The Boy trailer analysis

The Boy is a mystery horror film directed by William Brent Bell in 2016. The film is about an American babysitter (Lauren Cohan) who is hired to babysit for an English family who's child is a life-sized doll, after she violates a strict set of rules, disturbing events make her believe the doll is actually alive. The trailer lasts 144 seconds, which is average for a full length horror trailer.

The trailer begins with a long shot of the English family's mansion, establishing the location which the film is going to take place at, this is conventional of many trailers and not just horror trailers as it gives the audience insight into where the film's events are going to happen or one of the key locations of the film, in The Boy it gives the audience an . This is then followed by a variety of different mid shots and mid long shots and an over the shoulder shot introducing the main character (Greta), the Heelshire family and the doll, Greta is hown in most shots so viewers can identify her as the leading character of the film.

Near the beginning of the trailer Greta is given a list of rules by the doll's parents to follow which include "Don't cover his face", "Never leave him alone" and "Don't forget to feed him", these rules take up the full screen on the trailer one after the over accompanied by Greta going against these rules after each rule is displayed on screen before the next, in the last of the three scenes of Greta defying the list of rules given to her the doll is at the dinner table whilst she is scraping a plate of food, presumably for the doll, into the bin, in the next shot the doll is no longer at the table, this is the beginning of the film's events taking place.

At the beginning of the trailer there is a calming soundtrack which contains chiming instruments, this helps to create a sombre atmosphere. The trailer contains lots of dialogue, this builds narrative and familiarises us with the characters, for example, we learn that the owners of the house are English and that the babysitter is American. As the action in the trailer intensifies, the background music becomes sharper and louder, this is to create tension within the scenes. Finally, at the end the sound is mixed to play a slow lullaby, this connotes the idea of innocence, however the high pitched noise and its similarity to a jack in a box makes it seem sinister.

As the trailer progresses the lighting contrasts from ambient naturalistic light then saturates making the scenes appear dull and darker. This is to connote the dark themes that are going to play out within the film, as well as this the pace of the editing of shots shortens and more action takes place as well as intertitles "WHEN YOU BREAK HIS RULES", "YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE", "WILL COME TO LIFE" with the intensity of the scenes progressing into more scary scenes showing violence and paranormal activities and at the end of the trailer there is a jumpscare where Greta leans to get a closer look at a painting of Brahms (the doll) and is grabbed by the throat and pulled towards it, with this being a fast scene combined with a loud noise it creates an effective jumpscare.