This document discusses conventions commonly used in horror films. It describes how setting, narrative structure, character types, and themes are typically conveyed to create suspense and horror. Settings mentioned include dark ghost towns, alleys, and asylums. Narrative structures usually involve protagonists facing invulnerable antagonists, with side characters dying and sudden attacks. Themes explored include zombie apocalypses, murder, investigations, madness in asylums, and unleashed monsters. Techniques like camerawork, lighting, sounds, and props are used to imply effects on viewers.

1. Conventions used in
horror films
By Meagan, Jovinnie, Keira and Debo

2. Convention
• Convention is the generally accepted way of
conveying something and in media they’re
mainly gender specific.
• For example as we are tasked to create a film
containing horror genre we will show the ways
which horror is typically conveyed to the
audiences.

3. Setting
• Setting in horror is known to a horror film and
media and helps sets the seen to create
suspense for the audience.
Examples of this could be:
• An eerily dark ghost town
• Narrow Alleyways
• Asylums
• Graveyard

4. Narrative Structure
• Narrative structure in horror does not usually allow much room for
deviation because of how they present the protagonists and
antagonists however recently there has been a few films which
break off from the classic horror structure and try a different
approach.
In classic horror narratives there is are
• Protagonists (who is there to keep the suspense going) and
antagonists ( who usually invulnerable and all powerful)
• Side characters who inevitably die- careless teenagers(scream
series), delusional scientist
• Sudden attacks from behind• Helpless victims
• An animal or insect that causes suspense
• Narrative structure is one great way in which producers allow room
for audience to question if there will be a sequel

5. Character types
• Patrick Bateman is the anti-hero character I
chose because of the widely acclaimed
movie American Psycho
Pure psychotic
expression
Blood spatters
heighten tension
juxtapose opposed
scene and facial
expression
Deadly violent
weapon

6. Example: Todorov’s perspective to
narrative
• Tzetan Todorov, an influential structural
linguist came up with a theory that is used in
every story-telling media.
He suggested that
• Stories start with a state of equilibrium where
opposing forces are threatening to disrupt this
balance. Inevitably the balance is ruined
creating a sequence of events that lead to the
balance being restored.

7. Iconography
• Iconography is the way in which directors and
writers uses different techniques to imply an
type of effect on the viewers.
• Camera: POV shots, Sudden camera changes, High/ Low
angled shots
• Lighting: Darkened rooms, Undistinguishable movements,
• Sounds and effect: A disturbing inhumane sound, heavy
breathing, silence
• Props: Bloodied knife, Rotting corpses, Cult symbols,

8. Movie choice- Cloverfield (favourite)
Cloverfield- which is one of my favourite
films because of its use of camerawork
(POV) the creators to provide a
completely different perspective and
creates a different sense of horror and
tension.

9. Typical themes and their themes
Common themes that have been used in prestigious
horror films.
• Zombie Apocalyptic theme- Survival, beyond
death
• Murder helpless themes- Haunted
House, Supernatural, Childhood issues
• Detective investigation- Good VS Evil
• Overrun Mental Asylum- Madness, Insanity,
• Unleashed supernatural/alien monster- Science
gone bad, Curiosity gone wrong