On the left are shots taken from real trailers. On the right are shots from mine. Click each to read my analysis.
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Saturday, 3 April 2010
Analysis of Film Posters
Through looking at movie posters and analysing them using flickr (click on each image to see analysis) there are several features that I have found to be common:
Main Photo - The mai photo is often of the leading characters within the film. It can be ambiguous, not giving much about the film away, and may also draw the attention of the audience by advertising which famous actors are in the film.
Composition - The composition of the film posters are mainly simple, and follow the same sorts of conventions. The main photo covers the background, with the characters faces in full view, whilst other information such as the film title, release date and cast list are placed at the bottom of the poster.
Main Photo - The mai photo is often of the leading characters within the film. It can be ambiguous, not giving much about the film away, and may also draw the attention of the audience by advertising which famous actors are in the film.
Composition - The composition of the film posters are mainly simple, and follow the same sorts of conventions. The main photo covers the background, with the characters faces in full view, whilst other information such as the film title, release date and cast list are placed at the bottom of the poster.
Billing block - The billing block features on
all movie posters, telling the audience who is in the
movie and who has made it. It always appears at
the bottom in thin and small writing, so it does not
take away from the effect of the main photo
Tag line - The tag line is an important way of
getting your product well known, through the use of
catchy slogans.
Friday, 19 March 2010
Monday, 15 March 2010
Distribution and Marketing
Distribution
The distribution plan for a film is extremely important to ensure its success. It is vital that the customer knows that they want to see your film before they have even reached the cinema complex. A distribution company must deliever the highest possible audience for a film, fighting off similar films and companies to become the most desireable product on offer. They have to do this through the use of a clever marketing mix, making use of all conventions of media as a way of getting their product known. With new technology being developed, the ways in which a film can become well known has opened up. The surge in internet use in particular has shown how important it is for distributon companies to keep up to date with current forms of promotion, the web means that they dont have to go looking for their audience as much now, as often their audience will come looking for them.
Although the process is usually the same, every film has to have its own unique distribution plan. There are several things that a film company must take into consideration:
Marketing
Once the distributor has gained all of the information that it needs to know about the release of its product, it then has the task of choosing the right promotional mix to ensure the films success. It needs to raise awareness of the film and become visible to the target audience.
The distribution plan for a film is extremely important to ensure its success. It is vital that the customer knows that they want to see your film before they have even reached the cinema complex. A distribution company must deliever the highest possible audience for a film, fighting off similar films and companies to become the most desireable product on offer. They have to do this through the use of a clever marketing mix, making use of all conventions of media as a way of getting their product known. With new technology being developed, the ways in which a film can become well known has opened up. The surge in internet use in particular has shown how important it is for distributon companies to keep up to date with current forms of promotion, the web means that they dont have to go looking for their audience as much now, as often their audience will come looking for them.
Although the process is usually the same, every film has to have its own unique distribution plan. There are several things that a film company must take into consideration:
- Budget and Box Office - It is important that firstly a film distribution company decides what the budget for their film is. To do this they will often have to decide on the potentual Box Office takings for the film, and then catagorise the level of expenditure (high budget/low budget). The idea of doing this is to create a forecast on how much is likely to be made, and how they can maximise the profit made without damaging the product itself.
- The Audience - The distributor must complete audience profiling to make sure that any promotion is aimed at that certain group. They will need to find out their age, gender, lifestyle, social groups etc., whilst some may also choose to find out more qualitative data such as their opinions on certain types of films. The understanding of the target audience is vital, although some attempt must be made to widen this range of viewers to maximise the success. There are usually several types of market research carried out before a film is released. The most common is the use of test screenings followed by audience questionnaires, helping the comapny to gain feedback on areas to improve on.
- Release Date - One of the most important decisons to make for any distribution company is when to release the film. it is vital that it is released at the optimum time, release it alongside another big blockbuster and you risk having to compete against one another, yet if the film is put out when film sales experience a slump, you risk loosing millions of pounds. Distributors often have to ask themselves the questions such as, Is there any 'star power' behind the film? Is the film based around an event (e.g. The Omen was released on the 06.06.06 for supernatural reasons)? Will it be able to compete against Hollywood films?
- Analysing existing movies - A distributor may do this to see how other similar movies have done. This may be a case of analysing the statistics of films that already exist, looking at the predicted budgets of similar films that are expected to be released in the future or even looking at previous sequels if another type of the film has already been made.
- Predicted success - The predicted success of a film is important for a distributor to know how much money to spend on advertising. Some films are expected to do well, either they are part of an already strong brand or have other factors such as direcors and acotrs that would influence their audience. Other films are predicted to do well but then 'flop' when they hit the big screen. On the other hand other films are what are known as 'sleeper hits', films that are not expected to do well but then cause a global phenominom (e.g. Slumdog Millionaire).
