Analysis Of Teen Movie: Let Me In

LET ME IN - TEEN HORROR MOVIE 

Let Me In Movie: Trailer Analysis

Shot Distance:

• When the man is about to kill the woman in the car whilst she is waiting at the rail road crossing, there is an over the shoulder shot which demonstrates that the woman is being watched. This creates tension and suspense because we know something will happen. The dramatic irony adds to the effect because we, the audience know that the man is there but the woman does not.  This helps promote the film to it's target because it taps into all the key conventions of the horror genre, violence, blood and murder.
• Extreme close up of the boy’s eyes when he is listening at the wall and hears a scream. This creates tension because the audience are able to see the emotions and reaction of the boy in detail. We are able to see the boy’s fear which is a convention of the horror genre. The close up allows the audience to analyse the emotions of the boy and creates tension because the audience sees that the boy is afraid, helping to promote the film.
• Long shots used at beginning of the trailer to show the village, assembly hall and surrounding area. The scene is set as a quiet town, reinforced by the narrative and the text shot. These establishment shots are a feature of trailers.
• High angle crane shot when the girl is jumping off the tree. This exaggerates distance and the fact that there is action creates excitement. The fact that the camera is looking down makes the audience feel as though they are looking down at the people under the tree. This make the watcher feel as though they are surveying the situation and so it creates fear. This emphasises the supernatural atmosphere because the girl can fall from very high without injury.

Camera Movement:

• In the tunnel, the camera is tracking forward. This is done deliberately to give the audience
  the feeling that they are the character in the trailer. The tracking creates a first person view and creates a feeling of intimacy because the audience will feel they are part of the story and part of the situation. This reinforces the codes and conventions of the horror genre because it creates a tense atmosphere. It also helps promote the film because the audience feel involved in the trailer
• When the girl is having a violent fit, the camera zooms in and out continuously. This creates a sense of fear and tension which are both important conventions of the horror genre. The zooming action itself can be interpreted as violent to further emphasise the scene. The camera movement helps promote the film because it creates suspense amongst the audience and they will want to know what is happening.
• The camera tracks back when the police chase is happening. This is to create a sense of speed and action. It reinforces the codes and conventions of the horror genre because it is a tense moment and the audience feel excited. This promotes the film because the audience will want to watch the film.
• At the beginning of the trailer, there are a series of deliberately static shots. This helps to emphasise the location of the movie and set the scene. This reinforces conventions of the horror genre because the town looks quiet and peaceful. It also promotes the film because the audience will be interested as to why a quiet town is the setting for a horror film.

Editing

• There are many scenes that are linked with a dissolve effect, in particular the scenes between the girl and the boy. This editing creates a sense of peace and possibly romance and emphasises the relationship between the girl and boy. This is a subtle convention of the horror genre because usually in a horror film, everything is calm before something bad is about to happen. This promotes the film because their relationship will interest the audience.
• Towards the end of the trailer, the edits are accelerated and fast paced. The jump cuts create a sense of action and excitement, which are conventions of the horror genre. This also helps to end the suspense building up throughout the trailer. The fast edits help to promote the film to the audience because the audience will feel excited after watching the trailer.
• At the beginning of the trailer, there is a series of fade in and fade out edits to link several scenes together. This effect helps to link the scenes and helps to set the scene and location of the film. This is a convention of trailers and helps to promote the film to the audience because the start of the trailer will get people interested in the film.
• When the boy is lying in bed, there is a slow zoom and a sudden jump cut when he hears the scream. This acts as a convention of the horror genre because the edit is sudden and creates fear within the audience because the jump cut is unexpected. It helps promote the film to the audience because it will make the audience jump and they will want to watch the film
  
  

Sound (Diegetic & Non – Diegetic)

• At the beginning of the trailer, there is a sound bridge in the form of a voiceover. This is when the setting and location for the film are being set. The voiceover helps to link the scenes together and act as a back story for the plot of the film. This is a convention of a trailer because the story is being set at the beginning. It also helps promote the film because it will get the audience involved and interested.
• Throughout the trailer, there is a steady drum beat which represents a beating heart. This creates a rhythm for the trailer and creates a mysterious/sinister atmosphere. It is a convention of the horror genre because when someone is scared, their heart beats faster. It promotes the film to the audience because it makes the audience feel a certain way. (e.g. fear, suspense, mystery)
• At certain parts of the trailer, there is screaming. Screaming is a common convention of the horror genre because it represents fear from the characters in the film and shows that they are afraid. The screams are a convention of the horror genre because they will scare the audience. It also helps promote the film to the audience because the audience will want to watch the film for the thrill they will get from fear
• Also throughout the trailer, the young girl makes low growling sounds. This sounds unnatural and mysterious because it is not familiar to the audience. It is a convention of the horror genre because in horror films, there is usually something supernatural like monsters and growling could be a sound that a monster makes. This hints to the mystery surrounding the young girl. It helps to promote the film because the audience will want to find out more about the girl and her true nature will interest them.