The pace of my teaser trailer.

I know that the pace of my teaser trailer will be really important in creating an atmosphere for the trailer. I have been looking at some other teaser trailers to see how they tension was created. In most cases this was down to the pace of the editing and the music/sound effects used. This has given me many ideas on how my teaser trailer can be successful as a horror. The conventions of a horror teaser trailer, which can be achieved through the editing, are the fact that they are meant to intrigue and excite the audience, the pace is usually slow and then picks up, the camera angles are not conventional and the colours tend to get darker as the trailer progresses.
When editing my teaser trailer I will know to look out for these things and to include them. I was thinking about darkening some of the footage so that the atmosphere is clear throughout. I want the first shot to be bright to lead the audience into thinking that everything is normal. The contrast will then be obvious when the mood changes.

Possible photos for film poster/magazine.

The following shots are from my teaser trailer footage. Some film posters are shots from the film and others are photos taken afterwards. Although I would like to have different photos for my ancillary products. I am seeing if there are any suitable shots which could be used.

I like the fact that this image means that the killer's identity stays anonymous. However, the gender of the killer is obvious which would spark interest as most films have the killer as a male. The posistion of the knife means that it is the first thing the viewer would look at and the red stands out from the black clothing.

I like this close up of the killer as because you can see that she is plotting and the slight smile suggests she enjoys the killings. I have also made this photo in black and white to see which looks better.

I prefer the photo in black and white because it adds more mystery and looks creepier.

Ideas for font in teaser trailer.

In my teaser trailer I am going to have slides with writing on in between different slides so that there is a change of atmosphere. I have been looking at different fonts and different colours to see which i think will fit best. Some of the example are below.

I like this because the font is creepy and the alone in red stands out suggesting that it will be significant. I like the shadowing on 'Alone' as it kind of suggests that somebody may be there and the character is not alone. After this is shown, i want the atmosphere in the trailer to change drastically. The music will change and it will become apparent to the audience that everything is not what it seems. BLack is the most obvious choice in a horror film however i think the background would look better black as the white background is too light and dominates the slide.

Practice shots and ideas for my film poster/magazine cover.

I took a low angle shot of my murderer to see how it would look. I wanted to let the audience know she was powerful but I also wanted them to be intrigued by the fact that a female character seems to be in charge. I thought about having the picture distorted or in black and white. This could reflect the character's personality, how there is two different sides to her.
(add picture)

I took another picture of the victim as well. I was unsure of whether or not to have the victim in the photo as then I could have more concealed and keep the audience guessing what was going to happen if the victim was not shown.
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Photos of my setting/props/characters.

(To be uploaded)

Film magazine cover.

The image on the front of this cover shows the immediate traits of the character shown. It is obvious that he has power and leaves the destruction behinds him. The angle of the shot makes him appear big and the image is eye catching. The prop of the weapon is not what the focus is on, which shows that he is powerful without the aid of gun. The white writing of the other headings blend into the background which suggests he is the most important thing on the cover. He dominates the masthead and the colour scheme looks neat and professional. I would like to use Empire for my magazine as they have a variety of different films on their covers and by looking at the cover archive all the magazine covers look exciting and are dominated by a main character. I like the fact that the date etc are in the most convenient place which shows that they focus more on the actual magazine.

Different film magazines.

I have been looking at the different film magazine so that I can decide which one i think will best fit in with my film. I have looked at 3 different magazines to see the differences and similarities. By doing this I hope to achieve knowledge of what I want to include in my magazine cover.

Sound effects for trailer.

http://www.freesound.org/ is the website i used to find the following sounds.
To find appropriate sounds for my trailer i typed in words linked to the atmosphere I want to create. By typing in the word tensiom I found many results which i feel would work well in certain moments of my trailer. The following links are the sounds of 'tension'
http://www.freesound.org/people/ERH/sounds/33987/
http://www.freesound.org/people/thanvannispen/sounds/30274/
http://www.freesound.org/people/m_O_m/sounds/103360/
http://www.freesound.org/people/Timbre/sounds/110102/
By looking at the different sounds which are avliable to use during my trailer it has helped my realise how I will build up tension and the effect the sound can have.

Photos of actors and props.

Shot and editing list.

Establishing shot - fade
Long shot, low angle - straight cut
Close up - zoom out
Long shot - zoom in
Close up - fade to black
Close up - dissolve
Fade into slide of 'Have you ever been left...'
Dissolve into 'Alone?'
Fade to black.
Mid shot - straight cut.
Close up, high angle - straight cut.
Close up - fade to black.
Long shot, low angle - fade to black.
Slow fade into 'Maybe you wasn't alone'
Quick cut to next shot.
Long shot, low angle- jump cut.
Close up - fade slowly
Mid shot, low angle - quick straight cut.
High angle shot-jump cut.
Final extreme close up.

Storyboard.

Facts.

I looked at some facts about homes being broken into and thought that some of them may be useful for my trailer to make it seem more real.

•Every 37 seconds a home somewhere in Britain is broken into.
•20% of households experience more than one incident a year
•In 20% of break ins they don’t even have to use force – they get in through an open window or unlocked door.
•Victims are emotionally affected in over 80% of all break ins. Types of response in order of those reported most are: anger, shock, fear, loss of confidence or feeling vulnerable, and difficulty sleeping.
•Most break ins take place after dark with more in the evening (32%), than during the night (23%) 20% take place in the afternoon, 10% in the morning/afternoon. 30% occur at the weekend.