- Type of release - Another concept that a film distribution company must decide on is the type of release that is suitable for the film. There are three main types of releases that are avaliable to a film distributor. One is a saturated release, where the film is introduced into multi complex cinemas nationwide. This type of release is often reserved for big Hollywood blockbusters. Another is a 'specialised' release, where the film hits smaller 'nice' market cinemas, and therefore have a limited audience. On the other hand some films skip out this stage and are released on DVD as soon as they have been finalised. This is often because the distributor decides somewhere along the market research that there is not enough revenue to be made from a full cinema release.
Marketing
Once the distributor has gained all of the information that it needs to know about the release of its product, it then has the task of choosing the right promotional mix to ensure the films success. It needs to raise awareness of the film and become visible to the target audience.
- Advertising -
- Posters - The most common form of advertising seen today is the use of movie posters as a way of increasing awareness of the film. They are placed everywhere, on bus shelters, on billboards, some are even promoted through point of sale stands. They often become the main image of the film, helping to give the audience vital information like whos in it? What is the genre? and why should I see it? Depending on the type of film, a company may choose to edit the posters to suit the location it is being shown in.
- Trailers -Film trailers will often capture the audiences attention through giving them the chance to see 'snippets' of the film. Often these will be of the most interesting scenes within the film, making the audience think 'if this is what the film is like in 2 minutes, I wonder what it is like in 2 hours?' These are even more cost effective than movie posters are, they will often be shown before other movies, therefore they are capturing this audience for the whole time that their trailer is being shown. There are two types of trailers. Teaser trailers are often released months prior to the films release. They are often short, less than 90 seconds, and help to release a little information and create some form of hype. A successful teaser trailer is one that will leave the audience intriegied and wanting to know more. A company will then relase the theatrical trailer a few weeks before hand, and is shown not only in cinemas but also online and on T.V. Once again this helps to drum up publicity and attention to the films release.
- Online - It is becoming more and more common nowadays that a distribution company will run viral campaigns over the internet as a way of creating promotion. They are able to do this through a variety of ways. One is through the use of pop up windows, these often are linked to websites that are commonly associated with their intended audience (e.g. an advert for a Fast and Furious film may be linked to a car forum). Another way of doing this is through the establishment of their own webiste. This allows them to fill up a page full of little enticements that will hopefully capture the audiences attention.
- Merchandising - Merchandising helps to create attention to the film, thorugh also creating demand for other products. Often this is done when the film carries a strong character that people can relate to, and not ony increases publicity but also increases the revenue. Food outlets such as McDonalds has benefited from this is a huge way, the inclusion of toys related to films in their 'Happy Meals' helps them to sell more food.
- Publicity -The aim of publicity is to get the film in the media spotlight, and grab the attention of the general public. This will often include premieres, interviews, reviews and press related promotion.
- Premieres - Premieres are a good way of attracing the publicity needed. The are often a 'star - studded' event, with both the cast and other celebrities appearing on the red carpet, and attract a lot of free attention from the news.
- Interviews - Interviews once again help to create awareness of the product. Actors will often appear on a variety of programmes or in a variety of magazines with the purpose of promoting the product.
- Reviews - Most films are sent out prior to their release for a series of reviews. These are done in the hope that if the critics are posative about the film then they will create a good image.
- Press related promotion - This could include a variety of different concepts, such as bias towards a certain film company in newspapers (e.g. The company that owns The Sun also owns Fox Studios) or relating the film to a particular news story in a good way.
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Audience research
1. Gender:
2. Age:
3. Would you consider watching a new horror film?
4. Are you affected by film advertising (e.g. film posters /advertising)?
5. Are you influenced by actors, directors, franchise or company?
6. what are the main elements that a horror film must have?
7. In your opinion, which of the best is most suitable for a 'sinister' horror film plot?
8. In your opinion, which location makes for the best horror location?
4. How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
The montage of pictures above shows all of the media technology that I have used during the making of my film trailer.
Photoshop - In the both of the ancilery tasks I have completed, I have used the photoshop editing suite to help me create my product. For the movie magazine, it has allowed me to easily replicate the syle model that my magazine is already based on. I was able to experiment with the brightness and contrast of the piece, and also the range of text and colours on offer. With the film poster
Garage Band 3 - My group used garage band 3 to allow us to create the musical compositions for our piece. This allowed us to make our own soundtrack that we could then put over the piece, and also allowed us to create the sound effects and the change in the killers voice. We spent a lot of time experimenting with the different sounds on offer, untill we came up with one that created the eerie atmosphere we wanted. Without this software it would have mad the selection of our final soundtrack alot harder.
Flickr - I used flickr as a way of annotating the different images on my blog. This in particular was a huge help as it saved me having to annotate them all by hand and then upload them through the use of a scanner. The website also made it clearer and easier for viewers to see what I had written.
