Codes and Conventions of a horror film

Codes and Conventions
· Split into sub genres, often hybridized
· Primary target audience – male, 16-24, Mainstreamers
· 15 or 18 Certification (promises of pleasure) – debates on passive consumption
· Uses and Gratifications (active audiences) theory can apply
· Extensive use of Narrative enigmas
· Exploration of Narrative Themes
· Slow pace of Editing, builds tension. Long takes
· Three act narrative structure
· Predictable narrative content (follows format)
· Clear binary oppositions e.g. good v evil
· Use of low key lighting
· Use of CGI, FX
· High production values but many low budget horror films
· Dominant, hegemomic representation of gender: The Female Victim
· Extensive use of close up
· Incidental non-diegetic sound
· Distorted diegetic sound
· Extensive use of narrative off-screen space
· Young/teenage characters
· Use of hand-held camera: audience identification/realism
· Point of view shots
· Low angle shots

Horror Sub Genres
Horror can be split into sub genres:
· The Monster Scare
· Psychological Thrillers
· Slasher...


All of these codes and conventions would link with our horror trailer as we have to stick to conventions so that the film will be popular and will get watched. Also if we stick to conventions it's a lot more likely that people who are into a specific genre or type of genre will watch the trailer and then the film because it will be familiar to them and they'll want to watch it because it's what they're used to. It also means that the film is a lot more likely to be successful because the codes and conventions are things that work and that are known to work so the film will also work.