In Paranormal Activity, almost the whole film is set in the bedroom in which you get the view from a home camera placed in the corner. In this shot you can see the bed and the door making the film very simple in this sense. The door being visible forces the viewer to expect something to occur directly in relation to it which is further magnified by the door being wide open throughout the night. Away from the bedroom, the film contains several setions in which the couple are living their normal lives, this is included in order to have the viewer get to know the characters and therefore feel more sympathy for them in their predicament. These scenes are made up of typical everyday happenings which also gets the viewer to relate to the characters magnifying the horror due to its link to everyday life.
Sound is used to great effect in paranormal activity as during the night all is silent for several minutes of viewing time during which the viewer sees next to nothing happen, luring them into a false sense of security until a loud, sharp sound or action occurs (eg - a very sharp blast comes from downstairs or the door slamming shut). Apart from the main strange happenings which i have mentioned, there are many examples of abnormal sounds being heard, this leads the viewe to expect something supernatural and just maked the whole experience a lot more mysterious.
Lighting is pivitol in this film as naturally during the night, everything is very dark and it is only the cameras light allowing us to see what is going on, this is a great example of phobias which are exposed by these films such as being scared of the dark or close spaces which is also highlighted in the use of a small bedroom in which there is nowhere to run apart from out into the open where "it" seems to be.
As i have mentioned the film is mainly set in the bedroom within the home which inadvertently causes the viewer to feel safe. This is only natural as the home is supposed to be a place of sanctuary for someone and their family. Therefore that being abused is something which would make the viewer feel even more vunerable.
In conclusion i feel that each and every aspect of this film aims to create a vunerability within the viewers mind, from living every waking hour with the couple which eventually leads to the viewer feeling like part of the chaos, to the sharp sounds, tight spaces and dark lighting involved in the film from beginning to end.
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