2. Within the horror genre there are six key conventions/expectations. All of these six key elements make up the
typical horror film. One of the main conventions is the setting; this sets the scene for the majority or the film.
The setting is incredibly important for a horror film and is likely to be set within a village, rural or small
community, the idea of these settings is so it will create an isolated feeling throughout the society. Many horror
films will be set during the night, where the darkness creates an important setting for a murder or taunt. One
main key feature within the setting is the location the protagonist is living at; where most action during the
movie will happen. Most movies will base their films around a haunted house, a manor where someone died or
a home which has been left and vandalised for years, this allows for the idea of ghosts, evil spirits and secrets
to be held within the home.
Technical codes are an important convention used in the horror genre. Many films such as Halloween will have an opening
scene using a POV shot, mostly in horror films shown using handheld cameras to create a shaky, anxious and questioning
effect as we are unable to identify the person behind the camera. Technical codes throughout the horror genre also include
sounds within the film; footsteps and heavy breathing are often used to create a tense atmosphere. Diegetic and Non –
Diegetic sounds will create different emotions for the audience, if non diegetic sounds are used where we are able to hear
something such as a heartbeat in the scene we may feel the nerves the victim is experiencing.
3. The last key convention in the horror genre is themes, which is
important as it will base the film, giving it a purpose. Many themes in
the horror genre are binary oppositions, hidden evil, haunted houses
and the past.
Another key convention is narrative structure where classic and realistic Hollywood narratives
are used in most horror films, this form of narrative was a theory from Todorov’s. During a
horror film there will be a main protagonist, in horror films this may be the victim, where in
most cases will end being the her; being the only one left alive. The narratve structure for a
slasher film will often involve an evil child killing when at a young age creating a tramatic
event, later returning to kill again. Theorist Levi’s strauss looked at the narrative in terms of
binary oppositions, for example In a horror films there may be good vs evil.
Character types are also key expectations and conventions in the horror
genre, different characters holding different roles during the film. The
main protagonist will mostly be the victim or the hero; often played by
an innocent, educated girl. A serial killer or hunter in a horror film will
be apparent in every horry film as this will be the main threat
throughout the film. Children and friends are also characters that will
appear in nearly every horror film as this will involve more deaths.
