Fear In Movies And Video Games
Source: http://openbooksociety.com/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/4bebfb785325f01496d661b6da9f9532.jpg
Many people like to watch scary movies or play scary video games, but why is that?
What attracts people to horrors and what actually makes them scary?
Let’s take a closer look at those aspects.
What is Fear?
Fear is an emotion that is strongly connected with our survival instinct. It is our organism’s tool to detect and sometimes even predict a potential danger. In reality, fear is nothing else than chemical reactions that happen in our brain.
Scientists associate the right amygdala with emotional reactions including fear.
What’s interesting, the research has shown that the mentioned portion of the brain responds much more to images of animals rather than to images of other objects or humans. This might provide some information about why many people are scared by movie monsters that are often animalistic in their appearance.
Scientists believe that there is also another very important part of our brain that is strongly connected with fear and other emotions as well – mirror neurons.
Mirror neurons are a special kind of neurons. They activate just like normal neurons when we do something, for example move our hand. But they also activate when we see another person do something, which means that they reflect this action in our organism to some degree.
It is also believed that mirror neurons are a key to empathy.
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Amyg.png
What makes a movie or a game scary?
One of the most important things that makes movies/games scary is the created atmosphere and the most important factor in creating scary atmosphere is audio. People react very strongly to sounds. Music and sound effects can raise tension on their own, because they can invoke a sense of imminent danger as the listener anxiously expects something to happen.
But there are also other factors.
Psychology of scary movies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcAfzK4YPSI
According to the psychologist Dr. Glenn D. Walters there are 3 main factors that make horror movies attractive and scary to people:
- Tension – which is mainly achieved by storytelling (mystery, suspense), visuals and audio
- Relevance – which might take a form of the relevance of someone’s fear (for example fear of spiders) or perhaps protagonists or subject matter
- Unrealism – movies need to be unrealistic at least to some degree so that viewers can enjoy it otherwise they might be disturbed or even disgusted making the viewing unpleasant and not really scary.
When it comes to video games, the aforementioned points are also very true but there are some factors unique for this kind of medium:
- Helplessness – not giving a player violent means to quickly deal with enemies creates big tension and improves game immersion. Because of that a player has to hide, run and quickly think about every action he takes.
- False routine – routine isn’t scary, when we are used to something we can rely on it. But what happens when a seemingly safe game starts to differ ever so slightly in a disturbing way? The player starts to sense danger in a place where he least expected it. The perfect example of this false routine is “P.T.” – an interactive trailer of an upcoming game “Silent Hills”
- Game over – some kind of state of failure is inherent in video games. You either win or you lose, after all it’s a game. But in horror games the so called “Game Over” isn’t necessarily desired because it breaks the immersion and provides relief from tension. Especially when the game is too hard, then the player is forced to replay specific fragment over and over again which turns into a boring routine.
Silent Hills gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrL8ybvDSkA
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala
- Nature Neuroscience issue 14, 2011 (http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v14/n10/full/nn.2899.html)
- http://web.calstatela.edu/faculty/sfischo/horrormoviesRev2.htm
- http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/172168/fight_or_flight_the_neuroscience_.php?print=1
Here are some questions that I’d like to ask you:
- Do you enjoy scary movies and/or video games? What kinds?
- Do you often feel scared watching films or playing games or are you mostly “immune” to it?
- What’s, in your opinion, the scariest factor in movies or video games? Is it music? Is it their plot or a character design?
- Do you think that horror movies or games still have some unexplored areas/ideas?
Comments
2. I get excited and my adrenaline goes up when I play. Those are good moments to practice relaxation and releasing the stress. I traing myself in getting better in it and to conclude and teach myself.
3. For me the scaries are sounds and then the graphics. But only good combination of those will get the strongest effect.
4. Yes, I think that we can still improve on how these movies and games are made.
I'm quite immune when it comes to watching potentially scary things. I don't really care when there is a zombie on the screen or something 'drastic'. What scares us in horror movies is only the way camera/sound works, manipulation of the presented content. When it's not artificially enhanced, people are not so easily scared by just looking at pictures (while sitting on a comfortable sofa of course, in real life it's a bit different).
I believe there is a place for improvement in movies and games, I'm very curious about future changes in these areas :)
Nonetheless, I've tried some of the horror video games. I think they're better than movies, because they have the element of interaction. Recently I'm playing Outlast with my brother. It fits perfectly into "Helplessness" category from your post.
However, the thing that I'm the most easily scared by is the element of surprise. I'm very rational and it's really hard for me to get scared by any supernatural, demon-like black-haired girl coming out of TV. But when something jumps out all of the sudden, my whole body freezes :)
As to the interesting and new techniques in horrors, I quite like this comic. Plus - as I'm a fan of interaction: Last Call is an interactive horror film in which the main character calls a random audience member for help. Pity that the technique isn't more popular! (Link)
I usually don't but I enjoyed Army of Darkness very much!
Do you often feel scared watching films or playing games or are you mostly “immune” to it?
Yes, it was hard to me to play Alien Isolation, but I became immune to it to some extent. I passed whole game.
What’s, in your opinion, the scariest factor in movies or video games? Is it music? Is it their plot or a character design?
It is definitely unpredictability. The feeling when alien was hunting me was hard to deal with.
Do you think that horror movies or games still have some unexplored areas/ideas?
I think that games have unexplored areas independently from genre.
of camera and audio - as you mentioned in your article. I think there are yet many unexplored ideas for scary movies, directors ingenuity and talent knows no bounds.
As stated in the answer to question no.1 I very seldom feel any emotions when watching a 'scary' movie or playing a 'spooky' game.
