Conventions of a horror film

Setting/location

-usually the film would be set in small towns and isolated places that are run down and abandoned or in big urban cities in dark alleyways ,anything that connotes with feeling alone.
-it could be set in locations that are associated with ghosts, dead people, and dark history. For example in abounded mansions, cemetery's, asylums , hotels ,a dark church sanctuary tunnels, dark forests, underground caves, prison basement ,attics and many other dark locations.
Here are some examples:

 

 Camera angles/compositioning

-high and low angles to show fear

-point of view shots to feel like your the character getting chased or attacked

-hand held cameras could be used to show terror and the fear of the unknown as the camera would shake a lot so the audience cant tell what happening, it also promotes realism

-extreme close ups are used often on victims face to avoid the threat creating more fear as we cant see it

sound

-horror films use sounds that are disturbing to the audience it can be diegetic e.g. footsteps that are extremely empathised, on diegetic e.g. sound of a heartbeat and ambient e.g. sound of a storm.

-the music used would either fit the times the horror is set in however music that is distressing and scary e.g. organs playing

mis en scene

props:kitchen knives,weapons,daggers, religion icons,candles,chainsaw,masks

the props can be associated with a particular character for example in the trailer IT we associate the red balloon with the character

lighting:dark,non-natural,low key lighting used to create shadows, it can also come from within the film e.g. torches, candles,bonfires.

-the villains costumes would already associate with extreme fear e.g. clowns,mummies,zombies,ghosts

Narrative

-usually there's a hero trying to fight the evil

-the killer is usually psychotic with a past trauma or medical issues

-in slashers it usually starts with young teenager being stupid and therefore easily get killed or anger the villain.