Film Title: Get Out Trailer Length: 2.32 Director: Jordan Peele Release Date: February 24th 2017 Certificate: 15 Genre: Horror / Thriller Production Company: Blumhouse Productions – common production company for this genre Distribution Company: Universal Pictures Budget: $251.8 million Opening Weekend: $33,377,060 Budget: $4.5 million
The trailer begins with a Universal logo screen, immediately showing audiences the film has a large distribution company and is apart of the big 6. Audiences will therefore expect to see possibly A-list actors, special effects, and for the narrative to focus more on these aspects rather than character development due to its large budget; the trailer later reveals special effects, however main stars include Alison Williams, and so does not feature any a-list actors. Therefore the opening shot could lead the audience into a false sense of security, suggesting expectations which are later not met. This may come as a shock to some audience members, possibly keeping them on the edge of their seats, a common genre convention of Thriller / Horror of suspense. The Universal logo also supports conventions further as a key convention of all theatrical trailers is that they begin showing the distribution and production logos, to which this trailer has achieved.
The trailer then uses a medium shot, showing the main protagonists kissing in the doorway. This could be seen to subvert the usual Thriller / Horror trailers as it connotes feelings of love and happiness, two of which are not common emotions associated with the genre. However, this does conform to Todrov’s narrative stages of equilibrium, whereby the beginning is peaceful and tranquil. It also conforms to the conventional narrative stages of trailers of this genre being in a two part narrative, whereby the first half is calm and non-violent, and the second is subverted. This idea of the first half being serene is further reinforced within the shot as the shot length is quite long, with a slow transition into the next shot. The long length of shot and slow transition suggests a sense of relaxation; there is no restricted time limit or sense of panic and fear. Both of these are again conventions of a thriller / horror trailer as many films of this genre choose to start with slow editing and shots. However, many trailers of this genre usually also include transitions of fading to black, to which this trailer does not seem to use at the beginning. In addition, the medium shot, and throughout the first half of the trailer, high key lighting is mainly used. High key lighting connotes a sense of uplifting, and happiness, again supporting the idea that the first half of the trailer is at the narrative stage of equilibrium, however subverts to trailers of this genre as contrasts to the dark, sinister themes often portrayed in thriller / horror films.
However, this is then slightly interrupted through the use of a hand held shot when showing the two protagonists in the bedroom. The hand held shot suggest a state of panic, also creates a level of disorientation amongst the audience as they do not have a stable insight into the narrative. The use of a hand held shot is firstly conventional to trailers of this genre, however also foreshadows future events may leave the audience feeling paniced and possibly scared, and even disorientated and in a vulnerable position. These are also conventional feelings audience members feel when watching the thriller / horror genre. It also makes the future events seem more real as the shakiness of the camera suggests a naturalistic atmosphere, meaning the audience symptahise for characters more. This idea of sympathising could support the uses and gratifications theory of personal identity, audience members may feel they personally know he characters due to feeling they are there with them in real life, enforced by the sense of reality due to the hand held shot.
Later on in the extract, an intercut is used between the two protagonists travelling in their car, on the phone to a police officer. The use of a police officer is conventional of a trailer of this genre as there is often the appearance of an authority figure. This suggests the status quo of society, showing the audience familiarity and maintaining the social and legal structure of society within the film, again connoting an element of realism and suggesting society is unchanged within its social values. The use of an intercut shows many shots, one of those is a long shot of a car, travelling through the woods. This shot captures the location of the film, and using a desolate and isolated location such as the woods, is a code of the horror genre. The colour of the car is also red, which connotes pain, danger and fear, common associations of the horror / thriller genre. It could also signify the future emotions that are to follow within the narrative, building mystery and suspense amongst the audience.
It is during this shot that distinguishes the change within the trailer, as this is the shot of the car hitting a deer in the road. Up until this shot, all seemed tranquil, however, the non-diegetic, upbeat instrumental music is suddenly replaced with a high pitched, eerie sound and the shot is interrupted by credits on screen ‘FROM BLUMHOUSE THE PRODUCER OF THE VISIT INSIDIOUS THE GIFT’. Firstly, the use of the original instrumental music, again not only lul’s the audience into a false sense of security, which is suddenly broken, but is also commonly used to build up suspense in horror/thriller trailers. The short, eerie non diegetic sound creates an element of mystery amongst the audience as it is played without any moving image, just with a screen of credits on a black background. The black background suggests mystery as the audience cannot see what is concealed behind the text, it also creates a sense of suffocation as it surrounds the text, another horror convention. This creates a narrative enigma as audience members are unsure where it has come from or what is happening within the narrative at this point, and is an effective way to engage the audience into continue watching the trailer as they want to continue watching in order to find the answers to these questions. This eerie, non-diegetic sound is continued throughout the second half of the trailer, and is used on a close up shot of a gun. The over the shoulder shot of a gun suggests a hostile and violent atmosphere, alongside with the eerie music, conforming to genre conventions. The lighting in the shot is also very dark, using low key lighting and casting shadows. In addition, the shot length is a lot shorter than those at the start of the trailer, suggesting an element of panic has begun rising and leading up to a larger suspense, another code of triller / horror genre.
Towards the end of the trailer, the release date is shown ‘THIS FEBRUARY’, and is again shown towards the very end of the trailer. Showing the release date at the end of the trailer is a typical convention of all trailers. Sans serif font is also used ontop of a dark black / blue background, with possible drips of black blood. Firstly the font choice suggests the trailer is trying to target both male and female, as serif font usally is used when targeting the female population, and so san serif does not exclude males, possibly targeting both audiences, increasing possible audience. The blood drops in the background connote violence and possibly death, again two emotions tied with the genre, making it clear to all audiences the genre of the film. A social media hashtag is then displayed on the next title screen, ‘#getout’ again a common tool used in trailers, and conventional of trailers to use at the end of the end of the trailer. It offers the audience the opportunity to engage with the film on a higher level by actively taking part in the film online. It also offers the film a chance of advertising and reach a wider audience due to the two step flow theory of the hashtag being shared online by the original opinion leader. Therefore both the font and hashtag is aimed at increasing potential audiences, increasing potential box office sales and therefore revenue, the key aim for any Hollywood film who’s main interest is making money rather than focusing on characters etc.
In conclusion, I feel the trailer for ‘Get Out’ both subverts and conforms to the conventions of both film trailers and those of the thriller / horror genre. However, it is unproportionate in that it mostly conforms to conventions, in order to meet the expectations of the audience watching the trailer. I feel this was intentional in order to signify societies lack of choice within the media they consume, there is limited variety within genres, and mot meet the same expectations. On the other hand, some elements of the trailer subverted conventions, suggesting some individuals within society desire freedom and to break free from common genre expectations.