The trailer for A Serbian Film uses selective color grading and increasing intensity of disturbing images and violent music to convey that the film is more than a typical independent horror film. Shots of locations throughout create a sense that they are similar places. Cross cutting between quotes about "art, love and blood" and the increasing tension establishes the film as a new genre of "shock horror" that gets people talking. Symbols of white and black representing purity/innocence versus power/evil and mystery set up themes explored in the film through the taking of innocence. The shape of Serbia in a shot of anger and blood further the message that "blood will be spilled" to give the political purpose and transgressive nature of the film.

1. Textual Research 1

2. Serbian Film is firmly rooted in the frustration and despair of living in Serbia today. It
reinvents the horror genre to suit its own purpose, turning it into a powerful cinematic
scream of anger and frustration. It offers a stylized version of what it feels like to grow up
in a country humiliated, denigrated, impoverished, bombed-out, stripped of its
territory, labeled genocidal and haunted by the spirits of war crimes both real and
constructed. The film is a scream against shady politics, both domestic and foreign;
against limitations both internal and external. There are moments where it goes to
devastating extremes, but never without purpose or reason. You won't know whether to
laugh, cry, stare in disbelief or leave the theatre when faced with the transgressive new
links between sex and death that A Serbian Film reveals.

3. The trailer opens with a distinct disruption to
generic horror film trailer structure, with the narrative going in
the direction of “threat to the equilibrium” (main character
attempted suicide)-Todorov‟s narrative structure theory, even
though there was no initial equilibrium opposed to the
stereotypical „dippy dappy‟, „everything is ok‟, Hollywood
infused garbage. This initially sets the scene with the already
notoriously “intense” film. The colour grading throughout the
piece connotates ideas, taking the form of the binary
opposites of “hope” and “fear” with the orange (more
stereotypical in the action/thriller genre) tint reflecting hope
and the blue (typical of horror films) suggesting fear. This
selective colour grading also gives hint to the viewer and acts
as an enigma code in the flow of the trailer, this is prevalent
as for the first 45 seconds or so the colours are mainly I feel that the first half of the trailer is selectively
orange, contrasting with the the non-diegetic audio building quite weak, in respect that the use of the flashing
up. Of which once it hits its peak the pace of the images and crime scene photo noise, accompanied by a red
extremity of those being shown increases. fading flash (which is irrelevant to the film) is quite
generic. I feel by doing this they give they make a
low budget independent movie theme, the
grungy, almost-techno, non-diegetic audio backs
this point up. Its not until 45 seconds into the trailer
in when the audio changes, now to a
looping, fast, angry, violent (all themes of the film)
dubstep to increase the flow of the film
, accompanied by these not-fully- revealed images
of violence, sexual suggestion, fear, horror.
Revealing to the viewer that this film is more than
just a unimaginative independent snuff movie that
they heard about on the grapevine.

4. The cinematic at 0:46 displaying a down the corridor shot really
caught my eye, specifically the sign at the top right that says “filth” as
its suggestible that this is don‟t for multiple symbol, indexical or
possibly even persuasive reasons. On one half, to the naked eye this
code is simply another enigma to hook the viewer into wanting to
view the full film through its symbolism of the many themes within the
film. Opposing, its suggestible that as Serbian film is very much a
political outcry against the Serbian government, that they have
actually targeted the film at teenagers. On one hand this could be a
malicious attack on the governments morals, but opposingly you
could suggest that as teenagers technically are the next upcoming
generation (including generation of politicians). Maybe it is an attempt
to persuade these teenagers to want chance when it is their turn to
govern Serbia. This is indexically don‟t through the work “filth” which
connotates the negative ideologies of the current Serbian
government. In contrast with the dubstep (targeted at teenagers) non-
diegetic audio sequencing in the background which is also often
described by teenagers as “filth” (positive) is another effective
iconography.
There are lots of locations that are used throughout
the trailer, though selective cinematography creates
an effect that makes a lot of the locations seem
very similar, features such as: night/day shots;
colour grading; camera angles etc. helps create this
effect. The transitions throughout (depending on the
pace of the music) are consistently either cross
cuttings or fade out/ins.

5. This cross cutting scene of three quotes from the main
antagonist (or „mad director‟) contrasting the very dark
themes within the film with “art, love and blood”. This acts
as key enigma and combines with the increasing tension
in the audio, for me really buys the film for the viewer. It
opens up a new genre of horror practically unseen by the
mainstream world „shock horror‟. It gets people talking and
festers around society with a distinct message- linking
back to the films primary political purpose.
The two main characters, Milos and Vukmir
represent very different ends of the social
structure. Milos represents the common
man, he‟s struggling with maintaining a basic
lifestyle for himself and his family. Vukmir on
the other hand is a figure of authority, well off
and highly educated- A sense of superiority
permeates his every word. A complete social
structure is present is many of the characters
in the film that represent the layers of society
in serbia.

6. Clash of binary oppositional colours White
meaning safety, purity, and cleanliness. As
opposed to black, white usually has a positive
connotation. White can represent a successful
beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and
purity. It can also connotate the negativity of
coldness, which could be resemblant of both
the main semi-protagonist and antagonist.
Black being associated with
power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and
mystery. Black is a mysterious colour
associated with fear and the unknown-all
themes within the film.
Anger, aggression in contrast with the distinct red
colouring with blood surrounding. This acts as
relevant iconography to give further hint to the
viewer that “blood will be spilled” in the film, In
relation to this, the actual shape of the central
image is in the shape of Serbia itself.

7. “Devastating” could symbolise a multitude of
different feelings.
The title feels like an old western kind of feel
to it, possibly because the film is very much
so targeted at the western world and
challenges their knowledge of Serbia.
The colour white in the background
represents innocence and is metaphorical of
the many scenes in the film which represent
the taking of innocence.
The title “A Serbian film” doesn‟t give the
viewer any idea what the film is actually
about, it‟s the imagery surrounding and the
connotations surrounding that imagery that
does this.
The people involved seem unimportant in the
promotion of the film in suiting its purpose, as
the actors are only shown in small text in the
credit block.