Horror Trailer Analysis - The Unborn

 

The Unborn is a horror film from the supernatural sub-genre that was released on February 20^th, 2009. The narrative of the film focuses on the main character; a young woman who is fighting the spirit that is slowly taking possession of her. This possession is revealed to be linked to her unborn twin who happens to be male. Ethan Cutkosky plays the character of Barto; the young male, unborn twin.

The main character; Casey Beldon is played by the young famous actress Odette Annable. Her long dark hair and brown piercing eyes perfectly suit the character needed to fit in with the narrative of The Unborn. This is because Casey turns out to be final girl this is represented by her stereotypical appearance as she does not fill the blonde bimbo stereotype; where in films means that blondes are vulnerable, innocent and oblivious to danger. Casey’s character represents a universal beauty and the modern confident feisty woman that we as an audience would aspire to be like.

At the beginning of the trailer we are presenting with an opening shot that shows a green background containing the audience awareness statement a typical convention of all trailers. Seven seconds later into the trailer the main domestic location for the film is revealed with the use of a low angle long shot where we can see a large detached house in dark secluded area. As the shot is taken from a low angle we can see tall slim trees, and the small amount of frosted snow that acts as a white bed sheet on the dull flat ground. The mise-en-scene within this shot reflects a conventional isolated area that features in all horror trailers. We as audience are made aware that the house is situated in an isolated area this therefore suggests that, in any danger, the person inside the house is alone with no-one to aid them. Will they fall or stand tall? The colours used in the establishing shot are very dull and gloomy evoking an uneasy emotion amongst the audience whilst they wait for the next image to be displayed on screen.  There is low key lighting which is causing the trees to create dark shadows around the house creating an eerie atmosphere within that secluded area. This leaves the audience intrigued.

At 00.31 seconds the scene changes and shows Casey sitting casually on the sofa, reading a magazine whilst the TV is on, in the background. The lighting inside the house is softer than on the outside, making the inside feel safer and more comfortable. The lighting and use of long shots emit a relaxed nature representing that this is the equilibrium of the trailer. We as an audience have been made aware that the main female character has been experiencing problems with the child she is babysitting thanks to the dialogue when she is on the phone to her friend. During her conversation non-diegetic eerie music is played, as this music becomes less loud a bumping sound comes from the ceiling which is immediately followed by a point of view shot of the Casey looking as she looks at baby monitor in a confused way because she is hearing strange whispers, which sounds like a young child’s voice. This is the first time when trailer then hints at the sub-genre of the film. The whispers coming from a child ejects an uneasy feeling, which leads to the thought of disturbed children and how they are a convention of the supernatural sub-genre horror.
 

The screen then fades to black as Casey says “Hang on”. This could be indicating that the protagonist has acknowledged that something isn’t right. The shot then fades into an over the shoulder shot showing a baby’s room, which is indicated by the props such as a rocking horse and a baby’s cot. As Casey enters the room we hear more whispers which now know are coming from the young boy ‘Matty’. Furthermore, he is wearing pyjamas which make him appear childlike and therefore innocent however, the things that he is whispering sound strange and spiritual; different to something a child would usually say.

The type of child he is (Matty) and his age become evident to the audience when he violently hits Casey over the head with a small sharp edged mirror. The character of Casey is left in total shock. Her eyes are piercing revealing that she is emotionally horrified. A close-up shot of Matty is then shown to emphasise his blank facial expression as he shows no guilt for hurting the Casey. When Matty speaks his expression makes him sound almost demonic, assuring the audience that this trailer is from the supernatural sub-genre of horror and features a narrative with possessed children.

Following this scene is a fast montage is shots; which are flashbacks revealing Casey’s unborn twin, later named as Barto. These elements of the narrative intrigue the audience and further draw them into the main plot of the film. The structure of the beginning of the trailer sets up audience understanding very effectively.

The sequence of shots from the opening of the trailer up until 31 seconds, all feature similar dark and dull colours such as black, grey, white and pale blue. The settings that are shown in this trailer appear to be isolated, vast and are presented to us in the midst of the dark night. As the trailer is set in the dark evening it makes the audience feel on edge which encourages them to be aware of their surroundings. As a result of this the locations used create an un-easy mood within the audience. An example of a setting that is used is the large white detached house, located in an isolated woodland area. It is presented with the use of an establishing shot at the beginning of the trailer.  

