The Loved Ones trailer analysis

The Loved Ones is the first feature film for short filmmaker Sean Byrne. The Ambience Entertainment production was completely shot in Melbourne, Victoria. The film stars Xavier Samuel,Jessica McNamee, Robin McLeavy and Richard Wilson.

It was originally given an 18+ by the Australian Classification Board, but through an appeal by the Review Board, the rating was successfully overturned and given an 15+ due to the comedy aspect of the film, mitigating the sadistic aspect and impact of the violence.

"Lola Stone asked Brent Mitchell to the prom, but Brent said no, and now he's screwed. What happens when Lola doesn't get what she wants? She enlists Daddy's help to throw a prom of her own where she is queen and Brent is king, whether he likes it or not. The Loved Ones is what happens when puppy love goes horribly, violently wrong. Brent should have said yes." -- (C) Paramount


This trailer consists of roughly 109 shots, which is alot compared to most trailers which average at around 60, but this could be due to it's slightly longer time of 2:33, whereas most other horror trailers come in at around 1:30. I feel this longer trailer is due to it spending half of the trailer appearing as a normal film, using longer shots, and getting you to know the characters, in comparison to the usual horror movie trailer which aims to shock, scare and intrigue the viewer as quickly as possible.

The shots are fast paced from the start, although paired with vibrant music and usual happenings on-screen, this creates an excitement, rather than panic, especially as the subject being discussed is prom night. There is also a sense of comedy in the first half, with scenes such as the guy failing to impress his date by sliding off of his car. This contrasts with the dark, heavy mood usually produced by horror movie trailers.

Comedy element added to first half of film by the 'donor'

Dialogue is heavily present in the first half, with it guiding the trailer through, and introducing you to the main characters. Shots with the dialogue included are typically longer and static, including lots of 'over the shoulder' shots, so the viewer is placed in the third person.

One of the many 'over the shoulder' shots - third person effect.

The fast paced shots are usually flashes, or one second pieces, but it creates a buzz and an excitement, as apposed to the fear usually connotated with horror movies.

The film dramatically changes it's mood when the villain asks the hero to go to the dance with her, and he denies, as he is already going with someone else. Music stops, and then a more typically horror score is played. She is then introduced as the villain stalker as the hero meets up with the heroine (his girlfriend),  and she is caught staring outside of their car at them making out.

A medium close up of the villain standing directly outside the car, with the scene cut right after the couple's intimate exchange.

Propp's character theory emerges heavily in this trailer. We have the hero played by the lead male, the stalker as the villain. These two character roles typically become the main in the film industry and this trailer follows this. The 'princess' is placed in the form of the hero's girlfriend, with the villain/stalker seeking out to hurt her by hurting the hero. The role of the father is placed on the villain's side, with him helping her with her wishes instead of assisting the hero. The donor could of said to be the hero's best friend, with him providing comedy in the trailer and also persuading him to go to the dance, thus prompting on his adventure or path.

'hero'

'donor'

'princess/heroine'

'father'

'villain'

This trailer heavily targets it's film towards the teenage audience market. Within the first few seconds there is a scene of the heroine in her underwear, and it is also firstly set in a school and the characters are teenage, with a teenage event being gossiped about - all things that teenagers can relate to. In the first half of the trailer to draw the male teenage audience members in they have included a shot of the heroine in her underwear, a make-out scene, and also a lingering close up trailing up a female's body to grab their attention. It puts the female's as objects, giving them little dialogue in the trailer, which plays up to the male fantasy.

The heroine is shown in her underwear for no explained reason.

The donor/hero's best friend appears as senselessly drunk, vulnerable and slutty.

This is typical of horror movies, where the female is placed as a side character or object, with the male taking lead, however it is also atypical in the fact that it places the villain as a woman, whereas conventually it is a man. The film hands the power over to the female gender, and therefore scares the male audience entrapped by the enticing scenes in the first half - they get a glimpse of the 'good' side of girls and then are shocked with the 'evil' side of them.

After the kidnapping, shots become longer, leaving the viewer hanging to know what has happened and provoking interest. It also allows time for the side-characters, such as the heroine to see that the hero is missing and dialogue is lastly a main feature in this area.

This is the area where Todorov's narrative theory comes into play. The equilibrium controls the first half of the trailer, and then halfway through the event and the recognition of the event occurs - the kidnapping and the discovery of the missing male lead. Later in the trailer, it shows the character pleading, which could be said as being the attempt to fix the event, and also the heroine playing hero by contacting people to let them know about the abduction.

A blur effect is used to describe the hero's awakening, which gives viewers a feeling of confusion, and being in a drugged and dazed state. The shot is also shown through the characters eyes, which connects them directly with the hero. The shots from here-forth mainly include the audience as part of the scene, making them feel the emotions of the characters, rather than just watching them as a passer by.

Shots putting the viewer in the victims point of view, increasing threat.

Shots stay long and static during this time to allow the viewer to adjust to the transition in mood, scenery
and direction of the trailer. It sets up a completely different story. Dialogue is shortened and consists of orders at this point, slowly increasing the threat. Extreme close ups are used to heighten the terror and focus in on the lead characters emotions to really hammer them into the audience and help share them with the viewers.

The majority of shots in the second half of the trailer are shot from underneath - this makes the audience feel powerless, below the subject on screen and weaker, further placing them in the position of the victim/hero.

The first half of film is a usual movie trailer, with no horror conventions are present, which tricks you into believing that this is a film about prom and a romance. The villain is introduced halfway through, and from that point the music changes, as do the shots and it introduces the usual horror conventions
setting in set early on - school, teenage horror movie. It sets the viewer up for a typical high school horror movie, such as Prom Night, which focuses on the Slasher genre with killings surrounding prom.

Although, it pauses halfway through, changing location and narrowing characters down as to increase tension. This draws it away from the conventional teen slasher movie that the viewer was expecting during the first half of the movie, and they are left shocked by the gory second half, which would attract
 horror fans more to watch this movie, as the teen slasher movie has become overplayed in recent years.

three quarters of the way through the trailer, shots begin to dramatically speed up.