Our short horror film tells a story of how fear can be seen when the video progresses and intensifies, even when nothing seems wrong at first. It starts off as calm and ordinary, but as the short almost two minute film goes on, little things begin to feel strange. We wanted to make the audience feel as if they don't know what is going to happen next. My group used different aspects and camera shots/angels, instead of focusing on word choice and video effects. Additionally, instead of using major jump scares or blood, we focused on creating a creepy atmosphere through lighting, camera angels, and sound. The dimmer lighting makes everything feel uncertain, while the close-up shots show the character's fear and confusion. Every detail, from the slower pacing to the tone of the audio, was meant to build suspense and make the audience feel tense without even realizing why.
Our goal was to make a short film that gives an off edge feeling, not because of what you see, but because of what you feel. By the end, the imagination and reality start to obscure, leaving the audience wondering what is really happening. One of the main techniques we used in some of the clips was a low-angle shot. This helped to make certain moments feel tense. The shaky, handheld movement by Courtney in some scenes made it feel more realistic, like the viewer was right there within the character experiencing the fear firsthand. We also used wide shots and tracking shots to build even more suspense, especially in the scenes it felt like something might appear at any second.
In the short horror film, montage is used to create a sense of uneasiness by linking short, baleful videos by using dim lights, camera shots, and closeups of the character’s fearful expressions, into a fast sequence that increases tension without remaining too long on any one shot. We also used Jump cuts at moments of surprise or shock, for instance when the character turns to look at something and the cut suddenly skips ahead, making the movement feel disorienting, which adds to the suspense. Lastly, Cross-cutting is used to shift between what me and Paige are doing and what might be lurking somewhere else in the hallways, so the audience knows that danger might be coming closer from another direction. My group used back-and-forth editing so you can see multiple events at once. Together, these editing techniques make the short film feel more frightening.
The second shot my group used was a Close Up shot. This shot shows "shoulders and up" to show emotion through the facial expressions. In this image it is seen that I look fearful and terrified from the killer, which killed Paige before my eyes.
The fourth shot my group used was a High Angle shot. It was positioned so the audience is looking down on me and Paige. This makes us appear weak, powerless, and vulnerable.
The last shot my group used was a Point Of View shot. It shows the scene from the pov in the eyes of Courtney. It helps the audience feel close to the character as we see the action through her eyes.
In conclusion, our short horror film successfully captures the fear through careful use of camera shots, lighting, and editing rather than relying on special effects or jump scares. By combining techniques like low-angle, close-up, and POV shots with editing methods such as montage, jump cuts, and cross-cutting, we were able to build a tense atmosphere that keeps the audience on edge. Each shot was chosen to reveal emotion, power, and vulnerability, making the story feel more real and unsettling. Our goal was to make viewers feel the fear growing throughout the film, not just see it.
