First is fear and every horror film should have it included. Without fear, how would it be a horror movie? This type of genre triggers the flight or fight response and releases adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine which every horror fan craves. After the movie, fear follows the audience back home or when going to sleep because of the thoughts on “what if something is really under my bed?” To create this fear characters like monsters, dolls, serial killers, possessed humans, and etc are used which gives it a realistic effect.
Ex: The film Insidious uses fear when one of the main characters has no idea a devil like monster is right behind him
Suspense is important in the horror genre and builds on the plot to create fear. Suspense is usually used before a major jump scare which either has the audience closing their eyes cause they know what's coming or holding onto something. Suspense brings out the twist and unexpected moment of relaxation which has the audience's heart racing and making someone scream.
Ex:The film Black phone uses suspense when the kidnapper is waiting for the little boy to come up the stairs and try to escape and we know he's sitting there but the little boy does not.
Violence is also a key element in horror. It creates fear and terror for audience which can include killing and fighting.
Ex: American psycho shows much violence when he kills his victims
PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
In every horror film lighting is used to create a spooky environment like dark lighting or deep colors. They also use Uplighting, Silhouette, Spotlighting, Underexposure, Harsh light, and Prominent projected shadows. It gives the audience a chance to have an imagination creating anything that's scary in their head.
Sound like music is also used to create a spooky environment and create suspense as well. Some music are symbols of something like a type of monster in a certain movie or something else. Audience will hear this sound and know whats about to come onto the screen.
Ex: in the film psycho the music is added when the killing scene starts.
https://youtu.be/Me-VhC9ieh0
Marketing
These films usually target an audience from 15-25 which is for young adults and is a really good target audience. Mainly teenagers crave that fear feeling or love going to the movie theaters with friends and screaming. Very creative posters are made as well which can include monsters, dolls, little children, and etc. It shows how scary the film may be and scary titles are easy to come up with.
Samples
1.The movie IT (2017) starts off with a kid losing his little brother down a drain taken away by a clown. It then proceeds to show a friend group of 7 in their teenage years all getting out of school one summer. The movie introduces how many kids around the town are going missing and the audience can include that this is the clown. The clown terrorizes these kids and the movie also shows an abandon house where these kids must kill the clown at. The movie uses jump scares, vintage type of tone with light and dark lighting to create a dark feeling. Much blood and violence is used in this film to give the audience fear of the clown on screen.
2.
The film friend request (2016) is another good example of a horror film. A girl added someone on facebook that wanted to be her friend. When the girl is stalking her page she finds very disturbing stuff and doesn't wanna be friends with her anymore. She proceeds to unfriend her but then the girl starts to terrorize her and ruins her whole life and kills everyone around her. This movie uses much gore and dark lighting to create fear for the audience, as well as jump scares and a very scary woman with black hair and no eyebrows which is kinda uncomfortable to look at..
Others films I recommend
Conjuring (2013)
Shining (1980)
Sources
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