Many murders take place in the victims homes. In 2010 Joanna Yeates was killed by Vincent Tabak who lived in the same block of flats. In December 2008 Christopher Taylor and Kayley Boleyn murdered the three year old child they were babysitting in his home. June 2004, Hazel Dix was murdered in her home by her husband after an argument about which television channel they should watch.
All of the above cases the victim was murdered by somebody they knew. I want my audience to question whether the victim in my teaser trailer know her attacker and i hope it will keep them guessing which would entice them to watch the film.

This is a photo of where my trailer will mainly take place. I chose this setting mainly because as there is glass in front of the garden I will be able to film the main character whilst having the 'attacker' in the background. I think this will mix up the feeling of the main character being safe in her home and the attacker representing the dangers of the outside world. The simple glass will separate them and it will also show the audience how the fear can turn into reality. The trees etc will make an edgy set before the attacker is seen to warn the audience and to build up the tension.

Shot list (draft)

I want a low angle shot of the attacker to portray the power that the actor holds. This could be the first shot of the attacker we see so that the audience feel straight away at his mercy. This will be a power change from the girl having the power in her home to it straight away being switched to the attacker. The shot below is an example of the kind of shot I would like. I think the darkness adds to the mystery and the way the weapon is highlighted reminds the viewer that the character has mental and physical power and would not be afraid to use the weapon.


I want an over the shoulder of the victim and attacker. This way it will show the victim's initial reaction as soon as she sees the attacker for the first time. I want the fact that the safety and trust being broken to be visible and the fear and confusion to be shown on her face. The fact that the attacker's shoulder will be in the shot reiterates the fact that he has control of what goes in and out of the house, which reminds the audience again that he is in control of her life. The shoulder also makes him look broad and powerful.


I want a close up of the victim to show the fear and shock in her face, i want the audience to be enticed by the fear and to want to see the film to find out the ending. The close up of various props will also show the danger the victim is in.

Set, costume, props and actors.

I would like my teaser trailer to be set in a house. I like the idea of it being set in a house because it shows that the character should be able to feel relaxed and safe. I also think that the audience will be able to relate with the character who is 'home alone'. I think that because it is happening in a house it is more realistic and breaks the safety boundary. Also the main character will be unsuspecting the trouble making her relaxed. This way the contrast between inside and outside the house and outside will be obvious. The outside is where the attacker will be first seen. Throughout the trailer the face will not be seen i want this to intrigue the audience. Outside the lightning will be not too light but not too dark.

The actors involved in the teaser trailer will be 2 girls. However the girl playing the 'attacker' will not have her face visible. Therefore people can decide themselves what gender they think she is. The stereotypical view is probably be that the attacker is male.

The attacker will be dressed in black. This connotes death and misery. It is also associated with mystery which fits in with the fact that the attackers face is not revealed and neither is the motive. It could also be linked with 'the fear of the unknown' both the viewer and the victim are entering the unknown and the only person that has the control is the attacker. The confidence and control can be shown through the assertive black clothing. I think it makes the character look organised and calculated. This will make it obvious to the viewer that every move of the attacker is carefully planned and not spur of the moment. I think this presents the character as more sinister.

The character of the victim will be wearing casual clothes, jeans and a white t shirt. The casual clothes show that she is comfortable in her home and carrying on with her day unaware to what is about to happen. The white suggests innocence and naivety of the events to come.

The props used will be a knife, carried by the attacker at all times which highlights the power. Keys and a mobile phone will also actb as props.

Initial Ideas and concrete set of events.

My initial idea for my trailer was to have a girl who is unaware she is being watched. The audience will be able to see that she is being watched which will build up tension. The character of the person watching her will be in the background many times. I want it to be obvious that the main character is in danger. I will do this by the use of props, knife etc. Hopefully this will intrigue the audience to what the character is up to and why they want to harm the main character. The teaser trailer should leave the audience on edge.

The basis for my film is a teenage girl who's parents have gone away for the weekend of halloween. Getting many calls from her parents as it is the first time she is home alone she assures them that she is fine. The girl gets another phonecall from her mother asking her to check the doors are locked. The girl does so and leaves the keys on the kitchen side. Carries on as normal.

As it begins to get dark outside the mother phones again and asks her to check the doors are deffinitely locked although she knows they are she gets up to check anyway and the door is open. Thinking it is strange locks herself in again puts keys down. Figure appears and takes keys as we see girl going upstairs. Girl is killed and killer sends a text to 3 of the victims friends to come over. When they arrive the front door is open they walk in and go into kitchen they hear door slam and the lock being locked. Thinking it is the girl joking they go upstairs but find her dead.

Three girls then are locked in house trying to get out, 2 die one survives, cuts back to the first girl asleep on the sofa she wakes up and it was a nightmare. she checks the locks and the door knocks she rushes to the door opens it and the murderer from the nightmare is there (we see his face for the first time) he says trick or treat as he presents a knife.

