Genre Conventions

'Genre is a way of categorising media products in terms of setting, character, storyline, key signs, message and more', as said by Joe Nicholas and John Price in ‘Advanced Studies in Media’.

Various conventions are used throughout film in order to enable an audience to identify the genre.  The trailer that we create is going to be of the Thriller/Horror genre.  Thrillers and Horrors use a range of different conventions to do with lighting, camera and editing techniques, sound, characters and enigmas:

• Lighting – A common thriller convention is chiaroscuro/dull lighting.  This is often used to create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere throughout which is key.  For example in 'Shutter Island' many of the scenes are shot in a dull light with a blueish filter.

• Setting - Horrors and Thriller are often set in isolated and creepy locations.  This presents the idea of helplessness and makes you feel fear for the victim characters.  An example of this convention is 'The Cabin in the Woods' which is located in a remote cabin. Other conventional locations for horror films include urban environments, lakes, roads, dark alleyways, large houses and anything else that could connote isolation or the feeling of being alone.

• Camera shots – Thrillers will usually use a wide range of shots varying from extreme close ups to create tension and shock, to long shots which can establish a setting. High and low angle shots are often used to connote fear or threat. Point of view shots are also very conventional in horror films as they allow the audience to connect with the characters and get a better sense of what they are feeling. Another technique is handheld shots, which usually make it harder for the audience to see what is happening. This creates mystery as it is not clear what is going on.
• Editing – It is common for thrillers to involve fast paced editing as this is an effective way of building unsettling intensity and a sense of panic/chaos which is important more often than not. The main purpose of a horror is to frighten an audience and make them feel on edge, and so this helps to create that feeling.
• Sound – A common convention of thrillers in terms of sound is to have sound bridges as this subtly highlights links between different scenes.  The music will often be slow and tense to begin, leading to a crescendo where something significant happens.
• Characters – The convention associated with thrillers is that there will be an antagonist/villain who goes against the protagonist/hero. Usually the hero will embark on a mission to kill the villain or solve problems.
• Enigmas – The enigmas or puzzles are often solved at the end of the film by the protagonist. Enigma codes are used throughout trailers to make the audience wonder. It helps to draw the audience in if they story isn't told fully as they will have to see the whole film to find out what happens.

When planning and producing our own horror film trailer, we will be sure to take into account all of these conventions in order to make it recognisable as to what genre we are portraying.  For example, we plan to use a teenage girl as the protagonist, fighting against the antagonist who is inside her.  She will appear innocent on the outside however the inner self will have a dark and creepy look.  It is also a common convention of horror for the antagonist to have a hidden identity that the audience uncovers as the film progresses, which we may incorporate into our own production.