Analysis Of The Blair Witch

I have decided to analyse the trailer of 'The Blair Witch Project'. I have chosen this film trailer because I believe it has a number of concepts in which we want to achieve, in our teaser trailer. From the non diegetic sounds to the tittles used in the trailer and the way it is acted and how they have put the film in the sequence they have. Also the main reason in which i have chosen to analyse this teaser trailer is because they use a hand held camera within the film, which is what we are wanting to do in our teaser trailer, so i believe analyzing a teaser trailer using a hand held camera could help me see all the conventions used to create this film.



First of all the non diegetic sound at the start with the heavy drum sends an instant shiver down the viewers spine and with it just being a black screen, i believe this sets the genre straight away giving of the impression of it being a horror film. Then the tittle that comes up giving us information on the film again agrees and shows the viewer that it is definitely a horror. Then it goes on to the main characters questioning locals, from where they have gone to, asking them about the blair witch. This diegetic sound shows the audience what the film is going to be about and it will either interest them or not. Then again the tittle that comes up saying 'one of the creepiest films since the exorcism' showing the viewers that it is like 'the exorcism' so if they have watched that and liked it they will be interested in watching this one. The way they have the really quick clip of the dark and then a shot of the tree, then the big gasp gives it an element of scariness, and leaves the viewers with an enigma. The constant black screen with that beat of the drum then how the noise fades out slowly is a great affect of non diegetic sound gives the audience a sense of shock. Then when they are arguing about the map makes the viewers wonder why they need the map so desperately and they see the actors in a state of panic and wonder why they are like this. Then the scene were the person is running makes it alot more scarier as they are using a hand held camera which makes it alot more realistic and makes the audience get into the actors shoes. Once again the non diegetic sound used when the black screen is up puts the viewer into a mind of wondering if anything is going to happen, then when they show us the sort of person made out of trees the diegetic sound of someone saying 'holy sh*t' shows us that they are afraid and wonder what it is, or they know what it is but us viewers dont and we want to know what it is and why its there making us want to view the film in full. Then again it cuts to the running scene using the hand held camera and the lighting used in this scene is just the light from the camera which gives it a sense of reality. Then we get the close up of the girl speaking into the camera and she is speaking with a terrified voice showing us the audience that something has happened which we don't know and she tells us how its all her fault why there like they are, and as she finished when she says 'hunted' straight after the black screen comes on again with that same drum sound which gives the audience a sense of them being frightened or something is going to happen or has happened. And as it ends the last thing heard is a high pitched scream then goes straight to the black screen again with the same sound, then the tittle 'The Blair Witch Project'.

I believe this is a great low budget film in the same genre in which we are wanting to achieve, analyzing this has given me more inspiration and many more ideas on how to get around achieving this genre. And also gave me a few ideas on how to use non diegetic sound and lighting to achieve this genre which will also tease the audience and hopefully get them to want to watch the actual film.