2. The trailer I have chosen to analysis is "The Woman In Black".
I have chosen to use this because it is from the same genre as my film "Dead
Leaves" which is Horror and the sub-genre of Unnatural
I am also using this research to look at how a Horror Trailer should look and
what idea I shall be taking form it.
3. Here is the link to the trailer in
Which I will be analysing.
The Woman in Black -
http://www.imdb.com/rg/s/1/title/tt1596365/#lb-vi385981977
4. Basic Information
Name: The Woman in Black Release Date: February 10th 2012
Genre: Classic Ghost Story, Thriller, Unnatural, Horror. Director: James
Watkins
5. Brief Synopsis
“The Woman in Black” is based on a lawyer Kipps , who is played by Daniel
Radcliffe, who moves into a remote village due to him being summoned to
the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow. While he has moved into his new house
he learns about the local ghost “The Woman in Black”, who is terrorising the
local community. But the community does not want to reveal information on
either Mrs Alice Drablow or the Women in Black. But form different people
in the community he learns that Mrs Drablow had a sister that had a child
out of wedlock and her child had to give her son to Mrs Drablow, her sister.
Now Mrs Drablow’s sister has come back to look for her son. Will the
“Woman in Black” get her revenge after Kipps leaves to return to his wife
and children home in London?
This infomation was sourced from The Woman in Black, (No Date), The
Woman in Black; Story, http://www.womaninblack.com/#/story . Also I got a
further understanding from; IMDB,(No Date)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596365/. (Accessed 12 July 2012).
6. Context of the Trailer
“The Woman in Black” is based on a lawyer Kipps , who is played by Daniel
Radcliffe, who moves into a remote village due to him being summoned to
the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow. While he has moved into his new house
he learns about the local ghost “The Woman in Black”, who is terrorising the
local community. But the community does not want to reveal information on
either Mrs Alice Drablow or the Women in Black. But form different people
in the community he learns that Mrs Drablow had a sister that had a child
out of wedlock and her child had to give her son to Mrs Drablow, her sister.
Now Mrs Drablow’s sister has come back to look for her son. Will the
“Woman in Black” get her revenge after Kipps leaves to return to his wife
and children home in London?
This infomation was sourced from The Woman in Black, (No Date), The
Woman in Black; Story, http://www.womaninblack.com/#/story . Also I got a
further understanding from; IMDB,(No Date)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596365/. (Accessed 12 July 2012).
7. Shots and Setting
Shots
Length of the trailer: 1:08 minutes long
Number of Shoots: around 35 shoots all together.
Setting
The film is set in Victorian times. It starts off in London and the plot moves to
the countryside where Eel Marsh House. The house is surrounded by ocean
and the only way in which you can get onto it is when the tide is extremely
low. This adds tension and it makes it feel discreet and very alone.
Eel Marsh House is a set out in the traditional Victorian style. But it is derelict
and slowly the damp has been taking over and it is obvious that the house
is decaying. Throughout the trailer the colours are dark and this gives us the
impression that this film is a dark film. The weather is dark, cloudy and
raining during the trailer which is stereotypical of the classic British horror
film
8. Stars
All of the stars are wearing traditional Victorian outfits. The two main male
characters are wearing traditional suites which shows that they are both in a
position of power. We as the audience know that Kipp, as played by Daniel
Radcliffe is a lawyer and the male who is sitting in the chair seems to be a
physiologist, this to being a powerful job in this time. The two women on
the other hand seem to contrast each other. The first woman we see, a
young woman who is warning Kipp not to go to Eel Marsh House, is dressed
in a white dress. This dress stands out in the mek and colourless setting
which could suggest that she is pure and that Kipp should listen to her. The
colour white also represents an innocence of the woman that Kipp picks up
on. But the other main female character who we as the audience assumes is
“The Woman in Black”, we never see all of her face at once but in sections
such as her eye. Her dress looks as if she has been to a funeral with what
looks like a black dress with a vail over. Because we don't see her whole face
this adds both drama and tension to the trailer and we want to learn what
she looks like, which is the main aim of a promotional trailer.
9. What was the film trailer about
All of the stars are wearing traditional Victorian outfits. The two main male
characters are wearing traditional suites which shows that they are both in a
position of power. We as the audience know that Kipp, as played by Daniel
Radcliffe is a lawyer and the male who is sitting in the chair seems to be a
physiologist, this to being a powerful job in this time. The two women on
the other hand seem to contrast each other. The first woman we see, a
young woman who is warning Kipp not to go to Eel Marsh House, is dressed
in a white dress. This dress stands out in the mek and colourless setting
which could suggest that she is pure and that Kipp should listen to her. The
colour white also represents an innocence of the woman that Kipp picks up
on. But the other main female character who we as the audience assumes is
“The Woman in Black”, we never see all of her face at once but in sections
such as her eye. Her dress looks as if she has been to a funeral with what
looks like a black dress with a vail over. Because we don’t see her whole face
this adds both drama and tension to the trailer and we want to learn what
she looks like, which is the main aim of a promotional trailer.