Photography - Photography was a massive part of the construction of my coursework. For the teaser trailer we used a video camera, and for the ancillery products I used a digital camera. Not only did this give us higher quality images but it also helped us to upload the images and film to the computer easily.
Blogger - Blogger has helped me to organise my work in one place, I have been able to upload all of my material I have created which would have been difficult to do if it were handwritten. The use of the website has also meant that it is conviniently accessable for anybody to see.
Youtube - During the early planning stages, I mainly used Youtube as a way of helping me to research up the main conventions that were present within original horror trailers. In particular it helped me because I had little knowledge on horror films in general, and through looking at existing products I was able to see what is most commonly expected. When our product was finished, we also used Youtube as a way of uploading our media product to the world, this has helped us to gain audience feedback and also has opened up the audience for our product.
Final Cut Pro - To edit the flim, my group used the 'Final Cut Pro' software package, which is also used by many top film directors. This helped my group as it gave us access to a fully functional media suite, from this we could then not only create a professional looking product but also expand our knowledge on how to use software of this type.
3. What have you learnt from your audience feedback?
As a Film Trailer
My audience feedback has been particularly useful in helping me to see where the sucesses in my trialer lie, and also highlight any weaknesses and improvements that may not have been picked up during the filming of the piece. Overall the feedback was posative, with the trailer 'teasing' enough and also made the plot farily clear and concise for viewers to consider watching the full release.
The audience to which the trailer was shown to, were in particular extremly impressed with the use of classical music against many of the gore scenes, as it was a startling contrast between the two. Some even suggested that they could believe that this would be the type of calm music in the head of the killer as he carries out these horrendous attacks. Most also liked the use of the voiceover, which had been alterd to produce a lower tone, as it made the character seem insane and the audience feel uncomfortable at the fact the voice was so anonymous.
Some also commented on the varied use of camera shots, in particular the experimentation of using cantered and high angles. This added to the odity of the piece, and in some cases made the viewer feel uneasey and a strange sickening sensation. This feeling was added to through the use of sharp ediing which helped us to maintain a fast pace.
Despite some good positive feedback, the group also gave us some constructive critacism on how we coud improve on our trailer as a whole. A major problem that had caused some debate within the group was the inclusion of the intetitle that fades into the blood in the first cut. It was clear from the feedback that we gained that the audience also found this to be a problem, mainly due the fact that it was difficut to read and many felt as though it was 'Gimmicky' rather than adding to the piece. Some also felt that the trailer became too slow towards the end, and despite starting off well, this spoilt the flow of the piece and did not create enough suspense. There was also some confusion over the actual genre of the piece. Some of the audience felt as though it was more of a thriller rather than a horror due to all of the mystery and suspense created.
Adhering to the conventions of horror
The audience feedback also showed us ways in which our trailer both followed and challenged the main conventions of horror.
1. Use of Gore and SFX - In the whole the audience felt as though there was an evident lack of gore within our product, which is commonly found within most horror trailers. Most felt as though a trailer of this type needed to show violence off, so it did not stray from the conventions of the horror genre and turn into a mystery film. Despite this many did comment that our use of stunts was a good way of creating shock, especially whenthe victim hits the wall and the blood can just be seen trickling down.
2. Music and Voice Over - In horror teaser trialers the music is often vital in helping to build up tension amoungst the audience. Therefore as a group we felt that getting the music right would be the most important factor in ensuring that this was done to maximum effect.
The music of our piece in particular recieved mixed feedback from the audience. Some believed that it went well with the piece, the classical ambient composition created a shocking comparison to the violence being portrayed. On the other hand, some of the audience feedback suggested that the music did not create enough suspense and that the way it changed at the end took away from the effectiveness of the piece. Most of the audience also liked the use of 'bangs' during tense moments such as the hitting of the victim against the wall, the special effects made them jump at the right moments where we intended to.
The voice over in the main was recieved well during our feedback. The way whe had altered the tone and added a echo effect made the voice become sinister, which worked well with the shots it was being played over.
3. Camerawork and shot range - The audiece feedback has shown my group that the use of camerawork and cantered angles is an area within our piece that stood out.
In terms of camerawork, those who viewed the piece felt that in particular the cantered angles and high shots worked well with the piece. The shot filmed through the mirror, the dragging of the body down the stairs and also the shot of the killer walking down the stairs through the puddle made some viewers feel uncomfortable, some even having a 'dizzy' sensation. They also felt that there was enough variety of shots included in the trailer to make them want to see more of the film.
The cantered angles were also a success in the making of our film. It allowed us to expore different ways of portraying our visials and most of the audience agreed. The POV shots were also said to be effective, making the audience relate to the killers persepctive.
