The Conjuring-Trailer Analysis

 

The trailer opens with the ghost-hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren in a dark, dull cellar with equipment looking for a supernatural spirit. This relates back to the sub-genre of the movie- Supernatural. The hand- held camera gives the impression that they are creating a home movie. Then non-diegetic music is played and is followed by montages of real pictures of Ed and Lorraine Warren. As it is based on a true story this gives a sense of fear and suspense in the audience. The music then carries on and an establishing shot of a dark and eerie back garden is shown, presenting to the audience that this is where the movie will be set. This is conventional for horror movies as they are usually set in an abandoned and isolated house with a new family with young kids moving in.

The music then stops, and an old fashioned clock is ticking creating a tensed atmosphere and this contrasts with the close-up shot of children sleeping. You then hear diegetic screaming and photo frames falling and crashing down. Fast pace editing creates a sense of panic in the audience. The ghost-hunters then appear at the house helping the family to be free from the supernatural occurrences. Close-ups of the family presents them as helpless and vulnerable. The scene then cuts to a point of view shot showing a body hanging from the tree which is only visible by Lorraine Warren and the audience. When helping the family Warren mentions "You have a lot of spirits in here, one that I am most worried about" this connotes that the one will be behind all events and is causing the family distress.

The ambient sound of sudden screaming from the girls and a shot of a supernatural spirit jumping onto the little girl from above connotes that this spirit is bigger than them and will take a lot to get rid of. The trailer finishes off with Lorraine Warren being haunted by one of the spirits and this shows to the audience that perhaps the plot will not be resolved.