horror cliches

Clichés of a horror

·        Attractive woman/women

·        Forms of surgery

·        Dead people

·        Rusty tools

·        Deserted cabin

·        Freaky old guy

·        Dark shadowy lighting

·        Sub plot of relationship

·        Defeat of monster

·        Screaming

·        Always a blonde

·        Protagonist usually an athlete

favorite director

ridley scott

ridley scott is an english producer/ director. most of his films are set in periods other than present day for example, Alien or gladiator, which often include lots of images of urban culture. in 2003 Ridley scott was knighted by queen elizabeth ii for his services to the british film industry.  

horror convention

Horror conventions

Usually in a horror film it is set in a place from a myth, folk story or somewhere people are generally scared to go to. There is normally some form of surgery taking place or an attractive woman taking a shower. there is always an innocent child and sometimes it’s a boy but mainly a little girl. Typically the attractive women get slaughtered first and the main character will survive the entire film or die at the end. Normally something is seen in a mirror which only the audience see but the characters in the film don’t. generally the music is weird and eerie and gets under your skin so you can feel as creped out at the main character does. Also the lighting will be dark in an abandoned hospital with a flickering light. 

action film cliches

Main clichés in an action film

The main clichés of action films are:

World-weary assassins.

There are also Green Berets or Navy Seals.

There happens to be a suicidal mission in action films

Towards the end of the film, one of the men who stayed behind will materialize out of thin air to bail out his buddies.

The CIA and ‘the firm ‘would also feature in an action film

 The villains are heavily accented Russians, Serbs, or unidentified, cigar-smoking thugs

The women in action films tend to be promiscuous femmes

 There is visual panache on men wearing weird headwear.

Also unpleasant men with their faces painted blue runs a close second to bloodthirsty slobs with horns on their head.

In action films there would be fall from a great height with reasonable amount of torture

Nobody drives a car in action films: off-road vehicles only.

action film opening

ACTION FILM OPENING

The opening of Rambo establishes the genre of action through the use of codes and conventions. As in the opening few minutes there are men in uniform looking for the protagonist, also there are quick shots of muscles and sweat, suggesting the protagonist is sweating for a reason. 

opening scene action

Analysing an Opening Scene to a film(skyfall)

•       Sound:

•       Sound is very important within a few seconds you here a cultural song being played to help set the tone mood and atmosphere. Also to let the audience know that they are in another culture.

•       Non-diegetic music is used to reflect the narrative events such as the build-up in the car chase to build up tension.

•       Diegetic sound is used in the dialogue between the characters eve and bond it reveals they are on a mission this shows that the genre is action

•      Camera Angles:

•      A close-up shot is used to show the character is an important character in the film.

•      An establishing shot is used of the setting the market this establishes where the narrative is going to take place.

•      A two shot is used of the characters eve and bond to show their relationship may manifest

•      A tracking shot follows the action scene to reveal to the audience that bond is chasing the villains this engages them because the audience believe that bond will catch the bad guys and convict them.

•      Characters:

•      The main characters are introduced in the opening scene when bond enters the car and meets eve the audience recognises that they are the main characters through the use of the dialogue/camera shots/events that they are involved in.

•      Narrative Events:

•      The opening scene features certain narrative events such as a car chase and a gun fight these conform to the genre as other openings such as die hard feature similar events.

•      Enigma codes:

•      Enigma codes are used to tease the audience and engage them in the narrative so they carry on watching the film. Certain enigmas are included in the opening such as puzzles about bonds life when he is shot of the train. questions are left unanswered about will he survive.

•      In the opening the audience would identify symbols such as a gunshot wound these could make the audience feel/think that the film  will include death an action surrounding bond.

•      Props/ costumes:

•      The audience can see that the character is wearing a suit this shows that bond will be slick sharp and charming this is typical of the genre because the main characters in action films normally have an man with a desirable body.  

•      Clichés:

•      Noticeable clichés are used in the opening scene such as there was a car chase. this engages the audience as they recognise these features and can predict what is going to happen in the narrative.

horror opening

Analysing an Opening Scene to a horror film (saw)

Titles

Lionsgate is featured in the titles with barbed wire wrapped around the text which shows it is a horror because it is associated with danger and blood.

• Sound:

• Sound
is very important within a horror to help set the tone mood and atmosphere.

• Non-diegetic music is used to reflect the narrative events such as the tense music to create atmosphere.

• Diegetic sound is used in the dialogue between the characters, it reveals the scared gasps of the men this shows that the genre is likely to be a tense and nail-biting film.

• Camera Angles:

• A close-up shot is used to show the character facial expressions when he is looking and being dazzled by the lights.

• There is also a low angle shot of the lights; this could be to create a tense atmosphere within the audience because maybe somebody is turning them on. The lights flash which is a common convention in the horror genre.

• There is a medium shot of the man in the set which sows where he is.

• High angle shot of a dead body holding a gun covered in blood, this makes the audience question what’s happened and why he is there with a gun.

• Characters:

• The main characters are introduced in the opening scene when there is a close up shot of each of them and their expressions. The audience recognises that they are the main characters through the use of the dialogue/camera shots/events that they are involved in.

• Enigma codes:

• Enigma codes are used to tease the audience and engage them in the narrative so they carry on watching the film. Certain enigmas are included in the opening such as puzzles about why the two men are in the old bathroom and what’s happened to them, and the dead body on the floor holding a gun. Questions are left unanswered about how the man on the floor died and what has made all of the men be captured.

Props/ costumes:

• The audience can see that the characters are wearing smart/casual clothes this shows that the men are probably quite wealthy and live an upper class lifestyle. This is typical of the genre because many victims in horror films are higher class as it is a massive contrast to their usual classy lives.

• Props are featured such as a gun this is typical of the genre as it shows there is violence and danger involved in the film, this makes it exciting for the audience.

• Clichés:

• Noticeable clichés are used in the opening scene such as blood, gore and weapons, this engages the audience as they recognise these features and can predict what is going to happen in the narrative.

genre conventions

Genre	Conventions	Film title
Thriller	Mystery Scary parts Death Murder	shutter island silence of the lambs
Action	Fast pace Guns Fighting Villain Hero	Bourne collection Taken James bond Expendables
Comedy	Jokes Pranks Happy ending Slow pace Funny character	Anchorman Scary movie Superhero movie American pie
Horror	Death Villians Creepy music Sexy women dying	The orphan Saw Cabin in the woods The ring
Sci-fi	Set on another planet Magic An adventure	Prometheus Alien Avatar Star wars

Conventions of romantic comedy

1.  Kissing scene

2.  Over protective mother/ father

3.  Competition for the woman

4.  Fight between competition

5.  Sex scene

6.  Happy ending

7.  A problem to overcome

8.  An annoying best friend

9.  The protagonist making a brave gesture

10.  Set in an urban environment

11.  Normally seen through the woman’s eyes

12.  Target audience is regularly more middle class women that work in the city

	Age:	%:	Gender:	%:	Class	%:

	4-6	0%	Male:	72%	AB	9%

	7-11	0%	Female:	28%	C1	35%

	12-14	0%			C2	33%

	15-24	37%			DE	23%

	25-34	37%

	35-44	19%

	45+	7%