Elements of a horror trailer

The typical elements of a horror trailer determine whether it is successful or not. The certain scenes from the film itself that are displayed in the trailer are the ones which contain the most suspense to scare the viewer. 

Elements that make up horror trailers and determine the effect it will have are:

Camera angles: In many trailers, the camera is used as at tool to keep the viewer in suspense. The camera for example will use angles such as over the shoulder shots to give the impression that the character on screen is being watched. Zoom is also used to emphasize facial expressions and the emotion of fear. Tracking shots follow the characters as they run/walk giving the idea that they are being followed. A very popular camera shot used for horror trailers is the handheld camera method. This is a point of view angle from the character themselves which often involves them running and giving the impression of them running away. 

Music: The music that features in the trailer is used to set the scene and the mood. Music often changes throughout the trailer for example at the start of the sequence when the story is being set, the music is often slow and eerie so that the viewer does not get distracted by it and focuses on the story itself. As the action begins to take place, the pace of the music often increases and the dynamics get louder to give an emotion of panic. Silence is also often used in trailers to increase suspense and the power that it has on the viewer. 

Voiceover: Voiceovers tend to be used in the older trailers. Scream, Halloween and Friday the 13th are all examples of films which used voiceovers. They are effective in capturing the attention of the audiences as they often ask rhetorical questions or use phrases which will scare the audience. In more modern trailers, voiceovers are not very popular and usually the words appear on the screen but there is no sound used except for the diegetic or non diegetic sounds. This is another method used to make the trailer seem more spooky and also so that the viewer is not trying to concentrate if two things at the same time.  

Setting: The setting of each trailer and the location will portray the right feeling to the viewer. If the setting is in an American high school it will be obvious that the film is based around young teenagers. Many horror films are based around places which are isolated to everybody else so that the film is focused around these particular characters. The feeling of isolation also increases suspense as more events can happen without anyone else being aware.