MISE-EN-SCENEHORROR MOVIE – TRAILER ANALYSIS – THE WOMEN IN

BLACK AND THE CONJURING

MISE-EN-SCENETHE WOMEN IN BLACK (2012)

SETTING

The mise-en-scene is a extremely important part of the trailer, this is because it gives the audience the idea of what this film can

bring based on the mise-en-scene. Throughout the whole trailer of the Women In Black, mise-en-scene is a constantly used

throughout the whole trailer. All the scenes involved in the trailer do not give a false sense of belief. For example, the first shot

when Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) walks up to the manner, the mise-en-scene used in the trailer show the thoughts of what

audience would think a haunted manner would look like. With the overgrown garden, shattered gates, the trailer has tried to get

across the idea of a haunted house through the mise-en-scene. With this the audience are also not given a false idea at the start of the

trailer because through the use of the scenery, there is no use of a normal happy lifestyle like many other horror movie trailers. This

film wants to get straight to the point and they get this across through the mise-en-scene.

Below are the examples that I have pulled out from the trailer, again, you can see the idea of the abandoned manner through the

mise-en-scene. By using these different features in the trailer, the audience already get a shiver down the back of their neck because

of the props and ideas taken for the trailer. This is something, that should be taken on in our horror movie trailer because we as a

group want to frighten the audience and make them get the fright on the back our neck. If we are able to achieve this in our trailer

then we know that we have succeeded in our attempt to get straight to the point.

MISE-EN-SCENETHE WOMEN IN BLACK (2012)

VULNERABLITY THROUGH SET DESIGN

Through the use of mise-en-scene, the trailer wants to use ancient and forgotten props to give that sense of vulnerability. By the use

of the staircase, us as a audience feel vulnerably and through the use of the different camera angles, we as a audience feel that we

are in Arthur Kipps’s shoes and that we are living the moment in the film. This is something that all trailer want to achieve because

they want you to feel as if you are actually there. If you then feel that you are there in the film then by the use of the mise-en-scene

a you as the audience feel vulnerably and have no power to what is happening around you in the film.

If the trailer could make you as audience feel more vulnerable, then I would like to see these moments filmed at night, if these

scenes were filmed at night then the audience would feel more vulnerable and afraid then they would be during daylight. Again,

these moments are shown very early on, this is because the film trailer wants to cut straight to the point and attract in their intended

audience. By the use of the rocking chair prop, we as a audience feel vulnerable because we as audience feel powerless to stop the

Women In Black and this is all achieved by the movement of the chair. If we as a group can give that sense of vulnerability in our

film trailer then we know that the audience feel part of the film. This is exactly what we want to achieve because we want the

audience to believe that they are part of the film. If we do not make the film vulnerable then audiences who watch the trailer will

show no interest in the film.

MISE-EN-SCENETHE WOMEN IN BLACK (2012)

PROPS + COSTUME

Costume and Props is a major use that has to be selected carefully, this is because the overall opinion and atmosphere in the film

trailer can be based on the props and costume used in the film trailer. By the use of the blacks and whites in the costume, the film is

trying to bring out the chilling nature of the film through the use of the costume and props used in the film trailer. By using basic

black and white clothing, the effect it gives off is amazing. This is because the basic use of costume fits in with the Victorian

scenery, however, the main effect the costume gives off if is that does not draw attention from the audience. The costume also fades

into the scenery and background of the film. The simple plain black and white may suggest that the white is the good of Arthur

Kipps. While the black gives off the sinful spirit of the Women In Black. By using these basic colours, the film trailer has tired to

showcase both sides of the two main characters through the use of the costume.

Again, the props used in the film are very basic, however, during the film trailer the props do come across as chilling and daunting.

