Film analysis trailers analysis - task 4

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{ Trailers – In depth Analysis By Mansour Aetekal

Transcript of Film analysis trailers analysis - task 4

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Trailers – In depth Analysis

By Mansour Aetekal

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Trailer 1 – The Babadook

Name/Date/Director/

The name of the first film I am going to analysis goes by the name of “The Babadook”. The director of this film is Jennifer Kent, the film was released on 28th November 2014 however the trailer was released in January the same year.Genre/Sub GenreThe genre of this film is a Horror however it sub genres as Horror/Thriller. Typical thrillers revolve around anticipation and tension. The aim for thrillers is to keep the audience on the edge of their cinematic experience. Horror films aim to create a sense of fear, panic and alarm for the audience. These films usually rely on scaring the audience through the illustration of the worst fears and nightmares. “The Babadook” therefore includes aspects used in both thrillers and horrors as an attempt to create a nerve racking but suspenseful experience for viewers.

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Length of trailer – 2:23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5WQZzDRVtw

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Target AudienceDue to the sinister theme of the film, the film itself is rated as R which means anyone under the age of 17 requires accompanying by parent, adult or guardian. As a result of the age rating, I think the target market for this film is 17 – 27 year olds. This target audience is quite young, young audiences often tend to look for exciting experiences, they are in stages of developing themselves and learning about the world, trying new things to experiment with different emotions and feelings is a way for young people to satisfy these wants. Even at 27 years old, this is still a young age where people are still developing and wanting to experience new things. Some young people are also thrill seekers therefore they might find entertainment watching “The Babadook” with their friends because they will most likely want to experience adrenaline rushes. Younger audiences are also less susceptible to being put off by the films frightening themes and scenes that include violence, terror and the supernatural. Older audiences are likely to feel negative towards horror thrillers like “The Babadook” as they will find it to be unrealistic but also an inaccurate perception or portrayal of reality.

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Narrative/plot

From watching the trailer, the narrative of the film is quite clear and conventionally doesn’t give too much of the film’s resolution away. The beginning shows a book being read by a mother to her child, it is a scary children's book.

After reading the book, the mother and her child start to experience weird and unnatural things.

The mother then thinks the book is the reason of all this which links to the theory of equilibrium. The book causes the equilibrium to break..

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Narrative As an attempt to free herself from the strange happenings around the house, she decides to burn the book however this only makes everything worse.

The monster is now haunting the mother and her child every day. The monster appears to be of supernatural form which can be indicated through its minimal appearances in the trailer however the voice of this being is also heard which can emphasise that it is beyond the form of a normal human being. The voice sounds very crumbling and eerie, it is also non diegetic sound therefore the use of special effects could have been used to emphasise the villains sinister and deep tone of voice..

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Narrative The trailer abides by the three act structure of a horror

movie. For example, the start of the trailer is normal setting and scenario which is a mother telling her son a story, a typical family situation, this is the first act. The second act occurs when the problem occurs, also known as the demise of the equilibrium. This is where the family realise the book is haunted and they are harassed by a supernatural presence in their own home. The third act occurs when there is a fast paced montage at the end of the trailer, highlighting the daunting experience of the mother and her child who are bullied by a being that is beyond earth.

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Number of Characters

Pace

Within this trailer, there is one antagonist and two protagonists. The mother and child are portrayed as the protagonists. They're both represented as reliant on each other for help but this particular family are illustrated as quite innocent and pure, victims in horror films are mostly shown to be faultless which is why they make realistic victims. In contrast, the antagonist of the trailer is the supernatural being haunting the family. However, this character is made up of CGI however the villain is represented as eerie and sinistrous. As the villain is supernatural , it could indicate that it has an unpleasant advantage of the victim family. Supernatural beings also rarely show themselves which could also illustrate the villain to be very demonic.The pace of trailer matches the first act of the three part structure. It starts off as very slow paced and calm to reflect that the equilibrium has not been broken as of yet. As the trailer goes on, the pace of the trailer gradually builds up with the introduction of the supernatural villain. The pace of the trailer increases with anticipation as more of the plot is revealed to the audience. The trailers pace reaches a crescendo during the third act which is where there is a very quick montage. The steady growing pace of the trailer emphasises the rising tension of the narrative of the victims who try to evade or escape from the evil spirit.

