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1. Megan Campbell
Film Trailer
Analysis
Nine Dead (2010)
From the beginningof the clipwe cantell thatthe filmbelongstothe crime thrillergenre.The trailer
starts off fairlyslow butwitha soundthatseemstoshoot inas the trailerbeginstoplay,instantly
addinga feelingof tensionandpanic.We also hearthe voiceoverof a newsreporterexplainingthat
nine people have beenkidnapped. Neitherthe soundnorthe voiceoverisfast,suggestingthatitis
buildinguptothe mainaction,lateron inthe film.A slowerstarttoa trailerisa typical convention
of a thrillerandsuggeststhattheyare addingsuspense forthe audience before theyshow the main
events.Afterthe voice overhasfinished,the shotsseemtopickuppace andwe are introducedto
the mainvillain,akidnapperwearingadark mask.The coloursthat the kidnapperwearsare all
associatedwiththrillersorhorrors,beingdarktheysuggestdangerordeath,inferringamore
seriousnarrative andhelpingthe audience tomake the decisionof whethertosee the filmornot.A
close upof a gun isalso shown,anotherthinglinkedwiththrillerfilms,fromthiswe alreadyknow
that somebodyisgoingtobe killedatsome point,anideathatis expectedfromafilmof thisgenre.
It seemsthatthe biggestmomentshave beenpickedouttocreate the trailerandfrom this,the
audience cansee the mainplot,helpingthemtoidentifythe genre.
The main unique sellingpointof thisfilmisitsgenre.The trailerclearlyshowsthe sortof filmitis,
attractingthe attentionof manythriller/crimefans. One of the mainactorswithinthe film‘William
Lee Scott’ oftenplayscharacterswithinthrillermoviessuchas‘Gone in60 Seconds’and‘The
ButterflyEffect’.Fansof these filmsorof the actor himself willinstantlybe interestedinseeingthe
film,addingtoitssuccess. The coloursalsohelpthe audience detectthe genre andenhance their
interestinthe filmif theyare a fanof crime films.Throughoutthe trailerthe coloursare all verydark
and mysterious,linkingto the ideaof crime andfear. All of these elementsof the traileraddtothe
overall appeal of the trailer,reallyhighlightingthe genre.
The narrative of the trailerallowsthe producerstorelease the ideaof the basicplotwithoutactually
showinganyformof resolutionorending tothe filmandspoilingitforthe audience.Thishelpsthem
to add suspense withinthe trailer,drawingthe viewertogo and see the filmto findouthow
everythingendsup. The inter-titlesare alsosomethingthatthe viewercanuse to identifythe basic
plotof the story. Phrases suchas “Answerthe question”and“Findthe connection”.These words
outline the basicideaof the film,inferringthatthe mainproblemisthe victimshavingtoworkout
whytheyhave beenkidnappedandfindaconnectionbetweeneachother tosave theirlives.The
openingof the trailersetsthe scene (adark undergroundbunker) andallowsustofeel connected
witheachcharacter. A seriesof around20-25 shotshave beenputtogethertoshow close ups of
each character,helpingtoestablishwhoisavictimandwhois a villain.Asthe storyline isbuiltup,
we begintosee that the characters are indistress,especiallythroughthe dialogue andthe
soundtrack. The pace beginstopickup and the time betweeneachshotbecomesmuch shorter,
especiallyafterwe see aclose upof the chalkhe has giventhemtowrite on the blackboard dropto

2. Megan Campbell
the ground. From thispointonwardsitisclear that the mainproblemwithinthe filmisthe threatof
beingthe nextpersontobe killed. The close upsusedreallyemphasisethe charactersfearandpanic
as the clock isticks downto the nextdeath.A highangle shotisusedto show a man lookingdown
on anothermanas he puncheshim andhe fallsto the floor.Thisshotgivesthe impressionthatthe
tensionandurgencyisbecomingoverwhelming,tothe pointthattheyare becomingviolentand
aggressive. Slow motionisusedwhenaclose upshotof one of the main characters.Thisnot only
allowsusto see herfacial expression,italsogive ustime torealise thatshe,asan actress,isone of
the most successful inthe whole film, drawingattentiontothe filmandenticingherfans.
Throughoutthe trailerthe pace variesa lot.It beginsfairlyslowly,asdomanyotherthrillertrailers.
