Technical Aspects Analysis

What do we look at?

When analysing film, we look at 4 main aspects; camerawork, sound, mise - en - scene and editing. Each of these aspects have different elements that we look for in order to assess if it is effective and/or what the text is trying to portray. 

Camerawork

Camerawork refers to how the film is being shot. The elements in camerawork are broken up into 3 main categories; framing, angle and movement. 

Firstly, framing is all about what shot is being used and what effect it creates. The main shots used are;

• Establishing shot - this is where the camera is showing large amounts of the location, and can sometimes be paired with a zoom in or out or a pan movement. In horror films, they are generally used to create anticipation or tension as the audience can see more than the character. 
• Long shot - this is where the frame is set up so the audience can see a person head-to-toe. Again, long shots can be created by a zoom movement to emphasise the characters presence. In regards to horror, long shots can be used to show the monster/killer - the most notable convention being the shot as the victims POV when they first set eyes on the threat.
• Mid Shot - this is similar to a long shot, but the frame only shows the torso upwards of a character or place. This type of shot is often used when characters are conversing with one another, and in horror, it is often paired with a high angle in conventional scenes of the 'lone female' running and falling over. 
• Close up - this is where the camera is focused solely on a person's face or object, and there is usually little else in the frame. They are effective in horror films as close ups can be used to highlight the characters emotion and captures the important details of the scene. A well known example of this is in the film 'The Shining' during the bathroom axe scene "Here's Johnny".
• Extreme close up - this is more intense than a close up, and it is where the frame is full of a feature of a face (e.g. an eye, a mouth) or a significant item. They can be particularly useful in horror films as they can effectively create tension through the focus on the antagonist's eyes for example. 

These are, of course, not the only shots that can be used in film. Other ones include; over-the-shoulder shots, 2 shots and POV (point of view) shots. Another element in camerawork are the angles used in different shots. They can have a big impact on the overall affect of the film - this can range from distorting the viewers perception or exaggerating something. The most used angles are;

• High angle - this is when the camera is placed higher than what is happening in the frame. It is commonly used to exaggerate the size of something, and tends to create a weak and controlled effect on characters. An example horror can be seen when in a chase scene the victim falls over and the killer looms. It can also be used to give the audience a POV from a character.
• Low angle - this is by definition, opposite to a high angle. The camera here is placed lower, and once again can have an exaggeration effect as well as a strong, subordinating and controlling in terms of relationship to the subject. It can sometimes be called a 'worms eye' due to the placement of the frame. The most notable effect of it is the way it can enlarge a person - making them seem more intimidating. For this reason, they are often seen in horror films.
• Neutral - this can best be explained by the idea of having the camera 'head on'. It means that there is no angle, however slight, to the frame - and that it is shot all at the same level. It is therefore neither controlling nor controlled. Horror films do not use this shot any more so than that of other genres, as it is the most generic angle.
• Aerial - often referred to as a 'birds eye view', aerial shots show what is happening from above. An example of this is in 'The Smiling Man' short in the kitchen scene. They are most commonly used to give the audience a better view of what is happening, as it allows them to see everything. It also makes the focus object/person appear vulnerable and powerless - something that is often seen in horror.

There are many other shots that are used alongside the ones listed above, some of these include; canted angle and eye level. Lastly, the final element of camerawork is that of movement. Some of the most typical types of camera movement are;

• Tracking - this is where the camera lens follows a movement of a particular object or person and usually stays at a consistent distance from it. The most notable use of them in horror films is during chase scenes as they allow the audience to focus solely on the character and creates tension because it does not show any more than the chase itself.
• Pan - here, the camera lens moves from one side to another. It is typically used to establish a scene, and is particularly effective in horror as it can build suspense. This means the audience are unaware if a scare is coming up.  
• Tilt - this is where the camera lens is moved up or down while keeping its horizontal axis constant. They are usually used from a POV perspective, and can add a lot of dramatic tension to the shot. Additionally, it can create a different view on an incident, creating a more gripping perspective.
• Crane - a crane can be used to lift the camera from low to high shooting positions. It is usually used to signify the end of a film, but can also be used various other ways. In regards to horror films, they can be used in scenes to make the set appear looming - for example in a forest or have the same effect by making the character appear insignificant.
• Dolly - this is the motion of the camera itself moving to or from something, and came from when cameras used to sit on large 'dolly tracks' before the popularity of steadicams. Much like a tracking movement, they create a focal point for the audience, and in horror, can be used to follow a character to create the sense they are being followed - building suspense and fear.
• Zoom - this movement involves changing the focal length of the lens, either closer to or further from, and is perhaps one of the most widely used techniques. In horror films, it can add to the dramatic effect and creates the element of tension/fear as it is quite isolating. In horror, they can be used to zoom in on particular elements of an incident or zoom out to reveal the true extent of what has happened.

