What are the conventions of a slasher genre?

Conventions

There are many different conventions of a Slasher movie they are:

Voice overs

Key points – through tiles (words on screen)

Dramatic camera angles

Music

Montage

Our trailerFor our trailer we have decided to focus specifically on the main conventions of this genre and they are:

Key points – conveyed by titles (words on screen)

Dramatic camera angles

Music

We will be looking to analyze three horror trailers these are:

The cabin in the woods

Wrong turn

Scream 4

The cabin in the woods – titles on screen

The titles are to tell the narrative ‘plot’ during the trailer and to gain the spectators concentration.

The titles on screen are there to create tension and build up hype and excitement for the spectator.

Wrong Turn – titles on screen

The titles are to help the spectator understand the narrative and ‘plot’

The titles on screen are there to increase the concentration levels of the spectator and to hold there attention whilst making them tense.

Scream – titles on screen

The titles are to tell the spectators that they haven't actually seen everything and they are about to experience and encounter a new generation.

The titles on screen are there to create tension and build up hype for the spectator but also create a ‘buzz’ within the audience.

The cabin in the woods – dramatic camera

angles

This is an establishing shot and it already conveys a scary feeling.

This is a close up showing all of the characters reactions to what may be ahead of them.

This is a close up and it is relaying the motion of terror to the audience.

This is a close up and again relays the fear or a horror movie.

This is a close up of the girl screaming in fear.

Wrong turn – dramatic camera angles

This is an establishing shot and it gives off a creepy feeling.

This is a close up of an eye and it grabs the audiences concentration.

This is a close up and is a key convention to the horror genre.

This is an over the shoulder shot and is very effective.

Scream – dramatic camera angles

This is an establishing shot and it shows that the character is at home.

This is a close up and shows the fear of the characters.

This is a close up and shows the characters scared and insecure.

The cabin in the woods - sound

Below is the link to the official trailer:

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/the-cabin-in-the-woods/trailer

Analysis:

There are both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds in this trailer.

Non diegetic:

The sound track at the beginning is cheery, energetic, exiting and also jolly this is representing the excitement within the characters that they are going away to have fun and to be away from the life they all live.

The title tracks that we see are very punchy and sharp they grab the spectators attention immediately and they are very effective. Both the words and the text use each other to create effect and a sense of insecurity.

The sound track half way through suddenly changes to fast past and creepy it is used to set the pace of the trailer and it is used to make the spectator feel nervous and fear for the characters in the film.

The wrong turn - soundBelow is the link for the official trailer:

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/wrong-turn/trailer

Analysis:

There are both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds in this trailers.

Non- diegetic:

The sound track at the beginning is very quiet and creepy it sets the scene strait away you know that something is not right but you don’t quiet know yet this is the exiting bit of the trailer is leaves us (the spectators) creating major and minor enigmas.

As the trailer hits half way the sound track picks up and starts to become fast pace and it sets a rhythm within the trailer and creates a mysterious atmosphere.

Diegetic:

There is one key part in the trailer and it is just before the fast pace kicks in where the attacker walks towards a key whole and you can here his footsteps and then as he gets nearer you hear the sound of heavy breathing. As the attacker gets nearer the heavy breathing gets louder this creates a good sense of fear within the audience.

Scream - soundBelow is the link for the official trailer:

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/scream-4/trailer

Analysis:

There are both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds in this trailers.

Non- diegetic:

The sound track half way through kicks in and is a slow and creepy it is a mysterious flow of music that creates a haunting atmosphere between the spectator and the film .

As the trailer hits half way the sound track picks up and starts to become fast pace and it sets a rhythm it makes the trailer feel exiting and thrilling.

Diegetic:

There is a lot of dialogue in the trailer and it is backed up by sharp knife sounds, the sounds correspond with the titles that punch out on screen.

Our trailer potential From looking at the different conventions of our three chosen trailers as a group we have come up with a final outcome to help our own trailer look professional.

We have chosen the over the over shoulder shot in wrong turn we feel this is very effective because it gives the audience that extra bit of fear and it creates the feel of ‘dramatic irony’.

We have also chosen to re-create the close ups in the cabin in the woods because as a group we feel that it is one of the conventions to have a female heroin screaming in fear showing a threat.

From looking at all of the trailers and focusing on the titles as a group we have decided to take a bit of all the trailers and use different titles such as ‘think again’.

From looking at all of the music on the trailers we have decided that we will be steering more towards the wrong turn but our next step will be to find our own piece of music that makes our trailer unique.