Film trailers are a form of advertisement and are used to attract interest towards the film it is promoting. This interest is created by the use of sound, camera shots and editing usually hinting towards the narrative and giving a glimpse of what the film has to offer. Film trailers create a sense of mystery and leave a lot to the audience’s imagination and speculation and, from this, interest is created.
The narrative is established through the use of a myriad of scenes and camera shots. The audience learns that the film is taking place in a suburban house due to a wide shot of the house in question. The film is also centred on a family and one of the children especially due to the amount of shots which include them. Danger or distress is also introduced due to a shot were the audience sees a child in a hospital bed and again with the introduction of a demonic force shown by a number of shots that are used to shock the audience. Mystery and enigma is established in the form of questions, such as “What happened to the child?” and “What is the demon doing/what does it want?” At the start of the trailer there are scenes of laughter and happiness which is then contrasted with the later shots which show misery and grief.
The characters are established through a variety of shots, such as close-ups and two-shots. For example, the parents are recognised by a two-shot as they are standing together which shows unity, especially in a time of need. The main characters are also shown by the amount of shots they are in within the trailer showing the audience that they will be the main focus of the film.
Dialogue is used to allude to the fact that the child isn’t in a coma but something even worse has happened to him. The main line of dialogue is “It’s not the house that’s haunted, it’s your son” which is used to shock the audience and is likely to stay in the mind of the audience accentuating interest for the film. It also helps the audience link it to other films of the same nature, such as The Exorcist and Paranormal Activity which deals with hauntings and possession, which may fuel their interest for the film as they could be fans of this branch of horror.
The soundtrack of the trailer is mainly a loud ticking noise which could signify time and a ticking clock. This could signal to the audience that the parents only have a limited time to save their son. Screams and loud noises from action scenes are also used to build tension and give the trailer a climatic ending to leave it in the minds of the audience thus generating a developing interest.
Action clips are used nearer the end of the trailer to contrast with the serenity of the other scenes, at the start of the trailer. This implies towards the narrative; that the film will start with happiness and then something terrible will happen. It alludes to the danger that the family will face within the film. Action clips are also used to and suspense and tension, this effect is also accentuated with the fast-paced cuts between shots whilst the soundtrack gains tempo and increases in dynamics
Titles and graphics are also used to create interest with the film and engage the audience. The first graphic used is the title of the film which then gets rearrange so as to reveal a hidden message which could confuse the audience and add mystery. This then makes them think there is more to the title of the film than they first thought, so the ‘puzzle’ of the title sticks in their mind. The second graphic used states that the film is from the makers of Paranormal Activity and Saw, which are two of the biggest horror franchises at the moment, and this means it will immediately generate interest with fans of these films. Throughout the trailer, the first graphic keeps returning as a way of adding mystery to the title ‘puzzle’ of the title. This is also a way of ‘stamping’ the title of the film into the memory of the audience so when the film does come out they will easily be able to remember the trailer.
The genre of the film is easily introduced through the use of certain dialogue and the use of ‘scary’ action scenes. For example, when one of the characters says “It’s not the house that’s haunted, it’s your son” the use of the word “haunted” immediately signifies to the audience that it will be a horror. This is because it gives connotations of ghosts and possession which are common conventions of horrors. The action scenes also scream horror through the use of demons and dark shadows which are also conventions of the horror genre.
Overall, the trailer appeals to the audience as it hints at the narrative, themes and conventions which adds mystery and interest to the film. The use of action scenes, soundtrack and dialogue creates suspense and tension and makes the trailer ‘stick’ in the mind of the audience. It also appeals to fans of the horror genre by including specific codes and conventions that are specific tot this genre.
