Sinister Trailer Analysis

Shot no. Shot type Shot length Scene no. Content/Purpose

1 Establishing shot

2 seconds 1 It introduces to the audience the setting & helps introduces the mise-en-scene such as the low key lighting which helps introduce the genre & connote danger to the audience.

2/3 Montage 5 seconds 2 The montage fades in & fades out during the establishing shot. This allows the audience to become aware of the characters/family in the story & adds horror to the trailer.

4 Zoom 2 seconds 3 The use of the zoom on the house helps connote danger as we are getting closer to the house & tries to show that something is going to creep up on them.

5/6/7/8/9/10/11 Close ups 2 seconds each

4 These several shots transitions quickly through some of the family members. This shows them to be a little distressed & vulnerable which would evoke sympathy from the audience.

12/13/14 Wide shot 3 seconds 5 This wide shot helps show a focus on a box which is located in the attic. This is effective as it allows the audience to take in the surroundings, which shows the area to be empty. This would therefore create danger & tension for the audience as what will happen is unexpected.

16/17/18/19 Over the shoulder/high angle

4 seconds 6 This shots show the audience the father looking into the box. This is effective as it will create tension and worry from the audience as they don’t know what he will find.

21 Close up 1 second 6 This shot shows the audience what the character has found. This helps introduce the storyline of this horror story. By showing the contents of the box helps the audience speculate what he will find & keeps them interested in the story.

22/23/24/25/26/27

Mid shots 1 second each

6 These shots allow the audience to the man assembling the film, to play the contents that he has found. This will therefore create interest into the story, but also generate some fear for them as a viewer.

28/29/30Point of view shot

2 secondseach

6 The use of the point of view shot allows the audience to imagine what the character is seeing. This is effective as the will feel in his position would feel the same feelings. The use of the point of view shots in every other scene helps create tension & danger as the audience can see the man’s reaction to what he has seen on the film.

32 Mid shot 4 seconds 6 The use of the mid shot helps show the characters body language and facial expressions to what he has just seen. This is effective as it shows his fear & complete

Sinister Trailer Analysis

shock to what he has seen. This therefore creates tension & makes the audiences jump whilst watching his fear.

47 Over the shoulder

4 seconds 8 The use of a lot of over the shoulder shots helps show the man to be continuously watching the video. This creates tension for the audience as they will be worried & concerned about what he will see next. It also helps introduce the origin of the danger to the audience.

56/57/58 Zoom 2 seconds 8 The use of the zoom on the video helps the tension build for the viewers as they are watching the horror which is going to be cast upon the family. The use of shot showing the family in the garden would create horror/fear from the audience as they could image that to be the circumstances for them & generate some horrible imagination

59 Point of view 2 seconds 8 By using the point of view on the photograph helps introduce the origin of the horror. To which he moves the image & the dangerous character is outside. This is effective as it would make the audience jump as this would be unexpected. But, they would also feel scared & sympathy for the man as they know what will happen.

62 Wide shot 3 seconds 9 The wide shot shows the man in his office. The shot then allows the audience to bring their attention to the contents of the laptop where he first discovers the presence of the demon. This would create fear/tension from the audience. However, would keep their interest as they would want to find out more.

63Low angle shot

3 seconds 9 This shot shows the young girl approaching the camera. The shot allows the girls facial expressions to be obvious to the audience & show the fear that she feels. This would therefore evoke sympathy from them, but make them question what she is looking at.

68

67

High angle

Wide shot

2 seconds

2 second

11

12

This shot allows the audience to see the young girl’s vulnerability. It also shows the parents looking down on their daughter & questioning her about what she had seen. This creates tension as the audience will not expect to her what she says. But, also creates sympathy as for the parents concern & the young girl’s horror.

This shot shows the young girl to be playing on the swing. This shot also suggest s that something/ someone is watching her. This creates fear for the audience as they will

Sinister Trailer Analysis

see her to be unaware & vulnerable at this time69 Mid shot 2 seconds 13 The use of the shot relaying after the shot of the young girl on the swing is quite

worrying for the audience as they become aware that they are being haunted & he girl is their target. This allows the audience to sympathise with the girl & their family as they are in danger.

70 Point of view 2 3 seconds 14 This shot shows the man to be approaching an empty box in the middle of the room. This shot would be associated with the shot of the box in the attic which would suggest that there is something bad to come out of it.

72 Wide shot 2 seconds 15 This shot shows the man to be setting something on fire. This shot helps connote danger & horror for the audience. This connotation is associated with the horror genre & successfully portrays it by doing this.

73 Close up 2 seconds 15 The use of the close up helps show the man burning the film. This helps add tension because they know something bad has happened to the family & they are trying to get rid of it. Therefore fear is created as they know as the audience this won’t happen.

100 Point of view 3 seconds 20 Shows the main male character’s point of view to which he is looking upon a group of children with the demon on the film. This allows the demon to be shown to be above the children & the one in control. This therefore hooks the audience & evokes fear from them as viewers. This shot also allows the dark scene to be acknowledged, to which the audience can get distracted & are then surprised with the demon at the front of the scene. This would make the audience jump, and therefore interested in the trailer.This shot helps end the trailer successfully & leaves the trailer on a climax to find out what happened to the family once the demon had come to life.