The poster depicts a dark, isolated forest background to convey a sense of fear and suspense. A masked figure stands holding a knife to portray the villain as a serial killer and build tension. Dark, low key lighting and colors like black and red are used to represent evil and danger, aligning with horror conventions. The themes shown are good versus evil and nightmares, with the villain appearing threatening through their body language and identity being unknown.

1. Stock location/Background:
The background of the poster is identified as
an isolated, dark looking forest or woods. Light
low key lighting is also used to portray the
background as a feeling of fear and suspicion
for the audiences. The background lighting
of the poster is; dark low
Colours;
key lighting this is used
Vignette colour in this to convey a senses of
poster is portrayed this suspense, tension
takes the audience out stimulating the
of the context for audiences mood level of;
example, around the fear and anticipation
poster the colours are
dark around the
outside and is light in
the middle of the Props/Iconograpgy: A
centre. weapon such as a
knife/meat cleaver/sword
has been used to portray
Themes: the villain as a serial
killer, and show
As audiences we can
audiences that murder
identify that the themes
will be committed and this
off this film are; good vs
use of weapon builds up
evil, and nightmares.
tension and an audience
This directly is obvious
theory. The weapon is
to audiences as the
also an identification of
villain is portrayed as
the sub-genre ‘shasher. ’
evil dangerous and
The identified weapon in
vicious because of his
the poster is a phallic
body language such as;
symbol- objects or things
standing up tough
you can poke or dig into
holding a weapon and
something
an unknown identity
wearing a mask.
Colours: A camera shot such as a;
mid shot is used to portray
Colours such as; black and red have been the villain as a tough, and
used to portray hell and to represent; fear, strong. Another type of
death and anxiety. These types of colours camera shot show that looks
are used and associated to a serial killer like has been taken is a;
and villain. These 2 colours are also linked worms-eye-view as
to evil as black and red are an evil colour audiences are looking up at
which is a part of the horror convention, the villain, which creates a
these 2 colours have been used to portray suspense of fear and the
the villain as an evil killer because red main attention drawn
represents, warning, fear and danger this is towards the villain, this also
1 of the conventions of the horror sub- shows that the villain has
genre ‘shasher.’ status and power.

2. Iconography:
Dark dull grey Colours have been Iconography: Dark low key Themes:
used in the poster to reinforce the lighting has been used; this
has been used to portray As audience’s we can
theme of possession of the young
the poster as a horror film identify that the themes off
boy and theme of darkness and
and immediately stimulates this film are; childhood
demons. The colour of darkness
the viewer’s mood as fear issues because a young boy
has been used to portray; evil,
suspense and tension. is portrayed in the centre of
warning and horror. This has been
Dark low key lighting is also the poster. Another theme
used to make audience’s feel
used because this is a key that is identified is good vs
alarmed and aware as this is 1 of
element of a horror film. evil, this can be recognised
the codes and convention of a part
as the image of the boy
of a horror film.
looks possessed.
Iconography:
The red in the title Props:
connotes danger. The
colour of the boys pyjamas The characters clothing
are also red this connotes such as; his pyjamas
the signs of; danger, symbolises childhood but,
warning and evil as these 3 the dark shadows show
colours are associated with an identification of
evil. This connotes that the darkness and a loss of
young boy has been innocence.
taken over on in controlled
by sinister.
The cloudy thunderstorm in
the background symbolises
the coming of something;
dangerous, evil and
Technical codes:
frightening this has been
A camera shot such as used to represent the
a medium shot is used young boy being taken over
to represent the young and influenced by evil
boy identified as looking forces which is a key
evil. For example, his element that is used in
eyes and facial horror movies. The cloudy
At the bottom of the poster a billing black thunderstorm also creates
expressions makes him has been used showing information of the
appear to look evil and a horror backdrop to the
film such as the; director and producer etc. poster.
possessed connoting This is a common code that is used in a
that the innocence of a film poster.
child has transformed or
been influenced by dark Stock location/Background:
forces such as evil.
The house in the background appears to be isolated
especially by the dark shadows that appear over the
house; the dark shadows represents that something
sinister is bearing over the house and the boy.

3. Props:
The background lighting of the
A weapon such as a knife has been used to portray the
poster is; dark low key lighting
villain as a serial killer, and show audiences that murder
this is used to convey a senses of
will be committed and this use of weapon builds up
suspense, tension stimulating the
tension and an audience theory. The weapon is also an
audience’s mood level of; fear and
identification of the sub-genre ‘shasher. ’ The identified
anticipation. This has also been
weapon in the poster is a phallic symbol- objects or
used as a part of a horror code and
things you can poke or dig into something or someone
convention of a horror sub-genre
such as; digging the knife into a human to murder them
slasher to convey a sense of fear
which is a common thriller convention creating
as darkness is a part of a horror
audiences awareness.
film.
Technical codes:
Iconography:
A camera shot such as a;
medium shot has been The text written in orange
used in the poster; ‘Halloween ‘the colour orange
portraying the villain as a; signifies fire as an
tough, vicious and identification of; horror,
dangerous masculine warning and danger. As a
man. This shot shows part of a code and convention
enough for the figure to of a horror slasher sub-genre
be able to communicate this has been used make the
body language of the poster appear and attract
character. For example, audience’s questioning their
the mid shot shows minds of what will happen in
audience’s that the villain the films leading to a Nigma.
is holding a knife in his
hand and that murder is
going to be committed.
Colours:
This has been used to
convey a sense of tension Vignette colour in this
and anxiety to audiences poster is portrayed this
which is a part of a thriller takes the audience out of
convention. the context for example,
around the poster the
colours are dark around the
At the bottom of the poster
outside and is light in the
a billing black has been
middle of the centre.
used showing information
of the film such as the;
director and producer etc. Themes:
This is a common code Colours:
that is used in a film poster. As audiences we can identify
Colours such as; black white and orange that the themes off this film are;
have been used to portray hell and to nightmares. This directly is
represent; fear, death and anxiety. These obvious to audiences as the
types of colours are used and associated to villain is portrayed as evil
a serial killer and villain. These 3 colours are dangerous and vicious because
also linked to evil as black and orange are of his body language such as;
an evil colour which is a part of the horror sitting down identified as
convention, these 2 colours have been used sinister and dangerous holding
to portray the villain as an evil killer because a weapon and an unknown
orange represents, warning, fire and danger identity wearing a mask
this is 1 of the conventions of the horror sub- creating fear of an unknown
genre ‘shasher.’ murderer for audience’s.