Analysing Horror Film Trailers - 'Smile'

The first horror film trailer I am going to analyse is for 'Smile'.

The trailer includes the following horror conventions:

• Footage/shots from the film - lots of different violent/unsettling scenes from different points in the movie
• Cuts/fades to black
• Change in the pace of the editing - slightly slower towards the beginning (when they are introducing the characters and the narrative) and quicker, montage style of editing towards the end
• We get a clearer sense of the narrative and we are introduced to multiple characters
• Production company logo near the beginning (Paramount)
• Lots of 'eye candy' - visually unsettling shots of scary scenes/set-pieces
• Loud, dramatic, sinister music (and impact sounds) that is appropriate for the genre
• Iconography of the genre (costumes, props, settings)
• Title of the film (shown at the end of the trailer in blood red font)
• Production company logo at the end (Paramount)
• Reference to certificate/rating (R) - typical of films from the genre