We have many genres that me and my group want to try out, however, if we narrow it down to just three, the three genres under this would be the most relevant to our film opening ideas. Personally, I think drama and action are easy genres to incorporate into our ideas.
Drama
Some
key camera work techniques are closeups (help focus on facial
expressions or important objects), long shots (show the subject and
surroundings, providing a broader perspective), over-the-shoulder shots
(capture conversations between characters), high-angle & low-angle shots
(create dramatic effects and convey emotions), and bird’s-eye shots which are
captured from above (usually with a drone, offering a different viewpoint). The
editing style for drama films is primarily characterized by a measured
pace that prioritizes emotional tone and character development. Editors usually
use longer shot durations and fewer cuts to allow the audience to fully take in
the actor’s performances and the slight changes in emotion within a scene; however,
this rhythm is deliberately changed, the pace may quicken to build tension
during a crisis or be slowed down to well show the passage of time of a
character's journey. Regarding sound, music sets the emotional
atmosphere of a film, it also provides cues about a character’s personality and
emotional state. Music allows actors to convey complex feelings that might be
challenging to show through words alone. The lighting in drama films
pertains of high contrast (accentuates drama by creating stark distinctions
between light and shadow), soft lighting (used more in romantic dramas, and
creates a warm & inviting atmosphere), directional lighting (by focusing
light from specific angles, filmmakers can highlight emotions and draw
audiences’ attention to subtle facial expressions), and color temperature
(creates a sense of comfort and passion if warm, melancholy or suspenseful if
cool, and realistic is neutral). Dramas often explore themes that deal
with emotional struggles or emotional trust: family & relationships usually
contain divorce, grief, trust, and loyalty; identity contains growing up,
finding purpose, gender, and belonging; morality & justice would be
betrayal, guilt, truth, and legal conflicts; society & class would show
inequality, racism, poverty, and war.
This snapshot is from the movie Sinners (2025). Here in this scene, it’s filmed in a wide shot. The color in this scene consists of warm tones such as yellows, oranges, and browns to create a sense of comfort that bellies the impending doom. This movie is a horror movie combined with drama, thus the standard focus and low-key lighting.
Drama Film Idea:
Nivaldo
is completely motionless, sitting on the edge of the bed in a wrinkled,
expensive suit. He is staring at a small, brown paper bag on the nightstand.
His face is pale and etched with weariness, but his eyes are intensely focused
on the bag. The only sound is the low, steady hum of the air conditioning unit.
He lifts his hand toward the bag, then drops it again. A gentle knock comes at
the door. Nivaldo freezes. He doesn't move or speak. The knock repeats,
slightly louder, insistent but not aggressive. Slowly, Nivaldo rises and walks
to the door. He doesn't look through the peephole. He unlocks the deadbolt,
turns the knob, and pulls the door open. Standing there is a woman, Hidase,
looking equally drained and tense. There is an unmistakable history of pain and
intimacy between them. Hidase walks past him without a word and stands silently
by the foot of the bed. Nivaldo closes the door but doesn't lock it. He
gestures with his chin toward the brown paper bag on the nightstand. Hidase
slowly walks over, picks up the bag, and holds it lightly. They lock eyes.
Neither of them speaks a single word. Hidase's eyes are filled with a
desperate, unspoken question. Nivaldo simply shakes his head once, a subtle,
almost imperceptible gesture that carries the weight of a devastating decision.
Hidase closes her eyes briefly in acceptance, then walks back to the door, the
small bag clutched in her hand and quietly exits. Nivaldo remains standing
there, alone in the room, the door clicking shut behind her.
Horror
Some camera work techniques are P.O.V shots (places
the audience in the shoes of either the victim or the killer/monster), handheld
shots (implies a lack of control, chaos, and danger, often used during chase or
attack scenes), zoom (a push towards a character’s face or an object to create
tension and pressure), Dutch angles (tilting the camera diagonally to symbolize
instability), close-ups (isolates a part of the body to emphasize fear or
intensity), tracking shots (smoothly following a character from behind as they
move through a dark or confined space, and dolly shot (used to follow a
character through a chase scene). The horror editing style uses jump
cuts to cause an abrupt transition between two very similar shots, rapid
cutting to create frantic pacing during scenes such as chases or fights and crosscutting
to cut between the threatened character and someone else for a sense of
dramatic irony. The sound usually consists of harsh or discordant music
to create a sense of discomfort and unease, they also like to emphasize sudden
and loud—often sharp—noises to punctuate a jump scare and prompt a physical reaction.
Diegetic silence amplified vulnerability from the character and the imminence
of the threat. Some sound effects include creaking doors or distorted screams
used to heighten the threat the perpetrator poses. Mise-en-scene
consists of low-key lighting, cool color palettes, uncanny settings, weapon
props, and scary costumes. The themes horror films mainly explore are
psychological (madness/sanity: the fear of losing one’s mind),
supernatural/cosmic (threats that defy natural laws such as ghosts, demons,
ancient evils, werewolves, or vampires), body and health (infections—like a
zombie apocalypse—or mutation like in Human Centipede), and common narrative
elements (where a group of girls go somewhere and they’re attacked by some serial
killer).
