Horror films employ several cinematography, sound, and editing techniques to increase tension and frighten audiences. Close-ups are used to heighten emotions and create discomfort by showing graphic details. Non-diegetic sounds like loud music build tension, while screams and effects scare viewers. Fast editing, like quick montages or cross-cutting between scenes, stresses audiences and tricks them. Common settings isolate characters in frightening locations. Costumes become torn throughout to indicate danger, while villains have dark, masked appearances to blend into scenes.

1. HORROR GENRE
CONVENTIONS
Beth Nicola

2. CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cinematography can be used to communicate essential information and
meaning to the audience. It also can help to create tension for example
with close ups they can increase fear within the audience. An example of
the is the shower scene in Psycho (1960). This certain shot has been used
to make the audience feel closer to the characters so that the emotions are
heightened and the audience feel increasing fear. Other time a close up
shot can be used to make the audience experience intense discomfort for
example when an injury occurs like in Zombie (1979) the eye splinter scene
remains in a close-up in order to create tension in the audience and
discomfort as the audience are forced to see the full detail of Paola’s eye
being pierced by a large splintered piece of wood. Since the audience can
see it up close it will disturbing and they are then effected more
emotionally. Eye line match shots are often used to express the urgency of
a situation, for example when a characters being attacked they may look
at weapon which is across the room.

3. SOUND
Sound plays an important role in horror films as music builds tension and then the
sound effects are what scares the audience. Fast and loud non diegetic sound can add
to making the audience jump and feel scared, background music may be classical not
always which usually starts off slow and calm but builds up along with what the
character is doing making the scene very tense for example in the shower scene in
“psycho” or anytime the shark is around in “Jaws” . Conventional sound effects would
be things such as door creaking, thunder or the wind whistling, high pitched girl
screaming, chainsaw, Tv static.

4. MISE EN SCENE
The costumes, hair and makeup usually depending on where the film is
set. For example the clothes worn in 16th century France would be
extremely different to the clothes worn now. However the character will
most likely get damaged at some point they will have torn/ripped dirty
clothes , blood stains, wounds and messy hair. Then for the costume, hair
and makeup of a monster or villain their clothes are dark colours that
blend in to the scenery may have a mask . They may have either no hair or
hair, their faces are usually disgustingly deformed or with lots of scaring,
yellow teeth for example Freddy Krueger. For facial expression and body
language there will be a lot of the character screaming and having a
scared look on their face . If there are children in the film they will be
crying unless they are a part of the “villain” then they will be laughing
which is out of place so it is creepy. If the monster in the film is a
sociopathic killer they will be disturbingly happy while killing or torturing
people. At the beginning of the film the other characters are most like
going to be relaxed because there is no threat but by the time there's
danger they will be on edge. The lighting will usually not be very bright so
its eerie, also the lights are at a low angle and is creates shadows, the
colour of the lighting may be red or blue. Typical settings are isolated
areas that are already unsettling to the audience for example, a forest,
haunted mansion, abandoned building or a part of town this is because
many people will feel unsafe alone and there is no one around to help.

5. EDITING
In horror films usually when makers of the film want
the audience to feel a sense of urgency in the scene they
will edit fast moving clips together in a montage that go
at a quick pace. This is very stressful to watch for the
audience as they can feel how critical the situation is
just as much as the character can. Another editing
technique often used in horror films is parallel editing or
cross cutting, theses are scenes that are happening
simultaneously but in different locations and it keeps
going back and fourth from the scenes, this technique
can be used to trick the audience and create lots of
tension for example in “the Silence of the Lambs”

6. CHARACTERS
• There are many types of different typical characters in horror film. Firstly the way the
male and female sex are represented in characters are very different. For example the female,
there is almost no horror film that is without a victim who is a girl. This is because for a long
time in mainstream media they are only portrayed as being weak, vulnerable and in need of
protection, so the idea has continued from earlier horror films that were made in a more sexist
era. They will stereotypically be young, attractive and blonde to appeal to a wider male
audience. This character may be portrayed as annoying and unintelligent. Usually not the first
to be killed may even be left to last when they do die it will be very graphic and gruesome. This
character can help build tension and they annoy the audience.
• Secondly men are portrayed as masculine, there are the “heroes” who are brave and the
leader of the group may end up sacrificing themselves trying to stop the villain. Then there
also characters that could be female but are usually male, they are at ease and try to convince
other characters that nothing is happening and they are overreacting, since they are
overconfident and cocky they are most likely to be the first to be killed which then leads to
more people being killed this can put a sense of panic into the audience as the sense of security
is now gone.
• Then there are villains which can take many forms this depends on what subgenre the film
belongs to for example in a supernatural of it may be a demon, a slasher film it may be a
human serial killer and so on. The audiences fears can be used to make the villain more scary
for example Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street, played on the fear of nightmare
and not being able to escape. Films such as “scary movie” are poking fun at these character
stereotypes.