This document analyzes the cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing, sound, and other technical elements used in a horror film trailer. It discusses how shots are framed and composed to establish mood, build tension, and elicit fear in viewers. Specific techniques highlighted include high angles to make characters seem small and vulnerable, empty space left in shots to suggest something may enter, harsh lighting used on a character's face, period costumes that connote death, matched cuts between disturbing images, and diegetic screams to indicate terror. The analysis shows an understanding of effective horror conventions and how they excite audiences.

1. Detailed Analysis of Similar product
Camerawork
The purpose of my analysisistoidentifyeffectivemise-en-scene,camerawork,soundandediting.In
identifyingthese differentelementsIshouldbe able toimplementthemintomyownhorrortrailer.
Thisestablishingshotshowsthe imposingnature of the house,withinthe same shotthiscausesthe
protagonist(Daniel Radcliffe)toseeminsignificantandweak. Soimmediatelywe see apower
structure,the house beingthe more powerfulpresence inthisshotbecause of itsphysical size.The
house itself isdilapidatedandrundown,forexample the collapsedirongates. Furthermore this
connotesthatthe house is isolatedandabandoned.These factorsaddtothe mysterious,unnerving
nature of the house.The compositionof thisshotalsohelpsdisplayconventionof the horrorgenre.
The mistyovercastweatherhelpspromote the eerie atmospheresthatsurround the locationsinso
manyhorror films.
Thishighwide angle hasplacedRadcliffe inthe farleftthirdof the shot;thishelpsthe audience see
the directionof the footsteps,addingtothisithelpsshow thatthe protagonistsisbackedupintoa
wall whichemphasisesasense of claustrophobiaandperil.The highangle itself alsodisplays
Radcliffe asweakandvulnerable.The positionof Radcliffe inthe leftthirdleavesemptyspace tothe
rightof the screen.Thisemptyspace leadsthe audience tobelievethatsomethingmayjumpoutat
any time,thishasan exhilaratingeffectonthe audience andiscommoninhorror films.

2. Thisis a screenshotof a canted,lowangle mid-shot.The shotof the protagonistlookingbackwards
givesthe impressionthatsomebodyishuntinghim.The veryconceptof thisiscommonfor a horror
filmbecause thisinstallsfear incharacterand therefore the audience.The cantedlowerangle mid-
shotconnotesa firstpersonviewpointof the attacker,thistype of shotis sure to thrill the audience
because itbuildssuspense astowhetherthisattackerwill claimitsvictimorwhetherthe victimwill
escape.Thisperspectivealsoallowsthe audiencetosee the fearonthe protagonistsface.All of
these aspectshelpthe filmbecomeamore exhilaratingexperience.
Mise-en-scene (Setting)
Thisis an extreme wideshot;ithelpsdisplaythe isolationof the settingandthe vast,openbeach
like plains.Ithasbecome clearthatthe protagonistisfromLondon this suggeststhatthissparsely
populated,rural environmentiswell beyondhiscomfortzone of the city. The greyandblack colours
of the landscape create ableak and unsettlingfeeltothe location. Thistype settingisconventional
inhorror films.Thisshothasalso beenpositionedsothe audience cansee the woodlandareainthe
distance,because thisseemstobe the onlyfeature onthe landscape itcausesthisobjecttoseem
veryominous.The viewfrombehindthe caralso emphasisesthe long,windingroadtheyare

3. travelingon.Once again,thisdisplayshow isolatedthe destinationisandhow farit isaway from
civilisation.Thisaddstothe terrifyingconceptof thisfilm.
Mise-en-scene (Props)
The props featuredinthisshotare axe and a candle.These objectsimplyseveral things.Tobegin
withthe candle indicatesthe kindof erathisfilmisbasedin,one thatmay be Victorianor
Edwardian.Candlesare acommon propin stereotypical horrors,theyhave gothicsinister
connotations,addingtothistensioncanbe builteasilyif the candle isextinguishedandthe victimis
suddenly putindarkness.The axe alsohasconnotationsof goryviolence,oftenassociatedwith
horror. These sortsof bluntforce weaponsveryconventional forthe genre.Furthermore they
indicate thatthe protagonistisobviouslyscaredandhastryingto defend himself againstthis
unnatural force.
Mise-en-scene (Lighting)
Thismid-shotfeatures veryharsh,highkeywhitelightiscastoverthe majorityof Radcliffe’sface.
Thisharsh lightwashesoutthe rightside of hisfeatures,whileatthe same time the leftside of each
feature isputin shadow.Asa whole thiscreatesa“deercaught inheadlights”effect,becausethe
lightingexposes hisfrightenedexpressiontothe audience.Thishigh-keylightingisof greatcontrast

