The trailer analysis document provides a detailed summary and shot-by-shot breakdown of the trailer for the film "Silence of the Lambs". It examines how the trailer uses its soundtrack, dialogue, camera shots and cuts to build tension, mystery around Hannibal Lector's character, and establish Clarice Starling as the protagonist the audience will follow. The fast pace and disturbing images are meant to intrigue viewers and imply the film will be a suspenseful thriller that leaves the audience unsettled even after it concludes. The target audience is identified as middle-aged adults based on the characters' ages and online research.

1. Silence of the Lambs
Trailer Analysis

2. The non-diegetic soundtrack
• The first thing the viewer would get from the trailer is a heavy, low
toned synth soundtrack which informs the viewer that the film they
may go and see is a dark tale. The low synth is met with quick and
sudden crashes of metal

3. First shots
• This sound is mirrored with very sudden flash images of Anthony
Hopkins as Hannibal Lector. They come in the form of close-up shots/
They present the character as dangerous and foreshadowing his role
as being gruesome and horrible. Adding to this is Hopkins' disturbing
smile. It suggests the character he plays is scary and not to be trusted.
This all draws viewer’s in. because they believe that from these very
early moments something sinister may just about to hit the screen

4. First use of diegetic dialogue
• When the man asks "do you spook easily Starling?" We as an
audience can anticipate that there most probably will be a horror-aspect
in the film. The question posed is directed straight to the
audience almost inviting the viewer in. Starling's response is the
audience's first glimpse into the film's hero. "not yet sir" helps the
viewer to relate towards Starling as she doesn't rule out the
possibility of one day meeting her match, making her character
honest and relate-able.

5. 0:07
• At 0:07 it cuts to Starling being locked into the mental hospital's prisoner
ward. The gate closing resembles that of the crashing at the start with
Lector's face flashing. Possibly signifying that Starling has maybe met her
match with Lector, and that now there is no turning back. It being a over-the-
shoulder shot might be suggesting from his moment she is being
watched/monitored. This makes the audience feel they are part of those
spectating her, making them feel engaged, but also more paranoid.

6. 0:14-0:27
• The voiceover extract of "a killer is on the loose" with added
asynchronous dialogue of "he keeps them alive for three days, then
he shoots them, skins them and dumps them" reveals to the
audience the back story of the film, informing them with haunting
snippets of what the audience may perceive to be the killer. Then the
trailer cleverly links the back story of the film to Starling when in voice
over it is said "a rookie FBI agent is on his trail". This establishes that
Starling is a FBI agent hunting the killer. This provides a sinister feel to
the film, and thus making more people are willing to go and watch
the film.

7. 0:27
• Starling to walk forward into the ward, a low to high zing sounding soundtrack
occupies the audience’s sense of hearing. This could be signifying that there is no
way back after Starling walks on through to the walk. Giving off a sense of no
escape and being trapped, fears that aren't rare in horror films. When we see the
POV shot of Starling walking on through the ward, we then can assume that
Starling will be the character that the audience will support and emphasize with.
This shot also gives off a sense of walking into the unknown unaware of what
might await the protagonist, again something that is common in a horror film,
and by displaying this aspect in the trailer the viewer can understand what the
movie is trying to be, a horror.

8. • As the POV shot entails a further grim voice over extract plays "but in
order to track him down she'll have to match wits... With the darkest
of all minds"
• The POV shot of Starling does suggest again that we will be following
the narrative of Starling throughout the film. This is accompanied
with screeching and the same flashes of Lector's face as we finally see
the two characters meet for the first time.
• The repeat of the flashes and the use of the screeching may be trying
to signify that her worst fears might turn into reality, they might also
be trying to prophesise Starling's doom.

9. • The voice over is intervened by the diegetic dialogue of "I'll help you catch
him Clarice" which is said by Lector. His voice chills the audience whilst also
makes them ask 'why would he help the police?' and 'what is his role in
this?‘. These questions help to bring more intrigued viewers in
• "believe me you don't want Hannibal Lector inside your head" is also heard
which again brings a sense of mystery to Hopkins' character and making it a
need to know more about him, and the best way to do that, is to and
watch the film. Its followed with "just do your job and never forget what he
is" which is accompanied by several sinister shots of Lector in his cage
looking directly into the spooked audience. The audience by this point feels
as if they are investigating the case with Starling, that they are a part of the
case. And they also feel creepy-ishly drawn to Lector's disturbing persona.

10. • The shot of Lector's reflection seemingly behind Starling is extremely
poignant as it shows Hector's power over Starling and how she fears
the face of pure evil. It also suggests that with it being a reflection of
Lector, the thought of him will stay in her mind for many years to
come.

11. 0:50-1:03
• The mystery behind Lector's persona is again even more intriguing when a
doctor describes him as "a monster, a pure psycho-path". But this point the
audience feels almost obliged to know more about Lector and what he has
actually done to get to where he is now. And the audience gets little
snippets including Lector using mind games when he says "oh Clarice, the
problem is you need to get more fun out of life" which suggests there is
more to him than just meets the eye.
• Whilst the asynchronous dialogue takes place the audience are bombarded
with disturbing glimpses of Lector with Starling's facial expression. By this
we can expect that Starling finds Lector chilling as do we, making us more
empathetic towards her, yet more fearful towards Hannibal Lector. This
ensures that the narrative we follow is that of Starling.

