Generic Conventions

The short film we had created was a Horror/Thriller movie. So that the audience could recognise that it is apart of this genre, and to keep viewers interested we implemented conventions that you would typically see in a film of this genre.

One convention that we had was that we both had was: victims and a killer. Often these are typically of a younger age (such as teenagers in our short film) so that the audience can sympathise with them. The killer is an impeding threat in the film and the viewers wonder when/how the killer will strike. However, the main character doesn't typically die and instead everyone close to them does which is exactly what happens in our short film. What we did in our short film to achieve this was create a story of: each of the characters fall victims to the mysterious killer apart from the main character, which at the end reveals that she had something to do with the disappearance of Laura (the first victim) 

For example, in 'Unfriended: Dark Web' similar to our short film, each person on the call is targeted as a victim. In this scene, the character is swatted and falls victim to the killer as they sent the SWAT team to the location meeting his demise. In 'Unfriended: Dark Web' each character continues to fall victim to the mysterious killer before we find out whom it is that is behind it. 

Another convention that we had was the music used in the short film. Horror films usually use quite dramatic music or sound to emphasize when something is going to happen. For example, in our short film we frequently used fast paced music when we were trying to anticipate something bad was going to happen. We used this fast music when the death scene of one of characters and we attempted to build up to this death scene slowly so that the viewers would be drawn to the screen. Horror movies typically have loud sound effects and noises, used to startle the viewers. On the death scene, we used a loud sound effect that would startle the viewer and catch them off guard as they watch to scare and frighten them. 

In the movie: 'Scream' (1996), music to build up something bad is going to happen is used. When the killer Scream is after the girl, fast paced music is used to connote a tense atmosphere; when the girl is caught or she sees something bad the music suddenly gets loud or a loud scream plays. 

Another convention in our short film is the situation the main characters find themselves in. In horror movies (for example such as Saw) the main characters are forced to play a game by a killer otherwise the characters will face death by this killer. They are also trapped in a secluded locations (another theme in horror movies) where no-one can find them or get to them if something happens. For example: the alleyway the  main character visits and as the characters are trapped in the darkness of their room with no-where to go. 

For example, in the movie 'Saw (2004)' the characters are stuck in a secluded location forced to play a game with a mysterious figure otherwise they face death. In our short film, the killer forces the characters to play the game or tell the truth otherwise they face death. Similar, Saw tests his victims until they tell the truth or find the suspect. 

Another convention we used was have low-key light. In horror movies, low-key lighting is used for horror films due to the effects it creates. It creates tension due to it's dark, mysterious atmosphere and controlling how much of the surroundings and characters are revealed. After the lights go out in our short film, all of the lighting is low-key and dark making the atmosphere feel tense and threating as there may be an impeding threat.

In the movie 'IT 2017' the main characters have to explore a haunted house to find the clown 'Pennywise'. In the haunted house, it is portrayed as grim, dark and mysterious as the characters need to find their way to navigate across the house. The house appears as threatening due to its darkness and how powerless it makes the characters feel like in our own short film where they are trapped in their rooms. Later in the movie, the main characters are trapped in the haunted house and they need to find a way out. 

Another convention we used in our short films was the costumes the main characters were wearing. The main characters were all wearing casual clothing, like anyone else would. Because of this, the audience can relate to the main characters as they are regular people like themselves and implying that they themselves could find themselves in a dangerous situation like this. 

In 'Unfriended 2014' the main characters are all portrayed as regular people that are stuck in this situation like our own. They all wear casual clothing and we get to find about more about who the characters are before the horror begins. Like in our short film, it's portrayed as friends getting together as they can't go outside due to the pandemic. The characters are more easy to sympathise with as like the audience they are like themselves and can relate to.