The film trailer I have chosen to present is The Woman In Black, as it shares the same genre that I wish to create a trailer around, which is thriller.

• The main identifiers of this genre from the trailer is such aspects that could be selected from the thriller repertoire, such as the gothic colour scheme, the deep almost wind-like diegetic sound track that gradually increases, as well as the use of children and their toys, contrasting with positive and innocent stereotypical image associated, to give an unnerving mood to the ambience.

• The trailer often targets its audience through its main characters, which suggests why the main male character is a youthful adult. However, it could be fair to say that the actor chosen (Daniel Radcliffe) is also used to appeal to the audience based on his current fame in other films that share this target audience, which is the Harry Potter film series. This is emphasized by the intertitle that alone advertises his presence in the film, ‘DANIEL RADCLIFFE’.

• The trailer itself increases in pace to perhaps cause tension in the audience. It could be fair to also note that this increase of pace is due to the shots gradually cutting quicker (around 62 camera shots in total), yet in time with the beat of the asynchronous diegetic rhyme that is spread over the entire trailer, produced by the toys. This associates this rhyme with the plot, reinforcing the connection between the Woman, the house and the children to his character.

• Having said this, the trailer does not solely rely on cuts for its shot transitions. There is use of fading in and out of shots, yet this is only used when displaying an intertitle, which suggests that this editing technique is to provide a thriller twist on a necessary, although simple shot that, which would ruin the unnerving ambience of the trailer if not slightly unsettling.

• The fact that the trailer includes no non-diegetic sounds could be intentional, as it helps maintain the realistic feel of the film, which corresponds to it playing on many of our stereotypical fears (e.g, there is something behind you). This suggests to the audience how this could be something that might happen to them, and when they get the suspicion that there might be something behind them, there actually could be. All of this connects the audience to the film, so that they are not only scared for the character, but scared for themselves, creating a greater impact and leaving a more memorable effect on the audience, as they feel like they have just experienced this ordeal, aided by the character’s point-of-view camera shots and the fact that the main character has no name.

• It could be said that the filmmaker is playing on the theme of isolation, as the main character experiences his ordeal alone, the woman is alone, the location is far away from the town, there many bird’s eye shots of his character, etc. By playing on this theme, it suggests vulnerability, and therefore plays on the stereotypical fear that something will happen to you when you are alone. This could be why the trailer does not express any relationships being formed or cemented, as it is this separation from others that worries us. This high angle long shot could represent this, as it portrays the house’s, and by extension the Woman’s, dominance over the isolated and vulnerable main character.

• The main code of enigma conveyed is who is this ‘Woman in Black’, as her face is never clearly shown, and what does she want or is her purpose. This is portrayed through the mise-en-scene props of many photographs and details that act as clues for the audience to guess.

• Previously mentioned was the use of location and point of view shots, however, many trailers use close ups of faces. In ‘The Woman In Black’, there are many close ups of the toys faces, this could be to humanise these toys, enforcing the fear that they are alive, and, accompanied by all the negative factors such as the soundtrack and the colour scheme, evil. However, a close up could be used in contrast. For example, there are many close ups of the main character’s face, suggesting the audience’s connection with him. The representation of the often white background could convey his opposition to the dark nature of this setting, but also perhaps his purity, as he is not yet infected by the Woman’s malevolent ways.

• The mise-en-scene of this trailer is constructed to present a realistic setting of the time period, however, it’s gothic twist with cobwebs and dark colour scheme almost foreshadows the evitable dark future for the main character that the audience predicts. Any symbol of positivity and innocence is covered by cobwebs and dust. This could be a metaphor for how this house’s happy past was corrupted by something, leaving only the remains of what was underneath what has become.

• The codes and conventions I have witnessed in this trailer:– The voiceover of a children’s rhyme telling the audience about

the Woman In Black.– The famous actor is advertised in an intertitle.– The rhyme plays and important part in setting the creepy

atmosphere of the film.– The film’s title does not appear until the end. – The trailer’s pace build to a climax where it ends. – Point-of-view camera angles and moments of the most

dramatic and frightening aspects of the film quickly cut into a fast paced montage.

– There is a code of enigma, an equilibrium is broken when he has to travel to the house.

• The filmmaker could have decided to use a trailer such as this, as it does navigate away from the true plot line of to beware of the Woman In Black. Keeping the trailer short and revealing little helps to allow the audience’s imaginations to explore possibilities without spoiling too much of the plot, which is what any trailer should hope to achieve to be successful, as the audience will not pay to view the film if the trailer is not intriguing enough, or if the film is too revealed.

This is why film trailers are effective in terms of promotional devices for films, as they are usually more engaging for the audience. Many trailers often copy a set successful formula to mould their film trailer around in hopes of gaining a large audience. Films such as Paranormal Activity are an example of this, as the plot line also uses the theme of vulnerability presented when the characters sleep, as well as the point of view shots through the character’s camera. Again, this helps the audience connect to the situation of the plot and empathise with the characters, leading to a greater impact, and a more effective trailer. When considering the editing, the shots are usually cut, but the intertitles are edited into a format that looks as if it is a disruptance in the camera. It could be said that although the characters are not well known, perhaps to reinforce the realism, the repetitive use of the quotation reviews of critiques could be used to draw the audience in. Both endings are also similar, in the sense that the pace is built up, yet the most frightening scene is split for emphasis of tension and suspense, ending with the name of the film.