Why do people watch Horror films

A Psychology professor 'Jeffrey Goldstein' wrote the below theory of why he thinks people watch horror films. It is this theory which has enabled our group to adapt some features of our short film to attract more of a horror audience which will expand the target audience for our group's short film. 

'Q: Why do people watch horror films?

A: Horror films have been attracting viewers since the beginning of cinema. According to some psychiatrists, the modern horror film serves many of the same functions for the adolescent that the fairy tale serves for the child, for instance to warn of evil in familiar places. Horror films are designed to elicit strong emotional reactions from viewers, including fear and dread; and this they do. Nearly everyone reports having been disturbed at some time by an image from a film or television program.

The appeal of horror depends on characteristics of the viewer, the film, and the viewing circumstances.

The viewer and the film

Researchers have identified various motives for viewing horror films, including the need for excitement, the desire to feel intense emotions, and distraction from everyday concerns. Although dramatic films can fulfill some of these needs, movies depicting violence and horror have features that other forms of drama do not, including the violation of social norms and the portrayal of events seldom seen in real life.

People rarely view horror films alone. Violent entertainment appeals primarily to males, and it appeals to them mostly in groups. For many young people and adults, horror films are a topic of conversation, a source of shared experience, and a means of self-presentation. Not everyone will like the blood and gore, but many may continue to watch because of other goals, such as demonstrating their ability to tolerate it, or the desire to master the threatening images.

One study identified three factors that were important in the appeal of horror films to males aged 15-45: the excitement generated by the film (called "sensation-seeking" by psychologists, the enjoyment of stimulation or physiological arousal), the wish to see the destruction found in horror films, and the satisfying resolution usually found at the end of the film.

The setting

Horror films are typically viewed in comfortable, familiar surroundings with friends, or at least co-viewers, nearby. Violent entertainment is less appealing when one is under genuine threat or experiences fear or anxiety prior to viewing.

When humor accompanies the film, emotional reactions are milder. Viewers can limit the effects of disturbing images by distracting themselves—by looking away, thinking about something else, or analyzing the film dispassionately, like a film critic. When the violence is too real, when cues to its unreality, like music or film editing, are removed, violent entertainment loses much of its appeal.'

Jeffrey Goldstein, Ph.D.
Department of Social &Organizational Psychology
University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

References:

Goldstein, Jeffrey, Why we watch: The attractions of violent entertainment, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998.
Tamborini, Ron and James Stiff, Predictors of horror film attendance and appeal: An analysis of the audience for frightening films, Communication Research, 14: 415-436, 1987.

Social Events

This mind map of 'Social Events' show some ideas which our group could implement in to our 5 minute short film. These subjects would be interesting to develop. Each idea was developed from our 'Social Groups' mind map.  The ideas in blue are not going to be used in our 5 minute short film, however, they were really useful to develop our final idea of a Social Event. Our final idea, is highlighted red. Our group decided that a mysterious girl with a condition, has been exiled from her family and the social groups which she was once involved with. This would be an interesting narrative which our group could present in a 5 minute short film. This topic is stereotypically relevant to teenagers and young adolescents, because of their constant worry to fit in with the people they know and the society they live in. This would give our target audience a narrative they could deeply relate to.

Zoom Dolly Shot

This website demonstrates what equipment is needed, and how to create a 'Zolly' shot, aka 'Zoom Dolly' shot. Our group are going to include this tricky shot in our 5 minute short film. We can follow the basic steps of the instructions on the website to create a dolly shot which will be relevant to our 5 minute short film.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/filmmaking-tips/achieving-the-dolly-zoom-effect-effectively.html#b

Tricky Shot 'Dolly Zoom'

This 'dolly zoom' shot which is featured in the 1970's horror/thriller film 'Jaws'. This shot put you in the mind of the man in the frame. As his emotions are expressed by his facial expression which is zoomed in on, whilst the background is sent shooting backwards. This gives a psychedelic affect to the shot and suggests that the man has just seen something strange or terrifying. The human visual system uses size and perspective cues to judge the relative sizes of objects. If the human eye sees a perspective change or a size change is a visually disturbing effect. Depending on which way the dolly zoom effect is shot, can either make the background suddenly grow in size and detail which dominates the foreground. Or in this case the foreground becomes immense and overwhelms the rest of the surroundings. would be a brilliant shot to include in our 5 minute short film. Perhaps to show the facial expressions of a character who is also experiencing something strange and unordinary.

Character Profile

Background Info: 

Sophie Walker is 18 years old. She is an outcast from society; often found walking the streets of her town oblivious of the world around her. She rarely speaks to anyone but often is seen alone in clubs causing havoc and is extremely violent. Her violent nature has created a fear towards her in strangers and even the people who once loved her. The cause of this personality change cannot  be pin pointed as she was brought up as christian girl; well mannered, happy and a privileged upbringing. Sophie has been to many specialists and psychiatrists to diagnose her 'condition'. Her condition has always been her excuse for everything she's done wrong. 

