Final costume- Mask prop

Mask Research

Having the right type of mask is vital to the storyline of the film which is lead us to researching in depth about costumes . Our film is based round a group of young teenagers who are camping in the woods for spring break; therefore we need to be realistic in our choices. Most recently the gas mask has been a very popular and effective choice of mask in films, for example, it was used in 'My Bloody Valentine'. This therefore means people may go against the idea as it may become to repetitive or stereotypical. However because our characters are teenagers ,their age group are generally aware of the new and upcoming horror/thriller films and because of this its pretty easy to get hold of a mask online for a reasonable price. Although our film is going to be scary, the antagonists are teenagers (however the trailer won't reveal this) so they are not going to be particularly organised or creative so will be easily influenced by films they have seen themselves. This means that the choice of a gas mask is a realistic option for a group of teenagers to choose, especially as it hides the identity of the antagonist. The main antagonists will be wearing this mask as it stands out more and its scarier. The dark colour means that the character will be more camouflaged at night and will help create a scary atmosphere. The black colour also connotes to evil, death, darkness, which all follows the conventions of the horror genre. Gas masks are well known for the creepy sound of breathing hence, this will become a big feature in the trailer as when you hear the noise you know he is around...

Our second choice of mask is the hockey mask, again this easy, assessable and cheap choice therefore it would make a perfect option for a group of teenagers. We were inspired to use this from the film 'Friday 13th' which 'Jason' the antagonist wore to hunt his prey and victims. The colour of it means that it will reflect light, which in some way makes it not as suitable choice because the antagonist will be more visible and easy to find, however a group of teenagers probably wouldn't think that through. Only having the eyes on show puts an emphasis on them and makes it seem even scarier as these will be the last eyes you see if caught. The breathing holes are pretty small so the sound of the person breathing will be quite loud and will give a scary effect. The two other antagonists will be wearing this mask. Having used two types of masks would create a sense that they are family which creates a unnerving atmosphere for the audience. However, as our plot twist is that the antagonist's are their friends, this would keep the audience on their seats until the very end.