If I had to pick one thing that I could possibly consider 'scary' I'd have to go with the music. Sometimes it can really build up the tension and raise the pressure. The least scary thing on the other hand is the 'monster-jump' effect where a monster suddenly appears in front of the screen.
I think that games still hold some potential. With proper use of virtual reality and devices such as Oculus Rift there's a chance to increase the 'scare factor' in video games.
I really dislike scary movies and video games. I get scared really easily and for me it's no fun. There are other forms of recreation that are better suited for me.
Do you often feel scared watching films or playing games or are you mostly “immune” to it?
As I said, I'm easily scared so sometimes even movies that are not supposed to be scary give me goosebumps. However, there are days when this doesn't happen and I can watch a horror movie. It might depend on the company or general settings and mood.
What’s, in your opinion, the scariest factor in movies or video games? Is it music? Is it their plot or a character design?
For me it definitely is the music and tension that it creates. Any form of surprise has me jumping in my seat.
Do you think that horror movies or games still have some unexplored areas/ideas?
I have no idea what else is left to be explored in this field. I'm pretty sure that it is all super realistic and for me it really is enough, no improvements needed.
Personally I don't like horror movies. I have a feel that most of them are really trashy. You know that scenes... You just know what's going to happen. Really often autors try to scary me with trashy soundtrack and sounds. Maybe I'm just to critical, or maybe I am baised. This is good idea to try watching some horror, this is long time ago I have watched one.
I have a memory of playing scary game. It is called "Doom 3". It was about 10 years ago - I should not play it because of age needs :). The game is about monsters trying to capture the humanity somewhere in space. I remember that if you wanted to use your flashlight you had to switch your weapon to it. You haven't been albe to shoot while using the flashlight.... Really scary.
here's the trailer for it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWWufhqyGE8
I also recomend WolfCop, which is funny and enjoyable b-class horror comedy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_P4C8x9S28
Which can easily run out of batteries :)
trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F80Wv66GYSs
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/10/why-do-some-brains-enjoy-fear/280938/
http://www.2knowmyself.com/why_do_people_like_horror_movies
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/why-we-love-scary-movies
Do you have anything particular in mind? Maybe types of setting or story?
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/10/why-do-some-brains-enjoy-fear/280938/
http://www.2knowmyself.com/why_do_people_like_horror_movies
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/why-we-love-scary-movies
I think you might enjoy this video on what's wrong with modern horror movies today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz6KOsePEHs
I recomend you check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz6KOsePEHs
which focuses on what good horror is. I agree with most of what is mentioned in that video.
I encourage you to try to watch a scary movie (maybe one that you know you will be scared watching) and shut/cover your ears.
You might be suprised how unscary the movie will get!
Do I feel scared? Movies can make me 'jumpy' at most, usually by an element of surprise. It's been a while since I've felt real fear for a movie/book character, not because I've not sympathized, but rather wouldn't expect the author to kill the protagonist :)
If it's about 'fear' I do believe, that computer games are a whole new area for exploration. Since you can actually 'play' your hero, the feeling is very different. If the plot is good, computer games are surely the best medium to make players 'feel' things.
According to me, the scariest factor in movies (not in horrors, but generally) is specific, mysterious music,characters desing (for me people whose behaviours are unpredictable) and moments of surprise in movie which I don't expect. Generally in horror or thirller movies still have some uneplored areas - e.g. screenwriter could write something like connection of horror and science fiction movie. Maybe something like this does exist?
2 I am definitely immune to it, of course some twists makes me surprised, but I will not define my reaction to it as being scared.
3 In movies as well as in video games the best scary factor is linkage of music and plot twist. Situations that are unexpected and are surprising makes the plot interesting. It is connected with character design, mainly character's personality. There is still place for creativity in ideas and exportation of areas. It is not only about the plot but also about the remittance. Games and videos presented in 3D are not developed perfectly. There might be invented new gadgets or other devices which will bring absolutely new dimension for user experience.
I need to agree with you guys that the best compilation is music+ plot + good frame.
But to be serious, I played Slender once - highly reccomend for those who are saying that they are not affraid of anything :) - great, great game.
Human's imaginations is like a bottomless pit - there will always be someone, who will get new ideas for horror movies (i realised that after watchin 5 minutes of the human centipede movie which i regret to this day)
In my opinion the scariest thing in horror movies and games is the suspense, a situation when you are aware that something is off, but you can't identify the danger and don't know what is going to happen next. A lot of things create this feeling - camera work, plot. You mentioned sounds in your article and I agree. Sounds and music affect imagination greatly to the point that even seemingly normal scene can become eerie.
Yes, I think that as long as we develop technologies and make new discoveries there will be things for people to be afraid of, because every novelty or change can be scary. At least for some. That, I believe, is enough to find a good material.
Watching scary movies I take notice of mysterious atmosphere, sound, visuals. I'm not fan of bloodletting etc. "The Shining" is more scary than the "Saw" in my opinion :)
2. I am completely susceptible to being scared to death. And I don't like the feeling of fear, that's why I don't watch horror films.
3. I think that everyone has their own opinion on the most scary factor. For me it is not knowing what will come next (maybe it comes from my desire to have everything planned up and my love for lists) and if it is supported by some scary music, it is just horrible for me. I am not afraid of brutality or "game over" because it is some kind of a closure. I just don't like not knowing.
4. With the world developping so fast unexplored areas are yet to come and the creators will always come up with something new. I won't be afraid of that;>
I think the scariest factor in them could be a real charecter, I mean maniac, serial killer or psycho, when you're playing and realizing that it can happened with you and you can really become a real victim.
suspense