In
this scene of the movie Bring Her Back (2025), it’s an over-the-shoulder shot
over Andy’s shoulder to try and make the audience focus on the state Oliver’s
in. This movie would fall under the supernatural subgenre, since the reason
Oliver’s eyes are red is because he’s the host of a demon. The main colors in
this specific scene are mixed, desaturated, and red. There’s a high contrast in
lighting and light coming in from the right side. There’s a standard focus to
help the audience look more at the state Oliver is in rather than everything
else, since it’s not that much relevant.
Horror Film Idea:
A young woman, Chloe, is sitting in a small, laundromat late at night. The room is dimly lit by a single flickering fluorescent bulb, and the constant, rhythmic churn of the washing machine dominates the soundscape. Chloe is scrolling through social media, laughing quietly at a video. She pulls her clothes from a dryer, folding them neatly. She sends a text to a friend: “ima call u in a bit, im doing my laundry and these lights suck so bad, its lowk kinda scary đź’””. She puts her phone down on the top of a machine. The rhythmic clunk-clunk of a nearby, old washing machine starts to slow down, becoming erratic. Chloe looks up, annoyed that some person’s laundry is making a ruckus, and walks over to the machine. She peers through the round glass door. Inside, the clothes are a dark, unidentifiable tangle. She hears a faint, wet scraping sound coming from inside the machine. As she leans closer, a streak of what looks like dark, matted hair brushes against the inside of the glass door. Chloe steps back, heart pounding, snatching her phone off the machine. She checks the time thinking it’s late and she’s hallucinating, but notices her phone is turned off, when it was originally at full battery. She looks from her phone back to the washing machine, which is now completely silent. The scraping sound is gone. She takes a step back, the camera lingers on the terrifying silence of the room.
Action
Camera work used in action films consist of quick tilt/whip pans (rapid, blurring movement of the camera across a scene used to convey fast-paced chaos, disorientation, or a sudden shift in attention), tracking/Steadicam shots (smooth, continuous movement, often following the protagonist though a complex environment to emphasize fluidity, skill, and forward momentum), low-angle shots (the camera is positioned below the subject to make them appear more taller, dominant, and heroic/menacing), close-up shots (focusing on an object or feature to highlight determination or focus), crane shots (capture the scale of destruction or vastness of the setting), or P.O.V shots (to place audience in the action). Editing style: fast-paced cutting (short shot durations with frequent cuts to create urgency or adrenaline), parallel editing (builds momentum towards a climax), and slow motion. The sound consists of pounding score or percussion to set a high energy pace, exaggerated sound effects to provide higher quality, and music to build tension. Mise-en-scene emphasizes high-contrast lighting and urban or exotic locales that allow for complex stunts, while props (weapons, vehicles) symbolize power and technological prowess. Symbolically, these films explore themes such as clear-cut Good vs. Evil conflicts, often centered on themes of Redemption or Revenge, with the protagonist embodying individual skill triumphing over overwhelming institutional or physical threats.
In
this screenshot of Chappie (2015) this is a over-the-shoulder shot with the
angle being a low angle to Vincent—the one with the gun—and making him appear
more dominant. The focus is standard focus since the background is slight
blurred, making sure the audiences’ attention is entirely locked onto the
sharply focused Vincent and his weapon.
Action Film Idea:
Chloe races through the crowded school courtyard, clutching
a small flash drive containing illegally acquired exam answers. She needs to
get it to a specific friend before the end-of-lunch bell rings. She is suddenly
tackled from behind by Marcus, a student hired to stop the leak. Chloe quickly
scrambles away, leaving Marcus briefly stunned. The chase is on! Chloe uses her
environment, vaulting over a low railing and quickly weaving through a dense
group of students near the cafeteria entrance. Marcus, relying on brute force,
simply shoves students out of his way, staying right behind her. Chloe reaches
a flight of outdoor stairs and slides down the central railing instead of
taking the steps, gaining a slight lead. She bursts into the quiet locker
corridor, where the bell is just about to ring. She slams into a corner,
expecting a clear run to her friend, but Marcus, having taken a different
route, is already there, blocking the path. Chloe realizes she's trapped
between him and the ringing bell.
Reflection
Cut of the three genres I chose to write about, in my opinion,
I think that the most achievable one to execute is horror because it’s such a
flexible and common genre; there’s a myriad of subgenres for horror, personally,
I think that is a movie is scary—no matter what it’s containing—it’s horror. All
three of the genres I chose to blog about excite me the most because they all
have something to do with eliciting adrenaline and suspense in an audience, so naturally
they’re all pretty exciting. With the resources I have, in general, horror
might be the most difficult to do; but if I were to pick which is the hardest
among the four plot ideas then I’d choose horror as well.
Sources
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