Shot Types from Horror Movie Trailers

I have decided to analyse screenshots from the three following Horror Trailers:

The Boy (2016)The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Prisoners (2013)Saw 4 (2006)

A high-angle shot happens when the camera is placed above a character with the lens pointing down. This makes the character appear small and vulnerable.From these three screenshots I can see how early on in the trailer high angle shots are used. The first 2 screenshots were taken from the first 6 seconds of their trailers, showing the audience straight away how they are the vulnerable characters in the film.The angle is made to show the characters are being helpless as they are being looked down on.The high angle shots force the audience to look down on the character, this tells us that they have no control and are powerless to the situation they are in.

High Angle Shot

Establishing Shot This wide angle long shot is usually shown at the beginning of the film to familiarise the audience where the film is taking place.This is the best shot you can use to put into perspective how deserted the location is or what kind of neighbourhood the house is in. Usually the location is deserted, making the character feel more vulnerable and alone. If the house isn't deserted and it in the middle of a nice neighbour is gives the audience a sense of fear as there are a lot of pleasant people around you. The audience then starts to wonder what could go wrong.

Close Up Shot/Medium close up’s From these three screenshots I can see that close up and medium close up shots are used a lot in horror films. It is one of their generic conventions as you get a close image of the character and you can see their emotion clearly on their face.If a close up wasn’t used then it would be a lot more tricky for the audience to see the characters facial expressions.In the horror genre, close ups and medium close up’s are used to see the reactions of the actors/actresses face.This shot is the one which captures the most emotion from the facial expressions.Close up shots are used to create emphasis as they only capture the characters face and nothing else in the room. Forcing the audience to watch their terrorised emotions.

The angle’s used for Weapons

The angles used for weapons in a horror film can vary from what the situation is. If the weapon isn’t allowed or isn’t supposed to be seen then a close up shot is done of it to show it needs to be keep secret. The close up only lets the audience see it, making out that no one else in the scene can see it. The audience will then believe that no one knows it’s there. Some characters will be at a disadvantage as they don’t know what weapons the other person has.In other screenshots, medium close ups are used. The weapon is shown visually to show that it doesn’t matter if anyone see’s it. This could be because they are soldiers or spy’s. Weapons are found mostly in fighting scenes when the characters bring out their weapons to fight with.

Over-the-Shoulder Shot

Horror films usually have an over the shoulder shot to show the audience over someone’s shoulder who we should be afraid of. This generic convention is used to make the audience believe that the antagonist is so frightening that we need to hide behind someone else in order to keep safe (the audience is hiding behind a characters shoulder).I’ve noticed that all of the over-the-shoulder shots I found were at the start of the horror movie trailer. This is to show the audience, at the start, who is the supposed villain. Later on there could be a twist, however the film makers want you to be set on a certain villain so that another villain could be less expected. The person we see over someone’s shoulder is usually the culprit or at least has something to do with it.Over the shoulder shots also keep the person you’re looking over a mystery. This is because you can’t see their face. The over-the-shoulder also gives the audience an idea of what the character see’s through their eyes as you are so close to them.

Point of view shot

This shot makes you feel as if you’re the character for a small moment. You are looking through the characters eyes, making the audience just as unsafe and vulnerable as the character is in the film. This is a great shot type to use as it makes the audience feel the pain the character is going through and builds sympathy between the audience and character. This means you are constructing a relationship between the characters.From this shot type you can see everything the character see’s, this builds fear as what the character is seeing is usually not a nice sight. In the screenshots I have taken all of the views in front of you are ones of the antagonist or something which is signifying horror.