Costumes and Props

Pre-production, Production...

An important part of my movie is going to be the Mise-en-Scene. This includes props, settings, costumes, and lighting. Today, I will research how to choose the best costumes and props and how they are used in horror.

Props

In Horror Films, props create an eerie environment in which audiences connect with terror.

The murder weapon is among the most often used objects in horror movies; these range from sophisticated devices to essential tools like knives, chainsaws, and machetes.  

Horror has many props that have become iconic; Michael Myers's knife and Jason's hockey mask, the Scream mask, the balloons from IT, Freddy Kreuger's claws, and the Scream knife have all become extremely iconic and recognizable in the film industry. But they didn't just get lucky.

Jason's hockey mask ( Friday 13th) 

Red Ballon (It)

Claws ( Freddy Kreuger)

Choosing a prop for a movie takes a lot of research and brainstorming. Many things come into play, like the setting, the period, and the character. For example, you can't make a movie about samurais and choose a rifle as a prop. You need to make the prop almost an extension of the character, something the character is remembered by.

I plan to use an Xbox controller as a prop for my film opening. This is the item my character will be struck with by the entity, which is slightly ironic, as he played with that controller 5 minutes earlier. It also matches the setting and would serve as an extension of my character.  Another prop that I will use is the headphones.  The boy uses it all the time at the beginning of the opening and even can " hear" something strange from them. The screen is highlighted too!  the 'glitch' comes from the screen.

My Props ( so far...)

Did you know?

 Some props were sold by thousands.  For example, the Shinning Axe.  

Costumes

One of the first things viewers of a movie notice is costumes. They include hair, makeup, and clothing, highlighting a character's personality, feelings, and narrative relevance.

Choosing clothing that suits a character's atmosphere, backdrop, and scenario depends on the costume designer. Unlike fashion designers (who design daily wear), costume designers focus on what appears best on-screen and matches the narrative.

Costumes also help with special effects to create more convincing and thrilling sequences. A good costume may enable the audience to relate to the plot and help to bring a character to life.

Daniel's outfit is a black hoodie, sweatpants, and bare feet. Why did I pick these clothes?

Black Hoodie

In horror movies, black is sometimes connected with terror and gloom. This hue also absorbs light, which helps the character to fit the low-illumination surroundings. In contrast, hoodies are common among teens and give off a casual vibe, which differs from the stress that develops throughout the scenes. Black clothes are utilized in numerous psychological horror movies to represent danger, death, or even the subconscious worries of a character.

Sweatpants and bare feet

Wearing sweatpants highlights the reality of the situation by supporting the notion that the character just stayed at home before things became rather bad. This is an informal, daily appearance that helps one to relate to the trauma.

Another important aspect is being barefoot. Characters without shoes may represent powerlessness and danger exposure in horror. Running away becomes more difficult without shoes; thus, the guy seems even more defenseless against the entity chasing him.

Thus, I think my Mise-en-Scene props and costumes give Glitch an engaging personality and fit nicely with the horror genre.

What do you think? Do you like my props and costume? February 22, 2022|Indie Film Hustle

References

Fraser, E. (2022, September 28). What Is a Shot/Reverse Shot? How to Film Conversations. Backstage.com.

Indie Film Hustle (February 22, 2022) What is Mise en Scéne? – Definition and Examples  https://indiefilmhustle.com/mise-en-scene/

Jake Rossen (Oct 9, 2008)  Iconic Horror Movie Props That Sold For Scary Amounts of Money  https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/632809/most-valuable-horror-movie-props

Nathan Walmsley (2020) Mise-En-Scene: Props and costumes in horror movies  https://nathanwalmsleyfmp.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/mise-en-scene-props-and-costumes-in-horror-movies/

Nightmare Toys Blog Which horror props are used most often during filming?https://www.nightmaretoys.com/blogs/news/which-horror-props-are-used-most-often-during-filming?srsltid=AfmBOorMy_nBf960ztYPYnpBtA-Y9rpGQXJ65UiqxUcxAvQU1vP9FOYy