Genre conventions

1. GENRE CONVENTIONS:
HORROR

2. Title sequences within horror films
• A film should set the tone right away but starting with the
studio logo is a big plus
• Try to include some background story to it
• Eerie music should be used
• Make the audience feel like they are about to be scared
• Use Red, white or green colours for the fonts
• Set the scene from the start

3. Mise-en-scene
• Usually set in isolated locations (Houses in the midde of
no-where/castles etc…)
• Weather tends to be rainy/stormy and normally set at
night
• Horror films tend to have very low lighting, and any
mirrors etc are lit up my candles
• Red and blacks are both colours commonly associated
with horror films
• Horror film characters are usually dressed stereotypically
(Sporty People wear sporty clothes etc…)

4. Sound
• Using Foley (Everyday) sounds helps to build suspense
• Exaggerated diegetic sound allows tension to be created
• Loud and fast non-diegetic sound will make the audience
watching the film

5. Props
• Commonly used props include; Bibles, Crucifix’s,
Paintings, Candles, Weapons
• The religious symbols are used to symbolize the devil.
• The cross is used because people believe it can protect
you from evil
• However the props usually just anger the ‘thing’

6. Characters
• The characters in horror films are always very
stereotypical:
• The athlete: Will wear athletic clothing, Everyone will look
for him for help
• The blonde: Usually dies first, because she did something
stupid
• The virgin: The character who survives

7. Iconography
• Films such as paranormal activity have iconography such as
ghostly symbols, dark places and unexplainable events
happening, the evil spirit also normally affects a child.
• Films like this also try to scare the audience by having jump
scares, such as something/someone popping up in front of the
camera, or loud noises happening
• 9 times out of 10,there is a character who does not want to
believe that something evil is happening
• There is also usually a priest who comes to explain what is
happening
• Exorcisms are also common in horror films.
• Another way they like to scare the audience is by building up to
a jump scare. The audience know that it is going to happen, but
they are still scared when in does happen