Our Horror Film Plot

This is the plot that my Media Studies group intends to use to create a trailer for. It is based on the genre of horror/thriller, focusing on the paranormal as the disturbance. This will allow minimal technology and effects to create, which is needed to be kept in mind when considering a plot and the resources are limited. It plays on fears the audience may develop from their own day to day lives, in this case, their home, and this way it will allow a more realistic portrayal of the film, which then will lead to a more memorable experience of the trailer. Which is what the trailer should aim to achieve, as it is a promotional device for the film, from which the hypothetical profit would be collected.

Our Plot:

A family move into a quiet farm house within a small mountainous town in Wales. The family comprises of two parents, a young child and pet dog. They move into the house and in the opening scene the dog refuses to go in the house as if something is wrong and doesn’t feel safe inside. The family then go out into the garden where the young boy and his father are playing with a football but the young boy accidently ends up kicking it into the barn in the garden. The mother goes into the barn to fetch the ball, as she does this she knocks over an object which is situated around clutter. She takes a breath and a gulp as if something had gone into her body, but completely dismisses it and gives the ball back to her child.
The family leave the dog outside for the night and in the morning they wake in shock as it seems that the dog has died within its sleep on its first night stay at the house. The family continue their day to day business within the house but the mother of the family day by day is waking up with bruises on her legs and arms, they are increasing in size and colour. The family start to experience strange experiences through the night, the father and mother often hear their young boy playing late at night with someone and the sounds of footsteps can be heard throughout the hollow farmhouse. The shaking of paintings downstairs and pots and pans smashing together booming throughout the house.
The family began to notice as the first two weeks passed within staying in the house and the strange experiences occurring in the house. They decide to look into these experiences on the internet and on here they find a number for paranormal investigators and they decide to call them up to investigate the house and see if the house is in need of an exorcism after what they have discovered. The investigators ring up a Catholic church to see if they would be available to perform such thing but they said no on the terms of the religion of the house owners.At arrival of the house the crew are quick to set up the equipment within the house, when the one investigator goes within the house he is getting bad instincts about the house and that it could be possessed by a witch who once guarded the house and the witch has reached out to the mother and has trapped herself within her body and she is trying to kill the son. The mother cannot leave the house as the witch has attached herself to the house and if she tries to leave it will put her in increasing pain the further away she moves from the house.
During the first night of investigation the little boy begins sleep walking and setting off triggered alarms which cannot be set by humans and only extra-terrestrial beings, this means that he was being guided out but by who remains a mystery, he is lead to the barn outside where his favourite toy can be found with a load of old fashioned toys which were going off in a simultaneous matter. As the mothers condition gets worse as the investigators leave her in the house on her own there is then a screaming from inside the barn which can be heard from the investigators and it is an horrifying image of the mother trying to cut her sons throat open with a pair of scissors.

The spirit of the witch has almost taken over her complete body functions and is almost uncontrollable and is unable to see what she is doing is wrong. One of the team investigators believe it is too late and unless the exorcism is performed now she will be possessed by the witch and will have to be killed. Three men pin the mother down to a chair but she is stronger than ever before swatting them like flies off her and laughing smiling at them whilst she has blood dripping down her face from the struggle. The men chuck a blanket over her head and tie her up to the chair and the investigators are forced to do a exorcist themselves. The mother is seen screaming and biting her way through the blanket which is over her head and blood is slowly covering the sheet as the exorcist continues the blood is a sign of the witch leaving the mothers body. She struggles again as the witch that has possessed her gives one last fight and screams out. She is smiling as she is slowly breaking the rope which is tired around her arms. The exorcist is complete as she breaks herself free.
The family then quickly rush upstairs whilst the mother is laying recovering back to her old self, a few minutes pass and she walks through the front door whilst everyone is outside staring at her as she smiles and joins the family outside and everything is now free from her and the house is restored to its natural self. 

Horror Film Posters

These are the three posters that relate to the three film trailers I analysed for part of my research and planning. Although you could say that film trailers are more effective at promoting their film, as they can engage with the audience through sound and pace, where posters just use sight, posters still can promote their film effectively and it is because of such that time and effort is put into their production.

As for these three films, researching their posters proved difficult as there were many varieties. Therefore, I used the online site IMDb to research the official posters.

I have also created a collage of a variety of other posters of the horror genre from various times to show my research. Many points I have made within my previous analyses apply, strengthening  my points with examples. Some of these points were such like the colour schemes reoccurring the same three colours black, white and red, with the occasional off white(or even grey), representing the dark nature of the films and the possible deaths (red) but also perhaps the supernatural (white). This is shown at best through posters for films such as Sinister or The Last House on the Left. There is also the main image twist, that it alternates usually from using either a camera shot of a character's face (either victim or feared character) or the location of which the plot is set. Some may consider the facial shots more effective however, as the eye contact is more relatable for the audience, and connects them to the poster better than a location.

