Our research into conventions of typical horror and slasher films for ideas for our OTS.

1. Conventions
Joey Carabini, Charlie Smith, Tom
Glasgow

2. Conventions of horror genre
• Setting:
• The setting for most horror films is an isolated or abandoned place which reinforces the characters’
vulnerability.
• It is common for the place to have an infamous history of dark and dangerous events.
• Technical codes:
• The camerawork is usually not natural, with lots of jump cuts and shaky, handheld camerawork.
• P.O.V shots are also common and effective in horror movies, particularly high angle P.O.V shots to
show the victim’s vulnerability and low angle P.O.V shots to show the attacker’s superiority.
• Sound is an effective way of increasing tension. Diegetic sound such as footsteps and non-diegetic
sound such as eerie music can both create an unsettling atmosphere.
• Editing can be used to unsettle the audience by dragging out scenes of suspense and increasing the
tempo during action scenes.

3. Conventions of horror genre
• Cinemagraphy:
• Lighting is usually unnatural. Low-key lighting is often used to create shadows and
suggest and eerie atmosphere.
• Masks and weapons are the most common types of mise-en-scene as they can be
used as a form of identity for the attacker. Once the attacker is associated with a
particular mask or weapon, it becomes distinctive and definitive.
• Narrative structure:
• Todorov’s theory:
• Equilibrium, disequilibrium, recognition, repair, new equilibrium.
• Most horror films will follow this structure.

4. Conventions of horror genre
• Characters:
• The protagonist is usually a strong male character who
attacks as the hero.
• There is usually a female character who is portrayed as
weak and vulnerable.
• Teenagers are often stupid and this leads to them being
killed.

5. Conventions of slasher sub-genre
• The ‘final girl’ is a common character in slasher films. This character is typically an
innocent, shy girl who gradually builds confidence until she is the final survivor.
However, this can also be a male character.
• Most slasher films don’t reveal the killer until at least halfway through and many
don’t reveal the killer until the end. This adds suspense and tension through a
narrative enigma as well as increasing the ‘fear of the unknown’.
• The location is similar to general horror films, although slasher films are almost
always based in a remote location to ensure that characters are isolated. This
creates a sense of inevitability.
• The lighting is an important factor. Low-key lighting is used to create a dark
atmosphere but also to create shadows, a convenient way of disguising the killer.

6. What we will do
• In our OTS it is important that we make the sub-genre
clear to the audience. The best way to do this is to
support typical conventions of slasher movies.
• Our OTS will be set in a forest which isolates the
characters.
• We also feature multiple P.O.V shots from the killer’s
view but do not reveal the killer.
• The two characters in our OTS are teenage boys, the
most common victims in horror films.
• Our OTS also includes a lone survivor who is frightened
and vulnerable.