Representation/Convention of Horror film

BY Rushelle Mckoy

Horror

• The horror genre has the capacity to scare its audience by inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie and frightening atmosphere through the use of particular forms and conventions. Most horror films consist of the same type of settings, props, themes, character types etc. This is because by using these same forms and conventions you know what reaction to expect from your audience.

Female victim

• There is almost no horror film without a female victim, as they are portrayed as being vulnerable and in need of protection.

• This representation dates back to earlier horror films that were made in a more sexist era, and idea continued.

• Usually young, blonde and attractive, help to appeal to a wider male audience.

Non believer

• Can be of either sex, although often male. • Portrayed as being cocky and at ease, convincing the other

characters that they are over reacting and that nothing is going on.

• Typically overconfident, which usually lead to them being the first to be killed, and their death will trigger a mass killing of the other characters.

• To begin with, the audience will listen to this voice of reason and be reassured and calmed slightly by them. However, when they are shortly after killed, the audience will panic and all sense of security has gone; nobody is safe.

Hero (Protagonist)• Hero Pretty much always a male character of strong,

masculine build. Although he is the ‘hero’, there aren’t many horror films where the good triumph over evil.

• In these cases, he tends to be the brave character that goes after the murderer, often never returning.

• These characters tend to show little emotion throughout the film, perhaps to stay strong and supportive for the other characters that cope less well.

• In more recent horror films, the hero has begun to appear as a female. This makes the film more unpredictable, and challenges the older, more traditional conventions.

• This character shows little emotion throughout the film and stays strong and supportive to the rest of the characters.

Hysterical Character

• Usually female They are typically known to not want to leave the building they are in, usually after witnessing the murder of one of her friends. The other characters try to move her, but she often breaks down into hysterics and refuses to move. This will usually either result in her staying behind and being killed, or all other characters being hunted down and her saved until last. One way or another, she is always killed. This character has quite an impact on the audience, and her hysterical tendencies reflect onto them and helps to build up more suspense.

Villain (Antagonist)• Can take many forms; serial killer, demonic possession, ghost, monster

(vampire, werewolf, zombie etc.) 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.

The False Hero

• This character pretends to help the hero and the group but it turns out later that they are helping the villain (Antagonist)

• This character can sometimes be mistaken to be the hero.

Examples of Horror films with these settings would be:

Silent Hill: Set in a desolate town

The Strangers: Set in an isolated vacation home.

The Others: Set in a darken old house.

SettingsThroughout horror films the typical settings which are used are :• Graveyards • Lofts/Basements• Isolated/Abandoned areas/buildings• Haunted houses• Or a place with a hidden past which specifically links in with a character

or plot.

Most of which are usually set at night time when a character is alone, this is done to create suspense and build tension making the viewer fear for the character as we know they are in danger. However on some occasions the settings can differ as they can be done within different times of the day but still within an isolated area an example of this would be The Hills Have Eyes; director Alexandre Aja has chosen to set this film in the desert during the day:

Friday 13th A dangerous weapon is used as a prop to highlight the danger and power. This character posse as the villain in the movie. The audience can see that because of the way he carry the weapon in his hand and hide his face with a mask. However the knife he has is dirty which signifies that he’s a serial killer.

Only eyes of the character are revealed which are shown focusing on something, possibly a victim which highlights the intent of the character Character is stood very patient apart

from his weapon which he has held high which signifies the element of danger the character creates and also creating a sinister look about the character

The background of the character is very hazy and also doesn’t reveal anything specific or facial features of the character. The fact that the audience is unable to make out the setting signifies the feeling of fear for the unknown that the character creates.

Use of the ripped and ragged costume gives the character an animalistic and uncivilized look immediately distinguishing him from the rest of the characters.

Facial expression and identity is hidden behind a mask which signifies a sense of the unknown increasing fear levels for the audience.

Scream

The low key lighting backdrop connotes the themes doom, danger and death.

The costume like the one the villain is wearing, lighting is very dark, thus making the villain look more threating due to the sense of doom created by the colour black

The only props used are an ordinary everyday object used as a weapon highlighting the danger of this character. This is the only enhanced by the fact the knife. The knife signifies murder and danger.

Face is hidden hiding the identity of the killer and any facial expression used. Like the director increases fear levels and plays on the themes of tearing the unknown.

