Mihika Task : Horror Filmmaking Inquiry by Mihika Kapur https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx My research and inquiry into horror genre filmmaking en-us 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC 2025-12-13 14:50:16 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4fd.png Horror Filmmaking Techniques mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783508 Techniques that were used in this film are (with examples)

]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783508 Reflect upon how you think you could use these techniques in your future filmmaking? mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783510 after picking a suitable topic, we could inquire about what the relevant artistic intention is and how we can create that into a reality with these techniques listed. ]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783510 ChatGPT mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783511  link here
Jump scares: A sudden loud noise or a quick cut to a frightening image can create a jump scare.

Music and sound effects: Music and sound effects can build tension and create an eerie atmosphere.

Lighting: Low lighting, shadows, and the use of darkness can create an unsettling mood.

Camera angles and movement: The camera can be used to create a sense of unease, such as through extreme close-ups or shaky camera movements.

Editing: The use of fast cuts, cross-cutting, or jump cuts can create a sense of disorientation and unease.

Gore and special effects: Depictions of blood, guts, and gore can be used to shock and disgust viewers.

Psychological horror: The use of subtle cues such as eerie music, distorted images, and surrealism can create a sense of psychological horror.

Silence: The absence of sound can also create an unsettling atmosphere and a sense of anticipation.

Symbolism: The use of symbolism can add layers of meaning to the horror story and create an atmosphere of mystery.

Juxtaposition: The contrast between what the audience expects and what they see can create tension and suspense.]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783511 DigitalPhotoPro mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783513 link here
#1 Shadows
Shadows play into a primal fear of the unknown and what might be lurking in the darkness, so it’s no surprise it is one of the most commonly used tools for horror filmmakers. The idea of what could be in the shadows is almost always scarier than what actually is there. Many horror filmmakers will play with this technique over the course of their film to keep their viewers on edge. An extremely popular use of shadows is to shoot the main villain as a silhouette—lighting the background rather than the subject and making the dangerous element feel as if it doesn’t belong in the scene. Another way to use shadows is by casting them on surfaces—a menacing subject approaching their unsuspecting subject or to demonstrate some kind of paranormal activity.

#2 Uncommon Angles
Generally speaking, filmmakers find a lot of freedom to get weird when working within the horror genre and this definitely applies to using uncommon camera angles. The off kilter Dutch angle shot is a commonly used technique for giving your viewers a sense of unease while watching a scene. This angle gives the sense that the world around the character is being turned sideways. The birds eye view is another uncommon angle that gives viewers a feeling that the main characters are being watched by some unseen entity. POV style shots are another popular choice for horror directors. These often communicate the frantic energy of either victim or the villain in a scene.

#3 Uncommon Lighting
Horror is one of the rare genres where actors aren’t lit to look as attractive as possible. Instead, horror directors often choose to light their subjects with much more stylized lighting setups. Common techniques include lighting from below, lighting with a single beam of a flashlight or flickering lights.

#4 Color
Horror directors also have a lot of freedom when it comes to color. Similar to uncommon lighting techniques, horror creators aren’t often concerned with making their characters attractive, so it’s not unusual to see red or green washes of color in a horror film. The use of over the top colors can help communicate feelings of fear and danger to an audience.]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783513 Brief Bio + Pic mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783514 Alfred Hitchcock was a famous film director and producer known for his suspenseful and thrilling movies. Born in 1899 in London, England, he showed an early interest in the arts and attended the University of London to study engineering and navigation. However, he later switched to art and worked in advertising before moving into film.


In his films, Hitchcock often used psychological suspense to create a feeling of unease and tension in his audience. He was also known for his innovative camera techniques, such as the use of tracking shots and POV shots, which helped to immerse viewers in the story.


Although Hitchcock was not a scientist or biologist, his interest in the human mind and behavior is reflected in many of his films. For example, in the movie "Psycho," he explores the concept of split personalities and the nature of evil. In "Vertigo," he delves into the psychology of obsession and the ways in which people can become fixated on others.


Overall, Alfred Hitchcock was a pioneer in the film industry and his contributions to cinema have had a lasting impact

]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783514 How has this professional inspired my future filmmaking? mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783515 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783515 Psycho at 60: the enduring power of Hitchcock's shocking game-changer (Source 1 Alfred Hitchcock) mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783516 Link

Psycho is a movie made by Alfred Hitchcock that changed the way horror movies were made. The movie's defining shot is not any of the famous scenes like the shower scene but instead happens at the beginning, where Hitchcock pans and dissolves across downtown Phoenix, Arizona, before settling on the room where Marion Crane is having an affair. Hitchcock acknowledges the sinful allure of cinema, which allows us to watch the lives of others without being seen ourselves. The movie is a lesson in DIY filmmaking, and the way a story could be structured to yank the rug out from under the audience. The first half of the movie is about Marion, a bored real-estate secretary, who steals $40,000 and runs off. She ends up at the Bates Motel, where she has a conversation with Norman Bates. The scene is the most complex in the film, operating on multiple levels at once. The second half of the movie initially offers the possibility of Norman becoming the main character, but the story takes a twist that leads to a shocking ending.]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783516 8 Essential Filmmaking Lessons from “Hitchcock/Truffaut” (Source 3 Alfred Hitchcock) mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783519 Link

