For A-Level Media Studies

1. Conventions of a Horror movie

2. Setting
By looking through some Horror movie trailers such as Saw and The Purge, the
settings within the trailers are very dark and the lighting is low key. This creates a
scary and spooky mood for the viewer. Most horror locations are shot in abandoned
‘urban’ environments and this again adds to the spooky atmosphere of the movie.
Sometimes, the setting has some dark history behind it, such as a curse on a
house, someone/something died on the property etc. which would add tension
to the movie because the viewer would know this and anticipate something bad
is going to happen.
Some good locations I could use for my Horror trailer are; a lake, an old house,
the woods/forest, urban locations such as underground tunnels. I would shoot
most of my trailer at night time or in dark locations, because I want to try and
create a tense and spooky atmosphere towards the trailer, so that it’ll be more
interesting to the audience and more people would want to watch it.

4. Camera Work
Camera angles are more expressive and planned, they aren’t natural. They
use high and low angles to show dominancy of characters but also express
fear from the character which creates more tension for the viewer.
A lot of point of view shots are used as well. This makes the viewer a part
of the movie and it means that the viewer wont know what’s in store for
them next, so it’s a perfect opportunity for jump scares. For example,
point of view shot of the character going round a corner and someone
being behind the corner.
Handheld shots are used too, especially if a character running. For
example a hand held, POV shot of someone running from something. This
may be difficult for the viewer to see what’s happening, but again it’s a
good technique to make the viewer feel they’re a part of what’s happening
and it gives you that sense of what it would look like in that particular
situation and how you would feel in that situation, so it gets the viewer
engrossed in what’s happening.
For my trailer, I will use some or all of these techniques, so that I create
the most drama and suspense I possibly can.

5. Halloween
(1978) opening
scene (POV)

6. Sound and iconography
Most horror movies use diegetic sound, like screams from the
character and non-diegetic sound such as gun shots and footsteps.
This helps build up the tension within the situation and again it would
make the viewer engrossed on what’s happening and help as well if
you’re wanting to add in a jump scare.
The usual ‘bad guys’ of the storyline tend to use props that have some
significance to them and they use it throughout the whole movie(s).
For example, Leatherface uses a chainsaw in the Texas Chainsaw
Massacre movies.
For my trailer, I will use these conventions, because it’ll make the
trailer a lot more interesting and again will keep the audience’s
attention throughout the trailer.

8. Themes
#1: The Serial Killfest
The villains that go round and serial kill. Movie villains such as Jason (Friday the
13th), Freddie (Nightmare on Elm Street) and Jigsaw (Saw)
#2: The Overwhelming Gore Explosion
The movies that overuse blood and guts to make the audience feel sick but they
still love it at the same time. The most famous movies to do this are the Saw
movies.
#3: Creatures from Beyond
This is the one that involves something we haven’t seen or encountered in normal
life. Movies such as Dracula and Frankenstein.
#4: The Unknown, Unfolding Terror or the ‘Plot Twist’
This is quite common in horror movies. You think you have the story figured out then
something happens and completely changes the whole story. An example of this is
The Sixth Sense.
#5: The Mass Incarnate Infestation
The zombie movies. The protagonist is surrounded on all sides with no
one, and no where, to turn. An example of this is 28 Days Later.
#6 The Fake Documentary
The movies that use the ‘Based on a true story’ or ‘Based on true events’ when
really, they aren’t, but makes the audience terrified before the movie has even
begun.
Source: http://www.squidoo.com/themes-of-terror

9. Mainly, Horror movies make or base their movies around fear. They’ll
use something that people are generally scared of.
From researching all these conventions, I have a better and clearer idea
of what I’m wanting my Horror trailer to be; The Serial Killfest themed
Horror, that uses a prop that will be instantly recognizable. My settings
will be in low key, night time and the locations will be in the
woods/forests and in a house.