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.     

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Paranormal Activity - horror as you have never imagined before

Paranormal Activity is a supernatural horror film shot in found footage style. The film was written and directed by Oren Peli. The plot of the film is about a young caple Katie and Micah who face the supernatural presence in their home. The storyline of the film is presented to audience through the lenses of hidden camera and regular cameras left on during the night to record the supernatural and paranormal activity.

The film initially produced as an Independent Feature and it was shown to Horror Film Festivals and then it was acquired by Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures modified the film and especially the film ending. The marketing and release strategy of the film was to release the film firstly in a limited number of theaters , the first was on 25 September 2007 (five years ago - so today is the Paranormal Activity franchise birthday)  and then to started the nation wide release of the film on October 2009. Paramount Activity was a huge box office success with worldwide box revenue at $ 194 million. The financial ratio of return on Investment is one of the best ever in history of cinema.

The success of Paranormal Activity was a strong factor to motivate Paramount Pictures for the creation of sequel and prequel films related to the initial “Paranormal Activity” film. The prequel film Paranormal Activity 2 was released in October 2010 and the second prequel “Paranormal Activity 3” was releases in October 2011.    

The plot structure of “Paranormal Activity”

A couple of young people Katie and Micah recently moved into a two - story track in San Diego. Katie believes that an evil spirit is after her and is responsible for her bad misfortune. Katie believes also that this evil power is after her also in their new house. She wants to record the supernatural activity that occurs at night during their sleep. Micah mounts a digital camcorder on a tripod in their bedroom to cover the supernatural presence.

The 1st Night

Only sound of footsteps and dropped keys is recorded.  

Katie ask for help Dr. Fredichd (phychic) who believes that Katie is not haunted by a ghost buit she was haunted by a demon. Demon creates negative energy around her and Kate is doomed into failure, misery and fear.  According to him Katie and Micah must not try to taunt and communicate with demon and then reccomend them to communicate with an experts about demons Dr. Johann Averie . Katie believes the situation is dangerous  but from the other hand Micah does not take it seriously.

The 2nd Night

Camera captures a number of supernatural phenomena such a light turning on and then off.

The 3nd Night

Camera captures the movement of the bedroom door.

The 5th Night

Katie wakes up from a nightmare as it seems from the camera footage something or someone was whispering to her during her sleep.

Then Micah starts to taunt the demon.

The 10th Night

Camera captures the demon crawling through the covers and when Katie is wakes up she hears a strange growling in the hallway.

The  13th Night

    

The couple wakes up because of a strange screech and a loud thud. The sound is coming from downstairs they are heading downstairs and they see the chandelier moving my itself.

The 15th Night

Camera captures the following sequence of activity. Kate is wakes up and she looks Micah speechless for many hours and then she goes outside. Micah wakes up because of the noise in the halfway. Micah tries to convince Kate to return but there is no hope. Micah goes inside to get a blanket he finds the TV on and both the taps in kitchen and bedroom on.

Katie remembers anything next morning.

Micah brings a Quija board to their house despite the warnings of Dr. Fredich.  The couple leaves the Quija board at their living room while they are moving for a visit to another house. During their absence curtains and plants start to blow around and the Quija box starts to move by itself and finally a small fire erupts on the board but it extinguishes itself before they get home.

The 16th night

Camera captures the bed tipping over

The 17th night

Micah sprinkles talcum powder in the hallway and when the the couple is awaken by noises they are no human footprints from attic to bedroom. Micah searches into the attic where he finds a burnt photograph of Kate when she was younger. Katie believed that this photograph was previously destroyed  in an unexplained house fire.

The 18th night

Camera captures a light turning on and then off and the bedroom door slams shut. There is also strange sound as something was trying to break in. Also, couple discovers the glass of their photo smashed and Micah’s image scratched. Micah agrees to invite Dr. Averie, instead of Dr. Averie Dr.Fredichs arrives but he can not help he believes that his own presence makes the demon more angry and dangerous.

The 19th night

Camera captures a a shadow while its moving across the bedroom door.

The 20th Night

Then Katie is pulled out of the bedroom by am unknown force. The couple is afraid and leaves the house and decides to go a hotel to pass the night. Katie fears and pushes a cross with her hands so strongly that bloodies her palm. Micah burns the cross and the photo with Kate in the attic.

The 21th Night

Katie wakes and stands beside Micah and is looking at him for about two hours and then Katie starts screaming and calls Micah for hekp, camera captures Katie screaming like crazy, then screaming stops and a short silence appears, then footsteps coming up the stairs. Then Micah body is violently hurled at the camera and it’s knocked over. Katie slowly walks into the room and then blood appears on her clothing. Kate sniffs Micah and then slowly looks at the camera, her face takes the look of demonic appearance and then scene cuts.

The Paranormal Activity film ends with an epilogue text, according to which Micah found dead by police on October 11, 2006 and Katie is missing.           

        

   - THE END -

You can see the trailer of the film on youtube

Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles

The Possession

The Last Exorcism,

The Exorcist (1973)

Resources

Paranormal Activity - Wikipedia

Paranormal Activity - Internet Movies Database

Paranormal Activity - Facebook

Paranormal Activity on Tweeter

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.