The document analyzes and compares two horror movie teaser trailers. Both trailers use similar techniques to scare and excite audiences, such as fast pacing, dark lighting, screaming sounds, and cliffhanger endings. They also use titles and intercutting scenes to convey the plot and leave viewers wanting more. These elements are typical of the horror genre and help draw audiences in emotionally. The analysis provides inspiration for creating effective teaser trailers, such as using sound bridging and shot cut scenes to build tension and anticipation.

1. Analysis of Similar
Texts
By Rebecca Osborne

2. Saw II Teaser Trailer

3. Analysis of Saw II Teaser
Trailer
The genre of the film is horror with a secondary genre of psychological.
The target audience is those mainly above 17 and possibly up to late 20's. At the
beginning of the film it states that the trailer can be viewed by all audiences but
children below the age of 17 should have an adult with them while watching the
trailer. The gender is preferably boys although I think it will be equal, but possibly
more boys as they can handle gore. The Psychographic group would be either The
Explorer as they are young people or students and therefore are more likely to have
the time to watch films and also more likely to enjoy them. It could also be the
struggler as they also have the time to watch films and enjoy them. It has a gore
theme and a Psychological themes with a lot of action happening throughout and
lots of suspense. This will be seen as entertaining to a younger audience who like
the suspense of the film, and all of these themes are conventional of the horror
genre. The Socio-economic group would be those in the group of E or D, as most of
them will be students and therefore may not have an income or a full-time job and
therefore have more time to watch films and will be the relevant audience for this
film.
The teaser trailer persuades the audience by showing them scenes with a lot of
action happening in them and by leaving a cliff-hanger on the end to make the
audience want to find out the ending. The voice of the man screaming for help
makes the audience feel involved in the clip and makes it more dramatic and scary.
The famous 'Saw doll' is also seen which again creates appeal to the audience as it's
a recognised character.

4. Technical Codes
Camera work: Various zooms such as close up of a characters face, swift movements of the camera, high angle of
character, shaky shots. All these shots are seen within the trailer, they are swift shots that are there to create action
and suspense which is typical of both the horror genre and that of a teaser trailer.
Mise en scene: prop of a mirror, character is wearing no clothes, a contraption/mask, TV, and the Saw doll, set in a
dark room. All of these have been included to create the horror theme, the vulnerability of the character is reinforced
in his lack of clothing, the doll is the main character of the film and creates a creepy feel. The contraption also makes
this feel more gory.
Lighting: low key lighting, bulb shown showing lack of light in the room.
This creates shadows and adds to the darkened look of the room creating a more scary atmosphere.
Sound: Dialogue used of 'help' and screaming which sound bridges over the titles and the scenes. This screaming is
the main sound heard and makes an eerie feel to the trailer.
Editing: short scenes with fades to the title and fades to black all fast paced. This creates suspense and makes the
audience aware of the genre of the film.
Stylistic features: black and red colours run throughout, very basic, not modern. This creates a basic feel, the colours
black and red are relatable to that of horrors and are conventional colours. The simplicity also takes the focus away
from the little things and allows the audience to concentrate on the important things.
Representation of characters: the character has no clothes on and is shown from a high angle or in a mirror, he is
shown as venerable and weak and is in danger which is typical of a horror.
All of these codes used in combination are seen as the typical horror, the restricted camera angles, dark lighting, close
ups of the person scared, the simplistic setting and dirty room, the famous killer doll that audiences can recognise to
the shaky camera angles and screaming and shouting of the character struggling as if pleading to the viewer to help
them. All of this creates a suspense filled trailer that affects the viewer so that it forces them to want to watch more
and to be scared and worried for the main character. It all creates the atmosphere expected to be seen within a
horror.

