Research and planning - mirrors trailer analysis

- Mirrors the 2008 supernatural film which is directed by Alexandre Aja. The film is produced by Gregory Lavasseur. The actors which are included within the film are -


Kiefer Sutherland as Ben Carson
Paula Patton as Amy Carson
Cameron Boyce as Michael Carson
Erica Gluck as Daisy Carson
Amy Smart as Agela Carson
Mary Beth Peil as Anna Esseker
John Shrapnel as Lorenzo Sapelli
Jason Flemyng as Det. Larry Byrne

- The film is distributed by a well known distributing company which is 20th century fox which has done many other successful horror genre films which are Jennifer's body, predators and Aliens 4. By the audience knowing that 20th century fox have distributed those successful films the audience shall feel confident that the film mirrors shall be successful aswell. It shall hook the audience to want to see the film.
- The beginning of the trailer instantly hooks the audience to wanting to watch the film it starts with a normal street with a normal house and which shows a stereotypical nuclear American family. The edit of  the colour of the film starts with a daylight effect then goes to a night effect when the main character enters the isolated empty warehouse which is a convention of a horror genre film. As the warehouse is abandoned it infers that something has happened within the warehouse and location. The use of mise-en-scene with location is a stereotypical location and setting for a horror genre film. It creates suspense towards the audience. By using a well known character which is shown as the protagonist of the horror film. By having a well known actor which has been in many other successful films which shall make the film already have a fan base which shall make the film popular within the film industry. As the trailer carries on it continues being dark and is mysterious towards the audience as it is a convention of a horror genre film. It pans around the warehouse. As the camera is using a middle shot going across the warehouse theres natural light going through the caps within the warehouse which infers that it could be old or the warehouse is haunted which shall create suspense towards the audience which is what horror genre films do within the film industry.
- The trailer then cuts to the picture of the distributor of the film which is 20th century fox. By cutting from a clip from the film with the main character to the distributing company infers that they are the important within the film and shall get a fan base from that as everyone knows of the main character and the distributor company.
- The trailer continues to be dark and mysterious with the effect of the warehouse being out of light as it has been isolated for years. By using a torch helps creates the audience to infer that. By jump cutting the shots within the same scene going around the warehouse from the main characters point of view shall make the audience feel more engaged with the main character and shall be more engaged within the film which is a convention of a horror genre film as there meant to create suspense towards the audience.
- The trailer then cuts to a clip of a man whoes looking at himself in the mirror. However, the reflection of him seems to be moving, its like theres two of him as the movement of the men are completely different. It tends to be a pattern of when a person looks in the mirror they seem to die. The trailer doesn't give to much away it just infers and clearly shows the victims of the film and whoes the antagonist which creates more understanding of the film so the audience have a brief idea of what the film is going to be about and what they shall expect within the rest of the film.
- The trailer infers to be based on one family and shows that they are the victims as shown within the trailer when they cut to each of the mum the dad and the son looking in the mirror with another one of themselves which is moving differently to them which shall be the antagonist.
- The edit of the film uses jump cuts with fast pass which builds up tension towards the audience which is used towards the end of the trailer where is has fast thumping music which cuts from clip to clip within the film.
- The trailer ends with an explosion of mirrors which infers that the protagonist saves his family and the other victims. The trailer then cuts to the title of the film which blends in with the end scene and clip of the trailer as the title clip has what it looks to be like the bits of the glass from the explosion of the end clip of the trailer which creates suspense towards the audience which is a convention of a horror genre film which shall make is successful within the film industry.

- The use of mise-en-scene within the trailer is used with high quality. It includes a horror genre location which has two main settings which tend to be a convention of a horror genre film. As the film uses an abandoned warehouse and a normal American family home this shall appeal towards the audience as the two locations and settings shall intrigue the audience and make them question what happens in either the abandoned warehouse or the American family home within the film.
- The use of clothing within the film is shown as stereotypically normal where the children and the mum and dad wear normal clothes which people where daily. Whereas, the use of hair and makeup adds an effect to there character as during the trailer there shows a clip of the film where a man is killed from the antagonist which is shown to be him as the antagonist makes himself look like certain people he gets some glass from the floor which looks to be part of a mirror and slits his throat which uses believable makeup to show the effect of him cutting his throat with it from the blood which is racing out of his throat. The antagonist seems to get into peoples minds and they are instantly one of his victims within the film. Usually within horror genre films the antagonist has more than one victim.
- The use of edits and special effects tends to be what is used within other horror genre films where the effect of the film uses daylight and what looks to be the evening as when its dark it creates the audience to be mysterious about whats going to happen within the film as the use of music creates tension as it uses heart racing music which hooks the audience to whats going to happen and makes then grip onto the chairs as they are apprehensive to whats going to happen to the victim or what the antagonist is going to do within the rest of the film.
- Overall, the use of mise-en-scene within the trailer infers that the feel has the conventions of horror genre films within the film inustry and that the film shall already have a fan base from the actors and distributor company within the film which shall make the film popular and shall be successful within the film industry.