codes and conventions of horror

What is horror?

Horror is a genre of fiction which is intended to frighten, or scare. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror, which is in the realm of speculative fiction. Literary historian J. A. Codon, in 1984, defined the horror story as "a piece of fiction in prose of variable length which shocks, or even frightens the reader, or perhaps induces a feeling of repulsion or loathing". Horror intends to create an eerie and frightening atmosphere. Often the work of horror fiction can be interpreted as a metaphor for larger fears of a society.

What are codes and conventions?

Codes and conventions define a genre and set up audience expectations when viewing the product. The main ones are narrative, cinematography, sound and setting and iconography or mis-en-scene. A narrative is used to tell a story to the audience during a tv show or film through a plot with a beginning, middle and end. Music can enhance the emotional impact of a horror film as can diegetic sounds, like creaking floorboards in an old house. In cinematography, framing refers to the way the image is composed, what to include in the shot to gain the right audience response.

Common codes and conventions seen in horror genre

jump scares 

low key lighting 

flash backs 

quick flashing lights 

quick flashing shots 

dark colour pallets 

young children/teenagers

Pathetic fallacy

diajetic sound 

non-diajetic sound 

isolated locations - woods, graveyards