Top 10 horror shots

Top 10 Horror Shots 

There are 10 main types of horror shot, these include:

• Off kilter
• Over the shoulder shot of the killer
• Close up of the weapon 
• Close up or extreme close up of fear 
• 360 degree shot to show isolation and fear
• High angle shot to show victims vulnerability  
• Low angle shot to show power of the killer 
• How to stab someone without hurting them 
• Point of view of the victim and killer as the victim crawls away on their back as killer approaches   
• Power of suggestion 

1.Off kilter shot: The first shot, the off kilter shot, is used in horror films frequently. It is where the camera is tilted to one side when filming. This filming technique is effective in the horror genre as it is a different view which makes the viewer uneasy as the angle is strange and out of the ordinary. It is a common technique to show the fear or tension felt by the main character.

2. Over the shoulder shot of the killer: this shot is where the camera is pointed over the shoulder of the killer or victim. This shot is used in situations where the killer is close to the victim and makes the scene more suspenseful. It puts the audience in the middle of the action, like they are actually looking over at the events taking place.

3. Close up of the weapon: This technique usually includes a medium or close up shot with the weapon in the center of the screen making it the main focus in the shot. This indicates to the audience that the killer will use this weapon to kill the victim.

4. Extreme close up of fear: This shot is effective as the person in the shots face is very close in the shot and the viewers can clearly see the emotions shown be the character, portraying to the audience the amount of fear the character ids feeling in the situation. 


5. 360 degree shot to show isolation and fear: This technique is used in filming to show the victims surroundings and portray how small the victim is in relation to the setting, making them seem small and isolated.


6.  High angle shot to show victims vulnerability: The effect of this shot is to make the victim seem small as the camera looks down at them and the viewer feels that they themselves are looking down at them, making the viewers feel the victim is insignificant to them and feel they are vulnerable.


7. Low angle shot to show the power of the killer: This low angle shot opposes the high angle shot of the victim and gives the point of view to the victim.


8. How to stab someone without hurting them: This technique is pretty much an essential in a horror film. One of the main staples in the horror genre is gore, and in order to have gore, the victim must be injured, this usually happens in the form of a stabbing. If done well, this action in a scene will make the audience scared and disgusted and also make the film seem more realistic.


9. Point of view of the victim and killer as the victim crawls away on their back as killer approaches: This shot shares a lot of effect with the low angle shot, as it shows the killer in a higher position, looking down at the helpless victim. Again this puts the viewer in the spectator position, looking in on the action.


10. Power of suggestion: In a horror genre, sometimes its better just to leave some things to the imagination. This is where the power of suggestion is used to leave out finite details like a knife going into the skin of the victim, many times this is not shown as the audience know that the victim has been stabbed.

• These top 10 shots are found frequently found in horror films. I believe this is true because the shots are so effective that they are ideal for horror films. They all provide such a large positive effect on the films that it would be stupid not to use the shot as they contribute so such to the film.
• From filming these shots, I learned the specific effects of each shot, as while filming, you get a greater sense of the effect each shot has on the audience. This made me see how the shots were planned out and used for a maximum effect on the audience. I also learned to appreciate films more, as I now know what needs to be done in order to make a film and how much effort is needed. For example seeing films using the low angle shot giving the killer more power in a scene makes sense now. 
• This task will help me in the filming of my own opening as it will show me how to correctly execute the various shots for maximum effect. For example, looking at how the shots were used in other famous horror films teaches me how to use them effectively in my film.