1. Stock location/Background: The background lighting of the
Colours; poster is; dark low key
The background of the poster is identified as an lighting this is used to convey
Vignette colour in this
isolated, dark looking forest or woods. Light low a senses of suspense, tension
poster is portrayed this
key lighting is also used to portray the stimulating the audiences
takes the audience out of
background as a feeling of fear and suspicion mood level of; fear and
the context for example,
for the audiences. anticipation.
around the poster the
colours are dark around the
outside and is light in the Rule of Thirds:
middle of the centre.
The character is centred in the middle of the frame; this shows that
he is the main character portrayed as a vicious serial killer. This links
into Vladimir propp’s limited number of character types for example,
villain, and masked villain.
Typography:
Props/Iconography:
“Friday the 13th” is written in red,
linking and connoting to; danger, A weapon such as a knife/meat
blood and horror. The title of the cleaver/sword has been used
film creates an enigma, what is to portray the villain as a serial
going to happen on Friday the 13th? killer, and show audiences that
The tagline above is “From the murder will be committed and
producers of the Texas chainsaw this use of weapon builds up
massacre” which is ironic this has tension and an audience
also been deliberately used to theory. The weapon is also an
create suspense and demonstrate identification of the sub-genre
to audience’s that this is a “slasher ‘shasher. ’ The identified
film”, similar to the Texas chainsaw weapon in the poster is a
massacre; this quote has also been phallic symbol- objects or
used to inform the audiences of a things you can poke or dig into
similar film. The quote makes the something.
reader acknowledge the producers
success therefore leading them to Colours:
believe that the film is a success
and persuading them to want to The text is red a stereotypical
colour of a horror poster. The
watch and creating an enigma.
colour scheme of the
background and text are light
and dark associated with the
Themes: Colours: horror genre. This idea of
lighting links into Levi-Strauss
As audiences we can identify Colours such as; black and red have
binary opposite theory of; good
that the themes off this film are; been used to portray hell and to
vs. evil, and light vs. dark.
good vs evil, and nightmares. represent; fear, death and anxiety. These
This directly is obvious to types of colours are used and associated A camera shot such as a; mid
audiences as the villain is to a serial killer and villain. These 2 shot is used to portray the
portrayed as evil dangerous and colours are also linked to evil as black villain as a tough, and strong.
vicious because of his body and red are an evil colour which is a part Another type of camera shot
language such as; standing up of the horror convention, these 2 colours show that looks like has been
tough holding a weapon and an have been used to portray the villain as taken is a; worms-eye-view as
unknown identity wearing a an evil killer because red represents, audiences are looking up at
mask. This identification of the warning, fear and danger this is 1 of the the villain, which creates a
theme good vs. evil is a link and conventions of the horror sub-genre suspense of fear and the main
a part of into Levi-Strauss ‘shasher.’ attention drawn towards the
binary opposite theory. villain, this also shows that the
villain has status and power.

2. Iconography: Dark low key
Iconography: lighting: has been used; this has
Themes:
Dark dull grey Colours have been used in been used to portray the poster
As audience’s we can as a horror film and immediately
the poster to reinforce the theme of
identify that the themes off stimulates the viewer’s mood as
possession of the young boy and theme of
this film are; childhood fear suspense and tension. Dark
darkness and demons. The colour of
issues because a young boy low key lighting is also used
darkness has been used to portray; evil,
is portrayed in the centre of because this is a key element of
warning and horror. This has been used to
the poster. Another theme a horror film.
make audience’s feel alarmed and aware
that is identified is good vs
as this is 1 of the codes and convention of
evil, this can be recognised
a part of a horror film. Props:
as the image of the boy
Iconography: looks possessed. The characters clothing such
as; his pyjamas symbolises
The red in the title connotes
childhood but, the dark
danger. The colour of the boys
shadows show an
pyjamas are also red this
identification of darkness and
connotes the signs of; danger,
a loss of innocence.
warning and evil as these 3
colours are associated with evil.
