Media Language Investigation

Emma Matthew

I will be reviewing media language within the trailers for the following films:

Cinematography – Within this trailer they used a lot of close ups and mid shots

even extreme close ups like the eye for example, to show the detail of the horror and give up an in-depth feel as if we’re in the mind of the characters within the horror film. They also use close ups to show facial expressions and body language of the character.

Editing – The cuts in the trailer between each shot is very fast pace creating tension

for the audience wondering what’s going to happen next. There are a lot of fade outs this is so that the images go black which is the colour associated with death and horror films but also because the disturbed image stays with the audience for longer making it memorable.

Sound – Non diegetic music plays throughout the horror trailer, which is mostly

children singing a nursery rhyme which gives off an eerie feeling and builds up tension for the audience. The key action parts of the trailer which is fast pace in order to make the audience jump more they use louder non diegetic sounds to emphasise the action.

Mise En Scene – Most of the scenes use very dark lighting to use a common

convention of horror films this makes it recognisable as a horror film to the audience. They also use fire to show there is a lot of action going on which connotes with the horror genre.

Cinematography – Within this trailer they used a lot of close ups and long

shots/establishing shots for example the house, to show the eeriness of where character will be based during the film. The long shots are very gloomy representing death which is associated with the horror film genre. They also use close ups to show facial expressions and body language of the character or even objects that may have a quality like human beings making it supernatural which is included in most horror films.

Editing – The cuts in the trailer between each shot is quite slow to go along with the sound this

pace creating tension for the audience wondering what’s going to happen next. There are a lot of fade outs this is so that the black screen is associated with death and horror films. There are also a lot of motivated cuts to make it obvious who the characters and places are within the film such as “house”.

Sound – A child like nursery rhyme tune starts to play but its diegetic because the audience can

see the toys are playing this by themselves which gives off an eerie feeling because toys aren’t alive. This nursery rhyming music starts to speed up and once it does the pace of the trailer speeds up with it. A child speaks over this rhyme and children are normally associated with horror films because they see things that adults don’t because of their child like imaginations.

Mise En Scene – Most of the scenes are very gloomy, dark and old because these

conventions are commonly associated with horror films. The wide open space is also associated with the horror genre because it’s very lonely and anything can happen to the character and no one could help them.

Cinematography – Within this trailer they used a lot of close ups mainly on the little girl they

have done this because children are usually associated with horror films because they see the supernatural things going on within the film and adults can not because of their restricted imagination. They also use close ups on the little girl to show her facial expressions and body language to make the audience feel sympathy for her so they watch her close which makes it easier to make them jump.

Editing – The cuts in the trailer are quite slow to go along with the sound this pace creates

tranquillity at the start so that the audience are at easy and believe they won’t be spooked. There are very slow shots throughout to build up the suspension but also when something scary appears it stays with the audience for longer trying to make them even more scared. There are fast paced cuts when the action starts to happen. When the little girl is grabbed by one of the dead ghosts the scene turns black and white to show you death which is common associated with the horror genre.

Sound – The trailer opens with non diegetic music which is like someone playing on the banjo to

make the audience feel at easy and as if nothing scary will happen. Once the supernatural dead people are being seen the music speeds up and is more haunting, fast pace and it has a lot of stings to frighten the audience which is associated with the horror genre.

Mise En Scene – The trailer starts of very bright and happy to make the audience feel

peaceful but once supernatural things start to happen it turns dark which is associated with horror films. The little girl is blonde to show her innocence but she is also linked to a stereotypical women in this way. The sign with ‘God Bless’ also show that these supernatural beings are spiritual which is commonly used in horror films. The woods is used as the setting which is commonly associated with horror films because its very secluded and no one from the outside world would know what was happening because its very cut off and lonely.