Trailer analysis (1)

1. Trailer Analysis
The Unborn

3. Setting
The film trailer begins with an establishing shot of a
house. The shot is taken at night, the low key lighting
and the trees surrounding the house create a feeling of
isolation and suggesting that the film belongs to the
horror genre. The snow on the ground gives a sense of
innocence and purity, which is ironic considering the
narrative. The use of white and dark colours is
conventional for horror films. However, the film is set
in a suburban area, in a big city. This creates a feeling
of discomfort for the audience as they will be able to
relate to the narrative and fear that this could be
happening to them.

4. Conventions
In the beginning of the trailer, we are introduced to
the protagonist; a young woman who is babysitting
two children. This is often seen in horror films as
the character is in an unfamiliar place, therefore it
becomes a scary environment as anything could
happen. Baby monitors are conventional as they
detect sounds which can be perceived as scary or
creepy. Also, we often see children in horror films
as they are meant to be innocent and pure, the
opposite of evil.
Later on, we see Casey watching an old video tape.
This is conventional, as in horror films this is a way
of finding out details about someone’s past. The
room is dark, creating an uncomfortable setting. As
the footage goes on the pictures of the happy
family change into dark hallways with Satanist
statue figures. This can be linked to both horror
trailers and films as they often show happiness
slowly being taken over by evil.

5. Supernatural
The audience is made aware of the film belonging to
the supernatural sub-genre quite early in the trailer.
A series of quick cuts creating a short montage
showing shots of the young boy she was babysitting,
the woman, the strap for the film company Rogue
Pictures and an evil looking boy with white pale skin,
dark hair wearing a white shirt and grey winter
jacket. He is standing in the middle an isolated
roadway with snow fallen on the ground and trees
surrounding. This introduces the supernatural
character of the film. As the trailer progresses, we
see him getting closer and more aggressive towards
Casey. This will build up tension and catch the
audience’s attention as they will want to see the end
result.

6. Protagonist vs Antagonist
The protagonist is a young, attractive female. Despite
her being attractive, she is not portrayed as
unintelligent or over-sexualised. This shows that she
will be the main focus of the film and she is the one
who is expected to solve the mystery. She is also the
victim, as she is being followed and later on possessed
by the spirit of her unborn twin brother. However, she
is a strong character who fights the evil forces.
The antagonist of the film is a young boy. This is
conventional, as children are expected to be innocent
and pure, therefore, them being portrayed as evil in
horror films will terrify the audience. The child plays
the role of a spirit who blames his twin sister for him
not being alive. Therefore, he will do everything in
order to get to the real world. His appearance is the
opposite of the image we have of children, who are
meant to be happy and cute. His pale skin and old-
fashioned clothing as well as his eyes clearly show he
is a spirit.

7. Editing, sound and camera shots
• Editing: the fade to black is done in quick succession in order to build up the pace and
create tension. There are several jump cuts used which will scare and intrigue the
audience.
• Sound: high pitched, non diegetic sound is used in order to make the audience feel
uncomfortable. Distorted voices make the audience fear the unknown as the identity of
the person creating the sound is hidden. Also, there are moments of silence throughout
the trailer which will create an eerie feeling and make the audience feel unstable and
uncomfortable as the tension is built up.
• Camera shots: the over the shoulder shot of the protagonist makes the audience feel like
they are part of the narrative. There are a few extreme close ups of her eye, this is
symbolic as it shows how her pupil is changing colour as the film progresses and the evil
force is taking over. Close up of the antagonist’s face builds fear and allows the audience
to see exactly what the protagonist is dealing with, although she might not have the same
view. The point of view shot places the audience in her position in order to empathise
with her.