Shaun Of The Dead trailer analysis

Shaun of the dead trailer

Mise-en-scene- at the start of the trailer, it started as an informative announcement, static screens suggests isolation and no escapism (which are codes and conventions of horror) in which as TVs are used for escapism from day-to-day life and by the TV being static, it can suggest that there is no escape, metaphorically saying that people have no escape and that they are trapped and isolated.

For the micro-element sound, there was the use of the narrator, which was used to create a survival guide for the apocalypse which was supported by a montage of the main protagonists doing what is said by the narrator but not doing what they should do correctly, i.e. Simon Pegg using a swing ball pole, but hit the zombie with the wrong end (hitting the zombie with the tennis ball, slightly tapping the zombie’s head and causing no harm as a result. Another example could be when the narrator says “don’t attract attention” in which Nick Frost does the exact opposite in which when him and the other protagonists are surrounded by zombies he decides to answer his phone and talks to the person phoning him without a care in the world as if it was just a regular day.   

Also for sound there was the use contrapuntal sound which the music was did not reflect the crisis of the apocalypse therefore being used for comedic effect as it can represent the seriousness of the protagonists when confronting the current situation they are in.

For the micro-element Camera work, close-up shots of the protagonists face were used after each statement said by the narrator during the montage, thereby showing the protagonists’ expression which is done for the effect of humour for the audience i.e. when the protagonist Nick Frost answers his phone, when he should not the camera then shows a close-up of Shaun’s (Simon Pegg) facial expression of him being shocked.

For the micro-element editing, the use of a montage of what the narrator is saying , used to show a lot of things but in a short duration to give an audience an idea of what the film is about and also the use of a montage is perfect as trailers are shown for a  short period of time which the montage can show the main codes and conventions of the film and introduces the main characters of the film therefore as a result will make the audience want to see more as they will see what the synopsis of the film and the characters of the film.

I will include conventional theme of narration which was used within this theatrical trailer within my theatrical trailer as it guides the audience of the direction of the narrative and reinforces the proposed/negotiated emotion for the audience (Hall) as to what the director wants the audience to feel.  

I will not include conventions of humour as my genre for my theatrical trailer as it is a serious, apocalyptic zombie horror as i want the target audience to feel visceral pleasures (Altman) of fear, suspense, anticipation and adrenaline which if the conventions of humour being used within the theatrical trailer, it will distort these these emotions and pleasures for the audience.