CODES AND CONVENTIONS

OF HORROR SUB GENRE’S

INTRODUCTION

There are many different codes and conventions that make up the different horror sub genre. Codes and conventions are things that you recognise, to identify a certain genre, such as space is known as a convention of a sci-fi film. In order for my group and myself to understand and highlight each sub genre, we carried out a research task to identify each sub genres conventions. So we can apply it into our film, and make it more appealing to the audience and can related to the sub genre chosen.

HORROR: SUB GENRE

SUPERNATURAL

A Little Introduction.....The supernatural genre is centred

around the supernatural elements

such as ghosts, spirits, curses,

miracles, and the unknown. The

supernatural genre tends to deal

with the unknown question of life;

therefore films tend to incorporate

religious elements into the plot. As

the main emphasis is on the

unknown, supernatural films are

considered quite suspenseful.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS The location for a supernatural film is set where the protagonist is most

familiar with or has spent a proportion of their life in the setting. However this depends on the narrative of the film. The most common setting is at the home of the protagonist. The main characters home is usually isolated and excluded. With having a supernatural presence within a home unwelcomed is not easily accepted. For example in ‘MAMA’, the two girls are brought to a cabin in the woods where there’s nothing around only the woodland. Which resulted the children not being found for a long time. The isolation of the house creates an eerie, mysterious atmosphere. Where it leaves the characters to rely upon themselves to attempt to overcome the supernatural being and survive. A supernatural presence isn’t easily accepted by a person, and it is not something that one can escape from or fight against, this is what makes this subgenre so terrifying and intriguing. Supernatural horrors are set in people’s homes because it promotes the fear of something unwanted and unfriendly entering your own personal space, making you feel frightened in the one place designed to make a person feel comforted and safe.

EVIDENCE: IMAGES FROM FILMS

‘MAMA’ – the cabin which the two girls are found

‘EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE’

‘THE CONJURING’ ‘INSIDIOUS’

TYPICAL COVENTIONS The haunted one, in the supernatural horror one of the leading

characters is always being followed by a being or presence that usually does not reveal itself to others only the one that they come for. For example in ‘INSIDIOUS’ when the pictures of the father as a young child is shown there is a being in the form of a women whom appears in every image that comes closer and closer to him. This is when the audience is informed of the father’s gene being passed on to the son causing him to be lost in the alternative place known as the further. Or this may not be the case as it can be a certain character is one that we can trust, when eventually it is exposed that they are the cause of all the horror. For example, in “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” the couple believe they are being followed by a spirit, when in fact; the female character turns out to have a curse set on her family or something their ancestors did in the past.

CLIP ONE: ‘INSIDIEOUS’ – The family discovers the real reason as to strange occurrence. The clip demonstrates the father facing the supernatural being, and his past where this sprit is to have followed him in every picture taken.

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CLIP TWO: ‘INSIDIEOUS’ – The dead spirit has taken over josh’s body. This demonstrates how the unknown can easily possess our body’s as this spirit has followed its victim for a long time. Also ending the film on a suspense gives the audience a want to see the sequel.

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HORROR: SUB GENRE

GOTHIC

A Little Introduction

The Gothic Horror is the genre of

literature that has elements of both

romance and horror. The sub genre really

focus’s on the traditional aspects that

horror has to offer. The early Gothic

horror film’s were founded on the

fascination of gothic literature. The

gothic genre tends to deal with; mystic

creatures, spirits, dark storm, full of eerie

winds, set in old mansion or castles on

high cliffs, graveyards.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

WEATHER: used in a number of

ways and forms, some of these

being:

Mist - This convention in Gothic films, is often used

to darken objects by reducing visibility or to introduce the insertion of

a terrifying person or thing;

Storms - These frequently accompany important events.

Flashes of lightening along with expose; thunder and downpours anticipate the appearance of a character or the beginning of a

significant event.

Sunlight - represents goodness and pleasure; it also has the power to

present these upon characters as most

gothic beings cannot walk in the day light.

EVIDENCE:IMAGES FILMS

‘THE WOMEN IN BLACK’

‘SWEENEY AND TODD’

‘THE BRIDE OF DRACULA’

‘FRANKENSTEIN’

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS "Gothic" originated from a style of medieval architecture, and

Gothic fiction is often set in medieval castles or churches. These settings are often dark, gloomy and full of secret chambers, hallways and dungeons. Wild, dark and dangerous locations, such as abandoned graveyards, forests and other untamed places, are also common. In more contemporary Gothic literature, older houses and manors replaced castles, though the sense of mystery and gloominess remained a strong element.

The Gothic hero is often an isolated or "marked" figure who must restore himself to society. A figure of evil sometimes with a relationship to the supernatural and is often in opposition to the hero. Women play significant roles in Gothic novels; they are often described as victims of harsh and evil men.

CLIP THREE: This is taken from ‘Women in Black’ where we can observe the surrounding of the scene and the great attention to detail of a conventional gothic setting.

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HORROR: SUB GENRE

POSSESSION

A Little IntroductionThe Possession genre is branch from the supernatural genre, although they both have different elements many people mistake them as one sub genre. The

possession genre revolves around a person or an object being haunted and

manipulated by an evil spirit or the devil himself.

