ANALYSIS OF JESSABELLE TRAILER

Camera, sound/ editing, Mise en scene, Representation, Theory, Target audience and Generic conventions.

• High angle of Jessabelle in the wheelchair to show her vulnerability.

• Establishing shot where she is alone in the hallway to introduce her as the main character.

• Close up of candle light

• Tracking shot of the car taking her home.

• High angle “it’s really good to see you” the man (her dad) is in power.

• Low angle on her mother in the video to show the power within her.

• Point of view shot in car to show their journey towards the climax of the movie.

• Very high angle on the wheel chair rolling into the water, to show her complete lack of power.

CAMERA

• Reaction shots of video, inserts of close ups.• Short takes used for flashes- fast pace editing creates idea of

action• Slight fades to black to look like watching eyes closing• Very short takes of cards the mother is holding to draw

attention to them and what they signify• The background of the titling, a dark foggy forest is used to

evoke fear and look scary/ creepy.• Screams, Creepy whispers • Her mother’s voice clear through the video to draw the

audiences attention• Pace of music speeds up to create tension• Non diegetic sound of the piano keys- creepy feel• Phone ringing- implying her as a female’s helplessness- waiting

to be saved- isolated and alone.• In bathroom silence except the tap dripping- waiting for

something to happen- creates an enigma• Tick of clock/ beat- signifies countdown.

EDITING AND SOUND

• Lots of candles, casting shadows and glowing

• Wheel chair to make her disability obvious and show her vulnerability so the audience doesn’t have to think too much.

• Blood- stereotypical of the horror genre

• Videotape- bad quality to show it is old and the only way Jessabelles mother is introduced.

• The female protagonist is carried by a male, showing he is in power and she is weaker and more helpless

• The house is wooden to make it old, creepy and creaky to depict a typical horror film and make the viewer feel scared.

MISE EN SCENE

• Jessabelle is a woman so is a damsel in distress compared to the males who are the hero’s in this patriarchal society, and take the lead whilst holding the most power, while the female looks up to them and follows what they say.

• She is weak and he has all the power- as shown by him literally carrying her and being the one to swim to investigate, as she is obviously to “fragile” and “weak” to help herself.

REPRESENTATION

• “Men act Women appear”- John Berger – relates to the idea of a patriarchal society and women being weaker than men.

• Propp – Male hero vs damsel in distress. Jessabelle is carried around by the men and told what to do.

THEORY

• Fans of horror

• Mostly older teenagers around 15-19

• Screaming, blood, spirits, death

• By a lake, isolated inviting bad things to happen

• House in small town

• Darkness

• Hopspital

TARGET AUDIENCE AND GENERIC

CONVENTIONS