When creating a horror trailer, it is important that we comply with existing substances such as shot number and the average shot length within our trailer. As a result, we have taken 6 horror trailers into account as well as the overall average horror trailer length and the average shot number per trailer. When we as a group create our Poltergeist themed trailer, we need to take such shot count and numbers as well as trailer lengths into account to ensure that as realistic a horror trailer as possible. The below 6 trailers will also allow us as a group to calculate the average shot length within the trailer to allow for us as a group to know the figures and statistics in which we will need to comply to when creating our own form of horror trailer.
KNOCK KNOCK (2015)
'Knock Knock' was first premiered in 2015. The film is about a married man who spent father's day alone as his family went away for the weekend. During this time, two girls appeared to at his door, as they were in some trouble and needed some help. He lets them into the house and things started getting chaotic. The trailer is 120 seconds long, and we broke this down and worked out that there were roughly 113 shots, that came to an average of 1.06 seconds each.
THE VISIT (2015)
The Visit is a 2015 found footage film where two teenagers head down to meet and stay with their grandparents for the first time while their mother goes on holiday with her new boyfriend. The children soon recognise their grandparents' strange and frightening behaviour, leading them to eventually discover their real grandparents' corpses in the basement and that the other two are actually escaped patients from a mental asylum. This trailer is 130 seconds long and has 58 shots altogether. This makes an average of 2.02 seconds per shot for this movie trailer.
SINISTER 2 (2015)
Sinister 2 is the sequel to the two part horror Sinister. In he sequence Baghuul's back with a new plan, and some new victims. Set in a countryside, a mother and two kids are hiding from their abusive husband/father. One of the young children are exposed to videos of other children torturing and murdering their families, whilst getting it all on video footage. The trailer is 150 seconds long, and there is a total of 138 shots, which are roughly 1.1 seconds per shot.
SAW II (2005)
Saw 2 is the second film in the Saw sequence of films and is arguably one of the most enticing and bloody horror examples to date. With a trailer equating to a length of 88 seconds, 92 shots were seen within the short trailer. Using the general rule of thumb, there are less shots within the trailer than seconds. However, within Saw 2 this isn't the case and as a result there is an average of 0.9 seconds per shot. This subsequently shows an example of a horror trailer that is fast paced and exciting in terms of change of shot therefore giving the audience the impression of a later film which is full of speed, gore and excitement.
INSIDIOUS 3 (2015)
Insidious 3 is the third in a trilogy (so far) of horrors associated with a paranormal theme throughout. Insidious allows for a set of films that are relatable to the audience in terms of locations and what really could happen in the subsequent events that occur within the films. With a trailer equating to 125 seconds, 58 shots were seen within this long trailer. Using the general rule of thumb, there are more seconds in a trailer than the shot number. Insidious complies with this general rule and there is an average shot length of 2.1 seconds within the trailer. This subsequently shows an example of a paranormal film trailer that is slower in pace and more relatable than other such horror films. This therefore gives the audience the impression of tension building within the trailer furthermore wanting the audience to watch the ilm upon its release.
DON'T BREATHE (2016)
Don't Breathe is the first film within its series of films (so far) and is associated with modern horror fears. Don't Breathe allows for a film that is relatable to the paranoia in which modern day individuals experience in terms of personal fears at home and the threat in which modern day threats pose. With a trailer equating to 107 seconds, 108 shots were seen within this long trailer. Using the general rule of thumb, there are more seconds seen within a trailer than the shot number. However, Don't Breathe does not comply with this general rule with an average shot length of 1 second per shot. This subsequently shows an example of a modern horror that is mid paced as if not to completely frighten the audience but as if the entice them into wanting to know the result of the film as well as its climax.
In overall conclusion and by taking the above 6 horror trailers into account, the average horror trailer length equates to 120 seconds with an average shot number per trailer equalling 94.5 shots. This therefore concludes that when filming and planning our horror trailer with the poltergeist theme, we need to take such shot numbers and trailer lengths into account to ensure that the trailer is as close to real life examples as possible. In terms of average shots per seconds, using the above 6 trailers gives an average shot length of 1.3 seconds. When we go forward to film and plan our trailer with it's poltergeist theme we need to ensure that the average shot length is similar to such trailers therefore giving as realistic example of a horror trailer as possible.