Conventions Of A Horror Genre

Most horror films follow a set of conventions consistent through out the genre, there are many different conventions of a horror genre and we will be trying to include as many as these conventions as possible in our Web Based TV Drama. These conventions include…

- Dark/shadowy lighting

- Isolated location

- Female victim

- Disruption of normality

- Sub plot of male/female relationship

- Defeat of monster

- Scary typical music

- Split into sub genres (see below), often hybridized

- Primary target audience – male, 16-24, Mainstreamers

- 15 or 18 Certification (promises of pleasure) – debates on passive consumption

- Uses and Gratifications (active audiences) theory can apply

- Extensive use of Narrative enigmas

- Exploration of Narrative Themes

- Slow pace of Editing, builds tension. Long takes

- Three act narrative structure

- Predictable narrative content

- Clear binary oppositions e.g. good v evil

- Use of low key lighting]

- Extensive use of close up

- Incidental non-diegetic sound

- Distorted diegetic sound

- Extensive use of narrative off-screen space

- Young/teenage characters

- Use of hand-held camera: audience identification/realism

- Point of view shots

- Low angle shots

To decide on our genre for our TV Drama, we made a poll everywhere account where other members of the class could give our group feedback on which genre they thought was best. The horror genre was by far the general favourite and we as a group decided it would be the most fun and challenging genre to work with.

We have decided to look at 8:13 a horror TV Web based drama, I am going to print screen a few shots from the TV Web based drama to show how the genre is used.

This shot sets the scene, of what the TV Web based dramas going to be about.

It then focus’ on the main character, with tensed, scene setting music, based in an abandoned room.

It then focus’ on the man being hurt this is done by an over the shoulder shot not allowing us to see this actors face

This is shot showing a gun close up to the actors face.

This is the final shot, which tells you the name of the TV Web based Drama.

After analysing this TV Web based drama, we can take the conventions used in her and interpret them into our TV Web based Drama.Such as:-The scene setting-The music-The shots used-The tension building