Our opening horror film sequence challenges some conventions but maintains others. While set in a graveyard during daylight, which is unconventional, it includes ominous music and shows the killer advancing on the protagonist. Black and white footage is also used, linking to classic films. The sequence is inspired by films like Night of the Living Dead and uses common camera angles from the killer's perspective. Our killer challenges conventions by not being limited to nighttime and wearing normal clothes, though this makes the threat seem more realistic. A female protagonist is included to intensify her vulnerability, conforming to a common horror convention used successfully in Scream.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? The opening sequence to our film challenges a lot of the key conventions of a typical horror film. However, we felt it important to maintain some of the conventions for it to still be identifiable as a horror film as well as allowing it to fit the subgenre of a psychological, teen slasher, thriller. Despite filming the sequence in a graveyard, which is a very conventional setting of a horror film, we filmed during the day so it was very bright. Lighting is important in horror films to create atmosphere and although daylight isn’t conventional, we think it will portray the idea that ‘you are never safe’.

2. Our sequence conforms to some of the classic horror/slasher conventions such as ominous soundtrack, graveyard location and killer. After the killer appears and advances towards he female protagonist, the scene turns to black and white.Although black and white sequences aren’t common in the modern horror genre, they do link to the classic style. Our use of conventions shows we have been influenced by Night of the Living Dead. This is evident from our choice of location and the music used. We have also been inspired by other films such as; The Exorcist, Frankenstein and Urban Legends.

3. The use of camera angles in our sequence also conforms to the horror genre. Angles from the killers perspective are very common and create an intense atmosphere as it hints to the viewer that an attack is imminent. We also show that although the killer is near, the characters never see him until he reveals himself and attacks. This is very conventional as it begins to create the illusion that the killer is invincible. It also aids character building as only one of the characters notices that the killer is lurking behind a gravestone. This shows that he is observant and will therefore aid story progression later in the film.

4. In many ways our killer challenges the usual conventions in a horror film.The idea that he is not limited to killing at night adds to the scary atmosphere as it shows that characters are never safe. He is also dressed in normal clothes which suggests he is an ordinary person. Usually, a killer would be expected only to attack when victims were alone and in the dark and because he is in a cult he would be expected to wear some sort of long, black robe. The ways in which our killer challenges this, we feel makes the situation seem more realistic because it’s very unlikely characters wouldn’t notice a strange man in black robe. However, although his physical appearance is unconventional, the way in which he dressed to blend into his surroundings adds to his invulnerability as he could easily be mistaken for a normal person.

5. We included a female protagonist which is another very common convention in the horror/slasher genre. We feel that this makes the protagonist evidently more vulnerable and therefore intensifies her role as a victim. The film Scream also uses this convention to create a similar affect which is very successful.