Paranornal Activity - Scare tips and clever film techniques

Paranormal Activity decoding a successful film model

As I have already mentiones in my previous articles about Paranormal Activity films, the initial film of Oren Peli “Paranormal  Activity, 2007” has started one of the most successful film franchises in history of cinema. There is a large number of articles online about Paranormal Films most of them try to describe the plot structure of films and issues about production and commercial success of the films.

In my opinion the most significant is to start a the key points of success. To search and explore the filmmakinmg tips that have change the  film industry after 2007. Obviously after the Paranormal Activity film we life a new wave of “found footage” horror films. Actually is the largest film production wave after the first found footage film  “Cannibals Holocaust” (Rugerro Deodato, 1980) and the late 90’s phenomenon “Blair Witch Project”(Daniel Myrik, Eduardo Sanches). Paranormal Activity redefined the found footage genre after a period of slashers and torture horror films.

So, by studying the Paranormal Activity films I believe it is valuable  to decode and highlight  the key points and elements of success of Paranormal Activity films.

Decoding the plot structure of Paranormal Activity films

The plot structure of film is based on the most used, tested and successful plot structure of horror films -  a group of ordinary people (in the case of Paranormal Activity a family) are trapped in an unusual situation against a deadly, unstoppable and unbeatable force. They have to fight back if they want to survive.

1. The Vilain in Paranormal Activity

Since the beginning of our word and especially through holly scripts that humanity has to fight the supernatural weird creatures “demons, ghosts, evil spirits etc”. In the case of Paranormal Activity - Oren Peli very cleverly uses as villain the most dangerous, evil and deadly supernatural villain - a demon.

2. Unique point of view - Believability rather than camera work

Paranormal Activity has a different point of view as a film. The plot structure is presented to audience through hidden cameras, security cameras, video chats etc.  Oren Peli wanted his audience to believe the story, to feel the demon and finally fear after the end of the film. As I know the first film maker who used this technique is the Japanese  Takashi Kinato, who filmed the scene of a bank robbery using a security camera.  

3. The villain is believable in Paranormal Activity

They use to say “sometimes lays are more believable than truth”. Obviously Oren Peli studied and searched relative issues about paranormal, supernatural and demons. As a result the mythology of the demon in Paranormal Activity is built step by step by presenting firstly the results of the demon’s actions (sounds), then by presenting the more results (open doors, TV turn off etc) and finally by presenting the violent part of demonic presence.  It’s a villain from the supernatural world, we can see him only through the result of his actions and the human reaction to his action.  

4.  Paranormal Activity follows the Alfred Hitchcock’s model

The villain in Paranormal Activity is a “demon” a deadly, vil and aggressive supernatural creature. Audience can not see it, the villain is introduced step by step and very slowly. Actually this technique to not present to audience the villain directly was introduced by legendary British filmmaker Sir Alfred Hitchcock. The most significant example of this approach is the film Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960), Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975), Duel (Steven Spielberg, 1971).

5. The plot structure of Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity follows the most used and the most successful plot structure for horror films - a group of people is trapped into an unexplained situation and they are under the attack of an unexplained, aggressive and unknown force. In Paranormal Activity we have a family and the force is a demon. This model is used almost in all horror films as examples I can mention Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978), Friday the 13th (Sean Cunningham, 1980) etc

to be continued

Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Paranormal Activity II (2010)

Paranormal Activity IV (2012)

Resources

Paranormal Activity - Wikipedia

Oren Peli

Paranormal Activity 2 - Internet Movie Database

Paranormal Activity 3

Paranormal Activity Official

I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.     

The Devil Inside

The Devil Inside when the dark side is among us.

The drak side is a supernatural – found footage (documentary style) “cinema verite” film produced in USA. The film was directed by William Brent Bell and the screenplay of the film was written by Bell and Mathew Peterman. The storyline of the film “The Devil Inside” is about searching an answer, looking for the truth in the unknown dark side.

A documentary film crew is looking to find the truth, and in “The Devil Inside” film the main character of the film is connected in a special relationship (mother – daughter) with the main character in the back story.

The Devil Inside

box office revenue

     

The Devil Inside topped the box office in United States at the first opening weekend and then it declined, before disappearing completely from the box – office tope ten. Beyond the above mentioned fact “The Devil Inside” was a huge commercial success with revenue over $ 100 million in box office. There were also negative comments and critiques about the film, but despite this “The Devil Inside” was a great box office success with one of the best cost per income ratios in industry.

The Production of Devil Inside

The film is based on the already known and successful business model of found footage genre – cinema verite, documentary style, low budget approach, one or two shooting locations, no big stars to cast. Film was shot in Bucharest (Romania), Rome (Italy) and Vatican City.  Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Steven Schneider presented the film to Paramount Pictures. The Paramount Pictures after the great success if Paranormal Activity was looking for another horror film that can capture the audience interest. Executives in Paramount hoped that “Devil Inside” can be a big box office success as Paranormal Activity was. They decided to finance the “Devil Inside” film project through their low budget company Insurge Pictures.

