Horror Editing

When creating our film opening we also need to consider the typical editing used in Horror Films. There are a number of aspects I picked up on when looking at the editing or horror films. I noticed that there is a lot of use of slow-pace editing contrasted against fast-pace editing. This builds tension slowly then allows the action to unfold at full speed. Lots of fast cuts are also usually present, this again is used to build tension in the scene. Shot-reverse-shot editing is another type of editing seen a lot in horror films. This is a series of fast cuts from one point of view to another and back again. This is often used to track both the villain and the victims actions in sequence. Finally I noticed that eyeline matches are commonly used, allowing the viewers to look at the action through a point of view shot, making it easier to emphathise and relate. These shots are often followed by reaction shots.