Trailer analysis of specific genre (horror) Haunting In Connecticut

Trailer Analysis of Specific Genre (Horror)

Trailer Analysis of Specific Genre (Horror)

By Nicole McClelland

Haunting in Connecticut

Starts with non- diegetic cheerful, Oklahoma music. Making the audience feel like theyre not about to watch a horror film. Voice over of what to be guessed as the main characters talking about their new home. Whilst this is happening straight cuts of nature, trees, greenery etc. are being shown again reiterating the peaceful almost country side style area. Straight cuts again showing the bond of the characters and that they are all happy with their new environment.

A long distance shot of the girl on her own cycling down a wood like path, this makes her look vulnerable which is then confirmed when the non-diegetic Oklahoma, country style music fades into an annoying fuzzing sound and the camera goes into slow motion of the girl looking to the side, a ghostly like woman appears by the trees, we, as the audience then see this through a point of view shot, from the girls perceptive. This makes us feel slightly uncomfortable as its more realistic, like we are in the little girls shoes. We after this it cuts straight into a black inset with words displaying based on a true story immediately making the audience more engaged to watch and being based on a true story makes it slightly more terrifying than if it was just a non-fictional horror film. Non-diegetic sound of a uneasy theme tune starts changing the atmosphere. Over the shoulder shot of the mother and child speaking on the bed related to the background theme sound of concern.

Close up of the girl along with her voice over of her experience is a good tactic and keeps the audience on edge, especially because of the vulnerability of the child in a woods, on her own. Point of view shot is seen of the girl looking at a tree swing from behind a tree trunk (depth of field used) still using this shot the girls then turns her head to the other side of the tree, the tree acts as a kind of inset, whilst this is happening a scary non diegetic sound, like a hawk is used to make the audience jump and prepare for a millisecond of whats going to happen next. A black ghostly gentleman is then morbidly swing on the swing. The background music is still going on as the point of view shot changes to a close up of the girls face, showing that she is frightened of what she has just seen. This relates to the majority of what the audience feels at that precise moment in time.Straight cut, black screen, opening to a black man talking. The males dialogue then tells the audience that this is where all the creepy stuff starts to come into play. A close up of writing on a a piece of wood is shown saying god bless the stationmaster this then tells the audience that the figures they had seen before where in fact ghosts and that there is an uneasy past to this area and house.Voice overs are being herd as the family are being told about the history of their new house. We then see a flash back, we know this because of the non- diegetic swooping sound relating to us going back in time, like us as an audience are present. The colour of the image is an orangey colour relating to the period of time. The editing of the particular part is very good and shown in an old style film with the fussy picture, the group shot off all the slaves turns to normal colour this could relate to their presence still being there.We then flick back to the father and the black guy talking to about the past history of what happened there an over the shoulder shot is used as well as a point of view shot to show maturity and the sincerity of the conversation. Non-diegetic sound is still being played but its a different tune like with the soft instrument of a triangle being hit, or like a baby harmony above a cot.

Straight cut, reverting to the past as the guy tells what happened to the station master, again with the orange tint. Close up of a man in a white hood, relating to the KKK, as its an adult film rated 15 the audience can more than likely not relate to this period of time in the USA and there resistance in the south to accept blacks. The hoods themselves are quite scary. Props like guns are shown also meaning that youre now going to see some sort of violent encounter.Point of view shot is used as if you were one of the KKK looking at the establishing shot of other members beating up the station master. The guns and fire have connotations of death, violence etc.. the sudden diegetic sound of the gun been struck at the station masters head makes the audience feel emotional as well as scared.As we are straight cutted into the next part of the past the sound turns to non-diegetic creating a jumpy atmosphere for the audience. The picture on screen then relates to this as its like its been shaken and disorientated making the audience feel as if there are feeling how the character who was beaten up felt. Black inset is again used to cut back to reality.

Extreme close up of a piano being played without a person makes the audience feel uneasy, the girls is talking over the diegetic sound of the piano. The next transition is a fade showing an over the shoulder shot of the girl and a woman. The girls dialogue has a direct effect on the audience when she says I see things straight cut to a mid-shot of the girl at night in a door way, suddenly a close up of a white figure walks across the screen and at the same time non diegetic music is boomed which makes the audience jump and stunned with terror. Point of view shot is used as the girl again comes across this white dressed, black woman in the house, her image is made more terrifying as the editing makes her flicker, like a light switch, this mess up what the audience is seeing and doesnt give them time to take in the stun that they have just encountered. This then directly links with the short cuts and the extreme close up of this womans hand on the piano. This tells the audience that the girl has some sort of supernatural gift. As the woman presses the one key on the piano a straight cut is used on a frames picture of the girl which suddenly cracks. This tells the audience that something bad is going to happen to the girl. Its like a kind of foreshadowing.

Mother is then trying to convince the child nothing is the matter, but the girls is certain its still there and extremely scared at the fact we see flickers of scenes with the girl and her mother alongside a short voice of the girl saying its still here momma, I can feel it

A full shot from behind walking back into the woods, at this point may confirm to the audience that something bad is about to happen to the child. This part of the trailer is where we see the most fades, showing that something is lurking in the woods almost. Close up of the back of the girls head and shoulder which then gets touched by a alooming arm, which then turns to black and white cleverly tells the audience that she has been touched by the dead, she then gasps in terror, but because it was sheer silence it again creates a jumpy atmosphere.A black inset is inserted saying The fear the audience can relate to this as its half way through the trailer and has more than likely made them jump at parts.Close up of the mother in distress and low lighting. This is where the heart of the trailer comes into view with the typical short cuts and suspense. Its night time and the father, running frantically with a variation of shorts showing his distress of not being able to find his child. A black inset is again shown saying returns.High angled shot of the girl down a dark hole makes the audience wonder what is going to happen to the girl. The distance of the girl from the light of her fathers touch is reversed and seems miles away; this makes us wonder as to whether the father will be able to get the girl out. A black inset is used further and then appears a mid-shot of the girl in her PJs with a deformed, decaying face with a spot light used , surrounded by darkness leads the audience to think that she could be dead.A collaboration of parts of the film then fluctuates, showing the confused characters, but at the same time engaging the audience by not giving away too much of the ending story line. Sincere, serious non diegetic music is used to help sustain the suspense and tension. After this the is a black screen, with a voice over from the girl saying I told you something bad happened here we then get shown the title of the film, almost like a poster for advertisement, with non-diegetic theme that was herd at the start of the trailer. After this one we are left with as an audience one last shockingly, scary jumpy bit to emphasise that you should go and see it. A black inset with the classic coming soonClick to edit Master title style

Click to edit Master text styles

Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level

Click to edit Master title style

Click to edit Master subtitle style



Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level





Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level


Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level




Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level



Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level




Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level



Click icon to add picture

















Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level



Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level

Trailer analysis of specific genre (horror) Haunting In Connecticut

Education

Transcript of Trailer analysis of specific genre (horror) Haunting In Connecticut