Thursday, 22 September 2016

Codes and Conventions of Horror/Thriller

Codes and Conventions in a Horror/Thriller

Technical Conventions:


  • Canted Angles are used to show confusion and disorientation
  • Long tracking shots to create tension
  • Point Of View shots to show what the protagonist or antagonist sees
  • Depth of field used to show focus on the protagonist 
  • Extreme close ups of the protagonists face to convey fear
  • Quiet scenes with sudden sounds to create tension

  • Slow editing to create suspense and an unsettling feeling.
  • Hand held shots to make the audience wonder what's going on
  • Fast paced editing to create tension
  • Slow paced editing to create suspense and suggest something is going to happen



Symbolic Conventions:
  • Colour such as black and red to connote death, evil, danger & blood
  • Props such as weapons, masks, Icon of the Supernatural used to portray a sense of violence, danger and the characters need to fight off the evil
  • Props such as the bible implying the theme of religion





Themes:

  • Good VS Evil
  • Revenge
  • Supernatural
  • Religion
  • Living/Dead- vampires & zombies
  • Scientific Experiments
  • Insanity
  • Nightmares
Setting:
  • Isolated places
  • Urban environments
  • Dark streets
  • Narrow Alleyways
  • Abandoned Houses
  • Insane Asylums
Lighting:
  • Low key lighting allows dark shadows to form as a dark contrast is created between the light and dark areas. This tends to strengthen the sense of alienation felt by the audience
  • Back lighting to create a silhouette of a person or an object to make them appear dark and mysterious. It keeps the characters identity hidden
  • Under lighting is when light comes from below the character which creates a distorted effect, making the audience think something is going to jump out from the area of no light









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