Recognizing the features of a sucsessful horror film

In my last lesson I studied and analysed the film paranormal activity , we achieved this by look at the three following aspects;

How Characters are established

The audience get to know the characters through the setting and surroundings they are emerged in. All the filming in Paranormal Activity was done within the house, this enables the audience to gain an insight into the characters personal life , for example we understand the main male enjoys playing the guitar as it is shown in the footage suggesting he is a music enthusiast , along with the female making jewellery  which implies she is creative.

The Dialogue plays a key factor in how the audience get to know more about the role that characters play. We understand that the main female is the males girlfriend as she express “I have the best boyfriend” , also when the two have conversations and interactions with each other and people such as their friends / Professor/Doctor. When the professor asks the female about her problem she reveals her life story , beginning at her childhood, this gives the audience some exposition.

Considering how Setting is used

As I mentioned previously majority of filming is done in rooms within the house. Overall the house depicts a very modern feel and although it’s not a traditional setting for a horror, there are certain signifiers which set the overall idea/theme off. This includes the staircase, the knife and mirrors situated around the house.

Because the filming is done by a main character within the film makes it seems more authentic and real, therefore allowing the point of view to be strongly established within the film. When the audience see the reflection of the male holding the camera in the mirror it indicates this further, we as an audience automatically feel part of the film and can relate to it with the angle and shot sizes used, as we would observe this through our own cameras as if we were filming. Footage is not shown in every room, which creates suspense further more as it suggests that there is something lurking around the corner.


Sound

There is no non-diegetic sound within Paranormal Activity , this adds to the atmosphere as it portrays how the film is not professionally made and as a I mentioned before the audience can then relate to it. The main male character however does play horror music on the computer that is shown in the filming footage, this is cleverly done as they joke about how cheesy it sounds yet it would be used in traditional horror films. All of the sound is diegetic ,example's of this are the fuzz through the camera which implies further how the film is made by an amateur. Beeping of the alarm clock which is also a signifier for how a lot of strange going on's happen in the bedroom. The constant noise of the couples dialogue and the contrast of how it then goes deathly quiet when they are sleeping , this is noticed as the camera is placed in a fixed position and night vision is switched on. There are also ordinary household sounds such as clanking and clashing of pots and pans etc, the audience will be familiarized with such noises.


Other points of evidence to suggest the film was made to appear as though an amateur had filmed the footage ;

Time and date appear upon the screen
Unsteady camera movement: when he passes the camera to his girlfriend
Reflection of him holding the camera in the mirror
The fact its done in and around the house implies how its a home-made film