Mise-en-scene: Prop Deconstruction - Bailey May

Props

Props in terms of horror films play a vital role in the film as they provide it with authenticity while the film can be centred around a certain prop. A prop must 'read well' on-screen meaning it must loom real to audience for maximum effect. 

Examples

Great examples of use of props to enhance a films effect on the audience is in the Blair Witch Project. The props ,due to the narrative of film, to progress the films narrative as they act as individual, significant events in the film.

They are effective as they are relevant to the films location and aren't out of place while also looking authentic to the audience for a professional effect.

From these props, in regards to our product, their simplicity is very appealing and would be relatively easy to recreate. Also they ad hear to the common conventions of horror films being the woods  as they act as a sign of danger linking to the evil spirits.

Evaluation from The Blair Witch project

Due to the the props in The Blair Witch Project, prior to this I had made my own prop of a rock being engraved with bloodstained symbols. However, due to the rock types and measure meant it may not feel authentic to the audience as it may seem out of place being a woods, so it may not be used in filming.

Examples

Now compared to the props in the Blair Witch Project, the props here are pinical aspects to the films narrative with them being the main part in the films for the supernatural aspects.

In the film Annabelle, the film is about a possessed doll so in this case the prop in a way is the main aspect in the film due to its significance to the narrative. 

Although this particular doll is appropriate to the film and the films setting, for our product a possessed doll wouldn't really work with great effect on the audience. 

Additionally, I don't support the idea that the prop should play the main role in being the possessed evil entity due it is superficiality that the audience might find a bit choice and unrealistic in terms of paranormal occurrences.    

Similarly, in the film The Possession the prop of the box is the what the film is based about. As in The Conjuring these objects to relate to the audience being common items which can create a false sense of security around them; however, I feel its a risky idea to corrupt today to today items as main people don't believe in the paranormal already so it could downgrade the films and the purpose of scaring people.

Evaluation

From these range of props and finding what purpose they serve, I think the props shouldn't play a main role in the film and should only subtly add to the films purpose of putting the audience in a unsettling place of mind.