The document discusses common conventions and characteristics of slasher films. It describes the typical characters, including the "last girl standing" who survives to the end, and victims like the attractive "first girl" who is often killed early on. Locations tend to be isolated rural or suburban areas. The villain is usually physically deformed or mentally deranged and wears a mask or hides their identity. Trailers for slasher films commonly establish characters and setting before introducing the villain and including teasing shots that hint at violence without fully showing it, creating intrigue for audiences. Examples from Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Prom Night trailers are provided.

1. SUB-GENRE: SLASHER
CODES AND CONVENTIONS AND
TRAILER ANALYSIS

2. CHARACTERS: LAST GIRL STANDING
Last Girl Standing

Usually a female hero exists in slasher films, being the last girl standing. She
is often sensible and the less popular girl, and less attractive than her
friends who are killed. She is almost always brunette. She is often more
innocent, virginal, and sensible than her friends. She will survive to the end,
where she has a confrontation with the villain or monster and it is killed,
but it can also only be deterred. In this case, the film is left open for a
sequel, where the last girl standing sees the return of the villain.
Examples; Halloween, Scream, I know what you did last summer.

3. CHARACTERS: VICTIMS
Group of Friends

Usually the main victims are part of a group of friends in the film. The group
is often both girl and boy teenagers at high school or university, however
there are also quite a few slasher films with only girl friendship groups as
the victims. The Last Girl Standing is also part of this group, as well as the
first girl. There are also usually separate or enemy groups of friends, like
Jocks versus Geeks or unpopular versus popular.
First Girl – usually the most attractive girl, and sexually
active. She is almost always blonde. She is killed early on,
often during or after sexual acts with her boyfriend or a boy.

4. CHARACTERS: MONSTER

The villain in slasher films is usually physically deformed
and/or mentally deranged. The killer is almost always
Male. His identity is hidden and usually by a mask, or is
always hidden by lighting or other methods. The character
often is recognised easily, by character motifs, such as
Freddy Krueger by his hat and blade hands. Attempts to
kill the villain fail, any bullets or knives often miss or do not
work. The killer is a serial killer who is often strong and
carries a hand held weapon like a knife, axe, chainsaw
and more.

5. LOCATIONS

The common location in Slasher films is a suburban
area, often with the main focus on one house. Usually
a quite large detached house, which looks quite
normal. The main places are small towns, abandoned
buildings or farms and deep in the forest/rural area.
The locations are far from civilization where phone
reception may be bad, and the villain often cuts
electric or phone lines. The only way out is a car,
which fails or the villain also destroys.

6. SLASHER HORROR TRAILER
CONVENTIONS

Opening establishing shots – sets the scene,
shows setting and characters, equilibrium

Build up of problem – main driving force of film

Introduction to villain – shift in equilibrium

Teasing shots – reveal some of the events but
never shows full extent of what’s happening to
tease the audience

Climatic end showing further problem makes
the audience want to see the film

7. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

Establishing shots of scenery, empty and isolated area while a woman sings
in the background, seems like an equilibrium

We then see the woman who is singing, then the camera shows the girl she
is singing to, who is tied up. A loud non dietetic noise then lets us know it's
definitely a disequilibrium, and we can see she is tied up.

Footsteps approach but we can only see her face, then a cut to a canted
angle of the house with her scream

Extremely quick teasing shots begin, showing very small details of what is
happening but just enough to be able to hook the audience

We see a number of different characters very quickly, making us question
whether we know who the killer is

Then the last few shots show an even more problematic plot where the
victims are in the house with the killer(s) and we wonder who survives and
who escapes.

The last image is the chainsaw which we link to the whole film

8. PROM NIGHT

Establishing shots of girls talking, introduce main characters and situation, as well as
equilibrium.

Typical girl friendship group, teenagers at high school, couples and prom setting.

Upbeat music until the moment of disequilibrium – sudden lights go out and editing becomes
fast, teasing shots begin and screaming/heavy breathing from character

Villain is introduced by foot shot and shot from behind showing a typical weapon; hand held
knife. Background information of killer is being said in background telling us he is a stalker of
one of the protagonists.

Shadows, creeping, whispering and silent moments followed by shock/loud noise provoke fear
and adrenaline in the viewer

Identity is hidden of the killer, crucial to Slasher films

Problem escalates as we see more characters being grabbed/left in building

“he's locked all the exits” lets us know there is a sense of isolation and they are alone with the
killer in the building

Fast paced heartbeat creates fear for the audience

Hint of last girl standing as she is the protagonist and the main focus of the film

Last shot is her being grabbed, makes the audience question whether she survives and what
happens to her