Sound
Although it is not typical of a trailer to use voice-overs, some use them to help identify the narrative of the story, or to introduce the antagonist or protagonist.
In order to engage the audience, voice-overs are usually well spoken, and annunciate words well; they are also typically male and have deep voices. This is evident in the trailer for Scream. The deep male voice adds an atmosphere to the trailer that almost makes the audience feel uncomfortable. The audience remains engaged through the use of the voice-over in order to introduce the antagonist. Although simple vocabulary is used, the way in which the script is read means that the horror elements of the trailer are evident from the beginning.
Most trailers use taglines so that the film sticks in the audiences mind, and these are usually placed towards the end of the trailer. This is used to sum up the entire movie, as well as stick in the audience’s minds. It also cleverly incorporates the movie’s title into the tagline so as to insure that the audience remembers it.
Most voice-overs are done by a general narrator who is typically male. The deep, husky voice of the narrator makes the script have a chilling effect on the audience, creating a more sinister atmosphere surrounding the events of the trailer. Alternatively in the other two trailers, there is no set narrator.
Scream
During the trailer there a lot of different sounds used. Half way through the trailer, a key technique was used which is a voice over, making the film trailer more persuasive to an audience. The voice overs tone of voice is very convincing that you will see a murder and that you will definitely not regret seeing the film.
Another way in which sound was used during the film trailer was diegetic speech. The main character of the film explains a normal and basic scary/slasher movie this is ironic as the film is a “normal” slasher movie, but adding the diegetic speech will make the audience believe that there is a huge plot twist or something new to a film of this genre.
Another way in which sound was used and also another way in which it helped create suspense was through ambient sound, this is sound that sets the scene, as an object comes crashing through the window early in the trailer, this could mean that everything may crash in the film, this is effective as it makes the audience think about the film and makes them want to know what’s going to happen next. It leaves them asking loads questions.
Saw
The sound in the trailer at the beginning is quite quiet with only the diegetic sound of footsteps and the camera flash being used. The silence of this creates suspense but also allows the audience to gain a sense of reality. Soon after there is the laugh that sounds like it’s come from a small child, this sends chills down the viewer’s spines. As this laugh becomes louder an unknown figure comes out shown in the print screen below that makes the audience jump, a the non-diegetic sound is used at this point as the music crescendo’s dramatizing the scene. Another sound that has been overlaid in post-production is the heart beat which builds up with the intensity of the clip. The heart beat is quite prominent and is effective because your heart beat races when you are panicking therefore the audience are feeling what they victims are feeling. Furthermore a lot of the non-diegetic sound that has been added in is high pitch and this helps to build a tense atmosphere. Paired with this the diegetic sound like the chains clinking are ones that are familiar with the genre of horror therefore the trailer is conforming to its genre. Throughout the trailer there is narration, but this narration is done with dialogues from the scenes of the movie. This is done effectively as the audience are informed of the background of the movie. The music throughout is eerie. The main villain, ‘Jigsaw’ talks and this entices the audience as this main character is intriguing and interesting. His voice is distorted and this creates a sense of mystery. In the trailer there is screaming involved and this scares the audience but also will make them want to see the movie. Another effective sound is the clock that ticks to reflect there isn’t much time left but also represents the challenge the victims face. The sound of this emphasises there panic.
The Hills Have Eyes
At the beginning of the trailer, non-diegetic sound of air raid sirens are heard making the atmosphere tense, because people know that air raid sirens are a warning, that something terrible is going to happen. Diegetic sound of explosions are used suggesting that a disaster is probably going to happen as these are what explosions cause. In contrast, the sound changes to non-diegetic of the song ‘California dreaming’; this is very upbeat compared to the long and dreary sound of the sirens and explosions. As the events begin to occur, non-diegetic sound of fast paced string instruments are played. The feel of something coming is created through this and when it abruptly stops it creates the sense that whatever was coming is now there with the victim. The non-diegetic sound of a drum makes the sound of a heartbeat, showing a relation between the sound and the frightened characters. Industrial sounds create scream-like noises, while quick drum beats along with editing of quick camera cuts of the characters seems like gunshots and as if the characters in the cuts are the ones being targeted. By the end of the trailer, the pitch of the non-diegetic sound increases which builds tension because the audience know that at the highest point of the sound something will happen.
