The document provides an analysis of the trailer for Paranormal Activity 4. It summarizes key scenes and editing techniques used in the trailer. These include clips from previous films to establish continuity for existing fans and catch new viewers up. Scenes of a family going about their daily lives are meant to make the audience relate to the characters. Jump scares and a dark figure menacing a young girl are meant to build fear and tension. Dates and institutional logos are displayed to maintain the documentary style and assure viewers of the film's production quality. The trailer leaves viewers with questions to intrigue them until the movie's October release date.

1. Paranormal Activity 4
Samantha Ratcliff

2. Begins with clips from previous
movies to help existing audiences
know what the trailer is. Also
helps to catch new audience
members up on previous events
which have led up to this point.
This begins to set the scene,
informing us on the time
period this is set in. This
helps us to relate to the
trailer as the date is relatively
recent.
The writing is the same font
as previous text in the other
movies, creating some
continuity. The black
background could help
connote the genre of the
movie (horror) and the white
may symbolise the innocent
people effected.

3. This is not only a clip from a
previous movie but helps to
enforce the genre of the movie for
new audience members. The
quality of the filming shows the
documentary theme which
continues throughout. The dark
colours could represent the
character’s soul. Also the fact that
this clip shocks the audience could
show the audience the kind of fear
which can be expected in the next
film.
Ensuring that the new audience
members know what has been
happening, so they can concentrate
on this movie without worrying
about audience members getting
confused.

4. A bit like someone is changing a
tape, maybe to represent a new
chapter? All the colours could
symbolise the disruption caused
in the movie and the people’s
new mind set who have been
effected by this.
Now talking in present text,
this not only tells the
audience when they can
expect the movie which
helps get the excited about
the movie but also helps
enforce the idea that the
movie is real.

5. Introducing the audience to the
new character which also raises
enigma of.. ‘who is she?’, ‘does
she have anything to do with
previous characters?’. This
character also looks extremely
innocent with her light her
which may be there to connote
her vulnerability. The bright
lights and colourful bedroom
could also help to enforce this.
Setting the scene. Also using the
same flicking through effect as
other previous movies, again
creating continuity within the
trailer. Also shows how normal
this family are.

6. Showing the characters in their day
to day lives which helps the
audience relate to the characters so
they become attached, also helps to
show this could happen to anyone.
The date is still in the bottom corner
which helps keep the documentary
feel going, to help the audience
members follow the story line and
the time period.
Leaving it on a cliff, allowing
the clips to now speak for
themselves. This also helps to
hint that this movie does have
some relation to the other
ones, hooking the audience’s
attention.

7. Helps with the webcam feel
again to help with the
documentary feel. This also
helps to show the different
types of technology the movie
is now using, helping to show
that the world has gone on.
First sight of whatever it is
coming to get the family, makes
people question the whole
story as this looks like a normal
person. This can help to scare
people even more as it enforces
that anyone could be effected
by this and they wouldn't know
until it was to late.

8. Disruption within the trailer,
this could connote the
characters life as it is now all
over the place, this could
also represent her thoughts
as she is confused and has
no idea what is about to
happen. This also helps to
enforce the realism that the
producers are trying to
create.
Dark figure coming up
behind her. The colours in
this frame could represent
the two characters souls.
You have the innocent girl
with the blonde her in the
foreground and then the evil
thing behind her who is
responsible for the
disruption.

9. Again for this clip they have used the
same font and editing as previous
films, again creating a sense on
continuity for current audience
members. The editing also hints at the
documentary feel to the trailer.
Two characters from the other movies
who went missing at the end of the
previous movie, this helps to raise
enigma of what has happened to them
and are they going to be in this film?
Will we finally get an answer?
This lets the audience know when they
can expect the movie to come out. This
also helps them to get excited about the
movie. Then in the bottom corner you can
see the institution which tells the
audience that the movie has a big budget
and is likely to be a good movie. The
relevants of the month in which it is
realised could be that it is the same
month as Halloween, this hints at the
genre.