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In this video interview, we hear from professionals in the horror industry like Mick Carris, creator of Fear Itself; Steve Niles the writer of Fear Itself; Erich Hoeber, the writer of Battleship and 'Red'; Eric Heisserer, the screenwriter for 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'.

The description on the video states "Professional horror writers explore how great drama lies at the core of the most frightening films, and discuss the style and techniques used to invoke fear, suspense and thrills that linger long after the credits roll."

This source is set to give it's audience an inside view to the creators mind and why they have followed certain codes and conventions from the earlier days of horror. As well as the effects they have on today's audience, the also go through the process of devising iconic scenes from movies and shows not only created by them, but also horror greats, like 'The Exorcist 3'. We learn how individual techniques get used over and over by other filmmakers. The audience is likely to be made up of film and horror enthusiasts, as well as students who are into film and horror and their teachers.

As these are industry professionals they have information that is currently relevant and as they talk about not only their own work but also work from other filmmakers, it is safe to say they know what techniques have been used. Although there are some opinions in this interview, the overall reason for the interview is to gain insight to the creation of horror films. The nature if their jobs as professionals, well respected at that, means that the source is both reliable and useful in gaining insight and understanding into horror films and the reasoning behind why the directors and editors and audiographers, do their jo0b a certain way to evoke emotions from their audiences.

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Professional horror writers explore how great drama lies at the core of the most ...

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This is a website that explains what horror is set out to do as well as including examples of the very early horror film classics like 'Nosferatu' and 'Dracula'. This website was created by Filmsite and this means that was created by individuals who have existing knowledge of the horror fiction genre, as well as films in general, and years of experience and a passion for teaching others. I say this because the aim of this source is to explain and teach others about horror and cult classics. the purpose of the introduction to horror is to explain in a nutshell why fans love horror, as well as how it is possible for fans to build up and release fear at the expense of the movies. The rest of the pages just include classic horror films and a synopsis of each film mentioned, as well as why it was revolutionary in it's time. This source can be used for those who are studying/teaching media as well as those who just love the horror genre and want to do further research. It is from the perspective of a professional who has written out all the information relevant to students to get a firm grip on the horror genre. It is reliable as there are no own opinions in this website as it is all based on facts, this means there is no space for any types of bias as well as skewed information. This also makes it very useful for people to use it as a source as well as fro people to read because of it's clear lay out. This makes it useful for anyone to be able to read this and take away relevant knowledge.

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are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events.

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The interview I conducted is primary research as it was conducted by me for my own research. The aim of the interview was to find out what captures a horror fan and keeps them tied to the genre. For this I interviewed my classmate who is a big time horror fan, even though she is not an expert, she is very passionate and has seen many modern horror films. Because of this I believe she's a good person to interview to get some valuable information from. This is a quick interview but it does give insight from an audience member. As it is entirely opinion based this source lacks external validity, because I had only interviewed one person I cannot generalise these findings to the general public. As that would be an unjust assumption that all fans feel the same way. It is not very useful to understanding all horror fans but it is very idiographic as it helps to understand one fan’s opinion in depth.

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What do you like about horror films?

What I like about horror films is the graphics, how everything is set. So I can give examples let’s just go for location, I like how it’s set in houses that are far away, that are far from everybody else because it makes it look more scary and more presentable. And just to know what happens next.

What makes you scared?

Not now really, nothing really hasn't made me scared but in the past I used to be scared of clowns and anything paranormal, so anything that moves by itself, I don't really like that. But I’ve now gotten used to it horror is nothing to me, it's actually good.

Have you watched ‘It’?

Yeah.

How did you feel about that, with the clowns?

It’s good you know, I thought it was going to be worse but it's actually good, it's actually a good film. I actually like it. It's good, yeah.

What in particular makes horror your favourite genre of film?

