The document analyzes and compares the trailers for the horror films "The Woman in Black" and "The Conjuring" in terms of their use of mise-en-scene. Both films effectively set dark, scary tones through elements like costumes, settings, lighting, and camerawork. However, "The Woman in Black" immediately establishes a frightening atmosphere while "The Conjuring" initially depicts a normal family setting to mislead and heighten fear. Darkness and limited lighting are used in both to create vulnerability and an unpredictable sense of danger for the viewer.

1. Mise-en-scene
TRAILER ANAYLSIS OF A
HORROR FILM – WOMEN IN
BLACK AND THE CONJURING

2. A relevant mise-en-scene in a film is essential
due to it setting the scene, having adequate
costumes, and to give viewers an overall view
on what the film is about. Instantly, in the
trailer ‘Woman in Black’ it shows the lead
character Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe)
walking up to a haunted house, this shows the
audience instantly the setting using an
establishing shot, the audience will get a clear
view of the scene to come from this. It’s clear
the main setting of the film isn’t a cared for
and joyful house as the garden isn’t at all
looked after and the gates are all broken. This
is mise-en-scene setting a dark, and scary feel
to ensure the viewers are aware of the theme
of the upcoming film (which is horror).
The overall aim for a horror film is to frighten a
viewer, and create a ‘sitting on the edge of
your seat’ affect. If you let a viewer know in a
trailer the genre of film and a guideline to the
events then you have achieved your goal. The
images I’ve selected from the trailer do just
that.
Setting –TheWoman in Black (2012)

3. The several different camera angles showing the grand staircase
creates a sense of vulnerability as you never know what is going to
jump out at you as each angle changes. As an audience watching
this clip you begin to feel like you are part of the scene which is
what the trailer wants to achieve. If a viewer feels they are
becoming part of the film then it’ll cause them to feel vulnerable
and as if they have no control of the situation. The dirty stained-
glass windows show how the house has been neglected, but
suggests It was once loved to have some prestigious windows, the
fact such a grand house has been abandoned would make a viewer
feel vulnerable as something bad has obviously happened there.
To ensure an audience feels scared and vulnerable whilst watching
these trailers it would have to be filmed at night time, as when it’s
dark a viewer doesn’t know what’s going to happen and can’t see.
The dark, scary scenes are shown at the beginning of the scene to
engage the intended audience as they want to feel the adrenalin of
not knowing what is coming next. The scene with the rocking chair
is exceptionally scary as the audience you feel powerless to stop it,
and you know that only bad things can happen. As a group we want
to achieve the same affect as this and if we don’t have the correct
set design and viewers don’t feel vulnerable and frightened then
they will have no interest in watching our film.
Vulnerability through Set Design –The
Woman in Black (2012)

4. Props and costume are essential parts of any film, but especially in
horror films to create the eerie feel as well as to represent the
characters personalities. Dressing the lead protagonist in black and
white is to represent the darkness in the house through the black, but
the white clothing is to represent his innocence, as this character
means no harm. Whereas, the antagonist is dressed all in black
showing their dark, horrible character, as in the media black clothing
has connotations or dark, empty souls. The setting of the film is
during the Victorian era and the dated costumes fit this period
perfectly. However, the three little girls are dressed in the typical
clothing they should be, in contrast to their not as typical
personalities.
Props & Costume –TheWomen in Black
(2012)

5. At the beginning of ‘The Conjuring’ we are
presented with a very normal, family like setting.
This has purposely been done to mislead the
audience into believing the film may not be as
scary as they originally thought. However, it also
builds up a sense of safety for the audience whilst
watching it, to then shock them even more when
the horrors begin. Unlike, ‘The Woman in Black’
who jumps straight into the scary features, ‘The
Conjuring’ almost suggests it’s a happy, family
orientated film. Showing a calm and typical family
life leaves the audience guessing and also being
suspicious.
The house looks very well kept and you could even
say it looks like a large dolls house, which is why
the audience would be even more taken back by
the events which occur there.
Setting –The Conjuring (2013)

6. The darkness throughout the more frightening
parts of the film emphasise the fear and the
danger even more so than when events take
place in the light. The dark is stereotypically
renowned to being scary, so viewers will
automatically be more on edge when the setting
is dark, the idea is to ensure the audience feel
powerless as they have no idea what is coming
next. Generically, horror movies are filmed in the
dark for the majority of the film to ensure it’s as
unpredictable and gripping as it can possibly be.
The darkness throughout the trailer in ‘The
Conjuring’ causes it to be even more chilling than
it already is.
When I create my movie trailer I will film it in the
dark, which will be a difficult challenge as we
don’t have the lighting equipment which they
have in ‘The Conjuring’, however, horror films
only have the full extent of fear when there is a
lack of lighting.
Powerless through the lighting –The
Conjuring (2013)

7. Throughout both movie trailers you feel gripped and desperate to
see more, but they manage to intrigue you in very different ways.
‘The Woman in Black’ trailer instantly makes you jump and makes
you fully aware that the setting where the main character is
visiting has lots of problems and it’s not going to be a family
friendly film. Whereas, ‘The Conjuring’ tries to represent the film
at the beginning of the trailer as a happy one, the house is well
presented, and the family seem very normal.
With lighting, both films have similar types. The majority of the
film is filmed in the dark to create that chilling effect, when it’s
light in the film you learn to feel calm, however when it turns
dark you know the scary events will begin to take place. We see
instantly with the ‘The Woman in Black’ that it is set in the
Victorian time period due to their costume and the ‘The
Conjuring’ clothing suits the 1970’s (the time period of when the
film is aiming to be set). The props in ‘The Woman in Black’, such
as the lit candle show the time period perfectly, and also the old
fashioned toys as appose to plastic ones like we have to do.
Our body language when watching horror films at night changes
dramatically from watching them in the day as we associate the
dark with danger and fear – both films have taken full advantage
of this and filmed the scary parts when there is little lighting.
Mise-en-scene throughout ‘TheWoman
in Black’ & ‘The Conjuring’