Horror Genre Opening! (Implementation)

 Research

Horror was one of the genres I chose for the film mainly because it is broad/common but specific enough to be elaborate on and engage the audience with the resources that we had. 

For this, I specifically looked Black Christmas (1974). It gains its horror element through the use of its framing in visual storytelling (ex. depth of fields, shallow as isolation, character close-ups, empty/blind spots=fear of unknown).

Planning

I wanted to incorporate the same emphasis on visual storytelling. Since it this a hybrid film with a genre flip, I planned on subtly showcasing the horror elements in the beginning (foreshadowing...) then slowly add onto it and make it more obvious (including more empty spaces for isolation). For example, making the active element (Lucille) slowly begin to take more control/power of the frame, centering/focusing on her. The symbolism of red also will shift from passion to danger. 

Horror Elements

Horrors are intended to evoke fear, unsettling/uneasy emotions in the audience. This is usually done by threaten the character's safety. 

Small Extract of Sanguine where Lucille is leading Steve into a Room and then a few moments later, Lucille is talking om the phone

Throughout the film, I attempted to add subtle hints that something is not right. We mainly focused on Lucille's reaction compared to Steve, which creates a visual imbalance in power- that they are not equal. Also, as the film goes on, the color's brightness (especially the red) and the exposure gets darker/lower (you can see this in the video above). This due to the fact, films often use dark colors to invoke fear, as it can often heighten the sense of mystery (fear of the unknown) and danger. The cut to black in the video signifies time has past, then Lucille, now alone, appears to be on the phone. Though the audience doesnt not know what occurred, the safe assumption is that Steve's safety is under compromise.

The audio in the first video is not the final one (just a sample of what my editor has). Even though I did not have the expertise on sound, I helped them to edit the music to emphasize horror elements. As you listen, the music (Maneater By Hall & Oates) gradually gets louder and “distorted” as in the pitch gets deep and it slower. In the background there is a ringing noise which can create a psychological sense of danger or discomfort.