Conventions

Conventions

• 1.
  Conventions Conventions ofgenre - Horror
• 2.
  Mise-en-scene The rangeof conventions I shall employ for mise-en-scene take into consideration the conventions used throughout the horror genre. The use of lighting shall be very low-key and only high-key when its is needed i.e. for a particular EXT scene, a good example for this is “The purge”. A film that uses lighting very well to help convey to the audience the severity of what is happening. In terms of costume I shall be using what is considered conventional for teen horror, making use of modern clothing. The props that I have mentioned in my production concepts (blunt weapons) are conventionally seen throughout horror films and this is another way that I will stick to the conventions of both horror and my chosen sub-genre. Conventionally for zombie horror the make-up used shows the audience what it is like to live in a post-apocalyptic world. Because of this I have chosen to use make up that makes the survivors appear dirty and unkempt. The zombies however shall be bloody and the make-up worn shall be natural but pale, this will help make them look like conventional zombies. The settings that I have listed in my production concepts are conventional of zombie horror. This is because they allow the audience to see the isolation between people and the world that they live in.
• 3.
  Camerawork The cameraworkthat I intend to include in my production is highly conventional of the genre. The most conventional camerawork to use would be close ups, establishing shots, wide shots and handheld shots. The use of close-ups are used frequently to show particular emotions or a characters reaction to what is happening. The use of establishing shots are conventionally used to show setting but in terms of horror it often shows off the isolation of a particular location, this is also usually done at a low angle to create a sense of overbearing of the particular setting. Wide shots are conventionally used to show what is happening in the surrounding area of the scene as well as how the characters move around in the setting as well as how they might be behaving. Handheld shots are frequently used throughout horror during scenes where the protagonist may be getting chased, it is because of this that they are conventionally used in zombie horror. The horror films that frequently utilise these camera shots are “dawn of the dead” and “Friday 13th”
• 4.
  Sound As mentionedin my production concepts the range of sounds to be heard in my product will be conventional of zombie horror. For example the use of non-diegetic music will be fast paced to help create tension and a sense of unease as everything feels rushed. The use of diegetic sound in the product will be mostly dialogue as the settings need to appear to be isolated, because of this the dialogue will need to be used as a way of compensation. The dialogue for zombies will need to be simple, moans and groans are highly conventional of the genre. The dialogue used for survivors shall need to sound rushed to create the feeling that they need to get everything said because they can never stay in one place for too long. The ideas for the sound that I shall use have come from other zombie horror products such as George Romero’s films, “dawn of the dead”, “diary of the dead” and “day of the dead”.
• 5.
  Editing The useof editing in my product will keep it conventional to form and genre. To keep it conventional to form the trailer will need to have continuity editing as a way of keeping the interest of the audience. This is the only form of editing that I shall be able to do for this product as I wont have access to special effects.