Genre: Horror
Genre conventions: The horror genre is used to create a feeling of fear and suspense for the audience. Usually horror films are targeted for teenagers as they can relate more to the movies than the younger and older audience. Horror usually brings out our worst fears as it causes the body to be filled with adrenaline since the brain is programmed to believe that it is in danger. The most common feature in horror films are the use of monsters, blood, death, and evil. They are the most common because they cause discomfort and anxiety. The directors tend to relate the movie to real life events to cause the feeling that the movie is real and it is all happening in front of the audience.
Genre conventions- There are many different techniques used to create a horror film. These techniques are all used to convey the discomfort and fear. One of the main techniques is the use of shadows and underexposure of the characters. The use of underexposure creates the feeling of mysteriousness and curiosity, which sets the tone of the film. Another important technique is the use of dark colors. Dark colors create a sinister feeling throughout the film and contribute to the suspense and fear. The use of shadows is one of the most important because the shadows use both dark colors and under exposure which builds fearfactor since anything can be hidden in shadows. Horror films typically use black and red throughout the film as it has a hidden meaning. Black and red both signify death, evil, and blood; in most horror films the main antagonist uses black and a bit of red to show that he is evil without blatantly stating it, while the protagonist uses white as it represents heaven and purity.
Institutional conventions- There are many ways to advertise a horror movie some of the most common are the use of trailers and posters. Trailers are on of the best ways to advertise a horror movie because if it is done correct it creates the mysterious feeling before the film is even in theaters. Trailers are used to hook the attention of certain audiences and cause them to want to go watch the film. Posters usually show either the protagonist, antagonist, or sometimes both of them. Posters are a great way to show and introduce the main characters and give a visual representation of what might occur in the film.
Film sample #1- The Nun is a perfect example of a horror movie as it encompasses all the techniques that are essential to create a good horror movie. Throughout the film the director uses a lot of dark and creepy areas to set the tone of the film and show that it is no ordinary film. In certain scenes he uses pop ups to frighten the audience and make sure that they are focused on the film. There are two versions of the main character, one is all black with a small portion of white ( to show that they used to be good and is now taken over as evil), the other is in all white to show that they are pure and good. Also the setting of the movie is in a castle in which is known for being a creepy and scary location. The use of minimal lighting throughout the film contributed to setting the tone as a dark and scary place. The trailer for the movie also grabs the attention of the audience and causes them to come back wanting to know more about the movie.
Film sample #2- The film IT embodies the horror genre as it includes a lot of the “requirements”. The director used a character that some people already consider to be scary (clown). The director choose to have most of the scary scenes in a dark area. One of the most memorable ones was when the girl was in the bathroom because they used the color red for the light and also included a lot of blood. Most of the pop out scenes occur in a dark area so the audience would be least expecting it as well as only being able to see the clowns eyes when he is in the shadows. The clown itself is white but when he turns into the monster he becomes a dark black color to signify that he is the evil one. The director uses natural light from the day and night so that people can associate it with a real life thing and believe that it is real and not only on a screen.
- The Conjuring (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1457767/)
- Insidious (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/)
- Heredity (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7784604/)
- Don't Breathe (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4160708/)
- Rings (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498381/)
- Psycho (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054215/)
- The Shining (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/)