4. Characters and acting - The character types and acting are also important in a horror movie, however my analysis has shown that this is often not the most important feature within a horror movie with most focusing on the use of tension and gore.
The way that the killers identity is allways kept hiden is something that the audience felt worked well. We did this so that there was no relation to the killer, the mystery means that it could be anyone. We achieved this mainly through filming the torture scenes using POV shots that helped to make the trailer seem more realistic and filmed through the killers eye. The only real clue to the killers identity is through the end shot where the killers face appears on screen, although this is covered by a mask. However the audeince does not have much chance to take it all in, we put a distortion effect on to the end which we intended to seem like the end of a 'killer tape'.
One of the main issues to arrise from the viewing of our trailer was the challenging of the main traditional convention of the 'final girl', taking away the usual 'male gaze' element of many horror films. The feedback shows that this was a noticable difference, especially as most of the other trailers created in our group had female victims. Our group mainly decided to challenge this convention as it would have been difficult to complete some of the stunts in our trailer with a girl, and also recently the media has seen the breaking of this rule much more. Despite it seemingly being a big issue, I believe that it worked well within our trailer, helping us to stand out and also challenge the percieved norm.
5. Editing pace - The audience feedback has also shown that most audience members had some level of problem with the pace in which we edited the trailer. The main comment that was aired is that people felt that as the trailer went on, the pace slowed down when it did not need to, creating a negative effect.
My audience feedback has been particularly useful in helping me to see where the sucesses in my trialer lie, and also highlight any weaknesses and improvements that may not have been picked up during the filming of the piece. Overall the feedback was posative, with the trailer 'teasing' enough and also made the plot farily clear and concise for viewers to consider watching the full release.
The audience to which the trailer was shown to, were in particular extremly impressed with the use of classical music against many of the gore scenes, as it was a startling contrast between the two. Some even suggested that they could believe that this would be the type of calm music in the head of the killer as he carries out these horrendous attacks. Most also liked the use of the voiceover, which had been alterd to produce a lower tone, as it made the character seem insane and the audience feel uncomfortable at the fact the voice was so anonymous.
Some also commented on the varied use of camera shots, in particular the experimentation of using cantered and high angles. This added to the odity of the piece, and in some cases made the viewer feel uneasey and a strange sickening sensation. This feeling was added to through the use of sharp ediing which helped us to maintain a fast pace.
Despite some good positive feedback, the group also gave us some constructive critacism on how we coud improve on our trailer as a whole. A major problem that had caused some debate within the group was the inclusion of the intetitle that fades into the blood in the first cut. It was clear from the feedback that we gained that the audience also found this to be a problem, mainly due the fact that it was difficut to read and many felt as though it was 'Gimmicky' rather than adding to the piece. Some also felt that the trailer became too slow towards the end, and despite starting off well, this spoilt the flow of the piece and did not create enough suspense. There was also some confusion over the actual genre of the piece. Some of the audience felt as though it was more of a thriller rather than a horror due to all of the mystery and suspense created.
Adhering to the conventions of horror
The audience feedback also showed us ways in which our trailer both followed and challenged the main conventions of horror.
1. Use of Gore and SFX - In the whole the audience felt as though there was an evident lack of gore within our product, which is commonly found within most horror trailers. Most felt as though a trailer of this type needed to show violence off, so it did not stray from the conventions of the horror genre and turn into a mystery film. Despite this many did comment that our use of stunts was a good way of creating shock, especially whenthe victim hits the wall and the blood can just be seen trickling down.
2. Music and Voice Over - In horror teaser trialers the music is often vital in helping to build up tension amoungst the audience. Therefore as a group we felt that getting the music right would be the most important factor in ensuring that this was done to maximum effect.
The music of our piece in particular recieved mixed feedback from the audience. Some believed that it went well with the piece, the classical ambient composition created a shocking comparison to the violence being portrayed. On the other hand, some of the audience feedback suggested that the music did not create enough suspense and that the way it changed at the end took away from the effectiveness of the piece. Most of the audience also liked the use of 'bangs' during tense moments such as the hitting of the victim against the wall, the special effects made them jump at the right moments where we intended to.
The voice over in the main was recieved well during our feedback. The way whe had altered the tone and added a echo effect made the voice become sinister, which worked well with the shots it was being played over.
3. Camerawork and shot range - The audiece feedback has shown my group that the use of camerawork and cantered angles is an area within our piece that stood out.
In terms of camerawork, those who viewed the piece felt that in particular the cantered angles and high shots worked well with the piece. The shot filmed through the mirror, the dragging of the body down the stairs and also the shot of the killer walking down the stairs through the puddle made some viewers feel uncomfortable, some even having a 'dizzy' sensation. They also felt that there was enough variety of shots included in the trailer to make them want to see more of the film.
