The document provides a summary of Ellie Hamilton's intertext research on four horror films: The Grudge, Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, and Black Swan. For each film, it includes details about the film's plot, production studio, budget/box office gross, and analyses of the visual, audio, technical, action, and narrative codes used in each film's movie trailer. The document contains in-depth comparisons of how conventions are both followed and subverted across the four different trailers analyzed.

1. Ellie Hamilton

2. Contents
 Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge Pages 3-9
 Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal Activity Pages 10-16
 Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield Pages 17-23
 Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan Pages 24-30

3. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
About
“Karen Davis is an American Nurse
moves to Tokyo and encounter a
supernatural spirit who is vengeful and
often possesses its victims. A series of
horrifying and mysterious deaths start to
occur, with the spirit passing its curse
onto each victim. Karen must find away to
break the spell, before she becomes its
next victim.”
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj88_yq
lFMA

4. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
Institution
 Produced by Columbia Pictures and
Ghost House Pictures
 Released 24th October 2004
 Estimated budget of $10,000,000
 Grossed over $180,000,000

5. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
Visual Codes
This is the first intertext that I have looked at, it is the trailer for the
movie The Grudge. It is a fairly scary trailer and is a bit of a
psychological thriller. The colours used are very dark, lots of black
and pale blues, greys and white which contrast and so clearly
binary oppositions theory will be important to look at as it is very
evident here. The dark colours connote fear and danger and so the
audience immediately understand that it is scary, this is very
conventional of movies in this genre.
The dress codes for the trailer are casual Karen is wearing a jumper
or hoody and you don’t see her trousers this gives the audience the
impression that she is just going about her everyday life and so it is
a surprise when very abnormal things begin to happen.
The setting is predominantly the house that she is investigating, that
the previous deaths happened in and where the spirit of Kayako is.
The house becomes associated to death and fear for the audience
and they expect bad things to happen when she goes there.

6. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
Audio Codes
Audio is very important, it is used to build tension. It uses non-
diagetic sounds such as a cat meowing which has the effect of
fear on the audience as the connotations of cats are bad luck
and black magic, they are also very iconographic of these things
and the fact that it is non-diagetic because the boy makes the
very realistic meow sound is a very good use of non-diagetic
sound to scare the audience. The trailer uses a mix between
soundtrack and voice-over which is very effective in building
tension and making the audience feel involved in the trailer, it
sounds like the narrator whispering in their ear, this has the
effect of fear on the audience. This is also very conventional.

7. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
Technical Codes
There is a range of camera angles used but the
particularly effective ones are the low angle shot and the
extreme close-up of an eye showing a reflection on
what's happening, this gives the idea of seeing through
the eyes of the character and is an interesting and
unusual shot. It also begins with a very conventional
establishing shot that shows the setting, Tokyo. The
shots are edited together mostly with fast cuts between
the narrative shots and then fades are used when it
goes between narrative shots and information/text
shots. This builds tension but also gives the audience a
sense of confusion and panic. The trailer is fairly
effective in terms of scaring the audience but also
getting the audiences' interest.

8. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
Action Codes
The action codes for the trailer are often quite
quick, sharp, sudden movements. This is
because it along with the audio is very
effective in making the audience jump, and
scaring them. There is also the movement of
the background behind the text, it waves
diagonally across the screen and sort of looks
like hair blowing in the wind which is quite
iconographic of the film because of the girl
with long, dark, straggly hair.

9. Intertext Research 1 – The Grudge
Narrative Codes
The trailer follows a fairly linear narrative but with quick
flashbacks to the past when the original family lived there. It
follows Propp’s theory quite clearly, Karen Davis is the hero,
is the princess and Kayako is the villain. There are the rest of
Propp’s characters in the film but those are the ones that you
see in the trailer. They are very often seen as the most
important characters and so it is very conventional that they
are the ones you see in the trailer.
The trailer follows Todorov’s theory but also the conventions
of the genre because it shows the equilibrium briefly at the
beginning, then it shows the disruption and the recognition.
This is fairly representative of the film but without giving too
much away, although the film does spend a while on the
attempt to repair. It is quite conventional for films in this genre
to follow Todorov’s theory even if it has been manipulated.

10. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
About
“After a young, middle class
couple moves into a suburban
house, they become increasingly
disturbed by a presence that may
or may not be somehow demonic
but is certainly most active in the
middle of the night. Especially
when they sleep.”
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
F_UxLEqd074

11. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
Institution
 Produced by Blumhouse Productions
 UK released date 25th November 2009
 Estimated budget of $15,000
 Grossed almost $200,000,000

12. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
Visual Codes
The dress codes are very much everyday, casual clothes. This is
because the people they are filming are supposed to be average people
just going to the cinema. The people in the film are also dressed in
casual clothes such as jeans and t-shirts, this is conventional of
thriller/horror movies, this is because it is supposed to scare the
audience and make it feel like these things could happen to them and
therefore making it seem everyday allows to audience to identify with
the characters.
The lighting for the film looks natural, like the lighting that would exist in
the setting of a house because again it allows the audience to identify
with the characters but the lighting in the cinema is dark because it is
meant to look like a real cinema. The colours used are quite contrasting
and so you can easily apply binary oppositions, it has the effect of fear
on the audience because the lack of colour connotes fear and
darkness.
The setting is also very conventional as thriller/horror movies are often
based in houses but also often show mostly one location. But showing
the location of the cinema and people reactions is very unconventional.
It creates a lot of interest and so it required them to spend less on
marketing/advertising.

13. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
Audio Codes
The film uses mostly voice-overs that are diagetic but
not always synchronous. This has the effect on the
audience of making them feel like the characters are
talking directly to them and it makes them feel more
involved in the trailer and therefore the film seem
scarier.
It also uses sound effects that are diagetic such as
doors slamming or when the boyfriend is thrown into
the camera, this makes it seem more real and
therefore scarier also. It also uses some soundtrack
in the background, such as drum beats. These are
used to build tension in the trailer.

14. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
Technical Codes
The film looks to have low production values the
audience so identify with the characters and so they
feel involved in the movie and trailer and like it could
be them. The trailer looks like someone taking a
camera into the cinema and recording. The idea
behind the camera angles/shots and the editing is
that it makes the film seem much more realistic and
makes the story more believable to the audience and
therefore makes the film scarier.
The trailer uses lots of medium close-ups and
zooming shots, but the camera is not held steady it
looks like an amateur holding the camera because it
feels more real and the audience can identify.

15. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
Action Codes
The film also uses quite a lot of sharp,
sudden movements that go with the audio
and use of editing such as cuts. The trailer
ends quite suddenly with Micah being
thrown at the camera and so this has the
effect of fear on the audience. Sudden
movements, particularly if they start from
nowhere, can be very effective in making
the audience jump.

16. Intertext Research 2 – Paranormal
Activity
Narrative Codes
The trailer is unconventional because it is much more about
people's reactions to the movie than the movie itself it shows
quite a small amount of the movie, so it creates a lot of
enigma.
The trailer follows a fairly linear narrative, it also follows
Propp’s theory quite clearly, Katie is the hero, Micah is the
princess/helper and the psychic is the mentor.
The trailer follows Todorov’s theory but is quite
unconventional because it doesn’t just use clips from the film.
It shows the equilibrium of the people going to see the film
but also in the film itself. And it then show the disruption and
the recognition of the disruption which is when they start to
think something it in the house and when the people in the
cinema start to get scared. And then the attempt to repair
which is when they are talking to the psychic.

17. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
About
“Cloverfield follows five New Yorkers
from the perspective of a hand-held
video camera. The movie starts as a
monster of unknown origin destroys a
building. As the characters go to
investigate, parts of the building and the
head of the Statue of Liberty comes
raining down. The movie follows their
adventure trying to escape and save a
friend, a love interest of the main
character.”
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvNkG
m8mxiM

18. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
Institution
 Produced by Paramount Pictures
 UK release date 1st February 2008
 Estimated budget $25,000,000
 Grossed over $170,000,000

19. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
Visual Codes
The trailer is quite dark and fairly dimly lit this is because it is
supposed to look realistic like it is set in an apartment at nigh
and like it is filmed with just and hand-held camera which
would capture the lighting all that well. This makes it more
relatable for the target audience, and therefore scarier and
more appealing.
It is set in an apartment mostly, although they do go up on to
the roof as well. This is important to the narrative but also it is
again relatable for the target audience, it looks like very much
an average everyday setting, it is just people living their
normal lives which makes it scarier because the audience
can identify with the characters. So it also follows uses and
gratifications theory.
The dress codes fit in with the other visual codes and are
very conventional, they are dressed in clothes appropriate for
the setting and narrative such as going-out dresses and a
shirt and jeans. This connotes that they are just going about
living their normal lives.

20. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
Audio Codes
The trailer uses diagetic sound of people talking
and music, it doesn’t use a soundtrack, at all.
This makes it seem much more realistic and
scary, the noise is mostly people speaking or
screaming which along with the direct modes of
address makes the audience feel more involved
in the scene. This is quite unconventional, to use
entirely diagetic and pretty much entirely
synchronous audio throughout the entire trailer,
so it comes as a shock to the audience and
makes the whole trailer seem much more realistic
and scary.

21. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
Technical Codes
The trailer uses a lot of medium close-ups which is very
conventional but again makes it look more amateur. It
also uses some panning shots but they are not steady
shots, they are a bit shaky this makes the film look like it
has low production value and the lack of use of steady
shots makes the audience feel more involved in the film
and allows them to identify with the characters.
The trailer uses entirely cuts, this is so that it looks more
amateur but also so that it doesn’t detract from more
important things in the shot. Some of the editing uses
cuts but with brief gaps in between the shots. This
builds tension and confusion because the camera jumps
about all over the place and so the audience don’t
understand what is going on, which makes it scarier.

22. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
Action Codes
When the rocks start flying at the characters
from the sky they all start to run across the
roof and down the stairs, this shows their
urgency and so the audience understands
that they must be afraid, they are also running
frantically which suggests urgency, this fear is
passed onto the audience. Then later on in
the street lots and lots of people are running
across the shot, this adds to the idea of panic
which is mimicked by the audience.

23. Intertext Research 3 – Cloverfield
Narrative Codes
The trailer follows an almost entirely linear narrative to the point
where it just shows pretty much one part of the film continuously. All
apart from the very end after its shown a small part of the credits it
cuts back to obviously before the party because one of the guests
says “Tonight’s gunna be the best night ever.” as the audience you
know this isn't true because you’ve already seen what is going to
happen and so it is scarier for the audience because they can
identify with the character, they can imagine it happening to them.
The trailer seems to follow at least part of Propp’s theory which is
very conventional, the hero is Rob and the princess is Beth and
then there are a number of characters who play the role of helper:
Hud, Jason, Lily and Marlena. It is fairly unconventional for a film in
this genre to have quite so many important characters, they
generally have fewer main characters, but this just makes it more
interesting for the audience.
The trailer also follows Todorov’s theory, it show the equilibrium, the
disruption and the recognition. These are when everyone is at the
party and they are all happy and having fun; then when they feel
the earthquakes and they go onto the roof and see the disaster in
the city; and finally when they all start to panic and run out into the
street.

24. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
About:
A ballet dancer wins the lead in
"Swan Lake" and is perfect for
the role of the delicate White
Swan - Princess Odette - but
slowly loses her mind as she
becomes more and more like
Odile, the Black Swan.
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5jaI1XOB-bs

25. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
Institution
 Produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures
 UK release date 21st January 2010
 Estimated budget $13,000,000
 Grossed over $100,000,000

26. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
Visual Codes
The trailer is quite well lit and bright but uses a lot of dark colours such as black
and grey these connote evil and darkness. But then it uses soft, pale colours
iconographic of ballet such as pale pink and white. These colours connote good
and purity. It follows the theory of binary oppositions as there is lots of conflict
visual and conceptual and the conceptual conflicts are represented a lot through
colour. The contrast of white and pale pink with black is fairly unconventional
and comes as quite a shock to the audience as usually darker colours are used
more. The connotations of the colours used are very important and they become
easily recognised by the audience as representing good and evil.
The dress codes are in line with the colours used they are mostly dressed in
pale pink/white and black. Nina is shown in the beginning of the trailer in pale
pink/white but as the trailer goes on she is shown in increasing amounts of black
and Lily is shown in black, these colours correspond with the audience’s feeling
towards the characters based on the connotations of the different colours.
The trailer is set mostly in the ballet studio, it is not only because of its
importance as part of the narrative but also because of the various connotations
of it and how it is also so iconographic. Ballet and ballet studio’s represent
tradition, femininity but also purity as it is widely considered to be one of the
purest art forms and so the contrast between that and the evil surrounding it,
makes it fascinating and terrifying for the audience.

27. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
Audio Codes
The trailer uses a mix between a soundtrack and voice
over, which is sometimes diagetic and sometimes non-
diagetic. The sound track uses a variety of instruments
but one that stands out particularly is a violin, it creates
very pure notes but with a quite sinister edge to them. It
is very effective in creating fear in the audience.
The soundtrack is also used to build tension very
effectively, by fading in and out. It also uses sounds that
sound a bit like a gust of wind but in a context in which
they don’t fit this can be very scary and suggests the
idea of spirits moving around. And it uses lots of people
whispering over the top of each other to create a
sinister effect. All of this has the effect of fear on the
audience.

28. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
Technical Codes
The trailer uses a variety of very interesting shots
very effectively. There is an extreme close-ups of
her ballet shoes, this is effective because they
are so important, so iconographic. Another
extremely effective shot/use of special effects is
the one where she is looking away from the
mirror behind her and her reflection turns around.
This is not only scary, but further suggests the
idea of madness.
The shots are edited together using mostly cuts
but with some fades, this builds tension and is
very conventional of films in this genre.

29. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
Action Codes
At the beginning of the trailer the
movements are all very soft and graceful
but as it goes on and Nina goes
increasingly mad, her movements become
faster and more panicked, she begins to
run at various points and the feeling of out-
of control is passed on to the audience
making the trailer scarier.

30. Intertext Research 4 – Black Swan
Narrative Codes
The trailer follows to an extent Propp’s theory but it has been
manipulated and it is very complicated because the
characters seem to change rolls within the film Nina begins
as very much the hero but as it progresses she becomes the
villain and Lily goes from being the helper, to the villain, to
the hero. Then Thomas is the mentor and then the princess
and her mother is the dispatcher. And so the lines between
the character roles are very blurred. It is conventional for a
psychological thriller to do this, but perhaps not to the
extreme that it is done in this film.
The trailer also follows Todorov’s theory and shows the
equilibrium, when Nina has got the part of Odette and she is
happy; then the disruption is when Lily comes along and
things start going wrong and Lily becomes Nina’s alternate;
the recognition is when she start to realise she is going
slightly mad.