CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF TEEN HORROR.

CODE

• A technical element which is used to perform certain acts.

• They are a number of signs that are placed together to create meanings. These signs can be technical or symbolic.

CONVENTIONS• Habits or long accepted ways of doing things,

that we accept to see in particular genres of film.

Conventions of teen horror. Conventions of teen horror consist of all the conventional things that we accept to see within

a teen horror film.

• A soul survivor• Chase sequence • Victims• Death• Killings• Blood shed• Violence• Darkness• Weapons• Isolated areas

Typical teen horror plot• Most teen horrors follow the constant fight for survival of a teenage group of friends. Who

got themselves in a life or death situation, or simply fall victim to a murderer, or unpreventable situation. Generally all the teenagers end up dying on after another, with one soul survivor. Each death of a teenager tends to differentiate from the one before to keep the audience gripped and in suspense, yet within teen horror they never draw to closely upon the deaths as this could pull away from the conventions of a teen horror film, and shift away from its original teenage target audience.

• Within a teen horror it often focuses on some sort of relationship between two teenagers, however this romance always results in one of them being murdered, and the couple never getting a chance to officially be together. This allows the teenage audience to feel sympathy and emotions towards the characters, as they are able to strike a close resemblance to their teenage emotions and life.

Locations of teen horror.• The locations within a teen horror tend to focus on the everyday activities of teenagers.

Following them to school, parties, life at home, and hanging out with their friends. Soon they transform places of leisure and fun for the teenagers into scenes of murder and violence, causing many of the deaths to take place in locations that the teenager usually feel save and comfortable in e.g: at home, prom night or even at school.

Characters within Teen Horrors.• Within teen horrors the main characters consist of older teenagers, often female, as they are

seen as more vulnerable and more acceptable to danger than a male, who are viewed more as the stronger, dominant, intelligent character, who tries to prevent the dangers occurring.

• Characters in teen horrors have to be likeable, and have a connection with the target audience, this allows the audience to build up a sympathy, and become emotionally invested in them. And feel a strong sense of hatred towards the villain.

• At the end of a teen horror you have the soul survivor who tends to be the main character who as an audience we follow throughout, and feel the biggest sense of emotion towards. If that character was to die many audience members may feel as if it was a “waste of a film” so having that main soul surviving character is vital.

EXAMPLES OF TEEN HORRORS