FMA

Many of the horror film trailers that I have watched use music and sound effects to build up tension. The link below is to a website which has various music and sound effects. I will start my trailer with a song which will lead the audience to the conclusion that the main character is having a normal day. This will show the contrast between the sound effects used later on in the trailer, I want there to be a clear difference showing a change in mood and atmosphere. This will help the audinece follow the events of the trailer. The change in music should mirror the events and tension. I believe that music and sound effects will be one of the most important features of my trailer. Working as background music to dialogue and also standing out as the main feature with the power to alter the mood of the trailer.


http://freemusicarchive.org/

Conventions of a film poster.

A film poster is used to promote an upcoming film. A film poster will contain a main image which will be intruiging. The main image is usually a main character of the film. It can also be a theme of the film. The poster is usually eye catching to grab the viewer's attention. The title od the film is large and easily read. This gives the viewer knowledge of the film so they can go and see it and look out for the film. A film poster gives a suggestion of the genre of the film, for example if the colours of the poster are black and the image shows a man with a knife, you would not presume it to be a romantic film. When making my poster I will make sure my genre is clear through those things, this way it will not confuse the viewer. The target audience should be attarcted to the poster and an age certificate can be clearly seen usually in the bottom left of the poster. The date of release or 'coming soon' is displayed. There is a tagline which gives the viewer more of an insight to the film or adds tension. All of these things will be in my film poster.

Conventions of a teaser trailer.

Trailer.
The conventions of a teaser trailer are that they are short in length and contains the title of the film. Most teaser trailers do not contain much footage from the film itself but instead short clips. Lots of teaser trailers have slides with short sentences used to 'tease' the audience. These slides give the viewer a little more information of the plot accompanied with some shots form the film. The purpose of a teaser trailer is to entice the audience, to grab their attention making them want to watch the film. A teaser trailer contains the date of the film, however sometimes not the specific date adding to the suspense. It can be seen a long time before the film is released. A teaser trailer helps hype the upcoming film, this way the film gains interest and becomes a talking point. The fact that it is shown way before the release date gives the film the power as the viewers are left wanting more. When making my teaser trailer, i will keep it short and use only small pieces of action so to grab the attention of the audience. I want my viewers to be on edge but also enticed.

Film magazines.

When completing my film magazine front cover I will use all of the codes and conventions. I have looked at 3 magazine covers to see how the films are presented and why.

This copy of Total film magazine is for the film 'Adjustment bureau'. The masthead takes up the top third of the page and is dominated by the main image. This shows signs of how well known Total film is that it is confident enough that the loyal reader's will recognise the magazine regardless of it being covered up or not. The date, issue number and website are underneath the masthead providing the reader with all the information they need to know about Total film. The bar code lies in the bottom right hand corner. This is away from the cover lines etc. The caption above the masthead, 'The modern guide to movies' is the magazine proclaiming how good it is. It sets itself apart form other film magazines making it unique. This could entice reader's to buy the magazine as they can be assured of its greatness. The main image and the only image shows the two main characters of Adjustment bureau. The image is intriguing as they seem in a rush and in their own world. The shadows in the background add to the mystery and leave the reader asking questions, why are the characters running, who are the mystery figures. The colour of the character's clothing ties in with the colour of the cover lines and masthead. This kind of makes them a part of the magazine which re enforces the fact that they are in some sort of trance. The male character is presented as dominant as he takes the lead and the female follows behind. Against the blue background the white and red writing stand out which draws the reader's attention to the main cover lines. The PUGS/PUFFS used are 'First looks' 'The world's best movie reviews' 'World exclusive' and 'Heads up our massive preview' They manage to make the magazine seem like it can give more than other film magazines and as though it is superior to them. The tag 'Spider man real steel' is something which will catch the reader's attention.






This issue of Empire magazine focuses mainly on The girl with the dragon tattoo. The masthead is in red making it stand out. The masthead is also dominated by the main image. The price and date can be found above the 'M' in the masthead. This is because it is a convenient place to put it and that was does not interfere with any of the magazines main cover lines. The bar code is in the right corner. I like the simplicity of this magazine cover. The main image is one that represents power to the character standing up. The low angle shot of the two main characters
makes them appear as though they are looking down on the reader. I like the fact that the colours do not quite match which suggests a rebellious move from the magazine which could reflect the nature of the film. The scrawled pink font makes the magazine appear rough around the edges which gives it personality but also makes it seem personal to the reader. This could persuade the reader to buy the magazine. The PUGS/PUFFS are 'The world's biggest movie magazine' 'The icon unveiled!' 'The only magazine on set' Only is underlined for effect. The use of exclamation marks at the bottom of the page, 'PLUS!' etc gives the magazine an enthusiastic edge and once again makes it look like it has more to offer.

This cover of Empire magazine is clearly dominated by the one film King Kong. I like the fact that this is an issue dedicated to one film and that the cover can concentrate on the one film. This allows the cover to capture the personality of a film, which I this this cover has done really well with The masthead is dominated and the price and date squeezed in above the M again. The bar code is in the top half this time and part of the E on the end of Empire has gone. This shows the destructive behaviour of the gorilla and the damage left behind. The pose of the gorilla is also one of anger and recklessness. The way the gorilla is coming out of the sides of the border suggests he will go beyond boundaries and cannot be kept captive as the caption suggests. The fact that the O is missing from Kong yet we still know which film the magazine is referring to shows what a well known film it is and knowing this the magazine has took chances with removing letters confident the reader's will know the film. The colour scheme is simple but again does not match mirroring the behaviour of the gorilla. The word exclusive is used to grab the reader's attention.

