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Editing is what essentially makes the horror a horror, especially in horror thriller films. The reason for this is that the editing determines the pace, timing, sound etc. Which all together create suspense and the vital scare moments of the film.
From that point, below will be a few examples of important editing in horror/thrillers.
Pace:
The pace of shots have to reflect the situation.
For example, if there is build ups to create suspense, you tend to have longer, slower tracking shots so that it is suspenseful as the focus is purely on that moment.
Another example is the pace would be fast if there is a chase scene or jump scare. Therefore, a series of fast paced editing would be used, cutting from shot to shot and/or character to character. This highlights importance and screams to the audience it is a key moment and it is intense or scary due the fast pace.
Below, you can see in this short film (The smiling Man) the use of pacing to create suspense and to reflect the situation.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack is another editing feature which is important. The reason for this is that, the soundtrack firstly has to suit mood of each scene and shot. Then the levels and rise of the soundtrack then have to be working with the film visually.
For example, the soundtrack has to be low and eerie to begin, gradually increasing til the fake scare. Levels then drop and starts to build again to recreate suspense. The soundtrack then builds and gets louder and faster to penultimately erupt whether being a death, a jump scare, a chase scene etc.
Below is an example of how soundtrack is used to create suspense or to symbolise a chase scene and/or death. Stranger Things:
Sound Effects:
This also falls under this section. The purpose is highlight the action further. It is used to scream out to the audience something important is happening! The use of sound effects too is to create a jump scare, typically the noise is what creates the fear in the audience and when that loud noise is heard after we have been exposed to silence, is when the audience jump out of their seats.
Cuts
Cuts are used frequently to portray jumpscares, chase scene, and all other moments in the film that create suspense.
An example of a cut is a quick cut. This is used to unease the audience by disorientating them, which creates a tense atmosphere for the viewers.
Another cut is a jump cut, to jump between shots, to show the action quickly, firstly to not reveal anything in too much detail however it is on the screen long enough for the audience to react in whatever way was intended to. The jump cut usually then jumps to close-up to show the reaction of the character.
Above is a video that demonstrates the cuts, but also shows all other transitions and cuts that lie in all films. This was helpful to watch to gain ideas , in addition to highlighting the main ones used in the horror genre.
Music in horror movies allows to create unforgettable atmosphere which will make the movie being even more enjoyable and breathtaking. The atmosphere is very important to create good overall experience for the audience. Soundtrack helps to build-up certain feeling which is contributed into movie success. The feeling can be related to the specific moment which will stay in audience minds as a key part of the movie.
Music helps to highlight specific parts and fragments of the movie to make this scene stand out and being different from others. Even if the music started before we saw something on the screen, we can assume what it will be. Sometimes in the horror movies, only music is able to describe the intensity of the action taking place on the screen. Music can describe the pain of the character, the fear or any different action taking place on the screen. By the music, director of the horror movie is able to highlight how powerful the movie is.
Examples:
JAWS:
Jaws soundtrack is one of the most iconic movie soundtracks ever made. The composer , John Williams mainly used string and wind instruments to create this masterpiece. As we can hear, the tone and speed are gradually increasing and becoming intenser. Once the tone and speed is very intensive, we can predict that something is going to happen! Once we can hear this soundtrack in the movie, it creates the excitement and fear about what's going to happen next. The use of string instruments highlights the power of the movie which is allowing us to experience it more deeply and emotionally.
Woman In Black:
In this clip, we hear lots of diegetic and pleonastic sounds used. For example, at the beginning we hear lots of distant background noises such as spooked horses and distant screaming, along with the natural sounds we’d typically hear such as heavy rain and footsteps. These natural sounds add realism to the scene and therefore immerse us into the story more; whilst the distant screams heard in the background are a typical convention of a horror, so the audience feel on edge about these sounds. Furthermore, the protagonists heavy breathing is a pleonastic sound that has a massive impact on the audience: as we see his fear for what will happen next, we connect with that character and therefore feel the same way as him. In simple terms, his heavy breathing makes the audience breath heavily and feels the same fear as him.
