Expected Conventions in Horror

When wathcing horror films, much like The Ring, we look for the main key areas which are camera angles, sound, editing and mise en scene

Expected genre features of Horror

·         Dark lighting

·         Blood

·         Thriller

·         Idiocy

·         Attractive teenagers

·         Killers/villain

·         Torture/death

·         Tension                         

·         Loud noises/screaming

·         Fast pace editing

·         Build up of tension

·         Enhanced diagetic  sound

The Ring trailer analysis

Mise en scene – phone and television, focus on the writing in the ring (title)

Camera angles – Close up shots, revealing emotion (tension build up)

Sound – Fast pace music, screaming, loud phone ringing (diagetic sound) eerie music (violin) Strong beat toward the end, fast pace and loud drum beats. Non diagetic sound - voiceover

Editing – Black and white – dark, cuts between the video and the action – to the phone call