This is my analysis of the movie trailer 'Oculus'.

1. Movie release date: April 11, 2014
Director: Mike Flanagan
Genre: Horror
This film is intended to scare the audience and
for this reason it is targeted at people who are
teenagers to late 30's. This group find
enjoyment through the horror. A film like this
wouldn't be suitable for people under the age
of 15.
AUDIENCE
http://www.tribute.ca/trailers/oculus/19604/

2. Lighting Mise-en-scene
Props
The use of the prop,
the light bulb, is
disturbing and
escalates the fear of
the viewer. Using this
prop emphasises the
danger they are in.
Also the broken glass
could be used to
foreshadow the
danger they are in.
Costume
The lighting coming in from the mirror draws attention
to the mirror but this soon blacks out, creating
suspense and tension. The lighting gives the audience
false hope, making them comfortable before the later
disturbances of the trailer.
The supernatural force that comes from the mirror
is in a light blue dress which compliments the eyes
that have been edited white, therefore leading the
audience to them. The blue depicts the coldness
of figure therefore foreshadowing the danger of
the force.
Throughout the trailer anchorage is
used throughout where sound and
image are used simultaneously for
effect, as the girl bites on the light
bulb the sound increases
dramatically creating tension.

3. Cuts (transitions) Fades/Dissolves
Editing
Filters
As the trailer begins the picture fades in and
out, contributing towards the fluency of the
video. This also is a way of creating suspense,
resulting in the audience having a fear of the
unknown. The genre of the film is a horror so
fading out onto a black background the trailer
has a negative atmosphere.
The clip has been edited into slow
motion as the cloth falls of the mirror
to dramatize it. It results in the
audience being more focused on the
mirror. This also affects both the
fluency and the cuts of the trailer
because it slows the pace down.
Throughout the clip the transitions
become a lot quicker in order to
dramatize the clip and add suspense.
The music follows this and increases
in volume in sync with the cuts.
In the same print screen above a sepia
filter seems to have been used giving
off an antique impression, this
suggests that the mirror behind the
cloth has history.
Fluency

4. Camera
Shots
Focus
The girls head is out of focus in this shot reverse
shot and this is so the audience pays full attention
to the boy.
Angles
A long shot has been used in order to set
the scene, however there is a sense of
mystery. This entices the viewer and makes
it feel like they are there.
A close up of the super natural force is
revealed as a way of grasping the attention
for the audience and making them want to
know more. The close up also means that it
is more disturbing for the viewer.
A low camera angle has been used when the focus
is on the mirror, this is a way of showing the
power and superiority of the mirror and how it
haunts whoever owns it. The blood dripping down
further enforces this.

5. In post-production the blood has been edited into
the shape of the letter S in order to emphasise
how the actresses soul has been taken. The red
blood further depicts the danger.
Texts and credits are used at the start
of the film to inform the audience what
the producer has also made, this is a
way of reinforcing the movie is a
horror.
Characters
The villain
The Princess/hero
The Donor
Narrative Theory- I have tried to use
this trailer and apply it to Propp’s
theory, the idea that each media text
has 7 distinctive characters. I have
been able to pick out three of these
within the trailer, supporting this
theory. The most obvious was the
villain who is the supernatural force
from the mirror. She is the one who is a
huge danger to all the other characters
within the plot. Next I labelled the girl
actress the princess, because she is the
one who wants to catch the villain yet
ends up being the victim and the one
needing help. Arguably, the girl is also
the hero because she is the one trying
to beat the villain. Lastly I chose the
donor to be the boy who assists the
princess/hero because he is beneficial
to the plot and she would not go on
with her plan without him. Although I
have not linked all 7 characters, these
characters support his theory because
the remaining 4 may be revealed in the
whole film.