Codes Codes Codes

Ok now we all know that there are certain codes and conventions that we look for when identifying different types of genres.
Such as when watching a action film we espect fast loud music, fast cutting from different shots.
When watching a romatic movie the typical codes that are presented are melodic music, that give it a peacful effect.

So now im going to look into the typical codes and conventions of horror movies. Codes allow us to easily indetify what type of genre the film is. Conventions is what the viewer inteprets from the codes that are represented.

I decided to conduct a survey that would allow the group to know what the typical codes that people look for when watching a horror movie. I produced a list of the ones that i thought were typical from watching a couple of horror movies.

Hanuted House: When watching a movie and you see a dark abandoned house we tend to think that the movie is a horror. We tend to think that all the scary bad stuff is going to happen within the house, movies that include scary house:
the strangers
the amityville horror

Dark scary music: In most horror film the music is parrallel to the images that are presented on the screan. The music tends to be really quite, which creates tension and also suspense.]

Silence: Some movies choose not to have music or any noise in the opening, this also creates tension and makes the film seem mysterious. Also makes the viewers nervous, as you don't know what there is to follow.

Dark lighting: When having dark lighting in a film this gives the movie an ery mysterious feel to it, which could intensify the aspect of the movie being a horror. It gives out a negative atmosphere.



I asked 25 people. The majority of the people i asked was 16/17 year old west hatch students, but i also asked 2 adults. I mainly asked teenagers because although our film was opened to anyone over the age of 15 our target age was more teenagers.

Q: What is the most typical code of a horror film you exspect to see in a horror movie?


Dark Lighting:18
Silence: 2
Dark music:5
Hanuted house: 0

Having this survey benefits us in the making of our movie because it will allow us to include dark lightining in our movie because it was popular with the target audience.


xx Tifani xx