5. The Cabin in the Woods Teaser
Trailer

6. Analysis of The Cabin in the
Woods Teaser Trailer
The genre of the film is horror, it is also a psychological horror with themes such as monster
and aliens running throughout.
The target audience is those between 17 and late 20’s as the age guidance at the front states
the film as restricted and those under 17 should watch it with an adult, but the trailer can be
watched by everyone.
The Psychographic group would again be the struggler or the explorer as this is a film aimed at
teenagers and young adults, even possibly those that have similar lives to the characters
shown within the trailer. This makes them easy to relate to and therefore more easily affected
by the film as they can feel the horrors that happen in the trailer could happen to them,
therefore enticing them to watch the film.
The Socio-economic group would be those around D and E even possibly going into C2 just
because of their parents status or worth. As most of the audience will be young adults this
means that most will still be in education or have jobs with low income and therefore have
more time to watch the film and are the target audience.
The storyline and theme is of a group of friends going to a ‘cabin in the woods’ this film is
based on stereotypes itself and therefore the main characters are all made out to be
stereotypical for example the blonde character being the ‘bimbo blonde’ and therefore this
enables the audience to relate to these characters and grow an attachment to them and
therefore makes them want to watch more. The themes also involve murder and supernatural
monsters all of which is seen in relation to the horror genre.

7. Technical Codes
Camera Work: high angle shots of van, wide shots of screens, close up of all main characters, panning shots, POV
shots, shaky shots, steady shots. These sort of shots are typical of horror films as they add to the quick paced
editing and reveal to the audience certain details, there is a lot of wide shots and establishing shots that enable
the audience to receive an idea of the setting without being outright told.
Editing: fast paced editing, fades to black and cut and pasted scenes, all this creates a quick paced feel that adds to
the tension of the trailer. It also allows for a lot of clips to be shown and the plot to be slightly revealed in a few
shot clips. There is also titles included that help the audience receive a better story of the plot, and to create
anticipation it also helps to decide the genre as the theme of the title can determine this.
Mise en scene: setting of the woods, stereotypical characters, large computer screens, supernatural elements, blood,
masked characters. All of this is stereotypical of the horror genre and enables the audience to recognise this and
understand the genre and themes.
Sound: dialogue of screaming of the characters, dramatic sound effects when the titles come onto the screen,
background music nearer to the end. All of this is typical of a trailer and is used to create tension so that the
anticipation of the audience grows.
Stylistic features: all of it is very dark, a lot of technology involved, the titles are darkened and have a dark lighting to
them. This again adds to the genre of horror and follows the theme of it being a dark horror film as screams and
terror are shown on screen.
Representation of characters: all characters are represented in stereotypical ways which is actually the point of the
film. The blonde girl is seen screaming and shouting and then seen dancing sexually which is stereotypical for a
‘blonde bimbo’. This gives the audience a chance to relate to the different characters and build a bond between
them and the characters which makes the film more watchable and appealing.
Lighting; dark lighting all dulled down, shadowed areas, all this creates horror and makes the audience feel as though
things are being hidden and makes them feel trapped like the audience.
The teaser trailer entices the audience by presenting them a dramatic short trailer that is filled with constant action
that reveals the storyline and the highlights of the film. It enables the audience to build a relationship with the
characters and enables them to fight for them from the start.

8. Conclusion
Overall there are clear similarities between the two teaser trailers, as both are within the
same genre they both have the objective of wanting to scare, excite and create anticipation
in the audience and both do this in similar ways. Both use titles to help explain the plot
with sound effects with the appearance of them, the titles all follow the theme of horror
and help emphasise the genre of horror. Both have the sounds of the main characters
screaming which over bridges the titles, both use this to crate the same effect as if the
character is reaching out to the audience and trying to get them to help. This creates a
bond between the audience and the film and enables the audience to worry with the
character and receive a freighted feeling. Other similarities are that the lighting both use
low key lighting and shadows to create a hidden feeling as if the characters are in the
unknown as much as the audience that allows a lot more jump scares, it also makes it fee
more isolated and bare and basic.
This has inspired me in many ways when thinking about making my own teaser trailer, it shows
me that shot cut scenes are the best for creating a heightened tension and to make the
audience anticipate for a further explained trailer to be released. The sound bridging has
inspired me a lot and is a feature which I would like to include in my teaser trailer as I feel
as though it’s very effective – especially used in horrors- as it connects with the audience
and leaves a lasting feeling of terror especially when used nearer the end of the clip. I have
also been inspired by the titles and how they can reinforce the genre of the film through
the way they look, the sound effects that are used with them when they appear and what
they say to help assist with the narrative of the film and to create further anticipation for
the audience,