The Horror GenreHorror film is a genre that aims to create a sense of fear, panic, alarm, and dread for the audience. These films are often unsettling and rely on scaring the audience through a portrayal of their worst fears and nightmares. Traditionally, Horror films incorporate a large amount of violence and gore into the plot. Though it has its own style, Horror film often overlaps into Fantasy, Thriller, and Science-Fiction genres. - The Script Lab
Iconography in horror films follow a standardised pattern, that won’t deviate from the original format. There is a specific pattern within horror movies, as they are set up to address the implied viewer, this makes the genre identifiable. The connotation of the horror genre, tells the viewer who or what is good and who or what is evil, and also identifies the codes linked with them. The traditional genre pattern of horror films is still followed in all examples of horror films. The original form of discovery and conflict is essential to plot structure, what the audience expects to see and hear, is consistent in the horror genre. - Slide Share The antagonists are either viscous ghosts/spirits or demons determined to get revenge, create terror or communicate and try to send a message to the character they are terrorising. If they are human, they will often wear a mask, disguising them completely of appearance or emotion, and the audience can make no connection to them whatsoever. Wearing a mask also plays on the fear of the unknown. They will never react in a normal way to injuries; if they were to be stabbed, they usually manage to get back up again unharmed, hinting towards the idea of them being inhuman. Any other type of killer, such as a monster or demon also plays on the fear of the unknown, and as there is never any solid proof that they do not exist, they play on the audiences more primal fears and the thought that they could actually be all around at night. This character obviously has the biggest impact on the audience and strikes fear into them. They are what the suspension throughout the film and all other codes and conventions have been building up to. - laurakeogha2mediastudies.blogspot.co.uk |
The protagonist is the innocent victim. However, near the end of the film, it can be revealed that the protagonist is indeed the antagonist so therefore it would shock the target audience and make them re-evaluate their thoughts and opinions on this character which they thought was the victim. These types of twisted character types fits in nicely with supernatural and psychological horrors as it allows the target audience to be open minded. I will include this convention in my own production as this interests me and the way the characters appear to be twisted in the end will make my narrative more interesting. - laurakeogha2mediastudies.blogspot.co.uk Settings are very important in the horror genre as it can say a lot about it. It sets the scene, giving of a certain mood and atmosphere which allow the audience to identify the genre. Horrors are also often set in suburban areas, for example, a common location is in a characters home, which is especially common in supernatural and psychological horrors. The houses in which the films are set contain a warm hospitable vibe but still maintain an eerie presence; having a normal looking home makes the target audience more uncomfortable in theirs, making the horror film successful in frightening and scaring the target audience. - laurakeogha2mediastudies.blogspot.co.uk |