The document discusses trailers for three supernatural horror films: Sinister, Paranormal Activity, and The Orphan. For each trailer, it lists likes and dislikes, and analyzes how the film's impression is created through mise-en-scène elements like setting, costumes, sound, and props. Conventions discussed include the use of sound, visuals, pace, and iconography to convey the films' genres. The document also notes elements from the trailers that the author would like to incorporate into their own work.

2. Sinister (2012)
The official trailer for sinister -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgYxydrVlDk
Likes:
 The music used in the trailer sets the scene straight away and is used t0 build up the
atmosphere.
 The trailer uses darker colors which also set the scene.
 The trailer uses sudden loud noises that shock the audience and make the jump.
 The trailer flashes to different images and scenes which works well with what the movie
is about.
Dislikes:
 I don’t think it uses enough words in the trailer to give the audience the sense of mystery.
 It lets the audience know completely what the film is about and doesn’t live them with a
sense of what to expect which I think is important in supernatural movies.

3. How is the impression of the film
created through mis en scene?
 The dark lighting tells the audience straight away what type of film it is
because it sets the scene of being horror as people associate the
darkness with scary and abnormal things. It also makes everything that
happens seem more creepy if it is in the dark.
 Costume makes the family seem like a very normal modern family
making it unusual for such weird things to be happening to them in
their house.
 Sound is used to give the impression of the film by making it
loud, deep music which along with the dark lighting shows the
audience it is a creepy and scary film.
 The different props used such as the films and the painting the little
girl does all sets the scene even more. The photograph used is
especially powerful as when he takes it down and the ghost is there will
have a really big effect on the audience and really shock them.

4. Conventions and iconography
Sound
Music is used to build the tension. Like the pace the music starts slow and gradually builds
up to get a deeper and louder sound.
Visual
All of the creepy things that happen always happen when it is night time and is dark in the
characters house. Most of it happens in the loft, his dark office or the garden.
Pace
Slow fast slow pace. Starts of slow to get the story started calmly and then you see the story
unfold with all the creepy things before then becoming slow again.
Iconography
The lighting of the trailer and the fact it is almost always in darkness and the dramatic
tension building music shows that it is a supernatural horror film.
Elements I would like to use in mine:
I want my trailer to start of as a happy scene like this one does as it then shocks the audience.
It also tells the audience the story of the movie more then just the scary bits of the movie
which I think works well.

5. Paranormal activity (2012)
The official trailer for paranormal activity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Xn2JqH5ng
Likes
 It is set in a very normal modern house. This adds atmosphere to the movie
trailer as it is a normal every day family.
 It is set out like a diary and she is filming herself.
 The effects used in the trailer show the audience that the film is going to be
good and interesting.
Dislikes
 There isn't much music to add to the atmosphere and create more of a scary
feel.
 Its based around a child creating the supernatural things happening which
makes it less freaky.

6. How is the impression of the film
created through mis en scene?
 The costumes and setting of the house set the film as being a very
normal modern family living in a big house. This would make what
happens to the family unusual as they show no signs of being abnormal
in anyway.
 The props such as the video camera recording everything show the
impression of the film as going to very exciting as everything is filmed
from her point of view so you see everything as you are her and it
makes it feel more real and make the film seem more real.
 Although there is not much sound used the sound that is used is slow
and jumpy making the impression of the film as being scary and jumpy
so the audience feel tense and it builds up the atmosphere of the film.

7. Conventions and iconography
Sound
A lot of the sound is from the main character speaking as it is a diary movie. This makes the movie
effective as it is all from her perspective and makes you feel more like part of the movie. However
there is tension building music in the background and different sound effects such as sirens.
Visual
You see everything from the main characters perspective. This means the audience get to see everything.
Unlike other supernatural movies there are creepy things happening throughout not just when its
dark. However some of the more shocking things do happen when its dark.
Pace
The pace of this trailer starts slow but has a very dramatic start and will possible scare the audience and
make the jump from the very beginning. However it does then get faster and slower again.
Iconography
The loud noises, especially the bangs and sound effects give the feel of a dramatic movie. Then the use of
the girl filming everything from her perspective and giving her opinion and commenting on things as
she sees them shows the audience it is a supernatural movie.
Elements I would like to use in mine:
I like the idea of filming it from someone's perspective as I think it makes the audience feel more part of
the trailer and then would want to see the movie more. This also makes it more tense and adds a lot of
effect to the trailer, especially for supernatrual.

8. The orphan (2009)
The official trailer for the orphan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgxVIB2WuHU
Likes
 The way the screen goes black and then switches back to the trailer.
 The sound used at the end especially has a very good effective like the
echoing of a child’s voice.
 At the end a lot of scenes are jumbled together and it gives the audience a
panicked effect which adds to the atmosphere of the film.
 A lot of good special effects.
 The voiceovers are good.
Dislikes
 There is a lot of talking throughout the trailer.
 Doesn’t show a lot of the more creepy and weird parts of the film.

9. How is the impression of the film
created through mis en scene?
 The setting at the beginning of the film and at the end are complete
contrast of each other. This gives the impression that things change
suddenly for the family and gives a sense of mystery.
 The costumes used also contrast, the orphans costume is very unusual
and dark compared to the families costumes that are very normal and
bright. This shows that the orphan is very different from the other
members of the family giving the impression that there is something
wrong with her.
 The other sets such as the tree house and the park also set scary scene
for the impression of the film, especially when using the props as well.
For example the swing swinging in the park with no one on it. This is
typically associated with horror films.

10. Conventions and iconography
Sound
The sound changes throughout with it being slow and steady at the beginning setting the scene to show
the trailer is from a nice movie but then suddenly changes and becomes loud and short beats, like
drum sounds. This builds the tension of the trailer.
Visual
Very dark colours are used without the trailer, dark colours on her clothes and at the park where the girl
is pushed and darkness in the house when the orphan is shown to turn crazy. This contrasts with the
whiteness of the snow which makes the darkness of certain aspects of the trailer stand out even more.
Pace
The pace starts of slow and then becomes fast and then goes back to being slow. Like some other
supernatural movies it starts off very happy and then suddenly changes.
Iconography
The dark colours that contrast with the different white colours of the snow used a lot and the
short notes of the deep music show it is a supernatural movie.
Elements I would like to use in mine:
I like that it starts of happy and the trailer shows the family as having a new beginning and I
also light the contrasts of colours because it makes the darkness stand out even more and
have an even bigger impact. I would like to use these in mine.