Facial expressions can only be seen from the facial expressions of the mask which looked like a ghost. The fact that it’s a ghost creates a supernatural feel about the villain.

Horror villian

• Villains in horror films are represented using different methods and techniques. Sometimes they can have make-up which enhance the appearance of a character to give them a more dreary look. In addition make-up is used such as fake blood, eye liner, or face paint, usually in dark colours, which alters the appearance of a character dramatically, which instantly gives the audience the impression that this character is evil.

Costume• Costume is a crucial element that allows the audience to easily and quickly

decipher the intentions of a character before they have even seen them. Costume ranges from fantasy horrors to realism horrors. For example a hooded boy would instantly generate the typical teenage stereotype of a “chav” or “gangster”, which means that traditionally the audience would automatically think that they are up to no good. In Harry Potter for example, voldemort is dressed in dark ragged clothing, looks to be a robe. Clothing can range depending on the scene, or type of horror the film is.

Props• There are loads of different props that can be used for

a villain, here are a few: The use of contact lens can be extremely effective when creating a horror film. It generates the output “you can see it in their eyes”. Contact lens allows the alter of a character all together, and give them a look which makes them seem not human and makes them seem more evil. Combined with the use of a knife or a weapon of some kind, give the character a killer appearance. In addition props such as fake blood also generates the killer stereotype, and is extremely effective on villains such as vampires. Of course a well known prop use for a vampire villain would be fake teeth. Props like these are relied on to create the villain you are after.

Horror villains – ICT• ICT can have a massive impact on the

appearance of a character too. The improvement in technology not only lets us change the atmosphere of the room and setting, but characters too. Special effects can be added to create the character you are after. For example, the ghosts in Casper are all created using CGI (Computer Generated Image) which means that the editor has to import the ghost into the clip once it has been filmed. The power of ICT not only allows us to use enhanced effects but offers the opportunity to new kind of horror films for the future.

Horror Conventions – Lighting and Setting

• The above is the exact opposite of what a villain character is expected to be set in. The set location of the introduction of a villain would be in a dark gloomy location such as a graveyard or warehouse. It is easier to establish when the setting is in a location with little to no lighting, perhaps introducing the character in a mid shot where the audience can't see all of their face due to the lack of lighting. This generates an evil atmosphere where the audience can easily establish who is the villain.

CAMERA WORK

• The art of camera work is an important element displayed in horror films. Through this convention, the audience can easily be understood to what the film is trying to say. Weird angles and canted cameras are most common within horror films. Also, they of often use extreme close ups and point of view shots in order to make the audience feel more involved, to build tension or even to express fear.

ICONOGRAPHY• The visual styling of horrors is what easily identifies the audience with its

genre. For example: Dark colours used, such as black and red. These key colours connote danger and the most obvious assumption, blood. The repeated use of these colours are usually seen within posters of horror films.

• The colour white is often associated with supernatural horror movies. Therefore, the use of colour is a powerful form because it allows the audience to identify what type of message the film is trying to send. For example, Typical locations (e.g. an abandoned house, a forest, an event that occurs during the night time, dark alleys etc.)

• Props are one of the main indicators of the horror genre. When it comes to identifying a certain character or villain, props such as costumes, machetes, knife, chainsaws, rope etc. are used

• Lighting can be essential in creating dark shadows and unfamiliar shapes. Low-Key lighting can contribute to this effect. Common objects: (e.g. supernatural icons, masks, religious symbols etc.)

• Setting: • Deserted Building • Small Room Shed house • Warehouse • Narrow Alleyways • Quiet Dark Street • Less populated Locations • Cellar • Underground Graveyard • Props: Knife Lantern Flash light Old Book Firearms Rope

Phone Empty Backpack

Horror Conventions

Elements of gender stereotypes

• Men have been traditionally presented in horror films as either the antagonist or the hero. There have been many occasions where both the hero and antagonist are men.

• Men have traditionally been shown as masculine, strong and very courageous in horrors. Perhaps the leader of a team who are lost in the woods. In more modern day films, men have been portrayed as equal status as woman for example: it has been shown that a man who is playing a hero can easily be out powered by a woman villain.

• Woman in horror have been traditionally presented as vulnerable, and not as masculine as men. Many of the woman in horrors are seen to be half clothed, meaning that they could be seen as a sex object. However due to modern days society, woman are beginning to be portrayed as equal status to men, and have shown to be defeating a male character many times in recent films.