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Supernatural Horror: Research Conclusion

I have looked into three supernatural horror film scenes to help me understand the different codes and conventions, iconography, themes, stock characters and situations etc. that they use to help me base them on what I am going to include in my final project and make it look like a convincing media product.

I have looked into The Possession, The Conjuring and Insidious. Although, all very different in their own ways, they all include certain conventional elements that help identify the genre to the audience. I have identified all of these and I intend to integrate them within the cinematography and planning of my final piece to make it look effective and as realistic as possible.

Something that I have realised when looking at the film scenes is the use of characters. The stock characters that are conventionally used in supernatural horror films are families and so range of middle aged men and women down to young children and this is seen in the film scenes that I have analysed. The family is also usually the protagonist in the films and the victims to some sort of supernatural being (the antagonist). Therefore, in my film opening, I am going to have to cast a range of different ages to create a family that it will be based around and so this will make my opening fit the codes and conventions of a supernatural horror. Something that I am going to need to think about is the casting of the supernatural being as this may be difficult to recreate as the antagonists seen in Insidious and The Conjuring have distinct, slightly demonic features that we couldn't replicate. Therefore, we must try and make our antagonist not visible in the scene which is done in the clip from The Possession, so that our final piece is more realistic.

A stock situation that happened in each scene that I analysed was some sort of attack from the supernatural antagonist character. This relates to a key theme that is present throughout all three scenes which is good versus evil. Therefore, in my film opening I am going to have to make the divide between good versus evil very clear in my narrative and so it is recognisable of the genre.

Some kind of filter of low-key lighting has been used in each scene. The low-key lighting and other filters that make the scenes look dull and dark automatically gives the film an eery atmosphere and helps identify with the supernatural horror genre. Therefore, I must include some kind of dark filter or low-key lighting to emphasise the eery atmosphere throughout my film opening and so it is recognisable of the genre and therefore more convincing.

The use of incidental music and emphasised diegetic sound is a predominant feature that occurs throughout each of the scenes I analysed. Incidental music is used to create tension and set a certain mood and atmosphere throughout the scene. I have also noticed that it is specifically used when something bad is going to happen i.e. the antagonist suddenly appearing. The non-diegetic music also increases in volume and pace when something bad is going to happen which makes the audience on edge and is conventional of the genre.

In addition to the incidental music used, emphasised diegetic sound is used to signify a specific feature. For example, in The Possession, diegetic sounds of glasses smashing and other furniture crashing to the ground is used to emphasise the power that this supernatural being has over the other character. Therefore, when planning my final project, I must consider using sound effects to make certain points exaggerated and make certain elements of characters or other features of the scene much clearer.

Overall, I think that if my partner and I follow the codes and conventions that we have noticed from each of the scenes we have analysed each, and apply these to the cinematography and planning of the final project, we will hopefully be able to create a convincing media product that is recognisable of our chosen genre.

Supernatural Horror: Insidious (2011) Scene Analysis

The third and final scene that I am going to be analysing is from Insidious released on April 1, 2011, directed by James Wan, distributed by FilmDistrict and the studios being Alliance Films, IM Global and Stage 6 Films. It earned $97,009,150 worldwide at the box office and garnered generally positive reviews.

Key character types and stock characters:
There are four protagonists in this scene, the woman recalling a dream she had of the house, and the man and woman who are sitting at the other end of the table. We also see a young boy laying in bed, asleep with a clear antagonist standing to the side of the prop of the bed, in a flashback of the female characters dream.

We can tell that this character is the antagonist as it has non-human features such as the clawed fingers. This is conventional of the genre as supernatural beings are typically seen as the antagonists throughout the film.

Narratives and stock situations:
A key narrative that we see in the scene is good versus evil between the supernatural being and the other human, normal characters in the scene. The human protagonists in the film are clearly fearing this antagonist that the woman is recalling which shows the threat that this character has on the other characters in the film. This is typical of supernatural horrors as the supernatural beings in the film are usually the ones that are harassing the protagonists.

The flashback/dream that the woman is recalling throughout the scene looks to be set during the nighttime. This is typical stock situation that we would usually see as most supernatural horror movies are set during the night. This then means low-key lighting is used to give the scene an eery atmosphere.

Icons of supernatural horror:
The main icon used in the film is the use of the supernatural being. This immediately establishes the genre of the film as conventionally, supernatural beings are the main characters within supernatural horror films.

Low-key lighting has been used in the scene to create an eery and ominous mood. Also, as the flashback scenes are during the nighttime when it is dark, this relates to the fact that people are generally more scared when they are in the darkness as the sense of the unknown is present. Creating this tone and atmosphere is usually done in supernatural horror films to make the audience feel on edge and get a sense of the mood of the film.

The use of the red make-up used when the supernatural being appears behind the male character connotes that he is some kind of demon. This is an icon of the genre as demon like creatures are things we typically see in supernatural horror films. The colour red is also an icon of the genre as it connotes danger, a key theme that runs throughout the film.

The scene also looks to be set in a large, grand old family home. This is a typical location for a supernatural horror to take place and so fits the codes and conventions of the genre.

