non - digetic sound inspiration - theme songs

By theme tune I mean the song to go over the titles. This song has to fit the opening of the film and also match the typoraphy. as it it the first thing you hear it will need to be perfect.

• The simplicity of this theme song creates suspense as it is quite a haunting song.
• There is a riff that is repeated non stop through out this piece which make the theme effective because it make the audience feel like they are waiting for a massive climax.
• the music then gets louder. this is effective because it shows me that to make something effective and haunting you dont need to change a song you can just change the sound of the piece.  

• This song doesnt sound as scary.
• It almost sounds quite child like subverting the audiences expectations for the film.
• it is light, bouncy and fun. almost like background music for a magic show.
• i think the light bubbly theme tune is a good idea for a film to subvert the conventions but i think that for a 2 minute film opening it would not be suitable as it wouldnt fit just a film opening. 

• this theme tune has similar effects to the one from 28 days later.
• it is disjunct but still in time making the suspense build.
• the way that the strings are introudced for bursts of sound adds suspense because its sudden and the audience dont suspect it (abit like the events in the film).
• half ways through the song a sound is played to add a scary feel to the song. it sounds likea faint scream in the background this forshadows what will hapen later in the film.
• Like the puppet master this song gets louder too creating suspense. it also makes the audience jump as it gets louder quickly and doesnt build up to it.

Diagetic Sound in Horror Films - Seyi

Use of screams - e.g. Amityville Horror

• In order to show fear, an effective method of conveying it must be used, screaming is a prime example
• A person screams when put in a situation where they fear something or are in danger and wish to notify someone and in most horror films someone is in danger and they wish to notify someone so screams are extremely useful
• Screams differ between genders, stereotypically women are the ones who scream in comparison to men, this is utilised extremely well in this film as the screams are mainly female, by doing so you get a high pitched shriek due to the fact that they are women, this shriek cuts through the air so much more than a males scream so the viewer will either be scared by it or alerted to it faster as it catches your attention quicker.
• Also, the scream can make the person seem more helpless which indicates that they are going to die, due to the situation you can see on screen e.g. a girl screaming in the presence of the person who is going to kill them.

Use of Gore - e.g. Flesh eating etc.

• Films such as zombie films e.g. Resident Evil where lots of gore is present, a squelchy sound generally occurs for things such as flesh eating or bloody flesh dropping.
• This is a subtle thing within horror films however it has a great effect overall within a scene
• In some cases it can be used to show you that someone has been wounded etc. however in some it can be used to show the extent of someones damage as that noise cannot be made without a liquid and in this case it is blood.

Use of Villains/Monsters 

• The sound that monsters create must create fear in not only the actors ears but also ours
• Factors such as growls etc. can create suspense and give us an indication into what the victim is dealing with, sometimes if the film is trying to show a mutated form of a common creature e.g. a mutant spider it will often make any noise that a spider is known to make, however, if the creature is relatively unknown or made up e.g. an alien improvisation must be used however it gives the director the chance to exaggerate and create a bigger effect
• If in certain cases it is not a monster but a villain e.g. a serial killer, the person must sound deranged in their speech and sounds created by movement such as dragging feet.