The document discusses horror film conventions across different subgenres of horror films. It analyzes trailers and screenshots from films like The Cabin in the Woods, The Loved Ones, The Shining, Scream, Jaws, 28 Days Later, and Oculus. For each film, it identifies common conventions like isolated settings, mysterious events, threats that are difficult to escape, and supernatural presences invading personal spaces.

1. Assignment 9: Individual
research
By Zain Khan

2. Cabin in the woods
I watched the trailer for the cabin in the woods
Things that I noticed:
•The location is often abandoned
•Odd things begin to happen, such as the lights turning on and off..
•When attacked, the male is the more dominant character of the
group, while the others run away in fear.
•Often starts off with very vibrant colours, but it turns into darker
colours afterwards and there is less lighting to create a sense of fear
and danger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsIilFNNmkY

3. Screenshots
People invading
the house, are
often trying to
hide their
identity.
All of the bad
events happen
during the night,
to create tension.
Text is very
enigmatic, and
uses the black
background and
the white text to
stand out.
The hint of red I
the corner
suggests danger,
blood and death

4. The loved ones (gore and disturbing)
Conventions:
• - A group friends/family, celebrating something
• - One mysterious character who sneakily kills people.
• - Exaggerated weaponry(in this case a screwdriver) used to kill someone,
which reinforces the fact that the character is crazy, and makes the scene
disturbing.
• All of the main events happen during the night.
• Antagonist is crazy for something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb5BFm4qIow

5. Screenshots
There is low key lighting
used to highlight her face,
but darkness all around her,
so that she stands out.
Sticking with the disturbed
theme, it is ironic that she is
blowing on the whistle,
despite it being a dark
scene. This reinforces the
idea of the film being
disturbed.
The exaggerated weaponry
is a common convention in
this sub genre, as it is scene
as unconventional to use
something like a
screwdriver to kill someone.

6. The shining ( psychological)
Conventions
• The idea of less physical harm, but different psychological problems which
threaten the main characters.
• The antagonist is often something/someone very small and something you
wouldn’t expect to harm people, but they turn out to be very
dangerous(for example dolls).
• Often set in a location which is empty and isolated, therefore makes the
characters feel vulnerable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3ik6zP2I

7. Screenshots
The text is in red and
has a subtle black
background, which
connotes danger, but
also mystery.
Very empty and
isolated location.

8. Scream(killer)
Conventions:
• Often a family/friends being followed
• The killer slowly sends them messages, so that they can prepare.
• On the night of the killing, the killers catch them by surprise.
• Strange events begin to happen(doors mysteriously opening)

9. Screenshots
The red font is a common
theme among text for
horror films to connote
danger.
Mysterious events such
as doors closing and
lights flickering on and
off.

10. Jaws (monster)
Conventions:
• People spot the monster, but can’t do anything to stop it.
• There is always one victim who gets taken, since they cant escape.
• Monster has unusual behaviour because of something.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1fu_sA7XhE

11. Screenshots
Lots of people are
vulnerable to the shark
and run away instantly.
Most of the people are
children which are
stereotypically
People try studying it but
can’t learn much do to its
unnatural behaviour.

12. 28 Days later (zombies)
Conventions:
• Disaster causes the streets to be empty and people are hiding from
the epidemic.
• There is often one character roaming the streets by themselves in
search of things to help them
• He will then encounter problems and will be unable to deal with the
issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ynwAgQlDQ

13. Screenshots
The streets and roads are
all empty due to them
being overrun by zombies
and people taking
precautionary measures.
Humans have been experimented on
and become zombies. Following the
stereotype, that zombies are
uncontrollable and violent, in the
trailer anyone can be a zombie.

14. Oculus(Paranormal)
Conventions:
• Setting is the home of the protagonist
• The supernatural presence isn’t accepted by the family.
• The supernatural presence is something that they cannot escape
from, since it is in their house.
• The family are scared being the presence is invading their personal
space, and makes them feel uncomfortable inside their own home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYJrxezWLUk

15. Screenshots
The mirror makes the
family see what they don’t
want to see, which is
them as monsters.
Something like a mirror is
very unexpected to create
the paranormal presence,
therefore it makes it more
uncomfortable.
The mirror makes the children see
their parents harming each other
since they are possessed, so it
makes them even more
uncomfortable. You can clearly
see that she is possessed because
of her eyes being turned to all
white.