1. COMPARING &
CONTRASTING
HORROR
MOVIE
TRAILERSBlessing, Ella, Lizzy & Brittany

2. The trailers that we have looked
at…
Suicide Squad
Combines Gothic elements with
Horror
The Conjuring
Horror with Spiritual/Supernatural
and Horror aspects
The Boy
Psychological Horror
The Purge

3. The themes found in these trailers are used
to scare, thrill and entertain the audience.
Horror films centre around the strange,
forbidden and alarming events.
Typical Themes include:
Revenge, haunting, demons, exorcisms,
gore, serial killers, religious beliefs, and
ghosts.

4. The
Conjuring:
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=k10ETZ41q5o

5. The Boy:
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=X1U21VBSbSs

6. The Purge:
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=K0LLaybEuzA

7. Suicide
Squad:
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=PLLQK9la6Go

8. All of the trailers that we looked at showed
what ‘scary’ component of the film was,
without giving any of the main details
away.

9. SIMILARITIES IN
CAMERAWORK &
EDITING

10. Close-up
shots
Used to show character’s
expressions/emotions or a crucial
component of the film.

11. Low-angle
shots
Used to show who/what has the
upper-hand in the film

12. Long/Wide
shots
Used to show a location that
features in the film.

13. ‘The Sting’
• At the end of the trailer for The
Conjuring, a ‘sting’ is used.
• The "Sting" is the final few shots
shown after the title of the film right
at the end of the trailer.This is usually
the scariest part of the trailer as it
aims to shock the audience.Typically,
the music and pace of the trailer slows
down so that the audience can relax,
before being shocked at the end.

14. Editing:
• Throughout all four trailers, fast paced editing is used
to increase tension.
• However, this is sometimes contrasted with slow-
paced editing to keep the audience in suspense.

15. SIMILARITIES
IN LIGHTING

16. The Conjuring
Suicide Squad The Boy
The Purge
Throughout all four trailers, the majority of the lighting used is dark lighting – which builds
up tension.

17. Darkness connotes
danger
Bright but sharp
lighting.

18. Its used to capture
the genre

19. However, daylight was used to show that these films started
like any other day for the characters
• allowing the film to seem realistic
• Characters live normal lives

20. SIMILARITIES
IN SOUND

21. Diegetic sound
The diegetic sound or the rain is used to build tension and can be used
as pathetic fallacy to show the seriousness of the conversation that
the people are having
The doorbell sound is used to build tension and suspense.
Breaking glass from the photo frames are used to frighten the
audience and make them jump. Indicating that there is
something very wrong.
The creaking of the rocking chair makes the doll seem alive and
the situation a lot more real. Building tension and suspense.

22. Diegetic sound…
The seriousness of the conversation that the woman is having
with the two generals is shown through their hushed tones.
This clip shows the woman talking to the doll saying, “you
wouldn’t hurt me, would you brahms”, building tension and
suspense.
This scene show the hands which make a clapping noise and
then soon after her screaming, which can be heard by both the
character/actors and the audience- diegetic.
This clip show the man talking through a speaker, which makes
his voice sound almost broken building suspense.

23. SIMILARITIES
IN MISE-EN-
SCENE

24. Normal, every-
day locations
are used in all
four trailers –
however,
through the
use of lighting,
camera angles,
and sound
they are
turned into
sinister/scary
locations.
Settings:

25. Props:
Props are used throughout the
trailers to suggest what the film is
about/contains.
Props are also used to build tension
and therefore encourage the
audience viewing the trailer to go
and watch the film.

26. Costume:
With the exception of the costumes used in the Suicide Squad trailer, the costumes used
in the trailers that we looked at don’t give away the genre or what the film may be about.

27. Summary of the conventions found
in our trailers…
Dark lighting
Fast-paced editing, often contrasted with some slow-paced editing in
some sections
Tense Music
Graphics Shots/On ScreenText, used to build
tension and explain the plot
The use of props to hint at the film plot/what
the film revolves around
Establishing
Shots
Close-up
shots
Tempo of the music increases as
the trailer goes onPathetic fallacy to
evoke a ‘gloomy’ mood
The Sting

28. LOOKING AT THE
STRUCTURE OF
THE TRAILERS…

29. In the first 30 seconds…
The logos for the production companies involved in the film are shown Alongside the certification
rating screen

30. Introducing the Characters…
Ed &LorraineWarren, introduced at 0:03
The Conjuring:
All four trailers that we looked at differed in the length of time it took to introduce the main characters.
Carolyn Perron, introduced at 0:39 Photograph of the Perron Family (Carolyn,
Roger, Andrea, Nancy, Christine,Cindy, and
April) shown to introduce them and show that
the plot focuses around a family, shown at 0:44
The trailer for the Conjuring takes 44 seconds to introduce all of the main/important characters (the ones who can be
revealed without giving the plot away), so that the audience gets a clear idea of who the film revolves around.

31. Introducing the Characters…
Suicide Squad:
Compared to the trailer for The Conjuring, the Suicide Squad trailer takes longer to introduce
their main/important characters – this, however, keeps the audience on their toes for the whole
of the trailer as they watch out for new characters. The slow pace of the reveals also increases
the tension and suspense.
Amanda Walker, introduced at 0:06 Enchantress, introduced at 0:34 Harley Quinn, introduced at 1:03 El Diablo, introduced at 1:09
Deadshot, introduced at 1:15 Killer Croc, introduced at 1:21 Katana & Captain Boomerang, introduced
at 1:43
Rick Flagg, introduced at 1:44
The Joker, introduced at 2:43

32. Introducing the Characters…
The Boy
Greta, introduced at 0:12 Mrs Heelshire, seen at 0:13 Portrait shown at 0:17, gives the audience an
indication to who the main characters might be.
Malcolm, introduced at 0:19 Mr and Mrs Heelshire, introduced at 0:25 ‘The Boy’, introduced at 0:28
Like the trailer for The Conjuring, this trailer only takes 28 seconds to introduce all of it’s characters – this gives the audience a
chance to meet the characters before getting an idea of what the film is about.