Why Horror?
My teacher introduced me to horror films and I showed a keen interest and I wanted to research the conventions.
Conventions Of Horror
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Sub Genre / Hybrid In Film
A hybrid is two genres put together. For example 'sci-fi horror' is a hybrid. This is when the genres horror and sci-fi are put together. A sub genre is a particular subject within the genre 'horror'. For example Yurei horror is a sub genre.
Sub Genres Of Horror
Why Yurei?
I am going to focus on Yurei horror because the narrative of Yurei films interest me. The way something comes back to haunt someone I find very tension building. As i have a low budget I also thought Yurei horror is good as not many big things happen in the films.
Conventions Of Yurie Horror Film
- If someone has died in a violent way such as murder or committed suicide and want revenge they will transform into a Yurie.
- Someone to come back for revenge
- Children are usually the main characters to come back for revenge
- There is always a young short girl with long brown hair
- Some kind of electronic communication such as: phone, laptop or TV. - A communication device is used as the Yurei, coming back to haunt someone.
- Yurie is like the European bogeyman
- Yurie is represented through mediums such as: sounds or lighting.
- It is expected that there is a young asian girl with her long, brown hair down. She is usually quite short and has a very white face.
- The setting is usually in present day where everything seems mundane. This is so the audience can relate to what is happening more.
- The pace of Yurei movies are very similar. It tends to be quite slow, this builds tension. You are aware that something will happen like a freight however not sure when. This creates an enigma.
Looking At Three Different Introductions
I am going to look at three Yurei openings to get the idea of how Yurei films work. I will also get some ideas for my own opening. I will be able to see what works and what doesn't. For example, with a type of camera effect like a zoom or a long shot, I can decide whether these effects are suitable or not.
JU-ON The Curse
Analysis
In the opening of Ju-On/The Curse directed by Takashi Shimizu and made in 2002 conventions of a Yurei horror film are clearly shown. They are shown through mediums like sound, the narrative, mise en scene and the characters. The opening introduces us to a couple, a man and the woman who is pregnant. Further on in the opening we are introduced to a small Asian boy who the man goes to visit. Then at the end we see a white blurred, short, woman appear at the top of the house. The woman has long brown hair. Young woman with long brown hair are conventionally used as the protagonist in Yurei horror films.
The narrative the audience gains from the opening is a teacher or a helper is at home with his girlfriend or wife who is pregnant and decides to pay one of his students a visit. When he goes he finds the boy in his front room with a first aid box open and the boys knees bandaged up, we the viewer assume that the boy has been hurt.
In the opening of Ju-On/The Curse directed by Takashi Shimizu and made in 2002 conventions of a Yurei horror film are clearly shown. They are shown through mediums like sound, the narrative, mise en scene and the characters. The opening introduces us to a couple, a man and the woman who is pregnant. Further on in the opening we are introduced to a small Asian boy who the man goes to visit. Then at the end we see a white blurred, short, woman appear at the top of the house. The woman has long brown hair. Young woman with long brown hair are conventionally used as the protagonist in Yurei horror films.
The narrative the audience gains from the opening is a teacher or a helper is at home with his girlfriend or wife who is pregnant and decides to pay one of his students a visit. When he goes he finds the boy in his front room with a first aid box open and the boys knees bandaged up, we the viewer assume that the boy has been hurt.
The man looks out of the window because he hears a cat noise. The scene cuts to an exterior shot of the house and we see a white blurred woman appear at the top of the house.
The film is set in Japan, we know this because of the people we see in the opening and the boys house is Japanese styled. Firstly the opening is set in the couple’s house and then the boy’s house. On the way to the boy’s house we see the streets of a town this is the outside of the boys house. Inside his house we see a very messy, dark and odd-looking front room.
Particular props are used in the opening to make the genre of horror obvious to the audience. Such as, the pile of rubbish outside the boys house with a doll and blood all over it. The use of blood is a connotation of death and makes the audience curious of why there is blood. In the front room the camera zooms in on a first aid box and later zooms in on the boys knees with bloody bandages on them. The blood from outside and the bloody bandages on the boy’s knees make the audience think something has happened to the boy. The man is dressed in a suit and holds a briefcase and a folder. This suggests that he is a teacher or a businessman and he is intelligent. The front room in which the man and boy meet is very messy with papers, food and rubbish everywhere. This makes us think that the house and boy have been neglected.
The film is set in Japan, we know this because of the people we see in the opening and the boys house is Japanese styled. Firstly the opening is set in the couple’s house and then the boy’s house. On the way to the boy’s house we see the streets of a town this is the outside of the boys house. Inside his house we see a very messy, dark and odd-looking front room.
