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1. Psychological Horror
Iconography and conventions
Felix Bartlett
Gareth Tyrrell
Fabian Hogg

3. Iconography Interview:
Name: Connor Horne
Genre: Psychological
Correct/Incorrect: Correct
“When I think of the psychological
horror genre I think of people in the
films having to go through awful
situations and traumatic experiences
throughout the film.”
Name: Bianca Morriss
Genre: Slasher Horror
Correct/Incorrect: Incorrect
“I thought this was a slasher horror collage
because I saw some iconic characters from
slasher films that I would consider to be a
slasher horror.”
“In a psychological horror film I would expect
to see examples of well known phobias and
people having to face their phobias.”

4. Iconography Interview:
Name: Ben Bartlett
Genre: Psychological
Correct/Incorrect: Correct
“I think of peoples fears and how the
horror films in this subgenre uses the
audiences fears to its advantage to
create an effective horror film that
makes the audience as scared as
possible.”
Name: Jayk Cassie
Genre: Serial Killer
Correct/Incorrect: Incorrect
“I felt as though this was a serial killer
subgenre in horror because I could see a
few characters that I associate with the
subgenre of a serial killer.”
“When I think of a psychological horror
I think of phobias such as
arachnophobia and claustrophobia.”

5. Iconography Interview:
Name: Alfie Gammon
Genre: Psychological
Correct/Incorrect: Correct
“I think of distress and how people react
to different events and situations.”
Name: Steve Tyrell
Genre: Psychological
Correct/Incorrect: Correct
“I think of people having to experience
their worst fears when I think of a
psychological horror film.”

6. Iconography Interview:
Name: Stevie Creasy
Genre: Psychological
Correct/Incorrect: Correct
“Something that shows how people
react to different events.”
Name: John Davies
Genre: Psychological
Correct/Incorrect: Correct
“I think a psychological horror portrays
phobias in order to entertain an
audience and frighten them.”

7. From Audience Feedback We
Learned...
•Many people have the same idea about what a psychological horror film is.
•People believe that they revolve around phobias.
•Psychological horror conventions are easy to recognise.

8. We will research conventions in the
Psychological subgenre:

9. Subgenres within Psychological Horror
• Frozen
• Buried
Fanaticism
Madness &
Paranoia
Home
Invasion
Phobia &
Isolation
• Psycho
• May
• The Wicker Man
• Fraitly
• The Strangers
• You’re Next

10. Plot
• The plot usually focuses on everyday life, meaning the events can happen in reality,
making the audience more cautious.
• The phrase ‘Based on a true story’ are used at the beginning of most psychological
horror films to make the plot more believable.
• The plot relies on the characters beliefs, fears and other hidden truths about the
character/ what they have done.
• It exposes the evil that hides behind normality, but also contains elements of the
paranormal genre, allowing the audience to not relate completely.

11. Narrative Structure
• Psychological horror films are usually done using a non-linear structure.
• They have a non-linear structure because the films usually contain flashbacks to
events in the characters life, showing the audience important past events that
support the films plot.

12. Character types and Representations
• Psychological horror films usually contain three types of characters:
• The main antagonist
• The protagonist
• And the antagonists victims
• The antagonist is usually a normal person, but this can vary because some
psychological films bring in supernatural characters.
• The protagonist usually beats the main antagonist and is sometimes shown as a
counter typical female protagonist.
• The main antagonists victims are often shown as weak and helpless, but
sometimes they manage to fight back against the main antagonist.

13. Mise En Scene
• Psychological horror films use dark and scary settings that can relate to the audience.
• The use of low-key lighting is common in psychological horror films because they
want the audience to not know what's coming and it also adds a sense of mystery to the
film.
• The killer in these films usually wears normal clothes because by doing this the
character can relate to people in real-life, allowing the film to connect to the audience
more.

14. Setting:
• Common settings for psychological horror films are big houses, woodland
locations, warehouses, schools and hospitals.
• These settings create a sense of realism in relation to the audience as they
would be able to relate to some of the elements of the film, as they might have
seen/live in some of the settings.
• This increases the fear because the audience would be able to picture
themselves in the position of the victims.

15. Themes:
The themes in psychological horror films are as follows:
• Night
• Dark Colours (Red/Black)
• Blood/gore
• Weapons
• Death
• Madness
• Supernatural (In some films)

16. Camera Work:
• The camera work in psychological horror films is an important
element.
• Through camera work the audience is able to easily understand
what the film is trying to say.
• Strange angles and canted camera shots are most common in
psychological horror films.
• Also, extreme close ups and point of view shots are used in order to
make the audience feel more involved, allowing the film to build
tension and even to express fear.

17. Editing and sound:
• Often the sounds/music used in psychological horror films don’t match the
action that is onscreen.
• This is effective because it is used to contradict what is taking place on
screen.
• A chase sequence is common in psychological horror films.
• In ‘Prom Night’ (1980) the use of long shots emphasise the characters
running.
• Fast paced editing is often used to emphasise drama and tension. In the film
‘Saw’ the final sequence cuts back and forth between different angles of the
two survivors and the killer.
• When the drama is over the editing resumes to a close up of the two survivors
together and focuses on their face and emotions.

18. Purpose:
How is it scary/Frightening/Disturbing?
• The purpose of psychological horror movies is to quite simply bring fear
into the audience.
• This is done by making the plot plausible and also by making it relate to the
lives of the audience.
• The villains in the film are usually made human because this also adds to the
fear and believable plot
• The purpose can also on some occasions be to disturb and revolt the
audience through the gruesome, but believable deaths.