CODES AND CONVENTIONS

STEPHEN KING’S ‘IT CLOWN’

TASK

• Access the internet, select one horror film which interests you try to ensure it is a sub-genre you are interested in pursuing for your portfolio

• Be mindful that eventually you will need to provide evidence of comparison with another text in your research and planning work.

• Analyse its codes and conventions in detail using the following headings, write down your findings.

• FILM TITLE – ‘IT’• RELEASED – 1990• GENRE – HORROR• SUBGENRE - SLASHER

BRIEF PLOT SYNOPSIS

In 1960, a group of social outcasts who are bullied by a gang lead by Henry Bowers are also tormented by an evil demon that can shape shift into a clown and feed on children's fears and kill

them. After defeating the demonic clown as kids, it resurfaces 30 years later and they must

finish it off as adults once again. (Sourced from IMDB)

AVERAGE SHOT LENGTH

• Average shot length (Use this to estimate home many shots you will need in a trailer)

• Time in seconds of the whole trailer = 83 seconds

• Count the number of shots = 63 shots• Sequence time in seconds/ Number of shots =

ASL • 83/63= 1.3 seconds

Describe the settings and range of locations – exterior/exterior?

• Exterior shots of garden location • Exterior shot of park• Exterior shot of street, raining, children putting

hand in grid• Interior shot of house, someone running with knife• Exterior shot of someone in car looking at graveyard• Interior shot of clown coming in bathroom through

plug hole• Interior shot of blood splat on wall tiles spelling ‘IT’

Describe the Star/s and characters (include dress/look/mode of address/stance etc.) Are there typical horror character spheres?

Typical character sphere of a villain – clown costume, wig, make up, balloons, pointing, smiling, white gloves

Victim – small girl, hair tied back, holding a doll

Were there any props significant to the trailer?

Knife – character attacking someone

How would you describe the camera work? Did it use particular types of shot?

Close up of clowns face

The editing? Thing about pace, type of transitions e.g. cut/fade etc. How was it cut to the music?

Fade

How was titling used on the trailer, how many title slides were there? Where did they appear in the

trailer? What information did they provide.

• Based on Stephen Kings novel

• Title ‘IT’• Appeared at the

end of the trailer