Step-By-Step Deconstruction of My Trailer
how my trailer uses, develops or challenges forms and conventions
1 - Black Screen - In terms of horror trailers, they generally start with short a black screen with either transitional order or a direct cut into a scene. We done this in our trailer as it achieved a nice effect and put emphasis on the establishing shot. The black screens are prevalent throughout our trailer, as they are in horror trailers that I researched during pre-production. 'Don't be afraid of the dark' has a trailer that plays on the black screen particularly well and altogether it takes up around half of the overall trailer time.
2 - White Noise/Static - The white/noise static effect is used in a lot of modern horrors, particularly 'The Ring' as the static effect creates an enigma as it's unusual and creates a mystery about why its happening and what is causing it. The static image regularly shows up in our trailer throughout to repeat this mysterious effect.
3 - Establishing Shot - Although not regularly used in trailers as such, the horror genre - as with other genres - uses the establishing shot to let the audience know where the 'horror' is taking place. As our trailer is based around the supernatural location and object (the necklace) we thought that leaving out the establishing shot would leave out one of the main parts of the narrative. If our narrative plot was not based so strongly on the location we could've left the establishing shot out to create an enigma. This is done in many films, with the Saw franchise playing on the mystery location a lot with the 'torture chambers' being in an unknown location in every single one of their films.
4 - Film Distributor - As a main part of the distribution of a film the company in control of distribution is usually named in the trailer, with 'Mothership Media' being the fictional name we used in our own trailer. The distributor can actually make people want to see a film. For example, Lionsgate Films is a predominant company within the horror genre and personally, when I see the logo on a trailer i expect it to be a good film because the past films distributed by them are successful (American Psycho, Saw, House of the Dead etc.)
5 - CU of Part of Object - Close ups of sections of people or objects are one of the conventions of horror because just displaying part of an object creates an enigma as the audience are keen to know what exactly is being unveiled. These close ups are commonly used in horror films as a strong enigma can keep the audience interested to the very end. The step by step unveiling of the object keeps the audience reminded of the enigma so that the mystery is regularly in the back of the audience's mind. Also, Close-Ups are generally quite disorientating which almost completely satisfies the objective of horror cinematography which is to make the audience slightly uncomfortable with what they are seeing.
6 - POV/Establishing Shot - The idea that someone, who we have no indication to the identity of, is looking through the doorway is generally quite a freaky and unnerving idea. It's for this reason we placed this in the trailer but it is also a way of specifying the exact location that the narrative is taking place. The re-establishment of location isn't often used in trailers because people wont generally need reminding of where they are due to the short length of the broadcast text. However, this is not to say that specifying the location is not done in trailers as the inclusion of this shot literally takes the audience to the front door.
7 - Brief CU - This close-up lasts a split second but is enough to give the audience a quick glimpse of the supernatural enigma that is building up throughout the trailer. It also acts as a close up of part of what we will later find out is the 'evil' character.
8 - Production Company - In 99% of trailers regardless of genre, the production company will be mentioned at the start. One of the most famous production companies within the horror genre is 'Hammer Films' who were the most successful horror production company during the 'golden age' of horror'. After the downturn in horror film popularity they folded as a company but are now coming back with 'Let me In' being a successful new film by them. I believe the success of that film was due to the production company being popular, which demonstrates the impact that they have on a horror film.
9 - ECU of Eye - Regularly used in horror films, the human eye is suitable creepy and unnerving when it is zoomed in on completely like in our shot. It helps the audience to identify with the protagonists fear possibly inducing a fearful feeling on the audience as they empathise with him/her in a similar way to POV shots. However, the close up shows a generally natural eye in most horrors but we opted for one with a very strong green filter to progress the visuals further.
10 - POV / Window shot- The point-of-view shot through the window combines two of the most common horror conventions as showing the location through the eyes of the evil not only creates the mystery of who's eyes we are actually looking for, but it does so through a window. Windows are used regularly because of the unusual reflections and fragility of the material. Looking through the eyes of a voyeuristic character positions the audience in a way that they feel they shouldn't be looking through that characters eyes.
11 - CU of Object - This is a continuity shot reminding the audience of the enigma that was created earlier on in the trailer.