Cast of “The Devil Inside”

Fernanda Andrade plays the part of Isabella Rossi (is the main character  of the film), Simon Quarterman plays the part of Ben, Evan Helmuth plays the part of David, Ionut Grama plays the part of Mike, Suzan Crowley plays the part of Maria Possi, Bommie Morgan plays the part of Rosallita, Brian Johnson plays the part of Lieutenant Dreyfus, Preston James Hiller plays the part of Male Reporter and finally D.T. Carney plays the part of a Detective.

The plot structure of “The Devil InsideThe Devil Inside”

On 30 October of 1989 Maria Rossi commits a triple murder during an exorcism, according to reports she was possessed and the exorcism performed on her. Since then Maria Rossi is institutionalized in a mental hospital in Italy (Rome). Her daughter Isabella Rossi, is a filmmaker and learns about the three murders from her father who died three days after telling her.

Twenty years later Isabella is looking for an answer – she wants to learn about the dark side, she is filming a documentary film about exorcisms and she planning to visit her mother in Italy. She visits Rome, she meets two catholic Priests Ben and David and Ben invites Isabella to watch an exorcism performed on an Italian girl named Rosalita. The documentary crew and the catholic priest bring medical equipment with them to check data and to determine if Rosallita is possessed or mental ill. During the exorcism Rosalita, attacks the crew, speaks in different languages and she calls Isabella with her real name, despite she did not know her, there are enough evidence, Rosalita is possessed under the control of unknown dark forces. Eventually, the catholic Priest David forces demons far away from her.

Then Isabella goes to visit her mother in mental institution. Her mother Maria who has killed three people during an exorcism speaks in different languages and different accents and also the walls of her room are decorated with occult signs. Maria tells to her daughter, the documentary filmmaker that killing achild is against the God’s will. Later, Isabella will inform David and Ben that she had an abortion many years ago but it was impossible for her mother to know this. This was a very strong evidence about Maria’s possession by dark forces, there was a need for an exorcism.

Davis is preparing for the exorcism, but she worries loosing his job because Catholic Church does not authorize exorcism. Finally, exorcism begins, Isabella and the documentary crew filming the ritual and finally Maria mentions in front of priests and the crew the past of priest Ben,  and Isabella’s abortion. Then Maria or the dark forces who control Maria send Ben flying into the door and knocked David to the ground.

After the unsuccessful exorcism David and Ben analyze the video recording and they present the evidence to Catholic Church. The played Maria’s part on video many times, and especially the part when she says “I know what you did” and by the analysis of the audio they have realized that there are four different demons.

David in a church, ready to start a baptism, everything is OK as usual. Suddenly David submerges the baby in the holly water,he wants wants to kill the baby. A crowd of people rush up to save the baby.

David is found by Ben at home with blood all over his forearms, eyes rolled back into his head a situation as Maria was during the exorcism. Then police arrive and Dvid somehow acquires an officer’s handgun and holds it in his mouth. Ben tries to stop him but it’s impossible. David starts to weep reciting “The Lord’s prayer” and then he suicides.

Ben believes that Isabella is possessed they are waiting in the hospital, suddenly, nurses rush into the emergency room- there is a nurse injured on her neck and the other nurses fight to restrain Isabella. Ben drag’s Isabella into the hallway to restrain her, they have Isabella with them (Ben and Michael) and they are thinking to try another one exorcism.  Isabella speaks about Davids baby killing. Isabella trys to struggle Michael who is driving the car. Michael is loosing car’s control and Isabella breaths at Michael’s mouth. Michael shows signs of possession and the Michael increases the speed of the car and the car headlong into another car. At camera’s frame we can see chaos, the passengers of the car (Isabella, Ben and another driver) flying through their windshield.

Film ends and credits start rolling informing the audience that the case of Rossi Family is unresolved and then presenting to audience an address of a web site where they can search information about the ongoing research.

You can see the official trailer of the film "The devil inside" on youtube

Another one trailer of the film"Devil inside"

Elias Stoikos

Relative Horror2112 site articles

The Last Exorcism


The Halloween (1978)

The Exorcist (1973)

Creating the Exorcist film Pt. 1

Evil Dead

Relative articles 

The devil inside : rotten tomatos

The Devil inside in Reuters

Resources 

The Devil Inside - Wikipedia

The Devil inside on Internet Movie Database

The Devil Inside Official web site

The Devil Inside - Facebook page

Scientific research and books

Voice of Reason - Live Science

Deliver us from Evil

Interviewith an exorcist