Through exploring contemporary horror trailers i have noticed that many of them follow typical conventions of the horror genre. Each trailer uses the same editing techniques in terms of fast cuts, non-diegetic sounds, variety of camera shots and many of them follow contemporary stereotypes typically with social status, age and gender.
Here is just a short list of my findings:
- Horror trailers have a non diegetic backing track that add tension, pace and atmosphere the trailer. Non diegetic backing track is usually of an orchestral nature adding a sense of "creepiness" to the trailer. Diegetic is often a narration or some sort of screaming or whispering aiding an atmosphere.
- Each trailer starts off slow with a happy beginning then they get in to a predicament.
- Fast paced editing such as jump cutting, dissolves and fades are commonly used to merge scenes, add pace and atmosphere to the trailer.
- Females are commonly used as the vulnerable characters.
- Variety of representations of males, some are evil, some are good.
- Variety of camera shots used to get all perspectives in the predicament. Panning is a common camera angle used as well as camera shots of extreme close up, close ups and long shots.
- Gore and blood is a common theme.
- Horror films/trailer always follow media theories such as the Gratifications theory. For example offering entertainment and social interaction.
- Iconography is constantly used so that the audience know that they are watching the horror genre.
There are many more but these are the most obvious and most common features that are used in almost every horror trailer. I will be taking note of all of these aspects in order to help me create a successful horror trailer.
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