Thisis so the viewercangeta basic ideaof the plotbefore the trailerpicksuppace and beginsto
feel tense andthe mainactionisshown.Asthe trailercarrieson,the pace of itseemstogrow
alongside the plot,withitbeginningwithanewsreaderexplainingwhathashappened.Afterthis
pointthe pace beginstoincrease,andafterthe victimshave beenkidnappedandtakentothe
bunkera seriesof fastpacedshotsare put togethertoshow the kidnapperwhippingoff the victims
blindfolds.Thisiswhenwe knowthatfilmcontainsaseriousstoryline andhelpsustoidentifythe
mainaction withinthe film.Asthe kidnapperexplainswhattheyneedtodothe escape,the pace
slowsdownagainwhichmakesusengage withthe victimsandlistenproperlytowhattheirquest
entails(one of the mostimportantthingsinthe plot).Italsogivesusthe chance to relate to the
victims,seeingshotsof themlookingaroundandfeelingconfused.We are thenshowna close upof
the clock tickingwhichhasbeenspedupsothe minuetsgobyveryquickly.From here onwardswe
the pace becomesincreasinglyfast andthe maineventinthe filmismade clear.We begintofeel a
sense of urgencyandpanic,relatingtothe characters,makinguswant to know whatthe outcome of
the filmisgoingto be.The pace inflatesalongwiththe soundtrackbuildingupthe action and
keepingthe audience engrossedinthe trailer.
At the beginningof the traileravoice overisheardthat can be identifiedasanewsreporter,
explainingthe situation.Althoughwithinthe filmthiswouldbe broadcasttoAmerica,inthe trailerit
isfor the audience’sbenefit.Itletsthe viewerknow the mainplotof the filminjusta few words,
helpingthemdecidewhetherthe filmisforthemornot. At the same time there isa loudboomthat
seemstosinkintothe beginningof the trailerdrawing ourattentionandmakinguslookatthe
screen.Itis alsokindof a ‘creepy’soundthathighlightsthe theme of the filmandhelpsusidentify
the genre fromthe beginning.Thissoundcontinuesacrossthe beginningof the trailerandseemsto
echo,as if beating,thisendsasthe dialogue begins.The kidnapperspeaksbuthisvoice seemstobe
slightlycomputerised,suggestingthathe istryingto hide hisidentity. Assoonasthe dialogue stops
a deepsoundisplayedthatdescendsintothe clip,creatinga negative atmosphere andbeginningto
buildupto the nextevent.The soundof the clocktickingisspedup andbecomesa foleysoundasit
isexaggerated,suggestingthattime isabigpart of the film.Asthe pace of the trailerpicksup so
doesthe music,makingitseemas thoughthe charactersare on a race againsttime and addinga
sense of alarm.Frontthis pointonwardsthe soundtrackissimilartothat of a rock song and isfaintly
playedbehindalowbeatthatadds a negative feeltothe trailer,linkingwiththe thrillergenre. The
beatseemstoget fasterandwhenthe inter-titlesare shownthere isthe soundsimilartothat of an
explosion,leadingupthe final title thatdisplaysthe title of the film.The soundfinallyresemblesthe
soundof drums beingplayedata fastpace and loudandas the trailercomestoa close the music
seemstoquicklyfade asthe kidnappersays‘Whyare you here?’andthensuddenlybuildsupagain
as the title isdisplayed.Itendswithamuchmore highpitchedsound thatmay be linkedwiththe

3. Megan Campbell
soundassociatedwithmetal beingscraped,somethingthatisslightlyeerieandalmostasymbol of
torture or deathusingmetal knives.
The intertitlesdon’tbeginuntil aroundhalf waythroughthe trailer.The sentencesused are
imperativesorquestionsthatmaybe seenasthreateningorscary,bringingthe viewerclosertothe
action.The backgroundusedunderneaththe textisdarkand lightseemstobe comingthroughfrom
the white text.Thiscouldbe linkedtothe lighteningduringathunderstorm, a more negative
thought.The fontusedissimilartowhat isexpectedof athrillerfilm, quiteboldandthe lettersare
capitalised.The titlesseemto explainthe basicplotof the filmtothe viewerwithoutexposingany
formof conclusion/ending.The lasttitle isthe name of the film, whichisplacedontopof the faint
image of a tallyof the numbernine,linkingwiththe amountof peoplethathave beenkidnapped.
Thismay make the viewerwanderhowmanypeople are actuallykilledinthe filmorwhetherthey
all survive,engrossingtheminthe plotandmakingthemwantto see the full film.
The trailerhas includedmanyaspectsthatare typicallyexpectedfromafilmof the thriller/crime
genre.Withoutthese elementsitwould be difficulttoidentifythe genre whichmayresultin
attractingthe wrongaudience orage group.