Research: Conventions in Horror Films

Conventions of horror films are the common things we would expect to see in a horror film.  Convention is often used in horror films to create a suspense or is used to set out where the film is going to be based, for example horror films are often in a secluded location which you expect from a horror film.

Examples of conventions in horror films:

Secluded location- Generally in horror films it will be based in an isolated place where there is no one around to help the victim for example the woods.





Characters forget about the threat- In horror films there is often danger or death near by which characters just seem to forget about and put it out their mind

                                     
Power is cut- Usually in the scariest moments the power is suddenly cut creating more suspense. However this sometimes is used as a fake scare in horror movies











 Phone lines are cut- In horror films killers always cut out the phones so the victims can't contact anyone for help or if they have a mobile phone it will have no battery be damaged or have no signal.





Someone investigates a strange noise- In most horror movies there will be a strange noise heard by the characters and instead of running or going the opposite direction one character investigates the noise and usually ends up dead.

Someone runs upstairs instead of outside- You usually see the victims run up stairs and lock them self in the toilet or hide under their bed, when actually they could have ran out their front door where they could have got help and may have been safe.




Victims cower in front of a door or window- An old easy scare is having one character hiding from the killer against a door or window which the killer will break through and grab therm.




Victim inexplicably falls over- When the victims running and falls over this creates more suspense during that chase as it gives the killer a chance to catch the victim.






Vehicle won't start- When a victims being chased by the killer and they get in their car it often won't start at all or they will drop the keys while opening the door which by that time the killers too close.

Fake scare- A fake scare is one of the oldest and most used conventions in horror movies. It is any scare in the film not connected to the scare it could be a bird flying out the tree, a friend jumping out and loud bang etc.

Warning goes unheeded- In some horror films there will be a warning for example in the forest there will be a sign saying danger ahead but they carry on going that way anyway.








Someone is killed in the first 5 minutes- This convention is used to set the mood of the rest of the film.

x years before/ later- This convention is used to tell us the story of what happened before leading up to the present events or it will show us the latter effects of a previous incident.

The stormy night- Lightning and rain can create a certain atmosphere in a horror movie. Lightning is usually a fear for most people during their child hood.





The short cut- In horror films the shortcut route is often taken, this route often leads straight to danger in a secluded area where there is no help.