Unit 6 LO4 Research

Horror in general and the way it is portrayed, who watches horror films, who are
they aimed at

Horror films are exciting and

thrilling so people watch them because they
have thrill factor. The different sub-genres of
horror films means audiences can have
different experiences depending on what they watch. Eg.
Films with jump scares make people scared through shock
whereas paranormal films create suspense.
Generally, the audiences for horror films are males
between the ages of 15 and 25. This is because males
tend to seek thrill and action in films where women
tend to prefer genres like romance and comedy.
However, recent figures show that females are
starting to watch horror films more.
Thrills are also more likely to excite
a younger audience.
Younger people are more interested in experiencing new emotions and feelings
and want to try new things. They are more open to the things which happen in
horror films and are more likely to believe things might be real, therefore finding
them scarier than an older audience might. As well as this, a younger audience is
less likely to be put off by violence or unnatural images, therefore there is less
chance of provoking a negative feeling towards the film.
Horror films are often watched by groups of friends or couples. This is because
comfort might be needed during watching a film so these situations are often the
best for watching horror films.
Often characters in horror films are young,
therefore the audience of younger people
can relate to these characters as they can
be nave.

The general social economic class is middle

classed people as they can experience the
thrill of a horror movie for a cheaper cost.

Horror as a genre in Films (production

technology) what are the main codes and conventions of a horror looking at
style (dark) and symbols (blood etc)
Secluded locations there tends to be no one around so there is no body to help
them. These are often abandoned places which used to be used and busy, for
example, abandoned houses, amusement parks or areas which are generally
lonely, forests, ghost towns.
Often there is something which everyone is aware of, but the characters tend to
ignore. For example, at the start of the film they may get told a disturbing fact
about the destination but choose to go there anyway.
Things that would usually help in the typical situation of a horror movie always
seem to not work. For example, lights go out, phones dont have signal, car
breaks down. This leaves the characters even more isolated and makes the film
scarier.
Characters in horror movies normally do things which wouldnt happen if the
scene was real. For example, they often follow scary noises or look for something
rather than just leaving. As well as this, characters often run past doors that lead
outside to go upstairs and lock themselves in a room.
Often the killer or the scary thing in a film will linger behind the characters or
behind windows or doors to build tension.
Fake scares are often used in horror films to make the viewer jump. Fake scares
are anything which scares you without being connected to threat.
Someone being killed or going missing at the very start of the film is often done
and can be effective to set the mood for the rest of the film.
Flashbacks are often used to show why things are the way they are in the film.
For example, why the house is haunted, why the ghost is angry, why a character
is in a mental asylum.
The weather can be used to set the scene and make it scary. Often
thunderstorms, lightning and rain at night is used as it creates the scariest
atmosphere.
Horror films often play on common fears that people have.
Music is often used to set the scene and build tension. It can add a creepy feel to
a scene, or can build tension to something that might make the viewers jump.
The characters in a horror film are often
a group of teenagers as it can appeal to
the target audience of younger people.
As well as this, teenagers are likely to
make mistakes and do things which can
lead to danger. There is often a dumb
blonde in the group who will get killed
first, there is normally also a male who
plays a dominant character and takes
control.
Weapons that are used are often the
most gory to make it scarier, for example
the killer often has a stabbing weapon
rather than something like a gun. This
means the deaths can be longer and
more gory, therefore scarier.
Mis en scene is often dark and mysterious, colours like black, grey and red are
used to symbolise danger, death and being afraid. Often shadows are used in the
lighting to make it scarier, darker and more mysterious. Generally low lit
throughout to make it scary and tense.
How are these films distributed? TV, DVD, Mobile phone, Netflix etc.. and where
they are consumed more
When horror films came out, they were often watched in cinemas meaning the
environment that the audience was watching them in could be controlled by the
film producers. This meant the audience could watch the film in dark, silent
cinema, therefore making the film more scary as everyone is concentrating.
In recent years, people can watch scary films, on demand and on the go. This
means the environment people watch films in can no longer be controlled.
Therefore, producers have to find new ways to make films scary and gripping.
Streaming services like Netflix mean it is easy for people to watch films on the
go.
Research how the genre of horror has changed over time, how do audiences now
see horror compared to the first release in the 20s. Has the genre become more
graphic, has the content changed, do audiences expect more, the invention of
POV horrors like Paranormal activity compared to Frankenstein or Dracula in the
1920s
Horror movies over time have been linked to things which scare people in real
life. Around the time of the horror movies involving supernatural monster villains,
witches, werewolves, Frankenstein was when technology and science developed
exponentially, thus making scenarios more believable and scarier.
There were also romantic movies which had a dark edge and a lot of these films
were silent.
During the 50s people would often be paid to scream and faint in cinemas to
further scare the audience. Because this was so expensive, it started the trend of
low budget horror films.
During the 70s and 80s The Devil became something that a lot of horror movies
were made about. The Exorsist, Carrie, Rosemarys Baby. RB subtle but
shocking. TE- gory and weird, little girl violently masturbating with a crucifix.
In the 80s the serial killer stage of horror films began. Texas Chainsaw Massacre,
Scream.
After this special effects were used for horror films to play on other fears like
snakes (Anaconda) and spiders (Arachnophobia) CGI is expensive budget and
box office for Anaconda, budget $45 million, box office $136 million.
Today, a technique used a lot is hand held cameras and point of view angles in
ghost films. They are low budget, easier to film, and make the viewer feel like
they are in the film. They are often filmed in present day in a modern house.
CHEAP PA $15,000 budget, made $197,000,000ish
What is the typical narrative structure of a horror film and has that changed over
time you should find examples of this to discuss in your report
Dracula 1927 Simple
storyline. Dracula bites
female, protagonist
saves the day. MALE
PROTAGONIST
Friday 13th 1983. The
killer kills all the kids at
camp, they think its
Jason but its actually
his mum. Plot twist.
Then female
protagonist kills jasons
mum then escapes.
Second plot twist.
Jason kilss female
protagonist. FEMALE
PROTAGONIST.
(nightmare on elm
street, Halloween)
Paranormal activity-
theres a ghost in a
house. No story just jump scares.
Look at the representation in horrors, again from 1920s to now. The role of the
scared female, the dominant male, the protagonist is always being male, or if it
is female she has been scorned in some way (Fatal attraction for example)
The protagonist of films has changed over time.
Early films always had a strong dominant male protagonist. Men were seen as
higher than women and stronger, better for beating a villain. Also women were
portrayed as fragile and nave and were characters who needed looking after.
It then moved to women protagonists. It was originally unexpected and
surprising as youd expect it to have been the other way round.
In more recent films there is often no protagonist as no one can defeat the villain
and often everyone dies. This is often the case in ghost films like paranormal
activity.
Different races and the roles they have played throughout horror film history has
changed. In early films the black guy would often die first.
Later films there would be a funny black guy as a friend.
In the film Get Out the protagonist is black, showing the change in history.

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