Homework 1 (BLK): Horror/Mystery Film Stills

Conventions of the genre

Before we set out on our shoot, our group decided that we’d take shots that would represent the Mystery/Horror genre. We decided this because we knew that there are some locations within the school that look quite rustic and historic, which is a key element of the genre. Mystery/horror film stills usually use low-key lighting, and the framing is often manipulated such that the subject looks like the victim.

My Shot

My shot is a high angle, close up with a tilted frame. The fact that the shot is high angle makes the subject look smaller and weaker, implying that he is a victim. The close up allows us to see his features and expression, which in this case is fear. Having the tilted frame also adds an edge of mystery. The subject is placed in the frame so that there is a space in front of him, which creates an idea that someone or something is in front of him, but the audience cannot see what or who it is (creating enigma).

As the shot is a close up, not much of the setting is seen, however the wood panelling behind the subject implies that he is in an older building; old, historic buildings are often seen in mystery films, and are usually home to ghosts and ghouls.

If we were to re-shoot

Unfortunately, as it was a very sunny day, the lighting was very high-key both in and outside. I think that the lighting in my shot is a little too bright for a mystery/horror film still, so in hindsight, I should have tried to find a darker corner within the grounds. The shot would have also looked better if the subject’s face was half in shadow, which could have been achieved in a darker space.