Genre: Horror / Psychological Thriller

 GENRE

In order to understand which genre would be best for my group, we had to research the different styles and aspects of each. This was done to help my team establish which fit our style the best.

Horror

The genre of horror is meant to fill suspense and tension with their audience. There are multiple aspects that create what we know as “horror films.” 

According to AMC Theaters, the element of surprise is a key aspect to building suspense in horror films. This can be done through a build of atmosphere, creating a suspenseful environment. This type of setting can be created through dim exposure, patchy lighting, or strong colors such as red or dark purple. These types of films also have their own score or theme music before something scary pops up on the screen, creating a foreshadow for the audience that a jump scare or some sort of danger is about to happen. This can be best done with stings and a slow build-up to the climax of the thrill. Some films, also have the inclusion of multiple characters that don’t carry as high significance to the plot, making them easy to remove or “disappear” to firmly understand the power of whatever monster the story revolves around. 

A film famously known for this genre is “Hereditary,” which tells the story of a family that lives with a strange demonic genetic trait that is passed along to a bloodline. The hair-raising film consists of a series of stings that gets the audience on the edge of their seat, slow shot composition before the lead up to jump scares, and low lighting to create suspense. 

Psychological Thriller

The psychological thriller genre keeps its audiences on the edge of their seat and has them seeking more as the film moves forward, while also making them think.

According to Master Class, an important aspect to have in a psychological thriller is a major plot twist at the end to have your audience leaving the theater wondering how they never saw it coming. In addition to this, they often have a narrator who misleads the viewers, using the illusion of misdirection to create an even bigger build-up for the plot twist to come towards the end. In order to connect with the audience, there has to be a familiar setting or aspect to the film, so that the viewers can put themselves in the shoes of the characters

A popular psychological thriller is the movie “Truth or Dare” which tells the story of a group of teenagers that live in a society where they get stuck in a truth or dare game and are required to do exactly what the game asks or they die. This puts the group of friends in a situation where they have to choose whether they want to stay to their moral being or take on whatever task they are given to live. By asking someone else “truth or dare” they also suck them into the game, so it puts a moral weight on them who they are willing to put in danger for their own safety.