Film Still Analysis

Describe the shot and identify in what way it could be described as representing the genre

 This is an extreme long shot of a man in a corridor. The chosen genre was horror, anchored by the grainy, blurry effect creating a supernatural, eerie atmosphere, low key lighting and the fact that the man is silhouetted, making him seem even more ominous and scary. The straight angle shot suggests that the shot could be a point-of-view shot, giving the viewer a more active role in the shot and making them feel more exposed to the figure. The character is positioned to the right of the frame, making the corridor seem longer as well as making the figure seem out of visual focus of the viewer. The figures casual pose also is juxtapositioned with the very dark, unnerving surroundings, further implying that he is a villain. Furthermore the lack of colour makes the viewer even more unsettled and strengthening the overall surreal nature of the shot.

What was actually done to achieve the effect?

We first found a relatively thin corridor without any windows, helping with the issue of needing low key lighting during the day. We tested out some shots with normal settings to find what types of framing and angles worked best to create the desired effect. We considered tighter framing to get a more detailed shot of the figure, as well as using a lower angle, but our final framing and angle works successfully as it provides a significant sense of mystery and eeriness to the figure.

Identify what is successful about the shot

The shot follows conventions of a horror film due to the low key lighting and unsettling setting. The lack of colour and grainy effect also add to the horror aspect of the shot. The silhouette on the figure is very successful as it required a very tailored setting and it keeps the figure very mysterious as well as immediately connoting the sinister and ominous aspects of the character.

What would be done differently in hindsight?

If I were to repeat the shot, I would try slightly tighter framing on the figure in an attempt to reveal some of his character without fully exposing him to the audience, thus getting rid of the mystery surrounding him. I would also try taking a straight angle shot down the corridor so both walls are in frame, positioning the figure against one of the walls, again silhouetting his figure to keep the sense of the horror genre and the figure's creepiness.