2. DEFINITION OF GENRE
Descending from the French word “sort”. Genre is the style or category of any artistic, musical
or literary composition; for example Horror, Comedy, Rock and Pop. Genres are formed from
conventions that change and evolve over time, creating newer more modern genre that fits
around the era.
3. MY CHOSEN GENRE - HORROR
I have decided to choose horror as my chosen genre. Horror genre is used to create elicit, negative emotions to the
watching viewer
Key aspects of HORROR: In most horror films to compose fear and a scary atmosphere directors use sound and
lighting to contrast the atmosphere and wide shots, low and high angle shots and finally panning shots to highlight the
setting, contrasting minor yet significant details such as blood and silhouettes. For example take the scene from 1980
horror “the birds” (Alfred Hitchcock) in which the use of sound and cinematography is used
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwLiH8bWFdM
4. STOCK CHARACTERS
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In any film there has to be people you can relate to and view realistically for example the
Emotional Goth who usually are the smart, intellectual ones, the Jock who everyone
hates, but in Horror films tend to be the leader of the group. The crazed, sadistic
antagonists who wishes to violently murder all for example the murderer Ghostface from
1996 Horror film Scream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM39LABHEDc
5. PLOTS/SITUATIONS
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In all films the plots and situations have to perfectly fit the genre criteria, for example in
most common „Slasher‟ horror films the plot is more focused around uncovering the
murderer and beating the antagonist. In common Horror films the situations have an
strange tense atmosphere and usually consist of the murderer breaking and entering the
victim‟s home in which said victim is either cowering in cover or completely unknowing of
what is going on curiously creeping around the lost comfort of her home. Take for example
6. LOCATION
Location is one possibly one of the most vital convention used in Horror ranging from Cabins
in the woods to creepy indoors of a derelict house. The Location tends to differ but still
resembles the same isolated, uncomfortable scenery we all love or hate. For example Texas
Chainsaw Massacre the location of a isolated, enigmatic old house causes the audiences to
jump out of the comfort zone for example the cabin in the woods from Evil Dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtsK7skqk9U
7. PROPS AND SIGNIFIERS
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In Horror films they mainly tend to focus around background and props for example blood,
knives and silhouettes. Horror films pay attention to detail to contrast the enigmatic
mystery or even foreshadowment.
8. MUSIC AND SOUND
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Horror films sounds typically stay quite until vital chase scene or creeping, hunting
scenes. Horror films try to heighten the diegtic noises such as footsteps and the draw of
knives to shock the viewers. The use of non-diegetic noises such as sharp discordant
strings, the use of high-pitched pianos create the atmosphere of most common horrors.
9. GENERIC CONVENTIONS
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The generic conventions we expect to see in most Horror films is predictable teenage
characters, mysterious plot situations, abandoned and isolated locations, the excessive
use of blood and finally painfully irritating, tense sound and music. All of these codes and
conventions are used to signify the audience that they are watching a Horror.