How they set it out, so basically the setting and the characters as well. So for example ‘The Conjuring’, ‘Annabelle’ and anything demonic or to do with spirits, and that. So basically yeah, thats what makes me like it, because it's more like, it's interesting because you find out about what it is, whats wrong with them and you have the person that helps them out to get rid of that demon.

So like a (stammers) flowing storyline?

Yeah, a flowing storyline, yeah.

Alright, thanks Trinity.

No problem.

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This is a website designed by 4 A2 Media in 2011-12, it has been graded and I believe the aim was to set up a clear and informative website explaining their work, I have only looked at the page that explores conventions of horror. This page is very likely to be directed at an exam board or at a teacher to mark their work, this means any informalities and mistakes will be cut out and corrected so that all the content is strictly straight to the point and that it all makes sense. As well as keeping the link to edit strictly among themselves as this work was definitely going to be marked, this means there is little to no chance for any other people to edit the information added so it is untrue. Although the students were still learning at the time this source was published, it is very reliable as they have used real life examples and facts and explained them and the purposes of the conventions well. I would recommend other students to use this as secondary research as they clearly explained the conventions in a way that's easy for other students to comprehend valuable information from.

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Both the slides I’ve gotten information from are created by students, this means that they both are interested in the field of horror fiction but it also means they are not experts thus possibly lacking some detail. Although the source was probably aimed at an exam boards marking body, meaning that the author is putting in their most valuable knowledge forwards and as the work is most likely going to be graded. This shows it is reliable and both useful for other media students to learn from.

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Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: Research Methods

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Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: Research Methods

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Kermode used both primary and secondary research to do
he spoke with a director of sound as to gain further insight firsthand, this means that he conducted his own primary research for his film-related documentary. He also combined this with secondary research as he had watched films and then came up with and developed a list of characters, codes and conventions from within the entirety of the genre.

He analysed horror fiction from Nosferatu (1922) to It (2017), this shows that he used a wide sample size of films over 95 years.

As his work includes both primary and secondary data this shows that he is dedicated and passionate about horror and if someone is passionate about their subject, they would produce work that is valid and true.

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From clicking on the creators username, I was able to open up a profile which led to many other slides about horror conventions and techniques. As well as this persons own work which I’m going to assume is their own coursework. As the creator is a student, it means that they are not an expert in the horror field and due to the nature of the work being their own, it very well may be biased to highlight how well they have followed the codes and conventions. But alternatively, this means that a lot of extensive research had to be done pre-production for their work to have been produced. Although this specific source was made in 2015, it is not out of date as the content is still relevant due to horror fiction not changing drastically in the past 3 years. This source also has over 3,800 views meaning many other students have found this to be useful over the years and have used this to learn from and adapt their own personal skills.

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Published on

1. 1. Codes and Conventions in the Horror genre Horror films are unsettling films made to frighten and panic their audience but entertain them at the same time. Films have different codes and conventions that separate them into genres and sub- genres but most horror films have similar codes and conventions and specific symbols to make up the films iconography which allows the audience to identify the genre. Some horror films however, challenge these conventions to make the film original and unpredictable. Different aspects of media texts are made to set the horror genre: narrative, characters, settings, props, colours, costume, lighting and sound.

2. 2. Narrative structure and themesNarrative structure and themes * Death and murder * Revenge * Religious beliefs * Survival * Supernatural e.g. curses Todorov's narrative theory This is the theory which explains the order the narrative is shown: 1) Equilibrium 2) Disruption 3) Recognition 4) Attempt to repair 5) Equilibrium In a trailer, there is usually a quick shot of the equilibrium shown at the start and the disruption is then the main focus. There will be some elements which show the attempt to repair, however usually there is no equilibrium shown at the end as this would revel too much to the audience as a trailer is all about creating enigma to make the audience want to watch the film and find out what happens.

