Detailed Analysis of Similar product

Camerawork

The purpose of my analysis is to identify effective mise-en-scene, camerawork, sound and editing. In identifying these different elements I should be able to implement them into my own horror trailer.

This establishing shot shows the imposing nature of the house, within the same shot this causes the protagonist (Daniel Radcliffe) to seem insignificant and weak. So immediately we see a power structure, the house being the more powerful presence in this shot because of its physical size. The house itself is dilapidated and rundown, for example the collapsed iron gates. Furthermore this connotes that the house is isolated and abandoned. These factors add to the mysterious, unnerving nature of the house. The composition of this shot also helps display convention of the horror genre. The misty overcast weather helps promote the eerie atmospheres that surround the locations in so many horror films.

This high wide angle has placed Radcliffe in the far left third of the shot; this helps the audience see the direction of the footsteps, adding to this it helps show that the protagonists is backed up into a wall which emphasises a sense of claustrophobia and peril. The high angle itself also displays Radcliffe as weak and vulnerable. The position of Radcliffe in the left third leaves empty space to the right of the screen. This empty space leads the audience to believe that something may jump out at any time, this has an exhilarating effect on the audience and is common in horror films.

This is a screen shot of a canted, low angle mid-shot. The shot of the protagonist looking backwards gives the impression that somebody is hunting him. The very concept of this is common for a horror film because this installs fear in character and therefore the audience. The canted lower angle mid-shot connotes a first person view point of the attacker, this type of shot is sure to thrill the audience because it builds suspense as to whether this attacker will claim its victim or whether the victim will escape. This perspective also allows the audience to see the fear on the protagonists face. All of these aspects help the film become a more exhilarating experience.

Mise-en-scene (Setting)

This is an extreme wide shot; it helps display the isolation of the setting and the vast, open beach like plains. It has become clear that the protagonist is from London this suggests that this sparsely populated, rural environment is well beyond his comfort zone of the city. The grey and black colours of the landscape create a bleak and unsettling feel to the location. This type setting is conventional in horror films. This shot has also been positioned so the audience can see the woodland area in the distance, because this seems to be the only feature on the landscape it causes this object to seem very ominous. The view from behind the car also emphasises the long, winding road they are traveling on. Once again, this displays how isolated the destination is and how far it is away from civilisation. This adds to the terrifying concept of this film.

Mise-en-scene (Props)

The props featured in this shot are axe and a candle. These objects imply several things. To begin with the candle indicates the kind of era this film is based in, one that may be Victorian or

Edwardian. Candles are a common prop in stereotypical horrors, they have gothic sinister connotations, adding to this tension can be built easily if the candle is extinguished and the victim is suddenly put in darkness. The axe also has connotations of gory violence, often associated with horror. These sorts of blunt force weapons very conventional for the genre. Furthermore they indicate that the protagonist is obviously scared and has trying to defend himself against this unnatural force.

Mise-en-scene (Lighting)

This mid-shot features very harsh, high key white light is cast over the majority of Radcliffe’s face. This harsh light washes out the right side of his features, while at the same time the left side of each feature is put in shadow. As a whole this creates a “deer caught in headlights” effect, because the lighting exposes his frightened expression to the audience. This high-key lighting is of great contrast to the low-key lighting that is used for most of the trailer, so because of this it makes the audience want to know what is casting this light; this creates suspense.

Mise-en-scene (costume)

The costume worn by Radcliffe once again reflect the archaic, perhaps Victorian era within which this is set. The dark, black coat and the majority of his attire is in fact black. This colour of clothing has connotations of a funeral or death. As a result of this it ties in effectively with the negative and horrific events that this character is subjected to. This dark colour is very conventional for the genre because of the explained connotations that it carries.

The audience may interpret different connotations from the white gowns worn by these children. White has implications of purity and peace, so this can be contrasted with the black costume worn by Radcliffe. Having said this the vacant unnerving expressions on the faces of the three children suggest that they are sinister in some way, or antagonists. The blank expressions and white gowns conflict with each other because the costumes create an innocent looking character however the expressions display that they are evil.

Editing

The cut from this shot of a crude grave to Radcliffe face implies some aspects about the character and plot. The first cut of the grave is very stereotypical for this genre because graves and monuments of similar purpose are often key to establishing a chilling atmosphere that is common in horror. The fact that this shot has been used in the trailer suggests that the grave itself may be pivotal to the narrative of the film. This also suggests that the protagonist is heading into a place of great danger. Furthermore this also indicates an obvious representation of death in the trailer.

The second cut to the concerned expression of Radcliffe as he sees the cross shows that he may be regretting where he is heading to because of the very negative denotations that a grave has. Adding to this it also sets up the concept that the destination he is heading to may also be very dangerous. The shallow focus also helps us see Radcliffe’s expression. Adding to this the cut from these shots is very slow; this allows the audience to take in the setting. This technique also builds tension.

The first shot is a mid shot of Radcliffe lighting a match, the camera lingers on the lighting of the match. This is very tense because the audience is almost lulled in to a sense of ease through the simple action of lighting a match however a jump scare is achieved when a very fast cut to the over the shoulder shot of the dead child covered in mud. The sudden cut to this frightening character is what makes the audience jump. This effective technique is almost always employed in horror. It also makes for a more exciting experience. The light from the match also helps shadow and light up the boy’s face, making him seem even more terrifying.

The next two cuts demonstrate the power of the three girls in the second cut. The first cut however is a close up of one of the children stepping on a doll. This very odd because you would not expect a child to step on their own possessions. Having said this, from this shot the audience can deduce that these three characters are not who they seem to be and that they are sinister. It is not uncommon for children to feature as antagonists in a horror film. They are often used as evil characters because children are considered to be innocent and kind; using them as evil beings breaks this convention and this is why it’s effective.

Sound

During these two scenes of this trailer a harp is playing gently in the background, the harp helps to emphasise the mysterious house and its setting, the establishing shot through the trees also shows this house in a mysterious light. This music is slow and becomes more complex as the trailer progresses. This progression builds tensions and anticipation for the rest of the trailer.

Once Radcliffe enters the house the harp stops and a deeper violin begins playing. This helps to signify that at this point in the trailer the, the setting has taken a darker turn. This music stops completely as Radcliffe spins the zoetrope, only this machine’s clicking can be heard. This use of silence is extremely common in horror films, because it is often used just before a jump scare or to just build tension.

This mid-shot of three people uses a sound that is one of the most conventional diegetic sounds in horror, a scream. This sound signifies that something terrifying has happened or a distressing event has happened. A scream punctuates events in the trailer and helps the audience connect with the emotional distress of the characters involved. This connection with the audience is what makes it effective.