Generic horror films aim to appear scary and sinister. They typically feature themes of revenge, hauntings, demons, gore, zombies, serial killers, and ghosts. Mise-en-scene elements like low lighting, violent props, isolated settings, and iconic costumes are commonly used. Settings often involve graveyards, asylums, basements, woods, or run-down cities. Cinematography employs high and low angles, close-ups, and point-of-view shots to convey power dynamics and involve the audience emotionally.

1. Generic Horror
conventions:
April Carr

2. Genre translates to the type
of film. A horror film is
supposed to appear scary
and sinister to the
audience.

3. Themes:
Horror films centre around the dark side of life; the strange, forbidden and
alarming events.
The typical themes of horrors include:
• Revenge
• Haunting
• Demons and exorcisms
• Gore
• Apocalypse (zombies)
• Serial Killers
• Ghosts

4. Mise-en-scene:
• Lighting: Low key, lots of dark contrasts shadows and silhouettes, puts the
audience on edge and creates mysterious or sinister situations.
• Props: Violent weapons often feature in films as a main aspect such as in Texas
Chainsaw Massacre (the chainsaw). Antiques often also feature in horrors to
give a sense of mystery to the film.
• Setting: Often an isolated location where there is no escape, for example in the
woods. Setting is also in grungy, dark conditions to give off a sense of unease.
• Costume: Often are iconic and represent the whole character or film, for
example costume in the Scream franchise is now well known. Masks are often
used as hiding a killers identity adds tension and mystery to the film eg. ‘who is
the killer?’

5. Settings:
Setting often include areas such as:
• Graveyards
• Asylums/ Hospitals
• Basements/ Attics
• Isolated areas
• Run down cities
• Woods

6. Cinematography:
• High and low angles are often used throughout horror films to show
power. For example to convey to the audience that a character is
inferior a high angle shot, looking down on them, will be used.
• Close-ups are also used to display emotions to the audience and
allow the audience to match a characters feelings.
• Point of view shots are also widely used within horror films. This is
because it keeps the audience involved, therefore when something
shocking occurs they also become scared.

7. Horror film examples: