Independent task- How are camera angles used in American horror story to connote different feelings, including those of tension and suspense, amongst the audience?

Independent task- How are camera angles used in American horror story to connote different feelings, including those of tension and suspense, amongst the audience?

American horror story (synopsis taken from Wikipedia) The first season, subsequently subtitled Murder House, takes place in Los Angeles, California during the year 2011 and centers on a family that moves into a house haunted by its deceased former occupants. The second season, subtitled Asylum, takes place in Massachusetts during the year 1964 and follows the stories of the inhabitants of an institution for the criminally insane. The third season, subtitled Coven, takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana during the year 2013 and follows a coven of witches who face off against those who wish to destroy them. The fourth season, subtitled Freak Show, takes place in Jupiter, Florida during the year 1952 and centers around one of the few remaining American freak shows.

Different camera angles are used to connote different feelings among the audience. Below I have analysed different camera angles used in American Horror Story and written why they were used and what feelings the producers may have been trying to imply to the audience.

The use of the high angled shot when showing the disfigured man could suggest that he is a victim because high angled shots are used to represent the character as weak and as victims. This also makes them suspicious of him as they haven't been previously introduced to him. It could also create feelings of tension and suspense due to the fact he is hiding amongst the washing and make the audience question why he is doing so.

The use of this high angled shot, combined with the fact he is holding a gun connotes feelings of power, dominance and superiority. This and the fact he is looking directly into the camera, and in turn pointing the gun at the audience, creates feelings of tension and suspense amongst the audience due to the fact it looks like he is staring directly at them.

The fact this shot is upside down, combined with the fact she is screaming, connotes feelings  of panic and unease amongst the audience because they don't know what is going on, this is a close up shot which shows the emotion on her face which is that of panic and fear which puts the audience on edge. The use of the rule of thirds and the fact the needle is centre shot will connote tension because the audience have no idea as to why she is being injected.

The use of the high angled shot combined with the fact she is strapped down into a hospital bed reinforces the idea of her vulnerability and weakness. This shot may have been used to create feelings of unease amongst the audience because as modern day people we know that only 'crazy' people are tied down to their beds when they are a danger to themselves.



The close up of the jars in this shots, combined with the low key lighting means the audience cannot fully make out what is in the jars, this creates feelings of unease amongst the audience because the shapes in the jars look unnatural but because of the close up it means they cannot fully see what is in the jars.



This establishing shot sets the scene for the audience and gives them a chance to see what is happening around the house, of which the show is centred. The girls, in the centre of the shot, filing into the house show the audience that they either live or work their but the girls floating above the stairs create feelings of tension because the audience do not know why, or how, they are floating there.

The high angled shot, again, connotes weakness, inferiority and and vulnerability. This combined with the man standing over her shows his dominance over her and reinforces her weakness and lower status. This creates feelings of compassion amongst the audience because the camera angle is used to make them feel sorry and possibly empathise with her, if they to have been in a hospital.




The low angled shot of the girls walking down the street connotes feelings of superiority, dominance and power; which is not usually what women are represented as. They are being represented as strong and powerful which breaks most media conventions.





The mid to close shot zoom in that's used in this scene is used to show the emotions of which the characters are feeling. The zoom in on their screaming faces gives the audience a sense of anxiety because they have no idea why they are screaming, but combined with the fact it zooms in while she is shouting "GO AWAY" directly into the camera creates feelings of suspense within the audience because they want to know who she is telling to go away and why they are both screaming.


As I have explained above different camera angles can be used to create different emotions in the audience and can be used to create feelings of empathy, or those of tension and suspense. Combining different elements together such as lighting and camera angles can create a very tense scene.