LIST OF GENRE CONVENTIONSStalker/Slasher..

Jerome Bonus

Iconography

Lighting: Mostly low/high ambient lighting, silhouette, low/high key chiaroscuro.Setting: Underground stations/ empty platforms, Dark alley ways, Dark basement, Outside the club.

Costume: Dark clothing, Mask, Long parka jackets, Hoodies.Props: Knife, wrist watch, Cameras.

NarrativePlot:

A motive for the stalker/killer which is usually in the act of revenge.

Linearity: Could be non-linear as the film might include a flash back of past events.

Characterization

Stock types:The victim "final girl", most slasher films usually have only one survivor. She is normally a female associate of the victims but is

eventually developed in comparison to others. She frequently does not get herself attached in the wrong activities of her friends.                   

The stalker also known as the killer in the slasher film is generally a male. His identity is often anonymous or hidden either by a mask or by de focusing or showing short glimpses of him. He is also often quiet which generates his mysterious character. He is frequently very big and strong making it almost impossible for anyone to kill him. In addition, his past sometimes consists of a childhood torture that

reveals his choice of victim.

The hero could be the protagonist. The main character is usually a female or sometimes the male who is the quietest and most afraid one. In most stalker/slasher films one of their friends goes missing and they are the first to notice it. The main character does not display

bad behavior, unlike their friends.

The police are often involved with the activities that occur in a horror and especially slasher films. They are either extremely unreliable/unhelpful, and get killed, or turn up at the end of the movie when most characters are dead to arrest the perpetrator.

Stereotypes:

The quiet one who hardly interacts with others and is usually the nervous or most suspicious character.The brave one who is not afraid to step up and face anything.

The smart one who thinks and chooses the right thing to do within any situation.

Sound

Non-Diegetic sounds:Voice overs which are used to tell the story.

Sound effects such as loud bangs, instruments and noises/whispers to either relate to different moods of the trailer or to be in sync with the cuts within the trailer.

Music is also used to express the mood of different scenes of the trailer.

Diegetic sounds:Dialogue is used specially in trailers to display the most important discussions which could give away the story.

Silence is used a lot in stalker/slasher movies and also in horror movies to create a sense of foreboding.

Cinematography

Shots:Close ups are used to draw the viewer in and involve them in what is happening. In horror movies it is often used to show facial

expression and emotion.Two shots are used to show two people in a frame, usually in conversation which could be the most important part of the trailer as it

could give away crucial parts of the story.Long shots are used to show a wide area which could be used as an establishing shot.

Mid shots are used to show a person from the head to their waist. This shot allows the audience to analyze their mise en scene and it also gives us a clear view of the persons facial expression and body language.

Over the shoulder shots are used to either show someone being followed or someone following someone else. This shot is effective as it can also be combined with a de focus effect which creates suspense.

Tracking shots are used in order to follow the movement of a subject on a fixed track, which in this case displays the persons surroundings.

Panning shots are similar to tracking shots however they move from left to right without a fixed track.Establishing shots are normally used at the start of film or a scene to establish a sense of place and time where the action takes place.High angle shots are used to provide a view looking down which makes a person or an object appear smaller in the frame. This is often

used to add a sense of weakness. Low angle shots are used to provide a view looking up which makes a person or an object appear bigger in the frame. This is often

used to add a sense of power and dominance.

EditingMost horror, slasher/stalker movies are fast paced in order to build up tension to a climate.

Quick Transitions are also used to dramatically build up tension or suspense in a specific scene.Flash backs are sometimes used to show a moment in a film in which the audience is shown an event that occurred in the past which

could have affected the present.