The cantered angles were also a success in the making of our film. It allowed us to expore different ways of portraying our visials and most of the audience agreed. The POV shots were also said to be effective, making the audience relate to the killers persepctive.
4. Characters and acting - The character types and acting are also important in a horror movie, however my analysis has shown that this is often not the most important feature within a horror movie with most focusing on the use of tension and gore.
The way that the killers identity is allways kept hiden is something that the audience felt worked well. We did this so that there was no relation to the killer, the mystery means that it could be anyone. We achieved this mainly through filming the torture scenes using POV shots that helped to make the trailer seem more realistic and filmed through the killers eye. The only real clue to the killers identity is through the end shot where the killers face appears on screen, although this is covered by a mask. However the audeince does not have much chance to take it all in, we put a distortion effect on to the end which we intended to seem like the end of a 'killer tape'.
One of the main issues to arrise from the viewing of our trailer was the challenging of the main traditional convention of the 'final girl', taking away the usual 'male gaze' element of many horror films. The feedback shows that this was a noticable difference, especially as most of the other trailers created in our group had female victims. Our group mainly decided to challenge this convention as it would have been difficult to complete some of the stunts in our trailer with a girl, and also recently the media has seen the breaking of this rule much more. Despite it seemingly being a big issue, I believe that it worked well within our trailer, helping us to stand out and also challenge the percieved norm.
5. Editing pace - The audience feedback has also shown that most audience members had some level of problem with the pace in which we edited the trailer. The main comment that was aired is that people felt that as the trailer went on, the pace slowed down when it did not need to, creating a negative effect.
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
I believe that both my trailer and my ancillery tasks work well together, produing an effective marketing campaign.
Firstly it is important that both the trailer and the movie poster compliment each other, as this is usually the main way of attracting the most suitable audience. They are often key to any distribution plan, featuring outside cinemas, on billboards and bus shelters, they are also more commonly being found within movie magazines themselves. This therefore means that the distribution company has to try and make their poster stand out against other competitiors, especailly if they are carrying a low profile name. Key features of a movie poster are, an indication of the genre, the main actors, a tag line, release date, the name of the film and film companies involved.
For my trailer I believe that I have followed the main conventions well. The main picture is of a hand covered in blood, which creates an interesting and chilling effect and also refers to the part of the film where there is a pool of blood. It is effective in that it makes the audience intrieged, the way it has been captured is also clever as it is hard to make out what the pool of blood actually is, at first glance the wall and the floor seem to be joined as one. The tag line compliemets this, the audience wants to know what happens 'below', the repitition of this in both lines is effective as it reinforces the idea on the audience. I have also decided to include 'From the director.......' into the magazine as this creates a hype around the film, especially as the saw films are a popular series.
For movie magazines, the content of the front page are often determined by the magazine company themselves. Therefore I decided to stick to what seemed to be the main convention, by having one of the main characters front the page. I framed the picture so that the killer had the mask on and was seemingly standing in white light. This creates an uneasy atmosphee and also suggests that the audience may be able to find out who is behind the mask if they read on in the issue. For the rest of the film magazine I noticed that they are more than often standardised, therefore I chose to follow the normal layout.
Firstly it is important that both the trailer and the movie poster compliment each other, as this is usually the main way of attracting the most suitable audience. They are often key to any distribution plan, featuring outside cinemas, on billboards and bus shelters, they are also more commonly being found within movie magazines themselves. This therefore means that the distribution company has to try and make their poster stand out against other competitiors, especailly if they are carrying a low profile name. Key features of a movie poster are, an indication of the genre, the main actors, a tag line, release date, the name of the film and film companies involved.
For my trailer I believe that I have followed the main conventions well. The main picture is of a hand covered in blood, which creates an interesting and chilling effect and also refers to the part of the film where there is a pool of blood. It is effective in that it makes the audience intrieged, the way it has been captured is also clever as it is hard to make out what the pool of blood actually is, at first glance the wall and the floor seem to be joined as one. The tag line compliemets this, the audience wants to know what happens 'below', the repitition of this in both lines is effective as it reinforces the idea on the audience. I have also decided to include 'From the director.......' into the magazine as this creates a hype around the film, especially as the saw films are a popular series.
For movie magazines, the content of the front page are often determined by the magazine company themselves. Therefore I decided to stick to what seemed to be the main convention, by having one of the main characters front the page. I framed the picture so that the killer had the mask on and was seemingly standing in white light. This creates an uneasy atmosphee and also suggests that the audience may be able to find out who is behind the mask if they read on in the issue. For the rest of the film magazine I noticed that they are more than often standardised, therefore I chose to follow the normal layout.
1.In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In the whole I believe that my media product follows most of the main conventions of both teaser trailers and the horror genre.
