Horror Genre.

Horror genre

Horror can be split into sub genres:

The monster scare

Psychological thrillers

Slasher…

· Split into sub genres-often hybrids

· Primary target audience –male, 16-24

· 15 or 18 certification (promises of pleasure)- debates on passive consumption

· Extensive use of narrative enigmas

· Slow pace of editing, builds tension. Long takes.

Codes and conventions

· Three act narrative structure

· Predictable narrative content (follows format)

· Clear binary oppositions e.g. good v evil

· Use low key lighting, use of CGI, FX

· Dominant representation of gender: male villain, the female victim

· Extensive use of close up, points of view shots, long angle view shots

· Young/ teenage characters

· Use of hand- held camera: audience identification/realism

associations with a horror film:

• isolated house
• dark lighting
• murder
• gore
• scary music
• victim and villains

Target Audience

• male audience if there are a lot of gorey/ violent scenes
• ages from 15-25
• exciting and thrilling
• dramatic scenes
• pleasure of being scared
• women often play victim which attracts the men

The Antagonist 

• Ghosts
• Zombies
•  Werewolves
• Creepy children
•  Demonic possession
•  Vampires (although they are now sneaking into the romance genre for some unfathomable reason)
•  Lunatic with a chainsaw
• .Scientist with a crazy scheme
• Want vengeance.
•  Have some sort of routine for their appearance
•  Hold some sort of power over technology that disrupts phones and CCTV.

The Protagonist 

• Teenagers - mainly girls.
•  Daredevils/ rebels.
•  Miraculously stupid.
•  College drop-outs.
• Even more stupid boyfriends.
•  Blonde.
• Talented screamers
•  Druggies
•  Alcoholics
•  Party animals.
• Clumsy.
•  Goes somewhere they were told not to, to prove how rebellious they are.

The Story

•  Haunted houses.
• Haunted woods.
•  Haunted graveyards.
•  Haunted islands.
•  Haunted towns.
•  Haunted hotels with equally creepy workers.
•  Shower murders
• Mysterious noises that must always be investigated.
•  A window jump scene
•  A mirror jump scene (usually occurring after the protagonist has washed their face)
•  Nightmares.
• Creaky doors.
• Creaky floorboards 
• Creaky stairs.
•  rocking chairs
•  Clowns.
• Dolls.
• Creepy, suspenseful music.
•  Intense build-ups that lead to nothing...and then the jump comes.
•  Gore.
•  Splitting up or separating to investigate the danger.
• The old man who seems to know everything.
• The killer who walks in slow strides whilst the protagonist tries desperately to find a way out.
• The killer never fully dies.
•  Old folk tales that are actually true.
•  Newspaper clippings of shocking events associated with the killers motives.
•  Shadows.
•  Chainsaws.
•  Knives
• Objects moving without visible force.
•  Doors slamming - occasionally not opening again.
•  Wolves howling.
•  Dogs barking.
•  Animals run away when they sense the danger
•  Lanterns
•  Candles blowing out.
• Chill wind preceding antagonist.
•  The Psycho soundtrack.
• Nursery rhymes.