3. 3. Characters The main characters which feature in a horror film include: * The protagonist- This is usually played by a female actor as they are stereotypical represented as intelligent and sensible. * The antagonist- In a lot of horror films, the antagonist is played by one main character which sometimes has a few 'helpers' with them to try and kill the protagonist for example in The Purge and in The Strangers. * The sex appeal- This is played by a good looking women who it usually the first to be killed e.g. in Cabin in the Woods * The unlikely hero- The character which the audience think is the hero due to their skills and role in the film but then gets killed Example film: Cabin in the woods The Protagonist- Dana and Marty The Antagonist- The Ancient Ones The Sex appeal- Jules The unlikely here- Curt Like any other film, horror films try to use characters that the audience will be able to relate to as they are more likely to find it interesting and realistic.

4. 4. Mise en SceneSettings In a horror film the setting could be located anywhere. However, the most stereotypical setting is usually in an abandoned or isolated setting for example in the woods or in a home in the middle of nowhere. These are the most used settings as it creates tension and suspense for the audience, knowing that something is going to happen as they know the victims are alone with the villain. Lighting Low key lighting is often used in horror films to create darkness and an eerie atmosphere. As well as this, darkness makes the audience feel more tense and vulnerable as they are unable to see into the darkness and people are scared of the unknown which is a purpose of a horror film/trailer. Also, artificial lighting is used to create shadows and silhouettes to create enigma for the audience so they carry on watching.

5. 5. Costumes Costumes should make the characters role recognisable for the audience. The antagonists in horror films are usually dark to fit in with the typical semantic field of mystery and the protagonists tend to wear light colours to represent hope. Some costumes become very iconic for example, the scream mask, where when we see the face outside the film, we automatically think of this film. Props * Fake blood * Weapons to suggest danger and violence e.g. knives, guns and saws. They also show fear of the victim and also make the audience feel scared as they represent violence so therefore danger e.g. in the film The Texas Chainsaw massacre. * Masks- used to hide the killers identity e.g. in the film The Purge

6. 6. Colours Horror films usually use colours which connote death, danger and darkness e.g. the most stereotypical colours used are black white or red. Red- danger, the devil, blood, threats, violence Black- mystery, darkness, power, evil, fear, death. However, black also links to the phrase 'black sheep' which is an outcast from a society, therefore this is often used in horror films to represent the villain as being neglected from society. White- isolating, empty, detachment, innocence, coldness I researched into the text used in trailers and I found out that the colours used are usually white writing on a black background or red on a black background. However, no matter what the colour is, the same colour scheme is used throughout the trailer and text to create a semantic field of danger and evilness throughout.

7. 7. Sound Non- diegetic sound is always used in the background of scenes and it is one of the most important conventions of the horror genre as it is what makes the film tense for the audience. Slow placed non diegetic sound, usually a piano or violin sound, is used to create creepy and eerie atmospheres, build suspense and change the mood for the audience. Synchronous sound is also popular in the horror genre as it is sound which is exaggerated to help scare and make the audience jump as it is very sudden and loud. Example film: Woman in Black When the girl steps on the china on the floor and it smashes- this makes the audience jump as it is unexpected

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Codes and conventions in the horror genre

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Published on 1. Codes and Conventions in the Horror genre Horror films are unsettling films made to frighten and panic their audience but entertain them at the same time. Films have different codes and conventions that separate them into genres and sub- genres but most horror films have similar codes and conventions and specific symbols to make up the films iconography which allows the audience to identify the genre.

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The colours of horror movies closely interact with the mood onscreen. For example, if there was a chase scene in the woods the colours would be dark and dreary, this causes the audience to be more alert, not only to focus on what happening on screen, but because of the fear of the unknown, which is played on a lot.

Lightness and darkness are constantly in effect in horror movies, whether it helps tp build up the tension or just to show the madness of the monsters face. The shadowy scenes are usually tensions heavy as the protagonist is normally in darkness and/or in danger. This may also be filmed using a low shot, this puts us in the point of view of the other world creatures that may be watching them and shows how vulnerable the characters truly are.

