Research into Genre

A horror/mystery film usually includes:

• Victim - usually stereotyped as a woman
• Killer/antagonist - usually stereotyped as a male
• Tension, danger, suspense
• Shadows
• Footsteps/creaking doors
• mysterious music, tense, thrilling, slow paced to fast paced
• Fast paced editing shots - tension

In the film 'The Strangers', the woman is seen to be the victim and the killer in the background is male. We use the stereotypes of a woman being a victim and a male being the psychotic killer in our film. However, due to the twist in the end of the film, we subvert these stereotypes. We also subvert a stereotype of the woman as she is seen to be dealing and buying drugs which is usually seen to be a male.

Setting

• Abandoned/lonely
• no way of escape
• Verisimilitude - real setting, real events

An abandoned house is shown in 'The Woman In Black'. This house is shown to be very scary as you know no one is in the house, but noises are heard. In our film, we wont have a huge abandoned house like this example, we use what looks to be a family home and is used ironically as the daughter of the family is left all alone there. By using a nice, welcoming looking home, the audience wont expect what is going to happen. We use verisimilitude as the house is real and a intruder and murder is a real like event.

Iconography

• Knife/gun/weapon
• Blood
• Scary/dark/unknown figure
• Dark clothing

In our film we will use a knife which will kill the male which will also need fake blood. These props link with a typical horror and gruesome film. We will also be using a lot of shadows and dark figures as the figures are not told or shown to the audience which adds to the suspense and the mystery.

Cinematography

• CU shots
• LS
• Canted angles
• Pans
• P.O.V shots
• Track

I will use close up shots on individuals or important objects to show emotion and confusion. Long shots will be used in the house to establish and put emphasis on the girl being alone and her lack of safety. Canted angles are ubiquitous in horror and thriller films as they show that something weird is happening or the character is confused or unstable. We will use these to show the intruder breaking in and trying to murder the girl. P.O.V shots get the audience involved as they feel as though they're in the same frightening position as the victim or killer. Both pans and tracking add to the fast movement which build up suspense and tension which we want our audience to feel which we will also use a lot in our film.