Genre In Short Film - Horror

 

 

Is Horror Suited for short Films?

 

I think that Horror is suited for short films because the sense of horror can easily be crated through use of camera work and sound. This could be disjointed shots or disorientated shots. The music could be played in a way to make the viewer feel tense and un eased.

A different way that Horror can be achieved in short film is by using jump scares. This is created by making a clip that seems perfectly normal and the viewer is relaxed. But then the jump scare comes and puts them completely of ease and they now know that they are watching a horror film.

 

Horror may not be suited to short films though because allot of horror films use time to their advantage to create suspense and a more complex story line. In a short film time isn't on your side and you need to create a full storyline in that short space of time. So creating suspense can be a real challenge in the short film so allot of creators will opt to completely skip this out but in some cases very clever people can create the sense of tension in a very short space of time by using lighting, music and camerawork in a way that makes time almost stand still.

 

Analysis Of A Short Horror Film

 

I Looked at "The apocalypse" By Green Car Pictures

 

 

 

This short film uses the technique I described earlier about creating the sense of normal life through the ordinary lighting, setting and characters. The Viewer is then Shocked when the boy gets an idea and his head blows up. This shock is somewhat emphasised by the normal changed dramatically to the abnormal.

 

The Film Then goes on to "Pick Off" The rest of the people apart from one this is like most horror films as this happens very often and is recognised as a common plot for horror films.

 

We are also presented with the Sex Appeal character like the one I mentioned in my mind map. This is a common character in horror films because it shows them as vulnerable and needs protecting OR They are devious and try's to seduce the other character so they become vulnerable. In this case its the latter.

 

Finally the ending also follows the typical ending in a horror film as its left for the viewer to decide what happens next. I also mentioned this in the mind map above.

 

The use of camera work in this film makes the viewer feel as if they are in the room with the person by the use of the camera moving around the room and breaking the 180 degrees rule. They may have intended to do this because they want the viewer to feel as if their heads may blow up if they get an idea. And this is the hole horror aspect of this film, to make the viewer fell afraid.

 

Lastly I would also like to mention that some people may argue that this isn't a horror film because they think its a comedy. I can see why they would think this because the way that the heads explode is quite comical as you can see its fake but not to fake to make it unbelievable. Also there is a clever storyline too it as at the end the reason the 2 people don't die is because they are so stupid they never get any ideas so they cant die. And most people will laugh at that concept because its so stupid it just works.