I think when making my own magazine cover I will be careful to use the right language and PUGS/PUFFS. I also will follow a colour scheme to make it look as professional as possible.

Secondary research.

''Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotion from viewers, by playing on the audiences primal fears.'

The genre of horror is one which sets out to make the audience feel uneasy. By studying various film trailers and posters it has helped me to see various ways that this is possible. I have looked into products which I hope to base mine on and look at the main features.

The term "horror movie" first appeared in the writings of critics and film industry commentators in response to the release of Universals Dracula (1931) . Horror films deal with the viewer's nightmares, hidden worst fears and terror of the unknown. From my results on my questionnaire I have decided that my trailer must contain all the conventions but also keep my audience guessing by not giving too much away. When making my trailer I will keep the above quote in mind.

Trailer and film poster research.

The Woman.
The woman is a film about a family man who captures the remaining member of a 'wild clan' he takes her as an 'experiment' in which he wants her to be civilised. However, this backfires and puts his family in danger. Below is the poster for this film. I will analyse this along with the trailer.

I think this poster, although quite simple is very clever and effective. The white background suggests purity and innocence. However, the black splashes suggest that the character in the poster has tainted the view of women being pure and innocent. The way the title 'the woman' is in red to me suggests that it portrays qualities a woman could stereotypically have such as passion, it is also a very feminine colour which obviously contrasts with the character that we see in the poster, The red could however have the obvious connotations with horror films such as death, danger and blood. The fact that it could have two different connotations could suggest we sometimes have the wrong preconcieved ideas of people. Like stereotypical views, we could associate all women with being passionate and feminine, however this is not always true. There could be women outside of the stereotype, women can be presented as dangerous. As this may not be the first thing associated with women it proves not only looks but stereotypes too can be decieving. Also it means the viewer can choose how and why they interpret it that way. The fact that 'woman' is in a bigger font re enforces the gender of the charcter and suggests they should behave in the stereotypical way. The caption beneath 'Not every monster lives in the wild.' This suggests that there is more to the character than meet the eye. It entices the audience as it shows there is a story to tell behind her appearence. Not only does the charcter look unkempt but she could be dangerous as the poster suggests a 'monster'. The line 'They don't all live in the wild suggests the 'monster' will be invading somebody's 'normal' life unexpectadly. It also suggests to me that we think of monsters as not existing in the real world but only in children's stories. The caption suggests we are ignorant as to what we would class as a monster. It doesn't mean they ahve to be green or not human, it can simply mean they have monstrous behaviour. This also again presents the woman as being unladylike and that she is capable of commiting acts that are monstrous. We are aware that the type of people branded as 'monsters' by the media are usually murders etc, so we know the woman is evil. I like the fact that the film is based on a woman being the 'villain' as it is stereotypically a male. I think the film is out to break many stereotypes. The 'W' the character is photographed inside of could stand for women. The fact that the edges are jaggered could suggest that she is not feminine and she has a 'sharp' personality or mannorisms. It also suggests she has control and power, something we do not often see in females starring in films. It could mirror the action that will occour in the film. It also seems as though she is trying to break free, this could suggest she is breaking through the view of stereotypical views on women. The photograph itself the way the woman is posing suggests she has power and that she is aware of that fact. The way her eyes are looking up at the camera in any other photograph of a woman could be classed as a provacative pose, here it reminds us of her power. The shot is kind of overhead. This could mirror the fact that she is an experiment and people looking down at her. It is almost as if she is an animal. The fact that she stares up shows that she is not intimidated and is aware that she is different. It looks as though she has a slight smile on her face which could mean sheenjoys the attention. The way we only sees half of her face sugegsts not only that she is hiding something but that she is in control of what emotions etc she displays. It could alsobe to entice the audience to watch the film to see what she is hiding. The make up which makes her look dirty could reflect her lifestyle. She looks like she has blood on her mouth which yet again represents her as being dangerous.

