My analysis of codes and conventions of a horror movie

1. Analysing codes and
conventions of a horror
movie

2. What we looked at
My team chose to work with a horror adventure genre and we
looked at 3 of openings.
With these openings we looked at specific things such as what
the camera does, what the editing is like, the sound and what
we can see on the screen.
We also looked at what key plot is introduced, what storyline is
introduced, characters and what social groups are presented.
Lastly we looked at what order the titles appeared on the
opening.

3. The Conjuring; micro analysis
In this opening there were a lot of close ups of words and images. This
is because in the editing it was very slow movement of turning a
newspaper page of characters, storylines and locations. It was all black
and white and had a very old and dated sense.
For mise-en-scene there were a lot of news pictures and parts of
articles on the side.
The music was very slow paced and very low tune. This was used to
help build up tension as it gets to the beginning of the actual movie.
Movie 1

4. The Conjuring; macro analysis
The key plot that we could connote from this opening was that it was
based on historical events because it had news papers that seemed old
and the pictures were all faded.
We were shown some characters at the start, two families, and then
there were linking historical figures, but the storyline wasn’t really
introduced.
The characters we are introduced to are 2 main families.
The social groups shown were different ages but not much about them.
Additionally we noticed the races were all the same.
Movie 1

5. The Conjuring; titles order
1. Characters (family names)
2. Directed by
3. Written by
4. Produced by
5. Executive producers
6. Director of photography
7. Production designer
8. Edited by
9. Star
10. Star
11. Star
12. Star
13. Stars
14. Stars
15. Casting by
16. Costume designers
17. Music by
18. ‘new line cinema’
19. Production
20. ‘A James Wan film’
21. Movie title
The titles were integrated
into the images and was in a
discrete category. They were
merged into the newspaper
theme.
They were in simple black
and white and in a small
sized font.
Movie 1

6. The Shining; micro analysis
Movie 2
The whole opening was a series of wide shots tracking a car driving
along a mountainous scene. They were all very high angles.
The editing consisted of a lot of cuts to different angle directions of the
lake and mountain.
We saw lots of greenery, scenic landscapes with little car driving along
a narrow road. We also saw a river running along with it.
The sound was once again low but instrumental.

7. The Shining; macro analysis
There isn’t much of a plot introduced in the opening sequence. We are
only shown that someone is driving to a location which we could then
connote is the main setting for the movie.
The storyline is also not very much introduced however we are shown
the location at the end.
We aren’t introduced to any characters or social groups.
Movie 2

8. The Shining; titles order
1. ‘A Stanley Kubrick film’
2. Star
3. Star
4. Movie title
5. Star
6. Star
7. Star
8. Star
9. Star
10. Star
11. Star
12. Executive producer
13. Based on the novel by
14. Produced in association with
15. Screenplay
16. Produced and directed by
Movie 2
It was a traditional type of
sequence
They were a big, clear, simple
font. The colour was sky blue.
The placement was straight
down the middle. They were
positioned like end credits,
running from the bottom to
the top.

9. Nightmare on Elm Street; micro analysis
There was a big variety of shots and angles used. There were close ups
of the girl being scared and also long shots of the setting they were in.
It was quite fast paced with quick transitions. There were also a large
usage of match cuts throughout the opening.
There was also a lot of sounds because they were in a noisy
surrounding so they used diegetic sounds of gas and running and
breath. But also non-diegetic sounds of a scream, drips and music,
which was low and slow.
We saw a warehouse with lots of pipes and paths, a woman in a
nightgown, weapons of blades and knives and also very dark lighting.
Movie 3

10. Nightmare on Elm Street; macro analysis
The key plot that was introduced is that there are literal nightmares
because we see the victim wake up breathless in bed after having the
nightmare.
The storyline is introduced with us initially seeing a weapon being
sharpened and placed into a glove. We then meet a character, the
victim, running into a warehouse. We are also partially introduced to
the villain by his voice and his hands using the weapons.
There is a social group shown of women and they are presented quite
negatively, in the stereotype that everyone sees them as. Frail, scared
and cant fight back.
Movie 3

11. Nightmare on Elm Street; titles order
1. ‘From new line cinema’
2. Production
3. ‘A Robert Shaye production’
4. ‘A Wes Craven film’
5. Movie title
6. Staring
7. Star
8. Star
9. Star
10. Star
11. Star
12. Star
13. Star
14. Casting by
15. Director of photography
16. Production designer
17. Mechanical special effects designer
18. Associate producer
19. Film editor
20. Music by
21. Co-producer
22. Executive producers
23. Produced by
24. Written and directed by
Movie 3
It is a narrative style of title
sequence however the words
were place on a blank screen
below the moving images for
the star. Afterwards it was
merged into the images.
White text on black
background. The font was
simple and small.

12. Analysis of all three
In all three of these movies there are some similarities and some
differences. For example in the conjuring and nightmare on elm street,
they had close ups, however in the shining they were all wide shots. As
well as this they both had dark lighting and fast match cuts, where as
the shining, once again, had the opposite.
However on the other hand, we were introduced to the scene and
characters on all apart from the conjuring.
But in total they all had very low, slow, instrumental music in the
background of the start.
I would say most horror films would start with a dark setting, fast shots
and low music. (the shining is an exception and they probably did it
differently because it could catch the audiences off guard as they
wouldn’t expect anything negative from the start.

13. Analysis of all three
As well as all that was said in the last slide, The order titles also had
some similarities and differences.
For example in the shining and nightmare on elm street, the had the
movie title near the start of the titles and then went on to give the rest.
Where as the conjuring had it at the end.
As well as this, I noticed that in all three movies, they showed the stars
in the movie before other titles.
Lastly I noticed the titles were in very simple, clear fonts that were easy
to read with the contrasting colours chosen. They were all used with
moving images but some were integrated and some weren’t.
In conclusion I think many horror movies would show the title at the
beginning of the titles and would use clear, simple, contrasting fonts as
they don’t need to make it anything special because sometimes, simple
things can be used to scare others as being ‘too simple’.