Particular props are used in the opening to make the genre of horror obvious to the audience. Such as, the pile of rubbish outside the boys house with a doll and blood all over it. The use of blood is a connotation of death and makes the audience curious of why there is blood. In the front room the camera zooms in on a first aid box and later zooms in on the boys knees with bloody bandages on them. The blood from outside and the bloody bandages on the boy’s knees make the audience think something has happened to the boy. The man is dressed in a suit and holds a briefcase and a folder. This suggests that he is a teacher or a businessman and he is intelligent. The front room in which the man and boy meet is very messy with papers, food and rubbish everywhere. This makes us think that the house and boy have been neglected.
Comparing the inside and out of the boys house, the inside uses low key lighting and the outside uses high key lighting. This is an example of a convention of horror films. The inside is dangerous as its dark and there are shadows, and the outside is seen as safe and a happy place because of the bright high key lighting. Shadows appear on the little boy’s face. They are formed from low key lighting. This makes the audience scared of the boy and unaware of why he is made to look scary.
Several camera shots and movements are used in the opening. The camera shots varies from long shot, to shot reverse shot. Some examples of these are when the man is walking down the street, a long shot is used along with an establishing shot. They are used to get the idea of him walking and where he is walking to.
Several camera shots and movements are used in the opening. The camera shots varies from long shot, to shot reverse shot. Some examples of these are when the man is walking down the street, a long shot is used along with an establishing shot. They are used to get the idea of him walking and where he is walking to.
You are also shown his body language to tell the audience he is on his way to somewhere important. Shot reverse shot is used when the couple are talking in their house. This is effective as you get each characters point of view. Another shot that captures the characters point of view is an over the shoulder shot this is used when the man is talking to the young boy in his house. A close up is shot at the very beginning on a spider and its web. This is a connotation of an old and spooky atmosphere. This is also suggestive of being caught in something sinister.
A conventional use of sound occurred when the non-diegetic, sad, music was heard right at the start.This made the audience think something sad was going to happen. A train noise is heard persuading the audience that it is just a normal town. The main diegetic sound that continues to play is a cat noise. It is heard randomly when the man is at his house, then again when he opens the door of the boy’s house. The most unusual cat noise was heard when the man looked out of the window and shallow depth of field was used making the boy in the background the only thing in focus, his mouth was moving as if he was making the cat noises. After hearing the boy or cat, you refer back to when you heard it previously and think it was him.
To make the film fluid, different editing and transition effects are used. Jump cuts are the most common, they help to break continuity in time. A flashback happens when the man is in his house. The flashback is in black and white, and give the connotation that it is in the past.
To make the film fluid, different editing and transition effects are used. Jump cuts are the most common, they help to break continuity in time. A flashback happens when the man is in his house. The flashback is in black and white, and give the connotation that it is in the past.
I feel this opening drags on until anything dramatic actually happens. This is effective though because your eyes are stuck on the screen waiting for something. When I come to filming my opening I will use this technique of banality as I feel the audience will be more interested and on the edge of their seat.
ONE MISSED CALL
Analysis
In the opening of One Missed Call directed by Miike Takeshi (2003), the sub genre of Yurie is made very clear to the audience. This is shown through the narrative, characters and the mise en scene. Most of the opening uses banality. Forcing the audience to wait for something to happen, it builds tension and the film communicates with the audience.
The characters involved in the opening are, two Asian girls, which is conventional to the sub genre of Yurie, they are accompanied by a group of friends and other guests, but they are in the background. Everyone is dressed in everyday contemporary clothing for when the film was made, this show it’s just a normal day and they are unaware of anything-sudden happening.
The narrative starts in a restaurant with a group of friends and then moves to the bathrooms.
In the opening of One Missed Call directed by Miike Takeshi (2003), the sub genre of Yurie is made very clear to the audience. This is shown through the narrative, characters and the mise en scene. Most of the opening uses banality. Forcing the audience to wait for something to happen, it builds tension and the film communicates with the audience.
The characters involved in the opening are, two Asian girls, which is conventional to the sub genre of Yurie, they are accompanied by a group of friends and other guests, but they are in the background. Everyone is dressed in everyday contemporary clothing for when the film was made, this show it’s just a normal day and they are unaware of anything-sudden happening.
The narrative starts in a restaurant with a group of friends and then moves to the bathrooms.
