#77 Production: How We Built the Look of Our Trailer

    Hey everyone! Today I’m talking about the mise‑en‑scène in our trailer basically everything you see on screen that helps tell the story. And to start, let’s talk about the costumes. Madison made these Canva boards showing what each of us wore and the symbols that represent our characters, so let’s break them down.

Ethan

    In the film, Ethan wears a navy‑blue hoodie, dark cargo pants, and sneakers. Blue shows up a lot in our trailer and poster, especially whenever the Hollow Man appears, so his outfit ties into that theme. The dark colors also show that he’s dangerous and not someone you can trust. The symbols next to him, the fire, the white mask, the blood, and the hammer, all represent the chaos he causes: the burning house, the attacks, and the identity he hides behind.

Gabriela AKA me

    I wore a black shirt, black business pants, and formal shoes to show that I’m a detective, but also to match the darker tone of the film. The symbols next to me represent key moments: the flashlight from when I find the mask and Ethan is behind me, the crime board from the investigation, the bloody hand from the attack scene, and the caution tape from the case.

    And yes… I filmed most of the scenes too (along with Madison) because Ethan was NOT trusted with the camera like that lol.

Madison

    Madison wore a white button‑down, business pants, and black formal shoes to show she’s also a detective working the case. Her symbols represent the victims of the house fire, the evidence files she uses throughout the film, the camera she used when she wasn’t acting, and the knife she picks up in the kitchen scene when she feels like someone is watching her.

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Camera Shots:

We used a lot of different shots to build tension and guide the audience’s attention.

Planning:

We used panning to reveal important details slowly and dramatically. We did this with-

    - The mask on the floor

    - The caution tape on the floor

    - The symbol on the sidewalk

    - The victim's wrist (Seb) with "006"

    - The props scattered on the garage floor

Close ups:

We used close‑ups for-

    - Me finding the mask 

    - Ethan in the hallway

    - The evidence files

These shots helped highlight what the audience needed to focus on.

Mid-shots:

We used mid‑shots for conversations, like-

    - The car scene with Madison and me

    - The interrogation scene

    We originally wanted over‑the‑shoulder shots for the interrogation, but the camera kept losing focus on both Madison and Seb at the same time. It was honestly so annoying, so we switched to mid‑shots to keep everything clear.

Aerial shot:

    We also did an aerial shot in the garage with Ethan in the corner and me holding the flashlight. Madison literally had to stand on top of my golf cart to get high enough dedication at its finest.

Character Movement:

We paid a lot of attention to how each character moved.

    - I grabbed the mask, I used my right hand and held the flashlight with my left, so the light hit the mask perfectly without my arm blocking it.

    - In the hallway scene, Ethan had to look up at the exact moment the camera panned up so it felt smooth and intentional.

    - For the street scene, Seb and Ethan had to walk in sync so the audience wouldn’t realize there were two masked villains until they split apart.