A.M: Technical Analysis of Amityville Horror

Camera techniques	Duration	Analysis-M-E-S-cam-sound-edit
Black background with white writing ‘Based on a true story’	0.00-0.06	The font and text colour used with the black background is very conventional for horror films. Also the fact that it says ‘based on a true story’ is conventional and makes the film feel more realistic and therefore scarier
November 13,1974	0.06-0.13	One again they have used white text on a black background. The fact they have used a particular dates reinforces the idea it is based on a real story. Also setting the date means that the audience knows what era it is set in and therefore the audience has more knowledge of the plot.
ECU of protagonists face	0.13-0.18	The man has his eyes closed and is moving very slowly. This makes him appear as if he is in a dreamlike state and isn’t fully in control of what he is doing.  The shot of the man is blurred creating him as an enigma at the start of the clip. Also there is a fading transition where the audience sees two of his faces overlaid. This creates a sense that he isn’t fully conscience.
Monatge of shots	0.18-0.19	There is a quick flash of light which would blind and shock the audience. You then see the building he is in and a television. The flash could be symbolising the fact that the audience is being shown a flashback of what he has seen. This quick shot of the building shows that the location is a house. This makes the film realistic and relatable.
ECU of protagonists face	0.19-0.24	Blurred face again reinforcing his dreamlike state. This time diegetic sound is used. Deep unclear whispers are being spoken as he sways, connoting the idea he is being told what to do by this mysterious voice. This makes the audience intrigued and eager to find out about this mystery voice.
ECU of face focusing on eyes	0.24-0.27	The shot is now in focus and the protagonists eyes open. The camera focusing is indicating the fact the protagonist is coming into consciousness. In the protagonists eyes is the reflection of the television screen and the deep whispers become more clear saying ‘kill them’. This makes the storyline become clear, the television is in somehow hypnotising the protagonist and the whispers are controlling him.
POV CU shot of Television screen	0.27-0.30	The POV shot enhances the fact he is entirely focused on the television.  Diegetic sound of whispers and crackling sounds  are included.
CU of clock	0.31	Diagetic sound of the clock number changing is used to emphasis the idea that the time 3:15 is significant.
MS of protagonist	0.31-0.33	The protagonists face is angry and his head turns quickly to the clock. His movements are unecesarily fast and sharp making him see psychotic. Diagetic sound of  rain and lighting is heard. Bad weather is very conventional of horror films to connote that something bad is about to happen. Flashes of light onto the room is seen, this is symbolising the lightning outside.
MS of desk	0.34-0.36	The shot reveals a book on the desk entitled ‘Evil is Proof of God’ The book is representing religion as an extremist prejudice view and something that should only be feared no where in the clip is religion shown as a peaceful thing, it is represented as violet and evil and the title of the book is backing up this idea given off by the multiple religious connotations.Also a cigarette tray filled with cigarettes is positioned next to is indicating that he spends a lot of time reading the book smoking cigarettes.
LS of back of  man on bed watching telly	0.36-0.39	This shot reveals the fact he has a Gun. A very conventional prop in horror films
LS of front	0.40-42	His expression is almost a smile signifying his unnatural state.
CU of gun being loaded	0.42-0.45	The close up makes the audience focus on him loading the gun building tension.
CU of shelf showing set	0.45-0.47	On the shelf was a picture of his graduation photo, this gives the audience an insite into the character. He must have been a hardworking normal guy. This means the audience will start to relate to him and feel sympathy towards him, wondering how he ended up in the state he was in now.
LS Back of him standing	0.47-0.49	This reveals a lot of the room he is in. The set looks very realistic. It also revels the fact he is in the basement. Symbolising he is pretty isolated from the rest of the house and that maybe there is a reason he is far from others sleeping in the house.
CU  low to high Pan shot of protagonist  going up stairs	0.49-54	Diagetic sound of the creaking stairs as he walks up. This is very conventional of horror films. The low angle shot builds tension as the audience don’t know where the protagonist is headed. The shot fades to black building.
MS back-CU face-ECU eyes	0.54-57	The cutting rate becomes very fast and the lighting is non-existent apart from the occasional lighting flash. This is very unnerving as everytime the screen goes black there is no indication as to what the next shot will be of.  Banging and wind noises are played creating a slight jump due to lack of sound used earlier on.
POV looking outside	0.57-0.59	This lets the audience see his surroundings. They are very realistic and empty.
MS walking up stairs	59-1.01	A jumpcut is used to the shot of the gun hanging by the protagonists side. The set has family pictures hanging on the wall. Symbolising that family is very important in the home.
LS of protagonist walking round banister	1.01-1.04	The lighting flashes make the protagonist appear as if he is getting closer unnaturally fast. The shadows in this shot creates an eerie atmosphere.
