Genre InvestigationWhat is genre?The way of categorising different media texts according to its content or style. They are formed by conventions, for example a Horror film contains a weak character, weapons, blood, dramatic music, and a number of deaths. Other examples include: Comedy, Romance, Sci-fi, Thriller and many more.

What genre theorists are there?Rick Altman: Genres are usually defined through semantic elements, for example western films: guns, horses, settings, etc.. Sometimes film genre can even more defined through actors/actresses. For example, Clint Eastwood is a common figure in western films. Daniel Chandler: Based upon particular conventions of the film content. For example, themes, settings and form (structure and style). Embedded within texts is the assumption about the reader/audience: age, class, genre, culture and psychographics.John Hartley: The same text can belong to different genres in different countries at different times.Andrew Tudor: Genre is only what we collectively believe it to be. Genre defines a moral and social world.Tom Ryall: Genre provides framework structure in the shape of different patterns/forms/styles that act as a form of supervision over the work production of film and to the audience to reader the structure.

What genre theories link to the horror genre?Rick Altman adheres to horror genre as the elements stereotypically contain a murder, blood, weapons and darkness. Daniel Chandler similarly states this, with the setting of the horror genre usually in a dark place, that is isolated. Tom Ryall relates to the horror genre as the structure of the genre is a numerous amount of murders, facing a cliff hanger as to whether the murder is alive.

Narrative InvestigationWhat is narrative? A constructive format (speech, writing, song, film, television) that describes a sequence of fictional/non fictional events. The way media text elements are put together to create a story. Horror films usually have a dramatic narrative, with a lot of twists to scare or shock the audience.

What narrative theorists are there?Vladmir Propp: It is possible to classify characters ands their actions into clearly defined roles; The hero (seeks something) The villain (opposes the hero) The doner (helps the hero by providing a magic object) The dispatcher (sends the hero on his way) The false hero (falsely assuming the role of the hero) The help (gives support to the hero) The princess (the reward for the hero, but also needs protection from the villain).Tzventan Todorov: Stories begin with a state equilibrium (everyone happy) The state is normally disrupted by an outside forced/event, which is normally has to be thought to return to the state of equilibrium. An attempt is then made to repair the damage of the disruption. A return or restoration of a new equilibrium is then put in place.Levi-Strauss: Proposed that narrative tension is based on opposition or conflict. Introducing the theory of binary oppositions. For example; Good Vs Evil. Normal Vs Strange. Male Vs Female.

What narrative theories link to the horror genre?Tzventan Todorov stereotypically adheres to the Horror genre as there is usually a protagonist, where over time recognises a problem which meets them with the killer/murderer. Tension is created a death occurs. Yet unconventionally the Horror genre subverts to Todorov’s theory as the state of equilibrium does usually not return as the cliff hanger may occur leaving the situation open. For example the killer has not really died, usually leading onto another film. Levi-Strauss the binary opposition of Good Vs Evil is used when displays the killer and the victim.

Representation InvestigationWhat is representation?The way something or someone is portrayed in a particular way, to mean something. Audiences have their own views on the representation of something, which could be different to other. All media texts have their own representation that they try perceive this to their target audience. Representations include: age, ethnicity, disability, gender and culture.

What representation theorists are there?Louis Althusser: The media can manufacture representation which then influences society thus the society coming that representation. When a perception is created by the media which takes over society and then it become a reality. Stereotype, for example: women are vulnerable and dominated by men.Laura Mulvey: ‘Male gaze’ How audience view the people presented. In films audiences have to view the character from the perspective of a heterosexual male. The camera gazes at the female object on screen. Also framing the male character watchingthe female one.Branston and Stafford: The evaluation is often negative, with a categorising of the group being stereotyped.

What representation theories link to the horror genre?Laura Mulvey as stereotypically a female is put into the sub plot love story, where she is portrayed as week yet beautiful. Females are also portrayed as sex objects, for the males just use when they feel like it. For example: Piranha. It targets the male demographic audience.Branston and Stafford as usually the female becomes vulnerable, in which they are saved by a male. Horror films also tend to be negative throughout.

Audience InvestigationWhat is audience?The people who consume the media texts and who the media text is aimed at (target audience). They are grouped into psychographics (hobbies, likes/dislikes) and demographics (age, gender, ethnicity).

What audience theorists are there?Two-step flow: Information does not flow directly from the texts into the audiences mind. Hypodermic Needle: The intended message is directly (injected) received by the mass media. The is a correlation between violent behaviour displayed in media text, with violence in reality.The Uses and Gratification theory: Individuals might chose to consumes a text because of diversion (escape from the real world) personal identity (finding yourself through reflection in the texts) education (gaining useful information) surveillance (gaining useful knowledge for life) entertainment (pure enjoyment) social interaction (the media text creates conversation)

What audience theories link to the horror genre?Hypodermic Needle It applies certain images into the audiences head, such as the murders to make them build up opinions on the media product. The Uses and Gratification adheres to most genres with the factor of ‘entertainment’ including Horror. Although through different interpretations different factors will apply to different people.Two-step flow Like most genres of films, if a fil, has been badley reviewed then it is mostly likely to put other audiences off watching it,

Cinematography

Sound

Mise-en-scene

Editing

Media language investigation

• Cinematography

• Sound

• Mise-en-scene

• Editing

• Cinematography

• Sound

• Mise-en-scene

• Editing

Research and planning investigationWhat is research and planning?

Research is the systematic investigation into study of material and sources in order to be able to come to conclusions. It is categorised in primary and secondary, primary being the internet and secondary using surveys. By focusing on the target audience will make the outcome more useful.

What research and planning stages are needed to make a horror film?

To identify the common codes and conventions needed, to be able to easily portray the horror film its self to the audience clearly.

The technical side also needs to be thought through (mise-en-scene, sound, editing and cinematography) but must represent the horror genre.

The action of planning and research needs to be specific to the horror genre, and the target audience it is aimed at to become successful.

Real media texts

What are real media texts?

The typical codes and conventions of a media product of the same genre.

What are the conventions of a horror trailer?

Tense music

Fast cut editing

Dark mise-en-scene

Isolated setting

The unknown

Jumpy sound effects

What theorists link to the trailer?

Digital technology investigation

What is digital technology?

Digital media technology digitised content that can be transmitted through the internet.

What digital technology do you need to create a horror film?

Creativity investigation

What is creativity?

What ‘creative’ features are used in horror trailers?

Mise-en-scene: The costume needs to be dark colours, casual nothing too bright

The setting needs to be isolated and eerie, blood/wounds.

Storyline: It needs to fit the horror genre – numerous murder scenes, a

Post-Production investigation

What is post-production?

The final stage of the film making process, including editing, design, visual effects, sound and producing a format that can be viewed by the audience.

What post-production stages do you need to create a horror film?

Sound: adding non diagetic sounds which are usually applied in order to make a scene tense or to add more drama and scare the audience. Further more it enhances the trailer by adding music that goes with it. By the sound changing through the actions being used it adds to the audiences emotions.

Editing: Clips need to be edited together very precisely in order for a successful horror film to be made, this is so at the right time the audience should feel scared or jumpy.