The two girls begin to tell a story about if you get a missed call something bad will happen. A diegetic sound is then heard from one of the girl’s phone ringing. The sound is a nursery theme tune that the girl does not recognise, so she doesn’t pick it up. This results in a missed call. The camera moves through a close up zoom onto the phone that is showing ‘one missed called’, this directly relates to the girl’s story and signifies the possible consequences of having a missed call. The girl listens to the message left, when she does, all she can hear is screaming. The screaming is a connotation of anger or madness and signifies that something terrible might happen.
The mise en scene is that the film is located in Japan, in an average size restaurant. It is also located in the bathrooms. Low key lighting is used in the bathrooms to make it look dark and dreary, this has connotations of danger and implies something is not right. The use of low key lighting is conventional to a Yurie horror film. In comparison to the bathrooms the restaurant lighting is bright and cheerful. This suggests that the restaurant is a happy and a safe place to be and the bathrooms are dangerous. However in the restaurant a cooker is shown through a close up. The cooker is alight showing fire. This signifies danger and death. After the girls heard a diegetic sound of a scream on the phone a black out occurred. It went from a dramatic moment to nothing. The comparison between the scream and the black out built tension.
Throughout the opening several props are used to satisfy the conventions of the sub genre Yurie horror. A signifying prop that is essential to Yurei films was a mobile phone. In the establishing shot of the restaurant the camera focuses on people using their phones. The focus on mobile phones is a connotation to the title of the film. When the girls are in the bathroom the camera zooms in on a clock, this signifies the time and the date. This could maybe link to something further on in the film.
Throughout the opening several props are used to satisfy the conventions of the sub genre Yurie horror. A signifying prop that is essential to Yurei films was a mobile phone. In the establishing shot of the restaurant the camera focuses on people using their phones. The focus on mobile phones is a connotation to the title of the film. When the girls are in the bathroom the camera zooms in on a clock, this signifies the time and the date. This could maybe link to something further on in the film.
The opening sequence uses the rule of thirds. It is used when the girls are listening to the phone; the right third is used whilst the rest of the screen is pitch black. This signifies good vs evil. The pitch black is the evil and the action on screen is the good. This creates tension for the audience as they are only concentrated on the phone call.
A close up is also used when the girls are on the phone. This gives the audience a more in detail view of the characters emotions, which further builds tension as they have a more intimate view of how they are feeling. When we see the girl’s friends sitting at the table a pan shot is used. This was used so the audience can get a closer look at everyone and get a point of you as if they are sitting at the table.
There are many diegetic sounds in the opening sequence. Such as: the dramatic scream on the phone which added tension for the audience, the sounds in the restaurant that you would expect like talking and plates banging and the two girls talking to each other. Silence is present after a flashback/montage occurs; the only sound you can hear is a diegetic voiceover. This makes the audience concentrate on what the voiceover is saying. The silence is such a contrast compared with the restaurant noise, it works really effectively to build tension for the audience. An enigma is also built as the audience are wondering what is going to happen after the man has finished talking. Silence is conventional to a horror movie as it builds tension and the audience gets scared of what it is leading to.
When the phone rings, a nursery rhyme plays. Nursery rhymes in horror movies are seen as conventional as something bad always happens when nursery rhymes occur. If the tune was to be repeated again further on in the film it would refer back to the first phone call that ended in a scream and scared the audience.
There are many editing and transition effects in the opening. Jump cuts are used a lot. For example, when the girls walk into the bathroom it jump cuts to them standing in front of the mirror. Continuity is made clear here due to jump cuts. A fade is used from an establishing shot of a town in Japan into the restaurant. This is effective because it makes it more obvious for the audience that the restaurant is in a town in Japan, it also gives the audience context. Another editing/transition affect used was a flashback/montage. It went from the girls face to a flashback of an eyeball. This flashback/montage has connotations of a past memory that is haunting or is yet to haunt the girl.
There are many diegetic sounds in the opening sequence. Such as: the dramatic scream on the phone which added tension for the audience, the sounds in the restaurant that you would expect like talking and plates banging and the two girls talking to each other. Silence is present after a flashback/montage occurs; the only sound you can hear is a diegetic voiceover. This makes the audience concentrate on what the voiceover is saying. The silence is such a contrast compared with the restaurant noise, it works really effectively to build tension for the audience. An enigma is also built as the audience are wondering what is going to happen after the man has finished talking. Silence is conventional to a horror movie as it builds tension and the audience gets scared of what it is leading to.
When the phone rings, a nursery rhyme plays. Nursery rhymes in horror movies are seen as conventional as something bad always happens when nursery rhymes occur. If the tune was to be repeated again further on in the film it would refer back to the first phone call that ended in a scream and scared the audience.