This is the effect that the film tried to achieve because they wanted everything in the film trailer to come across as chilling and as

creepy as possible. By the use of cobwebs and dust the props used in the film immediately come across as a chilling item, this is all

just achieved by small works of art. Everything that is used in the trailer has been given that frightening effect. It we as a group can

follow this method that has been taken, we can also make everything in our horror film trailer come across a chilling and petrifying.

MISE-EN-SCENETHE CONJURING(2013)

SETTING (FALSE SENSE OF BELIEF)

When exploring the mise-en-scene in the 2013 super-natural hit – The Conjuring, we as a audience are given a false sense of belief,

this is because the film at the very beginning everything in the scene gives the sense of a normal family lifestyle. This has been

purposely done by the trailer to mislead their audience. Unlike the Women In Black trailer, this trailer has decided not to grab their

audience straight away. By the use of the boxes and well kept home, we as a audience get the idea that this is just a normal comedy

trailer that people will enjoy.

By the use of the setting, the trailer showcases the normal family life well, this is because as a trailer they want to mislead and

misjudge the audience opinion based on the opening moments. This is something, I would like to use and achieve when it comes to

creating our film trailer because I want to keep the audience guessing throughout the whole trailer. This is exactly what this trailer

wants to achieve through the setting. This is because it will keep your audience interested and will hopefully result in the audience

wanting more from the film. If we can do this in our horror movie trailer, then we know we have succeeded in trying to attract

audience because they will be guessing throughout the whole film and want that little bit extra to know more about the film then

they did before. As the makers of the trailer, we want to make the audience excited and by the use of different mise-en-scene we as

able to do this.

MISE-EN-SCENETHE CONJURING(2013)

POWERLESS THROUGH THE LIGHTING

During these moments of the horror movie trailer, the trailer wants to make the audience feel powerless. By the use of different

mise-en-scene moments, we as a audience feel exactly the way that the people involved in the film feel. The different types of

lighting gives a sense of powerless. The use of the lighting prop does make the audience watching the trailer scarred of what is

coming next. If we as a group can achieve this in the creation of our trailer then we know that we have created a horror movie

trailer. By making the audience feel powerless, we know that through these feelings we have attracted our audience and make the

audience want to see more of the film.

By the use of the different lighting, the mise-en-scene used in this trailer backs up previous moments by making the trailer seem

more chilling to the audience. By the use of the dark lighting, the audience quickly feel part of the story that is happening in the

trailer. The dark lighting used in the trailer gives a sense of powerless human beings who are frightened. This is exactly what the

trailer want to achieve from the audience. If we to use their idea then I would filming most of the film in the dark, this is so the

audience feel more powerless then they would do during daylight. However, because of the use of average film equipment we are

unable to make the film as powerful as the Conjuring has. The lighting props used in the film are also props that we do not have

available in the making of our film.

MISE-EN-SCENETHE WOMEN IN BLACK (2012)

THE CONJURING(2013)

Overall, during the whole two horror movie trailers, both films have taken very different routes to attract their audience into the film

trailer. For example, the Women In Black does not waste any time in attracting their audience, the producers of the trailer have

dragged their audience to the scene without any moments where everything is fine. However, in The Conjuring trailer, the producers

of the trailer have made out that everything is fine and normal. The difference between the two, is that The Conjuring has taken

time before it has found its proper audience unlike The Women In Black.

When comparing the lighting, props and costumes. Straight away us as audience notice that both films are using the basic lighting

to give that chilling effect that dark lighting creates. However, the props and clothing does differ to suit the era that the event took

place in. For example, the Women In Black has gone with the Victorian outfit and lit candle to suit the era. While The Conjuring has

gone with the outfit and props that would suit their time period. This is a obvious choice made by the creator of the film because it

would not work as a whole if the costume was wrong. Finally, both films have used the lighting effect to get across the idea of a

chilling and frightening scenery . With the simple lighting effects, the effect it brings out is amazing because our body language

changes by the simple change of day lighting. If some scenes were in the middle of the day then our body language changes

dramatically compared to our body language when the scenes are at night.