Chris Briant - A2 Media Studies

Doors

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Above are two diegetic noises that are used frequently in horror film trailers. A creaking door creates a tense atmosphere for the audience watching, as it usually implies that a jumpscare is going to occur, so this would be more of a psychological scare, as it makes the audience think what is going to happen next. Whereas a slamming door is more of a jump scare, as the sound it produces is loud and is done to scare the audience. These sounds are used to scare the audience through atmospherical concern and shock.

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Footsteps

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Footsteps are a common diegetic sound used in horror film trailers, as they have the effect on the audience that someone is moving towards them, but the feet of the character on screen aren't displayed which creates a sinister feeling for the audience. Different footsteps create different feeling for the audience, for instance, if the footsteps are slow paced and echoed this generates a sense of uncertainty and nervousness, as the audience may be expecting something frightening to happen due to the lack of sound. In contrast, if the footsteps are fast paced this can create pace to the trailer but can also make the audience anxious because when footsteps are fast this usually mean tension is building up to something scary that is going to happen.

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Wind

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Wind in horror film trailer can be a key element in creating an eerie an ominous atmosphere for the audience. Wind gives the audience the information of the environment of the setting which can create suspense, as wind can usually be heard clearly in silent outdoor places. Wind on its own is spine-chilling as the audience will be thinking about what is going to happen next in the trailer which could well be a horrifying jumpscare. The wind can also be associated with whispering, and in some trailers wind is used when echoey voices are heard to try and scare the audience by creating a ghostly atmosphere, this is usually done in supernatural and psychological horror films.

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Non-Diegetic Sounds

 

 

 

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Non-diegetic sounds in horror film trailers are a key element in creating suspense, fear, nervousness etc. for the audience watching, in some way so they experience the characters emotions in the trailer. Soft non-diegetic sounds that are quiet and slow create a more calming feeling for the audience, implying that nothing is going to scare them, however some horror trailers deceive the audience by using quiet and soft sounds before a terrifying jumpscare. High pitch non-diegetic sounds that are fast and harsh to the ears create a sense of shock and can petrify the audience watching, they are usually used as a jumpscare is happening to heighten the reaction of the audience, so that they are even more scared.