Codes and Conventions of a Horror Film.

Codes And Conventions Of The Horror Genre

Character Codes (symbolic/macro element) Horror films always without fail feature a protagonist and an antagonist: • This must occur in order for any ‘horror’ to take place • The antagonist can be supernatural or human • The protagonist can be anybody, be it an adult or a child • The audience follows the protagonist and support their side – usually the morally good Protagonist Conventions The Sex Appeal/Irritant: • First to die

Stupid/Immoral Teenagers: • Will die

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The Unlikely Hero: Audience suspects to be the antagonist

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The Final Girl: • Confronts the killer Vulnerable and weak – female masculinity

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Son or Daughter: • Child starts to change They find it easier to believe the unbelievable

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Paranormal Children: • Often do not speak Manipulated by a greater evil

Narrative Codes & Conventions (symbolic/macro element) Generally, horror movies follow these specific narrative devices: • The Hero: the one on the quest and the one who will eventually save the day • The Villian: the antagonist of the film who causes the disequilibrium • The Helper: a person who helps the hero on their quest • The Victim: at the mercy of the villain • The Doner: someone who has something special which will help the hero These devices are often seen in all horror devices.

Sub-Genres Of The Horror Genre Slasher – this type of horror film usually involves a psychopathic killer stalking and killing a sequence of victims in a violent manner – often with a cutting tool for example: an axe or a knife. Slasher films can also overlap with the crime and thriller genre. These films usually result in everybody dying and the killer escaping. A Nightmare On Elm Street is a good example of a slasher type of film.

Torture/Gore – This sub-genre deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, through the use of special effects, tend to display an interest in the vulnerability of the human body and the act of its mutilation. The combination of graphic violence and sexual suggestive imagery in some films has been labelled as torture porn. For example Saw. Psychological – Usually rely on characters fear, guilty, emotional instability and sometimes the supernatural.

Sub-Genres Of The Horror Genre Monster – This genre is ‘the’ classic of horror; for example Frankenstein. Commonly monster films include vampires, werewolves, aliens and zombies. In modern monster films include monsters which look more human to make it a little more realistic. The Descent is a key example for this.

Religious – This links in with the supernatural sub-genre.

Religious sub-genres often includes satanic rituals and extreme religious beliefs.

Gothic – These are quite different. This is a type of story than contains elements of Goth and horror; it may have romance that unfolds within the horror films, but it usually is suspenseful. Usually follows the plot of a dark twisted love between vampire and human. The two usually would not fit together but find a way.

Location Codes and Conventions • Anything that connotes isolation or being alone • Places with ‘dark’ history • Everyday settings are used in horror films. This gives the gives the effect that it could happen to the viewer!

Haunted House: • Badly lit and dusty • Have a dark history

Cabin in the woods: • No phone signal • Open to attack Asylums: • Psychotic characters • Torture

Underground tunnels: • Mortal danger • Claustrophobia

Props/Signifiers Codes and Conventions (symbolic/macro elements) Weapons: • One key feature nearly always used in horror films, especially with a slasher, is a weapon.

Depending on the time period they can range from a cross bow to a chainsaw.

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Weapons can be held by both the antagonist and the protagonist – attack or defence.

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The final girl is usually equipped with a weapon.

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These weapons illustrate how vulnerable the human body is to the audience and in how many different ways one can die.

Lost/Missing: • In many horror films the protagonist gets lost in some way. Fog is a popular use for the character to become disorientated. The use of this block us from seeing anything but the protagonist and what the film wants us to see; there are no other details to distract us.

This state of confusion orientates the viewer into the protagonists emotion and stress. It is almost as if we are transported to a different location as nothing can be seen.

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It is then that something emerges in the fog, often abstract at first.

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Usually another character in the film pulls the protagonist from the confusion and the illusion disappears.

Props/Signifiers Codes and Conventions (symbolic/macro elements) Dolls/Children: • •

Dolls are used in many horror films to signify horror. Weapons can be held by both the antagonist and the protagonist – attack or defence.

This could be because they signify children and illustrate the torment the child is going through but on the exterior. It could also show a broken child or the time difference from a previous resident.

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The idea that the dolls are supposed to be for children but instead look scary has become a common occurrence in certain types of horror films.

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Drawings by children are also regular in other-worldly type films.

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The illustrations can become precursors to later on in the film.

