1. Codes and
conventions
of horror movies
By Mahfuza

2. What are codes and conventions?
 Codes and conventions within a genre are followed in any
media product in order for the product to be recognisable to
the mainstream audience. Therefore, it’s important that the
codes and convention of the horror genre are followed so
that my target audience can acknowledge my film as a horror
film.
 There are many codes and conventions in a horror film, such
as location, weather and camerawork.

3. Locations and settings
 Usually horror movies are based in isolated locations. The
victims would have no one near them to help them and they
would be far away from their friends and family.
 It’s usually set in really old places. For example, old houses
of graveyards. An example would be The Woman in Black.

4. Weather
 Dark and gloomy weather is a big convention of a horror
movie.
 Usually there is rain, thunder and lightening.
 It’s normally very windy, and an example would be that it’s so
windy that the door flies open.

5. Camerawork / shots / angles /
composition
 The camera always follows / dolly tracks where the victim is going and
the cuts to the villain suddenly in front or behind them.
 Tracking shots to make out when a character is being followed or
stalked.
 Long shots of the settings.
 Sometimes a handheld shot which creates verisimilitude/hyper-reality.
 Point of view shots of the characters views, for example, shaking,
expressing the victim running or panting.
 Close ups to catch the expressions of the victims and the gruesome
details of the antagonist/villain.
 High angle shots of the victim to show the killer/villain is scary and the
victim is afraid. It creates dominance over them.
 Over the shoulder shots to create suspense.

6. Editing
 Slow motion leading to a fast pace to crease suspense and
this gets the audience’s hearts beating fast.
 Black and white to remind us of the past
 CGI for dramatic and horrific effects. This helps it be
recognised as a horror movie.

7. Representation
 Women are often the ones who are the victims of need
saving.
 For example in the movie Annabelle or Exorcist.
 Often vulnerable groups are used, such as children, women
or the elderly. And example would be Knowing.
 Horror movies feature many character types reinforcing
Propp's theory on the 8 stock character types (i.e. the villain,
hero, the false hero and much more)

8. Fear / fear of death
 Power cuts in the house / place they are in to create
suspense and to create a climax, such as cutting the phone
lines too. It’s waiting to scare the target audience.
 Fear of death through the villains. For example, in the movie
Orphan, there was the fear of a woman acting as a child to
kill everyone in order to get the man she wanted.
 Strange/ loud noises which make it obvious that the
protagonist/victim is not alone.

9. Stunts
 The victim falls over.
 The victim is injured.
 The victim is the one who gets hurt whilst the villain succeeds
in injuring/killing them.
 The car won’t start, for example in the film, The Woman In
Black.

10.  https://www.slideshare.net/billiewilson_/camera-shots-and-
angles-for-a-horror-and-thriller-film