Analysis of the Scary Element in a 360˚ Technique Horror Movie Trailer. (Case study of the Nun Film Trailer)

Abstract

In the digital 4.0 era, horror films no longer only use conventional techniques, but many have also used 360˚ video techniques. The use of this technique allegedly can make a difference from the elements forming the film which are considered to be the most fearful for the audience. With this in mind, this study aims to find out which film-forming elements are considered the most able to frighten the audience when watching a 360˚ horror film using a virtual reality headset. The method used in this study is qualitative. Primary data from this research was collected by interview technique. Interviews were conducted face to face. The analysis technique uses case study analysis. The case study is in the form of the trailer for The Nun: Escape The Abbey. From the results of the study, it was found that the element that scared the audience the most when watching a 360˚ technical horror film trailer was the cinematic element, more precisely the setting. The setting of the place is considered the most sinister because it has the characteristics of being quiet, haunted, remote, ancient, and abandoned.

Main Text

1. Introduction

Horror is one of the most loved genres. Horror film itself is a film that presents elements of horror with the aim of arousing the audience's fear [1]. In general, conventional films (180˚) are formed by narrative and cinematic elements [2].

Along with the development of technology, horror films are not only presented with conventional techniques but have also developed into 360˚ video techniques. Horror films with 360˚ video technique require supporting media in the form of smartphones and virtual reality headsets when watching, while conventional horror films only require devices in the form of TVs, laptops, smartphones, etc. This difference in format and media can trigger differences in the elements that are considered the most frightening to the audience when watching horror films. Departing from these problems, this study aims to find out which elements in horror films are considered the most capable of giving fear to the audience when watching horror films with 360˚ video techniques using a VR headset. 30 minutes to 3 hours is the ideal duration when using virtual reality media. More than that, will be attacked by motion sickness or cybersickness [3]; [4]. Due to this health reason, the researcher decided to use trailers as sampling.

The case study of this research is the trailer for the horror film The Nun: Escape The Abbey 360. The film trailer is used as a case study because it summarizes the time taken for data collection. Apart from that, horror films with 360˚ video techniques are still very rarely found on the market, especially in the Indonesian film world.

Horror film

Film or movie is an activity to influence the audience so that the message to be conveyed through the film can be conveyed and received by the audience.

Films have various genres, one of which is the horror genre. Horror films have always been the main attraction, starting from the production process to post-production on the film. Horror films are an industry that is quite developed and has become a phenomenon that is often discussed by the public, whether in the form of true stories or film stories.

According to the view of [5] in his book entitled Dark Dreams: A Psychological History of The Modern Horror Film, horror films are divided into 3 categories, namely:

Horror of Personality The category of horror films that do not characterize mystical characters or scary monsters as the source of the horror, but depicts a normal human figure as usual and at the end of the story session only reveals its true nature, in this film category it is a psychopathic film.
Horror of ArmageddonCategory of horror films that take stories from holy books or mythology about the apocalypse. In this film category, it tells more about the dangers of attacks carried out by creatures from other planets, have a strong defense system and more advanced technology than humans. One example of a film is a film about zombies, a film about outer space and others.
Horror of the Demonic This horror film category is very often seen, because it offers a theme about the state of the world which is getting worse because of the power of Satan in the world to threaten human life. Satan's power through his evil can be a mere spiritual appearance and can also take the form of a witch, or demon. In this category, films usually tell about the idea of revenge, mystical phenomena, especially possession, destruction of innocent characters, pressure on religious symbols.

Trailer Film

A trailer is an excerpt that is presented in the world of cinema to assist in the process of providing information and promotion of a film that will be shown soon. Trailers usually show the main plot of the story or part of the story in the film, including the cast, director, producer, distributor and the time the film was shown. Trailers in a film usually last between 30-180 seconds [6]. The official trailer is also used as one of the official promotional media for a film. The official trailer will be aired in the future before the film is broadcast with the aim of introducing film footage so that it can be known by the general public so that they are interested in the story of the film. In fact, it is in line with Yuniawan's opinion [7], that film trailers apart from being a film marketing tool, can also be the start of a career as a filmmaker.