I noticed that there is less non-diegetic sound used. The majority of the clip is diegetic that adds familiarity and realism, which is what spooks the audience – as we realise that we hear these sounds all the time and therefore this could happen to anyone. However the non-diegetic sound such is also very effective. Non-diegetic sound used in this clip is the quiet instrumental string music. This is mainly one long note, which creates tension - as it makes the audience feel uncomfortable.
In addition to this, I noticed another clip used a lack of sound, which is also extremely effective in horrors/thriller films. In this clip, there is very quiet non-diegetic sound, which fades into complete silence. This makes the audience feel very uncomfortable and on edge as it’s unnatural to have complete silence in the world. (In a way, the audience actually find the tense instrumental music comforting compared to complete silence – as complete silence is used before a major jump-scare)
The lack of sound also creates an anti-climax: as the audience have been expecting a scary climax through the tense soundtrack, the silence allows them to relax a bit, right before the sudden non-diegetic boom which is the predominate jump-scare. However this technique has been used so often in thrillers/horrors that it has become a genre convention. This means the audience know that there will be a jump-scare coming and so will react to it less effectively.
Camera Angles That Create Tension in Horror/Thriller Films
An Extreme Close Up - This is used to emphasise something, for example if the close up was of the actions somebody was going through using their hands then it would be emphasising that, that individual was about to do something of important relevance. If it was highlighting the individuals hands holding a knife then it would be highlighting then maybe something bad was going to happen involving the knife. The connotation of the image would be violence involving the knife.
Close up -This is where the subject being filmed fills the frame, it is often used to show the emotion felt by the subject being filmed. If for example the subject had just done something of significance and was showing the necessary emotion this shot could be used to connote that and emphasise the emotion that the individual is feeling at that moment in time.
Dutch Tilt - This is a shot used by which the subject or object being filmed is tilted to an angle. This shot is often used in horror films to represent disorientation and confusion. A tilted shot type such as a dutch tilt often connote confusion or panic.
Extreme long shot - This is a shot by which the hole setting fills the frame. This shot is often used so that the audience can establish what the setting is, mise en scene etc. This shot is often used in horror films to create atmosphere and tension and to also inform the audience of the creepy setting by which the scene is going to take place.
Medium shot - This shot consists of half of the subjects body , with their costume and face still visible. This can be used to show the surroundings of the individual but also the emotions there are feeling at the same time. It is effectively used in horror films especially when creating tension of somebody coming up behind the subject.
Applied examples of camera angles, shots and movements used in the Paranormal Activity trailer.
The camerawork in the trailer uses point of view shots as characters are filming in their house with a hand held camera. This allows an audience to connect with the characters as everything is shown from their point of view meaning that a consumer finds out information at the same time as the characters.
Similarly, point of view puts the audience in the shoes of the character and this means that there is no dramatic irony as the audience know no more than the characters themselves. The camera movements are very shaky to reflect that the characters are filming. This is a convention of the horror genre as it makes the audience feel involved as they share the nerves and unease that the characters do. This choice of camera movement allows the film to look more realistic as the medium shots only show what the characters can see in the house.
The trailer includes camera shots that are filmed from the perspective of an audience watching the film. These can be classified as as a point of view shot and an over the shoulder shot as this allows a consumer of the trailer to share the same experience as the audience at the cinema.
Similarly, mid-shots and close-ups are used to show the audiences reactions to certain scenes in the film. The reactions shown are often of shock and this makes the consumer curious as they are unable to see the visuals that the cinema audience are seeing on screen and perhaps makes it more likely that people will go and watch the film.
Costumes in horror films are chosen depending on the type and sub genre of the horror film. For example, in the film, Scream(1996) the antagonist costume is black and has a mask which is screaming, the point of this is for black to represent night and danger also the screaming mask is clearly used to represent the film title and to mirror the deaths as they will be screaming. Also, black connotes death.
Make-up is often used in horror films to make characters appear tired or scared. It is also used to give a character some form of injury such as a cut or bruise, it can also be used to make a character to appear sweaty which allows the audience to get a sense of the struggle that the character has been through.
