Upon research, I have settled on two horror films that share the conventions I would like to include in my own film opening. Both films (Let Me In and Devil's Due) associate the female gender with blood, representing them as callous. The crimes they commit are often forces of the supernatural, instilling fear into the viewers. The supernatural is often invisible, which leaves the audience paranoid and fearful of their security. We will also be using a supernatural element to our film opening; our protagonist sees a dead, bloodied version of herself trying to communicate with her. Another convention they share is the settings and locations. They are all set in modern day suburbia, making it relatable for the audience. This means the audience are able to visualise the plot happening in their lives, creating a haunting feel to the film. This is something we will definitely include as I believe it is a simple, yet effective, way of creating the same tension.
Let Me In (2010)
Devil's Due (2014)
I have decided to study these two films as, although not in terms of plot, they are both quite similar to our film opening. When we were planning our film, we decided to use an inversion of female characters. We wanted to go against the typical representation of the female gender being passive and compliant by linking the characters closely to blood and gore. The main character of Let Me In is a young vampire girl who has to kill to quench her thirst, while the protagonist of Devil's Due is possessed by a devil, resulting in her attacking people. The victims are innocent, regular people which further instils fear into the viewer as it gives the impression that nobody is safe.
Both of these films use a lot of (fake) blood in order to create graphic imagery, which has an unsettling effect on the audience. In our film opening, we will also use fake blood as a way to differentiate between the dead and alive version of the girl.
In terms of sound, both films use diegetic, foley sounds that match the video. This creates a sense of realism to keep the film from being too outlandish. However, when tension is being built, non-diegetic soundtrack is often used. Music in horror films is often used when leading up to something bad (ie: a killing), causing the viewer to feel nervous. Sound is very important in film making as it can alter the entire atmosphere.
Omniscient narration is typical of horror films and is present in both Let Me In and Devil's Due. From very early on in Let Me In, the audience are made aware that the protagonist, Abby, is a vampire while the other characters remain unknowing. This is similar in Devil's Due, as nobody else realises she has been possessed (until it is too late) while the audience have known from the very beginning. This keeps the audience in anticipation for the reveal and allows them to feel anxious for the other characters. Omniscient narration goes hand in hand with the rule of thirds (demonstrated in the still, above, for Let Me In). In this still, the male character, Owen, is in the centre while Abby walks into the right third. The rule of thirds highlights the importance of certain aspects of the shot and, in this case, it is Owen. He is in the foreground of the shot, bringing the audience's attention to his reaction. Close ups are also typical of the horror genre as they allow the audience to see characters' true emotions and reactions to the events that unfold.
Analysing these two films has given me broader understanding of what is expected of horror films. It has consolidated my knowledge on what makes these horror films so successful and I am keen to include these conventions in my own opening. This will ensure that my film opening reflects the genre we have chosen and should appeal to our target audience.
