Chloe Mason

THE STRANGERS

The lighting, being very low key creates a gloomy atmosphere. The dark natural lighting suggests the time is at night, a typical convention of horror films as this is when the protagonists are most vulnerable. The establishing shot of a wooded area shows the secluded and

isolated setting. This is a very distinctive convention of the horror

genre as it makes the characters appear to be vulnerable and defenceless as it is clear to see that no one else is there to help them or call for help. This creates a greater fear in the audience because they then know that no one can help save them from the upcoming events.

MISE-EN-SCENE

We are shown snapshots of petals on the bed and a candle lit dining table which suggest that

the main characters are alone on a romantic evening together. This helps the audience

sympathize for the protagonists as they seem really tranquil and are having a good time

when suddenly they become in danger. With the background music still playing, we hear the couple talk about their relationship together.

This would help the audience to relate to them as they may have similar relations or also make them feel more involved in the film because of how open their relationship is to the audience. In becoming more involved in the relationship of the audience, they come to be more tangled

in the events of the film and want the main characters to survive; the more engrossed in

the film they are the more attention they pay to it and the longer they are intrigued making

them want to see to the end so they find out whether it ends up to be a happy ending or

not.

The first part of the trailer uses back ground music of high pitched, but slow

music. The tone of the music automatically sets a negative atmosphere in the

trailer. The low pitch and slowness of the sound track creates tension in the

audience as it creates the sense of something is coming, as if something is

slowly creeping up on the couple. With the scene very tranquil and idyllic it is

then interrupted by a diegetic sound effect of a loud bang. This interferes

with the romantic setting and switches automatically to a more eerie and

negative atmosphere. The connotations of the loud bang are fear and danger

and helps to create fear in the audience. The sound effects then change to

sound of rusty metal screeching, this makes the audience realize that whatever

is coming is getting closer as the sound effects are getting louder. The female

protagonist looks out the window and an eyeline match is used to see a swing

moving, which creates the idea that something was there and is now gone.

SOUND

Text comes up on the screen saying: “we always tell ourselves” – snapshot-

“there is nothing to fear” the writing is very askew and off balance and so

suggests that the events of the film will reflect on this. The whole time the

text is appearing the screeching metal noise of the swing is still occurring.

This creates an ominous atmosphere because it creates the illusion of

someone being there but not being able to see them, creating fear again in the

audience. The sound also keeps the audience intrigued in the film as the sound

carries on from before so gives more than just text to look at and the sound is

very individual sound. Fast paced editing is seen mid way through the trailer

with a montage of different shots. This creates the illusion that all these

events are occurring at the same time, or it is all happening very fast. This

creates tension and fear in the audience because they have a lot of disturbing

images and information to take in and it can be quite overwhelming for them.

EDITING

At the very beginning of the trailer, an establishing shot is shown from outside the house using hand held camera. This gives the effect that someone is stood outside of the house watching from outside. Hand held camera is a reoccurring shot used in the trailer creating a more off balance image reflecting on the scary things that will happen. It also helps to make the audience feel more involved as it creates a greater realistic effect as if the audience are actually

there. A lot of wide shots are used to show the setting, as it is very isolated reminding the audience of the protagonists vulnerability, but also to show

the antagonists in the back ground behind the unknowing victim. This creates fear in the audience as they can see the villain behind the main character

where as the character themselves cant.

CAMERA WORK