This document discusses the key generic features and components of the horror genre. It outlines common stock characters, plots, locations, and the important role of music and sound in creating atmosphere. It also defines semantic elements as the conventions that communicate to audiences, such as characters and props, and syntactic elements as the structural relationships between narrative elements in a genre.

1. Forms and conventions of the
horror genre

2. Generic features
• All genres use stereotypical characteristic
features which is known and recognised by
audiences, therefore they develop an
understanding and have certain expectations.
• Genres that use key components that are
easily recognisable are important as producers
want the narrative to be easily
comprehensible.

3. Key components of horror
• Stock characters- Includes the demon or
bad guy, the tough, protective male, the dumb
blonde stereotype, children and sometimes
• Stock plots/situations/themes-
Horrors intend to scare and entertain the
audience. Themes can include ghosts, haunting,
demons/ exorcisms, serial killers or
psychopaths.

4. Key components of horror
• Stock locations/backdrops- The
character is usually placed in isolated,
abandoned areas or in spooky houses, the
character is usually alone and set on a night.
• Music and sound- Non-diegetic sound is
a big part in creating the creepy, eery
atmosphere in horror films.
Diegetic sound such as the characters lines
also helps create the spooky atmosphere by
what they say, the way they say it and their
facial expressions

5. Semantic/syntactic
• Semantic
The conventions of the genre that communicate to
the audience such as characters, location, props and
music
• Syntactic
The relations between elements and the structure of
the narrative in certain genres