Research essay: codes and conventions

Within all horror films there are two types of codes. These codes can either be technical of symbolic and are used to create different meanings with the film. Technical codes are used to tell a story for in the way which media is used. This can involve different things like camera shots, angles and movements. This means they will include media techniques like shot size, long shots, mid shots, close ups and extreme long shots to add more depth to a story. A symbolic code will show you what is going on beyond what we can visually see on the screen. For example, you will be able to determine the emotions and feelings of a character through the characters actions. This can involve them speaking differently or just moving in a different way which could symbolise something to the audience. Other codes like music can fit into both technical and symbolic however.

Conventions are the way that things are accepted in the film. They are things that the audience will always expect to see depending on what type of film is being watched. For example, in a horror film you would expect for people to die, someone to go missing, a noise to come from upstairs even though no one is home and other general conventions like that. Codes and conventions are important within horror films as they help to set the scene, to build more tension and elevate emotions within characters. These are all essential parts of horror films as they can bring much more mystery and suspense to the movie.

Wrong Turn:

The opening scene to Wrong Turn involves plenty of different technical codes to emphasise the vulnerability of the male and female character on the side of the cliff but mostly the female as she is not the immediate victim. This includes crane shots from above to look down at the female character as she is clinging on to the cliff. This is showing that she is struggling. Low angle shots are used to show that she is quite high up the cliff and in a dangerous position. Extreme close ups are used throughout the scene as well to show her panicking and scratching at the wall of the cliff so that she can hold on. When the male character is killed it is from a low angle mid shot, this makes it unable for us to see what has actually taken him away and killed him leaving us with more suspense and mystery. After the female character has fell of the cliff after nearly being captured by the villain, the use of close ups and POV are used to show the dead, bloody body of the male and then to show her running through the woods. The diegetic sound of her breathing indicates that she is very scared and literally running for her life. POV is also used to show that she is not far at all from the safety zone which is the car. The use of non-diegetic sound also helps to build a lot more tension and sharpness to the chase scene whilst she is running through the woods to her car. This is also a convention within horrors. The film starts off with conventions to set the scene. These include being in the woods, secluded location, male and female and the fact they are both roughly the same age as the target audience. The mise-en-scene also shows that the female is also wearing quite revealing climbing gear which could be seen as stereotypical within films. Other conventions include the male and female being separated, abandoned/dangerous area, no one is near to hear them and that the safety zone is always touching distance away.  Editing within the scene is used to create a smooth match on action so that the scene makes sense and also includes linear filming. Editing also includes the titles into the scene.

Dead Mary:

The start of Dead Mary uses in-out of focus shots to add suspicion to where the location is actually set. It uses extreme close ups to look at the chains and old/worn signs to give the impression that the location is not cared for. The chains make a metallic sound as well that makes the scene seem like a weird atmosphere with an imminent danger. The camera then tracks out to show an establishing shot of the car stopped in the middle of the road, this shows that it is vulnerable and in a potentially dangerous position for something to attack. The camera gives a lot of detail as to what the female character is doing. For example it shows a lot of flesh on the girl and shows that she is looking for a way to contact someone by checking her phone for signal and using the radio to check for any type of communication. As this is a horror film however, we all know that there will be no chance of any of them working at all. Whilst this is happening the camera is switching from time-to-time to something that is lurking in the woods nearby. The camera slowly pans and tracks closer and closer to the car. The diegetic sound of the rustling leaves add more tension to the scene whilst the non-diegetic eerie music makes it quite spooky as well. The unfocused camera makes the male character seem like a potential threat as well as it is unclear that he is there to help. Some conventions which are involved in Dead Mary include an abandoned/secluded location, 2 people (boy/girl), no signal, same age as audience, the car wouldn’t start and that the predator is not seen yet. The editing is still linear and has good match on action but also helps to promote the growing danger of the villain that’s lurking in the woods.

Dead Wood:

Dead Wood starts with an establishing shot to set the scene of the secluded woods, much like Dead Mary and Wrong Turn. The camera then pans down from a crane shot into a mid-shot/close up of a small stream in the woods. All seems peaceful but then from this point a male character comes sprinting through the stream. Instantly the music picks up pace into a fast and quick tune. As the man is running you can see by the body actions that he is scared, worried and terrified. Over the shoulder shots are used to make it seen as if the audience is very much running alongside the male. Much like the other 2 openings you still can’t see the predator but know that it is very much out there and dangerous. Once the male reaches a ditch in the woods, the music stops and the camera cranes over him showing the danger of the ditch and showing he is stuck with nowhere to go. The male can see the safety zone (tent) just over the ditch but as this is a horror, we all know he won’t make it there. As the non-diegetic sound of rustling leaves indicates that the predator is quickly approaching, the male character attempts to leap over the ditch but does not succeed. The camera uses low angles shots to show that he is now stuck, clinging on to the edge of the ditch. High angle shots are used to show he has no power at all in his current position. Once the male is dragged into the ditch, the female comes out of the tent, revealing the flesh on her leg first to give that stereotypical impression of a girl. The camera then pans out from a mid-shot of the girl to a long/crane shot of the girl standing on her own whilst the male is dead in the ditch. This crane shot shows that she is now on her own and very vulnerable in a dangerous place. Some conventions which are included in the scene are that they are in the middle of nowhere, boy and girl, he trips up, doesn’t know what is chasing him, safety is always close, they never make it to the safety area, he doesn’t think to warn the girl and eerie music is used to add more tension. The use of Mise-en-scene in the scene makes the male character seem as if he is a bit of a fool as he is wearing a tacky Hawaii themed shirt but he also has blood on his face which could suggest he has already previously encountered the predator and has narrowly escaped. The editing in the scene can be seen when the male attempts the jump over the ditch as it goes into slow motion. This can show the amount of effort and struggle he is going through at that moment as he tries to complete the jump.

Mise-en-scene-____
Use of Sound-____
Editing-____
Camera Angles/movements/shots-____