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Shots

There were many shots used within this trailer to emphasise certain aspects. For instance, the beginning of the trailer starts off with a close up shot instead of a book which is called “Mister Babadook”. This book is a clear reference to the title of the film itself however the close up also could be used to foreshadow the entering of the supernatural. This is emphasised through the black shadow on the book which is also later seen within the trailer. The close up shot therefore exaggerates the presence of something demonic within the home of the victims. The shot also accentuates that the prop of the book may be vital to the main storyline, allowing viewers to grasp a better picture of the trailers narrative.At 56 seconds into the trailer we also see a medium longshot of the interior of the house itself. The shot is composed of dim lighting with several pockets of pitch black darkness. Darkness is usually a typical instinctive fear amongst humans as people don’t really know what occurs within the dark. This shot could therefore exemplify that there may be an unseen spiritual presence within the house. The small light within the window could also emphasise that there is no hope or escape for the family. Although the shot is later on in the trailer, it establishes the main setting for the film which is a large house owned by the protagonist family, this is also part of the mise en scene.

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Music & Sound effectsSound is a key feature within the trailer that is used to emphasise the horror themed action on screen. For instance, the beginning of the trailer starts of with children themed music however the soundtrack sounds very eerie but also disturbing. The piece of soundtrack could be used to emphasise the nightmarish theme of the film due to the soundtrack sounding ghostly. The soundtrack is the main theme of the trailer which could also be used to reflect the child's role within the trailer. The music could foreshadow his role as the first victim of the supernatural presence within the house but is overall used to add a creepy undertone to the trailer. At 50 seconds, there is also a close up shot of a scary face from the book shown at the start of the trailer. This shot is accompanied by a quick scream. The scream fades away pretty quickly however it could have been used to add life or realism to the scary face that was already shown, the scream could also have been used for dramatic effect, for instance, implementing fear into viewers with an typical horror film sound. The scream could have also been used to build up the anticipation and tension to a point where it reaches its climax near to the end of the trailer, where there is a quick montage with there is a succession of louder and echoed screams.

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Animation/Special Effects/CGIThere are many special FX used within the trailer that are in the form of both visual illusion and sound. For instance, at 1:02 there is a special effect of a knock. The knock is non diegetic sound because the audience aren’t able to see the source of the sound. This special effect is used to emphasise the strange occurrences within the house, this foreshadows the presence of an supernatural entity. The knock occurs during the shot of a wardrobe, this could furthermore exemplify that there is something within the victims room, this also builds up high levels of suspense and mystery because viewers don’t know what or who is making the noise itself.

Another special effect occurs at 1:32 which is where the woman is being lifted into the air while she sleeps. This would never occur in reality which is why CGI is used to make it seem as if she is actually being lifted by the supernatural. CGI is used to replicated the scene to be similar to demonic possession which also strikes fear into viewers. The CGI as a result adds realism to the trailer to emphasise a lifelike narrative.

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Production Company/ Institution Identity

Graphics/Screen TextDuring the trailer, although there is no reference to any directors, there are quotes that reference to the films narrative which are known as intertitles. Four intertitles occur during the end of the trailer which is when the montage occurs. These bits of screen text are words that compile one whole sentence, which altogether reads, “If its in a word, or if its in a look, you cant get rid of , The babadook”. The fact that this text comes into the trailer gradually, this can create anticipation however its also used for a dramatic purpose to introduce the title of the film itself which is very creative as it was introduced as the last word of the sentence. The sentence itself intrigues viewers but also raises enquiries and is quite informative.

Near to the end of the trailer, there is large text showing the production companies and associations of the film itself. The film was produced and associated by Screen Australia, Causeway Films, South Australian Film Corporation , Smoking Gun Productions and Entertainment One which are all production companies that produced the film or was in association with the production of the film. The trailer itself does reference to the director , however producers or other films made by the director are not shown in text but rather portrays all this information at the end of the trailer. The director is Jennifer Kent, some audiences may recognise her work , therefore her name being mentioned is quite influential. There was also a reference to the film being chosen as the official selection for the Sundance festival in 2014 which indicates the success of the film to viewers.

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DialogueConversations within the trailer include many keywords that can be

conotated and detonated in several ways. For instance the word monster is constantly mentioned between the two protagonists who is the victim family. The word monster means a large, ugly and frightening imaginary creature. The words denotation foreshadows the villain that enters later on. However, the words constant use could’ve been used to build up anticipation and fear on viewers , monsters are usually typical fears of people therefore the word can be used as a way of scaring people which is by tapping into the worst possible fears of viewers.

Another piece of dialogue from the trailer quotes “ What do you want” which is screamed by the mother while she is driving. The fact that she is talking to no one could exemplify that she is trying to communicate with the “Monster” who is trying to hurt her and her son. The quote also symbolises her desperate approach which emphasises the extreme degree of the haunting she is experiencing.

