Lighting in horror - first person perspective

I have always been fascinated when first person perspective lighting is used in horror because it is one of horror's most effective weapons. Torchlight construes the view of the holder, making the surrounding environment harder to see. This perspective is used a means to set up startling moments for the audience, as well as to keep focus on a particular object or person.

Grave Encounters (2011) uses this technique very effectively. Locked in a haunted mental asylum, the audience is given a mixture of perspectives from the character's cameras, using night-vision and the torches as a means of light because the building has been abandoned for years and has no power.

http://cf2.imgobject.com/t/p/original/9krmo5DmLg5w6Z95siswq8ecuQq.jpg

Entering a supposedly empty room, they come across what look like a patient. The audience does not know what else could be in the room because their field of vision is limited, keeping the focus on the unknown woman. With all the attention on the unknown woman, feelings of anticipation are evoked because the audience does not know what is coming next.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaG7dPdIcmvldmoYn8maaNXTq2Y8SJ2WJKvGF38rIHyAXTDu5HXqRuBtWGsNEsIQZ9-Ndjg_K33SCgDQ3hLZPmcxLmRGCYXvCMioTERGwqJAuAAG_j-EfWHlIjpjQuCHpIqHpyAkF-Tfx/s1600/graveencounters1.jpg

The woman turns, appearing normal...

http://thewolfmancometh.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/grave-encounters-movie-ghost-screaming.jpg

...and suddenly, her for changes as she lets out a tremendous bone chilling roar, evoking feelings of surprise in the audience.

Below I have constructed my own first person lighting test displaying lighting from a first person perspective.

The design process was simple. I placed the wooden barrel prop(s) downloaded from creativecrash.com in a thin corridor. Next, I placed a spotlight in the scene, moving it around the room and keying it accordingly. To add more quality to the piece and create a more dark atmosphere, I added some fog to the spotlight in order to highlight the outline of the spotlight's direction. Finally, I added a camera and followed the path of the light to symbolise human presence, darting the light and camera quickly into the corner to visualise feelings of fear and anxiety within the torch holder.

What relevance does this test provide towards the development of my project and horror?

The relevance of this test serves purpose to both the development of my project and horror because once my project is finished I will be making a 3D tour, displaying everything my environment has to offer. Using this perspective lighting method for my 3D tour, I can create a more effective and atmospheric sense of anticipation within my environment by selecting objects or lights and manipulating them to create elements of surprise or shock.