Lights, Camera, Nightmare: Filming at Night for Horror

 Filming at Night for My Psychological Horror Opening

As I continue working on my psychological horror film opening, I've been focusing on the key element of filming at night. Night scenes are crucial for setting the tone and building suspense, but they also come with challenges. To make sure everything goes well, I've broken down some tips I learned and how I will use them

1. Lighting Challenges 

One of the toughest parts about filming at night is the lighting. Cameras need light to capture clear, sharp images, and if there's not enough light, footage can turn out grainy. In horror, especially psychological horror, graininess can ruin the atmosphere, so controlling the lighting is a must.

What I’m doing:

I’m using practical lights like street lamps or small indoor lights to give my scene the right balance of light and shadow. Placing my actors near these light sources allows me to control the amount of shadow in the scene, which adds to the tension. Dim lighting will be my friend for keeping the audience on edge.

Example of using lighting that's already outside

2. Exposure Settings

Another key element when filming at night is adjusting the camera’s exposure settings. If I overexpose certain areas, the footage can lose that moody, suspenseful look. If it’s underexposed, it can make the scene look too dark, hiding the details.

What I’m doing:
I’m playing around with my camera settings to get that perfect balance. I need to make sure the lighting in the scene is enough for the camera to capture the action without washing out the details or making it too dark.

This chart helped me to understand camera settings

3. Using “Magic Hour”

If I want to avoid pure darkness, I’ve learned that “magic hour,” the time just before sunset or after sunrise, is perfect for shooting. The lighting during this time is softer and more atmospheric, creating a natural eerie effect without the scene being pitch-black.

What I’m doing:
I’m timing my shoots around Magic Hour so I can get that dim lighting that feels spooky but still shows enough detail for the audience to stay engaged. This lighting is key to setting the right tone for my horror opening.

Filming in Magic Hour

4. Using the Right Tools (iPhone Tips)

A lot of people, which might be me (I think I’m going to use a camera instead), might be using an iPhone for shooting. While phones are limited, some tools and apps help maximize the potential of the camera. Still, I feel more comfortable just using my iPhone camera I do like the idea of playing with the app before shooting my film opening.

What I’m doing:
I’ve been using an app called Filmic Pro to control the exposure and focus manually, which is so helpful in low-light situations. It gives me more creative control over the shot and ensures I can adjust the settings quickly on the go.

Filmic Pro

Final Thoughts

Filming at night is definitely a challenge, but it’s also what makes my horror opening stand out. By mastering the use of lighting, exposure, and tools like Filmic Pro, I’m confident the final product will have that dark, tense, and eerie feel that’s essential for psychological horror. I’m excited to see how it all comes together!

Here are some videos I watched to get some information. These really helped out.

iPhone tips

Camera tips

More Than Just Names: How Credit Sequences Shape Horror Films

Credit sequences give credit to the makers of the film, the director, the editor, the producer, the writer, the actors, and much more. Still, they aren't just for listing names, they play a huge role in setting the tone and hinting at the themes of a film. Here are the opening credits in Midsommar, Parasite, and American Psycho. These films show that a well-thought-out credit sequence can be an essential part of the storytelling, drawing you in and setting the stage for what can come. 

Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar opens with a slow, haunting transition from darkness into daylight as the credits appear. The film starts in a harsh winter, reflecting Dani’s emotional state—isolated, grieving, and trapped. The slow fade into the bright, pastel-colored world of Sweden is unsettling, not comforting. The credits don’t ask for attention; instead, they blend really well with the scenery, which shows how horror creeps into the film. This calmness, paired with a tragic family death in the first few minutes, sets up the contrast between beauty and terror that defines the film.

I couldn't find the whole credits in one so here are 2 links to show the beginning of the film.

Midsommar Credit Sequence

Midsommar Credit Sequence

Parasite (2019)

The opening credits of Parasite quietly set up the film’s themes. The camera moves through the Kim family’s cramped semi-basement, showing small details like a drying sock and a low window. The simple font and low angles highlight their position at the bottom of society without saying a word.

The music is soft but uneasy, creating subtle tension. It doesn’t feel scary, but something feels off—just like the false sense of security in the Kim family’s life. This quiet buildup makes the chaos that follows even more impactful.