Other camera movements include; truck, pedestal, floating cam and handheld shooting. Camera movement is important because it can re-frame a scene and draw the audiences eye to a particular focal point. Furthermore, the movements give the audience a more intelligent understanding of what is appearing on screen and can add to the overall impact of the story.

Consequently, when thinking about analysing film in terms of camerawork, there is a lot to look for. All 3 elements are essential to making a good film, and this is something that I intend to do. For my short, ideally, I want to use a range of shots, angles and movements to make it affective in disturbing the viewer. My idea is to create a psychological one, and so rather than create an elaborate narrative, I want my camerawork to be effective so it stand out and makes it more interesting to watch and create a lasting impact.

 

Sound

The soundtrack of a film can be split into 3 elements, much like camerawork, and these are music, dialogue and sound effects. Sound used in film can heighten a mood, provide the audience with more information about the location of a scene or characters in the story and advance the plot. Sound can be classed as diegetic (sound where the source is shown on screen or is implied, e.g. radio/instruments) or non-diegetic (sound where the source is not implied, e.g. narration), additionally, it can also be synchronous (sound that matches or corresponds with what is on screen, e.g. footsteps with feet walking) or asynchronous (sound that doesn't match up with the events on screen) in the scenes.

Firstly, music refers to any musical sound that is used in a film, this includes riffs, sound motifs and songs that can perhaps be heard. Some technincal aspects of music are;

• Film score - this is orginial music written specifically to accompany a film. Perhaps the most notable example of this would be sound motif in 'Jaws'. This type of music is particularly effective in horror films as they can build tension and fear, and consequently also be definitive for that film, as shown in Alfred Hitchcocks's 'Psycho'.
• Background music - this is music that can be heard alongside the film, and is often a song that has already been made. With this type of music, it can be both diegetic and non - diegetic, as it may be either a song on a radio in a car or a song that plays over the film whilst someone is in a car. In horror films, background music is not used particularly differently to films of other genres, but it can often set the tone for the film or how the audience should feel if the sound is creepy, harsh, loud, fast, ect. 
• Sound bridge - this refers to music that is playing in one scene, and is continually played as it changes into another one, linking the two together. Furthermore, sometimes the sound, when changing scenes, can go from asynchronous to synchronous - this is effective as it makes the film flow together. This is not a typical feature of a horror film, as sound is usually sound effects or dialogue, not music.
  

As well as music, another element of sound is dialogue, this is defined as essentially any form of speech in film. The features are as follows;

• Verbal - this is the most used form of dialogue in any film, regardless of genre. It is generally seen conversationally, but can also be as a monologue. In horror, there is of course lots of this type of sound, with screaming and such, but in many cases, less dialogue can be more effective than lots of it. This plays on the fear of the unknown and the idea that silence can be more powerful in creating tension. 
• Voice over - this is when the sound is generally non - diegetic, as voice overs are usually created in the form of narration, however they can also be internal monologues. In terms of the horror genre, voice overs are not typically used as they don't really install any fear or create any tension for the audience. That said, they can be used in the sense of narration from the dead or to voice the thoughts of a character during an event. 

Furthermore, the most common use of sound, particularly in horror, is the artificially created element of sound effects. This type of sound is useful as it can exaggerate a certain movement or add to the impact of a scene. They can be categorised into the following; 

• Foley sound - these sounds are an example of synchronous sound as they are used to exaggerate or make the noise of an action louder, and they require a foley artist to make them.
• Hard sound - these are common sounds that appear on screen, such as cars driving past or weapons firing. In horror film, they are used much like any other genre, but are more specific to the story - so an exaggerated chainsaw sound is found more in horror than a film of the comedy genre.
• Design effects - these are sounds that do not naturally occur, or are impossible to record in nature. An example of this type of sound is used more so in sci - fi horror films, that suggests futuristic technology.

Sound is obviously a very important part of any horror film. Consequently, I need to include it if I want it to make any impact on my audience. However, I also need to be cautious that the sound is necessary, rather than there for no reason. So, for my film, I plan on using silence and manipulating it to create tension, rather than adding in lots of jump scares alongside sound. This is because it links back to the idea of fear of the unknown, as I think silence can sometimes be far more sinister than lots of sound effects. This is ideally what I would like to achieve, however it may change depending on what is shot and how sound can complement it rather than hinder it.