There are many editing and transition effects in the opening. Jump cuts are used a lot. For example, when the girls walk into the bathroom it jump cuts to them standing in front of the mirror. Continuity is made clear here due to jump cuts. A fade is used from an establishing shot of a town in Japan into the restaurant. This is effective because it makes it more obvious for the audience that the restaurant is in a town in Japan, it also gives the audience context. Another editing/transition affect used was a flashback/montage. It went from the girls face to a flashback of an eyeball. This flashback/montage has connotations of a past memory that is haunting or is yet to haunt the girl.
In my opinion this opening is very interesting and we the audience are intrigued to whats going to happen throughout. What makes it interesting is the use of sound, the different effects like: silence with a voiceover, or the sound of the cooker turned on or the scream on the phone. Each sound is used to signify something whether it be death or to build tension. When it comes to making my own opening sequence I will try to use interesting sound effects to excite my audience and keep them on the edge of their seats.
THE RING
Analysis
In the opening sequence of The Ring directed by Gore Verbinski (2002) shows a number of Yurei conventions in the use of mise en scene, sound, editing/transitions and narrative. In the opening we are introduced to two young, female teenage friends. They are both wearing school uniform to connote their youthful age. The synopsis of the film is that if you watch a particular video you will receive a phone call and die a week after watching the video. The use of teenage girls is conventional in the sub genre of Yurie horror to this film.
The opening’s mise en scene is of a house, which is shown through an establishing shot at the beginning.
In the opening sequence of The Ring directed by Gore Verbinski (2002) shows a number of Yurei conventions in the use of mise en scene, sound, editing/transitions and narrative. In the opening we are introduced to two young, female teenage friends. They are both wearing school uniform to connote their youthful age. The synopsis of the film is that if you watch a particular video you will receive a phone call and die a week after watching the video. The use of teenage girls is conventional in the sub genre of Yurie horror to this film.
The opening’s mise en scene is of a house, which is shown through an establishing shot at the beginning.
The use of low key lighting on the house connotes that the house is scary, it is made even scarier because of the darkness due to it being night. The rain compliments the darkness and makes the audience believe outside is a horrible place to be. Low key lighting is conventional for a horror movie. After the establishing shot it then cuts to the house in the girls bedroom and downstairs in the kitchen and front room. As we see more of the house you realise everything has a blue tint to it. The blue tint suggests that the atmosphere is cold and abnormal like something is going to happen.
The house’s emptiness expresses isolation making it more obvious to the audience that the girls are alone. After the establishing shot is shown at the beginning a non-diegetic sound of rain is heard. This is conventional of a horror movie as it’s like the rain before the storm which links with the storyline of it being calm before the killing.
The lighting throughout the opening is mainly low key lighting. This is because one, it is nighttime and two, because low key lighting is a convention of a horror movie. When the girls are in the bedroom talking, shadows appear on their faces this is because of the use of low key lighting. When they move downstairs it is pitch black and all you can see is the phone on the wall ringing. This acts as an enigma for the audience and they are scared of something jumping out on them. So the use of darkness here is very effective. The brightest room is the kitchen, this implys the kitchen is safe and if the girls are in it so are they. However the front room where the groans and the TV goes off by itself is very dark, signifying danger.
There are certain props used throughout that are focused on such as, a phone, a clock and a TV. When the phone rings, the scene cuts to a clock and a zoom is used, it connotes passing time. The significance of passing time refers back to the result of watching the video. The diegetic sound of the phone refers back to the girls conversation about a phone will ring a week after watching the video. So when you hear the phone you instantly think back to their conversation and think of death. Another prop used as a signifier is the TV. The protagonist comes through the TV to kill you. It made a ‘no signal’ sound whilst the girl was downstairs; this was to signal something scary was there. Along with the TV noise a diegetic groan or rumble was heard, this helps the enigma build tension for the audience.
The lighting throughout the opening is mainly low key lighting. This is because one, it is nighttime and two, because low key lighting is a convention of a horror movie. When the girls are in the bedroom talking, shadows appear on their faces this is because of the use of low key lighting. When they move downstairs it is pitch black and all you can see is the phone on the wall ringing. This acts as an enigma for the audience and they are scared of something jumping out on them. So the use of darkness here is very effective. The brightest room is the kitchen, this implys the kitchen is safe and if the girls are in it so are they. However the front room where the groans and the TV goes off by itself is very dark, signifying danger.
