to represent vulnerability/open space. Also the camera pans around the female character to emphasise the amount of open space around her. The editing of the shots speeds up and changes quicker as the tension rises.


Macro Features - iconography is used, such as the phone ringing in silence. This connotes the disturbance of peace. The phone is also iconic as it is used throughout the film and is significant to the killer as you only hear the antagonists narrative voice through the phone. The victim is female, this shows her vulnerability and signifies the final girl theory in a typical horror movie following its traditional conventions. Also the female characters personality and physical appearance portrays that she will be the first victim. She is a young blonde attractive female which fits into the stereotype of the traditional horror victims, they tend to be attractive females to represent the vulnerability and innocence of a victim. Her personality as it shows in this beginning scene, that she is ignorant to the fact that a stranger keeps calling her house when she is alone yet she continues to have a conversation with him. She is not aware of the dangers. She also plays with a kitchen knife whilst on the phone to the stranger, this shows a connection between the two as the only physical connection they will have is her being stabbed to death by him with a knife. The use of location, an isolated house in an quiet small village is the perfect location for a serial killer. The Scream mask is used to hide the killers identity, usually male actor is used for the antagonist to represent a more dominant character/villain.

Case Study 1: Shaun of the Dead

Micro features – Begins with the titles of companies such as 'Working Title'. There is use of non-diagetic music which sounds like classic horror movie music parallel with the Working Title logo then fades to black, music suddenly stops with the sound of a bell being rung. The film then starts with a medium shot of the main character showing his face, also viewing the behind scenery which establishes the location which is at a pub. The audience knows this because of the bell being rung which signifies the 'last rounds' at a pub. Camera then slowly zooms out from the medium shot showing what the character is doing.

There are many shot-reverse-shots used in the beginning scene to show the conversation between the small group of characters. The director may have used medium shots and shot-reverse-shots to symbolise that the group portrays a small and tight social bond between one another. Also to represent the community as well as it seems as though the pub is based in a small village.
Extreme close-up of ridicule actions, fast pace changes of scenes, bold titles, distortion transitions changes between scenes. slow panning shots are used, long wide shot to view as many characters possible that can fit into the shot. This shot could also be used to represent open space and vulnerability of an apocalyptic film. A wipe transition is used for a shot change, the car drives past and also wipes into the next shot in a different location, this sort of transition is used to signify the genre comedy as lively type transitions are used to convey a sense of fun atmosphere to the film.


Non-diagetic music, fast movement in camera angles. Parallel music to fit in with the action of the scene. Fast pace zooms in parallel to the action of the character getting ready for work, this type of editing has also been used in heroic films such as batman, when a superhero gets 'suited' up ready for action. Therefore this shows the audience that there is a connection between this 'normal' man and heroism. Extreme close ups, zooms and fast paced cuts are used to evoke excitement in this opening scene.

Macro Features - The use of iconography. For example the music, it is eerie and slow in the beginning but then the music changes to a classic horror music song and the dynamics get louder and louder until the actual film starts. This type of music is used to connote the Horror genre but specifically the more traditional style of horror films.

Narrative voice over. a comedic hero is used as the main character in this film, he triumphs over evil. A stereotypical everyday man in a horror situation which is not taken seriously connotes the 2 different genres combined. The use of location also helps signify a 'normal' life as the scene opens in a pub. The local pub represents the daily routine in which the character's gather to socialise. The cigarettes and alcohol could help reinforce the main character's personality, that he is a 'common' local man within the community.

My Chosen Sub-Genre

I have decided to make a film that is a hybrid of two sub genres. Comedy/slasher.

I think the two genres will work very effectively with each other.

Comedy - Mistaken identity, battle of the sexes, jumping to conclusions, and a tragedy storyline. Usually a hero (the main character) that triumphs in the end. There are many successful modern comedy/horror movies that been created such as 'Scary Movie', I have chosen to do comedy as a sub-genre because I believe that it would be easier to reach out and narrows our specific target audience through the sub-genre comedy.

Slasher - Knife is the main weapon. The antagonist carries and uses one weapon, and kills a series of people in one night/day. Usually masked and their identity hidden until revealed in the end of the story. My reason for this is because the knife is a phallic symbol for killing, it will be easy to portray and iconography the genre horror through the use of this weapon.

Characteristics of the Horror genre

Here are some of the characteristics of the horror genre:

Themes – good vs. evil, normal vs. abnormal, male vs. female, dark vs. light. These often lead to the messages and values presented in the movie.

Settings – isolated environment is used a lot in horror movies, set up the mise-en-scene in the way a horror movie would be set.

Characters – ARCHETYPE characters, these are typical characters you would find in this certain genre.

Costume/make up – What the antagonist, protagonist are wearing, their make up and how these serve to suggest their characters?

Antagonist – the villain of the story, ‘the bad guy.’

Protagonist – the victim, the good characters, usually the last or the only survivor. Usually the final girl is left alive.

Iconography – what features in a opening film that represents the genre horror, for example props, music, shots, setting.

Traits – consider the type of sub-genre or hybrid genre.

Sub-Genres of Horror

SUB-GENRES

Haunting and Demonic Possessions - These types of films play on the audience’s fear of the unknown, superstition and the idea that evil forces such as ghosts exist in the world. These forces are usually portrayed in spiritual presences such as witches, spirits, ghosts or demons. Often in this kind of plots there is a fight between good and evil by referencing religion. For example in the film 'The Exorcist, the catholic priest fight the devil for the soul of the victim.

Apocalypse - in this sub genre, mankind is threatened with extinction of the human race by inhuman creatures or monsters. The antagonists in this sub genre may consist of creatures out of space or a threat of a plague or virus that threatens to spread and wipe out mankind e.g. 'Resident Evil.' usually the ending to this type of sub-genre ends with mankind dying out and the disturbing noises of the creatures dominating.

The Human Monster – This deals with horror or abnormality of the personality such as psychopathology and murder or psychosis and insanity. This sub-genre explores and takes the audience inside the mind of the killer who appears to be insane e.g. ‘Jekyll and Hyde.’ The characteristics of this sub-genre portrays the idea that some people are born with no sense of morality therefore leading them to become a killer.

ICONOGRAPHY

General symbolic images and use of mise-en-scene which recur throughout horror films include:

• Haunted house or setting e.g. forbidden chamber or small town
  
• Symbols of Death
  
• Disfigured and disturbing face or masks
  
• Screaming victim e.g. 'final girl'
  
• Phallic murder weapon e.g. knife, chainsaw etc
  
• Binary oppositions of good and evil
  
• Blood

Final Girl Theory - The final girl theory in a horror film refers to the last female alive to confront the antagonist/killer. Usually she would be the last left out of the victims to tell the story. The final girl theory has been included in many horror films such as Scream, Halloween, A nightmare on Elm Street and many more. The term was pioneered by Carol J. Cover in her book 'Men, Women and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. The viewer begins by sharing the perspectives of the killer and also experiences a shift in identification to the final girl partway through the film.