The document provides details about the film analysis assignment between two partners. They chose the film "The Unborn" which combines elements of horror, supernatural, psychological horror, teen horror, and mystery genres. It discusses the film's genres, subgenres, hybrid genres, conventions used, and how it relates to genre and audience theories. Key points analyzed include the film's use of religious conventions, supernatural elements, vulnerable teenage characters, and how it aims to entertain a mass audience through familiar horror tropes.

1. Assignment5:film study &convention
in a film (partner task)
Person 1 (Helen)
Person 2 (Fatou)

2. Target :
 Colour choice : yellow
The things we have to do are :
 Exploration
 Film of choice and reasoning
 Genre
 Subgenre
 Hybrid
 Stam‟s theory
 Mittel‟s theory
 Semantics
 Syntax
 Conventions list of genre in relation to all films
 Conventions analysis
 Dominant ideology
 Audience
 Audience theory

3. Exploration of film

4. Choice of Film and reason
 We chose the movie, „The Unborn‟ because it has a good amount of
sub genres and hybrids within it. The fact that its horror added with
different elements that emphasises the horrific and brutality that is
included in the movie.

5. Horror – Creating a
Genre sense of fear, panic
and alarm for the
audience Repulsive content
Graphic
Imagery
Supernatural beings The Unborn has a centre
on the arrival of evil force,
person and event.

6. Psychological
Psychological horror is You can see here how really
subgenre of the unborn film scared she is by her facial
because relies on the expression and her body
character fears, guilt, beliefs, language .
sound effects, relevant
music and emotional
instability to build tension.
She relies lots of emotion
which will build up tension to
the audience.

7. Supernatural
Supernatural is subgenre in This is an orderly person however in
side this
the film of the unborn person’s body there is and demon
because it combine element that why this person is being un
of religion into plot. orderly.
Common themes in
supernatural horror film in
the unborn are devil ,ghosts
and demons.

8. Teen
Teen is one of the subgenre The laptop is more associated
of the unborn that revolves with teenager therefore she is a
completely around a teenager.
teenager or a group of
teenagers. Mostly have a
hero or heroine, however
the main girl in the film of the
unborn is a heroine .
Her body language tell that she is a
teenager.

9.  Mystery
Hybrid
 the unborn has an element of mystery because during
the movie there are parts that very mysterious
 keeps you questioning yourself on what it is that's lurking
about or disturbing the peace, to the audience and also
to the characters in the film.
Thriller –
• such fast pace parts that keep your eyes on screen, not
wanting to remove them.
• The thrill keeps you anticipated and on the edge of your
seat, making you want to see more and more.

10. Stam theory
 Stam‟s theory says that genre is not so easily defined under the „main genres‟ but can be classified in other ways
such as budget .Ethnicity focus or performer based.
In the film of the unborn there are more then one of the main genres. Can
classified in other way such as religion mysteries and thriller. Parts that very
mysterious and keeps you questioning yourself on what it is that's lurking
about (who was killing her loved once). The unborn also has an element of
thriller there are such fast pace parts that keep your eyes (when she was
having exorcism).

11. Mittel theory
 Mittel’stheory argues that industries use
genre to sell products to audiences. This
relates to the film, “The Unborn”, as there
are similar codes and conventions that
often make a reference to the audience’s
knowledge, which is a horror movie.

12. Semantics
Characters The girl body language represent that
she is weak and helpless .You can tell
by her
Facial expressions that she is in shock.
This represent as victim innocent
young girl who don‟t know much
(what was going around )character .
Costumes The ghost inside the little boy was
wearing old style clothes which
are posh .This can represent how
back in the day were dressed
Strict posh way.

13. Locations Country roads-associated
with creepy looking trees.
The isolation of the place
can repentant that
something bad is going to
happen. The lighting is quite
doll therefore it symbolise
danger .
Story traits For the girl to be free to kill
the demon that is hunting
her down and her loved
ones. Revenge of the family
honour .

14. Props Weapons -Religious
symbols which is
used when she was
having the exorcism
to kill the demon.

15. Syntax the unborn
 The moral behind “The Unborn” is that, you must always overcome evil. As
good has a tendency to be more powerful than the evil force. Don‟t
always give into fear, as you need to be strong to be able to protect your
loved ones.

