Exploring genre

In this post I will be exploring the genre within which my short film fits - horror.

• There are a variety of sub-genres, including paranormal, gore and psychological.
• Typical characteristics of the genre include darkness, loud noises, blood (particularly in more gory films), death and danger. Horror films thrive on playing with the audience's mind and provoking a reaction from them. As a result of this, many films within the genre feature scenes that will make the audience jump.
• There is a familiar narrative to most horror films. They generally start with a sense of equilibrium - the characters are typically happy with no worries. This is then sent into disarray with a strong sense of peril and danger until the conclusion. The ending to horror films varies. In a large number the villain is defeated, however this isn't always the case. Occasionally, as a final twist, the last survivor is killed (see example Eden Lake). In some instances, the ending is left open or the last scene provides a means of spawning a sequel.

A slideshare talking about the basic conventions of the horror genre can be seen below -