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Transitions/EditingJump cuts are used continuously used within the trailer to suggest a shift in time or change in scenes. They can be used to show more segments from the film to provide the audience with more information about the plot and narrative. They could’ve also been used to heighten the tension of the trailer. For instance, later on in the trailer , there are a series of quick cuts within the last quarter of the trailer, these jump cuts are effective because the fast pace of these shots could possibly imply chaos which is emphasised through the violence and graphic nature of the shots shown in quick succession. For example, at 2:04 we see the two protagonists in pure agony but are also screaming.

Within the trailer there are also transitions. For instance, at 28 seconds, there are a few fade transitions. These transitions could be used to emphasise the families life before the change in equilibrium which is the introduction of the villain, also known as the Babadook. The fade transitions are also quite slow which could also be used to emphasise the rise in anticipation.

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Conventions/SignifiersWithin the trailer, many typical horror conventions and signifiers are used that compile a good horror thriller trailer, most of these conventions are used to exemplify the horror theme and tone of the film itself. This trailer uses many different conventions, these include:• Blood• Screaming• Dark & creepy house• Supernatural presence – Large claws, continuous

inconvenient appearance• Vulnerable victims – In the form of mother and

child• Historic prop that is cursed – Prop of the book• Disturbing sounds – Diegetic and non diegetic• Dim lighting/dark colours within the

house/shadows• Common objects/weapons – Crossbow created by

the child, knife held by the mother• Sininstrous characters – Uncanny child

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Conclusion

Overall, in conclusion, from watching “The Babadook” trailer, I think the storyline is very unique. It doesn’t abide by typical gender codes and conventions. For instance, the victims are compiled of a mother and child where as there is no hegemonic male to dominate the role of the hero. This adds diversity to the narrative but viewers will also provides mystery within the plot, viewers would want to find out how the mother and child deal with a supernatural/demonic harassment. The trailer includes many different technical elements to aid with its ability to strike fear and intensity to the people that watch it. For instance, the trailer consists of many different camera angles and shots used for dramatic effect, transitions, fast paced editing and cuts are used to emphasise the pace and energy of the trailer, music and sound is used to build up tension in the form of both diegetic and non diegetic sound and sound FX and CGI are implemented to add realism. I also believe the trailer itself reflects the genre and sub genre of the film. The heightened tense moments of the film and storyline definitely proved the film to be a horror thriller. The villain being part of the supernatural is also a typical antagonist within horror films. The film was also Jennifer Kent's (Director) directorial debut which also adds an unique undertone to the film but also provides the market with something new and exciting to watch and experience.

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Trailer 2 – Paranormal Activity

– The Ghost DimensionName/Date/

DirectorThe second film I will be analysing is Paranormal Activity – Ghost Dimension which is the 6th instalment of the Paranormal Activity series. The film was released on October 20 in 2015, however the trailer was showcased on June 24 the same year. It was directed by Gregory Plotkin.Genre/Sub GenreThe genre of this film is horror however the sub genre is a supernatural thriller. The reason for this is because the film is based around the supernatural presence of an evil entity with a sinister plan. The trailer also shows strong moments of tension which could emphasise the films role as a thriller due to its depth of anticipation

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Length – 2:26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR2cc1BwdmI

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Target AudienceThe film is rated R . Therefore, anyone under the age of 17 that watches the film will need adult supervision. However, I believe the target audience for the film is actually younger. I think this films target audience ranges from 14 years old – 24 years old. From watching the trailer, we do see moments of horror and terror however there isn’t anything too graphic within the trailer such as an overuse of blood or strong language. As a result, the content of the trailer could reflect the target audience to be young than the films R rating.PaceFrom watching many horror trailers, ive noticed the pace of these trailers start off very slow and quite relaxed. This could imply that the equilibrium has not been broken yet. However, near to the end of the trailer during the montage, the pace of the film rises significantly to exemplify the rise in tension, the pace of the film usually matches what's happening on screen.

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ShotsThe trailer implemented the use of a close up. The close up is a shot of a face which is meant to be that of the supernatural. The shot shows intense but quick detail of the supernatural, it therefore adds realism to the trailer as the antagonist is actually being shown. This also indicates to viewers that there is an evil entity within the film of the trailer, the face as a result is also quite monstrous, furthermore striking fear into those watching.At the beginning of the trailer, there is also a medium long shot. The shot includes two girls in white clothes which appears to be disturbing as these children look quite uncanny. The mise en scene in the background also shows traditional and old fashioned equipment, the shot could therefore imply that this scene occurred within the past and might be a flashback or memory.

