Conventions used in horror films

By Meagan, Jovinnie, Keira and Debo

Convention

• Convention is the generally accepted way of conveying something and in media they’re mainly gender specific.

• For example as we are tasked to create a film containing horror genre we will show the ways which horror is typically conveyed to the audiences.

Setting

• Setting in horror is known to a horror film and media and helps sets the seen to create suspense for the audience.

Examples of this could be:• An eerily dark ghost town• Narrow Alleyways• Asylums• Graveyard

Narrative Structure

• Narrative structure in horror does not usually allow much room for deviation because of how they present the protagonists and antagonists however recently there has been a few films which break off from the classic horror structure and try a different approach.

In classic horror narratives there is are• Protagonists (who is there to keep the suspense going) and

antagonists ( who usually invulnerable and all powerful)• Side characters who inevitably die- careless teenagers(scream series),

delusional scientist • Sudden attacks from behind-• Helpless victims• An animal or insect that causes suspense

• Narrative structure is one great way in which producers allow room for audience to question if there will be a sequel

Character types• Patrick Bateman is the anti-hero character I

chose because of the widely acclaimed movie American Psycho

Pure psychotic expression

Deadly violent weaponBlood spatters

heighten tension

juxtapose opposed scene and facial expression

Example: Todorov’s perspective to narrative

• Tzetan Todorov, an influential structural linguist came up with a theory that is used in every story-telling media.

He suggested that• Stories start with a state of equilibrium where

opposing forces are threatening to disrupt this balance. Inevitably the balance is ruined creating a sequence of events that lead to the balance being restored.

Iconography• Iconography is the way in which directors and

writers uses different techniques to imply an type of effect on the viewers.

• Camera: POV shots, Sudden camera changes, High/ Low angled shots

• Lighting: Darkened rooms, Undistinguishable movements, • Sounds and effect: A disturbing inhumane sound, heavy

breathing, silence

• Props: Bloodied knife, Rotting corpses, Cult symbols,

Movie choice- Cloverfield (favourite)

Cloverfield- which is one of my favourite films because of its use of camerawork (POV) the creators to provide a completely different perspective and creates a different sense of horror and tension.

Typical themes and their themes

Common themes that have been used in prestigious horror films.• Zombie Apocalyptic theme- Survival, beyond death• Murder helpless themes- Haunted House,

Supernatural, Childhood issues• Detective investigation- Good VS Evil• Overrun Mental Asylum- Madness, Insanity,• Unleashed supernatural/alien monster- Science

gone bad, Curiosity gone wrong