Risk Assessment

Genre Conventions - Editing

Genre Conventions - Editing

Editing in a horror film is one of the most important factors of the film. The editing has to be done to perfection to achieve the scares. The pace of the film has to switch from fast pace to slow pace to disorientate the audience. The suspense that is built within the scene keeps the audience on their toes and excited throughout the film, the editor has to cut this scene to ensure that a dramatic tension runs through it and ensure that the audience is gripped with in the scene. The main suspense is built on the audiences anticipation, the pace of this scene is the key to building this anticipation and suspense.

The time span of the clips are used to make an impression on the audience:

A long time span / Slow paced editing  

A long clip makes the audience tense as it focuses in on one subject for too long and evokes the audience to feel the need to look away or lets them focus on the detail in the shot - this depends on what the shot is. On these types of clips the audience expects to be scared however if a jump scare is placed at the right point in the scene then the audience will still jump as the tension builds and builds however if this cut is placed too late then the main tension will have been wasted.

A short time span / Fast paced editing

Fast paced clips create chaos and disorientation, making the audience focus on lots of things in a short amount of time making them perceptible to the scares. On the fast paced shots a hand held camera is the best option to use as this makes it more messy and not uniform, these shots might make the audience feel a sense of urgency and this could lead to strong feelings of panic. These fast paced scenes and cuts must be used sparingly as too many will make the audience confused and it could make them forget the plot of the film as they are too focused on trying to keep up with the action.

Horror Conventions - Characters

b) Typical Characters of a Psychological Horror

1) The Main Protagonist
This is the character that the cameras will be following through 90% of the film. It will usually be their fault they're in this situation, either because they blatantly provoked it or they recently moved into the house where the villain originates from. They are always the last characters to die, if they do or they'll be the only ones to make it out alive. They usually have quite a heroic personality, trying to save the other characters and stop the villain despite half the time it never quite working out.

Example:

Laine Morris from Ouija

2) The Non-Believer:
This character can be of either gender. The personalities can go either of two ways: they can be portrayed as cocky and at ease or timid and intelligent. Either way, both characters are placed with the intention to persuade the other characters that they are overreacting and that nothing is going on. Usually their persistency occurs after a few things have gone bump in the night, or the power has randomly gone out. Both types of this character are overconfident, which can usually lead them to being the first to be killed, their death starting the chain reaction for the other characters deaths. Given that this is typical of some horror films, the audience will not be swayed by this 'voice of reason' knowing that in the end, their arrogance will be the death of them.

Example:

Isabella from Ouija

3) The Villain Itself:
This character can take up to many forms but typically of a psychological horror, they take the form of a demonic possession, ghost/spirit or a horrifying monster the writers have conjured up purposely for that film. These characters will never react in a normal way to injuries (if it's possible to inflict any); they usually manage get back up unharmed, showing that they are in fact inhuman. Spirits and demons help play on 'the fear of the unknown' as there is never any solid proof to show that they do not exist. They play on the audiences more primal fears and thought that things like this could actually exist all around them. This character obviously has the biggest impact on the audience and is used to strike fear into them. They are what the suspension throughout the film and all other codes and conventions have been building up to.

Example:

Doris from Ouija: Origin of Evil

4) The Female Victim:
There is almost no horror film anywhere without a female victim, as stereotypically they are portrayed as being vulnerable and in need of protection. You may get the odd film where roles are switched and the female is actually the 'saviour' of the movie but even that character will still have that best friend who is classed as 'dumb' or 'annoying'. However despite this cliché personality, she typically isn't the first to be killed but when she does, the film exploits the use of gore making the scene graphic and gruesome. This character also is used to help build up suspense in the audience as her behaviour often puts them on edge, and whenever she jumps, even if unnecessary, the audience jump too.

Example:

Debby from Ouija

5)  The Last Girl
This is our survivor. She is the subtly pretty girl who is smart, sweet and liked by everyone.  She is often the quiet and laid back girl who finds strength she didn’t knew she had. After watching all of her friends die, she is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that she is not next, and that this never happens again. Starting off as the more reserved of the bunch, she becomes the strongest person in the group.  If she does die in the movie, it is typically from being the last person alive, left only with the killer or monster.

