Research & Planning: Trailer Analysis 2

The second trailer I will be analysing is The Ring released in 2002 and rated a 15. The trailer lasts for approximately 2:08 minutes. The director of this film is Gore Verbinski. I think this trailer would be great to take inspiration from due to the mass popularity which the film had.

Genre 

Steve Neales theory is ever present in this trailer as with the one I have previously analysed, the typical horror elements are repeated here, by having the passive woman and the repetition of death. The lighting switches throughout this trailer to high key and low key, it is low key when the tape becomes present in the trailer which adds tension and makes the viewer wary of the tape.We are also able to tell that the trailer is horror by the music, and how it conveys the the scary element and effect on the viewer.  

Representation

The theory of the male gaze is ever present in this trailer, due to the fact that at the beginning of the trailer, it is mostly the woman who are watching the video and the woman which are going to be seen as passive, because they're the ones which are going to die in seven days. The main character of this film, being a woman, is also a single parent and we are shown the responsibility she has of her child, this is normality coming from the males perspective, and a typical stereotype of a woman.

Narrative

The story which surrounds the trailer is that of a video tape. It is said that if you watch the tape you then receive a call telling you that you now have seven days before you are going to die. This is explained in the trailer as the core narrative. The film then dives deeper into the narrative showing how a woman who's niece died from watching the film, takes it upon herself to view the videotape herself, however instead of waiting the seven days in denial, she decides to discover what is causing this to happen. This is shown briefly in the trailer.

Audience

The film has the certificate of 15, meaning that the film is targeted at anyone at the age of 15 and above. This is due to the fact that the film and trailer contain images which are 

• Gory 
• Unsettling 
• Frightening 
• Involve death 

The film appears to be aimed at both men and women, this is because the protagonist in the film is a woman, appealing the females and the narrative of the killer tape appeals to the male. The narrative also contains teenagers, which will appeal to teenagers themselves, as they're seeing something they could perhaps be able to relate too.

Media Language

Cinematography

• The trailer begins with a close up on the tape, introducing the audience to the main reason for the film and also by having the close up it emphasizes some importance on the tape. It then changes to a close up of the girl talking you through what happens if you watch the videotape. Already we are given the main points of the narrative and the importance and effects just from the the opening close ups.
• During the conversation between the mother and son, we are given close ups once more this is to show fully the facial expressions of the two, and the effects of the conversation on both of them.
• There is then a long shot of a video case, showing the video tape standing alone from the others in some space, showing its difference from other videotapes.
• There is then a medium close up of the woman watching the tape which then switches to a point of view shot at a close up, putting us in the shoes of the woman, putting the viewer in a vulnerable position. 
• A close up slow zoom of the phone then occurs quickly after a close up of the womans face has been shown after she had seen the videotape, conveying the horror on her face. There is then a medium close up of the woman answering the phone and hearing that 'seven days', the medium close up allows us to her as unprotected and vulnerable also done by not using tight framing. 
• There is then a sequence of close ups of the little boy and the pictures he had drawn. This gives us the impression that the son has a incline in what is going on surrounding the tape. 
• There is then a fast sequence of mostly close ups and long shots of the protagonist in risky situations, yet not giving too much away in regards to that film. 

Mise En Scene

• The facial expressions of the characters are always shown to be quite horrific and scared. The fear that the character is feeling is then projected into the viewer, increasing the overall horror experience.
• The colours which the characters wear are very neutral and don't appear to be very extrovert. This may have been done due to the fact that it isn't really a happy film and so a neutral and steady mood wants to be kept throughout, and the clothes also reflect the atmosphere of the film, for example the protagonists brown coat and black bag.
• The locations used seem to quite typical and normal at the beginning, for example houses and living rooms. However as the trailer progresses we are given the destinations that the protagonist visits for example the mental institute. 
• The lighting mostly appears to be quite high key lighting all the way through, meaning that the lighting is a paradox of what is actually happening in the trailer, due to the trailer surrounding death. However towards the end when the protagonist visits the places of the tape, we are given a lower key lighting, to show that something may be about to occur.  

Editing

• There is beginning fades whilst some of the contents of the tape is being shown, showing how the tape is symbolic to something coming to end, for example in this case it would be the life of the person who is watching the tape, as they are given seven days to live. A shot reverse shot then occurs whilst the two friends are conversing.
• There is then a series of jump cuts which occur whilst the main woman and little boy are discussing the girl which had previously died from watching the tape. The jump cuts show time periods where she had been watching the tape to the seven days which take place after the video. 
• There is then a jump cut, firstly showing the video stand with the killer videotape isolated from the others, another jump cut shows the woman putting the tape into her bag. The next jump cut shows the woman watching the tape, and the final jump cut shows the woman answering the phone. This sequence of jump cuts show the happenings during a period of time.
• There is then a very quick series of once again jump cuts, the high use of jump cuts show that the film isn't in any chronological order and that the tape has messed with the characters, causing them to be a bit all over the place.

Sound

• The trailer starts with a voice over which is explaining what happens with the videotape, this occurs while the videotape is being shown to the viewer. It then changes into a diegetic dialogue coming from the character, explaining further what happens in regards to the videotape. 
• Voice overs are used frequently in this trailer to keep the viewer fully informed what is happening in the trailer. 
• Sound effects include the phone ringing and the score in the background of the trailer, which occurs whilst the character is explaining what happens if you watch the tape.
• There is non diegetic dialogue which occurs each time one of the characters get a phone call, which tells them that they're going to die in seven days. It is non diegetic as it creates a sense of mystery to the viewer, and engages them deeper into the narrative.