This document summarizes what the author has learned from evaluating horror movie conventions. It discusses key conventions around lighting, characters, sound, costumes, and camera work. The author learned through analyzing movies, conducting audience surveys, online research, and watching horror films. Applying these conventions will help the author create an effective horror film, poster, and review that appeals to their target audience of 14-25 year olds. Key elements like lighting, color schemes, and representative characters and music will be used across all products to create cohesion.

1. Evaluation Questions
By Simran Kailey

2. What have I learnt so far?
• Typical Conventions: I was able to find out which movies used the same conventions, for example low key lighting is
essential in creating an uneasy atmosphere which should be felt by the audience.
• Specific audience: Particular movies are suited towards different audiences, therefore my group had to ensure the
movie we want to create is audience friendly towards the group we want to target.
• Genres & Sub-genres: Although movies are placed into specific genres such as psychological, during this era a number
of movies have ‘hybridised’ as claimed by (Jenkins). For example mixing psychological with thriller in order to maximise
audience appeal.
• Characters: Usually characters consist of a close knit family. When a woman is used, she is almost always portrayed as
the weaker sex who needs saving. I would like to either challenge these stereotypes or ensure the characters used in
my movie as representative allowing the audience to feel as if they can relate which would be done through the idea of
preferred reading as highlighted by (Hall).
• Sound: Many horror movies are perceived as scary due to the sound. This is because it increases the tenseness felt on
screen. The audience could watch a horror movie in silence and feel on suspense, they may be caught of guard with a
jump scare here and there, but without the non-diegetic sound creating an eerie atmosphere to act as a warning that
something's coming, everything on screen will lack meaning.
• Costume: Through most of the movies I’ve analysed, the antagonist almost always remains anonymous throughout
until near the end. This is effective as it keeps the audience on guessing who the antagonist is and makes them
question how they got like that in the first place.
• Editing: Aspect such as the eye line match create fear as the audience aren’t aware of what the character is looking at
in fear, so when the it finally cuts to see what the character is looking at, the audience are hesitant to look on screen
and are covering their face whilst slowly looking towards the screen, to find sometimes there’s nothing even there.
• Camera work: The use of medium close up helps to portray the body language AND facial expressions of characters
which is significant as it makes the audience feel some type of way. For example if a character is stuck in a dark room
isolated and trapped, seeing them curled up in a ball crying makes the audience sympathise with the character on
screen.

3. How have I learnt it?
• Analysis: By analysing various short movies, long movies, posters and trailers, it has
allowed me to pick out conventions and begin to apply them throughout my plot.
For example, little things such as the small idea of using a pumpkin on the side of
the house to allow the audience to recognise that the movie is placed on
Halloween day gives the movie further meaning.
• Surveys: In order to elaborate on the target audience, surveys were used to find
out what they liked the most, their age and their interests. The advantage of this is
that it allows us to ensure the movie relates more towards the audience and their
lifestyle.
• Research-Internet: As well as watching movies and analysing them, I looked at
slide shares on conventions in order to further deepen my understanding behind
the reasoning's placed behind the conventions. For example, the colour black has
many meanings ranging from death and evil to mystery. With these idea’s, I can
use black to give across the meaning I want it to based in the context of my movie.
• Going out to watch horror movies: By taking time out of my own schedule to
watch movies was a positive as it helped me to apply theories such as narrative
theories in order to understand which structures different movies follow and why.
The advantage of learning this is realising which structure would be best suited to
follow a plot idea.

4. How will it help me?
• Final Products- Movie, Poster & Review: Applying conventions- e.g. colours which carry particular
meanings, but also ensuring the colour scheme follows through out all the products.
• By becoming familiar all conventions through camera work, sound, editing and mis-en-scene it
allows the to apply all of these elements correctly and effectively into the movie. For example
applying the idea of the antagonist remaining anonymous until the end of the movie, however we
also want to challenge this aspect and only show one aspect of the antagonist (for example their
mouth)leaving the audience guessing.
• Mis-en-scene for film, poster and review: The lighting in the movie during most of it will be low
key, therefore highlighting the poster will use this element. The top of the main character who gets
killed off will be red, therefore highlighting this colour is important and can be used to create a
house style with the poster and review. This is important as there will be links between all 3.
• All the research collected has allowed me and the group to make appropriate decisions, ensuring
to always look back on the audience research and questioning whether our decisions will be
supported by the audience. Without approval from the audience with our decisions there will be
no foundation for the movie. Due to our audience being aged between 14-25 we decided to use
actors around 17-18. This is important as it will help the audience to relate to the actors.
Furthermore, to ensure our audience is represented, we wanted to use an ethnic minority in order
to portray a multi cultural society. Finally, the music the actors listen to will be representative of
the music the audience listen to.