Genre Research: Ready or Not

Movie Convention Research: Ready or Not

• ·       In this movie there is a lot of slow panning, which aides in creating a mysterious and suspenseful setting. There were also a lot of wide shots, and low angled shots which gave the main antagonists the threatening and powerful feel to the audience. When the main character was in certain perilous situations, high angled shots were also used to express how belittled and powerless she felt in the scenes. Close up shots were used to help the audience get a better look at the characters fear and raw emotion.
• ·       The costumes used in this movie weren’t exactly traditional thriller costumes, but they still did very well in conveying the horror that takes place. One of the best examples of this is the use of the main character’s white wedding dress. While at the beginning its in pristine condition, throughout the film it gets dirty and torn, eventually being completely painted red with blood by the end. This was a good example of using costumes to help tell the story. The lighting throughout this movie remained a yellowed down, ominous color. It went well with the vintage style of the setting. The acting of the characters was perfect when it came to establishing the mood of certain scenes. The tears and loud, agonizing yells of the main characters really brought a good sense of horror and thrill. The makeup mainly used in this movie was well executed. The characters were all meant to be a classy and rich family, so the extravagant makeup did well with selling this. SFX makeup was also used a lot to give the characters scars, cuts, and bruises, as well as the mangled bodies of those who were killed and/or injured. Fake grime that was displayed on the main character also abetted in showing the efforts of her journey of trying to escape. Props used in the movie were things like guns, vintage styled weapons, sacrificial symbols, etc. These items were essential to giving the movie the thrilling, life-threating aspects of it. The setting gave the mysterious and suspenseful feel that made the movie so enjoyable. Almost the entirety of the film took place in a large, vintage style home. It was in a secluded area, away from any sort of establishments with civilization, which is a common trop in most thriller films.
• ·       Non-diegetic sound, like suspenseful music was used to build up tension in mainly action filled scenes, or scenes where characters are running, and stakes are high. The use of a lack of background noise in order to allow the audience to hear the diegetic sound used in the film, like the heavy and shaking breaths of the main protagonist, was seen a lot in this movie, and is also something seen in a lot of thriller movies.
• ·       Some key elements of editing used in this movie was the use of cross-cutting and eyeline match, and example being a character looking at one of the guns on the floor, in which the camera then cuts to a shot of the gun on the floor.
• ·       Some elements of the genre that were used in this movie were the use of the protagonist vs. antagonist’s storyline, the use of a countdown or deadline in the movie, and the cliffhanger at the end of the movie.
• ·       Elements in the movie of the genre I liked were the use of the multiple antagonists vs. the one protagonist, as it makes the main character seems more capable and powerful throughout the journey of overcoming their attempts to stop them/kill them
• ·       Elements in the movie I didn’t like were the use of the countdown/deadline, mainly because its and overused concept and the made the movie seem a bit more absurd. I also didn’t like the cliffhanger, because personally, I don’t enjoy not knowing what happens to the main character after they escape.