Conventions of Horror

Horror Film

A horror film is a type of film, which is intended to frighten its viewers or to scare or startle the viewers and to induce feelings of horror or terror.  It creates an eerie and freighting atmosphere, which can be supernatural or non- supernatural.

Purpose of horror films

To be frightened and have an adrenaline rush without actually putting the audience in danger, this means that they can be scared in a safe environment.

Codes and conventions of horror films  

Case 39 uses: diegetic sounds, low-key lighting, and an isolated location  

Low-key lighting and isolated location

Case 39

This screenshot shows the way the producers have used the codes and conventions of low lighting and an isolated location. This seems to be a common code and convention of the horror genre. The codes and conventions add to the eerie atmosphere, which the films have, this therefore means that it is more likely to achieve its purpose, which is to make the audience feel scared. They want to achieve the purpose because it makes the audience feel satisfied because fans of horror with the purpose of wanting to feel scared while watching the film, they like the Adeline rush that it makes them feel in the way that they feel uncomfortable.

Low-key lighting and an isolated location

This clip is from the mist and is an example of low-key lighting. The low-key lighting has made this  sequence more dramatic, tense and frightening, which is why we have used low-key lighting in our opening title in order to convey that message and put the audience in the same place as the characters, to make the audience feel what the actual characters in the film are feeling. 

The Mist

Low-key lighting and an isolated location

Below is the DVD cover of "The Exorcist". from looking at this cover, we can immediately tell that this film is of a horror/thriller genre, which the low-key lighting of the cover signifies, which again is why we have used low-key lighting in our opening title.

The Exorcist

Scary music(non-diegetic), distorted soundtrack and diegetic sound

The clip below signifies how diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound can make a scene more scary, and how it has the power to grab the viewer attention immediately and make them feel vulnerable and scared. In our opening title we used a background soundtrack called "Remote Location", which added to the intensity of the scene. We also added a loud diegetic scream from a spirit, which made the scene even more scary, as it almost seems real to the viewer.

The Exorcist.

Mise en scene

Props, costumes, make-up etc.

This clip shows how make-up, such as blood and props, for example the axe can make a scene more horrific and frightening, which is why we have used fake blood in our opening title to make the scene seem more scary, eerie and intense to grab the viewers attention. The props such as the axe in this scene, indicate violence and that these 2 girls where killed with it. In our opening title the Ouija board acts as the "Killer", as the two characters play the Ouija board, which leads to things going wrong, such as awakening the spirit. 

The Shining

Low-key lighting, fast paced editing & intense diegetic sounds

The clip below is a clip from "Paranormal Activity 3" and is a good example of how low-key lighting and diegetic sound can make a scene more thrilling and scary. By watching this clip, it is almost as if you are experiencing what the characters are experiencing, as it makes you feel vulnerable and the low-key lighting also adds to the intensity and scariness of the scene, which gets your heart pumping, especially when the fast pace editing kicks in, when the spirit or ghost grabs the girl off her bed. This is why we chose to use low-key lighting and the intense diegetic sounds from the characters and the spirit in our opening title.

Paranormal Activity 3