This document analyzes the trailer for the horror film "Insidious". It identifies the genre as horror based on conventions used like sudden noises, darkness, and tension. The target audience is identified as younger teenagers based on the 15 age rating. Key points are that the film was made by successful horror director James Wan, which would attract fans of his previous films like "Paranormal Activity" and "Saw". The document concludes that the trailer effectively shows enough of the plot to intrigue viewers without giving too much away, making the author want to see the full film.

1. Olivia Wigglesworth
Using any of the sites below or your own examples from home DVD/Videos
complete the following sheet analysing any film trailer of your choice.
Name of Film
Insidious
What is the genre?
Horror
How do you recognise the genre – what codes and conventions are used?
The director used the following : Loud and sudden noises ,Darkness , Tension builds up
towards the end but is often broken for a short period for jump scares, a final scare and the
fact that the pace is slow to start off with but then speeds up to create a higher level of
tension
Where would you expect this trailer to be shown? Why?
I would expect to see this film trailer possibly in the cinema because this is where film fans
go to watch films and it makes them more likely to go and see them. The trailer would be
shown typically before a horror or thriller film so that the film appeals to a similar audience.
The trailer would also be shown at the beginning of 15 rated films to appeal to an appropriate
audience. Another place that audiences would see the film is on the internet on websites like
YouTube, this is a much more accurate way to get a target audience to see a trailer because
the trailer would be recommended to people who have looked at similar things online.
Who is the target audience for this trailer?
The target audience would more than likely be younger teenage horror fans this is obvious
because of the 15 age rating.
How does the trailer relate to the target audience?
The trailer relates to a younger teenage audience because horror films naturally are for
teenage viewers who are more likely to enjoy a scary film and being scared but also it would
appeal to a younger audience because there no grotesque gory images only a number of
sudden jump scares. The trailer also relates to the target audience by featuring jump scares
to get the teenagers adrenaline going. The trailer clearly shows that the directors of the film
previously made successful horror films “Paranormal Activity” and “Saw” which have age
ratings between 15-18 so that all of James Wan’s films are aimed at a teenage audience.
What are the key marketing points featured in the trailer?
One of the key marketed points is the fact that the film was made by the same people who
made “Paranormal activity” and “Saw” which are both successful horror films. This would
attract fans of the director James Wan who want to see his films and his style.
What studio/film company is the film assigned to?
Momentum pictures UK, Film district USA
Does it make you want to go and watch the film? Explain your answer
This does make me want to see the film as we can see that other films he has done have
become very successful and this attracts audiences who enjoyed these films such as myself.
Also it makes me want to go and see the film as it shows the action of the film without giving
too much away. The storyline is showed quite clearly in the trailer and seems intriguing as
it’s shown to develop throughout the trailer.
Explain the difference between a theatrical trailer and a teaser trailer.

2. Olivia Wigglesworth
A teaser trailer is a very short trailer usually around a minute long and is often the very first
trailer shown and due to its shortness very little is actually shown of the film to keep the
audience intrigued and guessing what could happen.
A theatrical trailer is often between 1-3 minutes long and shows a great deal more action
than the teaser trailer and this is the trailer that helps the audience to decide if they want to
pay to go and see the film based on what they are shown in the trailer.
Some sites where you can find trailers:
www.apple.com/trailers
uk.filmtrailer.com
www.imdb.com/Sections/Trailers
www.filmeducation.org