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Narrative/Plot

From watching the trailer, I think the storyline is about a family that discover old videos and also a camera. These videos seem to be of sinister but paranormal nature which possibly infers that the house is haunted by the supernatural. The camera that is found can also see the supernatural which emphasises the main problem furthermore unbalancing the equilibrium. The family therefore set up proper cameras to try and find out whether there is actually an evil entity within the house. Later on within the film, we find that one of the children of the family is actually possessed and acts abnormally, this is where strange occurrences start to happen within the house even more, the family then attempts to released their child from demonic possession which is what seems to have happened. The resolution of the film is not revealed therefore we don’t know what will happen to there child or even them.

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Number of characters/ Main CharactersThe first main character is the father of the little girl who becomes possessed. He appears the most within the trailer, he is represented as the main hegemonic male due to his role as a father figure, during the start of the trailer, he is shown as quite worried while watching an old video, this could foreshadow the supernatural presence of an evil entity. Although he begins to appear as hegemonic, later on in the trailer, his status decreases as he starts to become very worried of the presence haunting his family, this could imply that also holds some aspect of weakness or fear.The second main character is the little girl who befriends with the supernatural and eventually experiences demonic possession. She is represented as very creepy due to her strange behaviour. Although she is a child, her status appears to be dominant as she holds powers beyond humans. For instance, the picture shows her smashing a mirror by only leaning one hand on it, this could emphasise her evil powers but also raises questions to the audience, in the sense that viewers would want to know why or how she does this.

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CGI is constantly used within the trailer because the supernatural presence is animated through computed generated imagery. This special effect adds realism to the evil entity that is portrayed within the trailer. However, without CGI, the animation of the ghostly figures within the trailer could not be made. By looking at the picture of the supernatural, you can see that the figure is made from black lines and blurs and some of its body is also transparent, CGI therefore makes the supernatural entity of the trailer more realistic but well animated through the use of CGI.

Special Effects/CGI

The face of this entity is also a realistic theme to the film. For instance, the film is already recorded with a hand held camera to create practicality however, the use of special effects to compile the animated face of the villain is effective because without this software, the villain would have to be in human form which doesn’t really reflect the film as a supernatural thriller, the face of the ghost is likely to be of poor quality if CGI and Special FX aren’t used.

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Music/Sound effectsDuring the trailer there were many soundtracks and effects used for dramatic purposes. For example, there were continuous moments of heightened bass at certain points of the trailer, the bass could have been used to exaggerate certain jump scares and moments of shock to strike fear into viewers. Within the trailer there are also constant eerie noises that eventually reaches a crescendo at the end of the trailer during the montage.

Transitions/CutsWithin the trailer, there are many transitions to graphic text on screen that is used to give the audience information about the narrative. For instance, there are many fade transitions to quotes in a number of different shots, these quotes once read all at once spell out , “You will see the activity, will be revealed”. This quote could emphasise there will be something terrifying or frightening unveiled within the film. The use of quick cuts at the end of the trailer furthermore injects the screen with fast pace anticipation and energy which aims to keep viewers on the edge.

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Codes/Conventions/SignfiersSignifiers are iconic signs where meaning is based on the appearance. Symbolic signs usually have arbitrary or conventional links. Codes and conventions are systems of signs which create meaning. This horror trailer include many different codes and conventions. These include:

• Screaming• Moments of silence• Creepy Child figures• Supernatural activity• Shots of very dark rooms• Family at the victims of the

paranormal• Loud noises/Eerie sounds• Demonic possession• Religion being used to cure of

evil.

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Trailer 3 – Insidious Chapter 3

Name/Date/DirectorThe third trailer I will be breaking down is from the film called “Insidious – Chapter 3” which was released on May 29,2015 however the trailer saw a release date of October 23,2014. It was directed by Leigh Whannell.

Genre/Sub GenreThe genre of this film is horror however just like paranormal activity, the sub genre of this film is a supernatural thriller, this film therefore is based a lot around the paranormal. Its role as a thriller is too give viewers the feeling of shock and high levels of intensity.

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Length:2:09

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DNXUvHm-S8

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Target AudienceUnlike the other trailers ive analysed, Insidious 3 is rated PG – 13 for violence, frightening images and some thematic elements. This rating means parents should be strongly cautioned as some material in the film may be inappropriate for children under 13. As a result, I think the target audience of the film ranges from 13- 20 year olds. Due to this film not being rated R, the horror themes of this film suits younger target markets rather than older adults. This film can therefore be deemed less scary than the films that are rated R.

