1) The Main Protagonist
This is the character that the cameras will be following through 90% of the film. It will usually be their fault they're in this situation, either because they blatantly provoked it or they recently moved into the house where the villain originates from. They are always the last characters to die, if they do or they'll be the only ones to make it out alive. They usually have quite a heroic personality, trying to save the other characters and stop the villain despite half the time it never quite working out.
Example:
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| Laine Morris from Ouija |
2) The Non-Believer:
This character can be of either gender. The personalities can go either of two ways: they can be portrayed as cocky and at ease or timid and intelligent. Either way, both characters are placed with the intention to persuade the other characters that they are overreacting and that nothing is going on. Usually their persistency occurs after a few things have gone bump in the night, or the power has randomly gone out. Both types of this character are overconfident, which can usually lead them to being the first to be killed, their death starting the chain reaction for the other characters deaths. Given that this is typical of some horror films, the audience will not be swayed by this 'voice of reason' knowing that in the end, their arrogance will be the death of them.
Example:
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| Isabella from Ouija |
3) The Villain Itself:
This character can take up to many forms but typically of a psychological horror, they take the form of a demonic possession, ghost/spirit or a horrifying monster the writers have conjured up purposely for that film. These characters will never react in a normal way to injuries (if it's possible to inflict any); they usually manage get back up unharmed, showing that they are in fact inhuman. Spirits and demons help play on 'the fear of the unknown' as there is never any solid proof to show that they do not exist. They play on the audiences more primal fears and thought that things like this could actually exist all around them. This character obviously has the biggest impact on the audience and is used to strike fear into them. They are what the suspension throughout the film and all other codes and conventions have been building up to.
Example:
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| Doris from Ouija: Origin of Evil |
4) The Female Victim:
There is almost no horror film anywhere without a female victim, as stereotypically they are portrayed as being vulnerable and in need of protection. You may get the odd film where roles are switched and the female is actually the 'saviour' of the movie but even that character will still have that best friend who is classed as 'dumb' or 'annoying'. However despite this cliché personality, she typically isn't the first to be killed but when she does, the film exploits the use of gore making the scene graphic and gruesome. This character also is used to help build up suspense in the audience as her behaviour often puts them on edge, and whenever she jumps, even if unnecessary, the audience jump too.
Example:
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| Debby from Ouija |
5) The Last Girl
This is our survivor. She is the subtly pretty girl who is smart, sweet and liked by everyone. She is often the quiet and laid back girl who finds strength she didn’t knew she had. After watching all of her friends die, she is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that she is not next, and that this never happens again. Starting off as the more reserved of the bunch, she becomes the strongest person in the group. If she does die in the movie, it is typically from being the last person alive, left only with the killer or monster.
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