REC 2 Deconstruction - Possession

[REC] 2 is a sequel to [REC] which is set in a quarantined building in Spain. A virus has broken out in REC 1 and in the sequel we learn that the virus is actually a possession, which started from one girl. Whenever someone is bitten, they too become possessed and the demon speaks through them. This makes this film very different to others as we know conventions of possessions are:

• Tied to a bed
• Young girls
• Priests performing exorcisms
• Speaking in tongues
• Speaking in reverse, with different accents
• Religious items
• Priests performing an exorcism 
• Usually in a family home / family setting

However, in this film, they have mixed zombies with possession. There is still a lot of religion involved, but the possessed people aren't exorcised and bite people, which is something uncommon in a possession film. Also, this is a found-footage style film which is quite popular within the possession film category.

Here, back-lighting casts shadows onto the people framed in the mid-shot. The shadow shows a crucifix being held over the possessed girls head. For the audience this will help their understanding of what is happening and the character of the girl. As well as this, there is non-diegetic screaming which is very low-pitched and unnatural, as if she is being possessed. This helps conform to genre as typical conventions are speaking in tongues / unnaturally. 

Again, this picture depicts something similar. The close up shot helps the audience see the blood and demonic-eyes that the girl has. Also, the facial expression of the civilian is interesting as his pure shock and horror helps the audience feel his fear. The lighting is low-key and using ambient lighting (the torches) which helps with the realism of the film.

In this image, the possessed character is spewing blood, which is frightening and unnatural as well as quite disturbing. The facial expression of the man is one of terror, which helps communicate to the audience the sheer fear that he is feeling. The costume of the girl is pink and pretty, which is quite conventional for possessed characters. 

In this image, the still has been edited to make it appear as though the camera is faulty and running out of battery. There is a yellow, blue and red hue being applied to the shot as well as fuzziness and blur. It makes the action on screen harder to follow, confusing the audience. There is off-screen diegetic sound of unnatural screaming and yelling, which connotes that something terrible is happening. This is clever and we could apply something similar in our film.

Here, a young boy is beginning to become possessed. The low-key lighting casts shadows which adds mystery and makes it harder to see what is happening on screen, which means that the sound here is very important. The non-diegetic gurgling and spitting, which are typical noises of a possessed person are frightening and make the audience aware that he is being possessed. 

Low-key lighting is again used, with ambient lighting of the torches on his face. This helps the audience see his face clearly. Special effects have been used to give the boy 'demonic' eyes, which are just pure black. This again is a typical convention for a possessed character. The blood and scarring also helps the audience understand that he is possessed. In his dialogue, which appears to be non-diegetic as it is unnaturally low and edited, he says things which his original character would never say, implying again that is possessed.

A close up shot of the boys face again implies his possession. Religious props are used, and his facial expression shows him resisting the props, a convention of a possessed person. The demon eyes also help show the audience the seriousness of his predicament. 

Evaluation of this type of possession

I feel that this type of possession would not be appropriate for our film as it is not a 'typical' possession and so would need background explanation and a whole plot of its own, rather than a conventional plot e.g. religious person becomes possessed, exorcism performed. I feel that we have more knowledge about how to shoot and edit a 'typical' possession than mixing it with a zombie-style genre. However, some of the features e.g. the religious props and the editing of the camera when it malfunctions, could be used as inspiration for our own opening.