The Conjuring 2 Trailer

Release: 26th March 2016

Length: 2:46
Film Age Rating: 15
Film Synopsis: “In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren
come out of a self-imposed sabbatical to travel to Enfield, a borough in north London. There,
they meet Peggy Hodgson, an overwhelmed single mother of four who tells the couple that
something evil is in her home. Ed and Lorraine believe her story when the youngest
daughter starts to show signs of demonic possession. As the Warrens try to help the
besieged girl, they become the next targets of the malicious spirit.”

Analysis
At the start of this trailer we can straight away hear the dialogue with the use of scary non
diegetic sound to build the suspense for the audience which is conventional for a horror film
trailer. The audience can also see the credits at the start of the film which indicates to the
audience of the production companies that made this
film which were Warner Bros and also New Line
Cinema. Then we see the first shot of the trailer
which we can see is a birds eye view shot of 3
people listening to a tape which is where the start of
the actual film takes place and this is conventional to
conveying a horror film trailer well. After this
sequence of shots around at the start we see the
use of cross cutting between shots and the audience
can also hear the non diegetic sound get louder which signifies the danger that is about to
occur as Ed and Lorrane make their way to this haunted house. The use of quick editing
transitions between shots is conventional to horror film trailers as this builds tension for the
audience in trailers and also keeps them engaged and wanting to watch further.

We then see a medium long shot of an abandoned room to which we can see the mise en
scene used very well as the audience can see this low key lit room which conveys the horror
genre well and builds up suspense for the audience but they can also see such things as
bed frames and wardrobes barricading the windows,
paintings hanging off the walls, chairs thrown on the
floor, rubbish on the floor and burnt christmas
decorations near the fire. The mise en scene in this
shot in particular is used extremely well as it is
conventional to the horror genre and conveys the
genre extremely well. It then cuts to a quick shot of a
medium close up as the audience sees the little girl
scream in fear under the covers which is
conventional for a horror film to include close ups as it connotes emotion and also adds fear
into the audience which also conveys the horror genre well.
 The use of an extreme long shot used as we can see Lorrane and the girl outside talking to
each other but we can see the use of pathetic fallacy used in this shot as we can see it is
grey and cloudy which connotes the mood and this is further reinforced by there being no
leafs on the trees which suggest it is horrible and miserable. Pathetic fallacy is used as it is
conventional to a horror film as it signifies the genre well. The use of an over the shoulder
shot is used as we see the little girl in a room on her own to which it leads into a jumpscare
which is conventional to a horror as it not only signifies the genre well but it also leaves the
audience on edge. We could also hear the use of the non diegetic sound quicken during the
sequence of clips which is also conventional for a horror film trailer as a trailer's purpose is to
show small quick clips to engage the
audience. During the later stages of
the trailer we can see the pace of the
editing quicken too as we see the use
of quick fade to blacks being used for
a number of different shots which is
conventional for a horror trailer as
they use a variety of editing
transitions effectively. The audience
can also see the use of a dark colour
scheme used throughout the trailer
which is very conventional for a horror trailer as dark colours connote things such as death
and danger which signifies the horror genre well. Also throughout this trailer we can see
sequences of montages of clips not in chronological order as this is also conventional for a
horror film trailer as it shows the audience elements of the film with the most action to keep
the audience engaged. During the whole trailer we see the use of quick, short shots used as
this is conventional to a horror film trailer as they don’t want to give away spoilers to the
audience as this would not engage them to watch the film.
 Us Trailer

Release: 25th December 2018

Length: 2:34
Film Age Rating: 15
Film Synopsis: “Accompanied by her husband, son and daughter, Adelaide Wilson returns to
the beachfront home where she grew up as a child. Haunted by a traumatic experience from
the past, Adelaide grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. Her
worst fears soon become a reality when four masked strangers descend upon the house,
forcing the Wilsons into a fight for survival. When the masks come off, the family is horrified
to learn that each attacker takes the appearance of one of them.”

Analysis
Like the last trailer I looked at, this one is similar as we see the credits of the production
companies to which we see that Universal
and MonkeyPaw Productions funded this
film but it is conventional for a horror film
trailer as the credits are conventionally at
the beginning and end. We then see the
use of a voiceover at the start of the film
with the use of a tense non diegetic sound
which is conventional of a horror film as it
keeps the audience engaged in the trailer.
At the start of this trailer we can straight
away see that the pace of editing is quick as we see the use of short clips being used with
quick cuts which signifies the horror genre well as the use of fast paced editing keeps the
audience engaged and it is also conventional for a horror film trailer. It then cuts to two
medium close ups of people giving the camera direct address which has connotations to the
audience that they are directly looking at them which keeps the audience in suspense.