Parasite Credit Sequence

American Psycho (2000)

American Psycho’s opening credits are sleek and controlled, just like Patrick Bateman. The sequence begins with elegant visuals of what looks like blood dripping—only to reveal that it’s just sauce on a plate. This immediately plays with expectations, mirroring Bateman himself: polished on the outside but monstrous underneath. As the credits roll, Bateman’s morning routine unfolds with precision—his skin-care routine, his apartment, his obsessive attention to detail. The clean, minimalist font of the credits reflects his need for perfection. Everything about this sequence screams control, but the tiny cracks in the illusion hint at the chaos that’s about to unfold.

American Psycho Credit Sequence

Conclusion

These three films helped me notice how important credit sequences are. If they are well done they can really set the stage for what's to come of the film. I never paid attention to credit sequences but now I know how important they are and will definitely be paying more attention.

When the Horror begins: Analyzing Three Iconic Psychological Horror Openings

Psychological Horrors are all about getting into your head. The best ones don't rely on jump scares or monsters, they build tension and make you feel uneasy without always showing why. A strong opening scene is key because it sets the mood and gives hints about the story's deeper themes. In this post, I'll look at the openings of Get Out (2017), Us (2019), and The Shining (1980) to see how they create that unsettling feeling.

Get Out (2017) 

The movie starts with a young Black man, Andre (LaKeith Stanfield), walking alone in a quiet, what looks to be a wealthy suburb at night. Right away, he seems uncomfortable, as if he doesn't belong there, and he knows it. A white car slowly follows him, making the scene feel more tense. Suddenly, a masked figure attacks Andre, shoving him into a trunk before driving away.

What makes this scene scary is how real it feels. There's no creepy music or monsters, just a normal street, but something's off. Director Jordan Peele builds fear throughout the movie by using long, slow camera movements and small details, like the really unsettling song "Run Rabbit Run" playing from the car.

Takeaway:

Real-life fears can be just as scary as supernatural ones. Get Out makes something as normal as walking alone at night feel terrifying.

Us (2019) 

Us starts with a flashback to 1986. A young girl, Adelaide, visits a beachside carnival with her parents. She wanders into a creepy hall of mirrors, where she suddenly comes face to face with herself. But it's not just a reflection, her double is real. The scene cuts off before we see what happens next.

The opening is super eerie because everything feels wrong. The flashing carnival lights, the faint sounds of laughter, and the weird reflections all make the scene feel dreamlike. Instead of showing us something terrifying, the movie builds tension by making us expect something bad to happen.

Takeaway:

Not showing the horror right away can make a scene even scarier. Sometimes, your imagination is worse than what's on the screen.

The Shining (1980) 

Unlike Get Out and Us, The Shining doesn't start with anything obviously scary. Instead, we see the Torrance family driving through the mountains to the Overlook Hotel. The huge, empty landscape looks beautiful but something feels off. The music is a deep, creepy droning sound, making even the peaceful scenery feel threatening.

This scene is all about contrast. If you watched it with no sound, it would just look like a normal road trip. But with the creepy music and slow, wide shots of the mountains, it feels like the characters are being swallowed up by their surroundings.

Takeaway:

You don't need action or dialogue to create tension. The right music, camera angles, and setting can make something simple feel disturbing.

Final Thoughts

Each of these films takes a different approach to psychological horror:

• Get Out creates fear through real-world tension.
• Us builds suspense by making you question what real
• The Shining uses setting and sound to make everything feel wrong.

For my film opening, I want to mix these techniques, like starting with an everyday situation that slowly turns creepy, adding in some mysterious and unexplained moments, and using cinematography and music to build unknown fear.

Staying on Track: My Journey to Success

I've learned from this class that making a schedule and sticking to it is super important. I love having an organized schedule as it is really helpful for me to stay on track. This project is super important, and I want to do my absolute best, so I need to stay organized and on top of things.

To make sure I stay on track I have filled my agenda with everything I need to do to make sure I don't forget. I even color-coded each week to make it easier for me to understand. Doing this will truly help me stay on track.

