The setting/location is a key starting point for all horror/thriller films. It sets the

atmosphere and will greatly impact the feelings of the observing audience. Some

settings/locations are so powerful and effective, audience members can feel

placed in the scene making them more “in-touch” with their feelings and emotions.

Typical and iconic settings/locations are:

•Run down houses

•Derelict/Ghost towns

•Isolated places

•Dark alleyways

•Urban environments

•Locations with a ‘hidden past’

The setting and location doesn't always have to be dark and eerie. Some settings

will have a varied effect and atmosphere as the same scene/setting/location is

used at different times in the day.

The narrative structure is the way the story is told, how the plot unfolds and how

it ends. Many horrors/thrillers usually seek closure and therefore end on a cliff

hanger to leave room for a sequel, or they just seem to have a ‘never ending

plot’.

They also tend to feature a ‘heroic’ character, ‘the protagonist’ that tries to put a

stop to whatever they are experiencing. This heroic character is also seen to be

any gender. Typically, you would think males, stereotypically being the ‘stronger’

beings, would be the most common ‘hero’s’ that fight there way through the

horror and panic, but females are equally as common ‘heroic characters’. These

‘protagonists’ lead the film and decide any further sequels.

Many horror/thriller films follow a formulaic format. This can include;

•The killer that has turned insane due to a past/childhood event

•Somebody who has a psychotic/medial issue

•A villain returns to his hometown – possibly to gain revenge

•A killer, stalker, villain, that focuses on teenagers or young adults.

Iconography is used to explain the visual style of a film and is an important aspect

for the chosen genre. Through the years, the audience have been beginning to

recognise and expect certain visual styles and objects on screen dependant on the

genre. For example, in a western film, we expect dusty open roads, saloon bars,

cowboy hats and costumes, horses, sheriffs etc.

Iconography can also include the colour theme for the movie, that is also revealed in

the trailer or the poster that are pre-released. The lighting is also included in the

iconography as well as props and characters.

In a horror/thriller, the audience expect to see:

•Dark colours (reds, blacks, dark blues, greys)

•Low-key lighting to create shadows and unfamiliar shapes

•Props – chainsaws, knives, weapons, costumes, masks, icons of the supernatural,

religious

•“The Haunted House”

•“The disfigured face or mask”

•“The screaming victim”

The audio is key to create the atmosphere, build the suspense and increase the

terror.

There are two types of sound/audio that can be used in the film:

Diegetic – This is often exaggerated to build the suspense within the film world.

E.g. – Creaking doors, loud, echoing footsteps, sharp sounds of moving objects

and character voices,

Non-Diegetic – Usually fast and loud to make the audience “jump in their seats”.

E.g. – Mood music, musical scores (Jaws, Psycho etc)

There are always the same types of stereotypical character in every horror/thriller film. They are:

The Protagonist – This is commonly seen to be a female role and they are usually the strongest and

smartest characters of the group and they almost always seem to survive to make way for the sequel.

They tend to be the most focussed on victim and end to be some sort of hero/survivor. An example of this

would be the character ‘Sidney’ in the ‘Scream’ films.

The Sex Appeal – This role is again often filled by a female as they play the ‘promiscuous’ character of

the group. They are often the first character to ‘reveal’ themselves and their costume design will be

different to the others’. They also tend to be ‘the first to go’ character.

The Irritating Character - This character is commonly seen to be partnered with ‘The Sex Appeal’ and

are again, often one of ‘the first to go’. They are the character that thinks they are the hero, and that they

know best in all situations and make out to be the ‘strongest’ of the group. Because of this, the audience

become most annoyed with them and are often ‘happy’ when they are ‘killed off’.

The Unlikely Hero - There is sometimes even an ‘unlikely hero’ to the set of characters that are created

and use to assist a twist in the plot and again leave room and build a story line for a sequel.

The Antagonist – ‘The Bad Guy’ that usually revealed at the end of them film but that is dependent on the

plot and the mystery required for the film. They are commonly killed off at the end or wounded or manage

to survive, these all make room for sequels.

* ‘Creepy’ children and old people, the local police officers, the neighbours etc all keep the audience

guessing and allow the plot to develop and twist.

Technical codes are the ways in which the equipment is used to tell the story. The

atmosphere and emotion to the scene(s) can be generated and varied just on the

camera work itself and then heightened by how it is pieced together.

Firstly, the camera angles very expressive as high and low angels will connote the

fear, power and terror.

The use of POV shots are also effective as they can place the audience in the scene,

and see the terror face on from the eyes of the character(s).

Handheld camera work is similarly effective as it again places the audience in the

scene of the film. Furthermore, handheld camera work make it more ‘realistic’ and

makes it seem less ‘rehearsed’, therefore, whatever happens in the scene is usually

more exaggerated as it more unexpected.

The framework and ‘depth of field’ use is also effective and worth experimenting with

as they can make scenes more ‘creepy’ as shapes and shadows are created.

Disturbing diegetic sounds such as, footsteps, screams, laughter, doors creaking and

non-diegetic musical scores add to the fear and suspense in a scene(s).

Finally, the way that shots, music, lighting and movement is all put together is what

increases the tension and fear. Editing clips to be more ‘jumpy’, or even hold on

screen for longer that necessary all build suspense, the key feature for any

horror/thriller film.

• Good Vs Evil

•Depression

•Religion

•Childhood issues

•Revenge

•Supernatural

•Beyond death

•Science gone bad

•Zombie apocalypse

•Nightmares

•Madness

•Insanity

•Lust

•Suicide

•Envy

These are the common themes that many horror/thriller films can chose to transform into

a plot.