Analysis of Other Horror Film Trailers

Like my previous trailer analysis of The Woman In Black, I watched the trailer before watching the film or reading the plot summaries/synopsises online. This way, I can analyse purely on the content given through the trailer, without any background knowledge of the film. From there, I can understand, as part of the audience, why aspects of the trailer were used and make a judgement as of how effective they were on engaging and promoting their film. After many observations of trailer, I chose the three I have analysed because I believe they follow many of the genre's (horror) codes and conventions and work very effectively on the audience. Therefore, by analysing their content, I can improve my knowledge and understanding for the creation of my own horror film trailer.

I have chosen The Cabin in the Woods, as the plot uses the an everyday set up (holidaying in a cabin), however, we find that the cabin has a sinister twist, which the audience finds out later in the film accompanied by the horrific incidents that the plot entails. This difference from my earlier analysis of The Woman In Black, as it uses less paranormal activity, and more gore, which is another aspect of the horror/ thriller genre.

Plot Summary:
(Wikipedia)

Working from a hidden underground facility, senior technicians Gary Sitterson and Steve Hadley discuss plans for a mysterious ritual, reportedly one of several taking place around the world. Specialist Wendy Lin discloses that a similar operation undertaken by their Swedish counterparts has just ended in failure.

Meanwhile, American college students Dana Polk, Holden McCrea, Marty Mikalski, Jules Louden, and Curt Vaughan are spending their weekend at a seemingly deserted cabin in the forest. It soon becomes clear that Sitterson and Hadley are manipulating this setting from afar, even intoxicating the teenagers with psychotropic drugs that gradually hinder rational thinking while increasing libido. After the door to the cabin's darkened cellar swings open on its own during a tipsy game of Truth or Dare, for example, both technicians coerce their charges into investigating the contents within.

The group soon uncovers a plentiful assortment of bizarre articles, including an old diary once maintained by Patience Buckner, onetime cabin resident abused by her sadistic family. Dana, who takes an interest in Patience, subsequently recites incantations from the journal and inadvertently summons the zombified Buckner clan. Leaving Dana, Holden, and Marty behind with the book, Curt and Jules retire outside—where Hadley successfully induces them to have sex. Set upon by marauding Buckners, Jules is decapitated but Curt escapes, sounding the alarm. Marty, a frequent marijuana smoker, becomes justifiably paranoid, declaring that unseen forces have been toying with their crisis. Locating concealed surveillance equipment, he theorizes that the predicament may be a gimmick for reality television before being dragged off to be killed by Judah Buckner.

Terrified, Curt, Holden, and Dana attempt escape in their RV, though Sitterson triggers a tunnel collapse, rendering the highway impassable. Curt jumps a ravine on his motorcycle in a desperate bid to reach an adjoining road, but is killed crashing into a camouflaged force shield—apparently erected by the technicians. His demise convinces Dana that Marty's concerns may have been founded.

Veering off the road, the RV plummets into a nearby lake after Father Buckner surfaces inside and stabs Holden. Dana survives the impact, but is confronted by Matthew Buckner when she swims ashore. As he delivers his final blow, the Facility staff celebrate the completion of their ritual. Sitterson receives a phone call informing him that Marty is still alive, having been smoking joints from a stash that had not been treated and rendering him immune to the effects of the psychotropic drugs. Rescuing Dana, Marty reveals that he was able to overpower his assailant upon being taken into an obscured elevator. They infiltrate the Facility, where a menagerie of monsters are imprisoned. Dana observes a cenobite-like creature clutching a globe she observed in the cabin's cellar, indicating that the items there dictate which monster will be unleashed on its concurrent occupants. She and Marty are cornered by a private security team, but before they can be captured, manage to release the monsters, which run rampant throughout and slaughter the Facility's staff.

Upon entering an underground temple, the two survivors meet the project Director who explains that every year worldwide rituals commence to appease malevolent beings identified only as "Ancient Ones" living beneath the Facility. The Ancient Ones are kept in perpetual slumber through an annual pars pro toto sacrifice of five young people embodying certain archetypes: the Whore (Jules), the Athlete (Curt), the Scholar (Holden), the Fool (Marty), and the Virgin (Dana). The order in which intended victims perish is flexible, as long as the Whore is first and the Virgin is last (or optionally survives, so long as the others die). The Director urges Dana to shoot Marty, completing the ritual, but they are interrupted by a werewolf which Marty fends off after it attacks Dana. Patience Buckner arrives, killing the Director, and Marty pushes them into a chasm.

Dana and Marty accept that it might be better for another species to take humanity's place if this is the price of its continued existence. They share a final joint as an Ancient One finally stirs, destroying the Facility as its giant hand emerges from beneath the cabin.

The Cabin in the Woods Trailer:

My Analysis:




I have also chosen to analyse the trailer for Insidious. Like the previous to trailers I have analysed, this trailer was produced in the last five years, allowing me to analyse what is relevant and beneficial to appeal to the audience of this present society. Insidious focuses on the mysterious occurrences, specifically focused on a child. This almost possessive hint is partially the reason why I chose this trailer to analyse, as I would ideally imagine the trailer I would create, to involve some paranormal possession, as it can be filmed very effectively to scare the audience, and yet not reveal too much of the plot, maintaining the enigma.

