Friday, 19 November 2010

Horror Movie Conventions - Opening of' 'Scream'

Conventions in a movie are certain film components that regularly occur related to a genre. It's also something that the audience will expect to happen or to see on screen, in this case when watching a Horror movie. Usual conventions are:
  • blood, death, murder, violence
  • hero\villain, protagonist\antagonist
  • darkness
  • forest
  • quite suburbs
  • old, big, abandoned house
  • basement, attic
  • weapons, chainsaw, knife
  • ghosts
  • dolls, clowns
  • freaky children
  • car break downs
  • blonde sexy women are victims
  • characters introduced in beginning will die
  • the most quite and unobstrusive character is bad guy
  • electrical power outage
  • silence
  • isolation
  • hiding
  • kidnapping
  • sounds: panting, slow scary music, telephone ringing(and no one's there)

Looking at the opening sequence of the cult horror 'Scream' with Drew Berrymore, the following conventions from the above are represented:


  • night time
  • character playing with knife
  • big house (more places to hide) in the middle of nowhere
  • blonde yound pretty woman alone at home
  • locking the doors -> danger impending
  • telephone ringing
  • shut curtains waving in breeze
sounds that create fear and suspense:
  • dogs barking
  • sounds of squeking swing in the garden
  • breeze outside
Shot choices: tracking, canted, zooming in to close-up + reaction shot

Characters:
  • dumb, innocent, pretty blonde that is going to die

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