Textual Analysis of Wolf Creek Trailer

Textual Analysis of Wolf Creek trailer

I have chosen to analysis this trailer because the film itself is about abduction of innocence, however I haven’t seen this film myself but from watching the trailer I can understand what the film is about. I also have chosen this trailer because the genre is similar, Wolf creek is a horror/ thriller and for my trailer I’m making is a suspense thriller.

 In the wolf creek trailer it starts with the group at a house party, messing around in the pool getting drunk. It cuts to the distributor’s intro (Dimension Films) and then cuts to a shot through a ripped tent with the group’s car driving past on the road. Then the camera is shot through a handheld camera, held by the male character, talking directly to it. A few shots of the female characters laughing in the car and then the title sequences begin. First title sequence doesn’t give any information about what this trailer is going to be about because it’s discussing a journey of a lifetime.

A lot of shots of the scenery of “Wolf Creek” and the characters facial expressions ones they have arrived. The second title sequence may add a sense of tension because it mentions they’re in the middle of nowhere.

A shot of the sun setting and here is where the problems occur. Their car has broken and some shots of their new facial expressions of sadness and despair. Then cuts to the third title sequence which may twist the audience expectations. It states “The last thing they expected”- this could suggest they’re being rescued or something terrible is about to unravel. A vehicle is heading towards them and a lot of quick cuts of the characters facial expressions with another title sequences over-laid the clip.

Another title sequences tells the audience that this film is based on true events- which will alter the audiences prospective of the film.

The introduction of the new character, an older man dressed in a chequered top and a cowboy styled hat. The new character takes them back to his house, offers them a drink and they sit around a campfire. They start talking and introducing each other which is when the trailer becomes dark when the new character states “if I have to tell you what I do, I’d have to kill you”. A cut to the members faces which have dropped from happy to worried.

Music kicks it and a lot of quick paced shots of the members trying to escape, it keeps cutting from the different character being chased and potentially killed by this older character, a lot of scenery shots which have changed from the sunny, environmental “Wolf Creek” to the dark and metal inhabitant house of a crazed killer.

I believe this trailer has been made this way to lure the audience in, it starts normal without any hints about what this movie is going to be about, might come across as a nature film because they’re going camping. Then the introduction of the new character changes the trailer completely to a dark and twisted event of murders and abduction. To me this is a very good and interesting way to reveal the genre because it starts with the new character stating if he tells the backpackers what he does, he would have to kill them then it suddenly shows numerous shots of the backpackers being victims. To me this makes a very good trailer because it doesn’t reveal a lot about what’s happening, apart from the obvious but doesn’t show who or how is being victimised.

Considering the use of Mise-en-scene, the backpackers are dressed in “normal” clothing-hooded jackets, jeans etc. because they’re backpackers I would of expected these characters to be dressed in “hiking” clothes but I think the use of rural clothes is a good choice because it adds to the sense that these characters are going to end up having something bad happen to them because they have come unprepared for camping etc. the stranger who is introduced is dressed more appropriate for the setting of the film- it’s set in a wasteland of sand and nothing. The character is dressed in a chequered shirt, jeans and a cowboy hat which would be expected, however dressing the character like this takes away the mysteriousness of the character, leading the audience away from thinking this character is “evil”- which he is.

            When the action scene of the trailer is happening, when the audience know who the killer is and the backpackers are being attacked the setting changes dramatically. It goes from a dark, leafy backdrop of a forest and campfire into even darker, grungy and metal scenery. This might suggest that the majority of the film is going to be like this and sets the theme and genre of this movie- if you was unable to anticipate this from the action happening.

I really like the lighting used in the trailer. It starts with un-natural lighting- indoor lights when they’re partying. Distributor intro breaks the scene and it changes to the characters driving through a sun lit canyon- natural light which doesn’t at all match the outcome of this film- which is dark and gruesome, however it implicates that these characters are expecting a good time and some laughs, and aren’t expecting to break down. The sunsets and darkness approaches and changed weather too, the darkness symbolises the change is style of this film. Darkness is intruded by the headlights of the stranger’s car. The use of the headlights is to startle the characters and make the audience unaware of what’s happening, and then it cuts to the characters and the stranger around a camp fire- the use of manmade light surrounded by the darkness. The use of these different lighting techniques disorient the viewers anticipation of this trailer- which links which the characters thoughts of this stranger, where they are etc.

What I have learnt from analysing this piece of text is that the colour and lighting used in a trailer determines the genre of the trailer- dark is horror/thriller- light is family etc. this is very useful to know to when I make my trailer I have key aspects correct and help my final production much more appealing and believable as a thriller trailer.

I have also learnt that mise-en-scene is important too, like light and colour- having the correct Mise-en-scene in my trailer will also help the audience know what genre my trailer is about e.g. my trailer is going to be a thriller so Mise-en-scene aspects I would include are correct props, costumes and setting etc.

One more thing is that thriller/horror trailers cuts very quick through-out, to match the action of the film so this is another key aspect I must cover in my trailer.