Conventions of the horror genre include technical codes like lighting and camera work that aim to frighten and cause dread in audiences. Common settings are isolated or abandoned places that connote fear, like farms, hotels, or forests. Iconography also helps identify the genre, using dark colors, weapons, and monsters. Narrative structures typically involve a protagonist on a mission to defeat a villain, like a serial killer, while following conventions like immoral teenagers being killed.

1. ns
Of Horror
Genre

2. Why are conventions
important?
Codes and conventions are used together in
any study of genre – it is not enough to discuss
a technical code used such as camera work,
without saying how it is conventionally used in a
genre.
For example, the technical code of lighting is
used in some way in all film genres. It is a
convention of the horror genre that side and
back lighting is used to create mystery and
suspense – an integral part of any horror movie.

3. Horror films are designed
to:
 Frighten & panic
 Cause dread &alarm
 Evoke our hidden worst fears
 Captivate & entertain us in a liberating
experience
 Often conclude in a terrifying shocking
finale

4. Depending on the audience
watching, horror can create
different types of fear
 Vulnerability
 Terror of the unknown
 Nightmares
 Alienation
 Revulsions

5. Settings:

6. Small communities or isolated
places.
 Urban environments
 Dark streets
 Narrow alleyways
Anything that connote isolation or being
alone. Often, sometimes places with ‘dark’
history, like abandoned houses, hotels and
insane asylums.

7. Locations for any good
horror genre film could be:
OAbandoned houses
OBarnes and farms
OCities
OCabins
OCreepy hotels
OGraveyards
OPirate ships
OBasements
OHunting places

8. Technical Codes:
O Camera work is very expensive and not natural; high and low an
angle connotes fear.
O POV shots are important because they allow the audience to see
the world from the monsters eyes.
O Sometimes framework uses depth of field, makes it harder to see
the monster creeping up.
The camera angles connote the fear in the movie by doing many
natural lighting shots. The director will use many close angles, low and
high angle shots and point of view shots. This makes you feel part of
the movie and the suspense is anxiously waiting. This is normally
used to keep the audience members engaged with the storyline. Hand
held shots are difficult for the audience to figure out what is going on. A
prime example of that would be of Paranormal Activity.

9. Iconography:
O Visual style: often dark colours like red & black
(links to evil, blood and danger etc.)
O Common objects include: weapons, masks, icons of
the supernatural/religious etc.
O The iconography of the monsters helps to connote
extreme fear, disgust, and terror: werewolves,
vampires, mummies, Frankenstein and many more.
O Low-key lighting can help to create dark shadows
and unfamiliar shapes in the blackness. Lighting
can be motivated in the world of film (e.g. bonfires,
fireplaces & torches)
O Props help us to further identify horror genre.
Specific props can be identified with a certain villain
or character (e.g. chainsaws, machetes, knifes,
firearms, costumes)

10. Narrative Structure
O Classic narrative structure largely made applicable to the horror
genre but it can either be left for closure or maybe perhaps
leave room for a sequel and thus enable a franchise (e.g. Friday
the 13th, Halloween & nightmare of Elm Street)
O There’s always a ‘hero’ or protagonist, a man or a ‘final girl’ of
the film, keeping with the normal conventions of the genre.
Usually the hero must embark on a mission or quest to kill or
solve problems in order to save themselves or others around
them
O Some narratives are very mechanical and this is practically
present in sub-genres, most noticeably ‘slasher’ films. After
some event that turns the killer insane or by some childhood
past or even psychotic medical issues, the villain returns to his
home-town and always preys on teenagers. These teenagers
represent ‘immoral’ and are quite stupid, usually they are the
ones who start the horror in the first place or maybe they just get
killed quickly and there is always/sometimes a survivor, most
likely a female character.

11. Character Types
O The main protagonist, often the ‘victim/hero’ of the movie.
O The villain, often a monster, mutated freak, alien or serial killer – tend to
have a trademark characteristic as to how they kill (e.g. weapons and
who they kill)
O The stupid/immoral teenagers that always get killed
O Creepy children
O Police officers (either good or bad)
O Many others: Ghosts, zombies, demons, psychopath, stalker, weirdo,
werewolf, cheerleader etc…
Some directors use the innocence of children to be the villain
of the movie. Using a small child who does scary and
supernatural activities makes the storyline more freaky and
disturbing for the viewers. Audience members are totally
surprised when the child who may look like the victim turns
out to be the villain. As we associate children with happiness,
playful and innocent the thought of a child doing adult like
behaviour becomes creepy. For example The Exorcist is a film
about a young girl who is possessed by the devil..

12. Themes
O Good vs Evil
O Depression
O Religion
O Childhood issues
O Revenge
O ·Supernatural
O Beyond death
O Science gone bad
O Madness
O Insanity
O Lust
O Envy
O Suicide
O ‘self-consciousness’ – making you question what is real and not.