360˚ Video Tech Horror Movie Trailer

According to Hixson [8], a trailer is a promotional medium that contains a collection of cuts from film scenes combined into one and shown before the film is released in the market. Movie trailers can arouse the desire of the audience to watch the next scene. So that the audience continues to the stage of buying tickets at the cinema to satisfy their curiosity about the continuation of the contents of the trailer. According to Liu, Shi and Teixeria [9], the duration of the trailer is usually around one to three minutes.

Along with the development of technology nowadays, many movie trailers use the 360˚ video technique. The main reason for using this technique in movie trailers is to provide a different experience for the audience. Video 360˚, gives flexibility for viewers to be able to enjoy shows up to a 360˚ perspective. This technique allows the viewer to actively feel around, or experience the contents of the video content. By turning his head in all directions according to the wishes of the audience. The use of this technique must be accompanied by the use of virtual reality media headsets.

2. Research Methods

Methods of Data Collecting This research is a qualitative research with interview method. Secondary data is in the form of literature studies from books, journals, and online news pages. This research lasted for one month and took place in Bandung.This research focuses on identifying elements in horror movie trailers that make people afraid. Identification focuses on the elements that make up a movie trailer, such as color, storyline, cast, cinematography, etc.

Data collection starts from collecting literature studies as supporting data. The next stage was to collect primary data using face to face interview techniques with 15 people. The selected respondents have an age range between 20-27 years. This refers to the results of a survey conducted by idntimes.com in 2019, that the age group that watches the most movies is between the ages of 20 and 27 years. The selected respondents must also have watched a film in 360˚ format. Prior to the interview, respondents were asked to watch the trailer for The Nun in 360˚ format using a virtual reality headset. The trailer is taken from the official website for The Nun on the YouTube platform. During the interview, each respondent was asked the same questions. The question is “What are the elements in a 360 format horror movie trailer that make you feel scared? Give reasons".

Methods of Data Collecting

After the data is collected, the next process is analysis using the Bogdam and Biklen analysis methods in [10]. Data is organized, sorted, determines which ones are important to retell to others.

3. Result And Discussion

Following are the results of interviews with 15 respondents, namely:

During the interview, respondents were given the freedom to answer which elements gave the effect of fear when watching the trailer for The Nun. There is no limit to the number of elements, causing the answers from the respondents to vary. There is only one element, two, up to four. However, when respondents provide answers to more than one element, respondents have been educated to sort them according to the most frightening level. From the results of interviews that have been given to a number of respondents, it can be concluded that the elements that make fear, namely:

1. Setting of place

The setting of the place is considered the scariest because the place is quiet, haunted, isolated, ancient and abandoned.

2. Sound effects

Sound effects often give a shocking effect when watching, thereby building up the horror scene and its level of spookiness.

3. Lighting

There is little light until it is almost dark, giving the film a gloomy and real impression.

4. Color

The reason is because of the use of dark and gloomy colors.

4. Conclusion

The elements that make up horror films in 360˚ format that are the scariest when using VR are cinematic elements, or more precisely mise-en-scenes, setting places. The characteristics of a place that is quiet, isolated, ancient, abandoned to give the impression of being haunted make the audience feel scared.

Abstract

Main Text

1. Introduction

Horror film

Trailer Film

360˚ Video Tech Horror Movie Trailer

2. Research Methods

Methods of Data Collecting

3. Result And Discussion

4. Conclusion

Table 1

Fullscreen Focus

No.	Title	Genre	Format	Source
1.	Annabelle: Creation VR – Bee's Room	Horror, mystery, thriller	Trailer	Warner Bros. Pictures
2.	The Conjuring 2 – Experience Enfield VR 360	Horror, mystery, thriller	Trailer	Warner Bros. Pictures
3.	The Meg: Submersive VR Experience	Actin, horror, sci-fi	Trailer	Warner Bros. Pictures
4.	King Kong 360 VR Trailer (2017) Helicopter Crash Movie Scene HD	Action	Trailer	One Media
5.	It: Float – A cinematic VR Experience	Horror	Trailer	Warner Bros. Pictures
6.	Stranger Things – Virtual Reality / 360 Experience [HD] - Netflix	Sci-fi, horror, mystery, drama.	Trailer	Stranger Things
7.	The Legend of Tarzan	Action, adventure, drama	Trailer	Warner Bros. Pictures
8.	The Forest	Horror, mystery, thriller	Trailer	Sony Picture

Example of a movie trailer that uses the 360˚ video format.