12 - Inter-Titles - Inter-titles are used in trailers with or without the use of a voice-over to help explain the narrative without giving too much away. We decided to leave any Hollywood style voice-over out because it would create a 'cheesy' feel to the trailer that we feel could've ruined the final product. Instead, we used inter-titles alone that together make up sentences. Breaking a sentence up in the inter-titles is a way of capturing the audience in a way that makes them want to see the trailer to the end, effectively reeling the audience in to the film.
13/14 - Match on action - With this match on action the audience is able to identify with a character, though we are not sure yet if he is the evil, or the main protagonist. This builds upon all the other enigmas within the trailer. The use of the match on action shows part of the protagonists body in the first shot, and the rest of it in the second (minus the head) which helps to create this enigma through the regular Close-Up cinematography used in Horror films.
15 - Introduction of protagonist - This shot is where we first introduce the protagonist who quite clearly is displaying fearful and disorientated body language identifying the audience with a 'lost' individual who we are unaware of the intentions of.
16 - Introduction of Evil - Although we still do not know for sure whether the character is evil we can tell by the increase of the green filter that she, and the room she vacates, is supernatural and not quite human. The reason we feel this way is that the colour green connotates supernatural feelings as it is the colour regularly associated with science-fiction stories.
17 - Corridor Shot - Corridors are very regularly used in horror films, especially in abandon buildings/hospitals etc. such as this because they induce feelings of fear as we do not know what the protagonist is heading towards.
18 - Enigma Solving - The CU series of continuity shots ends on this as the necklace is finally revealed to the audience. However, the enigma is not completely solved as we do not know what relevance this necklace has to the narrative plot and is likely to want the audience to watch the actual film - an obvious convention of general teaser trailers. The solving of this mini-enigma opens up the audience to the proper enigma the film is going to be based on.
19 - Canted Angle - Canted angles are used almost constantly within horror films as the use of conventional straight camera angles do not create that feeling of disorientation that horror sets out to achieve. The shot we created here I am particularly proud of as we were able to create a very supernatural look with the door shutting as if on its own, the chair moving 'on its own' and the room seeming to tilt as it all happened. The unnatural visuals we see are a staple of the horror genre because not only do they create an enigma, the audience is left confused and disorientated.
20 - Hand-held Camerawork - Taking after horror films Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch and Cloverfield the use of hand-held cinematography allows the audience to empathise with the character as it shows the fear felt by that person as every body movement is reflected in the camera movement. The ability to empathise with the protagonist increases the fear that the audience is feeling as they feel more involved with the scene, especially in this type of scene where the character is running. The diagetic sound of footsteps mixed with the eerie whispers warning of imminent danger builds tension in the scene as they now know that the person is not welcome in this place.
21 - Low-key lighting of evil - This shot shows the torchlight that's being shone by the main protagonist reveals the evil character but not completely and the audience does not have a chance to work out exactly who the person is, and what she looks like. This also builds upon the enigma of why the girl doesn't want the protagonist to be in the location, and the enigma of who the girl actually is.
22 - Titles - The titles at the end of the trailer let the audience know exactly what they need to go and see if they want to find out what is happening with the narrative being introduced in the trailer. Also, as its the last part of the trailer they are likely to remember the title of the film which could ultimately improve the chances of the audience going to see the film in the cinema.
23 - 'Coming Soon' - Almost always appearing at the end of the trailer is the release date of the film, but as teaser trailers are generally released before the release date is defined, just to give a taste of the trailer to the audience. It's for that reason we didn't state a date but instead used the phrase 'coming soon' so that the audience looks forward to seeing it when it eventually does get released.
The following images are comparisons of real horror trailers using the same conventions that i've used;
USE OF ESTABLISHING SHOT
USE OF STATIC/WHITE NOISE
USE OF LOW-KEY TORCH LIGHT ON 'THE HORROR'
USE OF HAND-HELD CAMERA FOR P.O.V. SHOTS
USE OF EXTREME CLOSE UPS OF EYES
Forms and Conventions in Relation to my Ancillary Texts
Annotations are available on the image (click to access)
Really excellent work Rhys. Occasionally I think you could push your discussion a bit further. For example when you're talking about POV shooting and the moral ambiguity it creates in the audience when the subject of camerawork is from the monsters POV. Also you do much better job with general film conventions and horror conventions then you do with the conventions of teaser trailers where I think there may well be more for you to say.
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