Audience

(symbolic/macro element) Typical fears reinforced by horror genre: Any good horror film should play on at least of the following; • Nightmares – something everyone has experienced once in their life • Vulnerability – the inability to withstand the effects of a hostile environment • Alienation – being alone is one of the scariest things for everyone • Fear of the unknown – even something simple like a low lit room • Death – the inevitable and also unknown, its never certain what will happen when you die • Loss of identity – losing everything you once were

Diegetic & Non Diegetic Sound Codes and Conventions (technical/micro element)

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In most horrors low pitched music is used to build up intensity.

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A loud shocking noise matches when antagonists pop out. This technique is used in all sub-genres of horror.

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In some cases the sequence can go completely silent in order to build suspense. This makes the contrast of a loud non-diegetic noise, or the introduction of a diegetic noise such as a phone call more shocking.

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The tone of a phone going dead or just ringing is very ominous in horror films and often crops up in the genre.

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This also works the other way round – when the antagonist calls the protagonist, a mysterious voice on the other end of the line that we cannot see. This is a key feature in The Ring.

Camera Work Codes and Conventions (technical/micro element)

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Camera work is very expensive and not natural. High and low angle can connote fear and nightmares POV shots are important because they allow the audience to see the world from the protagonists or antagonists eye this happens roughly in the middle or end of a horror film (For example: The Evil Dead has a very long POV shot chase scene at the end) Handheld shots make it difficult for the audience to make out what is happening but can shoe their fear by the shaking of the camera Sometimes framework uses depth of field, makes it harder to see the antagonist creeping up behind the protagonist Disturbing sounds are important in horror films. Ambient diegetic sounds like footsteps and non-diegetic sounds like a heartbeat Types of shots used like ECU on a victim’s face can help the identification of the characters emotions Editing can create unsettling tension and suspense

Editing Codes and Conventions (technical/micro element)

The editing techniques used include transitions, fades, dissolves etc. The editing is fast paced in key areas where all of the action is happening which builds tension and increases the heart rate of the audience to add fear. They use fast cuts usually to prevent the viewers seeing the identity of the villain or other aspects that the creates don’t want them to see.

This fast editing makes the audience feel like they’re in the film and allows them to witness the chaos from the victim or villains perspective.

The dissolve/fades/transitions allow the films to quickly jump from one location to the other to make sure the film runs smoothly and has continuity.

Fast paced editing is also used in chase scenes to show how quick everything is happen and to disorientate the audience as if they were the protagonist.

Mise-en-scéne Codes and Conventions (technical/micro element)

The arrangement of everything that appears in the framing – actors, lighting, décor, props, costume – is called Mise-en-scéne, a French term that means “placing on stage”. The frame and camerawork are also considered part of the Mise-en-scéne of a movie. In cinema, placing on the stage really means placing on the screen, and the director is in charge of deciding what goes where, when and how. – expressive and non-naturalistic. Low key lighting can help create • Lighting • • • • • •

shadows and unfamiliar shapes in the darkness. Lighting can be motivated in the world of film like bonfires fireplaces and torches.

Make Up – especially on monsters/antagonists, this helps to connote extreme fear, disgust and terror (werewolves, vampires, mummies etc) Casting Framing Locations Props – this can help further identify the horror genre. Specific props can be identified with certain characters (chainsaws, machetes, knives etc) Costumes

Special Effects Codes and Conventions (technical/micro element)

Specials effects (computer generated imagery) range from: • Prosthetic make up This is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects. Using prosthetic make up can makes actors and actresses look scary or inhuman, this is used on antagonists to make them look terrifying to scare the audience and build fear for the protagonist.

• Mechanized props These are machines used as props. There are different types of mechanized props such as Pyrotechnics: these can range from small explosive charges to simulate gunshots or giant bags of explosive chemicals for a large all-consuming fireball.

Animatronics: this involves building creatures such as dinosaurs. Atmospheric: building different environments where the lack of environmental elements would be obvious for example they can make is numbing cold, searing heat, wind, fog etc.

• Scenery (green screen) This enhances the effects of horror movies. For example: with a combination of both a green screen and Chroma key green screen suit, limbs can be removed for maximum horror effect.

Horror films are unsettling and designed to cause discomfort to the viewer.

• Frighten and make the viewer panic causing heart rate to rise • Cause dread and alarm • Invoke hidden or even new fears, sometimes lasting longer than the film • Captivate and entertain us in a fearful and gruesome manner • Conclude often in a way that shocks that audience

Key techniques used in horror films to create certain effects.

Convention Narrative Genre Mise-enscene • Lighting • Editing • Performance • • • •

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Camera – movement Shot – angle/tilt Framing Composition Sound Colour Iconography