Detailed Analysis of The Conjuring

Camerawork

Within the trailer there are a number of different elements of camerawork which help to successfully convey the genre of horror. To begin with, there is a handheld shot at the start of the trailer. This is used to introduce the two characters of the ‘Warrens’. The use of the handheld camera shot, makes the video being shown seem more personal and helps the audience to connect to the two characters before the trailer even begins. It also shows the fact that they are ‘ghost hunters’. The handheld camera shot makes is conventional to horror as it makes the shot more eerie and also is more distorted so the audience wonders what is going on in the shot. There is also a feature of tracking up the stairs in the trailer. This builds tension for the audience as they don’t know what is going or what the two characters are approaching. The use of tracking creates tension and also shows the characters in action. This is conventional for the horror trailer as the aim of the trailer is to create

tension and to entice the audience into watching the film. There is a range of close ups of different things within the trailer, such as the clock and the photo frame, as well as the faces of the characters within the trailer to capture their emotion. This is conventional for a horror film as the audience don’t completely understand what is going on. The close-ups on the characters faces clearly show the characters as frightened and clearly disturbed by

something going on within the house. This then results in the audience also being scared by seeing the fact that the characters are clearly scared. The use of close-ups allows the audience to only focus on the things within in the shot, such as the scared face of the child. This builds tension and also creates speculation about what is going on inside the house. Finally there is a range of wide shots. The most distinctive wide shot is halfway through the trailer showing the two ‘Warrens’ outside near a tree. The wide shot clearly shows how isolated the house is from anything else. Showing the eerie tree within the shot to add to the tension and set the scary scene for the horror genre.

Editing

There is a range of different editing techniques which are used to successfully convey the genre of horror to the audience. Firstly, fast-pace editing between the scenes. The rapid pace of the different scenes helps to create tension and conveys the plot to the audience. This is conventional for a horror

trailer as the creation of tension is what is wanted from the audience to further entice them to watch the film. There is the use of cross cutting within the trailer to clearly show all of the children in bed asleep. The fact that this editing technique is used, is to show the audience different things happening at a simulotaneous time. This creates even more tension within the trailer due to the fact that thre audience don’t knpow what is coming next. This succesfully conveys the genre to the audience as the creation of tension is very prominent within this trailer. At the end of the trailer there is a number of shots and scenes which have been quickened. This makes the trailer seemed rushed and leaves the audience wanting more.

It also gives the trailer a climax just before it ends so that the audience want to come back and know more. It also allows different scenes to be shown in a short period of time. This is conventional of a horror trailer as the speeding up of the scenes makes the audience have a build up of strain whilst watching the trailer.

Sound

At the beginning of the trailer there is a little girls laugh, which is an assynchronous sound. This is conventional for a horror film, due to the fact the audience isn’t supposed to know everything that is going on. The use of the child laugh also adds more tension to the scene. The sound is uncanny and the way of taking something innocent and manipulating the sounds makes the audience even more tense that before. At the beginning of the trailer there is calm country music when introducing the two characters. This sound is then interupted by a clicking clock. This is a clear indicator that the mood is about to change. The music followed is filled with thudding and smashing and is more of a constant low drowning noise rather than music. Finally towards the end of the trailer there is a moment of silence within the trailer. This is very common in horror film trailers and makes the audience wonder why the sound has gone silent. The use of lots of sound followed by no sound creates tension. The music is conventional to the horror genre as it is creating tension.

Mise en Scene

The majority of the lighting throughout the trailer is low key lighting to set a dark environment. This connotes danger and also conveys the genre of horror. The only other lighting is natural lighting. The majority of the scenes are set in the house where it is unnaturally dark. The costumes of the characters within the extract are also quite plain. They are also old-fashioned which is common among horror films as the majority of them are set in the past. There is a clear contrast within the trailer of how the

mise en scene is used. There is a close up shot of a family picture where the family are all smiling and in slightly brighter colours with big smiles and a blue sky background, then there is another shot of the family all upset and wearing darker clothing which clearly connotes the mood has changed. This immediately conveys the genre of horror due to the sudden change of mood. The use of darker costumes also connote danger and sadness within the family. The lack of props is also a good use of mise en scene. It makes it look although the family are empty much like the house due to the demon being within the walls of their home.

Conventions of Genre

Within horror film trailers there are multiple reoccurring camerawork and mise en scene used to create conventions of genre. It is conventional for there to be tracking to create suspension and tension within a trailer. Close-ups are extremely conventional for this genre as it shows the emotion of the characters within the trailer and makes the audience sympathise for them. Wide shot and establishing shots are also conventional within trailers for the horror genre as they tend to show how alone something is, for example the establishing shot within The Conjuring trailer clearly shows the house is in the middle of nowhere. Diegetic and non-diegetic sound creates more suspension and realism for the audience due to the fact that they wonder where certain sounds are coming from. Loud low pitch noises are conventional within horror film trailers. A moment of silence towards the end of the trailer with just one character speaking or doing something seems to be typical among horror film trailers. The fade to black at the end and then followed by the cinema release date is also conventional as it creates suspense for the audience as they don’t know what is coming next and are left on a climax note enticing them to go to the cinema and watch the film. Mise en scene is used to contribute to the dramatic tension throughout horror film trailers. Low-key lighting is conventional along with no much use of props. Plain and dark houses seem eerie and mysterious and are a favourite among horror film trailers. The costumes of the characters are typically and conventionally black to connote danger and sadness. The settings of horror films differs but are normally centred on a house or a town of some sort. Conventional editing includes fast pace editing and shot reverse shot to show two characters having a conversation. There is also crosscutting to add to the tension of what is going to happen next. The fast pace editing within a horror trailer helps to create tension. There is a quickened up pace towards the end of horror trailers usually to leave the audience at a climax to encourage them to see the film.

Conventions of form

Conventionally trailers last 3-4 minutes long and help the audience to see the plot of the film. The trailers include editing and fade-outs. The camerawork is a range of shot types, especially close-ups and mid-shots. There is often a period at the start of the trailer where the setting is shown. Voice overs are very popular and conventional for all trailers. They add the cinema-effect to the trailer and help the audience to gain information about the film. The trailer always contains the age rating and also the key dates of when the film is being released., often there is also a social media page, such as Facebook that the audience can follow and be informed about the film. Lighting type is dependent on the genre of the trailer, for example romance is likely to have high key lighting in contrast to horror with very low-key lighting. The ellipsis of time is essential in a trailer as it gives the brief outline of a film. Showing different periods of time, usually the beginning and then the middle leaves the audience wanting to watch it to see the end. The typical happy beginning followed by the problematic middle with no showing of the end leave the audience wanting more and no matter what the genre, trailers tend to leave the audience on a climax to try and entice them back.