Task 2.1 Research into Existing Products

In order to know more about the Horror genre, I decided to focus on the film Saw which was released in 2004. This film is an American psychological horror film. The storyline is two men find themselves chained in a derelict bathroom with one man being ordered to kill the other or his family will die. This is the first film out of the seven-part series.

A key camera shot that was used in the opening scene was a hand held shot. This shot is used in order to make the audience feel the eeriness of the scene. This shot was used at the beginning of the opening scene when the first man, Adam, was shown by using an close up. You was able to see Adam's reaction when he was able to see his surroundings. By using this shot, the audience was able to feel the uneasiness and tension at this part of the scene. Another shot that was used during the film was reverse tracking at a low angle. This was used at the point in the scene where the lights turned on. As you can see from the clip, this shot allows the audience to watch the lights turn on one by one. by using this shot, it creates an uneasiness feeling for the audience because they are unaware of what they are about to see. By the lights turning on, it means that the storyline begins to uncover for the audience. Another key shot that was used within the scene was a subjective POV. This shot is when you see the environment or another person through a characters eyes. In the scene, this shot was used when Adam, the first appearing male character was adjusting to the light. This shot was used because it allowed the audience to see what the character sees. It is the first time the audience is able to see the environment that the character has been put in. Also, it gave the audience a feeling of confusion and disorientation. This is because the shot focuses in and out so the environment slowly becomes clear. It means that the audience can feel as if they are part of the film.

Within the scene, there was sounds used in order to tell the audience about the film and the characters. Throughout the scene, there was incidental music playing in the background. the volume of this music is low in order for the audience to be able to here the characters dialogue. Incidental music is used within a film to set the scene for the audience. The music tends to fit in with the action which is happening on scene. The music makes the audience feel eerie when watching the film/scene. It lets the audience know that there is an element of tension and mystery which makes them want to know what is going to happen. Another type of sound that has been used would be dialogue between characters. This dialogue starts with the character, Adam, begins to shout help. The next part of the dialogue is the other character tries to calm Adam down. After this the character start to get to know each other since they both know that they are trapped. By the dialogue you begin to know about the characters. The doctor seems to take control with a very firm voice. The character tries to take charge in the situation by asking the name of the other character and trying to calm him down. This shows that the doctor is a dominant character in his everyday life who is used to getting his own way. This is shown later during the film when it is revealed that the doctor cheated on his wife. The other character seems to swear a lot when he speaks. This shows that this character is very upfront and can be violent. Over all, the dialogue that is said tells the audience about the characters and their personalities.

Editing was also done in the film. Although the film is old, there is a lot of editing done in order to ensure that the transitions between shots are more fluid. An example of an editing technique that was done was a cross cut fade. This cross cut was used when the doctor realised that Jigsaw was the person that trapped them. It gave the effect of a flashback. By giving the effect of the flashback, it made the transition more fluid and seamless. Another piece of editing that was done was simple cross cuts. These were done in order to set the scene for the audience. The scenes crossed cut to other traps that other people were in. An example of when this was done was when the two men were trapped in the bathroom, the scene then crossed cut to a women who was trapped within what can only be described as a reverse bear trap connected to her mouth. It allowed the audience to further understand what the film is about and what the following films are about. There are 5 films in the Saw series.
Just like in any film, mise en scene was used in the film in order to tell the audience about the film and the characters. The costumes give the audience a first impression of the characters. The first character, Adam, wore jeans and a simple t-shirt. This showed that he was in a low paid job because he did not appear to wear expensive clothes. Also, it showed that he is more of a casual person in comparison to the doctor. The doctor was wearing trousers and a light blue shirt. This showed that he is in a well paid job so he is able to afford the expensive clothing which he appeared to wear. Also, by wearing the expensive clothes, it also shows the dominance because stereotypically, those of a higher status, tend to wear more expensive clothing. When the lights turn on within the scene, you see the doctor holding on to the metal bar. His other hand is held up. The position the doctor is in is the same position that someone would pose if they surrender. This position foreshadows that the doctor gives into the game in order to survive. It also tells the audience that the doctor is scared by the situation that he is in. This means that the audience know that the characters are in a negative situation.In most opening scenes, there needs to be a hook/enigma. This is what draws the audience and makes them want to watch the rest of the film. Without the hook or enigma, audiences wont watch the film. The hook/enigma in this film is the dead body that appears in the middle of the bathroom the characters are in. The dead body makes people want to know what has happened to that person and to what will happen to the two characters. Also, in this particular film, the same scene is continuous. By this I mean that the characters did not move from the bathroom through the whole film. In order to break up the scene, there were cross cuts to previous traps that Jigsaw had put people in. It allowed the audience to understand the film and what the context is of the film. It meant that the audience understood the film and the ones that followed. Also, the film is a restricted narration. This means that the audience know as much as the characters and nothing more. Everything the characters find out, As the characters find out the information, it tends to be more shocking for the audience which then keep them interested in the film because they are unaware of what will happen just like the characters. It makes the opening scene draw the audience in by the mystery.