Research into Cinemategraphy- Miss Miller

Research into the cinematography

Cinematography in a film, refers to the photography in the film itself, showing the variety of camera angles through out the film helping creating suspense, shock and surprise. The three key things all good horror films need. To help me understand cinematography myself and have a wider view on it I looked at the 'im trying to sleep' scence in 'The Conjuring'.
Through out this film a variety of camera angles are used, to help create a higher shock factor, and build tension, leaving the audience in anxiety and wanting more. The camera angles play a big part through out the film as this is what causes the most effect on the audience as they see a different perspective to the film, allowing them to interpret what they think will happen.

We first see how this scene relates to a typical thriller when the camera angle is postioned above the girl laying on the bed. Firstly we think that this is a normal scene as its a usual setting but as the girls leg is pulled its unexpected, which adds shock to the audience. the camera being postioned abve the girl makes the character appear smaller, immediately she is percieved in a vulnerable light, allowing the audience to think what will happen next and see her as a victim.

The next camera angle we see is a two shot,this is off the two sisters in the same room in bed, this creates tension as the audience are unaware of what is happerning, it makes the audience wonder if the girl is imagining what she is seeing or if shes fakeing it. This relates to a thriller as it builds suspence as the audience are unaware if it is fake or something else is going to happen. The girl who first appears to have seen the ghost has a shocked expression on her face and creates distress, the sister who has been woken by her sister has a look of shocked on her face and is unaware of what is going to happen.

When the camera is angled behind the girl we see the door infront of her moving, creating an intense atmosphere as the audience are unaware of what is making the door move. This makes the audience feel enganged as they are entriged to know what is happerning, causing them to want to know whats nexts. This relates to a thriller as it creates enigma, and an hidden identity leading the audience to be unsure of who is there.

Tracking is used focusing on the door and then out towards the girl. This sets the scence and creates two main points so the audience knows what the focus of the scene is, and allows the audience to see the relationship between the girl and the door. 

A close up of a girl is then used to interest the audience into the film. The expression on the girls face shows the fear she holds and how distraught she is, this relates to a thriller as a hidden identity is there as the audience are unknown to what she can see. This creates suspense and causes the audience to feel anxiety.

Last of all point of view is used when the sister stands next to the door to let her sister know nothing is there. The camera lets us see from the sister who is scared point of view showing us the door, the 'hidden identity' and the sister. This lets the audience know what she can see and puts them is the sisters positioning, allowing their own fear to increase as the film becomes more realistic as they see what she does.