This document summarizes how a student's media project used and challenged conventions of horror movie genres. It analyzes the openings of three horror films, noting their use of settings, characters, editing, sound, and camera work. The student's project similarly featured an isolated nighttime setting, vulnerable female victims, and tense sounds. However, it challenged conventions by using an extreme close-up of a killer's hands for mystery and having a non-supernatural antagonist without other prop objects. The student concluded their project developed genre conventions while also offering some developments.

1. In what ways does your
media product use,
develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real
media products ? By
Gabreil Beyene

2. Horror movies conventions
techniques used:
• Setting – the location which is mostly in the dark or isolated place where people are vulnerable.
• Iconography – this are icons used in horror movies i.e. blood, grave yards
• Synchronous sound -This is used to exaggerate the sound and create an atmosphere
• Narrative – classic narrative structure i.e. representation of teenagers in the film.
• Themes – Good vs Evil
• Camera work – used to intensify the scene i.e. close ups, low angle shot, high angle shot
• Editing – used to create unsettling tension and suspicion
• Characterisation – protagonist, antagonist i.e. women often presented as vulnerable in films
•

3. My group have chosen horror genre as part of our project. I chose 3 types of
horror movie opening scenes to analyse, 3 of the movies I chose follow a
classical horror movie convention
These are some of the classical horror movie conventions they follow:
•
• The use of dark/isolated setting.
•
• The use of synchronous sound to build up tension.
•
• The use of jump cut editing is to create a dramatic scene.
•
•
•

4. The ghost ship opening sequence
• Camera work - Wide shot to show the setting
• Setting – Dark (night time)
• Iconography – Visual style, Props
• Sound – Diegetic and non-diegetic sound
In what way have we challenged the forms and convention of a real media product ?
My group used similar iconography such as the use of visual style to create a dark
setting. In addition we used low-key lighting which helped us create dark shadows and
unfamiliar shapes in the dark. The use of camera work such as wide shot to help the
audience establish the setting. In addition an extreme close up of the antagonist hands
which creates a sense of mystery.

5. The ring opening scene
• Setting – dark house
• Characterisation – The presentation and use of female characters
• Editing – jump cut editing
• Sound – the use of asynchronous sound to build up tension
•
In what way have we challenged the forms and convention of a real media product ?
My group used teenage females as vulnerable victims which is similar to the ring. Furthermore, we
used jump cut editing to make a dramatic point which is similarly used in the ring.
In addition we used asynchronous sound to build up tension and to add realism which is also used
in the ring.

6. Does my media product this forms and
convention ?
The setting of our film was in the park at night which is a location used often in a horror
sequence. The selection of female characters as victims and a male antagonist which is a
classic horror movie convention. We also used wide range of sound such as ambient sound
and diegetic sounds to create tension and add realism.
In addition the use of camera work such as extreme close ups to add dramatic effects and
show to show fear facial expressions on the characters face. Furthermore, the narrative of
our film has good against evil scenario.

7. How does my media products develop these
forms and conventions ?
We used a hoody top as a prop but we
didn’t use any other prop objects.
In addition the killer wasn’t a
supernatural character.