The trailer starts with a green screen in which a message states 'The following preview has been approved for appropriate audiences by the motion pictures association of America, INC' This is atypical of American movies and features on everyone that passes through their censorship. The frame lasts around 4 seconds before fading to black in a attempt to build up tension keeping in context with the conventional rise and fall theory. In which tension is created to add to the rise of the trailer.The colour of the frame is not stereotypically full black, however it is a off-black colour which looks almost like a TV screen when is enduring interference. This helps engage the audience in the trailer as they they are tense, and more alert, to what is about to happen. Black screens are conventional of the common teaser trailer as they help smoothing the transition between shots and make for a improved continuity.
The build up of the opening 8 seconds is then justified by a sudden sharp noise, in which what looks like a television interference can be seen on the screen. This provides a scare factor for the audience as the abrupt sound frightens the engaged viewer, at this point it becomes fairly obvious the trailer is for a horror film, as the conventional aspect of trying to make the audience jump is exercised. The shot then cuts straight to the previous black screen, in a which we can hear in non-diegetic sound of a thud in the background, as if some walking up stairs. This adds to the tense mood of the horror and connotes the feeling of someone approaching in an attempt to scare the viewer. The black screen then switches back to another short disturbance, which looks almost like a video camera in appearance.
The black screen continues before cutting sharply to a shot of a man flying towards the camera. A screeching noise can be heard in the background of the shot very much reminding the audience of the tense atmosphere of the trailer. The mans violent movement towards the camera shocks the audience, and ties in with the name of the movie 'Paranormal Activity' due to the unrealistic and shocking events seen. It is obvious to the viewer that the man is in his bedroom as a stereotypical set up of bed, bedside table and other objects confirms. The use of this mundane setup helps dramatise the other unnatural events taking place. It also engages the audience as they feel involved as the common set up is reminiscent of their own lives. The time can be seen in the bottom right hand side of the frame, connoting the use of video camera which is seen throughout the film. It also gives the audience an combined with the obvious dark lighting adds to the intensity of the trailer.
The next shot is a low-angle shot in which the camera is placed at an angle as if it has been dropped on to the floor. The door is open, the fact we cant see anything in the distance adds to the enigma surrounding the trailer. The lurking position of the shot adds to the idea that someone is watching aiding the sense of danger in the trailer. There is a sound in the background of wind, connoting the sense of a spirit in the house further adding to the plot of the story. The sound builds up, suggesting something bad is about to happen. In the bottom left hand corner of the frame, we can see the man lying on the floor clearly injured or even dead. This in addition to the sense of danger, makes for a more serious tone to the trailer in which the audience feel sympathy for the character and are genuinely scared for his health. The message 'IN 2009 YOU DEMANDED IT' appear on the screen, this is used to add to the hype of the film, often messages similar to this are used in teaser trailers as they build up the expectation and interest in the film and make the audience want to watch it. It could be suggested that the door is symbolic of the spirits entry into the physical world. Reiterated by the next shot, in which we see the camera zoom into the door, as if acting as the go-between from the spirit world to the physical world.
The tense build up is justified as an high pitched non-diegetic sound is heard as we see a scary looking woman jump forward towards the camera. Her sudden movement towards the camera comes as quite a surprise causing the audience to jump. This seen in the next shot of what looks like the crowds reaction to the film in a cinema as they all jump 'out of their seats'. The jump cut between the shots help to disorientate the audience, so they feel even more insecure about what is going to happen next adding to the 'fear factor' of the trailer. The following shots, for a montage effect in which we see around 3 different shots, in the space of around 2 seconds building a sense of pace to the trailer.
Parallel editing is then used to demonstrate a shift in time, this adds to the continuity of the trailer making transitions smooth and understandable. The shot consists of again what looks like a stereotypical family house in which we can see a dog lying on the floor and a cot just to the right of it. The dog connotes a sense of protection from something again reinforcing the sense of danger, and the cot adds a sense of innocence and again a stereotypical family scene. The shots then switch to two further views of the house from what looks like a CCTV set up, adding to the 'big brother' essence of the film. The pace of the shots is quick, however just enough time is left in order to be aware of the surroundings, everything looks normal but for how long ? is the question on the audience's lips. The third of the shots of the house we see a kitchen in which the pans are swaying two and throw in a harmless fashion, however suggesting stronger forces are about to come. The natural sound of the shots add to the tension as creaking and noises can be heard suggesting someone or something is lurking around the house. The dog moves to look around clearly sensing something is not right, stereotypically the ideology that animals have a six sense when it comes to detecting spirits is being played on here.
The shot then fades away to reveal a further message building up the hype and tension surrounding the already widely anticipated film 'NOTHING CAN PREPARE YOU' the capitalization adds to the boldness of the text making it stand out and almost shock the audience. The ongoing messages add to what is almost a narrative to the trailer in which no human voices are heard, this helps to guide the audience through the trailer, whilst informing them of the notorious reputation of the film.
The next shot fades in to reveal a similar CCTV-esque view of the lounge in which the same dog featured earlier has stood up backing away from what we can only think is a spirit. The dog is growling and is defensive but aware that the spirit is not here of good intentions. The little boy in the cot is stood up in attention looking at the door. This clearly adds a sense of tension to the shot as no one wants to see the little boy or dog harmed what we know as a violent spirit. A further message fades in to the frame 'FOR WHATS NEXT' the audience having seen prior messages are following like a story, giving them less time to prepare for what is about to happen next. The shot quickly cuts to the living room in which we see the same shot as before nothing abnormal happening possibly suggesting the start of the 'fall' period.
Probably the most shocking shot of the trailer are most feared suspicions are confirmed, in which we see the same shot as before of the living room, without the baby or dog and standing in the door way is the figure of what looks like the possessed girl featured earlier. This shot marks fall period indefinitely as the tense non-diegetic music stops and she is revealed as the villain of the peace, stereotypically featured in teaser trailer at the very from a long shot in which their features cannot be defined to add a sense of tension and suspense to see what happens next in the film.
The trailer then peeters out until revealing the name of the film in a series of flashing words and number spelling out Paranormal Activity 2, it is conventional of horror teaser trailers to leave the name of the film to the end, this ties in with the suspense created throughout and the stable atmosphere at the end, provides a perfect slot to throw the films name in having gained the attention of the engaged audience. The title then fades out to signify the end of the film and the end of the audiences engagement in the trailer.










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