Codes and Conventions of a Horror Movie

In order to build my marketing package for a Horror movie, I must first look into the basic codes and conventions found in the majority of Horror films I am looking at the elements of this genre that make it a Horror.

I have compiled a list of conventions that are associated with Horror Movies:

• Blood
• Death
• Killing
• Villains
• Victims
• Haunted House
• Isolated Setting
• Monsters
• Evil
• Weapons
• Darkness
• Storms
• Chases
• Gore
• Violence
• Screams
• Ghosts

In my review and evaluation, I will come back to this list to see how many of the typical conventions I have managed to fit into my plot.

What are Horror Movies designed to do?

• Frighten and Panic the audience, this helps them remember the experience. When you remember a film, this means that you act as free publicity for it, through discussing with friends and family.
• Cause dread and alarm for the audience. This leads to the same publicity as explained above.
• Invoke our hidden worst fears. Everyone (almost everyone) has something that will scare them if done properly. Not every horror film will ‘invoke our hidden worst fears’ but eventually, in my opinion, everyone comes across a horror film that chills them to the bone.
• Captivate and entertain us in a cathartic experience. Cathartic is to provide ‘psychological relief through the expression of strong emotions’. Horror movies are known for getting a live reaction from the audience. Sometimes a comedy could make you giggle or laugh, a chick-flick may make you smile, an action film may keep you glued to the screen; but a horror film can cause the audience to physically jump and scream, in pure fear of what they are seeing.
• Often conclude in terrifying, shocking finale. Again, the idea of a horror film ending in a twist in the story line or something that will shock the audience can help in the marketing of the film. In fact, personal review of a film and then recommending it to a friend is one of the most powerful forms of marketing for the distribution company. This is because of the chain reaction it causes. If everyone in the audience told 4 friends, and in turn, they told another four friends, the possible audience for the film would increase exponentially. They rely on this to help boost their income.

Horror films create certain fears within the audience:

• Nightmares
• Vulnerability
• Alienation
• Revulsions
• Terror of the unknown
• Fear of death
• Loss of identity

Again, this shows the power of the horror film. No other genre of film can leave you feeling the way a horror movie does. This is something that is unique to horror films and is why they can be so successful (such as the Paranormal Activity films). It was the most profitable movie ever made for a reason.