Psychological horror uses techniques like sound effects instead of visuals to frighten audiences and leave parts of the narrative to their imagination. It focuses on real-life fears that could actually happen to viewers. Producers add "based on true events" to build anticipation. Characters appear normal but have hidden darker aspects like a past illness or time in a mental hospital. Weapons are not typically used since psychological horror relies on the unknown. It aims to tap into real human fears and phobias. Common settings include houses, forests, schools, and hospitals to help audiences relate to the characters. Soundtracks often use unsettling music to create confusion. Films sometimes subvert expectations by using children as killers.

1. Genre Research
Psychological Horror

2. The psychological horror genre is one that uses the technique of not
showing the audience something in order to insight fear in the viewers,
for example only using the sound effect of creaking floorboards to
connote that the character is being followed instead of physically having
a shot of somebody creeping around the house. The main point of a
psychological horror is for the narrative to partially be left to the
audiences own imagination. .
This sub-genre of horror is typically thought to be scarier than others
mainly because it focuses on real life events and things that could
happen to any audience member which causes the viewer to be more
fearful. Producers extend on this by adding a “Based on true events” to
build anticipation right from the beginning of the narrative.

3. Characters in psychological horrors typically used appear normal with
everyday lives, however have a hidden darker aspect such as a
backstory or illness. For example, the main character may have
previously been a patient at a mental hospital but has since been
released, changed their name and started a new life.
Weapons are not a common convention in psychological horrors as
they tend to be too obvious. Psychological horror is all about the
unknown and leading the audience to come to their own conclusions,
not a slasher full of weapons and gore. Psychological horrors favour
using real life fears and phobias to really get in tune with their
audience and discover what it really is that makes them afraid.

4. Common settings for the subgenre are usually big houses,
woods/forests, schools, and hospitals. By using an everyday
setting it helps the audience to relate and therefore become
more fearful as the audience can picture themselves in the
characters shoes.
The sound for a psychological horror is typically contrapuntal,
like music boxes, children's voices, gentle songs, ect, as it
causes unease and confusion as the audience does not know
how to respond. Another convention that is used by film
companies to create shock or confusion the use of children as
the killers/antagonists as it subverts their stereotype of them
being the innocent characters, the victims. A great example of
this is ‘Orphan’. This narrative follows a young girl who is
adopted by a family in America after her whole family dies in a
house fire. She initially appears as a sweet and artistic girl
who requires special attention, particularly from her adopted
father. The narrative then begins to spiral and we discover