1. You should own "Hitchcock/Truffaut" if you want to learn about filmmaking from great filmmakers.
2. Hitchcock believed that plausibility isn't always necessary for a good story.
3. Suspense can be created in ordinary scenarios, not just in horror films.
4. Bird's eye view shots can be powerful in establishing perspective and making characters seem small or judged.
5. Movies are visual, so use visual storytelling and treat your film like it's silent.
6. Keeping the story bland at times can be a good way to surprise the audience later.
7. Light is important in filmmaking and can define an image.
8. Time manipulation through editing and dialogue can change the audience's perception of time and make moments more impactful.]]> 2023-02-15 01:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482783519 jama2026_2 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482817640 Ma, a psychological horror film directed by Tate Taylor, uses a variety of filmmaking techniques to induce fear and horror in its viewers. Here are some examples:

  1. Camera angles: Ma uses a range of camera angles to create a sense of unease and disorientation. For example, the film often employs low-angle shots to make characters appear more powerful or intimidating, while high-angle shots make them appear vulnerable or powerless.
  2. Lighting: The film's lighting is often used to create shadows and highlight the unknown. For instance, Ma is often shown in dimly lit or shadowy areas, which creates a sense of mystery and suspense.
  3. Music and sound effects: The film's score, composed by Gregory Tripi, features eerie, discordant music that sets a foreboding tone. The use of sound effects, such as creaking doors or sudden jolts of music, also helps to create a sense of suspense and dread.
  4. Editing: Ma uses editing techniques to create tension and suspense. For example, the film often cuts back and forth between different scenes or characters, creating a sense of disorientation and confusion.
]]> 2023-02-15 01:52:55 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2482817640 summary of information + my use of it in future tasks mikap20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487426964 the summary (overall) of all of my information above leads me and my group to now know the common filmmaking techniques in horror films specifically, which include factors in the filming/planning stage or the editing/compiling stage as well. this research will help us because the reasoning and impact of every technique is listed which would help us choose the relevant ones for the vibe or message we will be trying to convey in our shortfilm. if i use these techniques in my future tasks, it would help me understand how to properly form that feeling of uncomfortableness to achieve the goal of creating a horror shortfilm. on the other hand, these techniques would also help me to see what i should not do incase i am doing another task to create a different message/shortfilm. ]]> 2023-02-19 07:29:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487426964 Source #1 (A History of Horror Movies: 1896-2018 | Vanity Fair) elha20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487435671 Inspirations:
- First horror movie on record: 1896, Le Manoir du Diable (The House of The Devil)
- Popular gothic literature (Eg: Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Edgar Allen Poe's The Haunted Palace, Bram Stoker's Dracula)
- 1930s to 1950s, Universal Studios published horror movies containing monsters
- 1931, Frankenstein (abandoned by his master and villagers tried burning him alive): Represents the millions of Americans that "had lost their jobs and were fleeing the frustration and neglect of their government." Allowed the audience to look at their fears
- Godzilla + Them! = unknown aftermath of Atomic age, fear for a future apocalypse
- Communism: Invasion of the Body Snatchers
- Violent, gore, bloody (Night of the Living Dead)


Tropes:
- The final girl + Death by sex(Halloween by John Carpenter)


Trends + Sub-genres:
- Trend: reality shows, Sub-genre: found footage (gives impressions that it could happen to anyone) 
- Trend: Monsters
- Trend: Gore
- Trend: Sexuality amongst teens 

- Sub-genre: Psychological horror 
- Sub-genre: Technological horror
- Sub-genre: Supernatural 





]]> 2023-02-19 08:03:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487435671 Source #2, A Short History of the Horror Film (1890s - 2010s) by One Hundred Years of Cinema elha20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487449447 Techniques:
- House of The Devil by George Mille (1896): Techniques used: Trick photography, double exposure, early special effects
- Walter our Booth (1901): Floating heads  by using trick photography 
- Scrooge: Marley's ghost, trick photography
- Low budget: focus on mood, tone, atmosphere and suspense ("Ghost ship" in 1943, and "The Uninvited" in 1944)
- Buzzers in therater seats (vibrates when monster appears) 




Trends:
- 20th century: ghosts, skeletons, and the devil (supernatural and religious imagery) 
- 1910, comedy to serious
- 1910, "literacy adaptations in American Studios - established titles"
- 1910, Western Europe - Expressionism, uses set design and cinematography to expand on internal fears (psychological horror emerges)
- Psychological horror: The Student of Prague (1913), Der Golem (1915), The Cabinet of Dr. Calicari (1920)
- Universal horror (1923): Dracula + Frankenstein (1931)
- Late 1940s: gothic horror
- 1950s (Atomic weapons, conflict between USA and the Soviet Union), Atomic monsters (giant ants, aliens...) 
- Americans: campy (outdoors), England: opposite
- Hammer horror: violence, sex, blood (sucessful, carried onto 1960s - 1970s)
- Slasher horror: real world terrors (murderers, stalkers, abuse of power...)
- 1960s, gore (eg: Night of the Living dead) - 1970s, animal horror (Jaws), slasher
- 1976, teen horror ("Carrie" by Brian De Palma)
- 1975, "Shivers" by David Cronenberg (fear of sexual diseases)  
- 1980s, less story and more gore, horror icons such as Freddy Kruger 
- 1980s, gore and illicit thrills (audience: teenagers + cult-horror fans)
-1990s, "self paraody, smart, self-aware movies arose (commentaries on established genres)"
- 1999, found footage (low-budget)
- Splatter film/ torture films




]]> 2023-02-19 08:48:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487449447 How has this information inspired your future filmmaking? elha20261 https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487451306 With the knowledge gained above, we can then decide which genre of horror we want to do, as well as some of the techniques used by filmmakers. We can also see examples of a certain genre of horror to get a better understanding of the concept.]]> 2023-02-19 08:54:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mikap20261/8h4jylupjc9jsmx/wish/2487451306