The document discusses conventions of camerawork, editing, mise-en-scene, sound, color, language, layout, typography, and images that are commonly used in film trailers and promotional products for the horror genre. Some key conventions mentioned include the use of close-ups to convey emotion, fast-paced editing to create tension, low-key lighting to establish a dark atmosphere, colors like black, red and white to denote danger, and a central image to attract audience attention. The document also notes that consistent application of these technical elements helps communicate the horror genre to audiences and make them feel engaged.

1. What you have found out about conventions of form and genre & the use of technical elements?
Trailer
Camerawork Conventions:
 Two shot & group shot helps show relationships between certain
characters and/or helps contrast between the strong & weak.
 Close ups covey emotion & feelings from characters. This can be
used in different ways: either to create tension & sympathy or
these feelings separately. All of which helps engage the viewer to
the film.
 Over the shoulder shots/ point of view shots help the audience take place of the character. This
therefore allows them to feel more involved as they feel their emotions & feelings at the time which
is another camerawork which helps involve the viewer closely with the film.
 A wide shot helps work as an establishing shot which is conventional as it helps the audience to feel
an atmosphere based on the characters location. This would
therefore create emotion from the audience for the
characters.
 Composition is another convention for this type of genre as it
allows the audience to acknowledge the characters
surroundings & add to the tension and fears that the audience
feel & is portrayed from the characters.
Editing Conventions:
 Fast paced editing is an obvious convention for this genre as it allows the important features of the
film to be shown to the audience & helps create tension and fear for the audience which would be
suitable for this typical film.
 Fade to black is another convention that is suited to the horror genre as it transitions between the
scenes quickly & easily. Also, the colour black conveys danger and darkness therefore creating
tension and fear from the audience.
 Cross cutting is one of the final conventions for editing for this type of genre as it allows the story
reach a climax quickly which grabs the audience’s attention.
Mise-en-scene Conventions:
 Low key lighting is a main mise-en-scene used throughout horror film products. This is because it
helps show the genre affectively & helps create a dark atmosphere which would encourage the
audience to watch the film. It also helps convey danger which would create a tense & dramatic
scene for the audience which would help elicit emotion from them.
The two shot/close up shows
the motherprotecting her son.
The close up demonstrates
her weak position& fear
Thewideshotshowsthe
woman’sweakposition.
The dark lighting& her
compositionsuggestsdanger.
This type ofeditinghelps
transition quicklythrough
the trailer,adding tension
& conveyingdanger

2. This shot demonstratesthat it isa children’spossession&
the reflectionshowssomeone behindthe female which
create fear & tension
 The use of costumes such as white & black, these colours
are associated with death & danger which would help
show the genre to be horror and then introduce the story
line.
 The props such as children’s possessions are the main props
used to show origin of danger that occurs in the film. Once
this is shown, most people would clearly understand the
storyline & what is happening.
Sound Conventions:
 Sound effects are necessary to help heighten the fear from the characters & the makes the danger
obvious to the audience.
 The use of background music is compulsory as it helps the tension build throughout the film/trailer
to help reach a climax. This feeling that comes from the build-up will either encourage the audience
to watch the film or will not.
Ancillary Products
Colour conventions:
 Red helps connote danger for the characters. But, it also can connote power that the
characters have.
 White is associated with death so can be used to demonstrate the genre to the audience.
It is also conventional as it contrasts with dark background, to make the product more eye
catching.
 The colour black is used to connote danger & fear which is conventional as it shows the
genre successfully and helps evoke tension & fear from the audience which will grip them.
It is also used to allow features to stand out effectively to make the product more
interesting & exciting.
Language Conventions:
 Short and snappy sentences to attract the audience
 Quotes from the film to give the audience insight &
allow the story line to be obvious
 Acknowledgement of actors & directors to interest audience
This shot shows the conventionof colour & mise-en-scene aswhite isusedto showdeath.
This is apparent through the hangingof the deadbody.
The colour black is usedto allow the white
text to stand out & be eye catching
The colour black adds to the darkness
of the story & connotes danger
This sentence isattractive as it
suggeststhe filmis basedon a true
story so would want to findout what
happened

3. Layout Conventions:
 Route of the eye to make the audience acknowledge all features of products
 Main image, masthead, headline & coverlines
Typography Conventions:
 Sans serif font to make the text bold & to stand out to attract the audience
 Various font sizes to show importance & to create an impact on the audience
Image Conventions:
 Main central image to attract the audience & make it more eye catching
 Dark background to make the characters stand out
 Conventional mise-en-scene to make the genre obvious
 Colours: red, white& black to convey danger
Conventions of form for trailer:
 Editing is an important convention for the form as it enables the audience
to feel engaged and involved
 The use of audience comments allows it to be direct to the audience &
provides them with essential information
Conventions of form for products:
 Route of the eye to make sure the audience acknowledges all the features
 Main image, masthead, headline and coverlines to make sure the audience
are informed
 Important information is always obvious
 Acknowledging actors and directors & other content so they go and watch the
film & by their other products
Conventions of Genre for trailer:
 Consistent use of camerawork, editing, mise-en-scene and sound to help make the genre obvious to
the audience. Also, to make the audience feel involved with the trailer so they can experience the
characters position & emotion to then elicit emotions from them. Additionally, to make the audience
feel tension & fear to grip them to the trailer.
This encouragesthe audience
to watch the film
Main image to have an insighton
the film& introduce characters
Main title in the route of the eye so theycan
see the image first thenfocus on the title
Sans seriffont stands out above the dark
background due to the colour white.The fonthelps
show the genre to be dramatic & tense
Central image introducesthe characters & shows
the male to be in power& woman to be weak
Colour redto
show he is in
control
The dark background in the image of
the characters allow them to stand out
The use of the route ofthe eye allows
all featuresto stand out & makes sure
the coversall aspects of a conventional
magazine cover.
The use of large fonts showsthe
important features:title of magazine
& the main title which is eye catching

4. Conventions of Genre for products:
 Consistent use of colours to help create a brand identity such as red, black and white
to create a sense of danger which would be typical for the genre.
 Images allow the audience to have an insight into what the film consists of which
will encourage them to see the film. Also, would allow the audience to see certain
characters & their emotions which would therefore introduce a type of audience
they are target & help them distinguish between the strong & weak characters.
This image shows how the ‘empire’magazine has
giventheir audience insightintosceneswithinthe
filmwhich shows differentsuperheroes.
The cover is usingthe typical black background to make featuresstand out &
the colour redto show power.This relatesto the image ofthe man being
portrayed as strong & powerful.