"Sorority Row"

"Sorority Row" is a horror/thriller film directed by Stewart Hendler that was released on the 9th of September 2009. The trailer for the film begins with a positive and upbeat atmosphere and the non-diegetic sound of music can be heard in the background that beats in sync with the shots that flash up on the screen. There is also dialogue being used as a teacher speaks to a class of students who are graduating, this opening dialogue provides key information about the status of the characters in the film including their age group and what stage they are at in their lives.
Bright and ambient lighting is used for the opening scenes which enhances the joyful nature of both the music, and the expressions of the teenage girls that are introduced to the audience as the camera shots cut from one to the next. These consecutive shots make it clear to the audience that these girls will be main characters in the film. The diegetic sound of the girls squealing and cheering is very unusual for a trailer of a horror film, however a sound bridge is used to link the opening shots to a range of more serious shots that begin to unravel more about the film.
Low key lighting is used for the next sequence of shots which show the group of teenage girls planning to show an unfaithful boyfriend a lesson, the use of low key lighting immediately portrays a sense of danger and suggests that something unpleasnt is going to happen. The use of a stereotypical view about teenage boys being cheaters increases the authenticity of the narrative. The pace of the shots, dialouge and music quickly become much faster as tension building parts of the plot flash up on the screen. In between different shots of scenes a black screen appears with a short phrase in capital letters and white font, these phrases are positioned in the centre of the shot which is also the focal point and they create suspense for the audience as we are unsure of their meaning. This works very effectively in the trailer because the connotation of these phrases is unknown by the audience who are eager to find out.
The setting for the murder that is shown during the trailer is desolate and typical of many horror films - outside in the middle of nowhere with pitch black skies. The mise-en-scene of the murder scene along with the continuity editing enhance the verisimilitude, for example the rocks, debris and old wooden structures create a rustic and realistic landscape. The shots fade from one to another as the music gradually builds and becomes more intense. Very fast black and white flashing shots are used to highlight the intense fear of the murder. Fast shots keep the audience interested and fixed to the screen.

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A blank white screen appears before the more tranquil and positive shots of graduates celebrating make the audience feel relaxed and a sigh of relief, but again the tension gradually builds with rapidly moving shots and the music is even more intense than before with diegetic sounds of screaming and gasping. The shots also use more low key lighting and feature fire, weapons, mysterious figures and black and white flickering shots.
The last few seconds of the trailer create an urgent and horrific feeling for the audience as the shots cut from one to the next faster than before with the non-diegetic, sharp background music becoming louder and more high pitched every second. The final shot shows the mysterious figure in the black cape throwing a weapon that appears as though it will smash into the camera screen leaving the audience stunned into silence and wanting to watch the film.

Sources of information: www.youtube.com, www.imdb.com