The Women In Black Trailer Analysis

I am going to analyse the horror trailer of ‘’ The Woman in Black’’. Directed by James Watkins. This film was box office smash. Released on 10^th February 2012. 

This trailer started with a production logo ''CBS FILMS'' this company is an American production company that funds films. This comapany is a mini major film studio. This distribution company is a subsidiary label by CBS Corporation which is a mass media production, this means that the audience will be a mass audience from all over the world watching this film.

As the trailer opens we see In the mise-en-scene a room full of props such as a rocking chair, bed, cupboard, toys and the window has patterns on it. Patterned window symbolises Christianity and usually horror films have religious elements to relate to supernatural devils.  Rocking chair suggests that this narrative is about an old person who perhaps collects dolls. Antique colours such as green brown and white gives the connotations of ancient and history. In the cinematography there’s an establishing shot of the room, introducing the main location of the narrative. Conventionally main locations or rooms are seen first in the trailer to indicate to the audience the importance of the room.

 

In the cinematography there’s a close up of the doll. This toy is quite common for a horror film for example in The Conjuring a doll was used. This creates an irony as dolls are stereotypically seen as cute and pretty but in this trailer the doll is messy, old , scruffy and moody.  In the sound element there's a non diegetic sound of a howling wind, this sound seems like a fantasy as when ghosts come they enter with a sound motif so that everyone's aware that they're here and danger has arrived too. This also connotes that this location is lonely and only wind can be heard as they're no other presence or ambient sound heard.

In the cinematography there’s an establishing shot used again this could suggest that this location is very important an the cross is a symbol to the narrative. This religious element could be foreshadowed at the end of the trailer

In the mise-en-scene the lighting and location is very grey and dull. There’s a cross standing middle of nowhere. This gives the connotations of how the  religion still exists but no houses or people are seen. In the sound element there's the howling wind along with a musical sound from a toy. This tells the audience that there's children involved in this narrative or it's about small children perhaps. This will excite the audience as they'll be eager to see what children have got to do with the supernaturals as stereotypically children are represented as innocent.

 

In the cinematography there’s an establishing shot of the location. This is demonstrating to the audience the haunted mansion. In the mise-en-scene this location seems lonely, as there are no other houses nearby. This also tells the audience that this house has some mystery and hidden horror as the gates are broken, trees are damaged and it’s very grey.  This will make the audience feel excited and scared as they know a haunted house is involved and something supernatural will happen to shock everyone. This location also helps us to identify the audience for this particular horror film as there are haunted locations and voice overs being used. It’s definitely 15 and over because they are the appropriate audience unless it has drugs, violent sex involved.  We know that this is a horror film because the iconography is haunted lonely big houses. In the sound element there's a non diegetic sound of

In the cinematography there’s a close up zoom focus been used in this frame. This makes the audience aware of what’s inside the house. This will excite the audience because they know something that the characters don’t know.

In the Mise-en-scene there's a ghost wearing a mask and a black overall, this costume identifies the character and tells the audience he's the antagonist. Also the grey trees crawling up the house suggests that everything is controlled and owned by the ghost, this could give the audience a clue of how the storyline migh turn out ot to be.  

Sound- non diegetic sound track which is sound bridged across other events from the film. The sound is from a toy, which links to dolls and tells the audience that the toys have children involved which make the narrative interesting because children are vulnerable and less knowledgeable in supernatural occurrence. 

In the editing there's a subtitle of main actors name (Starring). This could be because the main actor could appeal more to the audience than the film, simply because Daniel Radcliffe has done all the series of Harry Potter playing the main role.  The fact that only his name is presented through a subtitle tells the audience he's important in the narrative. The colour effect of grey white and black are key colours in the
horror genre as they connote suspense death and fear.



Finally to end the trailer, in the cinematography there's a low angle mid shot of the Daniel Radcliffe at the window with the ghost behind him. This shot will help remind the audience how scary this film will be.  In the mise-en-scene the windows are in a grid style and behind him it's dark this connotes that Daniel Radcliffe is trapped and almost symbolises imprisonment. The lighting outside the window is very dim and grey and the building has rain fungus on it which also connotes that this mansion is old.

This narrative follows Kate Domaille’s 2001 Theory, as she believes there are 8 narratives and this trailer falls in to Circe category because this film is about victims and innocence. Overall the structure of the trailer follows Todorov’s theory as it the trailer starts all calm and then suddenly the disequilibrium happens. However the ending doesn’t show as that will persuade the audience to see the full film at cinemas.