Horror Forms and Conventions

By Jade Craig

Setting

• They are normally set in small communities or isolated areas, this includes; Urban environments, dark streets, narrow alleys, dark forests, etc. anywhere really that connotes isolation.

Iconography

• Visual – The use of dark colours such as red and black – this connotes evil, blood and danger.

• Lighting – normally expressing and unnatural – low key lighting will help create dark shadows and unfamiliar shapes in the darkness/blackness.

• Props – Helps us to identify the horror genre, specific props can be seen with certain villains or characters. Props such as chainsaws, machetes, knifes, claw gauntlets, common objects(weapons, masks, religious icons, etc.)