MS Walking into room	1.04-1.07	The lighting is behind him in this shot and creates him as a silhouette, hiding his expression and non-verbal language.
MS of antagonists in bed of people	1.07-1.11	A high angle shows a couple in bed asleep. There non-verbal language conveys the fact they are completely oblivious to what is happening. Also there faces are never shown so the audience isn't meant to relate to them.
CU of gun	1.11-1.12	A very fast cutting rate is used in the next few shots this creates verisimilitude as using a gun to kill someone is very fast.
CU Loading gun	1.12-1.13	Diagetic sound of the gun clicking ready to shoot is used to focus the audeince
MS Raising gun and taking aim	1.13-1.16	His non-verbal language conveys that he has experience with a gun as knows how to take aim.
Low angle MS of protagonist shooting	1.16-1.17	This is a low angle shot representing the idea that the protagonist has a lot of power and is in control due to his weapon which is in the centre of the shot.
CU Back of head shot	1.17-1.18	Very loud diegetic sound of the gun being shot is used. A Pre-filmic affect is used in this shot. Blood is used to represent where the victims have just been shot. The audience doesn’t realate to the victims at all as their faces aren’t shown.
Quick montage of crime scene photos	1.18-1.19	The editing is used to convey the idea that these still shots are crime scene photos. They use flashes of light between the photos creating the idea of a camera flash. The red blood stands out in the photos highlighting the tragedy of the pictures.
MS of Girl	1.19-1.20	A second line of action is not introduced as a young girl jolts up in bed. Her facial expression conveys her internal fear.
LS  low to high pan of protagonist leaving room	1.20-1.22	His non verbal language of his fast pace walking suggests that he is eager to go onto his next victim
MS of girl getting out of bed	1.22-1.24	Her fast movement conveys her fear
MS of Gun by bed	1.24-1.27	The positioning of the close distance of the gun from the bed is very unnerving.
ECU hand on trigger	1.27-1.29	Similar shots of the CU of trigger of the gun is shown, representing that another victim is about to be killed.
Gun flash	1.29-1.30	Two gun shot flashes are shown in the pitch black. This low key lighting makes the shot more dramatic.
Montage of crime scene photos	1.30-1.32	Sound affects of a  camera shutter is used to present the fact they are crime scene photos. A lot of blood is shown splattered up the walls presenting the gruesome death. Using fake blood in horror production is very conventional.
CU Shot of foot walking out door	1.32-1.34	Low angle of his foot makes him appear intimidating and powerful
Photo of dead girl and blood	1.34-1.35	The non-verbal language is used effectively in the photos. The girl looks peaceful still in her sleeping position dressed in white. This makes the tragedy of her death and all the blood even worse and tragic for the audience.
CU Door slam	1.35-1.37	This could be symbolic due to the saying ‘as one door closes another one opens’ Once the protagonist has killed this room of people he closes the door and goes onto the next room.
LS of Girl panning from up to down	1.37-1.41	The girl slowly becoming lower down and the camera tilting downwards connotes that the girl is inferior and feels terrified. Her non-verbal language conveys her fear as she curled up to a small crouching ball postion while pushing her face into her toy in order to feel a tiny bit of comfort. She is so scared she can’t even bare to look. The prop of her toy conveys her innocence.
LS of Silhouette of man	1.41-1.44	The fact that he is a silhouette makes him appear as a very dark and evil character.
LS of room	1.44-1.47	The use of a long shot means that the room looks very empty and eerie
CU Face shot	1.48-1.49	The close up gives the audience an insight to the character and what he is thinking.
Bottom of door CU	1.49-1.50	Only a tiny crack of light is seen from under the door. This presents the idea that the only good souled person left in the house is the small girl in the room with the light. Whereas the protagonist is in the dark and is evil.
Low angle MS of protagonist walking to door	1.50-1.56	The duration of this shot is noticibly longer than the ones before. This creates and builds tension as the audience worries about how he is becoming closer to the girl.
Door opening man	1.50-2.01	The Low angle shot of the creaking door revealing the protagonists psychotic smile creates a distressing image. Creaking doors are conventional and creates a creepy atmosphere.
high angle MS of girl	2.01-2.06	‘whats wrong Ronnie?’ The dialogue conveys the girls innocence, she doesn't know what is going on and doesn't understand why Ronnie is doing this. The high angle conveys that she is inferior and very vulnerable compared to the protagonist
Low angle MS of protagonist	2.06-2.13	‘I love you Jodie’ This plays on the audiences emotions, earlier the audience may have felt repulsed towards the protagonist for his actions but due to the dialogue they may feel sympathy as you see he does have feelings. Editing makes the shot go negative and freeze which makes the audience focus on him.
ELS of house pan out	2.13-2.21	Two flashes of light are seen inside the house with 2 loud diegetic bangs. This suggests that what happened was just too tragic to be seen.  The house you see at the end is a very different one to the one you see at the start highlighting the fact a tragic sequence has happened.