Genre Conventions: Editing

Horror Editing Conventions

A horror film relies heavily on the audience's anticipation to build up the suspense and tension. The use of editing in horror films is beneficial as it helps to maintain that anticipation. To achieve the scares of a horror film, editing had to be done effectively. By switching from fast pace to slow pace, it disorientates the audience and builds confusion. Suspense throughout the film keeps the audience elevated and leaves them with a sense of exhilaration. The use of editing keeps the audience entertained and it is key way to create a sense of suspension.

Pace

Slow paced editing:
Extended uncut clips that are slow paced can build tension. When a shot is held on screen for a long amount of time, the audience starts to feel uncomfortable and prepares themselves for a sudden scare or change. This is useful as the discomfort that builds up during the uncut clip helps to exaggerate the jump scare, or climax of the scene. Although this can be useful, holding onto a shot can be difficult for the editor as they want to keep the audience's curiosity whilst not losing their interest in the prolonged scene at the same time.

Fast paced editing:
A sequence of fast paced cuts between short-clips will disorientate the audience, causing them to feel confused and be on-edge. The quick transitions between clips creates a pace in which the audience will start to feel a sense of urgency and will realise how frantic the situation is.
It's effective to use quick pace in a horror film as it keeps up the apprehension of the scene and also allows the viewer to keep track of everything going if it is an action packed scene.
The fast pace connotes feelings of panic and anxiety as the shots may be tangled and put together very messily.

More Post-Production

Post-Production Photos

Characters in our film

Characters - Retention

As already established in our research there are certain characters in every horror films, to make our film match the horror conventions we matched our characters to the theories and facts.

The main character - Riley King

The non believer - Eli Harris

The hysterical - Mackenzie Lloyd

The couple - Riley King , Jace Hayes

The final girl - Malia Myers

The antagonist - The Ghost

The hero - Jace Hayes

Horror Conventions - Characters

Genre Conventions - Characters

The characters are one of the most important factors of the film. If they are not believable the film becomes unpopular to watch and everything seems fake. Many films have the same type of characters within them and this is one of the main movie theory's. This theory is Propps character theory- where Vladimir Propp a Russian film critic found 7 types of characters in films.

Propp character types

1. The Hero- A character that seeks something or is on a quest, the hero is usually the person who saves the day.
2. The Villain-  A character who opposes the hero and actively blocks the hero's quest
3. The Doner- A character provides an object which can aid the hero
4. The Dispatcher- A character who sends the hero on his quest
5. The False Hero- A character who disrupts the hero's success by making false claims
6. The Helper- A character who aids the hero  
7. The Princess- A character who is the reward for the hero and the object of the villains plots
8. The Princess's father- A character who acts to reward the hero for his effort

These character types can be applied to most films however as the films come more into the 'new age' the character types are changing and what was once classed as minority character's in films for example women and people of ethnic backgrounds are becoming the mains.

A character type that can be applied to almost every horror film is Carol Clovers final girl.

Carol Clovers final girl theory

The final girl is the last character to survive in a horror film this is usually the pure and innocent girl who nobody suspects to survive. The final girl is usually the person who slays the monster and walks away from the situation safe.

In the evil dead:

          The Final Girl                          The Hero                                                               The Villain

Characters in horror films sometimes differ from the characters in another genre, for example Action. This is because horror story's need certain characters to make the film work. These characters are:

• The main character

This character is the one that the story is based around. They usually are the cause of the haunting however it can be the character that saves the others from the antagonist. Most of the movie is based around this character and more often than not this is a female lead. The main normally senses the 'ghost' before anybody else and are not often believed.

Example- House of wax = Carly

• The Hero 

This is usually a male character with a strong build- instead of being the literal 'hero' he is the brave person that goes after the evil and results in him having a tragic death, in some horrors giving is life up to save the others. This role, much like the main character is becoming more popular in a female role as this makes the film more unpredictable.

Example - House of Wax = Nick

• The non-believer

This is a character who is typically overconfident, cocky and at ease usually confirming that they are the first to be killed. This character is the sense of security and once they are killed the audience is put into a state of hopelessness connoting that their worst fears have been confirmed. Their death is normally a turning point in the film as it triggers a chain of other unfortunate events.

Example - House of Wax = Wade

• The final girl

This character doesn't have to be the main character and at the start of the film is usually the quiet innocent girl who doesn't have a strong character or much of a strong personality in the beginning. At the end of the film the character develops into the strongest and quick thinking character who gets out alive. This character is the 'pure girl' who doesn't drink, smoke or have sex in the film. The final girl evolves into a resourceful and intelligent person. In more modern films this character can also be the main.

