Summary Document
MA Film Practice
Hairan Liu
N0453107
Could Eastern and Western horror techniques be combined to attract more audience from both Eastern and Western areas?
Over the past two decades, Japanese horror film-making has gained a lot of popularity, more and more audience from all over the world start to pay attention and enjoy it. It`s easy to find out how this becomes possible because Japanese horror is a distinctly different style which comparing with Hollywood and other Western countries. Frequently, it has been said that Western traditions stress ‘visual horror’ that often uses ‘special effects to create kinds of bloody violence’, horror from the East is distinguished by its use of ‘horror atmosphere and lets audiences frighten themselves.’ (Dongchen Er, 2004)
But this opposition is not only tends to reproduce a directly distinction, but also shows some common opposition within Western horror filmmaking. For example, many reviewers such as Tudor, Prawer and Waller have discussed a supposedly ‘restrained’ tradition of horror, that is often exemplified by figures such as Val Lewton, and is supposed to precisely emphasize suggestion over visualization. Wheatley also discusses a similar opposition in debates over Gothic television. So to combine Western and Eastern horror style becomes possible.
At the same time, I've done a questionnaire which research from 30 audiences, the question is: Do you think it will be better if Eastern and Western style horror be combined?
The answer "YES" takes 69% from the audience, the answer "NO" takes 23% and the answer "NO IDEA" takes 8%.
From articles and reflective which be done from audiences shows that Eastern and Western horror film be combined could attract more audience. From both areas.
How to measure fear and use techniques in horror films?
Fear is a kind of emotion from people`s heart, there are a lot of effects could make people fear, because people always afraid of something unusual.On the screen, there are also many elements to make people fear, however, how to measure the fear on the screen is a interesting thing, I have a special method to measure fear myself, which I will show below.
A. The effect which is unknown on the screen
It has often been said that, it is horrible when you didn't see what is in your behind. I believe that the most horror thing for the audience is to find something which is unknown by the next second on the screen. These shots are usually shows on some Eastern style horror films
B. Bloody dress up
The special make up is also important, sometimes when people see someone with just two holes on their eyes on the screen, or their arms shows outside their bodies, will be really horrific, and will make audience`s sight a shock.
C. Unreasonable
Sometimes there are some horror films shows some different theory showing to the audience, for example, some disease could be contagious by people`s mind, this theory will easily make people fear when they believe it is true. The representative of those films is Infected（Korea）
D. Monsters vampires and zombies
In many horror films earlier between 1940 to 1980, the monsters, vampires and zombies are the mainly style to display horror, there are many horror films to show about those elements.
E. Violence
Violence is a type of soft horror film for audience, these style of horror films could make people scared and exciting.
Technique of expression
Some techniques, such as sound and color will be the mainly skill to show the fear.
SOUND
Sound is important in a film, sometimes a good type of sound could let a film becomes perfecting. In horror films, some strident or strange voice appears suddenly will make audience startle such as the bone breaks and knife shakes, some quick speed music also could make people become nervous and it appears often in some special scene such as killing and escape.
Usually there are some kinds of music appears to the film, for example, to use depressive music to show nervous, to use furious rock to show excited killing, to use strange music to describe danger....
COLOR
The strange color could receive a special effect sometimes in a horror film, for example, there is a film named Infected(Korea), there is a scene shows a red apple on the desk, but at the next time, the color of the apple changes into green. This effect make the audience fear for a long time. Sometimes deep color could also make audience depress and nervous.
3 Special equipment
Sometimes some good horror films will devise some special weapons for characters to use, such as saws, guns, knifes and so many others. If a filmmaker want to make out some bloody effect, he will use those weapons to increase the vision, but most of the time, the audience will feel not comfortable with their stomachs when watch it.
The results of Learning objectives
1. I`ve done five horror scripts which shows about eastern and western horror story structures and horror film techniques during the academic year to research about how to write out horror scripts. At the same time, I show them to different types of audiences to get feedback and get to know what would they like to watch. (Shows on blog)
2. I have directed two different types of horror films and some short shots myself and help my classmate to direct two comedy films. This helps me to understand more about how to direct films. (Shows on blog)
3. I have learned kinds of editing skills and use it in my own projects. (Shows on blog)
4. I have learned how to use light and sound equipment better when doing the horror film. (Shows on blog)
5. I have finished reading numbers of article works and books online to help me understanding the direction of development about horror films in the world. (Shows on blog)
6. I have learned some film techniques such as sound, color, lighting, cinematography, editing and directing and get more experience from researching. (Shows on blog)
7. The film Karma
I have made out a short film, which name is Karma. This film mainly uses different color and sound styles to discover horror. The cold nature color shows the constrain and horrific background.
The hot special color and dissolve scene shows the directly visual horrific in some special area such as kill people and memories.
The deep worm color shows some special story structure such as sacrifice and special memory.
The short film also uses some different sound effects which from different areas. I have tried to combine them together and the result looks good.
There are not only Eastern culture and tradition but also Western directly visual effect and atmosphere in the film, I have combined them together, the result by audience from investigate shows that it is good.
8. I have made out a survey, the result shows that 87.5% audience consider that Eastern and Western horror style is different and 81.3% audience believe that it is possible when Eastern and Western horror film be combined to make out a better horror film style.
The result of research objectives:
1. Literature survey
I had finish reading several books to lay a foundation of my idea, and I had find out more useful resources about film techniques from websites, books and articles. And I understand more about the background of horror films including culture, history and academic arguments now.
2. Film Analysis
I had finished more than ten analysis of five films to increase my knowledge of film techniques to ensure I know how to make a successful Eastern/Western hybrid horror film.
4. Practice
I had produced some short shots which relate to my research, focusing on emotions, light, sound and color. This will help me to understand how to create a horror film be using different cultures and history background; I also get feedbacks from audiences from different areas and this will help me to understand more about my research. I had combined the different emotions about film from Eastern and Western area. And I will show my research results finally.
So this is what I have done in my academic MA year.
