This document discusses semantic and syntactic elements commonly used in psychological thriller trailers. Semantically, they often feature limited lighting in small enclosed spaces to heighten fear. Trailers may introduce the antagonist to set expectations. Locations like cabins isolated in the woods are also frequently used. Voiceovers are sometimes employed to enhance suspense. Syntactically, the narrative must be compelling and tie into the horror elements. One common plot device is possession that can't be seen by other characters. Overall, thrillers aim to intrigue audiences with just enough information while leaving them wanting more.

1. Semantic and Syntactic
In Psychological Thrillers

2. Semantic
• Most of the horror involved in this genre are
horrors in which you cannot see, this is what
makes the genre so scary, so there is very
limited physical semantic factors.
• One of the major ones is lighting, the most
used is very small enclosed places with very
limited lighting.

3. • In a trailer of this genre, it would not be out of
place for the footage to show an introduction
to the main antagonist, this way the audience
can know what to expect, which should make
them want to go see the film.

4. • Another frequently used repertoire of this
genre, is the usage of location. It is quite often
that something unnatural will happen in a
small enclosed space, within a larger wide
open area, for example, Cabin in the
Woods, there is a small cabin, in the middle of
the woods, obviously.

5. • Something quite used within this genre, is a
voice over, such as in the trailer for the film
Identity. The voice over reads out the inter
titles, and some more parts to the trailer, with
the voice over and some more crucial shots, it
can appear to be quite scary.

6. Syntactic
• The narrative in this genre needs to be
gripping, as seen as the horror parts to it
coincide with the narrative, in order to show
the horror, some of the narrative would have
had to be used within the trailer itself.

7. • One of the main ones to this genre, is that
someone is possessed. This can be easily
filmed as it cannot be seen by the other
characters, and therefore the audience.

8. To conclude….
• Trailers need to be gripping, and give away some
information, but not too much, so that the viewer
is interested. The trailer needs to give what the
viewer expects, as for each genre the audience
expect a set amount of factors.
• Another good thing for us to look into is to look
for a disequilibrium at the very end of the trailer,
in order to make the viewer want to watch it, in
order to find out what happens.

9. • Some of the things we must look at are:
• Sound
• Fast editing
• Lighting
• And suspense in the narrative