Post on 12-Jan-2015
description
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4
Trailer analysis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Xn2JqH5ng
PLOT
Paranormal activity 4 follows the same layout and structure as all of the previous paranormal Activity’s. This is a
home video that focuses on the families everyday life. At the start of the trailer we see the daughter and her
boyfriend together in the house, the mum and the little boy ‘Hunter’ this gives us familiarity with the characters.
We later see a chandelier fall from the wall and then a cut to hunter, this gives us the impression that he will be
responsible for bad things later to come. We see that hunters mum is going to be looking after their neighbours son
‘Robbie’ while his mum and dad are away. We then see Hunters name written on the wall and we start to wonder if
he is linked in with the actions that are happening around the house. We see a little boy go into his sisters room
and just stare at her. And then him standing in complete darkness with small lights everywhere and then a blur go
past him. We start to question if it is hunter or Robbie that is responsible for these actions. We then start to
wonder if the blur was a spirit and if so, why was it near hunter. They later find a symbol that has been written in
the sand which hunter has done and they decide to research it to see what it means. Then later on the cover is
taken away from the girl in the bed and she starts to float in mid air and hunter is in the background. We then can
confirm our first idea that hunter is causing these occurrences to happen as he is always around when they happen.
The camera then starts to become kinetic and a boy is dragged under the water when he’s in the bath. We get to
see the girl running and being dragged as she tries to run away, we can now tell that she is the main victim.
WHAT I ANALYSED
Throughout watching Paranormal activity 4 trailer, me and
my group were able to determine there were about 65 edits
in total.
There was 1 environment featured in the whole trailer
There were 14 close ups used
There was a quick pace of editing towards the end
Character types include (Girl) who was the victim, helper
that was the boyfriend and the possessed spirit/boy.
OTHER FEATURES
The title is shown at end of trailer for suspense and for recognition of the film
Paramount logo at end of trailer in last frame
Release date at end of trailer
Reverse scream, dark atmosphere, we recognise horror genre from previous sequels,
unstable camera movements
There is no mention of who is starring in it as there is no one famous in it as it is a
home documentary
Also this may be because there have been previous films and this sequel includes
some of the same characters
‘Katie and hunters whereabouts remained unknown, until now’ this shows us that
actions happened that we weren’t supposed to know about.
‘This October’ this is written to let the audience know when this film is coming out
‘Its closer than you think’ this is a statement trying to terrify the audience.
‘It has all lead to this’ This is the final sentence in the trail and it concludes all of the
things that have been happening.
There is no voice over in paranormal activity 4, I think this is because all we
need to know is expressed through the characters featuring in the trailer. Also
because this is a home documentary, the trailer is meant to come across as if it
has been taking straight of a camera with nothing added in.
At the end of the paranormal activity 4 trailer it says ‘see it everywhere, October
19th’ so we get the title and when it is released in cinemas.
The unique selling point in paranormal activity is that it is a home documentary,
this make it different from other trailers that are purposely filmed. It also makes
us more scared because we are able to relate to it as it is filmed in someone's
house and based on a true story.
This film was made by Paramount pictures
OTHER FEATURES
WHAT WE SEE/EXPECT
Paranormal Activity 4 is an American supernatural horror film. In
horror films we expect to see a possession of some kind,
paranormal and a night time atmosphere when disturbances occur.
Suspense, supernatural events from the film, characters
Contrast between calm and dangerous action
Disorientated scenes
Follows narrative structure
Quick pace of editing when action takes place
HORROR CONVENTIONS
Darkness
Evil spirit
Bangs
Destruction of objects
People being hurt
Child
Concerned parents
Creak of doors
HOW IT FITS THE GENRE
Paranormal activity fits the supernatural genre
very well. This film has a vulnerable boy in it who is
about 6 years old. He is the main target and this
meets our expectations as we expect to see a young
child become the victim as they are more vulnerable.
Also most of the spiritual activity occurs at night
time.
When hunters standing at the top of the stairs when the
chandelier falls, he has a black jacket on, black signifies evil and
this is what gives is the impression evil things are going to happen
because of him. When Hunter is in the darkness in the lounge you
see him in white, this is portraying how young and innocent he is.
This contrasts with out initial thoughts of him. Then towards the
end when you see all the quick cuts to what's been happening, you
see hunter always in black or grey. Black and grey signify, death
and danger, these are what we the associate with him.
MIS-EN-SCENE
Immediately we can tell that this trailer is a ‘horror’ trailer because at the
start of the trailer we see a black blur on the camera which could represent the
paranormal. Shortly after this we hear a baby cry, we could then start to
develop a link that these too will be connected in some way. We then hear
police sirens which represent that something has happened, this leaves us
thinking ‘what’. We later see the chandelier in the lounge swinging and we hear
the beads on it rattling and then we hear a crash from the one in the hall that
has just fallen. This leads us to question whether this was an accident or done
purposely. When it is late at night and the little boy is in the lounge, we hear
him whispering back to his sisters questions. The fact that he is whispering
helps set the time of day and the atmosphere he is in. We then see something
go past him and this loud deep bang. When we see the girl in the bed we hear
low muffled whispers. Quick cuts are then shown of the events that are
happening in their lives along with screams and bangs representing these. The
trailer then ends with the girl breathing heavily and saying ‘omg’ then she
screams as she is dragged away, this lets us know that something negative has
happened.
SOUND