Paranormal Activity 2 Teaser Trailer

Samantha Ratcliff

Begins with this effect which makes the audience immediately get the realistic, documentary feel. Then there is a complete blackout which makes the audience feel venerable and helps to build tension as during this point there is a sound of banging which become louder, as if something is getting close…

Sudden loud bang as a man is thrown at the screen, shocking the audience and creating an enigma of what is going on. Existing audience will notice that this is a clip from the fist movie, helping to re-engage them. Also to enforce the realistic, documentary feel there is the time at the bottom of the screen asking as if the film is being filmed by an amateur camera. To build the sense of horror some audience members may notice that the time is 3am, this is the time where many horror films take place as its known as the devil time.

Very low tone to the trailer, no non digetic sounds. This helps to build the tension. As the intertitles feature on screen the camera slowly zooms into the dark corridor, ain building the suspense.

This part of the trailer shows actual members of the audience reacting to the previous movie, this not only connects the existing audience member but also makes new audience members think it’s a petrifying movie.

Startling the audience with previous clip of first movie to help to engaged them and remind them of the horror that came with watching the first one, and for the new audience members they just get more of a thrill from the clip. The dark colours and tones help to represent the evil tone which run throughout the movie itself.

The movie trailer then cuts between different rooms of a house, immediately giving the audience a clue that the filming will be done by them.

Clever interititles referring the audience as ‘you’ which helps the audience to be engaged with the movie. The continuous theme of black and white is also maintained to ensure that the trailer still keeps a sense of realism throughout the trailer.

Every scene is kept in black and white to show the quality of the camera and to also show that the majority of the movie takes place during the night.The fact that the dog can see something and barks aggressively shows the audience that here is something coming, the baby in the crib represents the fact that we are helpless against this demon.

Next, as the camera slowly cuts between each room, as it goes back to the baby’s, both the dog and the baby are gone and are replaced by a hooded figure who is standing where the dog was barking aggressively toward. Observant audience members ay realise that yet again the time is the same. Showing that the demon in the first movie, may have returned.

Finishes with the title of the movie with the same font, colour and disorientated editing to create a sense of repetition throughout the trailer. The sound is like a breathing sound or maybe some wind which again keeps to the digetic sound pattern helping to build the suspense and keep the realistic tone going.

Ends with the child’s empty bedroom, building an enigma of where has he gone? Leaving the audience wanting to see more.