This document identifies common conventions in the horror genre that can be used to develop a horror film trailer. It notes that horror films typically take place in isolated settings away from civilization. They employ camera techniques like high/low angles, POV shots, and handheld footage to convey fear and immerse viewers. Editing is often fast-paced during suspenseful scenes. Common sounds include sudden loud noises and ominous scores. The plots usually feature disequilibrium as the situation takes a dark turn. The target audience is typically males aged 15-25 who can relate to the characters.

1. By Jonathan Larham

2.  From my research into the horror genre, it has helped me to identity
specific conventions that will help me to develop my own horror film
trailer.Common examples of the conventions are:

3.  Common settings are isolated places, away
from main settlements and civilisation, for
example a cabin in the woods-Evil Dead,
Cabin in theWoods.
 Commonly they are places that revolve
around the themes of isolation and being
alone.

4.  High and low angles are used to connote fear.
 POV shots are used to show the characters
account and to make the audience connect
with their fear and for them to experience it.
 Handheld camera shots are very effective in
the case of movies such as Cloverfield,The
ParanormalActivity series andThe Blair
Witch Project.

5.  Fast editing is used during the scary,
suspense filled scenes, in order to keep the
audience glued to the screen and they’ll be
scared too.
 Chase scene, which are common in slasher
movies such asTheTexas Chainsaw Massacre
series, fast editing mixed with long shots are
common, just like in the opening scene of
Scream.

6.  Low key lighting to establish dark shadows and to create unfamiliar
shapes in the blackness.
 The character’s costumes differ from each movie, but for a slasher movie
the casts are mostly the same, being a group of teens, including a nerdy
girl who ends up saving the day, a jock who the nerdy girl had a crush on
since they were young and he’s always not liked her until today, the
token black character best friend of the jock who dies early on.A blonde,
ditsy cheerleader-ish girl, who dies early, and has sex with someone,
leading to her death.Then there are minor characters who’s story isn’t
fully developed and they are just easily killed off.Their costumes are
general high school kids clothes.

7.  The conventional sound in horror movies are
that sudden loud noises and screams are
often associated with them, to scare the
audience.
 An ominous score will sometime accompany
the scene as in Jaws and Halloween.

8.  The conventions of a form in the horror genre are
that the plot is not revealed, but it does show a
distinct equilibrium and the disequilibrium within
the trailer as seen in trailers such as the Sinister
trailer, as it shows the family all happy and then
quickly turns into the antagonist doing his evil
deeds and it turns the tide of the trailer.

9.  The target audience of the Horror Genre is
generally 15-25, mostly males.
 The target audience of horror movies are
generally those people who can connect with
the characters on screen.
 Middle class people who have enough
expendable time to watch them at the
cinemas and at home.