The location of Possession films are generally isolated with a hidden dark mysterious history dating back. Typically we are presented with a place of worship which is brought together with conventions of the genre, or a family home. The isolated locations ensures there’s no escape for the characters thus when trouble occurs they must work as a unit to attempt to flee the evil spirit. The abandoned buildings are also a key location which continue to crop up in many possession films.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

EVIDENCE:IMAGES FILMS

‘INSIDIOUS:CHAPTER 2’

‘THE CONJURING’

‘THE LAST EXCORSIM OF EMILY ROSE’

‘THE DEVIL INSIDE’

Possession films use religious imagery to build a bond between real life that the audience can relate to and the film. The religious belief and objects are seen as the ‘hero’ within the film. As the motion pictures play on the GOOD vs. EVIL aspect. This dates back to early years portraying the history and the never ending battle that good and evil have. Many religious groups are portrayed in possession films illustrating how each religion has different beliefs and demons in which they believe in. Thus creating a realistic approach in ‘saving the day’ which as a result creates an authentic atmosphere and makes it more terrifying.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

CLIP FOUR: This clip is taken from ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’, where we can see the actual exorcism by a Christian Priest taking place.

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CLIP FIVE: This clip is taken from ‘The Possession’ when we can see an exorcism by a Jewish Rabbi take place.

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HORROR: SUB GENRE

SLASHER

A Little IntroductionThe most well known horror films have originated from the Slasher genre, for

instance Halloween and Friday The 13th. Slasher films are combined with inventive

violence and a clever, eerily evocative suburban mise-en-scene with engaging,

believable, contemporary teen protagonists and a superhuman killer.

The location is quiet and eerie, in a suburban town, this helps to maintain the sense of fear because the audience can relate to it ensuring authenticity as its a safe haven. The location may indicate being a part of the killers identity , it may even hold a significant event which the killer was involved in or bad childhood. The location is often in a small populated region and is often far from civilization. The killer destroys his victims means of escape i.e. their vehicle which makes their escape nearly impossible and allows the killer to kill his victims freely without interferences.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

EVIDENCE:IMAGES FILMS

‘THE NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET’

‘FRIDAY THE 13TH ’

‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER’

‘SCREAM’

The monster or killer’s identity is often unknown, this is portrayed through a mask or a mark which has left them in an unrecognisable manner, alongside the use of creative lighting and camera techniques. It ensures a mysterious aura around the unknown killer. It is almost likely to be a male figure. With a preference of weapon’s being a knife, chainsaw, sharp claws and anything jiggered and sharp preferring hand held weapons as it gives an intimate kill. Towards the end of the film the audience is revealed the true identity of the killer. The reason behind his killings is often a childhood trauma. The killer is often made out to be understood by the audience and is pitiful. He is often silent and unstoppable, able to survive stabbings, falls and shootings by his victims.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

CLIP SIX: The following clip is from ‘Halloween 4’ is shows the killer in his act, we can’t identify the killer as he is wearing a mask.

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CLIP SEVEN: This clip is from ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ portrays an example of the killer’s weapon and the way he interacts with the victim.

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HORROR: SUB GENRE

PSYCHOLOGICAL

A Little IntroductionPsychological horror contains no gore, no weapons and is the only horror sub-genre

that doesn’t aim to make the audience jump out of their seat. The horror sub genre plays games on your mind; it messing with your

head in such a way that you don’t know who to trust within the film and you, yourself feel

vulnerable.

Psychological Horror films will generally rely on the characters beliefs, fears, and any hidden truths about the character or what they have done.

The location of a typical psychological sub genre tends to be in authentic housing, hospitals, locations that are in the audiences everyday life which in return produces a connection that the audience has with the film.

Very often psychological films will base its narrative on facts or actual occurrences in real life, this is true for films such as The Strangers which are based on a true story. Film makers often like to add if a film is based on true events because it adds value to film, and also increases the scare factor because the target audience will realise that there is a real possibility of the plot happening in real life.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

EVIDENCE:IMAGES FILMS

‘THE STRANGERS’

The True Story Behind "The Strangers" is a mixture of three stories.

The killers, a principle male assailant and female accomplices, is based upon Charles Manson and the Manson killings.

The frantic "there's blood everywhere" 911 phone call and "bounding to a chair and stabbing" was based on the killings in Cabin 28.

The basic story of a couple being terrorized by a group of people was based on the famous killing in the Czech Republic.

In the Czech Republic murders, an Austrian couple are terrorized in their vacation home by three teenagers and are later killed in the forest when they try to escape.

When watching a Psychological horror film, the weapons that tends to appear are not actual physical weapons in some cases, but have a tendency to be more supernatural and psychological. For example, the killer’s twisted minds act as a weapon of fear against the victims in the film.

Very often the evil works of this character is not shown until the end or when the story of the horror film is fully established.

However in ‘Shutter Island’, the film plays deeply on the mind, using the unknown factor to play on the audiences mind. Coming to the end of the film we cannot tell whether the main character is telling the truth or if he’s bought to the Island as a patient.

TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

CLIP EIGHT: This clip is taken from ‘Shutter Island’ where we can identify the characters facade coming to an end according to the doctor where we are left with the same question which scenario is true. Highlighting how psychological films play with ones mind.

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THE GENRE MY GROUP AND I PICKED

My Group and I decided to choose the Possession sub-genre because we believe that it is the most interesting genre to create a film in. There are many conventions to follow and challenge and there are also many different narrative possibilities. Since Possession films are becoming increasingly relevant in today's society, it would make sense to create a film that will appeal to a wide range of audiences that like to watch the latest Possession films such as Insidious 2 and The Possession.

Since the sub-genre is one of the more sophisticated Horror sub-genres, we can target a sophisticated audience that understands the many codes and conventions of the genre.

Not only will the film be interesting for the audience, it will be very interesting to create the film itself in all stages of production, from brainstorming narrative ideas to story-boarding to filming and to editing. We believe as a group that the project will be very interesting to produce and will allow our creative ideas and thoughts to flourish.

This will allow us to develop as media practitioners because of the great opportunity for creative ideas.