Hide and Seek Trailer Analysis

At the start of this trailer, it starts by informing the audience about the film institution, in this case, it is 20^th Century fox. 20^th Century Fox has creates/helped with loads of well-known films/trailers, this could attract different types of audiences to watch this film. At the start of this trailer, there are two adults that are talking about a girl called Emily. This can suggest that Emily, the child, is one of the main characters in the film/trailer and this is later proven throughout the trailer. The narrative of the film is introduced through the conversation of the two adults as they hint a death of a partner, which is why they need to move away.

Throughout the trailer, there is very dull lighting and this sets a mysterious and sinister mood of the trailer and creates a fearful atmosphere in the audience. The first half consists of slow music to build up tension and the other half is setting the story for the audience to understand. The tone then changes when there is a big bang noise and then a sudden change in the girl’s behaviours which are scary and creepy. This shows the audience that the trailer is not just about relationships and a troubled family but that there is also an element of horror and fear to the trailer.

There’s a large emphasis on the children and the child like behaviours in the trailer, this is to add in an extra fear factor as in present horror conventions, the children are ones to be possessed as it is found scarier and because the children in horror films are innocent and vulnerable. The titles of the trailer is called “Hide and Seek” and this helps to emphasise the child-like behaviours, this is due to hide and seek being a popular children’s game. Throughout the trailer there is reference to counting of numbers, which links to the game of hide and seek, and this is echoed in the background of the trailer, referring to the word “Game” that Emily says, hence the link. Also towards to the end of the trailer, Emily uses the typical hide and seek phrase, “come out, come out, where ever you are” this gives the audience a scary feel as it builds up intensity and a lot of fear as the young girl is trying to find someone, adding the mystery of who she is trying to find. However, when Emily uses this phrase in that context, it gives the impression that she is not innocent or vulnerable, that as well as the protagonist, she is the antagonist and we know this from the narrative that was at the start of the trailer about the young girls strange behaviours and we understand now why the family have to move.

In the trailer, Emily is sometimes shown with a doll. The doll here is a signifier and sometimes, dolls are signified with horror movies as it is normally the doll that is possessed and they are used in many successful films such as “Child’s Play” with Chucky and also the recent horror film “Annabelle” which is all about a possessed doll. Also there is writing in the bathroom that is wrote with blood and this connotes death, gore and horror. There is also a mystery, when a knife is being taken out of the holder and the audience haven’t got a clue who is holding the knife and this raises questions. Also the knife is associated with killings as it symbolises death and terror in horror films.

The end of the trailer there is a lot of fast paced shots and a build-up of music to increase intensity and tension. After these shots, the film’s title appears “Hide and Seek”, and this informs the audience about the title of the movie, allowing them to take in the information. After the titles have been shown, Emily appears again and reflects her major role in the trailer and film. This is then followed by the release of the film, wanting the audience to go and solve the mystery and watch the film, and this is also placed at the end for the audience to remember the important information.