I thought that this trailer was really effective because it made the film look so cool and creepy, that I (and many others) really wanted to see the film. This is the kind of reaction that I want to evoke from my audience when I make my trailer.
This trailer includes many of the following horror conventions;
Blood - The use of blood promotes the gore within the movie; which so many horror fans are fond of. It connotes death, danger and injury - all relevant themes in the movie.
Screaming - Female screaming is a common convention for horror trailers. Often, we don't see the thing that they are screaming at - just their face distorted in fear and the shrill sound of their scream.
Creepy faces - The faces are usually that of the villain in the movie, however they can be the distorted faces of one of their victims. Creepy faces are a very important convention because they are the scariest factor in the trailer (and the film). It is one of the primary factors that will make someone want to watch a horror movie. My trailer will include many scary faces and the images of some disturbing creatures.
Desolate locations - The Evil Dead trailer opens with a shot of an abandoned cabin, hidden in the woods. Many stereotypical horror movies are set in places like this; desolate cabins, haunted houses, scary forests and cursed lakes. They are convenient for the plot as they create a scary atmosphere and provide obstacles that prevent the characters from escaping. I may use a desolate location to make the setting in my trailer more scary and to provide a suitable setting for my evil characters. But I don't want my trailer to come across as too cliche and cheesy, or it won't be scary.
A cursed legend - For a supernatural horror, this provides the basis of the story. The characters will be victims of this curse and will have to find a way to end it. The Evil Dead uses a cursed book as the foundation of its plot. I think that a curse/legend is a good way to introduce scary creatures (which I want to have), but it's not realistic which is therefore not scary.
Teenage main characters - A lot of slasher/gory horror's star teenagers because these types of unsophisticated sub-genres appeal to these age groups. Some of the more darker, disturbing horror's (like The ring or Insidious) have adults as the main cast, as this reflects the type of audience that the film is aimed at. The age of the cast affects the issues that surround their circumstance - these can be relevant to the story. For example, the main character in The Evil Dead has a drug addiction; this is why the other characters don't believe that she's truly possessed. The film 'Antichrist' deals with some extremely hard-hitting and complex issues that only adults will understand. Therefore the main characters are adults and the film is aimed at an older audience. The age of the cast in my trailer depends on the actors that I am able to hire.
Scenes of the characters in dangerous situations - This adds fear, suspense and tension to the trailer. If the audience want to see what becomes of the character, they must watch the movie. These scenes give an insight into the creative way in which the villain tortures their victim, as well as giving away some of the main plot points. In this trailer, we see a character being restrained by a tree. This makes us want to see what happens to her and what the aftermath is.
Rain and thunder - The use of weather to emphasise a character's mood is called 'pathetic fallacy' in literature. In this case, the sound of the thunder adds dramatic tension and the feeling of uneasiness since it's a dangerous element, especially as the characters are barely safe inside the worn down cabin. If it were set on a sunny day, the mood would be considerably happier and the characters would be free to go out instead of being trapped in a claustrophobic environment. The thunder is an important theme in this movie since it causes heavy floods which prevent the escape of the characters. I think that setting my trailer at night or in a stormy environment would definitely darken the mood, which will make my trailer look recognisable as a horror. On the other hand, a villainous creature in a bright and happy environment could work as a disturbing juxtaposition which proves that such dark forces can get to you even seemingly safe situations.
Low drop sounds - This trailer heavily uses these sound effects to emphasise when something scary appears on screen. It also uses fast paced drum beats when the captions appear. This adds to the fast pace of the trailer. I like the pacing of the trailer because it's common for a slow horror trailer to come across as boring. Most people want to see the creepy scenes to judge how scary the film is and if it is therefore worth watching. Since this is a gory film which is rich in mutilation; the pacing of the trailer is fitting and true to the films nature.
Captions to explain the outline of the plot - These are common in most trailers, not just exclusively for horrors. They give the trailer structure by explaining what's going on in each new segment of scenes; so the audience will know the context of what's happening. Sometimes a narrator (with a deep voice) will read out the captions. But with a horror, this often ruins the tension by making it almost comical. A good horror trailer won't need narrating; the disturbing atmosphere and shocking scenes should speak for themselves.
Dark shadows and lighting - As with the miserable choice of weather, dark lighting will make the film seem more miserable and eerie. 'The ring' is shot with a bluish grey filter which maintains the tension throughout the film and makes the scenes recognisable as ones belonging to this film. Horror movies seek to elicit negative reactions from viewers; they do this by showcasing our darkest fears and playing tricks on our minds. Shadows are very effective in achieving this. 'The woman in black' has a creepy scene where a shadow moves suspiciously behind the characters back. It is so subtle that there is doubt that it even happened. These strategies create a long lasting impression on the audience by making them doubt their own judgement and by making them see these distorted images when they've stopped watching the film.
