AS Media Studies Horror Film Conventions

1. AS MEDIA STUDIES
FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO
HORROR FILM GENRE
CONVERSATION
REASEARCH
Xue Bai

2. What is horror film?
• Horror film is a film for the purpose of creating terror. Absurd story bizarre, causing
horror. Such as the description of ghosts at risk, describing the fierce animal bite, etc.,
the development of photographic technology provides more conducive to the
performance of the conditions of the horror picture, some so-called disaster rendering
such as earthquake and nuclear war such films also fall into this category.
• Horror film is actually the most close to the art style of the film . Because the film needs
to create suspense , only the suspense can make the audience have a strong look forward
to.
• Horror films are often intended to arouse the audience's fear , fear, anxiety, fear and
other primitive negative emotions, through the catharsis of these emotions to the
audience entertainment experience. There are often horrifying or disgusting monsters,
evil animals or human beings, supernatural ghosts and other images, as well as a large
number of violent acts.

3. Setting
The setting is where the film is set, for a horror film are usually
isolated, abandoned or location with a hidden past, this can create a
sense of tension and how they are alone, these are usually set at
night time. However the setting for a horror genre is varied and can
be set in almost any location at any time of day.
A good horror movie has an unidentified location. The location
tells the audience exactly where they are going to find a serial killer
or ghost. Once you see a movie that captures a location well, the
audience will relate to the genre of the movie, then it doesn’t scare
the audience and therefore hasn’t fulfilled its true purpose. With
horror film the settings are always similar, as they tend to be in big
dark empty houses, woods attic and big building, this is because
they elicit a feeling of isolation and therefore fear within the
audience.

4. Narratives
The narrative is basically how the story is told and in horror films they
usually have a cliff hanger at the end of the movie and a kind of never ending
plot.
The classic narratives structure of the horror genre to have a protagonist
character within the film. Horror is based upon conflict and dilemmas the
main characters endure. From the main list of characters, several character
types are chosen for a horror film: the heroin, the evil “monster” and the
supporting characters. Horror films try to connect with the viewer- with the
expectation that the viewer will identify with the hero.

5. Iconography
Iconography is a symbolic representation. It’s
the visual styling of horror is what easily identifies
the audience with its genre. It is used within film
to describe the visual language of a film,
particularly within specific genre.We expect to
see certain objects on screen when we see a
particular genre, for example, in a horror film, we
expect monsters, scary woods, use of dark and
light, etc.These ‘genre indicators’ are called the
iconography of the mise-en- scene or genre.

6. Character• The Protagonist: This is usually a female role, they are usually the most morally
standing and smartest of the group, they almost always survive in order to pave way
for a sequel.
• The Sex appeal: This role is often filled by a promiscuous woman, who is often the
first to be killed and are the first to expose their body.
• The Irritating character: This role is often partnered with the “ sex appeal” and often
the first to go. Due to their behavior, the viewer is usually happy when they have
been killed off
• The unlikely hero: This character is generally the one the audience suspects to be
the antagonist due to their actions or appearance within the film.
• The Antagonist: The bad guy of the film is usually revealed at the end of the film.
They are usually killed off at the end, or in some cases left wounded to make space
for a possible sequel.
• The one who gets his comeuppance: This role is sometimes a side kick of the
“antagonist” they are only interested in their own well being but they are often the
one to save the day.
• The Token Black guy: Almost every horror film now days has at least one black guy,
they are often the one to sacrifice them selves to save others or to act as the muscle
of the group but can sometimes also take the role of “The Irritating guy”.

7. Theme
The themes found in horrors are used to scare, thrill and entertain the
audience. Horror films centre around ‘the dark side of life’, the strange,
forbidden and alarming events.Themes are the common form of horror films;
they are something that is some of the typical themes of horrors include:
• Revenge
• Haunting
• Demons and Exorcisms
• Gore
• Serial killers
• Religious belief
• Ghosts

8. Technical code
Camera work is expressive rather than naturalistic. Using weird angles and canted cameras
are common in horror film. As well as this horror films often use extreme close ups and
point of view shots in order to express fear or to make the audience feel more involved or to
add tension.
1. POV shots are important because they allow the audience to see the world from the
monster’s eye. This happens roughly at the end or in the middle of typical horror film
(Evil Dead had a very long POV shot when it chasing Ash the hero through his house).
2. Handheld shots make it difficult for the audience to make out what is happening.
Clover field is one prime example of this, since the entire movie is shot with a handheld
camera to promote the feeling of terror and the unknown.
3. Sometimes framework uses the depth of field, makes it harder to see the monster
creeping up behind the protagonist.
4. Disturbing sounds are very important in a horror movie. Ambient diegetic sounds like
footsteps and non-diegetic sounds (like a heartbeat).
5. Types of shots used like ECU on a certain victim’s face can help the audience
identification with horror and fear, and also to exclude any threats (if we can’t see it,
then its more terrifying).
6. Editing can create unsettling tension and suspense. If the editing hasn’t been paced up
in a while then you know that something very bad is about to jump out and scare you.