Analysis of Paranormal Activity (Research Into Similar Products)

Camerawork:

The trailer starts with an establishing shot of the inside of Katie and Micha's house, the handheld camera makes the audience feel almost as if they are watching a documentary. Closeup shots are then used on the two characters to reinforce the normality of the young couple, they are an ordinary working class man and woman. The use of the long shot at night time creates suspense within the audience as they are viewing and waiting for something to emerge out of the darkness and the two characters are completely oblivious. Close ups are used further on to emphasize the heightened emotions of terror and horror felt by the characters and evidently the audience.

Editing:

Editing begins slowly to imply a normal everyday routine, but as a disequilibrium is introduced the editing pace quickens and almost imitates the audience's heartbeat. The cuts to black are very effective in enticing the audience and audience anticipation.

Sound:

The digetic dialogue at the beginning of the trailer are very effective in again reiterating the idea of a normal routine, reinforcing that they are in fact ordinary people and their dialogue helps to establish this. However when the night comes, the sound is almost a deep ambiance and there is a foreboding ominous sense something is going to occur. The silence is very effective as the audience are anticipating in absolute suspense something bad to happen.  When the editing cuts to black and the credits appear there is a static just before and an almost lost signal sound this very effective is establishing the genre almost implying there is no one that can help them they are isolated.

Mise-en-scene:

Lighting: The use of natural light again reiterates the documentary style hybrid genre, although it is not actually a documentary it appears to be. When the night comes the low-key-lighting is very effective as the audience await for something to appear out of the darkness but are unsure of what.

Costume: the clothes, hair, makeup etc. all imply working class not extremely wealthy or poor. This makes the characters very relate-able and this again make the trailer a lot more scary as they have more of a relationship with the character and the audience may think that could be me.

Location: The house is very ordinary, it is not an old haunted mansion that a typical Gothic/horror film/novel would include. However, although it may bot be an isolated castle in the middle of nowhere it still is in a sense a desolate place, as it is just us the two characters and whatever else, so there is a sense of isolation within the location but only subtly.