Non-traditional Text Presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9uMWKPdnPA&pbjreload=10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=norWW9ExdPg
I encountered this text, American Horror Story: Cult trailer, on Youtube. I watch AHS regularly, and this season particularly interested me. I decided to check out the trailer.
It is typical of a movie/tv-show trailer because it sets the scene in the beginning (Michigan 2016). It introduces most of the main characters by panning to different scenes. The genre of AHS is dramatic horror, so it flashes scary moments throughout the trailer, without scaring the audience too much or giving things away. It is also typical of a trailer because of the background music that furthers the understanding of the genre. In this case, there is spooky, eerie music in the background to set the genre of horror. Scary stuff isn't scary without the eerie background music.
This is also typical of the AHS trailers. Each season of AHS has a different theme, or setting. It is hard to compare the trailers based on content, but they all exhibit the same conventions.
This specific trailer is atypical because it shows much more of the drama than the actual horror.
The rhetorical situation of this trailer arose from the recent election. Season 7 (Cult) is set around the 2016 Presidential Election. It addresses many real issues that have come up since the election, but are obviously dramatized. The content is atypical for AHS as this is one of the most recent and controversial topics they have chosen to film. The content is typical because they use almost all of the same cast in each season.
The tone is supposed to be scary or unnerving. It is supposed to leave you wanting to see more and watch the show when it premiers. The audience is those who watch Fx or AHS on Fx. It airs at 10 pm, so it is aimed at a younger audience, than parents per say.
This trailer could be potentially problematic because of its relevance in real life. The show addresses many of the controversial issues surrounding this election, and while they may not all be depicted in the trailer, they will definitely be seen in the show.