Portfolio Project Genre #1"

Horror as a Genre:

Horror's purpose is intended to scare and thrill its viewers. Often having a villian or monster involved in most plots to add threat and reflect humanities fears. Some horror reflects of different cultures and stories. For this reason is why it is still well known and popular and constantly adding new themes and stories since their are many diverse cultures and stories that implement horror or frightful accounts. I believe choosing horror adds some many creative opportunities toward my portfolio as it has so many elements and subgenres that there is no single topic alone just for horror. While this genre can be over used and boring with the right techniques and plot can really draw an audience in with fear and excitment.

Target Auidence:

The audience for horror typically appeals to younger adolescents such as teenagers or adults in their mid 20s. However, the range has widened since their are so many sub genres that appeal to other viewers. Whether its classic slasher film like Scream or twisted pyschologcial horror film US theirs auidences for everyone in the horror film world. The film itself is what makes it a good horror film one that completely isn't worth the watch. Auidences today are intriguied by gore, technological involvement, and pyschological horror. While there are still nostalgic fans of the traditional horror themes modern horror is a new hotspot in media.

What Makes Horror so Iconic?

What makes horror so iconic is all the movie trailers, posters, and campaigns before the actual film releasing. The trailer itself can influnce horror fans even without them watching the film. An example would be the movie franchise The Conjuring, the poster itself drawed auidences in with its titling of directors from other well known horror films, as well as significant details of old dying tree with hanging a noose around it; in the background misty atmosphere with a two leveled house seamlessly blending in with the dark and chilling atmosphere. The movie poster for The Conjuring captivates viewers and really peaked interest viewers way before the release of the movie. Showing how setting,marketing  and setting clear vision of the type of fear factor expressed to your auidences ties in the theme of what makes a good horror piece to keep many drawn. While marketing can play a primary role in the outcome of horror films, technical elements are equally as important. Lighting, sound effects and camera techniques used within the film-making itself enhances the horror and thrill aspect to the film. Lighting sets the overall tone of the film either making the surrounding space feel uplifting or eerie, creating shadows. In connection to lighting sound works to add non digetic and digetic sounds to add suspense. Loud pitched music adds to the suspense as what following events will unfold, and digetic sounds when filming can draw attention or subtle something lurking or jumpscare incoming. 

Films That Display This Best:

Two Films that are in my opinion best display horror is the movies Get Out and The Shinning. Both having different elements of horror. Both films represent pyschological horror however both use different technical techniques and representation to add to their films. The Shinning is known to focus on supernatrual mixed with mental and domestic dread elements. Throughout the film you see the directors work to fully transform the film into both visual appealing but as well as frighting and chilling experience. Although being a film based on an adaptation of Stephen Kings book, many fans debate whether the movie is better than the book. On the contrary Get Out offers a different type of representation that The Shinning. Instead of having an antogonist of monster or killer, it introduces a family that on the outside represents standard suburban family. In the movie it adds on other themes of racial acceptance and twisted mind games almost like a cult like following that a family influences on their targeted. It topped charts in 2017 the wide spectrum of representation while still adding that pyschological horror that twistes the brain. These two films although in the same subgenre both depict where modern horror as genre will most likely continue to head as it continues to captivate audience's and keep them intriguied and looking for more pieces with this same factor of fear.

Scott, J. (2025, February 4). What is horror? Definition, history and examples. StudioBinder. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-horror-definition/

Media Studies. (n.d.). The codes and conventions of horror films. https://media-studies.com/horror-genre/

Sherlock, B. (2019, April 19). 10 reasons why The Shining is the greatest horror movie ever made. Screen Rant. https://screenrant.com/shining-greatest-horror-movie-reasons/

Tibbs, R. (2022, May 4). Why Get Out is the best horror movie of the 21st century. Medium. https://rosietibbs-co-uk.medium.com/why-get-out-is-the-best-horror-movie-of-the-21st-century-c00fc8e33b8f