Themes of supernatural horror:
The key theme, as with many supernatural horror films, is the fear of the unknown. The audience and the characters within the scene are unsure on what this supernatural creature is and so this adds a sense of mystery to the scene. We are also unaware of why this being is harassing the other characters and what it wants. This sense of mystery and uncertainty surrounding the supernatural in the film puts the audience on edge as they do not know what to expect. This is typically done for most supernatural horror films as they aim to make the audience feel scared of what is going to happen next.

Score:
Throughout most of the scene, faint incidental music has been used to create a dark and ominous atmosphere and make the audience feel that eventually, something bad is going to happen. The non-diegetic incidental music starts to build up during the flashback of the dream and as the door opens and reveals the antagonist character, the music suddenly increases in volume and pace. These types of build ups in incidental music is conventional in supernatural horror films as it is used to make the audience feel on edge.

Some diegetic sound is also used to set the scene. The emphasised sound effects of the creaking doors in the flashback is something that we typically hear within the genre as it creates a spooky atmosphere and also tells us something about the old and dated interior of the house, which is also an icon of the genre.

Supernatural Horror: The Conjuring (2013) Scene Analysis

The second film clip that I am going to be analysing is a scene from The Conjuring released on July 19, 2013, directed by James Wan, distributed by Warner Bros. and the studios being The Safran Company, Evergreen Media Group and New Line Cinema. The film earned $318,000,141 worldwide at the box office and has garnered generally positive reviews from critics.

Key character types and stock characters:

In this scene we are introduced to two young female characters, who we can assume are the protagonists in the film and another female character who enters at the end of the clip which we can assume is the antagonist in the film. A clear antagonist and protagonist are stock characters that we typically see in supernatural horror films.

Female characters are conventionally seen as the victims in supernatural horror films as they have the archetypal traits of being weaker, and less emotionally stable than a stereotypical masculine male.

We can also tell that the female characters are most likely sisters and typically, families are usually the main protagonists in supernatural films. 

Narratives and stock situations:

A key stock situation that we generally see in supernatural horror films is good versus evil. This can be seen with the character on top of the wardrobe (the evil) which attacks the young female character in the bedroom (the good). In this scene, the evil character is clearly winning this fight, and this is a situation that we also typically see in the genre as the good only ever defeats the evil at the very end, or sometimes not at all as conventionally, evil usually wins.

The situation is also taking place in a bedroom and at night time. This is a stock situation as conventionally, these good versus evil supernatural scenes usually happen in family houses and typically happen during the night as the darkness gives the scenes an eery atmosphere. 

Icons of supernatural horror:

The location used in the scene is a bedroom which has old-fashioned furniture and decor in it such as the grand wardrobe. These are icons of the genre as supernatural horror films are typically set in grand, old locations. 

The low-key lighting used in the scene gives it an eery and ominous tone and the use of moonlight coming through the windows, casting shadows across the bedroom is also an icon of the genre. This also relates to the fact that the scene has been set during the night, and the nighttime is something we conventionally see in supernatural horror films.

Having the antagonist in the film being a supernatural being is an icon of the genre as the main theme throughout in supernatural horror. We can tell that she is some sort of supernatural creature due to her un-human like pose on the top of the wardrobe and her deformed looking face.

In addition to this, in terms of mise en scene and the way the characters make-up has been used also makes the genre clear. The antagonist that is seen on top of the wardrobe has a dirty and slightly deformed looking face and her hair is messy which suggests that she could be possessed by some sort of demon as she doesn't seem to care about her looks. This is a part of the iconography of the genre as we typically see demon like creatures in and possessions in most supernatural horror films. 

Themes of supernatural horrors:

A big theme that we see in supernatural horrors is the fear of the unknown. In the scene, we do not know how or why the antagonist, which is on top of the wardrobe, is there. The diegetic sound of banging coming from the wardrobe also adds to the sense of mystery as the audience do not know what is making that noise.

The supernatural is a topic that most people don't have a full understanding of anyway as we do not generally encounter these things in everyday life. This adds to the sense of mystery that we get from this antagonist character. 

Score:

The incidental music that gradually builds up to add tension just before the revealing of the character on top of the wardrobe. When this character appears on the screen, the music suddenly increases in volume and becomes faster. This has been used to emphasise the power and threat that this antagonist has against the other characters in the scene. 

It is conventional that this type of incidental music is used in supernatural horror films as a lot of tension is needed to create these big crescendos which make the scary moments even more scarier for the audience. 

Supernatural Horror: The Possession (2012) Scene Analysis

The first film scene that I am going to be analysing is the opening to The Possession (2012), directed by Ole Bornedal, distributed by Lionsgate and the studios being Ghost House Pictures and North Box Productions. The film earned $78,515,363 at the box office and garnered mixed reviews from critics.

Key character types and stock characters:
In the opening scene we are introduced to a middle-aged woman who is the predominant character that the audience sees. We are not introduced to a clear antagonist or protagonist although the woman that we do see is clearly a victim as in a LS, she is forced to the ground by this mysterious, invisible being. This is just after she is seen in the MCU, seemingly about to destroy a box seen in a MS, with a hammer. This suggests to the audience that this mysterious box or whatever is inside it, could be the antagonist throughout the film which is a typical stock character of the supernatural horror genre.

