Mise-en-scene Generic Conventions in Horror Film Trailers

1. Mise-en-scene generic
conventions

2. Chosen Films
• Unfriended
• Carrie
• Gone Girl

3. Lighting
From my research I can see that horror
films usually start with bright lighting
to create a feeling of safety, which is a
normal domestic environment. This
creates an opportunity of vulnerability
as the film progresses. As it gets darker
the viewers have less of an idea of
what’s about to happen, and they too
feel exposed. In todays society, bright
colours represent positive things and
dark colours represent negative. This is
parallel to the fact that it gets darker
throughout the film to make the
audience more scared.

4. Props
Props can be used to outline relationships
between different characters. For
example, flowers may be used to
implement romance into the film showing
that the characters are in love etc. A knife
may be used to show hatred between two
characters. In the film unfriended we can
see a characters hand being stuck in a
blender by a paranormal creature. This is
an everyday item used in most homes,
which creates an environment that can be
relatable and makes the situation scarier.
In every house there are knifes which
again makes it relatable.

5. Costume
The victims usually wear very stereotypical
clothing to make their situation more
relatable to us. This makes the whole film
scarier and puts us in their position. As you
can see from the third print screen, all of
the characters are in comfy casual clothes,
showing that they are relaxed and at ease,
which is in controversy to what is about to
happen to them. Bad characters again
normally wear clothes are relatable to us
but the idea is used in a different way. For
example, as you can on the right the girl
from Carrie is wearing a dress covered in
blood. A dress is a smart item of clothing
and is normally kept in good condition. The
fact that she is covered in red liquid and the
dress is dirty changes the way we look at
the dress but keeps it relatable at the same
time.

6. Setting
• From my research I can see that horror
films are usually set in houses. This is
because it becomes relevant to us as we all
live in houses. This is where people feel
most comfortable, and where they are most
vulnerable in a horror situation. The houses
that are used in these films are all in
secluded areas, which adds to the
vulnerability. Most people that will be
watching the film will be at home which
makes the whole experience scarier. As the
film progresses, we gain more views of the
house in detail, which is parallel to the
storyline as the enemy is getting closer to
the house. Isolated homes are popular to
horror films due to the effects it can portray
in to the film.

7. Body language and
facial expression
Body language and facial expressions are
extremely important in enabling the viewer to
understand how the characters are feeling. For
example, if they are smiling and are relaxed,
they will be happy, whereas if they are crying
they are sad. As we can see from the first two
print screens, the characters are both
screaming with tears coming down their faces.
This shows that they are scared and feel weak.
However, the third print screen shows the
villain with an expressionless face; they have
no feelings towards the damage they are
doing. Her arms are open, showing that she is
confident with what she is doing.