Analysis of editing used in the trailer for Texas Chainsaw 3D.

1. Chloe King

2. Editing is used in horror film trailers to create tension and suspense, as well as provide a
few scares. This is frequently done alongside the sound in a trailer, and visual
implications of violence although little is actually shown.

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The dotted line above represents a timeline of the trailer. We can
split this into three main sections:
 The Start – Shots are long and there are fewer transitions here
to set a slow, smooth pace and make the viewer feel
comfortable.
 The Middle –Where the shots become much shorter and
transitions increase in number (not every individual shot is
shown as some were shorter than a second long, so each
colour represents the time between each transition instead).
This section is very dramatic and often shows scenes implying*
violence.
 The End – There are a few long shots to build up tension
followed by some shorter ones, representing the final scare
before the trailer ends.
*Implying – There is little contact in the violent scenes actually shown, but the antagonist is
usually seen as they are about to strike.

4. Transitions are also used to set the pace of the trailer, often in
conjunction with the shot length. For example, there will be slow
fades for the whole of the start (and possibly towards the end) of
the trailer when the shots are long and the tone is relaxed.
However, when things become more dramatic the transitions
become cuts to black or the next shot, sometimes at the same time
as the sting. In the shot
shown here, it fades in
then cuts to black as the
character screams, a
technique which is often
seen as it leaves the
character’s future
unknown.

5. Every trailer will start by
introducing the production
teams, sometimes stylised
to fit in with the theme of
the film. This allows the
viewer to associate the film
with the company, which
may be successful and have
produced other popular
films of the same or
different genres.

6. Eyeline matches are often used in tense scenes to build up
a sense of anticipation, such as when the viewer notices
signs of the protagonist or that something is not right. In
the example below, the character is seen examining
something which is revealed to be an old photograph of her
grandmother. The character’s reflection is also shown over
the face to imply that they are connected more than meets
the eye, especially as they had not met properly.

7. Narration in the form of captions
is commonly used in horror films
as there is rarely a vocal narrator
in the film itself. These are often
cryptic and styled to fit in with
the film’s theme. In the example
here, the text is worn and old
which reflects the fact that the
setting is an old house. The
‘legend’ in question is
Leatherface which fans of the
franchise would recognise as the
text appears while a chainsaw
sound is heard.

8. Distortion of images is done to
either the antagonist or the
victim’s as they are being attacked
(see example). These images will
normally only appear briefly,
sometimes for a few frames, and
can be distorted in form (the
character’s bodies misshapen) or in
colour as seen here with a negative
filter effect. It makes the images
appear haunting, and the events
which are occurring unnatural and
scary.

9. Here the transition between clips is much longer and thus
adds to the tension even further. You first see the character
hiding in a coffin before the screen cuts to black. It remains
this way for a prolonged period of time before cutting back
to the character being attacked through the lid of the
coffin. The editing is done to fit in with the scene (the
screen going black as the lid closes) so to the viewer it is
like seeing first-hand what this character is experiencing,
making you feel even more anxious about the outcome

10. The title of the film will show at the end, stylised in the same way it
does on the posters and done to fit in with the theme. Below, the
title fades in on a blood-splattered background, appearing to be
seeping through the background like fluid through a cloth-like
material. This is promptly followed by the same style of text as the
narration stating the date of release, or in this case that it is ‘coming
soon’. It also draws attention to the fact that the film will be in 3D to
make the viewer even more likely to watch it in cinemas for the full
effect.