The trailer uses various camera shots and editing techniques to build suspense and tension. It establishes a wealthy neighborhood where a family prepares to defend themselves during the annual Purge, when all crime is legal. The trailer cuts between shots of the family and masked intruders approaching their home. It aims to attract audiences by questioning what will happen to the family when confronted by the intruders seeking to harm them during this time of lawlessness.

1. The Purge
BY JOE CHAPMAN

2. Camera Shots
 The trailer opens with a long shot showing the horizon/sunset connoting the end of harmony and the start of hell as
the Purge begins. Then after the cut goes to what seems to be the main family being happy and enjoying each
others company.
 Moves to an establishing shot of the neighbourhood. The neighbourhood looks very wealthy and you wouldn’t
think anyone would commit crimes there. The trailer progresses until it gets to an over the shoulder shot which
shows somebody preparing a weapon of some sort for the purge. This denotes people fear for their lives in the
purge even from their own neighbours. Then shortly afterwards there is a high angle shot of the family preparing
their weapons for the purge. After more cuts there is a long shot of the houses defences which
connotes the families wealth and their ability to prepare for the purge/the fear that the purge
conveys onto normal people.
 After the doorbell rings there is a close up of the criminals face, however he is wearing the mask this may be
because although you do not get prosecuted in the purge he may not want to create an
enemy for the next purge.
 There is a panning shot inside the house which shows writing on the wall written in blood which says ‘Do not look for
me’. This warning is very forceful and threatening connoting if they look for him he will fight back. In addition to this
it could be an intertextual reference as in some movies when a killer is demanding something they right it in blood
to scare the person they have sent the demand to.
 There is then a no level eye line match showing the girl under her bed as the antagonists shoe comes into the
frame.

3. Editing
 There is a time lapse of the sky colour changing this denotes a different time period
and as well as this a change in attitude as the purge is about to start.
 The transition to text is slow which gives the audience time to read the text and take
in the messages that it shows. This is a good way to convey to the audience what
happens in the purge and what it means for people. In addition to this the fade
transition between shots varies, this is to help build suspense.
 The cuts happen on score and as the action picks up so to does the cuts. Again this is
another method to help build suspense and is a typical convention of horrors in that
there are a lot of fast paced cuts.
 After the antagonist rings the doorbell and tells them the message there are four
different fast cuts of the antagonists surrounding the house. This is to show that the
family is in danger and have no way of escaping.
 The trailer also tends to use a black screen whilst the characters are talking. Again this
is a convention of horrors and it helps to build suspense and increase the unknown so
we do not know what to expect. This evokes a response from the audience which is
what the film makers have intended to do to get us to question what will happen
next.
 At the end of the trailer there is a focus pull from the woman carrying a gun to an
antagonist stalking her in the background, this connotes the danger that the family is
currently facing and they don not know the impending violence they are about to
face.

4. Mise-En-Scene
 Setting- A wealthy suburb where the main protagonists own a big house with top of the range security.
This connotes that because they are so successful and have it so easy they could be a target for people less
fortunate of business rivals who want their wealth and success.
 Props- The use of guns is conventional to horrors as it is usually much like a knife, the go to weapon of
choice for murderers. It also denotes that violence is a main theme or ideology of this such as the case of
revenge or petty killing for the sake of it.
 Costume- The antagonists wear masks ,which connotes a mysterious sense of the unknown maybe
because they do not want the responsibility being associated with the killing of certain people. In addition to
this the band of antagonists differ in smart clothing the main antagonist wears a suit whereas the others are
in pyjamas etc. this connotes he is in charge of the antagonists. The family generally wears smart clothing
such as shirts which denotes that they are very wealthy and well educated.
 Performance- The main antagonist seems very polite and has a smile after he says he will kill
them all which gives him a sadistic edge to be feared which works in his favour to make him even
more intimidating than someone who would shouts at the family. The father seems to stay calm throughout
the trailer which gives the impression that he has done this many times before and now sees it as a necessary
evil. When he says ‘think of all the good the purge does’ seems to indicate this idea. This is in
contrast to his son who seems mortified by the idea as would his expressions indicate.

