INITIAL IDEAS

Rhiannon Jenkins

SUB GENRES

After looking at three genres of film I would be interested in on

my last PowerPoint, I have decided that I would like to create a

horror film trailer. However, there are different types of horror film

and I have decided to research each type to figure out exactly

which one I would like to do. I am going to look at:

1. Religious/Satanic

2. Supernatural

3. Slasher

4. Found Footage

RELIGIOUS/SATANIC

These horror films mostly focus on possession and exorcism, and

one of the major scare factors of this subgenre is that audiences,

particularly very religious ones, could see this as being real. The

film The Exorcism of Emily Rose is based on true events and The

Exorcist, which is contested to be the scariest film in move history

is also rumoured to be based on a true story.

Key conventions: Christian/catholic religion, demonic possession,

bodily contortion, religious settings/family background, neglect of

the possessed child, rituals.

SUPERNATURAL

This subgenre focuses on supernatural and ghostly happenings.

A lot of these films such as The Amityville Horror will show one of

the family members turning against the others and murdering

them, supposedly driven by the happenings and the spirits in the

house.

Key conventions: history of the family/place/reasons why the

events are taking place, set in a haunted house, features a

nuclear family where one may turn against the rest, poltergeists

and unexplained mishaps.

SLASHER

Slasher films consist of a character who is so psychologically

deranged they have almost no soul and are mindless killers.

Films like Halloween conform to the genre perfectly as they

centre around this character and contain a lot of visceral

imagery. These films are more for fans of gore rather than fans of

terror and suspense.

Key conventions: a lot of blood and gore, vacant and unsettling

main character, a mask, usually set in a few places where a

chase can take place.

FOUND FOOTAGE

Films such as Grave Encounters and Cloverfield are

supernatural horrors but often reveal different points of view

because of the way the stories are pieced together through found

footage on video cameras. They often focus on an unknown

source of disturbance or monster.

Key conventions: most, if not all is shot on a ‘personal’ video

camera, often includes a group of friends who tail off one by one,

usually set in a haunted location such as a house, lake or

psychiatric hospital.