Editing styles in Horror Films --

Editing styles in horror films are very important within the movie. It is important because it helps to identify the genre as well as adding to the fear and tension of the film.



Transitions-

Transitions are popularly used in horror films. The most common used in the openings of horror films are fade to black screen and straight cuts. The fade to black screens are used to add to the tension and create a mysterious atmosphere at the start of the film to scare the audience straight away. Its also to make the audience feel on edge and a sense of unease. They suggest the fear of the unknown and lets the audience know that something is not right. Straight cuts are used for fast paced cuts and sometimes jump scares. They are basic styled editing but they are very affected. Examples of this are 'Annabelle', 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and 'Sinister 2'.




Fast and slow paced shots-

These shots are usually seen in an opening of a horror film to trigger the feeling of fear for the audience that are watching. This will cause the audience to feel uneasy not knowing what is going to happen next. Shots are slowed down to create the sense of a character's life flashing before their eyes as well as to add to the suspense that is created. Both slow and fast paced editing shots make the audience feel a lot more involved in the film because when both are happening the audience will need to concentrate on what is happening in the film to try to avoid being scared why whats happening in the film. Examples of films that relate to this editing is 'Orphan', and 'The Conjuring'.



Filters-

Filters are used to suggest certain moods or feelings and for the audience to determine the genre of the horror film. So the moods are stereotypically dark and incomprehensible. A blue filter on a film could be to suggest coldness, loneliness and isolation. A red filter can usually associate with death, danger and violence. White filters can suggest innocence and purity. Examples of this type of editing are the films, 'The Woman in Black', 'You're Next' and "The Cabin In The Woods'.



Splicing-

This is usually carried out at the end of the horror film where several scary parts of the film are rapidly edited together to cause disorientation of the audience due to the fact that everything is happening at once. Examples of films where this is shown are 'Poligeist', 'Friday the 13th' and 'Evil Dead'.

Sub-genres of horror films

Action horror- 

This sub genre is a mix of elements of the supernatural and intrusion of evil, with guns, fighting and chase scenes that are usually seen in the action adventure genre of films. Elements of an action horror film could include demons, zombies, gore, vicious animals and vampires. Examples of an action themed horror film could be "Dawn of the dead", 'From dusk till dawn' and 'Blade.' 

Body horror-

This sub-genre is horror generated by the degeneration or the destruction of the human body. Limbs from the human body are used to create monsters or unnatural movements and dysfunction to create fear. David Cronenburg is a well known producer of these kind of sub-genrered films. Some body horror films include 'Teeth', "The invasion' and 'Cabin fever'. 

Comedy horror- 

This sub genre altimatly crosses over with black comedy. This sub genre is a mix of comedic type scenes but also with a few scenes with a scary twist. The film 'Legend of the sleepy hollow'  is said to be one of the best sub genrered comedy horror film. Examples of a comedy horror film are 'Scary Movie', 'Shaun of the dead' and 'Gremlins'. 

Gothic Horror-

Gothic horror sub genre includes elements of goth and horror. Some of the earliest horror films that were made fit into this genre. This genre usualyy contains elements like castles, dungeouns, ruined landscapes, extreme landscapes and magic of the supernatural. Examples of this sub genre includes 'Dracula', 'Frankinstein', and 'The Mummy'.



Psychological Horror-

This sub genre is created by using the characters fears, guilt and belief throughout the film. It also focuses on the instablity of emotion and also the supernatural to build tension and reinforce the plot of the film. The horror that is created comes from the reality ofthe particular sub genre. Examples of this sub genre include 'The Ring', 'The Shining' and 'The Exorcist'.

Science Fiction Horror-

This sub genre usually deals with the supernatural and paranormal but is nolt limited to mad scientists and also experiments gone wrong. Thsi sub genre can also deal with the an uncontrollable fear of technology. Examples of this sub genre are 'Alien' and 'The Mist'.

Slasher Horror films-

This sub genres usually deals with a lot of violence and also revolves around a ill-minded serial killer stalking or killing a numerous amount of innocent victms. The killer usually uses a specific choice of weapon to kill their victims. Slasher films are also built up with a lot of mystery, suspence and may sometimes overlap with crime in some circumstances. Examples of this genre include 'Pshyco', 'Prom Night' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'.

 

Zombie Horror Film-

Zombie films protray viral reliving corpses and mindless humas that feed off the living. This genre inlcudes a lot of action aswell as horror which is key to build suspence in the film. Examples of this genre may include 'Night if the Living dead', 'Dawn of the dead' and 'I am Lengend'.

Japanese horror films-

Japanese horror (often abbreviated as J-horror) is Japanese horror fiction in popular culture, noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre in light of western treatments. Japanese horror tends to focus on psychological horror and tension building (suspense), particularly involving ghosts and poltergeists, while many contain themes of folk religion such as: possession, exorcism, shamanism, precognition, and yōkai.

Subgenre for own film-


I believe that my groups own opening to a horror film is a type of slasher horror film. This is because the antagonist in our film is stalking the victims by standing outside looking in from the window in the door aswell as the window in the living room. My groups idea is built up with suspense and tension therefor it fitsthe stereotypical slasher horror.