Mise-en-Scene in Horror Films

Setting

The setting or location for a horror film usually helps to generate the tense, fearsome atmosphere. The location is generally isolated or abandoned, cutting the cast off from civilization and any form of help they could receive. Common locations in horror films include cabins, forests, and abandoned houses. However, horror films do also tend to take place in the characters home. 

Whilst horror films can be set at any time of day, the more frightening and intense scenes usually occur during the nighttime as the characters and the audiences view of the surroundings and therefore increases the tension of the scene as the audience find themselves waiting for a jumpscare.

Iconography

Visual things that represent the horror genre - such as the colour red which signifies blood and anger - is often used in horror films to generate and build the atmosphere of the film. Props ranging from weapons to holy artifacts such as knives, Ouija boards, guns and axes are key aspect of the horror genre. Weapons are often used in the slasher sub-genre as a way of identifying the killer in certain franchises. 

 Colour and Lighting

Dark lighting is often used in horror films to build up the atmosphere and an effective setting for jumpscares. Horror films often use a digital colour corrector to make the film appear pale and cold. The use of colour and lighting helps to make the film more successful in scaring its audience as a universal fear of society is that of the dark and what hides in it. This creates the perfect setting for an unexpected jumpscare.

 

Costume, Hair and Make-up

Costumes often vary in horror films depending on the characters type and when the film is set. Certain costumes in horror films are seen as tropes, including a little girl wearing a white or pale dress covered in mud or blood and the athletic male wearing a tight top or vest under a jersey. In the slasher sub-genre, the costume is another way of identifying the antagonist. 

Make-up is often used in horror films to make characters appear tired or scared. It is also used to give a character some form of injury such as a cut or bruise, it can also be used to make a character to appear sweaty which allows the audience to get a sense of the struggle that the character has been through.

Visual Effects

Visual Effects in horror films are used to scare the audience. Whilst most horror films still use some practical effects, many make them appear neater or more realistic with CGI or digital retouching. Digital Effects are often used to create something that couldn't otherwise be accomplished on screen without the use of some "smoke and mirrors". Digital Effects are often used to make body dismemberment appear more realistic. Some traditional visual effects include fake blood, the loss of a limb or the brutal murder of a character.




Main Brief

Taking this research into account, for my main brief I decided to set the opening in a house as it is a relatable location for the audience and a well known location of many horror films. For iconography, we decided to use an old box and some demonology books. We also decided to use low level lighting to make the jump scare's more effective, and when editing I may even use a filter to make the opening feel cold. We also decided that our visual effects will be created using makeup and costume as digital effects are only really used for body disembodiment which we do not plan on showing in our opening.