Genre convention :horror

Horror is a genre that seeks to create a sense of panic, fear, alarm, and dread within its audience. These films often rely on the portrayal of people’s fears and nightmares. Usually centering upon the arrival or occurrence of an evil person, force, or event, they incorporate large amounts of gore within the plot. Common Camera Angles, Movements, and Shots: High angles are a must given that it makes a victim seem powerless and vulnerable by being looked down upon. Close-ups are used to capture strong emotions on characters’ faces such as fear or sadness A tilt is a cornerstone of horror films as it adds dramatic tension to shots that increase a feeling of fear and mystery. POV shots are additionally an immense part of horror films because it shows what the character is feeling and creates combined with other techniques can induce an altered mental state image for the audience. Common Mis-En-Sen:Often within horror movies, the location will often be in isolation or in a domestic setting in order to rebuke the idea of a 'safe place' and therefore scare the audience.Along with this, scenes are often at night as our senses are duller due to tiredness or the lack of visibility. With a dark, eery atmosphere and chiaroscuro lighting, props will often hold significant historical meaning.Horror almost always includes certain icons such as blood, gore, knives, shadows, darkness, masks, ghosts, deformities, and death.Common Editing:There are often faced paced cuts to cause suspense but can switch to slow quickly as well as send the audience on an emotional whirlwind. Cross-cutting is utilized to introduce pieces of the scene to introduce more suspense to the scene. Common Sound:There is typically a majority of non-diegetic and ambient sound to create tension and suspense to further the creepy effect the director wishes to create. Silence is also common to shape the tension building within the scene. Common sounds will include breaking glass, screaming, and creaking wood as well as music playing from an unknown source. Example Films: Smile (2022) ,M3GAN (2022) , and Lamb (2021) Positive Elements : I like most of the narrative elements of this genre such as slow and suspenseful pacing and high stakes that are established throughout the movie. Additionally, the make-up and editing choices by the director are always interesting whether they be extravagant or not. There is always room for a new angle or idea that, while dark, provides great variation while remaining in one genre. Negative Elements: This genre is very dark and not for everyone. In many films, I have watched, it often goes a step too far for me in terms of gore but I can see how it appeals to others. My partner I know enjoys thrillers and true crime, so this is more up her alley but it still is a fascinating genre to observe.