Creaky doors - Sound effects create a scarier tone because when we are scared, our imagine starts to twist and we hear sounds that aren't necessarily there. One reason is because the adrenaline rushes to our head and eardrums. Fear makes our senses more heightened which is why we hear small sounds better. A creaky door is because a door is opening slowly, usually because there's something scary on the other side. The anticipation of seeing what it is makes the audience's pulse quicken. This is why creaky doors are commonly used. Other sound effects like twigs snapping and knocking are also effective sound effects because they can indicate when the villain is approaching.
Jump scares - The trailer uses these to surprise the audience after a long period of suspense. The scenes where a scary creature appears is usually a jump scare. This abruptly changes the usual slow burning pace of the film. The reason that the jump scare worked so well in this trailer was because the audience expected the scary thing to be in front of the character, not behind. My trailer will have lots of jump scares because I want to scare and shock my audience. Some critics think that jump scares are a cheap way to scare the audience and are just annoying and predictable. I think that only a few jump scares is more effective because too many will lose the shock value. They have to be done in a tasteful, not executed in a cheap and desperate way.
Ghost hunts - Another common convention for supernatural horrors. As this trailer proves, they are shot in a suspenseful way; where a character is in the silent darkness calling out to the spirit. The ghost (or some indication of the ghost) appears after a few seconds.
Basements - The ghost will usually be situated in the most isolated, abandoned part of the building; the basement or the attic. These places will usually be unexplored, when a character finds a haunted possession in there and unleashes the curse. Throughout horror films, suspicious sounds and movements often occur in these places. This indicates the presence of the spirit. In this trailer, the character gets trapped in the basement and bangs on the doors to get out. This conveniently traps her with the demon; which is the climax of the trailer.
Creepy, lonely people - In this trailer, a creepy old man and a cryptic old woman rent rooms at the hotel. Creepy people (who aren't villains) usually know something about the legend and end up helping the characters to stop the curse. In this trailer, the old woman (who is depicted as wise and religious) tells the main character (and us) more about the hotel's curse; while the creepy old man actually turns into an evil villain.
A shot of the ghost - We see the ghost briefly so that its reveal is saved for the film. The camera flickers as she appears, to show that her ghostly curse affects everything around her. It also hinders our vision so that we can't see that much of her. This makes us want to watch the movie to see more of her. The ghost in this movie is quite scary looking. Her white dress contrasts the darkness around her and makes her stand out against the black background. She hangs from a noose with blood dripping from her pale face. This lets us know how she died, which provides some context as to why this dead bride haunts the hotel.
One of the characters telling the legend - Without this narrative, we wouldn't know the plot of the story. The main character is shown telling the story. The camera zooms on her completely serious facial expression as the light illuminates her wide eyes. It is unclear whether she fully believes the legend or if she is truck by fear; but this still makes the tone of the trailer very serious and dramatic.
Old, painted portraits - This is part of the decor in the haunted hotel. Old paintings are often used to create the sense that the characters are always being watched. The camera zooms into the grainy portrait who stares back at the audience with a serious expression. The people in the paintings are often the ghosts in the movie (which is true in this case). Sometimes, the contents of a picture will shift and contort to create extra fear by manipulating inanimate objects under the supernatural force.
An unoccupied hotel - This creates the same effect as a haunted house or abandoned cabin. An old, dilapidated building is likely to have to a ruin after a tragic event, where spirits remain there for eternity. This hotel doesn't have any customers which implies that the curse is driving people away. The lack of liveliness makes for a more miserable and inhuman atmosphere.
A night time setting - The night is scary because it creates the feeling of being alone. Since we can't see the predators in the dark, we become paranoid and uneasy. Anything could be in the dark and it is our instinct to fear the unknown.
Distorting walls - This gives the impression that the hotel itself is haunted, not just that the environment holds a ghost. The way the walls twist and spiral create the sensation of being trapped and suffocated in a maze. It's like the hotel is alive and is siding with the ghost by preventing the character's escape. This links to the way the protagonist gets enclosed in the basement.
Close ups, fadeaway and slow camera movements - Close ups in horror are used to emphasise a scary object, face or to make something appear bigger. The trailer zooms into characters faces to show their serious and petrified expressions. It zooms on inanimate and creepy objects (like a deer's head) to make them look bigger and more intimating. Fading effects absorb the scenes in darkness, which is a framing device to show that the characters are trapped. It works well with the trailer's slow pace and makes it overall darker than some simple cutaways. The slow camera movements steadily zoom through the corridors of the hotel so that the audience can explore the surroundings with their eyes and absorb the eeriness of it. It could reflect the way the ghost wanders around the building.
Creaky steps - As with creaky doors, the sound of steps being slowly pressed down on is effective because it cuts through the silence and heightens our senses. It adds danger to the scene because the creakiness of the steps make them seem unstable, meaning our character could fall through them.
Captions - The captions in this trailer are unique because the font is white and fancy, with a background which matches the wallpaper's hotel. Captions are practical because they break the clips into segments and explain the plot.
