This document analyzes conventions used in horror film trailers, using three specific trailers as examples. It finds that trailers typically open with the production company logo in a dark, ominous style. Lighting switches between bright and dark to show normal vs disrupted situations. Character appearances use makeup to appear distressed, tired, or abnormal. Shots like low angles make characters seem vulnerable while high angles make them seem less important. Titles usually have a plain black background with white text to suggest something opposite of normal.

1. Conventions of
horror film trailers

2. ●“Best bits” of the film is shown to attract viewers.
● A disruption to normality happens
●The title of the film and the credits are usually shown at the end of
the trailer.
● The music is indicating that a frightful moment is coming up. For
example. The music quickens or becomes a higher pitch.
●Usually shown in a isolated location.
●The action is interrupted by credits on the screen.
●Dramatic angles show more of the character, high shot, low shot,
close up.
●Commonly used dialogue, “who's there?”, “help me” and “what do
you want?”.
●Dark scary atmosphere-stormy day, dark clouds or at night.
●“Well known” actors are usually used.
●High pitched screams and other noises.

3. I chose three horror film trailers to resear ch to
prove the co des and con ventions.
Let me in 2010 Carrie 2013 Dark skies 2013

4. In my initial research I found that
the production company logo is
usually found at the very start of
the trailer. Both Dark skies and
Let me in conform with this as
they are the first things that are
shown, whereas, in the trailer for
Carrie, the production company
logo is 25 seconds into the
trailer. In many horror films the
company logo is presented in a
way that matches the genre of
the film, such as the ones to the
right as they are dark and use
red which represents horror and
blood.
Dark skies
Carrie
Let me in

5. Lighting: Dark skies
The lighting in this trailer swaps
between being light to dark. When
everything is normal it is very bright but
when there is a disruption to normality
the lighting gets very dark. The first
image shows when everything is
normal and the second shows when a
disruption has been made. This
happens a lot throughout the trailer
and I would like to do this throughout
my trailer to show the good vs the evil.
There is also some flickering between
normal and negative effect on the
footage as bruises are shown on the
young boy. This shows that something
is not right, that something is the
opposite of normal.

6. Lighting: Carrie
A lot of the shots are very
dark and dull. The lighting
also swaps between light and
dark, just like in Dark skies.
The negative effect is also
used in this trailer to show
the opposite of normality. The
use of fire light is used to
create a sinister effect and
showing destruction.

7. Lighting: Let me in
When the boy is
shown in the trailer
the lighting is bright
but when the girl is
shown the lighting is
dark and gloomy. This
suggests that the girl
is not “normal” and
that she cannot be
out in light.

8. Mise-en-scene: Dark skies
The mother character in Dark
skies is shown with bruising
on her hairline, made by
using red and purple make-up,
she also has her eye
make-up smudged under her
eyes, showing that she has
recently being crying. Brown
and purple make-up has also
been used under her eyes to
create bags, showing that
she has not been sleeping.
Her hair is also matted and
not tamed, showing that she
is not looking after herself
and that she does not care
about her appearance.

9. Mise-en-scene: Carrie
The mother from Carrie is
shown with bags under her
eyes showing that something
is troubling her and stopping
her from sleeping. The
wallpaper and the curtains in
the room show that she is old
fashioned and traditional.

10. Mise-en-scene: Let me in
To show that this character is
not “normal”, she has heavy
brown and purple make-up
under her eyes and pale
skin, showing that she is not
sleeping properly and is
malnourished. This makes
her look like she could be a
“villain” character and makes
the viewers wonder why she
is this way.

11. Shots: Dark skies
This low angle shot shows
the boy looking up at a
flickering street light. This
angle of shot makes it look
like he is looking up at the
sky and that something or
someone is up there trying to
get down.

12. Shots: Carrie
The top image is a high
angle shot of Carrie, this
shows that is looked down on
by everyone else and that
she is not important. The
second image is a low angle
shot of the school bullies,
showing that they are more
important and that they have
the power.

13. Shots: Let me in
This long shot of the railway
gates show that they are
poorly lit by the lights on the
gate, this suggests that
something sinister may take
place here. Conventionally,
scenes that contain scary
events are shot at night as
the dark represents things
being hidden and dark
thoughts and events.

14. Titles: Dark skies
Contractions are used in
these titles and they are all
written in white capital letters
in a sans serif font. This
shows that this film is
informal and not based on a
true story as it is not written
in a serious way. The titles
are placed between the main
events in the trailer, for
example, the top title is after
the first alien attack and
before all the birds fly into the
house.

15. Titles: Carrie
The titles in Carrie are in
white capital letters in a serif
font on a plain black
background. This is the
opposite of the normal black
font on a white background,
showing that this film has
something in it that is the
opposite of normal. The last
title is slightly different to the
rest as is has blood dripping
on it.

16. Titles: Let me in
Like Carrie, Let me in has
white capital letters in a serif
font on a plain black
background. This shows the
opposite of normality. All the
titles stick to a black
background with white text
apart from the one showing
the name of the film as this in
in black text on what looks
like frosted glass as the film
is set in winter.