Example - House of Wax = Carly

• The hysterical

This is the character who breaks down into hysterics and is always killed. This usually girl character, normally refuses to move after seeing the death of a friend and has a break down sometimes gaining the attention of the antagonist. This is essential to a horror film as her on edge, panics and hysterical tendencies reflect onto the audience.

Example- House of Wax = Paige

• The couple

These characters start of being away from the group when the first person is killed and don't know what's happening until its too late. These characters get the audience worked up and frustrated at how oblivious to the situation they are in and this helps build the tension. In older films these characters are used to show the bad morals between teenagers however in newer films the couples gain the sympathy vote and their deaths are tragic. This makes the audience frustrated with the course of the film and sad about the outcome.

Example - House of Wax = Paige and Blake

• The antagonist

This is the character that strikes fear among the audience. If they are human they often wear a mask or have a disturbing feature to their face. They are used in jump scares and are the factor in which the film is based around. They do not act normal when injured and get back up unharmed and this connotes the  idea of them being inhuman. If they are a demon/ghost they are used so that it plays on humans darkest fears and makes you believe that those things are real.

Example - House of Wax = Bo / Vincent

Genre Conventions: Characters

Stereotypical Characters in a Psychological Horror

The Main Protagonist

The main protagonist will usually be the one that the film focuses on. Its common for the main
protagonist to be the cause of all of the chaos and the reason why they are stuck in their situation in a particular situation. They usually are the only ones who have the strength and willingness to get out of a tough situation and will always have a reason to do so; such as saving someone's life or escaping some sort of mess. In a horror film, the protagonist will usually be the last one the die or the only one to survive if they make it out. This character will be mostly courageous and heroic, trying to keep the other characters safe whilst still finding a way to stop the villain.

The Non-Believer

The personality of a non-believe in a horror film can be of two types: they are either cocky or quite and intellectual. These characters are placed within a movie with the intent to convince the other characters that they are over exaggerating and that nothing unrealistic is going on. Even after a few strange occurrences have happened they usually still insist that everyone is overreacting. Due to them being too self-assured this character is usually the first one to be killed as they don't acknowledge the situation. This starts a sequence of deaths that befall the rest of the characters.

The Hysterical
The hysterical is the character who usually has nervous break downs and is always frantic and agitates. This type of character is always killed in Horror movies. The frenzied emotions of the character is normally caused by them witnessing the death of another person or a strange occurrence. Generally a girl, this person has a significant impact on the viewers and her overwrought tendencies reflect onto the audience layering on more suspense and apprehension.

Female Victim

Hardly any horror film does not contain a female victim as they are shown to be weak and vulnerable and in need of protection. This character is normally blonde and attractive so that there is more male appeal. They are often portrayed as ditzy and uncoordinated and although she isn't usually the first one to be killed, when she is, it is usually gory or quite graphic. This type of character helps to build tension as they are always tense and anxious, meaning the slightest little thing makes them jump; and when they do, so does the audience.

The Couple
This is a male and female character who are usually seen making out or all over each other throughout the film. Because of the fact they are a couple, they usually stay clear of the rest of the group meaning they don't know about the first murder; oblivious to everything that is going on. It helps to build tense as the audience will be infuriated at how ignorant they are to the situation around them.

The Final Girl

This character type is usually the only survivor, or one of them. At the start of film, they are normally timid, sweet and liked by most, if not all of the group. By the end, this character has grown more strong and independent after risking their life to make it out of their situation or trying to save their friends. Their personality is more reserved and innocent than that of the others. Horror films in today's society usually make this character the main protagonist as well.

The Antagonist

In horror films, the antagonist can take many forms such as: serial killer, demonic possession, a ghost, monster or any other form of supernatural creature. If the villain is human, they will often wear a mask to conceal their identity and emotion, this also gives a sense of the fear of the unknown. Even if hurt, the antagonist will not seem fazed and will just carry on with whatever they were doing. This gives the impression that they are inhuman.
The other type of killer, such as a monster or demon, also depends on the fear of the unknown but in a different sense. There is no definite proof that these do not exist in real life, so this plays on the audience's speculation on whether they are. The antagonist has the biggest impact on the audience as they are the main source of suspense throughout the movie; terrifying them.