Codes and conventions of a horror
For a horror film to be a horror film it has to have codes and conventions in place. Horror films have a purpose to scare the audience. This is often done by creating jumpy scenes when the audience least expect it and also creating gory scenes.
Macro elements/ symbolic codes and conventions. The macro elements are: setting, character and narrative. All 3 of these elements need to fit into the horror genre.
Character In almost every horror film there will be a character that is the bad guy/girl (antagonist) they will be made to look horrifying to the audience or they may just be made to made through their personality and voice.
Settin g You’ll find in horror films that the setting/location is in a dark mysterious place so that it is scary for the audience. For example abandoned asylums are often explored in horror films because of their past, it means that spirits will be roaming the area. Big houses are
used quite frequently in horror films because their big size can be intimidating to the audience. Over all the settings of horror films are dark, terrifying and uneasy for the audience.
Setting
Here is an example of Carries home from Carrie 2013. As you can see very little light is used to make the home look frightening
for the audience. It is decorated in an old fashioned style, this helps the home look as if it has a ghostly/spiritual presence. The home having holy crosses around it gives the audience a sense of paranormal activity at the home meaning that the characters aren’t the only ones present.
https:// with barbed wire. The www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-dlWJ9x7xY use of weather is really
This is a short clip from sinister 2. The video begins with a lovely family celebrating Christmas time, at first the audience will feel happy and heart warmed to what they’re seeing. However the video changes quickly to people being tied up in the ground
effective in this clip because the harsh snow storm makes the situation in the clip more intense and gripping for the audience. Also the characters chance of survival is slim because of the weather.
The sound in this clip is intense music due to the situation. The music makes watching the footage even scarier because it builds tension. White makeup has been used for the characters in suffering to make them look lifeless and to indicate to the audience that they’re at the end of their existence.
Narrative The three act structure is often how a horror film flows. This is where there is a middle a beginning at an end to the narrative of the story. Most horror films follow specific narrative codes. • The doner is the character who gives the hero in a film something that will help them. • The victim is the character that is being tortured by the villain. • The helper helps the hero by protecting them from the villain. • The villain also known as the antagonist is the person or people who causes torture and mean behaviour to other characters. • The hero is the character that the audience favour. The hero often saves the day by being the solver of a situation.
These particular codes and conventions which are used in a horror to enable the film to be scary and sinister for the audience. These codes and conventions in a horror film meet the genres purpose, to scare its audience.
Micro elements/technical codes and conventions The four micro elements are sound, camera work, editing and mise en scene. These elements must work by fitting into the horror genre.
Sound Sound is very important in a horror film when you’re trying to scare your audience. Sound is often used in horror films to build tension and to indicate to the audience that something sinister is about to happen. It makes the situation a lot more scary to watch. Often in horror films dark intense
music is used to match the situation. Sound effects are often used in horror films for example the creek of a door is used when everything else is silent to create suspense and suspicion. The creek of the door breaks the silence and to make the audience jump.
Diegetic sound
Non-diegetic sound
Diegetic sounds are used to break the silence in a horror film, so for example the ringing of a phone or a slam of a door. They’re sounds that you often hear and are natural types of sound.
This type of sound is sound that is added to create tension so the audience are scared more. For example intense scary music is used to create fear and to indicate that something nasty is about to happen.
audience the chills. The Unborn Screaming is highly https:// elaborated in this clip which www.youtube.com/watch?v=UszTs9-7DJU shows the audience that Here is a short clip from perhaps a particular the horror film The Unborn. character is being tortured, The music in this clip is however when seeing this part you don’t know how the very intense and gripping character Is being harmed as time progresses it gets deeper. A woman's voice is and why they’re screaming because they’re not being being loudly projected shown on camera so this showing that she has great leaves the audience importance. Her voice Is thinking. cold perhaps giving the
audience the chills. The Unborn Screaming is highly https:// elaborated in this clip which www.youtube.com/watch?v=UszTs9-7DJU shows the audience that Here is a short clip from perhaps a particular the horror film The Unborn. character is being tortured, The music in this clip is however when seeing this part you don’t know how the very intense and gripping character Is being harmed as time progresses it gets deeper. A woman's voice is and why they’re screaming because they’re not being being loudly projected shown on camera so this showing that she has great leaves the audience importance. Her voice Is thinking. cold perhaps giving the
camera work
There are many different types of camera shots used in a horror film. Different shots send different messages to the audience or characters. For example a close up shot is good to show the terror and emotion on the victims face. A long shot is a good shot to use to show the state of a situation, so in saw a long shot is used to show the bloody mess of a victim.
High angles/ aerial shots.
This type of shot is used when looking down on a character. You’ll find quite often in a horror film that this shot is used on young children to show their vulnerability. This then creates sympathy for the character getting the audience on their side.
Low angles
Dutch/tilted angles
Low angles are used to show the dominants of the antagonist. It shows the power the antagonist has over the victim. Seeing just the antagonists face in this low angle shot leaves the audience thinking of the victims facial expression.
These type of angles are used to confuse the audience. The audience often question the purpose of the shot. You’ll find these shots in a lot of psychological horrors due to how odd they look. This shot is confusing and strange to look at it.
Tracking/panning This shot is used in horror films when the victim is being followed by the villain. Its made to look as if the villain is holding the camera whilst running towards the victim. This particular shot will frighten the audience because it shows the villain getting closer to the victim.
ELS/establishing shot
This shot allows the audience to see the location fully. It is used to build tension up for the audience.
Editing In horror films the editing is really important because with the editing you can create some scary odd footage. Often in horror films flashbacks are added to create a supernatural effect. Editing the film creates more of a sinister scary way to it because you can create things like magic which obviously wouldn’t be able to be performed naturally.
Fast paced editing
This shot is often used when violent fighting scenes are taking place. It allows the audience to see the aggression between the two characters. It leaves the audience feared and frightened of what is going to happen.
Minimal editing
This particular shot creates realism for the audience. This shot is used in fighting scenes to give the audience a familiar feel as it is something that can happen in real life.
Flashbacks/reverse editing
Flashbacks are used a lot in horrors to create a sinister look. The flashbacks from the past help the audience to what is happening in the present. Reverse editing is used to create torture for the victim because it shows they’ve had a bad past.
Jump cuts Jump cuts are where one shot quickly jumps to another one. This is purely used because it shows that the shot that is being jumped to is more important than the current one. It also builds tensions and leaves the audience wondering what is going to happen.
Transitions
Transitions are a effective way of creating suspense in a horror film. For example a blackout transition is good to use as the audience are left to a black screen wondering on what is going on.
Slow motion Using slow motion is used when wanting to make a certain part in the film last longer. It also builds tension for the audience and highlights the importance of that particular moment.
Time-lapse
Time lapses have frame work. They’re often used when wanting to slow a part in a film up or down. They’re quite often used when trying to highlight the importance of time.
Mise en scene-lighting The lighting pays an important part in a horror film. It creates dark and mysterious scenes which enables the audience to feel uneasy on the lack of light that is being shown. Lighting Is use to create shadows which are sinister looking. Bright lighting is used quite often in flashbacks to create confusion for the audience.
Casting
Casting in a horror film is considered carefully. The antagonist is seen as the most important. They quite often have an intimidating look about them however looks can be altered with makeup. An attractive women is quite often used as the sex appeal.
Makeup Adding makeup to a character in a horror film adds more fear. Makeup allows characters to stand out more. Makeup will be used to create blood and open wounds which appear gruesome.
Colour symbolism
Colour symbolises