My product in particular follows the conventions of a teaser trialer as my group have tried standardise and use some of the most common features. For example many teaser trialers start off with production details, move on to quick action shots that don't give away much of the plot along with inter-titles and then finish with the name of the trailer and the release date. In the whole our trailer does this, the only place we have perhaps not followed the convention is through the use of not enough inter-titles. Another way that our product follows the main convention of a teaser trialer is in the total length of the teaser. Unlike feature trailers which are around 2 minutes, teasers are generally on for around 1 minute to 1.30 minutes. Our product sits comfortably in that group at 1.21 minutes.
Our product has also used some of the main conventions of the horror genre. I think the most evedent is the creation of suspense through fast paced editing and quick cuts, the use of mystery surrounding the identity of the character also adds to this. The way the piece has been filmed is also conventional of the horror genre, the use of cantered angles are common and also the effect of it being handheld. Mise en scene has also been important in the creation of our piece. We have tried to use a mixture of features such as gore and violence, whilst also not revealing too much to the audience to make sure that they want to see more.
My product in particular follows the conventions of a teaser trialer as my group have tried standardise and use some of the most common features. For example many teaser trialers start off with production details, move on to quick action shots that don't give away much of the plot along with inter-titles and then finish with the name of the trailer and the release date. In the whole our trailer does this, the only place we have perhaps not followed the convention is through the use of not enough inter-titles. Another way that our product follows the main convention of a teaser trialer is in the total length of the teaser. Unlike feature trailers which are around 2 minutes, teasers are generally on for around 1 minute to 1.30 minutes. Our product sits comfortably in that group at 1.21 minutes.
Our product has also used some of the main conventions of the horror genre. I think the most evedent is the creation of suspense through fast paced editing and quick cuts, the use of mystery surrounding the identity of the character also adds to this. The way the piece has been filmed is also conventional of the horror genre, the use of cantered angles are common and also the effect of it being handheld. Mise en scene has also been important in the creation of our piece. We have tried to use a mixture of features such as gore and violence, whilst also not revealing too much to the audience to make sure that they want to see more.
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Monday, 16 November 2009
What are some of the key conventions of the horror genre?
There are six main conventions that are present within the horror genre, which help to create an atmosphere within a film. These include the setting, technical code, iconography, the narrative structure, character types and themes.
The technical code of the movie is also important, as it is the main device that creates the atmosphere within a film; this includes the use of camerawork, framework and editing.
The camerawork used compared to other genres is more expressive rather than naturalistic, with some experimentation used between high and low angles; this creates an element of surprise and disorientation which captures the audience’s attention. Extreme close ups on the victim protagonist help the viewer to identify with the terror the character is facing, whilst also making it hard to judge where the threat is by eliminating it from the screen.
Point Of View shooting is also used frequently as a way of seeing the action through the victim’s eyes and allowing us to closely follow their actions. It is also used to follow the villain, and is mainly found when introducing them as to keep their identity a secret.
The camerawork will often make good use of the depth of field to create suspense; the audience can clearly see the protagonist / victim in the foreground unaware of the monster emerging in the foreground.
The editing of the film is cleverly used to create unsettling movements and jumps as the camera moves from a long shot to a close up, cutting out the mid shot to give the scene a rough and quirky feel. The pace of the editing may be quicker during periods where the director needs to create suspense, and increase in pace can often be an indicator that something is about to happen. The sound placed in the background has become iconic of the genre, as it can change the mood of even a simple scene, and many films have become associated with certain pieces of music.
Iconography is the use of visual signifiers as a means of determining the genre of a film and in horror these are readily apparent for the audience to see. The colour schemes used are often black or red; this connotes darkness, evil, blood and danger.
The lighting used is in a low key, expressive manner so that it emphasises shadows, sometimes coming from unsuspecting angles such as below to create unfamiliar shadows.
Many of the props used are also famously identified with the horror genre. Weapons that are bladed are the most common murdering tool used in horror films, religious symbols such as crucifixes can be found in many supernatural sub categories along with other elements such as ghosts and moving objects, masks are often used by the monster to hide their identity and finally blood is frequently found.
The character types used by directors are mainly young, college students and female. This helps to portray an innocent victimised main protagonist, and also because teenagers are often linked with ‘off the rails’ activity. The monster is prominently male, usually having some secret or psychotic event that has caused them to take revenge. The actors used are in the whole often unheard of, low budget actors, some of whom move on to bigger careers.
The narrative structure used is often in line with that of a classic realist / classic Hollywood structure. There may be many ‘false closures’ present throughout the film whilst the real closure is left ambiguous to help enhance the mystical qualities of the monster and perhaps to also enable a sequel. Unlike the Hollywood structure, in horror there is often a victim / hero rather than an unambiguous hero, which provides the audience a point of masochistic identification. Some of the narratives of horror sub genres are very formulaic. The slasher genre often presents the monster as someone who has suffered a psychotic event that creates a killer, returning at a later date to a past location to kill what are usually immoral teens.
