Thursday, 4 March 2010

Analysis of Paranormal Activity



We are given the name of the film at the very beginning of the trailer when we are shown the first audience to view ‘Paranormal Activity’. We are given the name again half way though the trailer when referring to a review. However the title
The names of the actors ‘starring’ in the film are not given. They are not high profile actors, instead the ‘names’ are given in the trailer when they speak to each other in the footage.
However this gives the desired effect because the film started a controversy as to whether it was real footage or a staged film. So having high profile actors in the film would decrease the level of fear.
Katy’s boyfriend gives her name when introducing her to the handheld camera at the beginning of the trailer. The way we are given this information is through them communicating within the footage. We are not given the male protagonist’s name in the trailer. In the film we are shown snippets of the paranormal activity, including the male protagonist getting thrown at the camera.
We are shown a door getting violently slammed and Katy violently rocking back and forth. There is more violence in the trailer as opposed to action.
There is no music in the trailer, instead computerised non-diegetic sounds are used to give a real life effect, the sound is similar to thunder and strong winds, this gives the trailer more fear impact because these are the sort of sounds that are normal to hear yet scary. There is sudden noises used to evoke fear. Silence is used which is the most fearful sound of them all because the audience doesn’t know what to expect. There is also a thumping sound at the beginning of the trailer. This resembles a heart beating, how people usually feel before viewing a horror film.
There is no voice over used, instead there is writing used to get us to read instead of being told. Voice overs are often used in high profile films, again this film is made to look like real life footage, therefore a voice over would give a typical film effect. Also the male protagonist does most of the talking which tells us what a voice over would anyway.
The male protagonist is chosen as the main voice use throughout the trailer, I think they chose the actor in the film because it gives a sense of reality. Where the only voice overs they have in the trailer are the two protagonists it makes the audience believe the film is genuine footage.
The trailer begins very slow pace and as the trailer progresses the pace fastens as it picks a lot of the main action from the film. They do this to give the audience too much to take in at once and therefore want to see the film because it appears to be full of action. However when watching a clip from the film it will be very slow pace gradually building the action to the middle/end of the film compared to the trailer.
The speed alters throughout the trailer, it begins slow pace with little or no action and progresses to fast pace with lots of action
The trailer tells the audience that the young couple are haunted by something and are trying to capture it on camera for proof that they are actually being haunted. They do not know what it is what is haunting them but they know it is a threat. We know that the male protagonist tries to play games with it (Camera footage, Ouija board) therefore inviting it in.
This information is given to the audience consistently throughout the trailer as the male protagonist is using a handheld camera and bringing us along his journey with him.
From looking at the Pearl & Dean Website I can see that the target audience consists mainly of the 15-24 age range. Females are more likely to watch the film at 51% over 49% of males.


No comments:

Post a Comment