The Girl on the Train Trailer Analysis

This trailer includes;

Inter text are used throughout the trailer. They are  written in black type writing font on an off white background. The inter texts are sentences that fill in areas of narrative for the audience without revealing the entire plot.

Production and film company logos are shown at the beginning of the trailer to attract an audience. As the company's have had successful films previously this will entice the audience into watching the film as they will expect the film to be as successful.

Non continuity editing creates confusion and intrigue for an audience, making them want to go see the film. This is a typical convention for the thriller genre as it gives an incite to the films synopsis but doesn't give too much information away.

The main settings within the trailer are a train and a housing estate. These settings are common to audiences every day lives so they can make the trailer relatable. The use of a train for location emphasises the feeling of isolation and separation from the real world which is also common as a thriller convention. Also, creates atmosphere of lack of safety.

Close ups of the main character show her emotions and reactions to events in the trailer. This camera technique is used to create empathy from the audience to the character. Links to stereotypical convention of using a vulnerable female as a leading character in a psychological thriller.

A montage is used towards the end of the trailer to build pace and tension. It is made up of lots of short and fast clips from different parts of the film, which is a very common convention used mainly in dramatic films. Intense music is often played over the top of the montage and then suddenly stops to allow a rememberable final scene. For example, "...I'm afraid of myself..."

Some of the trailer is set at night which plays on the common fear of the dark among audiences.

Music cut outs for important moments creating an uncomfortable silence for the audience to reflect in. The song 'heartless' links to what we are shown and the lyrics relate to the clips. For example, the song goes 'how could you be so heartless?' and the male character pulls the females hair violently backwards.

There is some nudity within the trailer which is sexually suggestive of the female characters. A naked body towards the end is covered in bruises and cuts, connoting violence and abuse. Stereotypically woman are sexualised in psychological thriller films as this makes their characters appear more vulnerable and weak.

Voiceover is the main characters giving vague explanation of events which intrigues the viewer into wanting to understand the full content.

The type of audience that would consume this text would be an active audience. This is because they will have to think about what is going on and follow the synopsis step by step. A passive audience may struggle with the psychological thriller genre as they will be looking for a film that is easy to watch and understand.

The trailer does not follow Todorov's theory of narrative as it holds a disequilibrium atmosphere throughout.