 

The two main characters Casey and Barto are presented as fierce, confident, defensive and inquisitive. Both their body language and facial expressions represent the personality traits they hold. For example when Barto first appears in the flashbacks his fierce sense of emotion is presented as he continuously holds a stern, blank facial expression. Similarly Casey’s facial expression at the start of the trailer shows her to be relaxed however, at the same time, concerned. After experiencing the young boy’s vicious nature she is left upset and worried. Furthermore, the use of costume at the beginning of the trailer for Casey reflects her youthful, innocent boyish figure; she is wearing white pyjamas, which further emphasises that the film is set at night. Her costume makes her appear vulnerable even though she has the ability to stand up for herself.

As the trailer continues, the theme of dark, dull winter colours continues to feature. The scene changes showing Casey is running through a winter park, on a cold icy morning her costume is dark grey and blue. Her fleece is dark grey; however it is only zipped up half way to her chest, therefore inviting the audience to connect with her rather than not exposing any of her skin. In addition to this, her long dark hair is tied back in a ponytail making her appear serious and powerful. She is connecting with the audience as the medium close up shot filmed front on makes it appear as if she is running towards the camera creating direct address between herself and the audience. As she runs her facial expression ejects her concentration and determination as she exercises on a cold morning. The sound of piano plays in the background to set a mysterious mood. This scene in the park uses a few dissolves making the audience feel hazy and lead to wonder if Casey is in some sort of dream. A medium shot of her in a communal shower where she is baring her naked body with wet hair and hugging herself. The purpose of this shot may be to signify that she is fragile and at risk.

Furthermore, the trailer presents us with a range of shots throughout the first 31seconds. The shot that shows Casey running through the park is from a bird’s eye view which then leads to a low angle, medium close up showing her chest. This shot suggests that someone is watching her from all angles, and that she is in further danger. The composition within the frame is depicted very well as the character of Casey fills the screen. The diverse range of shots makes the beginning of the trailer very appealing.

This trailer uses a diverse range of sound very effectively. At the beginning of the trailer as Casey walks up the stairs on her way to the children’s bedroom, the non-diegetic bumping sound that suggests mystery, increases its rhythm and gradually becomes louder and louder as the action on screen becomes more intense and violent. When the young boy suddenly hits her with the mirror the sound the sound fades away as a loud scream comes from Casey then the sound erupts and the beats become a lot faster and leads into the first flashbacks of Barto; her unborn twin. The sound from then on has connotation of time travelling or on a journey discovering something new.

Further into the trailer, scary horrific sound is played to suggest someone’s mind is being tormented this sound is then explained as Casey suddenly awakes in her bed in terror, signifying that she has just had a nightmare. At this point (1.10seconds) the scary non-diegetic sound stops and it is silent whilst the audience are left to watch Casey scream with fear. The footage continues to show Casey in terror with her arms stretched out appearing as if she has been strapped down onto her bed and cannot escape the danger she is in. Four seconds later a deep sharp stab sound of a scream is played; it echoes and sounds like a young female’s voice, a close up shot of Casey’s eye is shown on screen to emphasise extent of her pain as we view the discoloration.  Since the eyes are said to be the windows to our souls. This could mean that her soul is tainted.

 

Towards the end of the trailer a fast paced pounding sound is played, imitating the sound of a heartbeat. The sound gets faster, louder and more intense as the trailer draws to close. However, as the scene changes to the sting we see a figure sitting on a chair in the middle of a room wearing a hospital gown suggests she was hospitalized or is mentally disturbed. Casey inquires if that is her mother, but with no response she leans in to check. As Casey leans in, we hear another blood curdling stab sound which almost harmonises with the scream the figure gives out. We see her silhouette is not of a normal person but of a monster, the background beating sound then comes to a sudden stop as Casey screams in terror.  