During this start of the trailer we see it cut

between normal life on the beach to a long
shot of people crowded round the fire with
this low key lighting which completely
juxtaposes compared to the high key lit
shot of the beach. We then see a mid shot
of the youngest son looking at this dodgy
man on the beach to which we can see
blood on his hand and we can also hear
the non diegetic sound get louder as the
young lad comes across this person which signifies to the audience that this is a big turning
point in the movie but it is also conventional to a horror film as it builds tension for the
audience.
It then cuts to a tracking shot of a shadow walking to the families house with a pair of
scissors in his hand which has connotations of danger with the use of the prop and also the
use of low key lighting which is conventional to a horror film trailer as it signifies the genre
well. It then cuts to a use of a wide range of
shots as the audience sees the other family
make their way towards the other family's
house to which we also hear the non
diegetic sound increase and become more
suspenseful as this is conventional to a
horror film as it leaves the audience on the
edge of their seat. We see the use of a
montage during the sequence of clips of the
family breaking into the house to which the
pace of editing is quick as well as this is conventional for a trailer as it shows a lot of action
filled moments to keep the audience engaged. The mise en scene used in this trailer is done
well as we see the crabbing shot of the family lined up next to each other with the woman
coming towards her. The mise en scene is used well as we can see the prop of the scissors
again but this time it has blood on it which connotes death and signifies the genre well and
we also see the dead bodies on floor which further signifies the genre well. During the whole
trailer we see the use of quick, short shots used as this is conventional to a horror film trailer
as they don’t want to give away spoilers to the audience as this would not engage them to
watch the film.

Annabelle Trailer

Release: 21st October 2014

Length: 2:59
Film Age Rating: 15
Film Synopsis: “John Form (Ward Horton) thinks he's found the perfect gift for his expectant
wife, Mia (Annabelle Wallis) : a vintage doll in a beautiful white dress. However, the couple's
delight doesn't last long: One terrible night, devil worshippers invade their home and launch
a violent attack against the couple. When the cultists try to summon a demon, they smear a
bloody rune on the nursery wall and drip blood on Mia's doll, thereby turning the former
object of beauty into a conduit for ultimate evil.”

Analysis
This trailer starts off with an establishing of a house with the use of low key lighting which is
conventional for a horror film trailer as the use of low key lighting signifies the genre of a
horror well and also keeps the audience in suspense. Also at the start of the horror trailer we
see the use of quick paced editing as we
see the couple go and search what is
going on in the house next door. The use
of the non diegetic sound is used as we
see an over the shoulder shot of the man
running out of the neighbours house
covered in blood which is conventional for
a horror film poster as the use of the
iconography of the blood and the low key
lighting signifies the genre well. The use of
the non diegetic sound is also conventional as it keeps the audience in suspense and also
engages them to watch the rest of the film trailer. We see the use of a mid shot being used
as the audience sees a woman in the couples house with a doll in her arms but the mise en
scene of the low key lighting around the woman as well as the prop of the doll in her hands
is conventional to the horror genre as it signifies the genre well.

It then cuts to a fast paced editing as we see different transitions used as the couple fight off
this woman and woman who are trying to kill them. The use of this editing style is
conventional for the horror genre as it keeps the audience in suspense and also conveys the
genre of horror well. The use of a close up as we see blood drip onto the doll's head
connotes to the audience that that the doll
is a key part in the film and also connotes
the danger that the doll may cause. It then
cuts to the credits for the film companies
that are producing this film which are
Warner Bros and also New Line Cinema
which is conventional for a horror film
trailer. It then cuts a slow zoom in on
Annabelle as the doll gives direct address
into the camera which has connotations to
the audience that the doll is looking at
them which makes the audience on edge and builds up the tension for the horror film trailer.
The exaggerated out effects of the clock ticking and the door creaking shut are used as this
has connotations to the audience that the doll is doing these actions but the use of these
exaggerated sound effects is conventional to a horror film trailer as it leaves the audience on
the edge of their seats and builds up tension which is the main purpose for a horror film
trailer. The audience can hear the use of a soundtrack being used which juxtaposes to what
is happening in the trailer especially in the long shot where we see the woman asleep and
then a figure in the back walking across which has connotations of the horror genre and is
also conventional to a horror film trailer.

It then cuts to a shot reverse shot of a close up of the Annabelle doll's face and also a close
up of the woman's hands sowing which
later foreshadows that the woman will
end up hurting herself. We can also hear
the use of the non diegetic sound being
increased which is conventional of a
horror film poster as it builds tension for
the audience. Towards the end of the
Annabelle trailer we see the pace of the
editing quicken and also the sound of
the non diegetic sound also quickens in
pace which matches the pace of the
editing. This is conventional to a horror film trailer as it keeps the audience engaged and
makes them want to carry on watching further. During the whole trailer we see the use of
quick, short shots used as this is conventional to a horror film trailer as they don’t want to
give away spoilers to the audience as this would not engage them to watch the film.