Evaluation questions

1)      What have you learnt?

Since the beginning and throughout the planning and research of my short horror film I have learnt many essential things. I have learnt the key concepts and conventions of a truly scary horror film. When creating a horror film camera angles, shots and movement all play a huge role. Close ups focus on certain features and an object of significance that plays a huge role in the movie and may also foreshadow future occurrences in the movie. I have also learnt that point of view shots play a huge role in making the horror of the movie feel personal to the audience as it puts the viewer in the mind and essentially see out of the eyes of the character and what the character is experiencing, therefore putting the viewer in a frightening and uncomfortable position which is what the aim of a horror film is. I have again learnt that all horror films follow many similar conventions, the narrative structure. The narrative structure is essentially the steps a movie takes and this is done throughout every movie. The movie begins and the situation is normal. This is called the exposition, where the characters are introduced and the normal undisturbed life of the characters is shown. Secondly, the rising of the action occurs, this is when something disturbs the normality of the movie and effects the characters. Then the climax introduces itself, this is when the turning point happens and either the side that the audience is on (the protagonist) prevails or the other unwanted side wins. Lastly the resolution happens as the characters try to get back to normal. However the latter many times doesn’t occur as the story may end on a cliff hanger. 

2)      How you have learnt it?

I have learnt this through many research and planning methods. Research and an analysis of many existing short and normal horror films have helped as it has shown the camera work, mise en scene, sound and editing needed to make an effective horror film. The research of these horror films have shown the thought process as needed for a horror film as they all have proven that they follow a certain narrative structure as a foundation of their movie. This therefore proves that the narrative structure used is effective, essential and should be considered by all when creating a personal horror film. Lastly the research and analysis of these movies has shown the effective camera shots such as close ups and point of view shots in action and has also proven how effective they are in frightening the audience and furthering the effect and story told within the movie. Another method I used was researching film theorist such as Todorov and Levi Strauss who have proven the narrative theory and have their own opinion on the situation.

3)      How it will help you?

The things I have learnt will help me in many different ways. Firstly, when creating my own short horror film I shall use all these factors into consideration. This will help as it will make my film follow the normal conventions of a horror film therefore making it professional and effective towards the audience. When making my horror film I will consider the effective camera shots that I have seen in short horror film that I have researched such as: “night night, Nancy” and “smile” and huge international horror films such as “the conjuring” and  “the woman in black”. All the research I have done will also help as the theorists I analysed are trusted and huge historical figures and have been used by huge movie directors to hep conform to the structure of a natural horror movie that will ensure the movie achieves its main goal, which is scaring the audience.