1. Setting the Tone:
Dark, Ominous Atmosphere: Trailers often begin with a sense of normalcy that quickly shifts to a darker, more foreboding atmosphere. This is often achieved through the use of low lighting, abandoned or desolate settings, and eerie music.
Creepy Sound Effects: Sounds like moans, growls, and sudden loud noises (like door slams or glass breaking) are used to create a sense of dread and to startle the audience.
2. Visuals and Cinematography:
Disturbing Imagery: Trailers showcase the gruesome and gory aspects of zombies—rotting flesh, decomposing bodies, and blood. Quick cuts to these images can heighten the sense of horror.
Fast-Paced Editing: Rapid editing, especially during scenes of zombie attacks or chases, creates a sense of urgency and chaos.
Contrasting Scenes: Alternating between moments of calm and intense action helps build tension. A quiet scene might be abruptly interrupted by a zombie attack.
3. Character Introductions:
Survivors: Trailers often introduce the main characters or group of survivors, providing glimpses into their personalities and the dynamics within the group.
Human Element: Emotional scenes or dialogue that hint at personal struggles, relationships, or moral dilemmas faced by the characters add depth and make the audience care about their fates.
4. Plot Hints:
Initial Outbreak: Many trailers include scenes that show the beginning of the zombie outbreak, providing context and a sense of inevitability.
Survival Struggle: The core narrative of survival is emphasized, with snippets of the characters fighting off zombies, scavenging for supplies, or hiding from threats.
Hints at Conflict: Besides the zombies, there are often hints at other forms of conflict, such as disputes within the group or encounters with hostile human factions.
5. Sound and Music:
Tense, Atmospheric Music: Music often builds in intensity, starting with slow, eerie tones and escalating to fast-paced, dramatic scores during action sequences.
Silence and Jump Scares: Strategic use of silence followed by sudden, loud noises can create effective jump scares.
6. Voiceovers and Dialogue:
Expository Voiceover: A voiceover might provide background information or set up the premise of the film, often delivered in a serious, grave tone.
Key Lines: Trailers highlight important lines of dialogue that capture the film’s themes, such as “We’re not safe here” or “They’re everywhere.”
7. Taglines and Titles:
Memorable Taglines: Effective taglines that encapsulate the horror and excitement of the film are often featured prominently.
Title Reveal: The film’s title is usually revealed towards the end of the trailer, often accompanied by dramatic music or sound effects.
8. End Teasers:
Cliffhanger or Shocking Moment: Trailers frequently end with a shocking moment or cliffhanger to leave the audience wanting more, such as a sudden zombie appearance or a character in peril.
By adhering to these conventions, zombie horror trailers effectively engage the audience, set the stage for the film’s tone and themes, and generate excitement and anticipation for the movie’s release. I want to make something similar to Shaun of the Dead but it wont be a comedy for the codes of conventions. I will ahve some similarities with the comedy of Shaun of the dead where one of the antagonist is running down the hallway or even the attack on the main protagonist. The combination of psychological horror and zombie horror is the hybrid am after
Shutter Island has the idea of mental illness and it uses location a well, my film will be something similar, with a male protagonist
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