Plot Summary:
(Wikipedia)

Renai, (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Patrick Wilson) Lambert just recently moved into their new house with their two sons Dalton (Ty Simpkins), and Foster (Andrew Astor), and their baby daughter Cali.

One morning, Renai is looking at family photos with Dalton. Dalton then asks why there aren't any pictures of Josh when he was a child. Renai explains that Josh is camera shy and also dislikes taking photos himself.

One night while Dalton is upstairs playing with his toys, he hears a mysterious creaking noise, and sees the door to the attic mysteriously opening by itself and then goes upstairs to investigate. He then falls off a ladder while trying to turn on the light, and stares into the darkness as if he was looking at something terrifying and then starts screaming and crying.

Renai and Josh both hear Dalton's screams, and they then tell him that the attic is off limits. The next morning, Dalton doesn't wake up from his sleep, and Renai and Josh, with panic, send him to the hospital where they find out that he is in a coma.

3 months later, Dalton is back home, but is still in his coma. While playing piano, Renai hears a sinister voice on the baby monitor saying "I want it... NOW!" Renai goes to Cali's room but finds no one there. Things get even more creepy when Foster tells Renai that he doesn't like it when Dalton "walks around" at night. That night, Renai sees a strange, but terrifying man in Cali's room, and the alarms to the house start to turn on by itself.

The next day, Renai sees a bloody handprint on Dalton's bed. That night, Renai sees the man from Cali's room in front of her room, and attacks her. Renai begs Josh if they could leave, and he agrees.

In the second house, Renai sees a little boy dancing to a record and follows it into Dalton's room where the boy pops out of the closet and runs away. Later that day, Josh's mother Lorraine, (Barbara Hershey) tells them about a dream that she had: she was in Dalton's room, but there was a strange demonic figure in there with them. When she asked it what it wanted, the figure replied, "I want Dalton." Lorraine then sees the same figure behind Josh roaring at her. Dalton is then violently attacked in his room.

Lorraine then calls paranormal investigators Elise Reiner (Lin Shaye), Specs (Leigh Whannell), and Tucker (Angus Sampson). While they are all in Dalton's room, Elise senses something, and Specs draws the same demonic figure Lorraine saw.

Elise then explains that Dalton was never in a coma and that falling off the ladder had nothing to do with it. She then explains that Dalton has the ability to astral project: the ability to leave your body and to travel to different places, but in astral form, and that he has fearlessly (he believes his projections are dreams) traveled too far and has consequently become lost in a spirit realm called "The Further"-a place for the tortured souls of the dead. Without Dalton's astral projection, he is just a lifeless body, explaining why Renai was seeing all of these ghosts. Josh is skeptical at first, but he then sees that almost all of Dalton's pictures were of the same demonic figure Elise drew, and then brings her back.

Elise then performs a seance to communicate with Dalton, but then the demon starts to talk to her, and starts shouting obscenities and extremely violent threats toward the group. Dalton then gets up, and starts attacking the group implying that the demon had finally possessed him. Elise is then able to get the demon out of Dalton's body. Elise then calls Lorraine over, and she explains that the reason why she knows Elise so well is because she called her herself once to help Josh, and Elise explains that the reason why Dalton is able to astral project is because he got it from Josh. When he was about 8 years old, Josh used to tell Lorraine about an old woman who would visit him at night. Lorraine obviously didn't believe him, but she then discovered that every time she took a photo of Josh, she would see a shadowy old woman in each picture, explaining Josh's fear of photos. Elise tells Josh that the only way to rescue Dalton is if he goes into the Further himself.

Elise then puts Josh in a trance, and he awakens to find out that he has astral projected. Josh finds the house where the Lamberts used to live in and goes to the attic, and finds a red door. Inside is the Further, and Josh then finds Dalton chained to the floor, and then frees him, but the demon catches them, and he and Josh get into a fight. Josh the escapes the lair with Dalton with the demon in pursuit. They then make it back to the house, and Josh then confronts the old woman. The old woman then fades into total darkness and Josh and Dalton wake up.

While Renai, Dalton, and Lorraine are chatting in the kitchen, Josh and Elise are packing up after the long night, but Elise senses something and quickly takes a photo of Josh. He then goes into rage, and starts to strangle her. Renai then hears Josh's yelling in the kitchen. And enters the living room to find Elise dead, Josh gone, and the house dead silent. She then picks up the camera, and lets out a horrifying gasp.

Apparently what Elise saw was Josh's dirty finger nails, similar to the old woman's implying that she possessed him. Josh then appears behind Renai and says, "Renai, I'm right here." Renai then faces the camera with her face frozen in horror.

In the post credits sequence, we see the old woman blowing out a candle making the screen fade to pitch black.

Insidious Trailer:

My Analysis: