Media hw – sub genre’s(1)

Assignment 1 – Genres and Subgenres

By Conor Dreelan and Jay Fell

Genre: KillerSub-genre: Slasher• A slasher is a horror film that usually depicts a series of violent

murders or assaults by a masked killer usually wielding a knife.

Examples of Slasher films are:• Friday the 13th (1980)• Scream (1996)• Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

We know this because all of these films contain a crazed psycho who murders many people, which is the main idea of a slasher film.

Conventions of a Slasher: Plot/Narrative

Conventions of a slasher plot usually consist of a psychotic, knife wielding murderer butchering a group of vulnerable (young) adults one by one. We expect a lot of things to be unknown right until the end of the film when all is revealed.

The narrative is generally the murderer picking off one person at a time until the last character (usually female) kills the murderer.

Conventions of a Slasher: Character Types

The killer normally has mental problems, and seeks pleasure in the form of killing people. The weapon of choice is mostly knives or sharp blades.

The victims are oftem a group of vulnerable and mischievous young adults who are usually targeted for a reason from the past.

In most slasher films, the final victim (usually female) kills the murderer and lives to tell the tale.

Conventions of a Slasher: Setting/Location The two main types of settings in Slasher films are:

• A camp in the woods which is a very isolated location. This increases the suspense of the film as the people are isolated and unlikely to be saved.

• A fairly populated town location linked to a school. This adds some sense of realism, as many people can relate to them.

Conventions of a Slasher: Camera AnglesThe camera shots/angles in the main scenes of slasher films are focused on the main character or victim at the time with the killer in the background. This shot is used often and gives the viewer an idea of what will happen next. This will be achieved from the usage of wide shots to show the entire scene, as well as reveal things that cannot be seen by the victim.

Conventions of a Slasher: Music & Sounds Our sub-genre is famously known for using extremely high pitched, energetic sounds to represent the frantic nature of the scenes. A technique that is used is when the music is in sync with the changing camera angles to show the speed of the scenes and how intense they are.