Sound plays a very important place in horror films. It creates the tension within the audience because it shows a build up which is conveys that something is about to happen.
There are two different types of sound in a movie. These are diegetic sound which is when the characters can hear it and non-diegetic sound which the characters cannot hear. They both fit into the category of technical codes.
In the horror film 'The Shining-Here's Johnny' the sound builds up as the female character attempts too get out of the window. When Johnny puts his head through the whole in the door and says 'Here's Johnny' there is tension building music in the background which portrays that something bad is about too happen.
The film 'Twilight Zone-A Face In The Window' is filled with pure silence at the beginning when the male character is trying to sleep and the music gradually builds up to the point when he opens the blind... which is when something bad happens.
'Poltergeist-They're Here' begins with silence and gradually builds up the music like something bad is about too occur. This is much like the horror movie 'A Face In The Window.'
'Jaws-Get Out Of The Water' begins with couples and happy families having normal conversation on the beach whilst screaming children are playing in the sea. A man starts to shout his dog who went into the water and then he sees blood. The tension building music has came in by this point which indicates that something bad is about too happen.
'Psycho-Shower Scene' is a horror film in which the sound plays a vital part. The orchestra turns to complete silence, followed by screeching violins and then... the shower drizzle.
Synchronous sound effects are synchronized or matched sound with what is being viewed on the screen. For example if their was a character playing the piano, then the sounds coming out of the piano would be enhanced and projected. Synchronous sound effects contribute to how realistic the film is portrayed as which also helps create a specific atmosphere.
Asynchronous sound effects are not matched with a visible source of sound featured on the screen. They provide emotional nuance. For example the background music could be sirens coming from an ambulance but the image could be showing two people having a fight and the foreground sound would be of the screen aswell. This helps to create a realistic atmosphere of the film as it conveys the background noise to be a city. However the sirens could also convey that one of the people is going to get seriously injured and need help from an ambulance.
Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Tuesday, 1 November 2016
Research: Codes and Conventions Of Existing Teen Horror Films
Many different varieties of codes and conventions are used within the existing teen horror films 'Dead Wood', 'Dead Mary', and 'Wrong Turn.'
Summit Entertainment is the distribution company or the teen horror Wrong Turn. One type of sound it involves is diegetic which is a few lines of dialogue, at the beginning, being exchanged between two characters, a male and female (a common horror film convention), those such as "What are you screaming for? You know were 50 miles from anyone.' This means that the film is set in a secluded location where there is no phone signal, these are conventions seen in most horror films. The sound effects in this film include echoing, screaming, stabbing, sudden sounds, the thud of a body which is enhanced for extra effect and most importantly the fake scare when the women character slips which is followed by the real scare where someone kills her. At the beginning of the advertisement for the film it has tension-building scary music, non-diegetic sound (which is a technical code) and dull music which shows a sense of danger. Someone is also killed within the first five minutes of the film which sets the scene and shows the audience that it is a horror and also it is clearly a dangerous situation as its not easy to escape the point of being halfway up a cliff-face, these are also very frequently used conventions in teen horror films.
Menan Films is the production company of the teen horror film Dead Wood. This film opening begins with a bird whistling and an establishing shot which suggests that the location is secluded as minute sounds can be heard. It also begins with dull, low tone music which involves and slow paced piano, this is non-diegetic sound which builds tension within the audience as it suggests that something bad is going to happen. The film opening begins with a man running through the woods, with the bushes swishing, the sound is enhanced and becomes enhanced here using non-diegetic sound, which is a technical code. The sound is enhanced when he runs through a puddle, which is also used as a jump scare. The film opening ends with a women character coming out a tent and looking for the male character, this is a horror film convention used in almost every single teen horror movie created. When the women comes out of the tent a crane shot is used over the top of the tent, she has very little dialogue as she sounds confused repeating ''Rob, Rob?'', she is shown as vulnerable at the end. Diegetic sound is used when the male character attempts too jump over a ditch, leafs and mud fall down on the camera and the sound is cut out, this a technical code. Symbolic codes are used in this film opening when the fear in the male characters face is shown, this is because it uses mise-en-scene(make-up,) however it also uses an extreme close up camera shot to show the pure emotion. Mise-en-scene is also used through make-up when the male character chokes up blood in an extreme close up camera shot, this is a symbolic code. Someone is killed within the first five minutes which is a very frequently used horror movie convention. The same slow paced piano used at the start of the teen horror film opening is sued at the end, to indicate the ending.
