Planning: Narrative Structure

Our trailer begins with a couple, Josh and Melissa driving up towards their new home they are just about to move into. The very first shot is of a car driving up a driveway, this self-tightening shot is also an enigma shot, as it allows the audience to question who the two characters are, their background, and most importantly, where they are arriving (especially as the establishing shot of the house only appears after three shots of various things around the location i.e. trees, swinging gate). It effectively sets the scene and raises narrative questions for the audience as they are unaware of the couple's fate and what other things will happen next. It also misleads the audience slightly, lulling them into a false sense of security (a technique used conventionally in many supernatural horrors), as the shots are filmed in bright and sunny conditions, connoting happiness and joy; something that changes dramatically in the disequilibrium to come.

One of the next shots shows Josh, in an over the shoulder shot, talking to Melissa and saying that everything that happened last time won't happen again. This is also another enigma shot as it raises questions for the audience as they are unaware of what has happened to them before, again making them want to watch on and also eventually watch the full film. After the first inter-title, a shot of Josh calling for Melissa and realising the chandelier is moving on its own is an action code, as it shows how the plot is now moving on and more of the narrative is being revealed. It tells the audience that something bad is now going to happen as the characters are reacting to something that is clearly out of the ordinary for them. This action code also marks the beginning of the disequilibrium, as this is the first glimpse at the supernatural occurrences that then continue until the end of the trailer/film.

The use of enigma and action codes are both conventionally used within teaser trailers as they set up the scene for the viewer and then show clear moments that resemble key changes within the film's narrative, whilst not giving away too much of the plot. Because of this, we have used these codes within our teaser trailer.