The first strap in this trailer is displayed at 1.18 seconds which says “From producer Michael Bay”. This would encourage fans of his other films to watch this film also. The second strap states “And the co-writer of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight” which will appeal to fans of the two films mentioned, urging them to further research this film and go and view it if it seems suit their taste.  The third strap is shown on screen at 1.59 seconds which quotes “He wants to be born now”, which is what the Matty said at the beginning of the trailer. This repetition could suggest that the evil spirit will not give up until he enters our (Casey’s) world, even if it costs people their lives.

 

A number of different editing techniques are used within this trailer. A sequence of fast cuts are used to introduce Barto creating flashbacks on screen. In these shots there is a shallow focus as the background is blurry and Barto is made to stand out and be the main focus in the frame. This builds up the audience excitement as they want to know more about his character. Furthermore, during the exorcism of Casey Beldon a mix of fast cuts and fades are use to emphasise the intensity of the situation she is in. At the same time, bright lights are used as she experiences an attempted exorcism; they are used to highlight her within the scene. Fast cuts are also used when the audience are shown a number of quick shots which display the horrific things that have been happening to Casey. Along with these cuts, classic horror film music is played which makes the audience sit on the edge of their seat and feel as if they are waiting for something bad to happen. It makes the audience extra fearful when they witness a disfigured old man climbing up the stairs in a blue hospital patients, nightgown.  

 

Within ‘The Unborn’ trailer Casey is being represented as feisty, independent, energetic and sensible. She, as the main female character is tall with long dark hair and dark eyes suggesting that she will be the final girl and that she has the ability to survive until the end.  Although Casey’s innocence and fear is shown in times of terror she is also portrayed as a fighter and one who can overcome problems. She's a young woman forced to fight the spirit that is slowly taking possession of her.  In the trailer Casey’s body language and interest in her past represents her youth and her willingness to learn. At the beginning of the trailer she is in a house babysitting two children whilst she is downstairs she sits up with her feet on the sofa on the phone having a conversation with her friend, her position is therefore exposing her relaxed nature.

A strong representation of youth is offered through the character of ‘Mattie’, the young boy who features at the start of the trailer. As Casey approaches Mattie from behind she hears him whispering to that baby that is lying in the cot. She is very confused as to what he is doing up, this late at night. Unexpectedly for her, he turns round and violently hits her on her head using a small square mirror. The reaction to Casey’s caring nature from Mattie suggests he is a young boy who has no sense of love or respect for his carers he is just ejecting an evil nature of violence. This scene suggests that something like an evil spirit has got into ‘Mattie’. Using young children in horror films and especially horror trailers is convention that is often repeated.  Children can be used as they make a narrative more mysterious as it is harder to connect with them and find out what they are thinking when they are young.

This trailer in particular, I feel represents today’s modern society as the unknown. People always quote ‘you never know what’s round the corner’. This is shown within the narrative of film. Casey was going about her daily life as she has done for the last twenty plus years until weird things start happening to her. As trouble erupts she discovers that she has an unborn twin. Casey always thought she was an only child. She was not expecting this to ever happen to her, it’s something she has never imagined. However you can always control your future and what walks into it.

I believe that this trailer is very successful in luring it its target audience. It features all the elements expected of a horror trailer. Such as fast jumpy moments, eerie music, dark colours, isolated locations etc. It provides the audience with a good understanding of the narrative without giving too much away; encouraging them to watch the film and see the outcome. For example the trailer introduces Barto as Casey’s unborn twin; we see him putting her in fear when lying in her bed next to her, however we do not see long parts of footage showing his purpose to possess her. The film will develop the narrative and provide answers to the questions that the audiences have formulated due to watching the trailer.  The trailer I am aiming to produce will also feature flashbacks of violent footage from the past. I will try to master the speed of editing with use of cuts and ensure that the sound I incorporate into my trailer will match the action on screen throughout.

The structure of the trailer provides the audience with a good understanding as the plot is introduced very early on. The most important elements of the film’s plot are included within the trailer to allow the audience to gain this understanding. However, I do feel that this trailer does feature alot of horrific footage which may lead the audience to wonder if there anything more that would see/gain from watching the film. ‘The Unborn’ successfully features general conventions of a horror trailer for example, an exorcism takes place and there is character that plays the role of the person who will be helping to get rid of the evil, in this case, a priest.  An exorcism and a helpful willing character (the priest) are common reoccurrence in films from the supernatural sub-genre of horror.