 

Mise - en - scene 

The mise - en - scene of films covers lots of different aspects. This refers to the general look of the film and arrangement of it all. It is particularly important to make the film look interesting and realistic (depending on the film), and can be broken down into 7 general areas that we analyse;

• Colour -colour can be used in lots of different ways within film. It can set a mood of a scene, be used to create a link between scenes, have some sort of symbolism attached to it, be used to set the tone or show character. For horror, colour is imperitive if the effect wanted is something dark and eerie - and this is perhaps one of the most common conventions of it.
• Lighting - lighting can greatly influence the audiences understanding of the story. The intensity, direction and quality can all contribute to how the characters, themes and mood are portrayed in a film. Light (can shade) can impact the way colours are rendered and emphasize many different aspects of the frames, such as texture and mood. Additionally, it can create focal point of the composition, similarly, shadows can conceal aspects of the frame - in horror this often creates fear/ the unknown.
• Setting/location - the setting and location is obviously important in a film, and so can take some time to decide where it is or if it is being built from scratch. They can be used to manipulate an audience by building certain expectations, developing a plot line or used to support a character. In horror, like most genres - they can range, going from realistic sub - urban towns to creepy woods. The location of horror is often a convention, with lots of story's centred around characters going somewhere that is off limits ect. An example of a horror film that is centred around a creepy location is 'Cabin in the Woods', yet it also uses realistic settings such as labs.
• Props - a prop (theatrical property) is an object used by actors during a performance - it can be considered anything that maybe distinct from the actors. They are effective because they make up part of the setting of the film, can develop a storyline further or reveal certain aspects of a character. In horror, props are significant, as they tend to be weapons to create fear or objects to build tension. An example of an effective prop in horror would be from 'The Shining', the prop being the axe in which the character Jack Torrance breaks down a bathroom door.
• Costume/make - up - this means the clothes that the characters wear/ what they may look like. Clothes can be manipulated to distinguish the different characters in a story, create a picture of a characters psychological disposition and can also explain something about the character, and therefore impacting how the audience should think/feel about them. Props can also come from costume, for example; Dracula's cape suggests some sort of mystery and evil as an explanation for the character, and then later becomes a vehicle for the victims entrapment.  In horror, make up can be used to create lots of different looks - from the gruesome prosthetics and recognisable hat of Freddie Kruger (A Nightmare on Elm Street) to the simple boiler suit and mask for Mike Myers (Halloween). 
• Blocking (composition) - this refers to the 'organisation of objects, actors and space within the frame'. Perhaps one of the most important concepts in blocking is the idea of keeping a balance of symmetry. This means that the light, colour and objects/people in the shot should all be equally distributed, as to avoid creating any abnormalities. Therefore, this tool can then also be used to create a focal point for the audience is a certain aspect needs to be given more attention. In relation to horror, the composition of the frames can vary; this is because not all films are based in real life. An example of this would be in the horror sub genre sci - fi.
• Casting/performance style - this means the expression and movement of the actors, and are used by the director to support the narrative in films. This is important in horror films because the actors have the potential to make the film believable and realistic, or cheesy and laughable. 

Mise - en - scene is therefore an important visual element to filming, and consequently more so in horror. This is due to the fact that each aspect helps to tell the main bulk of the story. For my film, I plan on it being in a simple location, but will create the desire affect on the audience, somewhere where they can relate to - for example a bedroom or living room. Furthermore, due to the fact that my film is not one of gore and excessive violence, I don't plan on using props such as blood and extreme make up - however this may change as I develop my idea. As the intention is to create a psychological horror, then the mise - en - scene needs to be more minimal and clever, rather than glaringly obvious - as it needs to play on the audiences fears to create the tension and fear.

Editing

The final technical aspect is editing - and this is how the shots are arranged and shown in order to create meaning. Consequently, it is what makes the film flow, so that all the different scenes are not abruptly cutting from one to the next. Some examples of editing techniques are;

• Jump cut - this is an abrupt transition from one scene to the next. They are usually only used to create a specific effect.
• Shot/reverse shot - this is where one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other. This type of shot is effective in horror because they can be used for normal conversations, or to show the victim looking at the killer.
• Graphic match - a cut from one shot to another where the two shots are matched by the action or subject and subject matter. The most well known graphic match example in a horror film would be in 'Psycho', where the shower plug changes to the eye.
• Time manipulation - time manipulation can be shown through flashbacks or flashforwards, but most types of film follow some sort of time manipulation because they are not equal to real life time.

Other techniques include; cross - cutting, reaction shot, montage and match on action.I aim to use various editing techiniques for my film because I want it to be intersting to watch, not just have a good narravtive and storyline. This is because I want the film to create something to think about, that leaves a lasting impression, not just something that creates fear.