The trailer starts with a fade into a large family home. It is a summer's day and the colours are greens, browns and whites which suggest a calmness. It looks like a regular family home. The car parked outside looks as though the family are unloading their shopping. This is effective as it acts as the 'calm before the storm' slowly leading the audience into the main storyline. The music palying is upbeat and everything seems right. The fade into a mid shot of the couple smiling and drinking represents them as leading normal happy lives. The slide 'They were an ordinary family' first of all the writing doesn't seem to reflect the happy music and could be likened to the font used for newspaper headlines, this could suggest this is the sort of story to be seen in newspapers. The way the statement is in the past tense also leaves a sense of foreboding. The balck background makes the writing stand out and the way some of the letters are faded could suggest that there is now something missing from their lives. The over the shouder shot of the family eating dinner, the atmosphere seems tense and the father is obviously in control. However, it could be a shot from many households. The trailer is obviously trying to show how normal the lives of the family were. Whilst there are shots of family activites such as the mother sowing, the daughter working there is also snippets of conversation such as 'fed the dogs yet' palced over the shots to cram in as much as possible how normal the lives are. 'With ordinary lives' this again re enforces the point that they are a normal American family. The clothes worn by the family are what you would typically expect them to be wearing. The father wears a shirt which I feel represents him as having authority. The mother appears timid in a summer dress. The mid shot of the father and son dressed in combat clothes represents them as having a close bond as they partake in activites together. However this shot all the colours are green and dark. This suggests a turning point in the trailer and highlights it as a significant moment when things are about to change. The dark colours give off a eerie feeling. When we first see 'The woman' we are aware that this is the swift in the story by the music. There is a drastic change and the music alerts us that this woman is important. I think this highlights how important music will be in my trailer. The music can completely change the mood of a trailer and can impact on an audience's feelings. I think that when choosing my music I will choose parraliell music so that it mirrors the action. The music steadily builds the audience up for the climax. After the first shot of 'The woman' the atmosphere changes dramatically and the mood becomes tense. The music build up on the slides of 'until' 'he' 'bought' 'her' 'home' and then gradually comes back down. I believe that the words come up one buy one to emphasise the effect she will have on the household. The way the words heavily come onto the screen could mirror the damage she will do. The shots of her in the 'wild' show us short snippets of her natural life. The father's face is interesting when he sees her for the first time. The woman to us could be any normal person swimming, however, the close up reveals the recognition on the Father's face. The shot from in front of the gun allows us to emphasise with woman. As the music stops, the noise of the reel being pulled is a sound bridge to the woman slowly being pulled upwards. It is a slow part of the trailer and a part where the audience to the trailer would not be sure what is going on. The flash then leads to a shot of the family who look distressed by their Father's findings. I think this lets us know more about the power posistions and the father is placed on the floor lower than the others however he obviously has more power than all them put together. The realisation that maybe they are not such a perfect family afterall is when he calls her 'our project'. The medium close up of the 'woman' allows us to see her fully for the first time and as the camera zooms out we get to see 'the project'. The music is again picking up pace and as many trailers do it ends with the woman screaming. This puts the audience on edge and also in a way proves itself as a horror film, that it is able to scare the viewers, making it sucessful. I think the trailer is longer than mine however the best part of it is the pace of the editing and the music. I will be using these things in my trailer to attempt to make it successful.

Research reults and initial ideas.

This graph shows the ages of the people involved in my survey.
There were 2 people aged 16, 2 people aged 17, 3 people aged 18 and 3 people aged over 18. I decided to use this selection of people because I think my trailer will be directed at people over 16. Also I wanted a selection of views from different ages as they will have different opinions and I think it will be interesting to see the different views.

I decided i would hand my questionnaire to 5 females and 5 males. This way I would be able to get an equal view from both genders. I wanted to see if the stereotypical view that males would prefer horror films is correct.

The majority of people watch films fortnightly followed by monthly. Some people added that this may be broken if there is a paticular film they want to see out.

The results show that the people I interviewed most enjoy wathcing horror and comedy films.

When asked if they would view the trailer before viewing a film 60% said they would do so, where as 40% answered with sometimes or no.
When asked what the first thing was noticed about a film poster 50% answered the character/picture. 40% answered the name of the film and 10% answered the colour.
When asked what colours they would associate with horror films, the answers were;
Black, red, blue, green and silver.
When asked if they would see a film based on the poster the majority, 70%, answered yes. 20% answered maybe and 10% answered no.
The thing that was most effective on a film poster according to the 10 people I asked was;
The colours, the picture, the font, a review and how professional it looks.

Initial ideas.

I think that I am going to base my film in a house. I want to get the message across that the main character feels safe in her home and any upset is unexpected.
Props used will probably be things such as a mobile phone a knife etc.

Start.
The basis for my film is a teenage girl who's parents have gone away for the weekend of halloween. Getting many calls from her parents as it is the first time she is home alone she assures them that she is fine. The girl gets another phonecall from her mother asking her to check the doors are locked. The girl does so and leaves the keys on the kitchen side. Carries on as normal.

As it begins to get dark outside the mother phones again and asks her to check the doors are deffinitely locked although she knows they are she gets up to check anyway and the door is open. Thinking it is strange locks herself in again puts keys down. Figure appears and takes keys as we see girl going upstairs. Girl is killed and killer sends a text to 3 of the victims friends to come over. When they arrive the front door is open they walk in and go into kitchen they hear door slam and the lock being locked. Thinking it is the girl joking they go upstairs but find her dead.

Three girls then are locked in house trying to get out, 2 die one survives, cuts back to the first girl asleep on the sofa she wakes up and it was a nightmare. she checks the locks and the door knocks she rushes to the door opens it and the murderer from the nightmare is there (we see his face for the first time) he says trick or treat as he presents a knife.

Scream 4 poster.

As scream is a well known film anyway, there is not much need for a poster to go into detail. The film makers can be confident enough that the fans of the film will come and see the film regardless. Therefore, the poster is simple yet effective. The tag line, New decade. New rules.' This lets the viewer know that in the new film there will be twists 'new rules'. The mask is so well known that there is no need for the shot to be head on as we as an audience are aware what the mask is like. Therefore, this side shot of the mask is almost telling the audience we will see a new side to Scream in this new film. The way the end of the mask is made to look like a knife incorporates the violence of the film. It sends the message out that although the film is changing we should still expect the violence. The knife also illustrates the power the mask has. The darkened edges of the poster allow the mask to stand out. Also the fact that we can not see any ends to the mask means that he can appear from no where unnoticed and we will never know who he is. This also leaves the audience on edge as they want to know who is causing the damage etc. The red writing has the connotations of blood and death which is inevitable in Scream. The A in scream being a 4 reminds the audience that this is a knew film and things will be different.

