I have created this powerpoint listing all of the key conventions of the horror genre. More details on my blog: http://ricaangelicaadarlo.blogspot.com/

1. CODES OF THE
HORROR/PSYCHOLOGICAL
THRILLER GENRE

2. PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS ARE RELIANT ON A
CHARACTER’S MENTAL STRENGTH, RATHER THAN ON
PHYSICAL STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THEIR ENEMIES. THE
SUSPENSE CREATED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS
OFTEN COMES FROM TWO OR MORE CHARACTERS
PREYING UPON ANOTHER PERSON’S MIND, EITHER BY
PLAYING DECEPTIVE GAMES OR BY SOLELY TRYING TO
DESTROY THE OTHER’S MENTAL STATE.
SOME OF THE KEY CONVENTIONS INCLUDE:

3. IDENTITY
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS OFTEN EXPLORES MISTAKEN IDENTITIES,
SUCH AS;
AMNESIA
SCHIZOPHRENIA
STOLEN IDENTITIES
DUAL IDENTITIES
THIS USUALLY AFFECTS THE PROTAGONIST IN THE FILM AS THE
STORYLINE IS BASED AROUND THE CHARACTER.

4. MEMORY
THE INDIVIDUAL IS TORTURED MY BAD OR TRAUMATIC MEMORIES, OR
OF A LOST MEMORY. THIS COULD BE CAUSED FROM AN INCIDENT THAT
HAPPENED TO THE CHARACTER OR THEY COULD HAVE BEEN BORN WITH
THE CONDITION.

5. REALITY OF PERCEPTION
A PERSON’S PERCEPTION OF WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT REAL IS
USUALLY EXPLORED IN PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS. EVENTS ARE
DISPLAYED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MULTIPLE CHARACTERS.

6. MIND
THE HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS; THE LOCATION OF PERSONALITY;
THOUGHT; MEMORY; INTELLIGENCE AND EMOTION, IS OFTEN USED AS A
LOCATION FOR NARRATIVE CONFLICT.

7. CHARACTERS
THE REASON FOR WHICH SOMETHING EXISTS; AN AIM OR A GOAL
HUMANS MOVE TOWARDS TO UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THEIR
ACTIONS.

8. STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
A LITERARY TECHNIQUE THAT LOOKS TO DESCRIBE A CHARACTER’S
POINT OF VIEW, AND THE INDIVIDUAL’S THOUGHT PROCESS. IN
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS, THE NARRATIVE TRIES TO PORTRAY THE
CHARACTER’S PSYCHE THROUGH THE USE OF WORDS, DESCRIPTIONS
OR VISUALS.

9. NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
MOST HORROR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FILMS HAVE A CONVENTIONAL NARRATIVE OF
BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE.
TODOROV’S NARRATIVE THEORY
STAGE ONE EQUILIBRIUM (AN ORDERED STATE)
STAGE TWO DISRUPTION (BY SOME EVENT)
STAGE THREE RECOGNITION (OF THE DISRUPTION)
STAGE FOUR ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE
STAGE FIVE (RETURN TO A) NEW EQUILIBRIUM