Analysis of still Images in Horror films

There is a wide shot used to show the surroundings of the woman and to portray how isolated and alone she is, exposing herself and making herself vulnerable to the attacker.The composition of the shot is that the woman is placed on the rule of thirds layout, drawing the audiences attention towards her and revealing the empty space more apparently around her, linking to the idea that she is isolated and alone. The composition of the shot also shows the man in the mask is hiding within the shadows creating the impression that he is mysterious and sinister. It also could indicate that he is going to attack the woman as he is already in the house.The use of costume for the “stranger” is used to scare the audience as masks are often associated with the horror genre and are used as a scare factor.The props used such as the champagne and flowers show romance and love which is a clear contrast with the horror that is about to befall the woman.

The close up is used to show the man’s emotion and fear on his face which is conventional for the horror genre. It also shows how he is unaware of the danger he is in. The shallow focus of the man is used to show that he is the most important in the shot as the camera is focusing on him, however, it blurs out the stranger in the background to make the audience overlook the fact that he is there so when they do realise he is there, it is more of a shock which is conventional for a horror film to do. The prop of the axe that the stranger is wielding is used to relate to the horror convention of weapons and danger involved with the scene. It also creates tension for the audience because it shows that something would happen with the axe and the audience would be intrigued into what. The low key lighting in the shot is used as a way of masking the stranger as it does not reveal a lot about what else is in the shot and relates to the horror genre.The rule of thirds is used in this shot as the man is in the centre indicating he is the main focus whereas the stranger is placed on the left third, indicating he is subtle and hiding from the man.

The masks of the strangers is used to display a sinister and creepy effect for them and clearly portraying that they are the antagonists in the scene and how they relate to the horror genre. The rule of thirds is used to show each stranger in a different part of a shot, the male stranger is in the middle to show his dominance and power, whereas the two females are on the side to show that they are the lesser of the evils. The two protagonists are aligned with the vertical lines of the rule of thirds to allow them to be seen but also not to cover up the stature of the strangers. A wide shot is used to display the whole scene and how the protagonists are of the mercy of the antagonists. This is conventional for horror films because they often resolve with the villains controlling the other characters. The setting is in an old room which is conventional for a horror film as old settings are often used to create a scarier and creepier environment.

The woman crawling on the floor signifies that she is vulnerable and unprotected which is conventional for a horror genre as the characters are mostly portrayed this way. The area around the woman is empty to show the isolation and loneliness that she faces and how she has nowhere to hide because she is right out in the open.The stranger and the woman are centred in the image to show that they are of key importance to the shot and how they are the main focus that the audience will see. This is conventional for horror films because the antagonist is the main focus.The low angle placement of the camera shows that the antagonist is more dominant over the woman and how she is weak compared to the antagonist.The light is also out of focus in the background due to the shallow focus of the shot. The woman is also crawling away from the light and into the darkness. As light could connote safety whereas dark can connote danger, it shows the woman is moving away from safety and into further danger.

The wide shot used in this still image is to show the audience the spectrum of the scene. This allows the audience to see the main character but also the smashed window of the car. This signifies that the car has fallen into some form of damage which is conventional for a horror film. The low key lighting used in the image also is conventional for horror film because it shows darkness and makes the audience know that there is danger in the dark.The shot looking at the man from behind creates the impression that there is something behind the man watching him. This creates a scary atmosphere for the film and relates to the horror film genre. The man is also looking right to show that he is looking the wrong way for the danger.The costume of the suit is used to create the effect of the character being an every day man. This relates to the horror film convention because the victims of the horror are mostly everyday characters. This is to involve the audience with the film and make them more terrified.

The wide shot used in the still image is used to show the scene around the stranger. It portrays the scene to be isolated and empty, which is conventional for the horror genre. It creates the impression that the other characters have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide which shows they are vulnerable and at risk.The costume of the stranger is conventional because they are wearing a mask and dark clothing. This is more scary for the audience and relates to the horror genre. The deep focus used in the image is used to make the stranger stand out more and the objects closer to the camera of less importance. This is typically used in horror films to make the villains seem more sinister and make them more menacing to the audience. The composition of the shot shows the stranger is in the far right of the shot to make him look less obvious to the target audience. This increases the shock tactics for the audience because they wouldn’t notice the stranger straight away which makes it more menacing. The setting of the still image is a farm yard which is conventional for a horror setting because they are often isolated and old which is highly associated with horror.

The blurred out image is used so the audience does not see the face of the stranger clearly which makes it even more shocking for them when they do. It also helps to create an eerie and creepy atmosphere for the image. The effect could also signify that the stranger is looking through a window which will involve the audience because it will make them have a more long lasting scare because it will make them think someone will appear at their window. This is conventional for horror films as usually try to have a longer lasting impact on how the audience thinks.The colours used in the image are simple black, white and grey. These colours are all associated with horror and are contrasting towards one another. They are also create a dark mysterious effect when used together which relate to the horror genre.The simple font is used to create a scarier appeal to the film because a more ornate font would create a more sophisticated appeal to the film and not connote the fact that this sort of incident could happen to everyday characters which is key to the success on horror films shock factor.