The hills have eyes.

When looking for the first time at this poster the first things that are immediately visable are the girl with the hand on her face and the the title. The title stands out because 'hills' and 'eyes' are bigget than 'the' and 'have' suggesting they are the main words. To me it gives the feeling of being watched and there are people in the hills watching the characters because normally you wouldn't associate the hills having eyes. The way the arm blends in with the background suggests that who ever is doing the damage has remained unnoticed as they casually blend in with the background. This could also suggest what they are doing (murdering people) could be going unnoticed aswell. This poster to some extents uses the basic horror film poster conventions as the one main character is posistioned in the middle of the poster and the girl is the one in danger. This slightly stereotypical that she is helpless. The close up of her face shows her emotions. Although she looks terified it also seems as though she has resigned to the fact that she is going to die as she looks as though she has given up. The way everything kind of blends into the background suggests that what is going on could be done near us as it is so sutle that nobody would notice. This makes the audience question how safe they are. The colours used are a pale white/yellow which gives the poster a look of distortion and makes it look old. The gesture the strange arm is doing to the face could be a gesture of love from a mother to a child, however it is clear by the look on the the face of the girl that she does not trust this person and she is uncomfortable. The look given from her eyes makes the audience want to see who she is looking at and why they are making her feel uncomfortable. This leaves the audience in suspense. It could persuade them to see the film so they can find out who is inflicting the pain. The tag line is very clever, 'The lucky ones die first' this kind of takes a dig at other horror films saying to the audience be under no illusion that this is like any other kind of horror films, the lucky ones will die first however we will make it hard for the ones who manage to survive. It kinds of gives the film more power as though it is above the rest.

Poster analysis

As my genre is horror i have decided to look at various different horror film posters. I am going to look for the links between them which will help me when creating my own film poster as I will know what a typical horror poster includes.

Friday the 13th

One of the things i have noticed about this poster, which happens in quite a few horror posters, is that the edges of the poster is darker than the rest. I think this very effective as it draws the viewer's attention to the middle poster which is ussually where the main character is posisitoned. As well as focusing on the middle in makes the lighting used more effective as it stands out. I think i would deffinitely use the black around the edges of the poster because it also adds an eerie feeling and acting as a border it suggests everything inside is tainted by this colour. The main colour used in this poster is a dark black/grey colur. This gives the poster a cold feeling and obviously makes the audience aware of what genre the film is. The white writing, 'Welcome to the crystal lake' stands out against the black as it is in white writing. White has connotations of purity and innocence. This suggests that the horror of Friday the 13th movie starts completly innocently until innterrupted by the figure underneath the writing. The shot of the main character (who is posistioned in the middle) is a low angle shot also could be considered as a point of view shot from another character, prehaps a victim. I think this because the floor and actors feet and the ground, suggesting somebody is cowering on the floor. This type of shot is really effective because it gives the character lots of power. It emphasises the size of him which is also helped by the trees next to him. The way the character stands is firm and confident, this represents him as knowing he is in control and the power he posseses. The light and smoke around him presents him as being a God like figure which suggests he has the power to end people's lives. The way he is blocking the sunlight from being in the picture suggests he has bought darkness into this place. It gives a sense of foreboding of what is to come. It also suggests he controls who and what enters the location , this could relate to him killing people. Due to the way the shot has been taken it places the audience beneath him, at his mercy which once again highlights the power he holds. Even thought the character wears a mask we get the feeling that he is staring right at us. The mask conceals the killer's emotions which leaves us in suspense as we want answers to questions such as, why is he doing this?, what is he feeling? The red writing of 'Friday the 13th' is in bigger red font. This gives off connotations of danger, blood and death which links into the prop of the knife which causes those things. The other writing is white as it is not as important as the rest of the poster and therefore does not take the attention away from the more important parts. However, the date is in red. This is because it is released on February the 13th which links in with the title. This suggests that by going to see the film, the audience will be in danger. It acts almost as a challenge and makes the poster personal.

Today I have been trying to gather information about my target audience. This will then help me to know who I am aiming my trailer at. I decided the best way to gain this information was to get a questionnaire. I decided I would ask 5 boys and 5 girls so that it was fair.

1) How old are you?

2)Are you male or female?

3)How often do you watch films?

4)What is your favourite genre of film?

5)Do you watch a film trailer before going to see the film?

6)What is the first thing you notice about a film poster?

7)What colours would you consider to be related to horror films?

8)What would attract you to watch a film the most from a trailer?

9)Would you see a film based on the poster?

10)What do you think is most effective on a film poster?

I decided that by not putting options it allows people's opinions to be clearer and would help me more with research.

The last house on the left.

The last house on the left is a horror film which was released in 2009, it was a a re make of the 1972 film. I have chosen to analyse this film poster because I believe the poster is simple yet effective.

The black background immediately sets the seen for the poster, letting the viewer know it is a horror film. As the background is black, it allows the white writing to stand out and the red writing is what catches the viewer's eye. Red has connotations of danger and this poster the red writing looks like blood which communicates the fact that bad times are to come. The fact that no characters are on the poster, I think is intriguing as there is no indication to what may have happened or what will happen and we are unsure to who will be involved. The cloud over the house leaves a sense of foreboding which hangs over the house. The trees which surround the house also add an eerie feeling as the house seems quite and isolated. The simple question at the bottom of the poster is the only insight we get as a viewer to what might happen in the film.

