Task 14

H O R R O R  T H R I L L E R   C O N V E N T I O N S


In most horror thriller movies the technical conventions would have:

•  Extreme close ups of the character's faces to show how scared they are
• Canted angles show disorientation and contributes to the audience feeling uneasy and confused 
• Shots from a characters point of view

Most common horror thriller conventions:

• Music that creates tensions/suspense
• Dim lighting

Variety of shots and angles are used. High angles make the person being looked down on feel powerless and threatened.

Characters:

In most horror movies there will be 'stereotypical characters',characters who are typically seen in the horror genre for example:

• The non-believer is the type of person who is very confident and generally convinces the others they are over reacting
• The couple who are can't be away from each other and are typically away from their group of friends
• The 'hero' is the type of character who is brave most of the time and many times gets away from being murdered

Sound:

Soundtracks or sound effects are crucial in thriller movies as it helps the audience to react or anticipate upcoming scenes. Most sounds will be suspenseful,full of tension with a slow pace sometimes gradually speeding up.

Shot types:

• Close ups and extreme close ups captures the detail of the characters facial expression
• Tracking and panning shots in thriller movies are commonly used to make it seem as though the characters are being followed
• Long shots typically show the location and perhaps how isolated the location is
• Hand held camera shots were used in paranormal activity to instill and create a sense of reality

       Mise en scene:

• Blood
• Weapons
• Household tools
• Creaky floorboards
• Isolated/deserted locations
• Masks