Research into horror- Generic Conventions

Research into horror

From the start our group knew that we wanted to do a horror film.However we realized that there are many different variations in horror.In order not to restrict ourselves by getting stuck on one idea we   brain stormed individually in order to come up with different concepts on horror.After sharing our idea's we decided that we liked the idea of a zombie horror.

Sub Genre: Zombie Horror

In order to research this topic I have watched many films in this genre and have found that there are recurring themes that allow the audience to identify that the film there watching is zombie horror.Therefore allowing them to decide if to continue watching or not.

Some of the more prominent reoccurring themes in Zombie horror are;

The story line;

The majority of zombie story lines rely on the idea that there is some kind of epidemic that affects the majority of the population in the film.You then have a few main characters,(maximum of 5), 

often loved ones eg; friends or family.The key characters are slowly killed or affected by the virus,leaving the main character isolated and left with the task of saving the city alone.Although,sometimes the main character finds comfort and companionship with a potential love interest.

Few survivors;

I have found that multiple zombie horror films only have minimal characters.This is done for a variety of reasons, the most prominent being to create a strong feeling of isolation.This translates to the audience,and allows them to empathize with the characters almost immediately.Also it intensifies the film as your focus is drawn to only a few characters, therefore your concentration is not diluted by numerous sub plots and different characters.

In order for a film to conform to a certain genre it often uses iconography to make it easier for the film to be identified and categorized as that genre e.g; Zombie horror.

The iconography for Zombie horror are ;

Blood and gore; 

In zombie films there tends to be an excess of blood,gore and violence.This is due to the nature of zombies and there cannibal instincts.Also as a result of them being un-dead, people/characters attempts to kill zombie's just results in limbs coming off etc.

Weapons;

In zombie films a helpless victim often gets attacked.Due to the nature of the attack the victim often defends themselves with a random object e.g ;plant pot.However as the film escalates the main characters carry weapons in order to defend themselves at any given time.This is where the more serious weapons are introduced to film e.g;knives and guns.

Examples

-Knives

-Guns

-Plant pots

-Baseball bat

-Axes 

Death related items;

These items often represent the strong presence of the un-dead and therefore set the scene for the zombies.

The mise en scene in the film is an integral way of identifying the genre of the film and often contain multiple generic conventions,for example;

Deserted locations;

The location in which zombie film's are set is often desolate.This is as a result of the zombie epidemic and helps demonstrate the scale of the problem.This again helps create the feeling of isolation,creating an atmosphere for the film to run with.

Low-key lighting;

Numerous zombie films rely on low key lighting to create a sense of anticipation and a scary atmosphere.The lack of lighting also lends itself to the idea of a deserted,unkempt town with no electricity for lighting.

Costumes;

The stereotypical dress of a zombie is everyday clothes,but they are torn,dirty and bloodied.The zombies themselves have messy hair and a vacant expression,with the blood of there last victim smeared across their face.

Music/sound;

The right choice of sound/music for the film contributes greatly to the films atmosphere.However in film of this genre sounds and music are minimal as it reflects the silence of the deserted city.When there is music it is often slow and quiet.This creates a sense of anticipation and foreshadows what is to come.

(Insert examples of this type of music)