Setting
The setting for a horror film usually helps to generate the tension of a horror. The location is generally isolated and middle of no where. This to cut off the rest of the world so they are never going to be able to get help or help quick enough. Common locations in horror films include cabins, forests, and abandoned houses. However, horror films do also tend to take place in the characters home.
Also, nighttime is the most commonly use time for a horror film. This is so its dark and creates the sense of the unknown which builds more tension therefore making the film scarier and also the jump scares better.
Iconography
Iconography is what we can see visually and what that represents, for example the colour red used in horror films are to represent blood and deaths, also red is also associated with anger which could relate to the antagonist but also the anger of the victim. Props are a vital part of a horror film as they are the hints that foreshadow a persons fate. Also, weapons connote danger therefore if we see weapons such as guns and knives we know that there will be violence and deaths. Weapons are often used in the slasher sub-genre as a way of identifying the killer in certain franchises.
Colour and Lighting
Dark lighting is often used in horror films to build up the atmosphere and an effective setting for jump scares. Horror films often use a digital colour corrector to make the film appear pale and cold. The use of colour and lighting helps to make the film more successful in scaring its audience as a universal fear of society is that of the dark and what hides in it. This creates the perfect setting for an unexpected jump scare due to the unknown. High key lighting is rarely used as it defeats the point of be scary, whereas low key lighting is used a lot as it adds to this sense of the unknown.
Effects
Effects in horror films are used to scare the audience by creating monsters, ghosts or really extreme deaths. Most horror films use CGI or digital retouching. Digital Effects are often used to create something that couldn't of been made without effects, such as ghosts.
Applied Example
In this trailer there is little make-up used, but where seen was hidden to keep the identity unrevealed. The make-up we saw was on the 'dead' people, such as the little boy buried in mud. This is good use of mise-en-scene because you cannot see his face making him more frightening. The costumes used in this film were also important to the story line. The clothes that are worn are all specifically chosen to represent the film is set in the past.
The setting of this film was clearly shown as an old, big and abandoned house which is in the middle of nowhere. This mise-en-scene is at its best ticking every box to create suspension due to be isolated, quiet and is always seen to be shown at night when its dark creating more uneasiness for the audience.
The lighting is always or pretty much of the time dark. This has been thought out due to being set in the past where the only source of lights were candles which are not very bright leaving dark shadows around pretty much all the time.
There was good use of iconography in this trailer. This is evident due to the massive use of the colour black. Black is the main colour seen at all times, which represent death, darkness and evil. The props of candles and horse & cart are also good iconography to represent its in the past.
Applying to my Main Brief
Applying my research here on mise-en-scene, its clear for horror films I need to find a location that isolates the victim, a dark setting, good use of available effects to create a frightening antagonist as well as the costumes representing clear ideas and characters, this is vital.
The idea we brainstormed, considering all factors, will be to use a house. This is due to the accessibility of the house to us, such as using one of our houses or the actors have also offered their location. This location is also commonly seen in horror/thriller films due to it isolating the victim.
Due to filming at night too, the location of a house is ideal as we can adjust the lighting to be effective. Therefore, we shouldn't have an issue with lighting either.
Lastly, costumes have been inspired by most horror/thriller films and that stereo typically our protagonist (victim) is in light clothing to highlight their purity and innocence. In addition, our antagonist will be in dark clothing to connote his evilness and danger. Moreover, our antagonist will have a mask to also emblematize his danger and scariness.
Horror Films now tend to be a 15 certification. However we now see 12 certificates too, such as The Woman In Black. However, the most common is still 15.
From that point, this is because horror film production companies are likely to aim for their films to be a 15 as they can get a larger audience, this means more people can see the film which leads to an increase in sales so more income for the company and a higher position in the box office for the film.
Even though most horror's are rated 15 rather than an 18, they still contain threat, explicit language, gore, violence, imitable behaviour and the possible reference of sex. Meaning they are still able to scare their audience and give them a thrill of a horror as if it was an 18, and 15 rated horrors are generally more successful than 18 rated horrors.
The image above shows the most popular horror films of 2015.
They are all 15 certification.
Therefore, from this research, we still continue to plan at the moment to have the highest certification of a 15 rating. Although, we are going to try aim for a 12 certification due to allowing a larger audience.