There are also many themes present within the horror genre. Binary oppositions are often explored, such as the contrast between good and evil, natural and unnatural or the known and the unknown. It gets the audience to think about the hidden evil inside us, and make us question what lies on the other side of death.
In conclusion there are many key conventions within the horror genre. These collaborate together to give the audience clear identification of the genre, and also help to build and hold an atmosphere.
In horror the setting is vitally important in helping to create suspense and shock and thrill the audience. Horror films are often set in a small community which creates isolation from the rest of the world; this also makes it easier for the whole community to harbour a ‘dark secret’ which is then slowly revealed as the film progresses. In some cases the setting can be places where things from the past return to haunt the residents, or someone within the community gradually turns evil and then sets about terrorising their neighbours, film makers often play on the fact that their films are set in places where you would not expect something out of the ordinary to happen. This can be seen in 'Halloween', where the killer, Mike Myers, sets about killing people in the community where he grew up.
The houses used often have different levels, such as cellars and attics which make good places for secrets of the past to inhabit, concealing monsters and making good places for murders to be committed. The time of day is also important within horror, with in most films the ‘evil’ being released at night where it is less likely that the perpetrator will be caught.
The technical code of the movie is also important, as it is the main device that creates the atmosphere within a film; this includes the use of camerawork, framework and editing.
The camerawork used compared to other genres is more expressive rather than naturalistic, with some experimentation used between high and low angles; this creates an element of surprise and disorientation which captures the audience’s attention. Extreme close ups on the victim protagonist help the viewer to identify with the terror the character is facing, whilst also making it hard to judge where the threat is by eliminating it from the screen.
Point Of View shooting is also used frequently as a way of seeing the action through the victim’s eyes and allowing us to closely follow their actions. It is also used to follow the villain, and is mainly found when introducing them as to keep their identity a secret.
The camerawork will often make good use of the depth of field to create suspense; the audience can clearly see the protagonist / victim in the foreground unaware of the monster emerging in the foreground.
The editing of the film is cleverly used to create unsettling movements and jumps as the camera moves from a long shot to a close up, cutting out the mid shot to give the scene a rough and quirky feel. The pace of the editing may be quicker during periods where the director needs to create suspense, and increase in pace can often be an indicator that something is about to happen. The sound placed in the background has become iconic of the genre, as it can change the mood of even a simple scene, and many films have become associated with certain pieces of music.
Iconography is the use of visual signifiers as a means of determining the genre of a film and in horror these are readily apparent for the audience to see. The colour schemes used are often black or red; this connotes darkness, evil, blood and danger.
The lighting used is in a low key, expressive manner so that it emphasises shadows, sometimes coming from unsuspecting angles such as below to create unfamiliar shadows.
Many of the props used are also famously identified with the horror genre. Weapons that are bladed are the most common murdering tool used in horror films, religious symbols such as crucifixes can be found in many supernatural sub categories along with other elements such as ghosts and moving objects, masks are often used by the monster to hide their identity and finally blood is frequently found.
The character types used by directors are mainly young, college students and female. This helps to portray an innocent victimised main protagonist, and also because teenagers are often linked with ‘off the rails’ activity. The monster is prominently male, usually having some secret or psychotic event that has caused them to take revenge. The actors used are in the whole often unheard of, low budget actors, some of whom move on to bigger careers.
The narrative structure used is often in line with that of a classic realist / classic Hollywood structure. There may be many ‘false closures’ present throughout the film whilst the real closure is left ambiguous to help enhance the mystical qualities of the monster and perhaps to also enable a sequel. Unlike the Hollywood structure, in horror there is often a victim / hero rather than an unambiguous hero, which provides the audience a point of masochistic identification. Some of the narratives of horror sub genres are very formulaic. The slasher genre often presents the monster as someone who has suffered a psychotic event that creates a killer, returning at a later date to a past location to kill what are usually immoral teens.
There are also many themes present within the horror genre. Binary oppositions are often explored, such as the contrast between good and evil, natural and unnatural or the known and the unknown. It gets the audience to think about the hidden evil inside us, and make us question what lies on the other side of death.
In conclusion there are many key conventions within the horror genre. These collaborate together to give the audience clear identification of the genre, and also help to build and hold an atmosphere.
Horror mood board
My horror mood board presents some of the main themes that are common within the genre.
One area that I focused on was many films use of iconic characters such as those present within Friday the 13th, The Exorcist and Stephen King's IT. Here you can clearly see the variety of characters that are created within this genre. One thing that i noticed was that most of the characters I have chosen to look at wear some form of mask, this is vital in keeping their identities a secret from the audience. Most are also emotionless and plain, creating the sense of the unknown.
