Trailer Research

Scream 4 (2011)

• Dimension Films
• Appeals to previous audiences of the franchise and horror fans by showing the name Wes Craven in the running titles therefore making the film have a larger potential audience. Shows similar themes to other Scream films such as the masked killers mask being shown frequently and also previous main characters are shown in the new film
• Key selling points to the trailer would be the use of showing that it is film by Wes Craven who has written previous horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and The Hills Have Eyes (2006) therefore creating a larger potential audience for fans of these largely popular horror films. Other key selling points are shown through Hollywood stars such as Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell and also the return of characters who have appeared in the other Scream movies Courtney Cox and David Arquette
• The established genre is a slasher due to the three other previous Scream films all being slashers, therefore the audience is led to assume that the newest instalment will also be a slasher. The trailer does have some comical elements to it even though it is classed as a horror film, for example the horror film buffs describing what the usual formula for a horror film is, and who also treat death as a light topic therefore not taking themselves too seriously
• However, i think this trailer limits itself to only being truly successful to Scream fans due to the particular tone of the film compared to other horror films, therefore limiting its audience
• A particular audience is targeted, it can be shown to be an older audience due to the length and stretch of the Scream franchise therefore an older audience would be expected, also fans of slasher horrors would also be targeted

Wolf Creek (2005)

• Dimension Films
• Use of the phrase 'Based on true events" a common phrase used in trailers for horror films to attract an audience due to the higher impact it could have on the audience, as the horror can be shown to be true and not fiction. The use of reviews from popular film magazines such as Empire are also used to attract an audience due to the status of this magazine as giving good reviews ("FEEL THE FEAR" **** Empire).
• There are no big names in this movie therefore the trailer relies on reviews and the construction of the trailer to attract a horror film audience. One of the trailers key selling points can be the use of telling the audience that it is based on a true story, therefore making it unique to some other horror films
• Genre is shown in the trailer as it shown be gory, loud and the use of a lot of mysterious shots containing blood therefore suggesting murder or some form of horror is involved. The mood starts light as in most horror films as this can therefore mean the audience can relate to the main characters more and have a more emotional connection with them, therefore the events that happen to them make the film seem darker. Audiences are made to expect that something bad happens to the characters due to the change of tone, sound and light after the main young characters are approached by a mysterious person, after this major turning point in the trailer there is fast paced editing in which we see no consecutive shots unlike before to add mystery as to what may happen apart from the use of shots containing wounded main characters