The film focuses on ten strangers that get stuck at a motel during a storm, they become acquainted with each other once they realise that they are being killed off one by one.
Genre
There are many things which hints towards the genre of the film during the Identity trailer.
The first one which is apparent to the audience is the setting the events take place in. It shows a motel in the middle of nowhere and it appears to be very creepy, cut off and isolated from the rest of civilisation.
The weather also emphasises this chosen setting as it is heavily raining and stormy. The fact that there is a large storm reinforces the idea that these strangers are isolated as all the roads are blocked from flooding, meaning that there really is no escaping.
The weather also means that it is all set in very low key lighting as well which is one of the conventions of a thriller genre as it creates more tension and suspense.
Throughout the trailer non-diegetic repetitive, creepy music is used to create tension and fear. The pitch of this music increases when the events suddenly start to go wrong which means the fear is heightened.
Other sounds are also used to reinforce the thriller genre, for example screams and shouts are used without explanation to cause confusion and mystery, especially as it encourages the audience to question why this is happening.
A large variety of close ups and medium close ups of the characters are used to express their emotions and show the tension, pain and confusion that they are experiencing.
The final thing which helps highlight the genre is the editing. The trailer frequently uses fast paced cutting in order to fit a lot of the action of the film in without leaving it on screen too long to spoil anything. This also helps to encourage people to see the film as they can see a variety of things that happen and then they can make a decision as to whether they would want to see it.
The use of fading and blurring also does this as it causes confusion and mystery amongst the viewers.
Narrative
The events shown in the trailer are not in the films chronological order, however the clever use of editing allows it to appear in a linear order as it sets out the storyline in an effective structure and gives the audience an idea what the film will be about.
From the trailer the viewer can tell that it will be about strangers who get stranded at a motel together as the roads are all flooded and someone is trying to kill them off and strange things keep occurring, for example the dead bodies disappearing.
At the beginning of the trailer one of the characters is telling the story and says "There was a storm" suggesting that these events took place in the past, which reveals that it is in fact not in chronological order.
A commentary is also shown on screen throughout the trailer to help tell the story and plant more questions in the viewers mind. This reinforces the idea of the story being told through the characters speech.
Representation
The first character that we see is the one that is telling the story in past tense, this could suggest that he is being represented as the only survivor as it is clear he is the only one shown after the events have taken place.
The fact that the survivor is a man is very stereotypical as they are usually represented as the heroes or the stronger gender.
The woman that has been in an accident is being represented as vulnerable as she has been badly injured, the man carrying her is being shown as strong and brave because he's looking after her and trying to save her. This could link to Propps theory as he is being portrayed as the stereotypical hero.
The next woman that is shown, in the red jacket is also being portrayed as vulnerable and dependent as her car has broken down and she is relying on a man for help. This could also be related back to Propps theory as she is the stereotypical damsel in distress.
The officer is of a large build and is represented as quite strong, independent and masculine the first time the audience see's him.
In comparison to this, the woman who refuses to stay at the motel appears to be snobby, rich and arrogant, which is also one of the stereotypical characters that you see in horror and thriller genre films.
The first person we see get killed in the trailer happens to be a woman which is very stereotypical in a film like this as compared to the men in these films they come across as weak, dependent and pathetic.
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