Class Trailer Review: 30 Days of Night

Name of Film: 30 Days of Night

Year Released: 2007

Genre of Trailer: Action Horror

My Mark (After Viewing): 5/10

What happened in the trailer?

1. Starts with a couple in a house, before a jump scare occurs of the woman being attacked and dragged out the window. It then slows down as it introduces the vampire as the antagonists of the film and the setting, before speeding up again as the vampires hunt down the people and the people talk about and attempt to fight back. It ends on a fading shot of the title with the music fading too.

Which positive, clever or interesting aspects do you think you could include in your own trailer? What generic features are fulfilled well?

-          The starting jump scare is an effective way to grab the viewers attention and to wake them up. Since jump scares are commonly used at the end of a trailer, the audience would not expect a jump scare to occur at the start, therefore they will be alert and attentive throughout the rest of the trailer in case there is another unexpected jump scare, meaning they will view the entire trailer.

-          The shot of the vampire in the background behind the window when the camera pans with the view of the boy was very creepy and unsettling. I think this is a very effective shot and, for me, was the scariest part of the trailer.

Which aspects of the trailer did you think were unsuccessful, and would put off its target audience? How is it disappointing?

-          Overall, the trailer wasn’t very exciting. It just seemed to present the movie without highlight its exciting and interesting sections. With the exception of the opening sequence, there are no real scares in the trailer.

-          The fade to black at the end of the trailer was disappointing as it did not contain a jump-scare. While in some trailers the lack of a jump-scare is fine, in this trailer a jump-scare would have greatly enhanced the fright of the trailer.

What was the trailer's average score in class? Why did it receive that mark?

The average score in our class for this trailer was 7 out of 10. This trailer appealed to more people, especially those who are not big fans of gory-horror films.