Solo Trailer Review 3

Name of film: The Bay

Year Released: 2012

Genre of Trailer: Horror

My Mark after Viewing: 5/10

What Happened in the trailer?

The trailer begins with a transcript of a conversation taking place between a distressed girl and an emergency calls operator. During this phone call the audience can hear that someone is bleeding and needs help, yet we’re unaware of why or how it has occurred. As the conversation is concluded by some screams, the trailer continues in a documentary style of filming showing what appears to be the beginning of 4^th of July celebrations in America. However, the intertitle reveals that an unexplained event happened on this particular day in Claridge, MD. As more handheld/documentary style footage is revealed, it becomes apparent that there is something in the water this is effecting human organs. The next intertitle adds to the suspicion by saying the US Government confiscated all video evidence. However, the audience learn that the footage was leaked and what they’re now seeing is real, truthful video evidence of the day this event occurred. As the trailer progresses, more homemade footage is used to record some very jumpy moments; similarly, the trailer ends with the biggest shock to conclude everything the audience has just seen.

Which positive, clever or interesting aspects do you think you could include in your own trailer? What generic features are fulfilled well?

The most prominent convention used throughout the entire trailer was the handheld footage. Typical of the horror genre, the handheld footage appeared shaky and amateur; not only does the jittering and bouncing of the camera become disorientating and confusing, but it also adds a sense of realism due to the fact the audience can see average, normal people in difficult situations. By creating this documentary style of trailer, the audience can find the film more relatable because it appears to be truthful and legitimate; this can entice them into wanting to see more. Similarly, the titles used throughout the trailer were also gently shaking and changed scale in the frame; this added to the lack of clarity and can make the audience feel more tense when watching as the trailer never allows them to be comfortable or see things clearly. In addition to this, the horror genre is reinforced by the added parallel music over the titles. For example, the loud, ominous sound effects prepare the audience for what could lay ahead in the footage but also demonstrates a sense of the unknown which creates suspense. Similarly, the slow zoom used in some of the shots works with the silence and jerkiness of the handheld camera in order to make the audience feel uneasy. This creates a sense of anticipation as they want to learn more but are also too nervous to watch. The mild form of body horror demonstrated by the special effects also contributes to the overall sense of unpleasantness as the audience can see creatures moving under the human flesh. Due to this, the trailer creates a more gruesome effect that helps to capture the attention of the audience. Overall, the key feature that dominates this particular trailer is the constant use of handheld footage. When collated with other amateur footage in a documentary style, it helps to create a sense of realism and can come across more believable to the audience; for example, the addition of intertitles informing the audience the footage is based on a true story can also make them more nervous and fearful about what is hidden away by the government. Therefore, in our own trailer we could use some handheld footage or a documentary style in order to create a more believable and relatable narrative.

Which aspects of the trailer did you think were unsuccessful, and would put off its target audience? How is it disappointing?

Although key features of the horror genre were present in the trailer, it still seemed to lack suspense. For example, the homemade video evidence is filmed in high key lighting with no added sound tracks/effects; due to this, there is less emphasis on the jumpy sections of the trailer, resulting in less of an emotional response from the audience. In addition to this, the handheld style of filming can become overpowering and in this case left the audience feeling uneasy and discomforted. Due to this, some of the key aspects of the trailer can be missed as the audience lose concentration and interest. For example, some of the information regarding the outbreak of this epidemic crisis cannot be understood as the camera cuts to more amateur filming. Similarly, the lack of parallel music and low key lighting creates and overall unprofessional look to the film. Although it can seem more believable, the homemade footage can become too sloppy which puts some members of the target audience off the film altogether. Overall, to avoid creating a really amateur looking trailer, we could incorporate both professional and handheld camera work in order to convey a sense of realism but also keep the audience interested in the exploration of our narrative. To add to this, more parallel music could be included and more body horror just to emphasize the trailer’s ability to shock the audience.