Trailer analysis

2. Voiceover and On-Screen Text
• Other films made shown– genre clues: horror
fans will be intrigued due to the good
critical reception of the films listed, such
as Paranormal Activity being one ofthemost famous horror
films in the modern day.
• “Evil will rise” individually cut into the sequence:a short
slogan for the thrill horror genre to be driven into the
audiences,showing that the film’s
narrative will involve evil taking
over lives.

3. • The production company is first thingseen:a
horror orientated company, allows instant
excitementand buzz to be created. The
background of this on-screen textis dark and dirty, adding to
the uneasy beginningof the trailer.
• A summary clip at theend: ensures audiences can remember
the name,
showingthe main character that
viewers
should be interested in.The red
themeis
Voiceover and On-Screen Text

4. Editing
• Mostly short cuts areused–this is
conventionalof ahorrorfilm as itbuilds
adrenalinein audiencesdue tothe fast,
increasingpace.Not too much is given away
with shorter cuts, and audiencesareleft
confused andarequestioning
who/why/what etc.

5. Lighting
• Either bright artificial light or low,
eerielight – the bright light
causes disruption and a sense of
things going wrong in a
technological aspect, bringing
the haunted style and the
scientific element of the film
together.
The low light is conventional and
builds anticipation for jump-
scares and audiences to feel the
same fear in their own dark

6. Sound
• non-harmonic sounds anddiscordant musicalnotes are
common in horror films as they make audiences feel
uneasy, nervous and prepared for something bad to
happen. This can be seen as an action code for a thrilling
scene.
• Diegetic sound =characters speakin alow anddistressed
manner. This contrasts to the pitch of the “evil” in the rest
of the trailer. Audiences feel concern, and work through the
narrative with the characters. The low sound willenhance
the scariness of the high pitched screams and chords.

7. Sound“Scientistshave foundthatmanyoftheemotionally-evocativemomentsinsomeof
themostpopularfilmsare enhancedwitha soundscorethatexploitsthehuman
brain'snatural aversionto the"non-linear"soundswidelyusedintheanimal
kingdomtoexpressfearanddistress.
Soundsare classedas non-linearwhentheybecometooloudforthenormalmusical
rangeofaninstrumentor ananimal'svocalchords.Alternativelytheycanbeproduced
bythesuddenfrequencychangesofacousticinstruments.
Scientistswhonormallystudythenon-linearalarm callsofmarmots –an American
groundsquirrel–havefoundthattheuseofsimilar,non-linearsoundsinthemusical
scoresoffilmsiswidespreadas a wayofenhancingthemostemotionallyevocative
momentsofa cinematicstory.
Theirstudyofmorethan100filmsoundtrackshasfoundthatfilmmakers appearto
exploitournaturalaversiontonon-linearsoundsinorder toget themostoutofa
momentofdrama…”
-TheIndependent

8. Camera
• Zooms: these are quickand regular, which can
providean enigma codeofsudden,unexpected
movement due to the supernatural control.
• Fades: creates uneasiness andrelaxes the pace
whichensures audiencesare kept onthe edge of
their seats. Creates an even flow forthe trailer.
• Close ups:creates an enigma codeof
intensity and drive.