Typography:
This connotes that the young boy
has been taken over on in “Insidious” is written in a red
controlled by sinister. and white font this creates
enigma of audience’s becoming
Technical codes: suspicious of thinking what is
insidious? The two colours red
A camera shot such as a and white are a complete
medium shot is used to different opposite: for example
represent the young boy red is associated with blood,
identified as looking evil. For warning and danger whereas,
example, his eyes and facial white is associated with heaven
expressions makes him appear and innocence: these ideas of
to look evil and possessed the two colours links with
connoting that the innocence of Roland Barthes theory of;
a child has transformed or been good vs. evil, innocent vs. villain
influenced by dark forces such and sinister vs. child.
as evil.
Stock location/Background: Colour:
The house in the background appears to be isolated especially by the The background of the posters shows
dark shadows that appear over the house; the dark shadows represents a stereotypical stock location and
that something sinister is bearing over the house and the boy. backdrop in a horror film/poster: for
example, The cloudy thunderstorm in
the background symbolises the coming
Rule of Thirds: of something; dangerous, evil and
frightening this has been used to
The character a boy is centred in the middle of the frame;
represent the young boy being taken
this immediately shows audience’s that he is a victim and
over and influenced by evil forces
that a child is associated with horror and a villain in the
which is a key element that is used in
film. This idea of a child being possessed by a villain links
horror movies. The cloudy
to; Levi-Strauss binary opposite of good vs. evil, innocent
thunderstorm also creates a horror
vs. villain and child vs. evil. Children are also stock
backdrop to the poster.
characters in a horror film. The character portrayed in the
centre of the page links to Barthes’s narrative theory of
enigmas: for example, the boy portrays a mystery to draw
the audience in question and suspicion.

3. Props:
The background lighting of the
A weapon such as a knife has been used to portray the
poster is; dark low key lighting
villain as a serial killer, and show audiences that murder
this is used to convey a senses of
will be committed and this use of weapon builds up
suspense, tension stimulating the
tension and an audience theory. The weapon is also an
audience’s mood level of; fear and
identification of the sub-genre ‘shasher.’ The identified
anticipation. This has also been
weapon in the poster is a phallic symbol- objects or things
used as a part of a horror code and
you can poke or dig into something or someone such as;
convention of a horror sub-genre
digging the knife into a human to murder them which is a
slasher to convey a sense of fear
common thriller convention creating audience’s
as darkness is a part of a horror
awareness.
film.
Iconography:
Technical codes:
A camera shot such as a; The text written in orange
medium shot has been ‘Halloween ‘the colour orange
used in the poster; signifies fire as an
portraying the villain as a; identification of; horror,
tough, vicious and warning and danger. As a
dangerous masculine man. part of a code and convention
This shot shows enough for of a horror slasher sub-genre
the figure to be able to this has been used make the
communicate body poster appear and attract
language of the character. audience’s questioning their
For example, the mid shot minds of what will happen in
shows audience’s that the the films leading to a Nigma.
villain is holding a knife in
his hand and that murder is
going to be committed. This Colours:
has been used to convey a
sense of tension and Vignette colour in this
anxiety to audiences which poster is portrayed this
is a part of a thriller takes the audience out of
convention. the context for example,
around the poster the
colours are dark around the
Typography: outside and is light in the
middle of the centre-
“Halloween” is the biggest creating a horror suspense.
text written on the poster
in; bold orange writing,
linking to horror, pumpkin’s
Colours: Themes:
and shows action. This has
been used to indicate the As audiences we can identify that
Colours such as; black white and orange
genre of the film-horror. At the themes off this film are;
have been used to portray hell and to
the bottom of the poster a nightmares. This directly is
represent; fear, death and anxiety. These
billing black has been used obvious to audiences as the
types of colours are used and associated to
showing information of the villain is portrayed as evil
a serial killer and villain. These 3 colours are
film such as the; director dangerous and vicious because
also linked to evil as black and orange are
and producer etc. This is a of his body language such as;
an evil colour which is a part of the horror
common code that is used sitting down identified as sinister
convention, these 2 colours have been used
in a film poster. and dangerous holding a weapon
to portray the villain as an evil killer because
orange represents, warning, fire and danger and an unknown identity wearing
this is 1 of the conventions of the horror sub- a mask creating fear of an
genre ‘shasher.’ unknown murderer for
audience’s.