This document lists common conventions, characters, plots, locations, issues, and props that are often seen in horror films. It notes that horror films frequently feature stock characters like innocent children, couples, or families; and stock plots involving evil creatures killing people, warnings being ignored, or a serial killer stalking victims. Common issues addressed are good versus evil, revenge, religion, and mental illness. Typical horror film locations listed include isolated forests, cabins, churches, and abandoned buildings. Props like candles, masks, weapons, and corpses are also regularly featured.

1. CONVENTIONS IN HORROR FILMS

2. STOCK CHARACTERS

Innocent child 
Masked character

Innocent/stupid female 
Zombie

Carefree teenagers 
Undead

Loving couple 
Ghost or spirit

Happy family 
Deformed evil character

Non believer 
Stalker killer

Hysterical female 
Child who sees things

Last girl standing

Priest

Hero

3. STOCK CHARACTERS

4. STOCK PLOTS/SITUATIONS/ISSUES

Evil creature kills people

Warnings are ignored with consequences

Being able to see things others can't

Serial killer stalks and slays victims

Imaginary friend is real and evil

Child abuse or child death

Mental insanity

Followed to/found in isolated holiday

5. STOCK ISSUES

Good v Evil

Revenge

Religion

Depression

Childhood issues

Lust

Envy

Suicide

Zombie apocalypse

Nightmares

6. STOCK LOCATIONS AND BACKDROPS

Holiday home, cabin or shack in woods, top of a hill,
isolated woods and forest, lakes, camping locations,
diners, gas stations, dark alleyways, home of the victim,
basement, empty warehouse, mental asylum, churches,
graveyards, rural, out of town, farms, barns, highways,
cornfields, long grass fields, abandoned houses and
buildings, run down and ghost towns, atticts, hotels and
motels, london underground, trains and tunnels.

Raining, storms, power cuts, night time, moon, mud, fog.

7. STOCK PROPS

Candles and matches 
Light switch

Voodoo dolls 
Mask

Skeletons 
Rope

Corpses 
Blood

Body parts 
Window

Weapons; knife, chainsaw, gun, etc. 
Kids toys

Cobwebs 
Wardrobes

Ouiju board 
Mask

Radio (white noise)

Telephone

Mirror

Door handle