Codes and Conventions: The opening of a Horror film

The opening of is a very important few minutes of a film. For horror films, it is crucial that certain codes are used to appeal to the audience and intrigue them. These are symbolic, print, audio, and technical codes in particular.

Mise en scene (symbolic)

The setting is usually an isolated place, depending on the plot of the film. Performance wise, there should be characters with mysterious, closed-off qualities that the audience will only get to understand if they watch the rest of the film. Enigma codes are certain objects, actions, or dialogue in a shot that provoke questions (i.e. who? Why?). These are used to create tension and possible anxiety, forcing the audience to, again, keep watching to find out answers. Action codes are used to introduce and develop the storyline while introducing only a small amount of characters. As of the appearance of characters, their makeup is put on using slightly darker tones to portray the sense of the film. Involving colour, dull coloured clothes are worn. Characters shouldn’t be wearing bright items of colour, e.g. yellow/pink - as they have connotations of positive moods - unless shown for a contrast between significant characters.

Objects, e.g. knives, are crucial as they represent the genre. You wouldn’t have sunflowers and daisies to represent horror, you would show objects that present violence and anguish.


Editing (print)

The style of text displayed in the opening credits is normally of a gory/creepy style, consisting of plain block colours to clearly distinguish between the text and the images behind it, and also to represent the atmosphere of the film. For example, text in the colour of red can resemble the blood and gore within a film. White text on a black background can portray the battle between light and darkness/good and evil.

Sound (audio)

It’s very important that the correct non-diegetic sound is used. With music, you can’t have happy, uplifting tunes in a horror film. The music has to be dark and sinister, and also anticipating so that the audience can feel the same as the characters in the current events of the film.

Camera angles/movement (technical)

The technical codes include the lighting, camera angles, and the speed of shots. Shots may be fast in a short sequence to display anticipation and tension, however, longer shots may be used to show and develop the storyline but provide suspense.

Low angles can be used on characters to show a higher/more significant status and entity about them. High angles can be used to show how some are inferior to others, while long shots can display mise-en-scène, and close-ups can exhibit the fear or bravery within characters.