There are certain props used throughout that are focused on such as, a phone, a clock and a TV. When the phone rings, the scene cuts to a clock and a zoom is used, it connotes passing time. The significance of passing time refers back to the result of watching the video. The diegetic sound of the phone refers back to the girls conversation about a phone will ring a week after watching the video. So when you hear the phone you instantly think back to their conversation and think of death. Another prop used as a signifier is the TV. The protagonist comes through the TV to kill you. It made a ‘no signal’ sound whilst the girl was downstairs; this was to signal something scary was there. Along with the TV noise a diegetic groan or rumble was heard, this helps the enigma build tension for the audience.
Many different camera shots and movements are used in the opening to create different effects. Some of these are mid shot and close up, these are used when the girls are in the bedroom watching TV and talking. During their conversation the camera moves between them using a shot reverse shot.
Point of view shot was used when the girl walked towards the TV to turn it off. They did this to make the audience feel like they were the ones walking towards it, this is more dramatic than just watching the girl do it. In regards to cinematography shot distance also varied, when the girl walked up to the phone a long shot was used and when she answered the phone a close up happened. They did this to build suspense for the audience; it makes them curious to whom it is on the phone. If the girl watches the video it is thought that she will receive a phone call along with death. So when the phone rings it builds tension as it makes the audience refer back to the narrative.
When the girl answers the phone the background is blurred and the girl and the phone are in focus this is shallow depth of field. This is effective as you are forced to only concentrate on the phone call. Another effect used when the phone rang, it was the rule of thirds. The phone filled the left third of the screen. This created tension within the moment as all of our focus was on the phone call, just waiting for something awful to happen.
When the girl answers the phone the background is blurred and the girl and the phone are in focus this is shallow depth of field. This is effective as you are forced to only concentrate on the phone call. Another effect used when the phone rang, it was the rule of thirds. The phone filled the left third of the screen. This created tension within the moment as all of our focus was on the phone call, just waiting for something awful to happen.
In the opening scene, transition and editing such as jump cuts were used. This was used when the girls travelled from upstairs to downstairs, and also when the girl speaks on the phone and it jump cuts to her in a different position in the kitchen. A conventional editing technique was used when the beginning part fades up. The use of a fades tell the audience that the atmosphere is relaxed and casual for the time being.
This opening builds tension and suspense continuously. At times it fools the audience, we think something will be scary but actually it's not. For example when the phone rings we think it's going to be someone wanting the girl dead when actually it is her mum. This is effective as it builds tension then suddenly drops, it makes the audience want to feel more thrill. In my opening sequence I will try to use the technique of fooling the audience before the real action happens.
This opening builds tension and suspense continuously. At times it fools the audience, we think something will be scary but actually it's not. For example when the phone rings we think it's going to be someone wanting the girl dead when actually it is her mum. This is effective as it builds tension then suddenly drops, it makes the audience want to feel more thrill. In my opening sequence I will try to use the technique of fooling the audience before the real action happens.
Overview
After watching all three of the openings I have learnt that the sub genre Yurei has to be shown through mediums such as lighting, sound and the narrative. To do this I can use an enigma, low key lighting or silence to build tension. Each opening was made obvious that it was a Yurei horror film, I knew this because two of them were set in Japan, however a Yurei horror film does not always have to be set in Japan, Ju-On included a short, asian girl with long, brown hair and The Ring used a communication device. When I come to do my opening I will try and use an asian girl but this depends also on my market research. I will include a communication device because I think it is very effective as it is an every day thing to use and its conventional to Yurei horror. A technique used in every one of the openings was low key lighting, low key lighting creates shadows, which makes the object or actor look scarier. I will use low key lighting in my opening when something scary is about to happen because it helps the characters seem more frightening. Silence was used effectively in One Missed Call, it went from normal noise to silence and a voice over. This was effective as it forced the audience to concentrate on the voiceover. This built tension as you didn't know where it was leading to. In Yurei horror films the pace tends to be slow, I find this effective so I will make the pace of my film slow. The audience know something will happen but not sure when.
In The Ring there was a zoom in on the clock, connoting time passing. This object was used to symbolise something, in my film I would like to use a zoom also. I could use a zoom when the audience are concentrating on one thing so they get a clearer view of it.
I would like to set my film in a domestic environment, this way the audience can relate to the film and feel more involved.
In The Ring there was a zoom in on the clock, connoting time passing. This object was used to symbolise something, in my film I would like to use a zoom also. I could use a zoom when the audience are concentrating on one thing so they get a clearer view of it.
I would like to set my film in a domestic environment, this way the audience can relate to the film and feel more involved.