Horror or Action? Choosing the Genre for My Film Opening Project

As I start my Cambridge Portfolio project, I must decide on a genre for my two-minute film opening. After thinking it through, I believe two options would work best: Horror and Action. Both genres are captivating, especially to younger audiences, so I looked into what would be ideal for my project.

Horror

Every horror film aims to keep viewers on edge. An intense horror opener builds suspense immediately, giving the audience the impression that something horrible is just about to occur. Several approaches fit horror openers really nicely with:

• Dark settings and shadows.

• Suspenseful music and silence: Use sound, such as whispering, footsteps, or total silence, to build suspense. ( I remember the Psycho movie we discussed at the beginning of the year and its famous bathroom scene.)

• Mysterious events:  Something feels off, but the audience doesn't fully understand why

Usually, the audience feels tense, afraid, and even shocked when exposed to the Horror Movie Genre.  The filmmakers used to mix story, atmosphere, and technical elements to grab and hold the audience's interest. 

Some Characteristics:

• Ambiance: dark lighting, shadows, and scary props create a dark mood.

• Sound: loud noises that usually are unexpected, whispers, or squeaky floorboards all heighten tension.

• Suspense: Filmmakers often use gong pauses, fake shocks, and silences to keep the audience uncertain.

• Camera Angles: Tilted angles, extreme close-ups, and first-person perspectives make scenes seem disorienting.

• Edition: Fast editing makes chase scenes and assaults more exciting and confusing.

• Vulnerability: Characters are often abandoned and isolated in dangerous situations, making them easy targets.

• The Unknown: When we don't instantly realize the entire scope of the threat, our fear is at its worst.

• Psychological Tension: Horror is about fears, paranoia, eerie ideas, and monsters.

• Surprise: A startling revelation or unexpected conclusion has a significant impact.

 Example Horror films

Scream (1996)

It (2017)

If my choice would be the horror genre, my aim would be to quickly create tension and make the audience feel nervous, even if they don't know why.

Action

Action movies are characterized by having fight scenes, chases, explosions, and stunts. They also usually include special effects and stimulate the adrenaline of the actors and the audience. Risk is a key element of this genre, and a film must have many action sequences to belong to it.

These sequences can be car chases, one-on-one fights, missions in which you must fight against time (such as defusing a bomb), or scenes in which the hero must escape from a trap designed by the villain.

Some examples of action films are John Wick, Die Hard, Spectre, Hunger Games, and Mission Impossible.  

Some characteristics of action movies are:

• Mood: Filmmakers strive to maintain excitement, for example, with car chases, battles, confrontations, and explosions

• Sound Design: Loud, fast noises, such as gunshots and vehicle crashes, and music that increases audience tension, such as the Mission Impossible soundtrack.

• Suspense: The audience will never know what will happen next.

• Camera: wide shots, fast zoom, aerial shots.

• Editing: Very quick! Scenes such as battles, chases, or missions are more dramatic when edited quickly.

• Risks: The protagonist frequently encounters challenging circumstances.

• Unexpected: The plot remains intriguing until the end of the film.

For an action movie to be successful, it must keep the viewer in suspense all the time.

 Action Movie Examples:

James Bond, Spectre (2015)

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

If I choose action, I want my film's opening to be fast and full of movement so that the audience is hooked immediately.

So, both genres are great for audiences and can make an exciting two minute opening. Horror builds suspense and mystery, while action grabs attention with energy and danger. Whichever one I pick, I want my film to feel engaging and accurate to the genre.

I'll be making my final decision soon. Stay tuned for updates!

References:

https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/subgenres-of-horror-films-explained/

https://nofilmschool.com/action-genre

https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/5-essential-elements-of-action-movies/

https://media-studies.com/horror-genre/

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-horror-fiction