I've taken the time to analyze all the requirements I need to meet for this project, and I've broken everything down into smaller tasks. Here's my schedule for the next few weeks:

Schedule

Week 1 (1/27-2/2):

• Work on both blogs ✓
• Finalize the initial idea for my story✓
• Choose the genre✓

Week 2 (2/3-2/9):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Start the storyboard and script
• Find locations, and actors, and make a list of needed equipment

Week 3 (2/10-2/16):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Finish planning and the storyboard
• Dive deeper into character development
• Start saving audio clips
• Begin recording if possible

Week 4 (2/17-2/23):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Finish saving and analyzing all sounds
• Start recording if not already done
• Possibly start editing

Week 5 (2/24-3/2):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Finish filming
• Continue editing footage

Week 6 (3/3-3/9):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Start the Creative Critical Reflection (CCR)
• Use this week as a buffer for any extra filming if needed

Week 7 (3/10-3/16):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Focus on finishing the CCR
• Wrap up the film's opening

Week 8 (3/17-3/25):

• Complete 4 blogs
• Fully finish and submit the project
• Buffer week just in case something goes unfinished

Why This Works For Me

Yes, I know this might seem like a lot, but breaking it down into smaller tasks makes everything seem more doable. Having a schedule also helps me stay on track and ensures I don't miss any important steps. Plus, I love that I added a buffer week at the end. That way, if something goes wrong or I fall behind, I have extra time to catch up and finish smoothly.

Aice Media Portfolio Project: Choosing between Psychological Thriller and Horror

This past week, I've started to brainstorm for my film opening portfolio project. Right away I knew I wanted something that builds suspense and keeps you on the edge of your seat. At first I thought of the genre thriller, and two ideas came into my mind, Psychological Thriller, and Horror. Since I was little I loved watching Horror films and Psychological Thrillers, so getting the opportunity to make a film opening for one of them seems extremely exciting.

First I will talk about Psychological Thriller.

This sub-genre messes with both the characters and the audience. Unlike Horror they don't rely on monsters or supernatural things, instead the fear comes from within. They normally incorporate elements of mystery, drama, action and paranoia. Some key elements in this sub-genre is how the main character may not be telling the full truth, sometimes even to themselves. They also have many twists and mind games which often leave the audience questioning what is real. They don't rely on jump scares instead they build tension, gradually, as the film goes on.

 An example of a great Phycological thriller is The Silence of the Lambs. This film follows FBI trainee Clarise Starling as she seeks help from Dr.Hannibal Lecter, a serial killer, to catch a murderer. The fear comes from mind games and manipulation, not jump scares. 

1991

The next genre I'm considering is Horror. 

These film are meant to create fear, shock, and tension by playing on our anxieties. They rely on low lighting, and creepy sounds and music. Unlike phycological thrillers, horror movies often use an external source of fear, like supernatural creatures, killers, or something unknown. The main goal of horror films is to unsettle the audience, mainly using jump scares, eerie sounds, and gory images. They normally utilize dark and creepy atmospheres, intense jump scares, themes of death, evil, and normally explores what we fear the most.

A great example of a horror film is The Conjuring. It's based on real events. It follows a paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they help a family tormented by a dark presence in their home. They utilize many jump scares and horrifying images.

2013

Transitioning into Portfolio Project

Transitioning into Portfolio Project

Hey guys!

In this blog, I will discuss my transition into starting the Cambridge Portfolio Project. Starting my Cambridge Portfolio Project is both exciting and kind of scary. Through research and class discussions, I've learned a lot about what makes an amazing, strong film opening. The most important key to a film opening is developing the purpose with an approach. Here are the ones I learned in class:

In class, we reviewed different techniques that directors use to make their film openings perfect. The ones that stood out to me the most are developing characters and creating mystery. 

I think developing the characters is so important as it hooks the audience by giving them a glimpse of their personality and potential conflicts, allowing them to connect with the characters and want to follow their journey. Also, the way that Mise-en-Scene plays a huge role in the development of the character. A director can build an entirely new person through costume, personality, body language, and much more. The way small choices like hair, outfits, or even the way a character moves can tell you so much.

 I also think creating mystery has a huge role as it leaves the audience wondering what will happen next. These two approaches help with hooking the audience leaving them wondering. If a film immediately makes you wonder what's going to happen next, it's following that approach correctly.

Another approach that stood out to me was establishing the tone. The way lighting, color, and cinematography set the mood is something I didn't fully appreciate before. It illustrates how a change in lighting can have a crazy effect on the mood either making it a light exciting mood, or a tense one.

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