The document discusses conventions of the horror genre that will be used in a student film project. It will be produced by Hammer Studios, known for classic horror films. The film will feature a creepy music box melody, have the antagonist dressed darkly to appear threatening, and center around an average female protagonist alone in an isolated house being stalked by an unknown assailant. While incorporating standard horror elements like setting, characters and music, it aims to challenge conventions by limiting graphic violence and gore typically seen in the genre.

1. Institution
The institution that would produce this this film would be Hammer studios. This is
because they have made great horror films in the past such as the Dracula films, the
Frankenstein films and the Mummy films. This is good as it shows that the film
would be in good hands.
Hammer films has also had some recent films released such as the woman in black
and let me in, this shows that Hammer films isn’t an old institution and that it
coming back into the market of making films.

2. Conventions of
genre
My trailer has many aspects that are conventional of the genre. For sound I will implement a
creepy music box melody, which is conventional as it is gives off an eerie vibe as well as
creeping out the audience and making them anxious while watching.
With mise-en-scene I will have the antagonist costumed in a way that will make it obvious that
he is the bad guy in the film, this includes dark clothes and odd items. This is conventional as
in horror movies the antagonist always looks the part and gives off a bad vibe.
The main protagonist will also be an average woman which is conventional of the genre as it
gives off the sense of a “damsel in distress” which is seen in most horror movies.

3. Audience research
From my audience research I have found out that my main target audience will be
aged from 15-25 due to the fact that at that age they are more interested in the
thrill that comes from watching horror movies and are less likely to be put off by
the violent imagery and gore.
The main gender of the audience will be male as males are stereotypically more
thrill seekers than females as well as males wanting to see the violent imagery and
the gore.
The class of my audience will be more working class as they will be looking for
cheaper ways to get the thrill as well as wanting to experience of horror that
comes with watching a horror film.

4. Production
The basic storyline of the film is that after being left alone in the house the weekend,
a female teenager starts having mysterious incidents with a stalker that progressively
become worse. This will be set in an isolated house and the identity of the stalker is
unknown.
Its conventional as the protagonist is typical “damsel in distress”, its going to be set
in a isolated location as well as having a main antagonist and a mysterious and
creepy soundtrack.
This will appeal to the audience as well because it will give the thrill that if given
when watching a horror movie which is what the audience is after.
The script includes scenes such as where the stalker picks out the protagonist, and
the scenes where the stalker terrorizes the protagonist as well as a news clip.

5. Using and challenging
convention
The way this film will be conventional will be with the location being isolated,
the use of the protagonist being a woman on her own. It is also conventional as
the antagonist is a psychopath along with the creepy soundtrack.
The film challenges convention as it wont involve gore and does not include
many death, and when there is a death there will not be in detail. In many
horror films death and gore is a big part and not including gore and not going
into detail on the deaths really challenges the conventions of horror movies.