Horror Teaser Trailer Analysis

This will be a short analysis of a selection of films I have watched. The purpose of this is that I can find out what the conventions are of the horror film genre so that I can gather ideas from my own and make it so it can be compared to the greats such as Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13^th.

“Paranormal Activity”

Paranormal Activity was what I originally based my trailer around initially using ideas from that film to deliver the horror to my target audience. After watching this clip a few times I took an analytical approach to the trailer and looked closely for any frequent occurrences. I did find that the use of flashing images, shown by using very short 1 and 2 second takes in quick succession worked to good effect. At the start of the trailer it actually stood out from the norm as it showed the people’s reaction to watching the film at a cinema, I personally didn’t like the use of this however I can see that by using the audiences reaction to the film, which was inevitably being scared, would attract a large fan base of those who want to be scared and want that challenge. Paranormal Activity actually used the cutting of the camera in the film as the cut of each take in the trailer which was a clever use of editing and as the quick takes worked to a good effect. In this film the title of the film classically was at the end of the trailer and not at the start, as is the case with most of the trailers.

The next horror teaser trailer I am going to analyse is Nightmare on Elm Street a horror classic where I should be able to use and modify some of the brilliant ideas from the trailer.  

“Nightmare on Elm Street”

One untypical characteristic of this trailer I found from this teaser trailer was its unique method of switching from take to take. The trailer was cut at several points and there method of doing this was by using a tool from the plot. They took the use of the torch from the scene and when the character was scanning the area with the torch it, eventually caught up with the camera and created a reflected light which was cleverly used as the point of cutting and switching to the next take. The trailer starts with a soothing wind sound and eventually picks up into louder more horrific music and then in the middle of the trailer a typical convention of a horror trailer picks up, in the occurrence of a child’s nursery rhyme. These diagetic sounds are placed into the film to add effect and with my trailer including a child, I feel that a nursery rhyme would be suitable, however choosing which nursery rhyme will be crucial as it has to relate to the plot and trailer. The film also, like my trailer ideas, starts with an establishing shot to show where the scene is set, in this it is set at a landfill site, a dump, whereas mine shoots the house where the couple are staying. In this trailer it stands out from the norm as there is no build-up it immediately after the establishing shot gets straight into an action scene where “Crouger” is running from some cars. Mine will not be replicating this; I want to build up tension and suspense first then give the audience glimpses of action luring them into watching the film. Also nearing the end of the film the villain swipes at a character and this is cleverly edited so that it swipes into the camera and cuts to the title, I want to replicate similarly so that my villain’s attack cuts into the titles as well, therefore increasing dramatic effect. Then the clip teases the audience with text appearing “Don’t fall asleep” in a way challenging the audience to come and see the film without being scared. I also want to replicate this testing the audience using my title “Are you Ready?..Or not?” again challenging the audience, testing them to see if they are ready.