2. Genre: Killer
Sub-genre: Slasher
• A slasher is a horror film that usually depicts a series of violent
murders or assaults by a masked killer usually wielding a knife.
3. Examples of Slasher films are:
• Friday the 13th (1980)
• Scream (1996)
• Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
We know this because all of these films contain a crazed psycho who
murders many people, which is the main idea of a slasher film.
4. Conventions of a Slasher: Plot/Narrative
Conventions of a slasher plot usually consist of a
psychotic, knife wielding murderer butchering a
group of vulnerable (young) adults one by one. We
expect a lot of things to be unknown right until the
end of the film when all is revealed.
The narrative is generally the murderer picking off
one person at a time until the last character (usually
female) kills the murderer.
5. Conventions of a Slasher: Character Types
The killer normally has mental problems, and seeks
pleasure in the form of killing people. The weapon of
choice is mostly knives or sharp blades.
The victims are oftem a group of vulnerable and
mischievous young adults who are usually targeted for a
reason from the past.
In most slasher films, the final victim (usually female)
kills the murderer and lives to tell the tale.
6. Conventions of a Slasher: Setting/Location
The two main types of settings in Slasher films are:
• A camp in the woods which is a very isolated location.
This increases the suspense of the film as the people are
isolated and unlikely to be saved.
• A fairly populated town location linked to a school. This
adds some sense of realism, as many people can relate
to them.
7. Conventions of a Slasher: Camera Angles
The camera shots/angles in the main scenes of slasher films are
focused on the main character or victim at the time with the killer in
the background. This shot is used often and gives the viewer an idea of
what will happen next. This will be achieved from the usage of wide
shots to show the entire scene, as well as reveal things that cannot be
seen by the victim.
8. Conventions of a Slasher: Music & Sounds
Our sub-genre is famously known
for using extremely high pitched,
energetic sounds to represent the
frantic nature of the scenes. A
technique that is used is when the
music is in sync with the changing
camera angles to show the speed of
the scenes and how intense they
are.
