Genre

Today, we learnt about genres and sub-genres, and the boundaries and conventions that apply to these. Genre is a strategy used by film producers to ensure audience identification with a film. This allows the audience to know what they are in for when they go to see a film. It also makes it easier for companies to market their products, as they can pick out a target audience based on that groups psychographics and demographics. Horror has many sub-genres, which are distinguishable by the codes and conventions within them. Cross genres and Hybrids exist within horror. This is when a film takes elements from more than one sub-genre to create a new one, for example a zombie comedy horror film. Examples of sub-genres in horror films include:

• Psycho - Psychological

• The shining - Psychological

• The exorcist - Religious / Possession

• Wolf Creek - True story

• The Decent - Monster/Gore

• Saw - Psychological- gore

• Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Gore / Slasher

Although I have pre-decided my genre (Possession), it is useful to take ideas from all genres of horror, to give me more of an insight as to what makes a good horror film. The trailer for Wolf Creek shows some carefree young adults on a road trip. This soon descents into disaster as the group get attacked by a figure you cannot see fully in the trailer. although it is a common theme amongst horror, I like the idea of unsuspecting people coming into contact with evil, and the consequences of that.