HORROR CONVENTIONS!! !

ICONOGRAPHY

Bloody knife:

This usually resembles

the killer and it shows

the audience that they

will see a killing.

Ravens:

These usually are used to

represent death and many

villains use ravens as their

pets.

Masks:

Masks are usually used to

hide the killers face so

that they are not revealed

till the end of the film.

Hauntings:

This leads to haunted

places and the characters

that are being haunted

and what happens in the

narrative.

VISUAL STYLE

Shadows:

Shadows are often used in

horror films so hat the

audience know that the

victim is in danger.

Low Key Lighting:

This generally adds to the

suspense in a horror film

and if often used to scare

the audience.

Natural light:

If it is at night, it could

make the horror film

more scary and more

believable.

SETTING

Forest:

This usually shows that there is

going to be someone going

missing or someone that will be

killed. It also shows that they will

most likely be alone.

School:

Many horror films are based in a

school when some unlucky

teenager ends up dead and the

murdered is someone in the

school.

Mansion:

Mansions could link to the

theme of revenge because it

often shows that one of them

has money and the other is

jealous.

Club:

If the club is busy many people

wouldn’t notice that one person

goes into the bathroom and

doesn’t come back. So it doesn’t

really give the narrative away.

NARRATIVE

Character’s view point:

In a horror, sometimes

we see the movie

through one characters

view point, or if the

table turns you

sympathies with the

killer.

Flashbacks:

Sometimes horror films

are quite jumpy as you

are going through the

story because he victim

or killer is having

multiple flashbacks and

that usually links to what

happens in the story.

Chronological:

Some horror films are set

in chronological order

but others are all jumpy

taking the audience back

in time and then to the

present.

Revenge killings:

Many horror films are all

based around revenge.

Some are even from

people being jealous but

in many cases it is over a

lover.

CHARACTERS

Killer:

The killer is usually male

and is out for everyone.

They tend to be discreet

and not get involved with

the people they are going to

kill unless it is revenge.

Dumb blond:

In most horror films there

is always the female that

dies first and she is usually a

blond. If they don’t die first

then she dies in a stupid

way e.g. Garage scene in

scream.

Main Murder Victim:

There is the character that

the film revolves around

and they either die at the

end or they triumph.

Killers friend:

In many horror films the

killer usually has a right

hand man who does

most of the work except

for the killing.

THEMES

The Last Victim:

Story shows someone that is

going to die at he end of the

film and they can either be

murdered or killed by a

monster. The story usually

follows the victim through it.

Vampires and Zombies:

Usually shows people being

killed or it shows the humans

life before encountering a

Vampire/Zombie. Usually

people find these films

frightening.

Revenge:

Many horror stories are based

on he killer wanting to take

revenge on people that have

hurt him but he kills them in

brutal ways.

Ghosts:

Many people find ghosts

scary because usually they

show a haunting and most of

the ghost are poltergeists.