Sound-At the start when the text appears there is complete silence. This creates and builds tension. Low backing non-diegetic sound is used when there is a ECU blurred shot of the protagonist. It is very subtle and creates an eerie atmosphere. There is a sudden louder diegetic sound of thunder which creates a slight jump. I think that the use of whispers talking to the protagonist is very effective. It creates a mystery as to where these whispers are coming from and the fact that it is sometimes unclear as to what they are saying makes the audience listen very closely. Diegeitc sound of thunder and lighting is played through out reminding the audience of the bad weather which is very conventional of horror films. As the clock strikes 3:15 loud diegetic noise is used to represent that 3:15 must be significant as it is time for the protagonist to leave the room. Diegetic noise of the protagonist loading the gun is used to make it clear that his is intending to use it and therefore gives an insight as to what is about to happen in the sequence. Creaking stairs and creaking doors are used which is also very conventional sound in horror films. Very loud diegetic gun shot sound affects are used to create a jump. A loud high pitch noise is used when the young girl sits up after hearing the gun shots. This high pitch noise is very uncomfortable and highlights the danger the girl is in. The sound affects of the camera shutter is very clever and creates the idea of a crime scene.

Editing- Through out the sequence the male protagonist is given
 prevalence, this is done so that the tragedy is easy to follow. Also it makes the audeince feel sympathetic towards him rather than any other character, especially as it is clear he is being forced to kill the people in the house. The cutting rate changes through out the sequence depending on what is happening. For example when the protagonist is shooting the victims the cutting rate is very fast to create verisimilitude. Where as when he is walking towards the girl and opening the door the cutting rate is very slow to build tension.

mise en scene-Location is a house to make it realistic and relatable to the audience. The lighting is very low key. The flashes of lighting are used very effectively. As the lighting flashes this is the only time when the audience can clearly see what is happening in the shot. This creates a lot of tension as the audience doesn't know what will happen in the next shot. Props are used to give an insight into the characters. Such as the young girl is clutching a toy to convey her innocence. Also a gun is used as the murder weapon which is very conventional of horror films.

camera-Different angles of camera shot are used to convey which characters and superior and which inferior. When there is a shot of the protagonist aiming to fire at a victim the camera is at a low angle to convey how powerful he is. Where as when the young girl is in shot about to be killed a high angle is used to show her vulnerability and weakness in the situation.