5. Mise-En-Scene Continued
 Lighting- The lighting at the start of the trailer is high key which connotes a
light happy environment. In addition ambient lighting is used to give the
audience a sense of realism.
Whilst they are in the house the lighting is generally low key this is to embed
a sense of fear and uncertainty into the audience to increase the fear factor.

6. Sound
 The piano playing at the start before the purge starts connotes happiness and
peacefulness as no one is being killed etc.
 However once the piano stops the noises get more distressing progressively
indicating more anarchy. There are scrambled signal noises after the purge starts
to broadcast on the TV, police sirens, beeping etc. These all lead to suggest
almost a flashback of the chaos of the purge in the past. Whilst the beeping may
represent a countdown until the purge begins, such as a bomb ready to explode
which proposes the idea all the anger the citizens of the USA have kept bottled
up are about to explode.
 The door bell connotes a sense of impending danger as the murderers turn up at
the door to seemingly kill them.
 The heavy breathing of the focus pull puts emphasis on the danger the mother is
in as the antagonist appears behind her

7. Theories
 Todorov- Todorov’s theory is only established in the purge trailer. The equilibrium is when the women are laughing and the
family are having a meal together. Then the disruption would be when the young child lets the African American man in their
home. The recognition of disruption is when the antagonists turn up on the families doorstep and demand the stranger is
handed over. The attempt to repair is when they attempt to defend themselves form the antagonists attacks, however the
new equilibrium is not established because that would give the story away and they want to attract you to go to the cinema
and see the movie.
 Propp- Propp’s character theory is also touched on. The hero would be the main family and the villain would be the group
of antagonists who rang the doorbell. In addition it could be argued that the family are also the princess as they need rescuing
from the villains, as well as this the stranger of black ethnicity could also be seen as he is being hunted by the villains. The
stranger could also be seen as the helper as he helps to fend of the villains.
 Uses &Gratification Theory- Personal identification would be that people would understand you would do anything
to protect your loved ones. Inform would be how at the start of the trailer it tells you about the crime rate and what the purge is
and does. Entertainment would be the action, fighting and jump scares etc. as they evoke a response from us. Social response
would be talking to someone about what happened in the movie. For example asking each other why the little boy would
open the door to a stranger or even the question which is like an enigma which is why are they after the stranger.
 Socio-Economic Groups- People who would watch this movie would be in group C1-E. This is because in group A for
example they are on high income so are less likely to watch this big blockbuster movie and instead opt for educational of Art
House cinema films. Where as someone who is in C1 for example a junior manager are more likely to watch these as they are
younger so will want to get scared with their friends.

8. Theories Continued
 ITV Sales Demographics- The groups most likely to watch this movie are AD,AA and A3.
This is because of the age rating as younger people would not be able to watch it.In addition
the adults are more likely to want to watch it to get scared with their friends and partners as it is
co0mmon for these groups to like being scared.
 Hypodermic Needle Theory- Doesn’t really apply to this trailer because it is not really
trying to force a message on the audience, however if they wanted to ‘inject’ the audience
with a message it would be do-able as commonly more passive audiences watch the big
movies rather than the cerebral movies.
 2 Step Flow- This theory can be applied to the trailer as the ‘Opinion Leaders’ could be the
rich family who are passing on a message to the audience watching who are usually willing to
except this ideology. This message could be the idea that you shouldn't be nice to strangers
and you should only look after yourselves because if you try to help it could bring repercussions.
 Target Audience According To Life styles- This could be groupies and trendies as
they want to be accepted by their peer groups. They might see this movie as a chance to seem
cool and brave in front of their peer group in an attempt to gain admiration and acceptance
form the group and see this movie as a great way to do that.

9. Representation
 Stereotypes- Stereotype on show in this trailer is the power of whit people over
ethnics. This is because the black man clearly has nothing whereas the white family
are very wealthy and can look after themselves. You could also say that this trailer is
stereotypical of other horrors as there are many fast cuts which is a convention of
horror trailers.
 Gender- There is equality generally on show in the trailer as the women appear to
be able to look after themselves just as much as the men. This is demonstrated in
some shots where the woman are shown in combat with men and are e not
represented as damsels in distress
 Ideology- The ideology seems to be that white people tend to look out for
themselves but not others and they opposites black people vs white people and
Rich vs poor are willing to end someone's life to save their own . This brings up two
examples of binary