Capturing Horror

On the wake of Halloween, it is only fitting to talk about how a movie like “The Blair Witch Project” uses specific filming techniques to invoke strong feelings of fear and realism. Essentially, the directors’ specific use of the camera allows the audience to leave he theater with a clear understanding of what the message and purpose of the movie was.
The major technique the director focuses on is lighting and focus. These techniques are used to not only give a certain look to the movie but to evoke a certain feeling. As a mock documentary, the director and cinematographer have the responsibility to make the film look as close to a documentary as possible, by using a 16mm camera, and a free hand filming style; it helps make the film seem realistic. Instead of using big budget lighting and cameras, the 16mm gives the authentic feeling of a documentary. As a horror film with the premise “documentary gone wrong” there has to be given a sense of techniques that persuade you to be fearful and force you to assume the real fear that the actors feel. This is achieved with heavy use of low light in many of these scenes, this technique gives it a more raw feeling, thus making the action in the movie come off as authentic and more eerie. In many shots this authenticity is formed with the use of the shaky frame, the movement in and out of focus, and the inability to keep the subjects within the frame, added to the camcorders portability.
On of the best techniques used is the extreme close up of the main character in the tent scene. The cameras focus on face, sell the ideas of fear and terror, as the audience watch as tears and snot drip down her apologetic face. This film uses filming techniques to the extremes in order to clearly convey a feeling and message.