4. to the low-keylightingthatisusedformostof the trailer,sobecause of thisitmakesthe audience
wantto knowwhat iscastingthislight;thiscreatessuspense.
Mise-en-scene (costume)
The costume wornby Radcliffe once againreflectthe archaic,perhapsVictorianerawithinwhich
thisisset.The dark,black coat and the majorityof hisattire isin fact black.Thiscolourof clothing
has connotationsof a funeral ordeath.Asa resultof thisit tiesineffectivelywiththe negative and
horrificeventsthatthischaracteris subjectedto.Thisdarkcolourisveryconventional forthe genre
because of the explainedconnotationsthatitcarries.
The audience mayinterpretdifferentconnotationsfromthe white gownswornbythese children.
White hasimplicationsof purityand peace,sothiscan be contrastedwiththe blackcostume worn
by Radcliffe.Havingsaidthisthe vacantunnervingexpressionsonthe facesof the three children
suggestthattheyare sinisterinsome way,orantagonists.The blankexpressionsandwhite gowns

5. conflictwitheachotherbecause the costumescreate aninnocentlookingcharacterhoweverthe
expressionsdisplaythattheyare evil.
Editing
The cut fromthisshotof a crude grave to Radcliffe face impliessome aspectsaboutthe character
and plot.The firstcut of the grave is verystereotypical forthisgenre because gravesand
monumentsof similarpurposeare oftenkeytoestablishingachillingatmosphere thatiscommonin
horror. The fact that thisshothas beenusedinthe trailersuggeststhatthe grave itself maybe
pivotal tothe narrative of the film.Thisalsosuggeststhatthe protagonistisheadingintoa place of
great danger.Furthermore thisalsoindicatesanobviousrepresentationof deathinthe trailer.
The secondcut to the concernedexpressionof Radcliffe ashe seesthe crossshowsthat he may be
regrettingwhere he isheadingtobecause of the verynegativedenotationsthatagrave has. Adding
to thisit alsosetsup the conceptthat the destinationhe isheadingtomayalso be verydangerous.

6. The shallowfocusalsohelpsussee Radcliffe’sexpression. Addingtothisthe cut fromthese shotsis
veryslow;thisallowsthe audience totake inthe setting.Thistechnique alsobuildstension.
The firstshot isa midshotof Radcliffe lightingamatch,the cameralingersonthe lightingof the
match. Thisisverytense because the audience isalmostlulledintoa sense of ease throughthe
simple action of lightingamatchhoweverajumpscare isachievedwhenaveryfastcut to the over
the shouldershotof the deadchildcoveredinmud.The suddencut to thisfrighteningcharacteris
whatmakesthe audience jump.This effectivetechnique isalmostalwaysemployedinhorror.Italso
makesfora more excitingexperience.The lightfromthe matchalsohelpsshadow andlightupthe
boy’sface,makinghimseemevenmore terrifying.

7. The nexttwo cutsdemonstrate the powerof the three girlsinthe secondcut.The firstcut however
isa close upof one of the childrensteppingonadoll.Thisveryoddbecause youwouldnotexpecta
childto stepontheirownpossessions.Havingsaidthis,fromthisshotthe audiencecandeduce that
these three charactersare not whotheyseemto be and that theyare sinister.Itisnotuncommon
for childrentofeature asantagonistsina horrorfilm.Theyare oftenusedas evil charactersbecause
childrenare consideredtobe innocentandkind;usingthem asevil beingsbreaksthisconvention
and thisiswhyit’seffective.
Sound

8. Duringthese two scenesof thistrailera harp isplayinggentlyinthe background,the harphelpsto
emphasise the mysterioushouse anditssetting,the establishingshot throughthe treesalsoshows
thishouse ina mysteriouslight.Thismusicisslow andbecomesmore complex asthe trailer
progresses.Thisprogressionbuildstensionsandanticipationforthe restof the trailer.
Once Radcliffe entersthe house the harpstopsanda deeperviolinbeginsplaying.Thishelpsto
signifythatat thispointinthe trailerthe,the settinghastakena darkerturn. Thismusicstops
completelyasRadcliffe spinsthe zoetrope,onlythismachine’sclickingcanbe heard.Thisuse of
silence isextremelycommoninhorrorfilms,becauseitisoftenusedjustbefore ajumpscare or to
justbuildtension.

9. Thismid-shotof three people usesasoundthat isone of the mostconventional diegeticsoundsin
horror, a scream.Thissoundsignifiesthatsomethingterrifyinghashappenedora distressingevent
has happened.A screampunctuateseventsinthe trailerandhelpsthe audienceconnectwiththe
emotional distressof the charactersinvolved. Thisconnectionwiththe audience iswhatmakes it
effective.