Horror Trailer Mood Board

There is a reason why I have created a mood board, saying what colour and props I want to use, and then what posters inspire me. These will all help me when I am making my final products.

Film Trailer Deconstruction 1

The link above is a link to 'The Strangers' film trailer.

My rationale for choosing this film trailer is because I have used some of the posters as my inspiration; so I thought it seemed fitting to use the same film.

The Strangers film trailer starts off the same as majority of other successful horror genre films, beginning where everything seems harmless and as if this could not be a horror film, but this is one of the most successful parts of the film trailer as it builds up the suspense and anticipation of what is to happen next. Further,  if you are watching a horror film/horror trailer, this is exactly what you are looking for- making you want to know more about what grisly fate is to befall the characters.

The lighting in the establishing trailer is very low key and monochromatic, to show a sparsely populated and suspenseful, although initially peaceful and serene, area with nobody around and set at night time- where little can be distinguished and where the watcher's imagination begins to "fill in the gaps" and to imagine what horrors lie ahead. So, from this, you get the sense of feeling that the couple in this film are trapped and the general impression is one of suffocation and claustrophobia, although (unlike the audience) they are unaware of the potential and inevitable horrors to come. The shots inside the building and of the couple, even though that they have ambient lighting from the lamp shades etc, there is still a sense of dullness and danger.

This above in one of the screen shots of some of the font used in the trailer, from this you can say that the text fades in and fades out, my theory is that this resembles the the actions of the three masked murders within this trailer. All the letters are in bold font and the reason that this is, is because it makes it more clear to read and builds up more of statement to the audience, so thew film makers will get more of a reaction.

The lengths of the shots are very short. Thus building up a high tempo and a fast pace, therefore building and setting the pace for this film trailer. The effect this has on the audience is they will always be thinking of what is going to happen next. There is obviously a few shots within this trailer that the shots are extended, and this creates a awkward and uncomfortable. Brief angles impeding inevitable disaster.

In my opinion, having watched the trailer many times, with and without sound. The sound makes this film trailer. I could watch the trailer over and over without sound and not scared, yet when I watch it with sound, I can look at the screen for the whole duration of the trailer. I simply get to scared. The reason that this is because of the sudden bangs at high volume, secondly the swings slowly creaking whilst the couple are talking. The reason this should scare the audience is because we know that it is only the couple that we can see by, yet we can hear that move, suggesting that there is someone there. Also knowing that a swing is essentially for children, that adds a sense of creepiness to the trailer, or finally the contrapuntal music playing in the background, these two sounds being diegetic, they hopefully make not just me but all of the audience feel uncomfortable as they know that the music doesn't fit the scene, so people over think and therefore get even more frightened. When the text fades onto the screen non diegetic music comes on and adds to the past feelings, making this trailer a rather unpleasant one to watch.

Poster Deconstruction 1