Codes are systems of signs with create meaning:
- Technical codes - equipment is used to tell the story (camera work)
- Symbolic codes - whats beneath the surface (a characters action shows feeling)
Some codes fit in both categories (music)
Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something, all genres of film have certain conventions which we expect to see (cliches)
Examples of horror conventions:
- Secluded location - the woods, abandoned places, summer camp
- Characters forget about threat - forgotten deaths, curses
- Cut power - electricity, candles/gas lamps, phone lines
- Strange noises - someones goes and investigates
- Running up the stairs - instead of going outside to possibly get help they run upstairs to get into a 'safe' place
- Victim trips over - gets slower down but sometimes makes a close escape, they became vulnerable
- Vehicle won't start - motorbike, car etc
- Fake scare - door slamming, phone ringing, birds fly out of trees, looks into a mirror
- Warnings are ignored - someone has a bad dream/nightmare about the trip but they go anyway, a rumoured curse about an object but get take it anyway
- Death in first 5 minutes - uses to set the mood for the rest of the film
- X years before / later - gives explanation and makes the story more clear
- Stormy night - childhood fear of thunder
- Short cut - going down a beaten track, somewhere where no one can help, take advice from a creepy local and become alienated
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