Architect Type is the production company of Dead Mary, the teen horror movie. This film opening begins with an establishing shot which shows a secluded location, which is the most common convention used throughout many teen horrors. The male character walks back too the gas station a few miles away whilst the women waits at the car that has broke down due to no fuel. A common convention used in teen horrors is too start with a male and female character, this makes it particularly appealing to the teenage audience. A symbolic code is used through mise-sen-scene which is through the use of props, this is within the sign at the gas station that says 'Last stop for 100 mile' which also indicates that the location is isolated. the woman is clearly waiting for something, she sighs which suggests frustration and she is tapping on the roof of the car which conveys the level of how impatient and bored she is. The common convention is used as the women tries too use the radio and their is no signal, she then tries too use her phone which also has no signal which she is frustrated with. The mimics of a threatening laughter is used through a technical code as it is a diegetic sound because the character would be able to hear it. The women is shown as a stereotypical person with a lot of skin showing. When she then looks through the glove box out of pure boredom, she comes across a flare gun which is usually used to send a signal out for help. This foreshadows that something bad is going to happen and the characters will try to get to the car later, which is another convention as they will most likely be stopped from reaching the car. A jump scare is also used, this is when the male character arrives back at the car from behind and slams the bottle of fuel on the floor which startles the female, this is a quite common convention used in teen horror films. When the car drives off the sound is enhanced.
I think my essay fits into level 1 for the first marking criteria. This is because I don't show much understanding of the task throughout my essay.
I think my essay fits into level 3 for the second marking criteria. This is because my essay offers consistent examples which are mostly relevant to the question.
I think my essay fits into level 2 for the third marking criteria. This is because I only included some terminology which may be inaccurate.
Summit Entertainment is the distribution company or the teen horror Wrong Turn. One type of sound it involves is diegetic which is a few lines of dialogue, at the beginning, being exchanged between two characters, a male and female (a common horror film convention), those such as "What are you screaming for? You know were 50 miles from anyone.' This means that the film is set in a secluded location where there is no phone signal, these are conventions seen in most horror films. The sound effects in this film include echoing, screaming, stabbing, sudden sounds, the thud of a body which is enhanced for extra effect and most importantly the fake scare when the women character slips which is followed by the real scare where someone kills her. At the beginning of the advertisement for the film it has tension-building scary music, non-diegetic sound (which is a technical code) and dull music which shows a sense of danger. Someone is also killed within the first five minutes of the film which sets the scene and shows the audience that it is a horror and also it is clearly a dangerous situation as its not easy to escape the point of being halfway up a cliff-face, these are also very frequently used conventions in teen horror films.
Menan Films is the production company of the teen horror film Dead Wood. This film opening begins with a bird whistling and an establishing shot which suggests that the location is secluded as minute sounds can be heard. It also begins with dull, low tone music which involves and slow paced piano, this is non-diegetic sound which builds tension within the audience as it suggests that something bad is going to happen. The film opening begins with a man running through the woods, with the bushes swishing, the sound is enhanced and becomes enhanced here using non-diegetic sound, which is a technical code. The sound is enhanced when he runs through a puddle, which is also used as a jump scare. The film opening ends with a women character coming out a tent and looking for the male character, this is a horror film convention used in almost every single teen horror movie created. When the women comes out of the tent a crane shot is used over the top of the tent, she has very little dialogue as she sounds confused repeating ''Rob, Rob?'', she is shown as vulnerable at the end. Diegetic sound is used when the male character attempts too jump over a ditch, leafs and mud fall down on the camera and the sound is cut out, this a technical code. Symbolic codes are used in this film opening when the fear in the male characters face is shown, this is because it uses mise-en-scene(make-up,) however it also uses an extreme close up camera shot to show the pure emotion. Mise-en-scene is also used through make-up when the male character chokes up blood in an extreme close up camera shot, this is a symbolic code. Someone is killed within the first five minutes which is a very frequently used horror movie convention. The same slow paced piano used at the start of the teen horror film opening is sued at the end, to indicate the ending.
Architect Type is the production company of Dead Mary, the teen horror movie. This film opening begins with an establishing shot which shows a secluded location, which is the most common convention used throughout many teen horrors. The male character walks back too the gas station a few miles away whilst the women waits at the car that has broke down due to no fuel. A common convention used in teen horrors is too start with a male and female character, this makes it particularly appealing to the teenage audience. A symbolic code is used through mise-sen-scene which is through the use of props, this is within the sign at the gas station that says 'Last stop for 100 mile' which also indicates that the location is isolated. the woman is clearly waiting for something, she sighs which suggests frustration and she is tapping on the roof of the car which conveys the level of how impatient and bored she is. The common convention is used as the women tries too use the radio and their is no signal, she then tries too use her phone which also has no signal which she is frustrated with. The mimics of a threatening laughter is used through a technical code as it is a diegetic sound because the character would be able to hear it. The women is shown as a stereotypical person with a lot of skin showing. When she then looks through the glove box out of pure boredom, she comes across a flare gun which is usually used to send a signal out for help. This foreshadows that something bad is going to happen and the characters will try to get to the car later, which is another convention as they will most likely be stopped from reaching the car. A jump scare is also used, this is when the male character arrives back at the car from behind and slams the bottle of fuel on the floor which startles the female, this is a quite common convention used in teen horror films. When the car drives off the sound is enhanced.
I think my essay fits into level 1 for the first marking criteria. This is because I don't show much understanding of the task throughout my essay.
I think my essay fits into level 3 for the second marking criteria. This is because my essay offers consistent examples which are mostly relevant to the question.
I think my essay fits into level 2 for the third marking criteria. This is because I only included some terminology which may be inaccurate.
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