Conventions of horror/comedy films

1. Genre Conventions
Horror/Comedy
By Luke Sams

2. Horror Location
Small Communities or Isolated places, Urban areas, Dark Streets or
Narrow alleys, large empty cities or run down ghost towns. Anywhere that
portrays being alone or isolation.
Typically Large abandoned ‘Haunted’ building like mansions or
churches/cathedrals or isolated places like lakes, highways, basements,
dark woods, underground tunnels petrol stations in the middle of no-where.
Good examples of this are films like Warm Bodies set in an mostly in an
abandoned airport and streets roaming with zombies

3. Horror Camerawork
Camera is intentionally not natural . High and low angles used to connote
fear.
Point of view shots are used to show the world from the evil things
perspective, or to make it seem like it is from someone else's perspective
rather than a third party view making the viewer feel more involved
Handheld camera shots to add to the feel and make it not seem as natural
Extreme close-ups and close-ups used to emphasis people feelings,
reactions and particular events
A good example of these things is resident evil which quite often uses the
different characters perspective and uses handheld cameras a lot

4. Horror Lighting
Typically expressive and non-naturalistic, low key lighting to create dark
shadows and unfamiliar shapes in the blackness, often uses motivated
lighting like bonfires, torches and fireplaces
Dark colours like reds and blacks which links to danger, blood, anger, evil

5. Horror Props and Costumes
Common props in horror films are masks used to conceal peoples identities,
weapons ranging from axes and knifes to firearms and religious icons like
crucifixes and holy books