Key Elements

From my researching the key codes and conventions of the horror genre, I can decide what I will use in my film, to make it fit into my chosen genre as best as possible. By including these key elements, I know I will be successful in creating a film opening that intrigues my audience.

The first key element I will use is low key lighting. This is because I know it sets an eerie atmosphere, and the dark is known for being mysterious. It is harder for a character to protect themselves in the dark. This leads the audience to feel more worried about the character, creating a stronger bond between the viewer and character. I will use low key lighting when the character of Steve is walking home from work, as it will be the first scene in my opening, instantly creating a mysterious setting. It will also straight away tell the audience that the film is set in the evening. I will also use low key lighting when the character Maggie goes upstairs to find her daughter dead. The low key lighting here will make it harder for the audience to see what is happening, which makes sure they have to pay full attention to what is going on. Also, the low key lighting makes it harder for Maggie to protect herself against the potential violence that could take place.

Another key convention I will use is loud sound effects. When editing the film opening we will add non diegetic sounds effects such as the knife cutting, the door creaking and footsteps. This makes the viewer pay extra attention to the actions taking place. From my research I found out that traditional sounds used where creaking doors (to add suspense to what is the other side of the door) and footsteps (to make the viewer think about who’s walking and where they are walking to). Weapons are also a common prop used in horror movies, so by loudening the noise of a knife chopping food up, gives more attention to the knife, which the viewer will instantly associate with violence.

In my film opening I will use close up shots. Close-up’s are well known for showing the audience the character’s expressions, so they know how they are feeling. I will use close-up’s in my film to show Maggie’s emotionless reaction to her daughter’s death. This may lead the audience to wonder why she hasn’t reacted in what we would believe the normal way to be. Creating questions in their mind, and hooking them into the film. I will also use a close-up to show the dead daughter. This is because it will clearly show the rope around the daughter’s neck, showing the audience how she died. Showing the dead body will also scare the audience.

When the credits appear on my film opening, I will use a red ghostly font. This is because red is famously linked with horror, due to the association with blood. As our logo is red and black, I will stick to this colour theme, so it all ties in and looks professional. I will do this by duplicating the red text in a black colour and placing it behind it, which will also give a 3D effect. By using a ghostly font, it will show the film is of the horror genre and allow the credits to not look random.

Lastly, in my film opening I will include a selection of pan shots of the house in which the film is set. From my research I found out that many openings show where the film is set, so the audience feel like they know the setting well leading them to feel like they are in the film themselves, which makes them more vulnerable and easier to scare. I will include a pan of the living room and kitchen, when the dad has opened the door from walking home. I have chosen to do it then, as it will look as if the viewer has just walked through the door and is looking around the house themselves.

In conclusion, my previous research has helped me create my own list of key elements that I will use in my film opening, to ensure that it fits into my horror genre successfully.