GD: Genre Analysis - Teen Horror

1. Our chosen genre is horror however within that genre our group were interested in trying to create a teen horror. The typical conventions of a teen movie or teenpic is plot that is based on issues that are relevant and that teenagers can relate to. Most teen movies contain issues such as first love, rebellion, conflict with parent and alienation however most of these issues a glamourised and often conform to stereotypes. Our film wouldn't contain to many of these conventions possibly first love but mostly friendship but mostly friendship doing what most teens do and finish the day by taking photographs for memories of the days events. An example of teen horror movie would be "Prom Night" (Nelson McCormick, 2008) as its plot consists of something that every teen could relate to, prom night. I find this film interesting because unlike other teen movies it is gritty and although the lead character survives the film doesn have the sugar coated happy ending that is often expected from a teen movie. Another teen horror movie that I find interesting is "Scream" (Wes Craven, 1996) because of the way it ties in other classic horror and thriller movies by the victims talking about their favourite horror movies in the opening sequence and also by quote lines from the iconic horror movie "Psycho" (Hitchcock, 1960).

2. In our film we were looking to use some handheld or mobile phone camera footage to give the impression that the characters are being watched and this would start to build tension within the audience as they are one step ahead of the characters who are unaware that they are being followed and watched. We were also considering using time manipulation while walking down the road. We would also show the development of the polaroids so the audience is in the same positions as the characters which would also create tension.

3. The typical opening of teen horror film is setting the scene so the audience can relate to the film and this would therefore create a sense of tension and fear. This may be set up by talking about or covering activities that the audience can relate to. However an enigma could be set up by time manipulation or through the use of hand held cameras.

4. Within teen films the stereotypical characters are the jock, the queen bee, the geek/nerd, the rebel, the outcast, the girl next door character and the loner. However in the traditional teen movie the "popular" characters almost never come out on top it often the outcast that is succesful in winning the girl or saving the day for example Peter Parker in Spiderman.

5. The typical setting for a teen movie is either at a school or party however a horror movies tradition location would be surrounded by mystery so either a haunted house or dark alley way however I think that almost any location can be made suited to a horror movie by the use of lighting, camera angles and sound.

6. In a teen horror movie the iconography you expect see would be as follows;

visual: blood, shadows, the moon, groups of friends, a strange figures.

aural: foot prints, heaving breathing, ringing phone, distorted laughter.
oral: screaming, shouting, crying.

7. The costumes in teen horror movie would have to show the audience the age of the characters and therefore you wouldn't want to have the characters dress to formally or inapropriate for their age. Also in teen movies what the character wears also shows which "click" they are in and all creates stereotypes and therefore before deciding what clothes your characters wear you need to decide on your characters personality and where they are the jock or the outcast for example a jock would wear casual clothing possibly Abercrombie and Fitch or his school sports kit but he would take pride in his appearance. Whereas an outcast wouldn't care about their appearance and would have messy hair and their clothes would be dull and they would have an overall unkept look about them.

8. I like font Nachos&TV because it looks like scratchy writing which is widely used in horror films for example in "Amityville Horror" (Andrew Douglas, 2005)