Horror Trailer Analysis Two - Grave Encounters

Above is the trailer for the 2011 supernatural-horror film, Grave encounters. The film was written and directed by The Vicious Brothers and stars Sean Rogerson, Mackenzie Gray, and Ben Wilkinson among others. With a budget of $2 million, the film grossed a total of $5,408,334 at the box office more than doubling its worth, and has an IMDB rating of 6.1 out of 10.

This film trailer is particularly interesting. Although it does show an equilibrium at the beginning, the first shot is fuzzy and static – like a camera that doesn’t work. Despite the equilibrium, this may create a sense of disturbance or disorientation. We then get a mid-shot of Lance [Sean Rogerson], the host of Grave Encounters; a popular fictional ghost investigation television series. This creates a connection between the character and the audience.

We then see an establishing shot with a caption, informing us that the following events will take place at ‘Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, Ryerson Valley, MA’. After this, we see several hand-held/point of view shots, which create a further connection between the audience and the trailer itself – it brings us into the trailer, as if we are a part of it. At this point, we see a couple of shots which look like footage being replayed. This adds to the context of the trailer and the film itself.

A voice comes in now, adding further context. Halfway through this piece of dialogue is a cut, and we see an over-the-shoulder shot of an elderly lady being interviewed. The dialogue belongs to her which adds more context, showing that interviews of locals are part of the fictional television series created for this film. This adds a degree of realism and therefore potentially scares the audience more as it gives the trailer more depth making it seem more likely, bringing the audience closer to the world of the characters by showing them something with which they can identify.

Further into the trailer we see the Grave Encounters crew being shown around the hospital, presumably by the caretaker. Following this, the trailer begins to get more intense, showing us more of what happens in the film. These shots include monster-like creatures appearing, panic shots of the crew members, and a particularly interesting shot of a bed frame being thrown around seemingly by nothing. This is all shown through hand-held shots, which once again bring the audience into the trailer, making them feel like a part of the experience.

These shots also use a variety of different angles, such as low angles and canted angles. A great example of a canted angle is when Lance is lying on the floor with the camera facing him, which seems to be him staying low and keeping hidden from any monsters. Many of the shots are also filtered so that they are green and slightly grainy, like night-vision footage. This again adds realism and context to the trailer, adding another layer of depth and potentially making the audience feel even more unsettled.

The main sound in the trailer is dialogue, although there is some background music and a few sound effects. However, I think the most effective sound in the trailer is the screaming. It is uneasy, loud, and piercing, which may cause the audience to jump and be more alert. Also, Sasha’s [Ashleigh Gryzko] dialogue seems to be very effective – her voice becomes breathless, rough and panicked toward the end of the trailer, showing that she is clearly distressed due to what is happening.