This document evaluates how the media producer's thriller/horror production uses, develops, or challenges existing conventions in the genre. It provides examples of typical conventions for titles, camera movements/shots, mise-en-scene, editing techniques, and compares them to conventions used in the producer's project "The Steps." Overall, the production makes use of several conventions such as remote woodland setting and point-of-view shots but also challenges conventions through innovative camerawork and editing rhythms.

1. EVALUATION – QUESTION ONE
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My Typical Thriller/Horror My Production – Comparison to
Product Conventions use, develop or Existing Products
challenge?
Titling – Horror titles tend to be in block Use – titles have not
colour, font capital letters, in a minimalist yet been completed.
and style design, which makes a stark
contrast to the red it’s usually in
– signifying the blood that’s to
come in the slasher film. Old
style titles are often in gothic
fonts, with thick scarlet letters
that drip on the screen and
resemble severed limbs.
However more contemporary
titles, although they mostly stick
to the red and black theme, are
used more creatively e.g. many
blur out the title of the film or
have it shaking, like blinking
through blood and having your
vision fade (see Researched
Film Openings: Scream).
Camera Tracking shots are popular for Use
Movement- use when victims, particularly in
pan, track, groups, are running from
crab, crane danger.

2. Framing a Extreme long shots are used,
shot especially when a victim is
ECU, CU, running from the killer, to
MS, LS, emphasise their isolation and
ELS helplessness (see Nancy, A
Nightmare On Elm Street).
Extreme close up shots, which
aren’t normally used in other
genre films, are used in slashers
to get detailed visuals on the
gore and actors’ terrified facial
expressions to make the
audience even more
uncomfortable (Psycho, the
ECU of Marion Crane’s dead
eye while she lies on the floor
after being stabbed in the
shower).
Camera The perpetrator of the killings is
Angle usually shown from a low angle
High, Low to emphasise their power and
superiority over others, whereas
victims are seen from a high
angle – making them look small,
weak, vulnerable.
Mise-en- The set is or appears to be in a We used this in The
Scene remote location, to show that Steps as the girls on
the victim/s will not be able to a camping trip are far
receive outside help and are out in the woods,
alone in fending off the killer. away from any adult
help. The use of the
Sometimes the identity of the second camera in the
killer is not revealed shaky handheld view
straightaway, concealed identity with all the foliage
a common theme – Freddy’s gave a very
glove and crazed laugh is the voyeuristic feel, and
first we see of him but not his as it is a POV shot
face in A Nightmare On Elm we cannot see who

3. Street. Ghostface in Scream the killer is but only
wears a mask and we do not see what he sees –
find out who he is until the end which makes us feel
of the film. what he feels, quite
disturbed.
Editing – When a kill or something else Used – after Kelly’s
jump cuts, bad is about to happen, the scream when the girls
match cuts, cutting rhythm becomes faster run into the clearing
reverse with erratic jump cuts – then to find her, instead of
shots, slow downs dramatically when it immediately focusing
cutting is revealed to be a fake scare. on the action we
rhythmn make a motivated cut
A motivated cut is often used, and switch
where the scene is cut just perspectives to the
before you see what is about to POV of the killer.
happen and focuses on the
actor’s reaction, heightening
anticipation and the build up of
tension for when the audience is
finally allowed to see what has
them so scared.
Sound
Narrative
Theory