'If bad people hurt the people you love, how far would you go to hurt them back?'

This question leaves the audience questionning their own emotions, what would you do and how would you react? I think this a good film poster because it does nto give much away at all, however it still leaves the audience questionnign what they know, this is a sign of how powerful a film poster can be. The poster helped me see that simplicity may be the key to my film poster.

Types of horror.

There are many types of horror films which come into different catergories. These can be; psychological, true stories, religious and gore.To make my trailer a success I need to think about what the purpose of a horror film is. As well as scaring the audience I believe horror films also invoke our fears as well as captivating and entertaining the audience. Most horror films end shockingly. Firstly I need to think what would potentionally scare people, what they are afraid of. Things such as spiders, rats and clowns can scare people however things that scare people and are more commonly seen in horror films are death, blood, darkness and the terror of the unknown. I think stereotypically, most horror films have a main character which ends up surving and they are usually a fight between good and evil. These are things I will keep in mind when making my trailer. Some things I think I need include in my trailer is different camera angles to include and exclude parts of the narrative as this will hook the audience. I think a good soundtrack will help build tension and indicate scarier parts of the trailer. The editing of my trailer will not only help build the tension and quicken or slow down the pace but make my trailer look more professional and sleek.

'Strangers' Film trailer and poster.

This is the trailer for 'Strangers'. I have decided to analyse the editing, camera work and sound of this trailer. This will help me see what elements create a successful film trailer.

Camera
The establishing shot of the lake introduces the viewer to the surroundings and suggests calmness and peace. However, it also cleverly informs the viewer that the events that are about to take place are in the middle of nowhere and that there is no easy escape should there be any danger. The trees give the shot an eerie feeling and it is clear by the lighting that it is late night/ early morning. This also suggests that nobody would be around. The opening shot tricks and misleads the viewer into thinking the trailer could be for a different genre of film as it seems so serene. This contrasts with the action that takes place in the film.
A long shot of the house acts as a second establishing shot showing where the action will take place. The house appears to be a quiet family home.
The series of shots of the dinner table, the couple and the candles portray a couple's happy life and it is almost as if the camera captivates what could be the last calm minutes before their lives change.
The two shot shows the couple in an embrace before the bang is heard, the camera then shows a shot of the window where the curtains are drawn and there appears to be nobody around. This leaves the audience on edge as they wonder what is behind the curtain.
The close up of the woman peering through the curtains makes her appear vulnerable and scared. As the shot reveals her emotions it also prepares the audience to see what may be causing the disturbance this then leads to a POV shot of the swings.
The close up of the woman's hand on the door handle suggests she is safe as she is locked in her home. The long shot of her makes her appear small and alone in the contrast to the big room. When the man appears in the corner the part which stands out is his mask. This is the first time we see one of the 'Strangers' and are made aware of his presence as soon as he appears. This suggests a shift in the mood. Up until now it hand been panic and fear yet now it is a reality.
The second 'Stranger' appears from the garage in a long shot. Yet again we are aware of her presence immediately. The long shot of the third 'Stranger' in the streetlight shows that they are out in force. Yet again the thing that stands out is the mask. This is like the symbol of what makes them different and why they hold power over the other two characters.
After each masked character has been introduced individually a shot of all three of them over the two victims is shown. This shows how when together they are a deadly force and the two victims are out numbered.
The shot of the man shows his emotions and panic it then becomes a two shot and as the man goes out of focus the panic is shown upon the woman's face.
The close up of the fire displays a calm image which contrasts to the panic which is actually going on in the house. This signifies that the house is no longer a peaceful, safe place to be.
The shot of the writing on the window is when it becomes clear to the characters that they are in danger. The mid shot of the actress playing Kristen reveals the realisation and terror on her face.
The over shoulder shot shows how James is trying to reason with Kristen when they are interrupted by the axe, the close up shows the danger.

Editing
The first establishing shot fades into the next shot. The continuity editing allows the audience grasp a narrative. The slides with writing on also allow the audience to gain more knowledge of what the film is about. 'We always tell ourselves...' 'There is nothing to fear...' 'But sometimes we're wrong...' This colloquial way of communicating to the audience makes them become part of the film. These slides also add an eeriness to the trailer. The trailer then fades, this shows a passing of time but it also transports us into a new scene in the trailer.
At the end of the trailer the editing speeds up which builds up tension and the jump cuts leave the audience on edge. The writing at the end of the trailer informs the viewer when the film will be out, this is a convention of a trailer.

Sound
The trailer starts with peaceful non diegetic piano music however, the diegetic noise of wind and birds can be heard which gently brings the viewer into the surroundings of the film. The dialogue of the couple is used as a sound bridge throughout the next few shots. The peaceful music is interrupted by a bang and the noise of swings from outside. This snaps the audience out of the slow paced romance they were seeing as the tension is upped. The grating noise from the swing is almost unbearable and plays throughout half of the trailer just like it plays on the audience's mind who is causing the noise and why. After a period of just heavy breathing a crash noise shocks the audience back into the film and the pace speeds up. The soft music is playing again but this time it seems eerie and has a completely different effect. The screams from Kristen echo over the music which contrasts to how quiet the trailer started out.


'Strangers' Film Poster.
After analysing the trailer for 'Strangers' I decided to look at the film poster to see how they linked together and the things included on the poster.