Physical Appearance:

Sophie is very tall, has short black hair and is extremely pale. She tends to wear anything black and often wears dark lipstick and very dark eyeshadow in contrast to her pale skin. She seems to create the 'gothic' look. Sophie is also very thin and tall. Its interesting to see that she never smiles, she always seems gloomy and annoyed. As though she is looking for a victim.

Interests

Her interests include metal music, art and reading. She's very reserved and hard to entertain. 

Role within Film:

Sophie has a vital role within the film; she is the basis of our documentary as she is the subject. Although we aim to film Sophie as little as possible, (to create a mysterious character) we will be incorporating many pictures and back flashes of her to create a stronger character buildup. 

Background Info:

Emma Wilson is also 18 years old and Sophies school friend from primary school until year 9. Emma and Sophie were very close friends until they had a huge row which neither of the girl will talk about. no one knows what the argument was about, nor do they know why Emmas hate for Sophie has lasted so long. Emma know attends college doing Art and Design and has a part time job. Emma is happy and social. it is clear the complete differences between Sophie and Emma.  

Physical Appearance:

Sophie is quite small and smiley with short red hair. She tends to wear anything colourful and wears natural make-up. Emma is also very thin and tall. Emma is always smiling or laughing and is extremely bubbly and likeable by everyone.

Interests

Her interests include art, photography, watching films, socialising and baking.

Role within Film:

Emma's role within the film is to build up a bit of background information towards Sophie's childhood. She will refer to their friendship and her 'changing' in high school. She will bring in information her parents don't know to help the film crew build up a structured story to what happens as well as maintaining a sense of mystery too.

Background Info:

Father Peter is relatively old and has served as Sophie's vicar all her life. Father Peter was a very close friend to the Walker family before Sophie went off the rails. Father Peter baptised Sophie when she was 2 years old. Father Peter is led to believe that Sophie has a drug problem and God has asked him to help her, she strives to bring Sophie back to her old self. 

Physical Appearance:

The priest is relatively old with a beard and glasses. He wears the traditional vicar robes and carries a bible everywhere with him. 

Interests

His interests include charity events, singing, playing the piano and helping out in the community 

Role within Film:

The Priests role is similar to that of Emma's role; he helps to give information on Sophie's background and explains run-ins he has had with her since her 'change'.

Background Info:

Father Peter is relatively old and has served as Sophie's vicar all her life. Father Peter was a very close friend to the Walker family before Sophie went off the rails. Father Peter baptised Sophie when she was 2 years old. Father Peter is led to believe that Sophie has a drug problem and God has asked him to help her, she strives to bring Sophie back to her old self. 

Physical Appearance:

Sophie's Mum is very petite and has a friendly smile, she has brown curly hair. 

Interests

Sophie's Mum is a Primary School and enjoys arts and crafts and reading and baking. 

Role within Film:

Sophie's Mum 

Background Info:

Joe and Sophie were together for 3 years from year 8 until year 11. They were very much in love and they were a very popular couple; after Sophie and Joe left school, rumours circulated that Sophie was violent towards Joe when she once went missing on a night out. Soon after they split up and no one knows why. Joe rarely socialises now and becomes agressive and withdrawn when anyone brings up Sophie.

Physical Appearance:

Joe is averaged size, tends to follow the skater dress trend. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. Nowadays he always seems to be scowling. This is an indication of Sophie's effect on him. 

Interests

His interests include skating, street art and anything creative.

Role within Film:

Joe's role within the film is very minor, he refuses to speak to the film crew and just swears and avoids any interaction at all.

Background Info:

Physical Appearance:

Interests

Role within Film:

This mind map represents our groups ideas of 'Social Issues' which we could base our 5 minute film around. These 10 categories are what our group believes to be an interested focus to base our 5 minute film on. The categories relate to young adolescents which is who the target audience of our film will be aimed towards. Each issue could have been a huge part of people's life, at one time or another, so these issues could appeal to any age one way or another, either through personal experiences or the experiences of their family and friends. Our group discussed each issue and developed several of the issues around the narrative of our 5 minute short film. Our group has used these following groups around our narrative: Social status, clubbing, crime and social groups. The reason behind our groups choice of social issues, was because we could adapt these around are narrative and have the greatest effect in doing so. In our groups discussion, we decided not to contain social issues such as 'Sex' and 'Drugs', because we thought those groups were perhaps too deep for the narrative of our 5 minute short film, and could possibly turn our short film into something that we don't want the viewers of our short film to perceive. Also, the certificate of our 5 minute short film will be a 12A. Because of this, some topics aren't legally allowed to be shown in a 12A certificate film, and wouldn't appeal and could in some cases offend the audience.