12. 1:03-1:11
• This is quickly followed by a fast cut to Starling kicking open the door
with a gun in her hand. This assures the viewer that there is 'action' of
sort in the film, this will again make the story more intriguing as the
viewer asks 'how did it get to that point' making them, go and see the
movie. This is a fast sequence which builds up a great amount of
tension.
• This is shown when the man states "you told me you don't spook
easily". This is followed by the sound of a kettle reaching boiling
point, which could be suggesting that Starling does (in the movie)
possibly reach her 'boiling point'. This again makes the viewer want to
see if she actually does or not. But then following that she replies
"you call this easy, sir?"

13. • Next comes a medium close up of Lector wrapping handcuffs around
a police officer’s wrist and then the officer screaming. This makes the
audience ask (again) 'how did it get to that'. It was a gutsy move
showing Lector put cuffs over the officer's wrist and the audience
now knows that in the movie, not all things will go to plan, this does
however make them more likely to go and see the film.
• The threat of Lector is again portrayed through the dialogue of
another police officer "Lectors missing and armed". This suggests the
film is more than just a horror film, but also a suspenseful thriller. This
would help to expand its audience.

14. 1:12-1:16
• As the high-octane sequence continues we see quite probably the
most chilling shot of the entire trailer, where (through a night-vision
camera) we see a hand reaching out to Starling, of whom has no idea
of the person's presence
• This is mirrored with flashing images of Lector. This could be
suggesting that Starling's involvement with Lector has led to a
dangerous and possibly fatal journey for Starling.
• As the sequence begins to conclude the non-diegetic soundtrack gets
higher in tone, relating to the trailer's high pace

15. 1:17
• The soundtracks turns into light screams as it concludes with a
medium long shot of Starling turning back to shot her gun in fear, as
the scream ends, the screen fades to black, revealing "Silence". This
tells the audience that "silence" may very well be the film's most
sacred and frightening weapon. That the shock value, the
unpredictable nature of Lector, the cat and mouse nature of the film
and the suspenseful conclusion will all culminate in just...silence.

16. 1:19-1:26
• This however is not the case with one final shot (a extreme close up)
of the haunting Hannibal Lector stating "thank you Clarice, thank
you". This suggests that Lector will be toying, playing mind-games and
demonstrating his unpredictable nature, until and maybe even long
after the film ends
• It also could be suggesting the effect of the film will remain with you,
long, long after the film actually concludes. By having a extreme close
up, it portrays Lector's 'up-close and personal' attitude bringing the
audience further into his dark world.

17. Target Audience
• The film identifies it's audience by strengthening it's graphic and
physiological content in the trailer. Its shows the viewer that only
mature on-lookers should watch the film, and thus creating and
identifying it's target audience.
• After doing online research I have found that the target audience are
middle-aged adults. From 31-40 years of age. This comes after looking
at the young and ambitious Starling and the older Lector. After
mixing this with the various recommendations online, this seems the
most correct demograghic.

18. Further details
• The trailer lasts 1:44 and holds 91 cuts. This fast use of cutting
emphasises the point of the film being a fast, yet suspenseful thriller.
It resembles the rate of heartbeat the viewer may behold when
watching the film, and tells the viewer that the film will be a fast
paced film

19. • The trailer uses specific camera shots
to emphasise certain things.. An
example is the iconic night vision
camera shot. With it's high angled
nature this presents Starling as very
vulnerable and quite literally at arm's
reach from evil. With it being in the
dark it symbolises that Starling is the
dark in terms of the investigation

20. Mise-en-scene
• Looking back upon the trailer it uses mise-en-scene wisely by setting the
film in it's present date. Meaning they would have to get historic clothing,
cars etc to show it's older date. Instead the film uses modern day props and
clothing. To distinguish the prison environment we see Lector in blue-ish
grey overalls. This shows the audience he is a prisoner presenting him as a
threat
• The prison it's self is presented in a dark, gloomy setting, underground. This
represents the degree of insanity and evil that beholds the prison like
facility. With it being underground, we could suggest that they are getting
closer to hell, in their mind, and in physical form.
• The trailer uses various newspaper snippets to carry the film on, by using
them it could be suggested that the killer is very well known and it spreads
the fear through the audience.

21. Codes and Conventions
• The trailer uses various codes and conventions that are commonly seen in trailers they include:
• A voice over to carry the film's back story on
• Newspaper snippets to bring an additional edge to the back-story
• Introducing the two main protagonists, and providing us with a teasing amount of knowledge
about them.
• A gloomy non-diegetic soundtrack helps to identify the genre of the film
• Explaining the break of the equilibrium, and teasing the audience as to how they might fix it.
• Presenting the audience with scary/unpredictable moments in the film, that make the audience
ask "how does it get to that?"
• Revealing the name of the film at the end of the trailer as well as the credits
• Naming the studios and sponsors at the beginning of the trailer
• And finally providing a creepy final sequence to make the viewer remember the trailer.

22. Code of enigma
• As a whole the film does make the audience ask certain questions,
including "why does the prison guard scream in fear?" - "do they
actually catch the killer?" - "what is Lector's role in the whole
operation?" - "what happens to Starling/Lector?" and "how does it all
end" These questions will all be answered when going to see the
actual film, thus making the trailer an extremely successful promotion
device