10. Themes
The major theme in this trailer has to be fear of the unknown and what we as
the audience think of as paranormal. An example of this is the shot where
we seem in the shot where we see Kipp enter the house, we as the audience
know that this house is haunted and know that something will go wrong in
this house.
11. Props
As Kipp enters the house there is a close up of a wooden item which is designed
in the style of the three wise monkeys, these monkeys stood for the proverb,
“see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil” When rereading over the synopsis of
the film I think this relates to the community that live around Eel Marsh
House and their fear of the “Woman in Black”. Another key prop is the
Zoetrope that Kipp looks into, the image on the inside of it is of someone
pulling off their head. This is key because this is where in the trailer we see
the Woman in Blacks eye. The photographs are also an important prop
because it introduces us to the people that once lived in the house. This is
important because it introduces them to the reason why Kipp wants to stay
in the house and it gives us an implication that the “Woman in Black” has
something to do with them. As in traditional ghost stories there is usually a
moving item that is being moved by the supernatural that is controlling the
house. In “The Woman in Black” case this item is a rocking chair. This chair
is also squeaking which is a traditional way in which tension and suspension
is added to the trailer.
I found the information about the The Three Wise Monkeys via (C) Vin Callcut
2002-2012 Oldcopper.org website, (No Date)
http://www.oldcopper.org/three_wise_monkeys.htm (Accesessed 12th July
2012)
12. Camera Work
Due to this being a trailer it is made up of main Establishing shots that show
the audience the setting and style they can expect when watching the film.
Also as mentioned in “Props” there are close up shots of that show that they
are main props and they each link into the myth of the “Woman in Black”
and it makes the audience think why they might be important we
uncovering who the “Woman in Black” is.
13. Music
The music in the background is loud and dramatic and is therefore parallel to
the shots being shown. When there is a movement into another part of the
trailer, usually where it is establishing major sets or props the dynamics
become louder. This then adds fear into the audience and makes the
question why these props, settings are key in the plot of the film. There is
also a continuation,in the style of an over voice, from the male who looks
like a psychologist. He says, “ I believe the most rational minds can play
tricks in the dark”, this is parallel to the action that is being shown of Kipps
looking around the house in the dark and it also give us a sense that the film
could also be psychological. The emphasis of the clock ticking and the
armchair rocking, which are most likely to have been ambient sounds that
have been edited in after the scene was shot, is a traditional way in which
fear is built up in a traditional ghost film.
14. Editing/ Title
Up until the title which states “The Doorway has Opened”, the pace of the
trailer is of a slow pace. This put the audience member in a position of
waiting and wanting to find out if anything dramatic happens. Then this is
followed by quick insert shot of major and distressing shots from the film.
The titles are designed in the same dark colour scheme in which the film’s
mise-en-scene is based around. It also enters from a blank screen and then
dissolves which signifies that the pieces of text are important. But the
duration in which they are shown are different. For the title that say “The
Doorway has Opened” quickly fades in and dissolves out. This piece of text
is related to what the psychologist, we as the audience assume he is, says.
Whereas the text which has the month in which the film is release has a much
longer duration because it has more importance and it is informing the
audience.
15. What worked well
In my opinion I think that the contrasting views from the woman to the
psychologist was interesting because you see the character of Kipp not listen
to either of them, which is a stereotypical construct of a horror film. Also the
Establishing shots of the exterior and interior of the house was good
because it gave the film a sense of chilliness to it. The music in the
background did what it was supposed to do, ie: raise the adrenaline in the
audience and make them want to go and watch this film. The close up shots
and the voice over was very appealing to me because I wanted to know who
the people in the photo were and why the monkeys were important.
16. What did not Work well:
The way in which it ended, this was because
I felt it gave away a bit too much of some
of the major actions and did not leave the
audience wanting to know what happens
next. Also i felt that the event that were
highlighted going to be seen as the main
parts of the plot.
17. Is this a typical trailer
Is it a Typical Trailer?
To see if this is a typical trailer I shall be comparing it with the trailer for “Wind
Chill (2007)”, which I found on IMBD,(No Date),
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486051/, Wind Chill (2007)” When looking
at the basic conventions of the two films I found these conventions that ran
through both trailers:
1. The background music was scary and atmospheric
2. The beginning of the trailer was slow but by the end of the trailer there
were more faster paced shots which signified major events.
3. The colouring of the trailers are both dark which creates a scary
atmospheric feeling to the trailer.
4. In both trailers the title sequences slotted in well with the trailer. (Wind
Chill was much better because it used the aspect of the wind/ ice
movement)
5. They had the link between death and a derelict house.
19. After looking at both of these trailers I have noticed a continuity of having an
unknown killer, which is what I will be taking into to my film trailer. Much
like the woman in black I will be having an unknown killer who will be
shown only by the back of his dark cloak.
One thing I will be also taking away from the Woman in Black trailer is not to
give too much of the film plot away because you want to entice the audience
into wanting to go and find out what happens to our protagonist.
