Camera Techniques Used In The 2013 American Supernatural Horror Film
Horror films have been around since the late 19th century to terrify audiences by engaging them with visual and auditory language such as using lighting, camera techniques, sound and music. These elements have been used effectively in the 2013 American supernatural horror film, The Conjuring, directed by an Australian director, James Wan. His film is based off a true story about a family with five daughters who move to a dilapidated farmhouse. As paranormal events begin to occur they contact demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren to save them from the spirit of Bathsheba. The Conjuring is a film directed at young adults or adults as their heavy use of gore and sensitive subject material used in the movie. The movie can draw the attention of adults,
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James Wan uses a variety of camera techniques such as close-ups of peoples’ horrified faces. The close-up shot is a device used in many thriller or horror movies apply to create atmosphere and create fear in the audience by zooming in on the facial expressions of characters in the shot. It can also be effectively used to enhance a jump scare as it allows the person, monster or object to get right into the audience’s faces, like they are about to grab the viewer. The scene where Lorraine Warren interrogates one of the Perron children, she holds a music box with a mirror. As the slow paced creepy toy music plays, the shot slowly zooms towards her. A close-up from over Lorraine’s shoulder begins zooming into the mirror, implying that there will be something scary in the mirror. Then another close-up shot is used to zoom into Lorraine’s fearful eyes. Her emotions can be reflected to the audience making them also feel scared for her as well as themselves. When Lorrain finally begins to lower the mirror, Bathsheba, the evil spirit, jump scares the audience. Because it is a close up shot this directly engages the audience as Bathsheba looks so close to the camera so suddenly. The close-up camera technique is an effective visual language paired with the creepy toy music to engage and alarm the
James Wan uses a variety of camera techniques such as close-ups of peoples’ horrified faces. The close-up shot is a device used in many thriller or horror movies apply to create atmosphere and create fear in the audience by zooming in on the facial expressions of characters in the shot. It can also be effectively used to enhance a jump scare as it allows the person, monster or object to get right into the audience’s faces, like they are about to grab the viewer. The scene where Lorraine Warren interrogates one of the Perron children, she holds a music box with a mirror. As the slow paced creepy toy music plays, the shot slowly zooms towards her. A close-up from over Lorraine’s shoulder begins zooming into the mirror, implying that there will be something scary in the mirror. Then another close-up shot is used to zoom into Lorraine’s fearful eyes. Her emotions can be reflected to the audience making them also feel scared for her as well as themselves. When Lorrain finally begins to lower the mirror, Bathsheba, the evil spirit, jump scares the audience. Because it is a close up shot this directly engages the audience as Bathsheba looks so close to the camera so suddenly. The close-up camera technique is an effective visual language paired with the creepy toy music to engage and alarm the