PaceJust like other horror trailers, the narrative starts off at a very steady pace to ensure audiences know that the problem has not been discovered yet. Once the equilibrium of Todorovs theory is broken, this is where the pace of the trailer begins to speed up in order to create more energy and chaos within the trailer. The fast pace also builds up tension to a point of climax which occurs when the trailer actually ends.

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ShotsNear to the beginning of the trailer, there is a low angle long shot of a large building. The building are apartments however it resembles an hospital or an asylum, the building is taken from a long angle which could also imply that there is something sinister inside the apartments, the building could therefore foreshadow the dominant status of the supernatural within the building itself. The long shot is overall used to establish this building as the main setting for the film itself.Another shot that is used is a close up of a woman who is screaming. Screaming is a typical convention of horror trailers however this shot could have been used to emphasise the absolute fear and nightmare of the woman herself. The detail of her face also influences audiences to be quite agitated.

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Narrative/PlotFrom watching the trailer, I believe the storyline of the film is about a girl who has had an accident and is living in her own apartment. She then starts to experience strange things such as unknown paranormal activity. One night that she is sleeping, she is grabbed by a being that seems to be in supernatural form. This is when she realises that an evil entity is actually haunting her. This is where she looks to an old woman for assistance to try and free her from this curse. As the film goes on, there are more sinister and graphic scenes experienced by the woman who appears to be the antagonist or saviour of the girl but also by other characters.

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Main CharactersThe first main character is the girl who

is being harassed by a supernatural presence in her own home. The whole narrative of the movie is based on her needing help to become free of the evil entity that is possibly trying to possess her. She is a young character, this therefore emphasises her vulnerability and role as the perfect victim.

The second main character is the old woman who has already experience these situations before, she is the main hope for the girl. From watching the other Insidious films, I have noticed that this character is included within each film, this is effective because it adds authenticity to the storyline as the same character takes part in different narratives. The fact that she is old juxtaposes the character of the girl, this character could therefore be deemed as wise and knowledgeable.

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Special effects/CGIWithin the trailer, CGI is used at some moments for effect. For example, there is a scene within the trailer that shows the walls cracking to a point where a lamp starts to move. This could have been compiled from CGI, the cracking of the wall would be hard to do without CGI, however the computer generated imagery makes the scene look realistic, it also authenticates the presence of the supernatural within the film which is imperative to the plot.

Music/Sound effectsSound effects are very important in horror trailers because sound is so effective at scaring viewers. For example, at 1:20 when the girl gets grabbed by a hand, to accompany this scene of terror, a loud but high pitched scream occurs while the hand grabs the girls arm, the scream emphasises the shock of the girl however, the loud noise comes as a shock therefore it could have been implemented to execute an intense jump scare, the loud scream comes after moments of silence therefore when it happens, the levels of tension and suspense rise significantly but have better effect on viewers.

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Transitions/Cuts

During the trailer, there are many fades to black within the first minute, these transitions are used to suggest a change in time and location/setting. There are also fade transitions into intertitles. For instance, during the trailer there are intertitles of text. In this trailer, “This Summer” was included in the trailer in the form of gothic text to further advertise the launch of the film. The words “The Darkest Chapter” are also shown to exemplify that the film is the scariest of the Insidious series, this is also influential to viewers such as the target audience who will want to watch movies that are thrilling but also nerve racking. Within the end of the trailer, during the third act of the structure which is the montage, a rapid succession of quick cuts are utilised to input energy and carnage into the trailer, the quick cuts doesn't give too much about the films resolution which also adds a sense of mystery to the trailer. Quick cuts could’ve also been used to convey large quantities of the film in short time to the audience which will also help with there ability to grasp the storyline.

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Conventions/SignifiersMoments of silencePitch Black DarknessScreams- DiegeticEerie Noises – Non DiegeticSupernatural presenceParanormal ActivityMonstrous figuresHigh tension and anticipationDim lightingThird act structure of trailersHero and villainVictim(Hero)Villain(Evil Force)Good Vs Evil

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Overall ConclusionOverall, all three horror trailers follow different narratives however they are still similar in some aspects. For instance, they all follow the three act structure for horror trailer , this includes the trailer before the change in equilibrium, the equilibrium is then broken and the trailer ends with a fast paced montage. All trailers also use a wide range of horror conventions, music, sound effects, CGI, transitions and cuts. All these technical aspects of these trailers come together to create a tense but also adrenaline rush like trailer that clearly reflects the horror of genre. I think all three of these trailers are unique in their own ways, one reason of this could be the style of directing or editors who produce the film itself. Directors may want their film trailers to include certain scenes, these trailers therefore each hold alternate unique selling points. These trailers definitely add variety to the assortment of horror film trailers however I believe these are perfect examples of horror trailers.