Short thriller sequence analysis of Paranormal Activity

Director: Oren Peli
Writer: Oren Peli (screenplay)
Release Date:25th November 2009 (UK)
Genre: Horror Mystery Thriller
Rated: 15
Plot: After moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence.

The theory of equilibrium is applied through a normal environment and just a normal routine of a couple trying to go to sleep at night, however they are frequently desturbed by a demonic presence. A demon is something unusual so this is applied to the theory of equilibrium as its presence destroys the normal sate of equiibrium and turns it into the unormal and paranromal.
Like all thrillers, suspense is created. This is done effectively because each time the demon comes, something more creepy happens. For example early on it begins with the door creeking, breeze occuring from no where. However it gets progressively worse as doors slam, the demon slides into bed next to the girl, drags her out of bed, makes the house shake and the lights flash. Even footprints are left by the demon when the girl's boyfriend purposely leaves talcum powder on the floor. The camerawork is effective as it is filmed through a handheld jerky, shakey camera because the couple try to catch the demon on camera and we see it and everything that happens through the poised hand-held camera. The camera itself is an important prop in the film and is an important tool in the film for us, so we can see the paranormal. Particularly at the footprints scene, it enables the audience to question what the demon thing is and why is it haunting this girl?

After watching and analysing this movie, it has enabled me to link some of the thriller motifs as ideas into our own planning of our thriller film. We will be applying the state of equilibrium through a normal envionment, but will apply suspense, mystery and abnormality through the use of props (collage of photos) and an unusual character (obsessive stalker with OCD), although our unusual character is not mythical, so that the audience can relate our film to reality, and we hope that it will make it more creepy and believable.