The background of this poster is a brick wall. This allows the three masked characters to stand out against it. The poster challenges stereotypes as usually men are stereotypically viewed as having more power and being intimidating, here the masked man and two women evidently have the power and the shot shows them looking down upon the two victims, this shows they are helpless. The masked man wearing a shirt and tie makes him appear normal reminding the audience that beneath the mask is a human being. One of the masked girls is wearing a pink dress. I think that this communicates to the audience that looks can be deceiving and how people can be underestimated or judged by their appearance. The blonde masked woman's hair presents her as feminine. The way they are arranged means the man who is tall and broad seems to have the most power. The victims heads are either side of him which suggests he is what stands in the way of them carrying on a normal life, it also re enforces the fact that he has the power. The women stand on either side of him which suggests they follow his lead however they also hold power over the two hostages. The way that the two victims have their back to the camera makes the viewer feel as though they are in their position looking up at the masked characters. This allows the viewer to empathise and wonder what they would do if faced with this situation. The actress who plays Kristen, although her face is not visible, her emotions are conveyed through her shoulders which appear tense showing she is on edge and scared. The actor playing James has his head bowed suggesting he is regretful that he is helpless. The writing 'Because you were home' the use of the word 'you' makes the poster appear personal and has direct appeal. The poster is mostly dark (black) which means the writing stands out and communicates a message to the viewer offering a small simple explanation.
I think if I was at the cinema and saw this poster I would want to see the film as the writing and three masked characters is intriguing. It leaves you wondering how the situation came about, what the outcome will be and also what is behind the masks.

Editing.

Today we have been looking at editing. This has been useful as i will need to edit my trailer and will need to justify why i have used certain editing techniques.

Straight cut
This is commonly used and takes the audience from subject to subject. Often occurs during a conversation between two people. It is more than likely that i shall use a straight cut in my trailer.

Fade
This can fade up or down. It is a way of getting from one scene to another or it can be used to round off a scene. I could use fade to end my trailer.

Dissolve
The editing technique is a way of transporting the audience to a different place but also to a different time. The two shots dissolve into each other. As a teaser trailer is made up of all different parts of a film i think dissolve would be a good way to link them all together.

Jump cut
A jump cut is quite rare and it reflects what happens on screen and the jump is seen rather than a smooth cut. I don't think that I will use this, however, it is interesting to know what editing techniques are available.

Continuity editing
This shows a logical progression of characters. It gives the audience a continuous narrative to follow.

Cross cutting
A way of expressing the narrative interestingly from many different perspectives. Adds tension and shows how they impact on the narrative.

Film Posters.

Most of the horror film posters i have looked at use dark colours as backgrounds with red or white writing. I think the dark background has connotations of fear but it also is simple which makes the writing stand out and grab the target audience's attention. Some posters use characters where as many also use animated images or props. All of the film posters i have looked at have been intriguing and eerie, this straight away lets the viewer of the poster know the genre of the film.

Camera shots in horror films.

This image from the hills have eyes is a mid to long shot. Although the fear is evident on the character's face, the terror is also shown through her body language and the gripping of the pillow.
Thisimage from the Blair witch project is an extreme close up which highlights the fear of the character. It also shows how he is isolated. Extreme close up could be used in my trailer to conceal or reveal vital emotions. The extreme close up sometimes allows the viewer to see the character's true emotions.

This image from the exorcist is a two shot, mid shot. It allows the audience to see both characters and the action going on. The contrast between the two characters highlights the illness of the girl. A two shot would be useful to me to show action during my trailer.

Sound and Mise en scene in film clips.

Today we have been analysing sound in various film clips. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein we looked at how sound bridges where used via music and the dogs whimpering. This allowed us to see through shot reverse shot how the men were reacting to the death of the dogs. This enabled me to see that in my own film trailer the camera does not have to be where the action is constantly, and that sometimes it is more effective to show reactions. Looking at trainspotting we noticed that mise en scene was very effective. The colour of the room and props were a yellow/green colour. It seemed very drained and dull. Renton's face and clothes were also a similar colour, this showed how when relinquishing junk Renton would become part of the room and how it was all he had left. The only colour bright colours in the scene are that of the food and supplies, this implies that they will be his only relief. The sound used is a voice over where he explains the 'simple' steps to giving up drugs, the contrapuntal music then contrasts with this as it builds up to 'one last hit' which shows it will not be as simple as originally planned. I learned from the clip of train spotting that to pay attention to detail is important as it communicates alot to the audience.

Hunger analysis

We were asked to analyse a clip from ‘Hunger’. I found this useful because it allowed me to pay close attention to the camera shots used, and the effect they had. Opening with an over the shoulder shot it is also a POV shot which places us into the position of the mother. This created empathy but also introduced the viewer to the surroundings well. I realised that an over the shoulder shot could be useful in my trailer, as it could also introduce my clip well as well as having an eerie feeling. Other shots included a focus pull which has a sense of foreboding, extreme close ups which show lack of life and long shots which show happier times. I think most of these camera shots could be useful to me in some ways.

A2

Out of the different packages we had to choose i decided the one I was most interested in was the film teaser trailer. The genre i am most interested in at the moment is horror or thriller. I will be researching different film trailers and camera angles to build up an idea of the elements i will include in my teaser trailer, film magazine front cover and film poster.