CONVENTIONS IN HORROR FILMS

STOCK CHARACTERS Innocent child

Innocent/stupid female

Carefree teenagers

Loving couple

Happy family

Non believer

Hysterical female

Last girl standing

Priest

Hero

Masked character

Zombie

Undead

Ghost or spirit

Deformed evil character

Stalker killer

Child who sees things

STOCK CHARACTERS

STOCK PLOTS/SITUATIONS/ISSUES

Evil creature kills people Warnings are ignored with consequences Being able to see things others can't Serial killer stalks and slays victims Imaginary friend is real and evil Child abuse or child death Mental insanity Followed to/found in isolated holiday

STOCK ISSUES Good v Evil Revenge Religion Depression Childhood issues Lust Envy Suicide Zombie apocalypse Nightmares

STOCK LOCATIONS AND BACKDROPS Holiday home, cabin or shack in woods, top of a hill,

isolated woods and forest, lakes, camping locations, diners, gas stations, dark alleyways, home of the victim, basement, empty warehouse, mental asylum, churches, graveyards, rural, out of town, farms, barns, highways, cornfields, long grass fields, abandoned houses and buildings, run down and ghost towns, atticts, hotels and motels, london underground, trains and tunnels.

Raining, storms, power cuts, night time, moon, mud, fog.

STOCK PROPS Candles and matches

Voodoo dolls

Skeletons

Corpses

Body parts

Weapons; knife, chainsaw, gun, etc.

Cobwebs

Ouiju board

Radio (white noise)

Telephone

Mirror

Door handle

Light switch

Mask

Rope

Blood

Window

Kids toys

Wardrobes

Mask