This document discusses conventions that are commonly used in horror films. It describes several scenes: one with writing on a wall in blood, one where a victim opens the door to the killer, and one where the killer is chasing the victim wearing a hooded parka and carrying an axe. It notes that each of these scenes uses elements that are conventional in horror films, such as blood writing to increase fear, revealing the killer at the end of the film, and chase scenes taking place in dark locations. It concludes that horror films are often set in large gloomy buildings to create a sense of isolation and fear.

1. URBAN LEGEND
CONVENTIONS

2. In this shot there is writing on the wall in
blood. This is conventional of horror films
as it increases the fear and red connotes
violence and death.
In this scene one of the victims opens the door to the
killer. This is a popular shot to do in horror films as it
is quite scary. The door is a polished hardwood, which
suggests it is in a large old building, which is
conventional of horror films as it enhances the
seclusion and fear. The killer is almost blacked out
despite the good ambient light in the scene, which is
also conventional as the killer’s identity will not be
revealed until the end.

3. In this scene the killer is chasing the victim.
The killer is wearing what appears to be a
parka with a hood. He is also carrying an
axe, which is a popular weapon in horror
films. The use of ambient lighting from the
left shows enough of the killer to be scary
but not enough to reveal them. A chase
scene is conventional in horror films, and
usually takes place in a dark location.
The building in the scene is gothic and is the
main location of the film. It is conventional
of horror films that they are set in large
gloomy places as they are generally secluded
and this leads to a scarier film.