Genre Convention Research

In 1997, Bentley said that to successful media creation comes after “The rearranging of the old to create the new,” (Bentley, 1997). This involves studying the common conventions of the genre our product will fit in and trying to create our product following these conventions. 

In terms of researching the shots used and the overall construction of a horror film, I found this in-depth article on how to evoke real fear in the audience. It covers topics such as atmosphere, suspense, jump scares, and post-production, and how to execute the film effectively with each of these components. 

The article states: "It's more about haunting foreplay than bang, bang," which precisely sums up the atmosphere that needs to be created in order to produce a successful horror film, and it is this that I want to really focus on in the horror aspect of our hybrid short. It's about the steadiness of the creepy tension, not multiple, consecutive jump scares. This element allows us to really draw on the psychological aspect, which is the main part of the film, as well as making the audience feel on edge throughout the short. This technique of steady suspense is created, it says, by "a moody visual undertone that creates a sense of dread," leaving the viewer with "unforgettable imagery." This visual technique complements the suspense created through the dramatic score and allows to the viewer to be tense, waiting for the climax of the film as the suspense builds. 

The conventions of psychological thrillers are much more clear cut than in horrors, and therefore are much easier to follow in order to follow convention correctly. Now, the conventions of psychological thrillers are similar to those of horror, yet the focus is very much more on character. Some of the themes explored in this genre include death, reality and non-reality, and identity. Within these sub-headings you can explore the effects of the psychology on the character, and their friends and family. In our case, our main character has schizophrenia, a psychological disorder, which allows us to delve into his mind and how his mental illness changes the lives of his parents and his best friend. This depth of connection with the characters allows the audience to really sympathise with them, a component that’s often lacking in horror films, which focus on the action.

Other conventions of psychological thrillers include low-level lighting, fast paced editing, and juxtaposition between silences and highly tense music, flashbacks, and black and white. Making the most important and intense scene black and white to create more intense shadows will allow our film to stand out, with fast paced editing to show the fast paced fight and create suspense in the end result of the fight will allow the action sequence to have a large effect, whilst eerie silences followed by dramatic non-diegetic music, and Franklin’s thoughts and flashbacks about how and why he is where he is will create suspense like in the horror convention research above. All of these elements help to create and eerie and dramatic atmosphere and thus keep the audience on edge and unsuspecting of the next twist in the plot.