The lighting and positioning of the camera are closely related to the mood on screen, this helps to tie in the whole shot and make the scene all the more realistic, for the viewers.

Sound is constantly in play, alongside light and dark, this exposure means that the audience can begin to associate the music with the fear of the unknown situation. This is shown well in chase scenes (shown below 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'). Listen to how the tempo speeds up in the instruments as the killer gets closer to the girl, this all aids in building up fear.

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I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) - CHASE SCENE

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Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: Knowledge of Field.

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Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: Knowledge of Field.

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In the documentary, Kermode said that he had been a fan or horror from his late childhood, he then went on to do his thesis in university on horror fiction, he also interviewed directors and directors of audiography to gain further insight to make his film-related documentaries. This shows that he has a very broad knowledge of the horror fiction genre and he also has good connections within them to not only further his own knowledge but to give him differing opinions not like his own and a level of professional insight to the methods of their madness.

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This film was very informative and was full of techniques, codes and conventions of horror movies. In this he said he's been a fan of horror movies from avery young age, he clearly admires horror and the ways in which the techniques used are able to force the audience members to feel panic and buildup and release fear. As he clearly sees horror in a positive light, he could easily be biased as his positive memories and experiences with horror may easily cloud his visions, therefore making negative aspects of the genre seem reasonably fitting. I know that this could very well be a pssiblilty as the BBC have said he is "outspoken, opinionated and never lost for words, Mark Kermode is the UK's leading film critic."

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Old timey
old times weapons like;
axe
chainsaw
knife
hammers
bare hands
torture devices

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Locations for horror movies usually take place in a set location, for example in Hush (2016) is solely set in Maddie's house (below) which is in the woods. The set location can either look like a normal place or clearly look like a place which has an obvious ominous into paranormality.

In locations where the threat is not clearly visible from just looking at the building, for example if the locations was a normal looking house like the home in Insidious.

Typically locations are isolated or in an isolated location to enforce the notion of you can scream but no one will hear you. Typical isolated locations are asylums, abandoned buildings, an old school/hospital, etc.

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In horror movies there are normally set characters who play important roles within the narrative, some of which are;

the villain, who is usually on a deadly mission;

The last female, who is typically the last to survive and possibly outlives the villain;

The savant, who somehow has valuabe knowledge of the paranormality occurring;

The wise figure, who usually seems crazy as their job is to warn the protagonist of the danger ahead;

The non-believer who isn't around to witness any of the paranormality and doesn't believe in the killer until they either witness a death or are about to be killed themselves.

Usually the people who are being hunted down are innocent group/vulnerable person and this works on any empathy the audience will have. Typically they are a group of teenagers exploring somewhere or a nuclear or single family living in an old house. Recently there has been a rows eons horror films where there is only another character who is alone with there killer within a location.

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Stereotypical Characters in Horror Films

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The house in Insidious appears to be normal, but as we later find out there's paranormal activity going
on.

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Narrative Structure and Themes: Supernatural

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Narrative Structure and Themes: Supernatural

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Usually in a separate world to the characters. This makes us as viewers empathise with the characters.

The threat comes from another world or dimension, which plays on our curiosity as well as the fear of the unknown.

The monster has to be invited into our world or the protagonist goes towards the monster, usually on a journey where we have hints that there is something paranormal or strange going on.

Sometimes the killer may even look human to blend in with the public to not be hunted out, another typical look of the killer is to wear a mask, this gives the killer either a blank canvasser a set expression. This makes the audience now hold the killer apart from the rest of the characters as we now see them as inhumane. As we watch the killer progress and take out the protagonists one by one, we are often left questioning why and how they are able to do all of this. More often than not the masked killer especially is immune from pain and reacts to getting hurt in a very strange way; many masked killers can get back up after being stabbed as if they simply had just been scratched, as well as them having unwavering stamina and inhuman strength throughout the whole movie compared to characters.