Table 2

Fullscreen Focus

Respondents	Element	Reason
1	1. Color 2. Lighting 3. Place 4.Material elements,	1. Because colors tend to be gloomy, try if the colors are definitely not scary 2. Lighting, because it's already dim, the light is sometimes there and sometimes not, making it even more dismal. 3. The place, because the place seems haunted, quiet and I've never been to places like that before. 4. Material, because there are materials that do not naturally appear in everyday life. Moreover, the shape is classic, old school, so it seems sacred and haunted
2	1. Sound effects 2. Lighting	1. The sound effects usually surprise me. 2. If the lighting is bright, it doesn't scare you, I'm afraid if it's only dark. From the light suddenly the lights go out or from the lights go out suddenly they turn on.
3	1. Place	At the beginning only, but time to explain the first story. In my opinion, it was gripping at first, when the nun went inside, she suddenly died, then her friend ran to kill himself
4	1. Editing 2. Sound effects	Yes, surprised, shocked, indirectly our adrenaline is stimulated, our brains perceive scary visuals, and the surrounding environment supports us. Like when the cinema is dark, quiet, and the sound is blaring.
5	1. Editing 2. Sound effects 3. Shooting 4. color	1. Editing is because cutting from one scene to the next can make your heart skip a beat, curious like that. 2. The sound effects must be because it makes you surprised. But I can't explain how, what's clear is that kind of music gives a horror effect. 3. The shooting is good, although the location may not actually be that scary but from the point of view of the shooting. 4. The dark color effect also makes people scared.
6	1. place 2. color	Because it's surprising, and something that can't be predicted is scary
7	Location set	The valaka is normal but the location setting is a remote place, haunted, some kind of abandoned church at the end of the hill. So if something goes wrong, it's not easy for the characters to save themselves. The atmosphere of the place is more horror than the previous 2 conjuring films. But overall it's still scary in conjurin 1 and 2
8	figure	Because the character Valak is scary. If his face is normal, he's still scary as an Indonesian devil, but at the beginning of the story, why did he become The Nun that made him scary.
9	1. location set 2. Sound effects 3. Make up	1. The place is very suitable for horror nuances, and the time setting of the horror film. Classic with an interior design that seems past, unlike modern times like now. 2. The music also really supports the level of spookiness 3. The make-up is easily captured by the eyes of ordinary people. It is easy for the public to recognize that it is the ghost from The Nun. The make up is not careless.
10	1. Sound effects, 2. Sinematografi	In terms of visuals, because you are used to seeing that way, the visuals are not scary. Not really like something that suddenly appears in front of the screen. And those sound effects often build to these shocking scenes.
11	1. Lighting 2. Property	1. Lighting, because many scenes are really dark, to the extent that if for example the devil is next to them the person doesn't notice it 2. Property, such as the skull of the nurse in the ice bunker, makes people wonder whether the skull suddenly came back to life
12	1. Background scene 2. Figure 3. Sound effects 4. Editing	1. The setting is in accordance with the contents of the film's story 2. The character is in accordance with the face character and according to what is played 3. Sound effects give a horror feel that matches the background 4. The editing looks real
13	1. Jumpscare 2. Music 3. Sound effects	Influential because music plays a big role accompanying the audience's mood to achieve the jumscare goal. Usually, if you want to surprise someone, the mood is calm first, with piano, cymbals, harp instruments, then suddenly there are sound effects that startle you, making your heart feel like it's going to let go. Try muting all the songs in the film and replacing them with the baby shark song. Definitely will make laugh instead of being scared.
14	1. Sound effects 2. Visual effects 3. Lighting 4. Color	1. The sound effects give a sense of shock, making goosebumps run down your spine 2. The visual effects are good, seem real. So it's like we experienced it ourselves 3. The lighting is the same as the sound, in tune so that it supports people more and more when it's real. 4. The choice of colors that tend to be dark and the time setting, makes us feel like we have been transported to that time.
15	1. Sinematografi 2. Sound effects 3. Lighting	1. Makes the audience feel like they are where the movie characters are. 2. Supports existing horror scenes 3. The lack of lighting gives a deep horror impression

Interview result.