Genre Essay *UPDATED*
In horror films and trailer, according to theorist Warren Buckland, Genre creates expectations that condition our responses. Genre is a tool which helps study the audience by dividing them into different categories based on similarities in the narrative elements. In this essay, I'll be analysing the concept of genre and how it is has been applied in Terror House's ' Bedeviled '.
15 seconds into the trailer, I am able to identify that it is a horror trailer as it uses the typical conventions such as low-key lit areas to set the mood and atmosphere of the trailer. It's supernatural/psychological trailer as it uses the convention of young girls normally being victimize. A real media trailer which supports this is The Exorcist which set the boundary for supernatural films of today. They play on the fear of the unknown as they don't know what happening. They used quick shots to show this and reflects on how we don't see it. Linking to a theorist, Chandler says that there are recognisable characteristics in each sub-genre and i'm able to tell that it's a supernatural/psychological trailer due to the 'recognisable characteristics' The example that demonstrate the recognisable characteristics is the white eyes. This is commonly found in supernatural/psychological films. The white connotes a sign of purity; therefore, the victim's innocence being taken away by a evil force. The white eyes symbolise being possessed and it's seen in real media trailers such as Ouija and Ouija 2.
Steve Neale says that 'genre is a repetition of underlying pattern of variations' which refers to certain horror conventions had to be included and used multiple times. Normally in supernatural/psychological trailers, they're normally set in houses with family living in it. However, in this trailer, they've changed it and used an abandoned police station instead. The police station is a place of punishment and they used it to punish the victim. They have used the same pattern but a variation of it. They showed different aspects of the location to create tension. The idea of an abandoned location creates an anxious experience for the audience.
Rick Altman says 'sets of pleasure for audience' which refers to the types of the pleasure the audience feels. There's visceral pleasure present within the trailer. The moment where the girl's neck was snapped, that was the moment of visceral pleasure. This makes the audience 'feel' it in a way. There was a close up to display the snapping of the neck. Those who would like visceral pleasure would enjoy watching this.
Abercombie says 'The boundaries are becoming more permeable'. The conventions used in this sub-genre are similar but yet different compared to movies from the olden days. Real media films such as Alien Vs Predator demonstrate this. The movie is a hybrid between Horror and Science Fiction. This links to what Abercombie said about becoming more permeable. The genres are mixing together to keep up with audience expectations. He also said ' they constantly change and evolve over time'. They adapted their film to this theory and changed the location.
15 seconds into the trailer, I am able to identify that it is a horror trailer as it uses the typical conventions such as low-key lit areas to set the mood and atmosphere of the trailer. It's supernatural/psychological trailer as it uses the convention of young girls normally being victimize. A real media trailer which supports this is The Exorcist which set the boundary for supernatural films of today. They play on the fear of the unknown as they don't know what happening. They used quick shots to show this and reflects on how we don't see it. Linking to a theorist, Chandler says that there are recognisable characteristics in each sub-genre and i'm able to tell that it's a supernatural/psychological trailer due to the 'recognisable characteristics' The example that demonstrate the recognisable characteristics is the white eyes. This is commonly found in supernatural/psychological films. The white connotes a sign of purity; therefore, the victim's innocence being taken away by a evil force. The white eyes symbolise being possessed and it's seen in real media trailers such as Ouija and Ouija 2.
Steve Neale says that 'genre is a repetition of underlying pattern of variations' which refers to certain horror conventions had to be included and used multiple times. Normally in supernatural/psychological trailers, they're normally set in houses with family living in it. However, in this trailer, they've changed it and used an abandoned police station instead. The police station is a place of punishment and they used it to punish the victim. They have used the same pattern but a variation of it. They showed different aspects of the location to create tension. The idea of an abandoned location creates an anxious experience for the audience.
Rick Altman says 'sets of pleasure for audience' which refers to the types of the pleasure the audience feels. There's visceral pleasure present within the trailer. The moment where the girl's neck was snapped, that was the moment of visceral pleasure. This makes the audience 'feel' it in a way. There was a close up to display the snapping of the neck. Those who would like visceral pleasure would enjoy watching this.
Abercombie says 'The boundaries are becoming more permeable'. The conventions used in this sub-genre are similar but yet different compared to movies from the olden days. Real media films such as Alien Vs Predator demonstrate this. The movie is a hybrid between Horror and Science Fiction. This links to what Abercombie said about becoming more permeable. The genres are mixing together to keep up with audience expectations. He also said ' they constantly change and evolve over time'. They adapted their film to this theory and changed the location.
"Also, they play on the fear of the unknown as they don't know what happening. They used quick shots to show this and reflects (A) on how we don't see it. Linking back to a theorist, Chandler says that there are recognizable characteristics in each sub-genre and i'm able to tell that it's a supernatural/psychological trailer due to the 'recognizable characteristics" - POINT made, WHAT Examples show it is a Psych/Supernatural Horror - EXPLAIN HOW you know this from these ICONs. WHAT do they MEAN? (A)
ReplyDelete"However, in this trailer, they've changed it and used an abandoned police station instead. (A? What does this symbolise or represent? How does it tell you that it is a Horror?)... They have used the same pattern but a variation of it. they showed different aspect of the location to create tension" - (A) HOW does the location create Tension???
"moment where the girls neck was snapped and there was a sound bite ??? (Diegetic effect) to it. This makes the audience 'feel' it in a way. There was a close up to display the snapping of the neck. Those who would like visceral pleasure would enjoy watching this..."
'The boundaries are becoming more permeable'. WHAT is the Purpose of this in the Trailer (P?), (E?) What examples of HYBRIDITY with other genres? (A?) HOW effective is the trailer if it is just a pure Horror?