film trailer overview, looking and picking out the codes and conventions of horror movie trailers using the trailers from nightmare on elm street, texas chainsaw massacre, friday 13th and my bloody valentine.

1. Film Trailer Overview

2. • New Line Cinema were distributors for both My Bloody Valentine
and Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003).
• New Line Cinema were part distributors alongside Paramount for
Friday 13th (2009).
• Lionsgate distributed Nightmare on Elm Street (2010).
• Trailer begins with green screen and film logos, with 3/5 filtered in
a bloody red, foreshadowing danger.

3. Establishing• In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the establishing shot is full of vibrant, warm colours
that are used. The shot is well lit, suggesting a casual American road trip. Here
the equilibrium continues, the bright colours in shot crate a light hearted
atmosphere, suggesting a film of the road trip genre rather than horror. The
people in the shot appear to be laughing creating a fun-loving representation of
young adults. The woman appears to be dressed quite promiscuously and looks
care free, creating a naive representation of women. This could be linked to the
male gaze aspect of the horror genre. According to Todorov, this would be the
equilibrium that the fill would begin with and partially return to at the end of
the film.
• This is the same in Friday 13th. The setting is isolated with the camera panning
wide showing the lakeside/forest location with lots of trees. Its quiet and the
audience hear diegetic sounds of nature. Theres a diegetic voiceover that gives
backstory. Its a slower pace at the start of the trailer. Audience are then
introduced to teenage characters. They arrive, they are ‘misbehaving’ (e.g.
driving too fast, drinking, promiscuity, nudity, irresponsible behaviour, etc).
Characters are young, carefree and attractive are currently on a breakaway,
staying in father’s cabin.
• Nightmare on Elm Street takes a different approach, and instead of the audience
being introduced to teenage kids in a car, the drama is immediate. We are
introduced to a dark, gloomy and eerie deserted area.

4. Nightmare On Elm Street
Friday 13th
Texas Chainsaw Massacre

5. Disruption
• In Texas Chainsaw Massacre we see a shot where the audience are presented with
an enigma, who is that girl and why is she walking down such a deserted road
alone? The audience are beginning to get drawn in by the puzzles and mysteries
presented by the trailer. The haziness of the girl and dominance of the van could
suggest that she may be in a confused state, unaware of her surroundings. The use
of a non-urban setting reinforces the group’s isolation, if they do get into trouble
they will be alone and forced to fend for them.
• Editing speeds up when boisterous characters arrive on the seed, while NDS
speeds up and becomes upbeat.
• Dead Black Outs/Fades are used when the action starts to move towards darker
times.
• First sighting of Jason is POV shot.
• Jason is masked, wearing a boiler suit, carrying machete. First shown partially
hidden by trees and at ELS, slightly out of focus – maintains mystery and terror.
• Black outs/fades before anything happens – creates drama and terror.
• In Nightmare on Elm Street, the audience see

6. Realisation
• Here the audience are presented with another enigma, who is that is looking through the blinds?
The low key lighting and the fact that the person in indistinguishable could indicate that it is the
villain of the film. This adds to the rising action, contributing to the climax.
• The female character is isolated, putting her in a vulnerable position, which adds to the rising
action. The hand held shot creates the impression that she is being watched, reinforcing her
vulnerability and adding yet another enigma, who it is that is watching her> this scene also adds a
sense of visceral pleasure. Another enigma created is that we never see what startles the character,
contributing to the sense of mystery. This scene also appeals to the male gaze, the medium shot is
focused on an attractive young woman who may drawn in a audience due to her looks, suggesting
the target audience might of the male gender.
• DBOs in quick succession coincide with non-diegetic sound of heartbeat, mimicking the rapid beat
of a heart to suggest a rise in terror.
• Male character and female (possible the final girl as she seems sensible and is brunette)start to
hunt out the missing girl referred to in the poster.
• DBO used on moment of drama when we find out the missing girl is in fact dead. Sharp-faced,
elderly lady reveals this, deadpan, making it seem more cold and tragic.
• Screaming face partially revealed in quick edit alongside increased non-diegetic sound.

7. Threat
• According to Freytag’s pyramid, this would be the climax of the trailer, the short,
rapid shots and injections of sharp, non diegetic; twang sounds add tension and
disorientation. The audience are shown the most chaotic shots very quickly, this
creates a sense of confusion that mirrors that of there characters in the trailer.
Once again lots of enigmas are created, why are the girls screaming and where are
those sparks coming from?
• Push into location of possible kill – tent.
• Non-diegetic sound is a persistent, eerie sound.
• Non-diegetic sound cuts out in conjunction with DBO as character whispers.
• Sudden NDS as door slams.
• ND heartbeats as the action cuts to show several teenagers, presumably future
victims.
• NDS and editing builds up as Jason walks into the frame. Sudden cut on female
who has a male character’s hand covering her mouth to stop her speaking, to
protect her. ND Sound cuts out, so we hear her whimpering.
• Very quiet,eerie NDS as terror approaches, then stab as Jason is revealed. Jason
looks large and looming and the character small.

8. Climax
• The low angle shot here adds to the characters power. The low key lighting and the fact that the
audience are situated at the bottom of the stairs suggest a decent into danger and hands of the
villain. Due to the positioning the audience are made to feel very vulnerable. The light behind the
villain gives the audience a glimmer of hope as there might be an escape from the madness.
• Numbers presented in the frame to show the number of kills.
• Knife features at close up and medium close up in slashing movements.
• Action cuts before any character is killed; deaths not revealed/shown.
• Edits speed up dramatically as Jason begins his rampage.
• Montage features a range of shots, including a silhouette of Jason, backlit against a tent, police
arriving, Jason stalking forwards with his machete and landing cat like in a jump.
• NDS stops and action slows down as characters hide from Jason. Male’s hand over the female’s
mouth again. Gender stereotypes are being reinforced – male is the protector. Medium close ups
are used to show terror.
• Stabs used as Jason emerges on screen.
• Cuts to DBO happen on moment of gruesome action, e.g. knife in flesh, death by speedboat.
• Action speeds right up as kills 10, 11 and 12 are suggested.
• Final fast mintage of screams leads us to kill 13.

9. Title
• The typography here is simple, the use of a bold font and
capital letters make the title crisp and clear and therefore
more likely to stick in the audiences mind. The black
background and silver font make the title stand out more
because there is nothing else in the shot to distract the
audience or for them to look at. The attention is solely
focused on the title. The title is shown in the last few
seconds of the trailer to reinforce the product name.
• Action slows as name of the film is revealed.
• Final diegetic voiceover ties in with action of trailer. Friday
the 13th is revealed to be his birthday. This coincides with
the number of kills and the name of the film and is seen as
an unlucky day of the year.