16. Tone the unborn Use of artificial lighting creating
a yellow tone to the
It‟s a misty white light, the colour atmosphere
white could suggest a secret is
about to be exposed
The tone reflects
the seriousness of
the scene
Yellow tone connotes
vulnerability

17. Convention list of that
genre/subgenre/hybrid
Conventions of Examples from range of real films
genre/sub/hybrid
Victims (cowers in front of a Scream
window or door)
Investigating(strange noise The ring
)
Build up of tensions The others
Isolated setting Saw
evil/ghost /demon The unborn
Violence The underworld
Vulnerable teenagers I know what you did last summer

18. Convention analysis
Conventions of genre Examples from your Comparison to other
/sub/hybrid film films in the same
genre/sub/hybrid
Point of view In the beginning she Paranormal Activity –
sees a glove and When the man films
changes to her point from his point of view
of view to see what it
is
Religion When she gets an The Exorcist – They also
exorcism performed perform an exorcism
Supernatural/Beyond The Twin Brother who The Ring – A girl
the Dead wasn‟t born, that watches a tapes and
comes back to haunt the phone rings
and kill informing her that
she's going to die in 7
days

19. Convention analysis
Conventions of genre Examples from your Comparison to other
/sub/hybrid film films in the same
genre/sub/hybrid
Disgusting Creature Disgusting creatures an example of this
in the unborn film is when the girl is in
"Creature“- which is about a half
man and alligator similar to the
the toilet in there was an small „unborn‟ which was half woman
unknown creatures that were trying to
eat her and also when the woman
and unknown creature .
tune in to a monster.
Serial killer The demon in side the little boy „s
body .was going around killing the
I know what you did last summer –the
killer comes back and start to kill
girl loved once for best friend and her everyone one by one same as in the
grandmother . unborn the killer goes around and
killing people in pain.
Monster Monster in a horror film most people
expect to see a monster in a every
The Wolfman –who was trued in to
monster just like the lady change
horror film its their belief to be whit in into a monster in the unborn .
the film .In the unborn film there are
people that change into monsters

20. Dominant ideology
Dominant ideology Example/evidence from film
The main characters normally young, Lisa (main girl) seemed to be young
good looking and innocent and innocent and want to live her
life equally she is an attractive
young lady.
The villain are reinforced the The demon inside the little boy
stereotypes as at the end they die . ended up dyeing after killing lots of
people .
Lisa the main girl role was to do the Lisa boyfriends was possessed by the
right thing . demon she knew she had to let him
die .That was the best thing for
everybody .

21. Audience
 The film “The Unborn” is for a mass
audience, because its mainstream and
would attract a lot of people to watch the
film; it also aims for what the audience
want to see. Its also familiar and
recognisable for a mass audience.

22. Audience
Details of audience Target audience Secondary audience Explanation of why
they would be
attracted watching the
film
Age 15-24 25-34 Because it offers
curiosity which is
accompanied with
real fear
Gender Male Female Horror offers extreme
violence and a bit of
sex
Ethnicity White, Black Asian, Latino, Indian, Because of ethnicity
roles that are played
Social Class Working and middle class Upper Class They want to see how
their class is portrayed
in the film
Social Group Religious People Goths Because of the
religious context in the
film
Sexual Orientation Straight Homosexual They want to see how
their sex is portrayed
Profession/Role Student Teachers Because of how much
it focuses on students

23. Audience theory (Mcquail )
Reasons why people watch the film Explanation
People may watch the film „ the unborn‟ to entertain them
Entertainment as well as to scare them .Some people like the tense
excitement when something scary comes onto the scene.
Emotional release the creepy feeling they have when
The emotion release of the watching the film.
character .
Information People can watch a film to inform them .The film of „the
unborn‟ is mostly to inform them about spiritual/religion world
She is Finding out relevant how the demon come back and try to live in another persons
information body and kills everyone in that member of family. From the
about an evil sprit in addition film the main girl grandmother said “they like our family
she is self-educating her self blood”.
.Gaining a sense of security
through knowledge.

24. Personal identity In the unborn the girl never knew her
grandmother this might have a reflect on the
This would reinforcement the personal
audience .People may watch „the unborn
values as she is trying to fight for her life .
„because they would have a personal interest
in this type of film.
Identifying with valued .
Gaining insight into one‟s self .