Room 1408 Trailer Analysis

What attracts the audience to the film? What is the unique selling point? How is this highlighted?
The unique selling point of this film is the story line which attracts the audience to the film - it is about a hotel room '1408' which apparently is haunted and the main character is warned but doesn't listen and is in fact provoking these ghosts; this suggests that he will get what he is asking for. Also, the main character is John Cusack, who is a huge American star. Another character in the film is Samuel L. Jackson is also a well-known actor.

How is the trailer structured?
The trailer begins with the film company name. A brief introduction of the main character and his family is shown. The voiceover then basically tells us about him and what he is trying to do – when his daughter passed away, the afterlife became his obsession; a scene of him is then shown trying to find ghosts/spirits. The history of Room 1408 is told but he still wants to enter the room. The next part is the door opening; it then goes pitch black, which is shown using slow pace shots. The next clips are shown using fast past shots – the room is then empty and flooded with water. The ending of the trailer is of the daughter in the room. The credits then appear. These are shown by the use of slow pace shots.

How is sound used to create suspense/shock?
There are a variety of sounds used throughout which all add to the spooky atmosphere. These include: the background music, which is played throughout the whole trailer. This is rather slow and spooky which builds up tension. There is also drumming sound to show the corridor of the hotel which adds suspense and immediately lets the audience know that the hotel is ‘haunted’. When the door of Room 1408 opens, it opens squeakily, again adding to the atmosphere. The sound of silence even adds to the spookiness as it makes the audience wonder what is going to happen next.

What editing techniques are used? How do they help create suspense/shock?
There are many fast fades to blacks used, almost after every shot – this helps create suspense because we don’t know what is going to happen/appear next. There are also dissolves used to show the next shot.

Orphan Trailer Analysis

What attracts the audience to the film? What is the unique selling point? How is this highlighted?
The name itself 'Orphan' immediately attracts the audience to the film. As the genre is Horror, everyone knows that the adopted child isn't "normal" or as innocent as she seems, making them eager to continue watching the film to find out what is wrong with Ester. I think the unique selling point of this film is that the fact that there is an innocent couple who recently lost their baby adopts a child who unfortunately just happens to not to be a "normal" child. This is highlighted by the way Ester is dressed. She dresses a lot older than a 9 year old would dress. She dresses more like a woman, which makes her character a lot stranger.

How is the trailer structured?
The trailer begins with the film company name. It then introduces the couple who is speaking to a nun about Ester who describes her as "an extraordinary child, who is very mature for her age". Ester is then introduced to the couple and her classmates and one of them make a comment about the way she is dressed. Ester gives her the coldest look and here, the audience immediately knows she isn't going to let her get away from it. The next part shows Ester on the floor of a bathroom kicking and screaming, showing she has lost the plot. Writing appears saying "There's something wrong with Ester", with a voice over saying "We need to know what we're dealing with, trouble does have a way of finding her". Between this voice over, there are quick dissolves of a swing moving and close ups of Ester looking up to know good. Another piece of writing appears. The ending is of the mother on a mission to find out her 'secret'. It then ends with the release dates and credits.

How is sound used to create suspense/shock?
The music at the start when the parents are meeting Ester is calm and creates a lovely atmosphere. As soon as Ester loses the plot, the music builds up and adds suspense e.g. when she pushes the girl down the slide. Ester's voice itself echoes which makes it even more 'freaky'. A sound quite like lightening is used when Ester stands over her little sister's bed watching her. Near the end of the trailer, the sound used is Ester's singing which personally gave me a shiver down my spine.

What editing techniques are used? How do they help create suspense/shock?
There are several fades to blacks which gives the trailer a better effect as it makes the audience wonder what will happen next. Between the voice over I spoke about in the previous question, are many dissolves when it makes it more interesting as a way as it makes the audience continue to watch the trailer as they have no idea what is going to appear next. Most of these are quick fades creating huge amount of suspense.

One Missed Call Trailer Analysis

What attracts the audience to the film? What is the unique selling point? How is this highlighted?

This film has a very unusual story line which appeals to the audience. The same ringtone us used for each phone call made - which is a warning about the next person's death. This is highlighted with the use of the spooky ringtone being played throughout the whole trailer.

How is the trailer structured?

The trailer begins with the film company name. A piece of text is then saying "Everyday 2 billion cellphones ring..." whilst the ringtone is playing. An introduction of the two women is shown, the phone rings and one of them pick up and a loud scream is heard - the women and the audience then realise that this phone call is a warning. Shots of different parts of the film is then shown e.g. the train, the woman walking home and between these shots show pieces of texts. These shots are very fast shots adding to the suspense. The last shows are of a man getting dragged away and the woman screaming - adding even more effect. The trailer ends with the release dates and credits.

How is sound used to create suspense/shock?

As I mentioned, the same freaky ringtone is played throughout the whole trailer, which creates suspense through the whole thing. There is a lot of screaming and banging sounds which is quite typical for a horror film so it is expected but still creates tension. Diagetic sound is also used e.g. the car horn. The audience is drawn in as the sound of screaming and banging suggest there is a lot of action in the film.

What editing techniques are used? How do they help create suspense/shock?
There are a lot of fast pace shots shown throughout creating a huge amount of suspense as we as an audience do not know what is going to appear next. Many of fade to blacks and dissolves are used which also give this effect, adding to the tension and suspense.

Task

The task myself and my group have decided to do is create a Horror trailer. Along with this we are required to create a magazine cover and a poster.