Camera angles in horror films

High angle

High angle makes the figure that is being looked down on seem powerless and vulnerable as the audience see them from the point of view of the figure in power.

Close up

Close ups enable the audience to see reactions and emotions shown by the actors. It also focuses mainly on one character to show their importance and detail in scenes.

Panning

Panning shot shows the movement of the characters and can also establish a scene if the image is stopped for a certain amount of time. It can also give the sense that someone is being followed or watched and this makes the audience wonder what is going to happen next because of the typical length used in panning shots.

Long shot

Long shots establish the scene by the audience being able to see the whole setting. This often highlights how isolated a place is or brings mystery as the audience do not know if there is a specific place where they have to watch.

Low angle

Low angle shots can show the perspective of the person who is not in power and can emphasize the intimidation caused by the antagonist. This gets passed on to the audience making them feel weak.

Hand held camera

This is commonly used in films such as paranormal activity and skew. It gives the film a sense of reality and makes the audience feel involved with the action as they feel like they are there as they have the movement of a person.

Point of view

Point of view is used so that the audience can see the film through the eyes of a character. It makes the audience feel more attached to the character and possibly more scared for certain types of characters depending on the situation.

Over the shoulder

This is used so that the audience can see what the character is seeing, usually through mirrors or reflections where a figure is shown behind them. It builds tension and suspense as we can see what happens before and when the character does.