In addition, the stock character of the middle-aged woman in the scene looks to be quite an average, normal character. This is conventional of supernatural horror films as the victims are usually everyday people as this means that the audience feel more vulnerable as it makes them think that the situation could happen to anybody. Also, its typical to see female characters become the victims in supernatural horror films as it is archetypal that they are weaker people.

Narratives and stock situations:
A key narrative and theme that we generally see in supernatural horror films is good versus evil. This can be seen in the scene as the antagonist (the evil) which is the mysterious box, is attacking the, what seems to be the good character as generally the victims in supernatural horror films are usually good.

The woman is seemingly being possessed/attacked by this invisible being and again, this is a stock situation that we typically see in the genre. The evil is seen possessing the good character which shows the good versus evil theme that is typically seen in supernatural horrors. The fact that this mysterious, invisible non-human being is supposedly possessing this female character is a conventional situation, specifically seen in supernatural films.

In addition, the female character in the scene looks to be in distress as in the MCU shot, we can see that she is wiping the tears from her face. The female characters in supernatural horror are conventionally the characters who are hysterical throughout the films.

Icons of supernatural horrors:
Often seen in supernatural horrors is blood. This is seen when the female character is being attacked on the floor by the evil being. This connotes that the rest of the film will see a lot of violence which will result in blood and gore, which is conventional of the genre and is something that the audience expects and wants to see and so pleases their needs when watching the film.

Also, the stock location in the scene which looks to be a large house with old-fashioned furniture in it, is conventional of the genre as supernatural horror films are generally set in relatively normal locations so it makes the audience feel that it could happen to anybody. Furthermore, old looking locations are also an icon of the genre as usually, old locations are said to be most likely haunted and the location of supernatural beings such as ghosts.

A hammer is used as a weapon by the woman as she is seen in the MCU shot about to destroy the box that is on the mantle piece. Weapons are generally not as common in supernatural horror films than other horror sub-genres such as slashers, however, it is still something that is conventional, although not as much as other horrors, and also connotes that there will be further violence and battle between good and evil throughout the rest of the film.

Themes of supernatural horrors:
One big theme of supernatural horrors and other horror genres is the fear of the unknown. As I have been mentioning throughout the analysis, the whole scene and especially the antagonist in it is very mysterious which intrigues the audience into why this being is attacking the woman and more importantly, what it actually is.

Another predominant theme in the genre is the use of female characters as victims throughout the film. Stereotypical, feminine women are seen as the archetypal weaker gender and are also seen as the ones who are more emotional and are usually hysterical when it comes to some of the situations seen in the films. In the scene, the middle-aged woman is seen wiping tears from her face which shows that she is emotionally unstable and is most likely due to the fear that she is feeling. This simply emphasises to the audience the power that this box must have if it is causing this effect on the female character, and so makes them feel more scared when it builds up to when she is attacked by the being. It is also a way of the audience empathising with the female character.

Score:
The diegetic sound of the strange whispering that is coming from the box in the LS is establishing that whatever this being that is coming from the box is, is sinister and menacing. The whispering is conventional of the supernatural horror genre as it sets an eerie and ominous tone.

As it builds up to the LS where we see the female character being forced to the ground, faint incidental music is played which adds tension for the audience and tells them that something bad is going to happen. This non-diegetic music builds up as a crescendo to the climax of the attack.

The sound effects such as the smashes of glass, and the sound of furniture hitting the ground are used to emphasise the force that the woman is being pushed around the floor with. These are conventional of the supernatural horror genre as a lot of violence is typically seen.

My Genre

The genre that my partner and I have decided to work on is a sub-genre, supernatural horror. This is because we are both big fans of supernatural horror films and we watch them very often, meaning we can recognise the icons and motifs usually seen in the genre very easily. Also, as we are passionate about the genre, it will mean that we will be more motivated and interested when it comes to preparing and creating the final piece.

Also, we felt that doing a supernatural horror film would be the easiest to do in terms of getting access to the facilities needed. The locations of many supernatural horror films are conventionally in old, large family houses which is a set which we can easily get a hold of to film the opening scene in. Additionally, supernatural horrors generally reflect real life in their locations and props etc. and so make it more logistical when it comes to retrieving the props and accessing the different sets. Also, as these all reflect real life, it will add realism to the opening scene and so make the final product seem more convincing as a media product.

In terms of casting, conventionally, in a supernatural horror film, the plot mainly revolves around a family and this is a cast that my partner and I are easily able to ask and to be used in our opening scene.

This is much easier than creating a set and gathering props for a sci-fi film which would generally need special effects and CGI which would be almost impossible for my partner and I to recreate and still maintain a realistic, convincing opening scene.

My partner and I have already discussed filming the opening scene in one of our houses, as we both live in relatively large, family houses which are conventional of the genre and the props that we are thinking of using are generally within our homes anyway and so this has already made it very economical and logistical for us.