analysis for media

1. THE HITCHER
By Joe Chapman

2. CAMERA SHOTS
 The trailer starts off with a point of view shot from the car driving which signifies a journey that the characters are about to
embark on. It then proceeds to show a close up of feet walking to the particular car this is quite an ominous shot as the figure is
slowly approaching the car.This creates an enigma for the audience as it makes us think who is it?, and what are they going to
do? It then proceeds to a medium close up of the ‘hitcher’/ antagonist smashes the glass and seemingly attacking the driver of
the car showing his motive which is clearly to cause harm.
 Later on in the trailer there is an over the shoulder shot which is from the woman’s position in the car which allows us to
focus on what he is saying and makes us wonder what he is like for example his personality etc. It is a good shot to use
for the film because you cannot see his eyes when he is speaking, thus removing the normal person connection that the
antagonist tries to mould himself on.
You then get to see a close up of his face which shows his sadistic nature and smile which makes us wonder
if he will hurt the couple (damsels). He then continues to pull a knife towards his own face (close up) signifying the danger the
young couple are in and if they don’t escape what the antagonist is going to do to them.The knife is typical of a horror movie
because it leads to a slow death and the victim suffers more, it also corroborates with the slasher genre as their weapon of choice
is more times than not a knife.
 As we go through the trailer a significant shot is the long shot of the young man attached to two lorries which
appears that h the hitcher is trying to tear him apart. Connoting much like him tearing their planned adventure
together he is now physically and not just mentally tearing him apart.

3. EDITING
 They have edited the heart beat in time to the windscreen wipers which connotes calmness for the time being and progressively
gets faster along with the window wipers connoting danger.
 Before they meet the stranger there is a cut on the sound of lightning which is when they meet the stranger. Lightening is usually
proposed with danger and connotes that maybe the hitcher is also dangerous much like lighting.
Whilst in the car there are many shot reverse shots to show the interaction between the stranger and
the couple which emphasises his shadiness. Before this though there is a shallow focus where the woman in the
background is now blurry showing the hitcher to be the most dominant in the shot and the character who we
should focus on. During this sequence when you hear the character say ‘No!’ there is a fast cut to the knife to
show what the male protagonist is so scared about.This then carries on to a fast cut showing the car out of control
putting emphasis on the trouble they have found themselves in after picking up the hitchhiker.
 There is then a cross dissolve which shows the audience a passage of time in the characters lives where they seem to have
escaped danger. For now.When a bloody hand hits the car window which connotes danger and that this will happen to them if
they don’t escape the antagonist.There is a scream added to create more effect and emphasis it adds this because it shows the
pain that the person has been through and also the impending danger. Later on there are also many cuts on banging noises
showing the couple gradually getting themselves into more danger.

4. MISE-EN-SCENE
 Setting-The setting is generally takes place in rural areas with a little amount of populates a typical convention of horror movies as it is very
eerie, with nobody to help them.
 Costume-The couples clothing is very normal and casual something that you expect them to wear because this way the audience can relate to
them.This is a binary opposite to the hitcher who is in very dark clothing this portraits his personality as being very dark inside and violent.
Apart from his shirt which is actually very normal which maybe he wears to present himself as being normal on the face of things to attract his
victims. In addition black is usually associated with death signifying that the hitcher will be and is theirs and many other peoples bringer of
death. Also the audience easily identify him as the villain due to past horror movie experiences where the villain is usually in dark clothing
 Props- One prop that is very prominent is the knife.This is because it is the symbol of a very slow and painful
death which the hitcher clearly wants to inflict on this couple.Vehicles also seem to be the main focus point of the
movie which is understandable as being a hitchhiker involves getting lifts in vehicles.
 Performance-The hitchers body language indicates his personality he is stood tall with his head tilted at an angle
a characteristic someone with a mental problem would have, which the hitcher clearly does.The hitcher also has a
wry smile which suggests he has something to hide. However at the same time it looks very sadistic such as all the
time he is thinking about killing the couple.
 Lighting-The lighting at the start is very dark which signifies danger and a bad point in the lives of the couple. In
addition to this dark night time is a convention of horror.Towards the middle of the trailer the lighting is high key
ambient lighting which could connote the couple believe that they have escaped danger.

5. SOUND
 When it is just the couple there is calm opera non diegetic in the background connoting happiness and to show that they are
currently in an equilibrium.This makes the audience feel calm and sets them up for the scary moments that are about to come
up.
 As the trailer progresses there is and emphasis on lightning, screeching sounds and scratches on cuts this is to signify danger and
the pain of the characters at the same time.
 At some points there is no music in the trailer which is used to good effect as it builds suspense for the next shot/scene.These are
all typical conventions of horrors and are used very frequently in order to build suspense for what is going to happen next.
 Dialogue/diegetic sound from the characters helps to build suspense as relatively early on you can hear the hitcher say ‘I want
you to say four words… I want to die’.Then right near the end of the trailer after seeing the male protagonist about to be pulled
apart you hear him say ‘I want to die'.This is very captivating as it grabs our attention making us want to watch the movie when it
comes out.

6. THEORIES
 Todorov- Todorov’s theory is established to an extent in the trailer.The equilibrium being when the couple are happy being
together, the disruption, when they pick up the hitcher ,the recognition of the disruption, where they are on the run from him
and the attempt to repair could be when they go to the police to see if they can help them. As all trailers it does not touch on the
new equilibrium this is because they don not want to give too much away as to what happens so it forces you to go and see it if
you want to know what happens.
 Propp- establishes some of Propp’s characters. Hero- this would be both the male and female protagonist,Villain- the
hitcher, Princess- both male and female protagonists, False Hero- could also be the hitcher because he starts off as being nice but
then turns into a villain.
 Socio Economic Groups- I think that all groups through C1 to E would watch horror movies such as this, because it
would appeal more to them than A and B because they probably don’t have time to watch movies like this and would instead
maybe prefer films based on real events of even more educated cerebral films.
 ITV Sales Demographics-I think that the groupsAD,AA andA3 would watch this because they are old enough to
watch them and are more likely to want to watch them with partners etc. than on their own. Groups such as HC would not watch
them as the child would be too young and the house wife would more than likely not want to watch it on their own.
 Uses & Gratification- Personal identification is two young people in love going on a trip together, Inform is being wary
about picking up strangers, Entertain is jump scares, fast paced action and brutal murders, Social Response is talking to friends
about why he targeted them and about the different murders that have taken place etc.

7. REPRESENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
 Stereotypes-Youths are presented anti-stereotypically in this piece.This is because they are usually generalised as unkind
and yobs.However they stop to pick the hitcher up trying to be nice which denotes the youths as being kind and helpful, however
this may not represent the rest of the youth community.This is because most younger people would stereotypically just drive
past without helping as they are self centred and more focused on themselves.
 Gender- There are elements of Mulvey’s Male gaze in the trailer as it shows the female getting dressed showing off her skin
to appeal to the male audience. In contrast to the stereotypical idea that all females are weaker than males, the female isn’t
represented as being the damsel in distress she seems to get involved and does not just leave it to the male to do all the work.
 Ideology-Reinforces the idea of males being very violent and aggressive as shown
by the hitcher brutally murdering people.Yet again women get objectified as in most
pieces of film etc.This is as she is shown with her skin showing and at one point naked in
the shower.