Horror Film Settings?

[Tippsy]

Hi I am looking to shoot a horror film soon (its just a short) and was just wondering what kind of camera settings you guys would recommend to get that horror style look and also any post production tips with after effects to get the horror look. This will be my first real film with the dvx100b so was just looking for tips. Also as with most horror films most will be in low light situations so any tips there would be appreciated as well.

[Casalen]

Horror style feel could mean pretty much anything. Psycho is a lot different from Dawn of the Dead.

[ChrisHurn]

As Casalen said, the settings are totally depending on what look you want. My advice would be to shoot with fairly standard settings, don't try and get too much of a look in camera, and save that for post production where you can really play with your look and experiment freely. If you do too much on cam, when you look at it later you might decide you want to change it and it will be tough.

When you're shooting watch your exposure and make sure nothing is blown way out or it will be hard to play with in post. Things to look for are big highlight spots on the walls, faces, etc.

As for low light - make sure you're getting multi dimensional light - meaning, it's not just one flat low light grainy image. So creating depth with light is important, even if it is "low" light. There are some articles and discussions around the cinematography forum on this I believe. Also cinematography.com is a great resource.

[David Jimerson]

Also as with most horror films most will be in low light situations so any tips there would be appreciated as well.

That's the thing -- they are NOT low-light situations. There's as much, or almost as much, light as there would be in a day shot; it's just done in such a way that it gives the illusion of darkness. It's about the placement of shadows.

A camera is a light-gathering device, just like your eyes. Your eyes don't do well in the dark, and a camera won't, either. :beer:

[HorseFilms]

That's the thing -- they are NOT low-light situations. There's as much, or almost as much, light as there would be in a day shot; it's just done in such a way that it gives the illusion of darkness. It's about the placement of shadows.

A camera is a light-gathering device, just like your eyes. Your eyes don't do well in the dark, and a camera won't, either. :beer:

Amen, sir. :beer:

Use more light than you think you'll need. You can always bring the levels down in post. One thing I like to do is drop the master ped down quite a bit. That way, everything is dark except for where I've put the light.

[Tippsy]

Ya there wasn't really a good way to put a "low light" situation but ya kinda going for that thriller fast paced horror kinda thing. So if I keep really just the settings on camera like 24p and stuff like that what would be ways with after effects to get that more horror style of film cause I have never used After Effects to change the style or look of video.

[mcgilloriginalfilms]

change the shutter speed for more choppy movements and such for like 28 days later style crazy paranoia, where the camera doesn't blur movements but instead highlights them

[FrankC]

A good cinematographer once said to me when he was hired to shoot a horror movie..."that means I just move all the lights to the back"... meaning he would do heavy back lighting. Kind of what David was saying... you don't have to reduce the light... You re-direct it. And many like to do that heavy back light thing.