Horror films aim to elicit negative emotions from audiences by playing on their fears. There are many horror subgenres that focus on different types of scares. Settings like isolated woods, houses, underground areas, and abandoned buildings are commonly used because they make characters vulnerable with no easy access to help. Victims are usually foreshadowed based on their behaviors, while survivors are often unexpected but relatable characters portrayed as pure. Villains usually conceal their identity and wear dark colors while wielding stabbing weapons. Props like these weapons and frightening objects are important for setting the scene. Most horror films use low-key natural lighting to generate an unsettling atmosphere.

2.  Horror is a genre of film. the aim of horror films are to gain a negative
emotional reaction from the audience by subjecting them to their fears
and using scenes that startle the them. the horror film genre has many
subgenre which are created to give a more specific specification of what
scares the viewer and what horror films are more likely to scare them the
most.
 Some horror films are not one of these subgenre but they are a hybrid of
two or more of the genres combined for example 28 days later is a hybrid
of the zombies and slasher sub genres because it contains
paradigms/aspects of both the sub genres.

3.  action horror - uses the paradigms of a evil force or event with the paradigms of an action film such as dramatic
fights, gunfights and out of control chases and usually contains gore. an example of this is resident evil & the
blade trilogy.
 body horror - uses deconstruction of the body usually to create evil some use the reconstruction of limbs to
create a monster, an example of this sub genre is teeth and Frankenstein.
 comedy horror - uses paradigms of comedy horror can easily be mistaken for parody however comedy horrors
unlike parody's have got some parts that will scare the audience. an example of this is Shaun of the dead.
 gothic horror - horror movies that contain aspects of Goth usually portrayed thought the Mis en scene of the
costumes and props used, many gothic horrors contain romance. an example of this is Dracula and underworld.
 natural horror - a sub genre which turns natural things into evil many natural horror use disease or an outbreak
of a new plant or animal. an example of a natural horror is 28 days later.
 psychological horror - uses the audiences beliefs such as religion and emotions such as guilt to create tension and
anxiety within the viewers. an example of this is the exorcist and the devil inside.
 supernatural horror - uses supernatural aspects many supernatural horrors use ghost as it is a large fear in many
people. an example of this is paranormal activity.
 sci-fi horror - uses a lot made up creatures such as aliens and many uses evils like mad scientist although most
sci-fi horror use these they usually are not restricted and use other things. an example of this is alien and doom.
 slasher horror - usually uses a psycho killer and a lot of gore to seek reaction from the audience the killer usually
use stabbing or cutting weapons like knives. a lot of slasher films are teenage horrors an example of this is Friday
the 13th and Texas chainsaw massacre.
 splatter horror - the goriest of all the sub genres. focuses on gore and graphic violence. they use excess blood
and gore to startle an shock the audience. not all splatter films are slasher because some don't include a killer
and usually contain more gore. an example of this is hostel and final destination.
 zombie horror - uses the typical zombies evil that are usual half dead humans and a lot of the time is a result of
an outbreak of an illness. zombies films usually combine with other subgenres. an example of this is 28 days later
& dawn of the dead.

4.  Settings are a major part of the Mis en scene. A typical setting for a
horror film would be somewhere that is isolated and far from any public
places this makes it harder for the victims to find help without travelling
a long distance.
 Some typical horror setting/locations are :
 Woods – cabins, usually near a lake.
 Houses in the middle of no where.
 Underground.
 Abandoned warehouses.
 Places of worship.

5.  Victims deaths are usually foreshadowed in horror films for females it is usually those who
are sexually active or have sexual encounters in the film and for males it is usually those
who show off and seems to be the one that everyone looks up at.
 Victims are made to look vulnerable though the use of the camera shots he most common
why this is done is by the use of high angled shot which make the subject look weak and
powerless.
 Characters that survive are usually the one you wouldn’t think would survive but that you
want to survive due to the way they act. The survivors are usually represented as pure
though Mis en scene mainly clothing, most survivors mainly female are usually wearing
white clothing and are virgins this is because in structrualist films this is seen as pure
because in our culture both those aspects are seen as signs of purity.

6.  In most horror movies the villain is the killer,
they all seem to have similar paradigms such
as :
 Covering there identity usually by covering
there face with there signature mask.
 Always wearing black to give a sense of
mystery and so they aren't easily seen in dark
places.
 Have a stabbing weapon the most common
is a knife but axes and other blades are often
used.

7.  props play a vital in horror films as they play a major role in the Mise en
scene. In forms such as:
 Weapons – conventionally stabbing or slasher weapons not guns.
Stabbing weapons are used because they consist of penetration into the
body denoting sexual activity.
 Frightening objects – a common example in a lot of horror films is the
evil/scary teddy bear.

8.  In the majority of horror films low key lighting is used this means that
there is not a lot of lighting used. Horror movies use low key lighting
because darkness is a paradigm of horror as it is a fear of a lot of people
and it makes it easier to manipulate the viewers attention as well as
objects compared to when a lot of light is present. The low key lighting
used in most horror films is natural lighting.