Another aspect of horror within my mood board is the use of weapons as the main way of the killer killing their victims. As can be seen, they are often sharp blade like objects, things that are commonly found within any household. The picture of the psychotic killer behind his victim is also a common one within horror, the victim often clueless that he is being followed and is about to be attacked. Gore is also depicted, horrors often make good use of blood and wounds, this can be seen in the butchering scene at the top.
Also pictured are some of the common settings for horror, and also some that I have found unusual. Woods make good settings, providing hideaways and acting like a never ending maze, and a deserted town or area are common. A scene that I found particularly interesting and unusual is the scen of Danny in the hotel, playing in the never ending corridoors. The strange carpet and views of an endless distance play mind games with the audience and helps to create illusions.
One area that I focused on was many films use of iconic characters such as those present within Friday the 13th, The Exorcist and Stephen King's IT. Here you can clearly see the variety of characters that are created within this genre. One thing that i noticed was that most of the characters I have chosen to look at wear some form of mask, this is vital in keeping their identities a secret from the audience. Most are also emotionless and plain, creating the sense of the unknown.
Another aspect of horror within my mood board is the use of weapons as the main way of the killer killing their victims. As can be seen, they are often sharp blade like objects, things that are commonly found within any household. The picture of the psychotic killer behind his victim is also a common one within horror, the victim often clueless that he is being followed and is about to be attacked. Gore is also depicted, horrors often make good use of blood and wounds, this can be seen in the butchering scene at the top.
Also pictured are some of the common settings for horror, and also some that I have found unusual. Woods make good settings, providing hideaways and acting like a never ending maze, and a deserted town or area are common. A scene that I found particularly interesting and unusual is the scen of Danny in the hotel, playing in the never ending corridoors. The strange carpet and views of an endless distance play mind games with the audience and helps to create illusions.
'The Day Beofre Halloween' new movie pitch
One street has a dark secret. One house on the corner harbours a horrific tale. Twelve years ago a young trick or treater entered the house and never returned. Now years later, as the street is preparing for yet another Halloween celebration, some are paid a visit they will never forget. As the night progresses, the doorbell of each house is rung, revealing a small child out trick or treating a day early. Those who are well prepared are able to give him sweets; however those who have not must be prepared for a night they will never forget. One by one, the residents are tortured until only a few survive. Or do they?
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Trailers and teaser trailers
Terminator 4 Salvation Teaser Trailer
The teser trailer for Terminator 4 Salvation gives a good acount to the audience about what the film is about and uses various devices to attract them to go see the movie at a future date. The trailer's fast pace reflects the action element within the movie and also maximises the number of 'snippets' of the film that can be shown. A hand held camera effect is also present which gives the film a slightly urban edge. The element of suprise is also present within the trailer, as it is never clear to the audience what is going on making them more inclined to see what really happens. The sound that can be heard is mainly the distortion noise made by televisions, there is also a male voice over which has been used to sound like a video diary entry.
District 9 Teaser Trailer
The teaser trailer for District 9 follows the same docu-film pattern of the film, mixing interviews with action. Most of the trailer reveals little information as to what the film is about, people keep on referring to a group of people who are not welcome as 'they', and it is only about halfway through the trailer when superimposed texts reveals 'they are not human'. The trailer puts importance on the film maker, Peter Jackson, and it portrays some of the common features of his films, special effects, through showing a huge speacecraft suspended above earth.
Friday the 13th
The Friday the 13th trailer makes good use of some of the main features of horror to clearly help the audience define what type of movie it is. From the start, an eerie atmosphere is created through the sounds used, woodland noises at the beginning give way to supernatural music as the picture fades from black and the first scene is revealed. This is soon acompanied by a voice over of a woman, the tone of her voice suggests that she may not be part of the living world helping to chill the viewer. Sounds such as screaming for help have also been placed over some of the action shots to help build up the suspense. The audience can clearly see that the setting of the film is in a deralict house in the woods, this goes along with what is typical of the genre.
Daybreakers Trailer
• The opening scene suggests a futuristic plot. This can be seen thorugh the use of tall modern buildings which connote a sci-fi theme.
• The trailer starts to involve the audience, as can be seen in the superimposed text telling the audience to 'imagine'
• The trailer almost immediately reveals what the film is about, vampires, through a variety of shots which depict vampires biting victims
• Suspense is depicted through the use of quick flashing images of action from the film
• Production values – high budget, lots of make up, special effects, futuristic themes
• Genre is revealed as a mix of survival horror, horror and sci-fi
• The action builds up leaving the audience wanting more
• Title of the film falls into the screen at the end of the traier, so it is fresh in the audiences mind
• The film production team and actors appear on the final screen for about 2 seconds. This suggests that no noteworthy actors or directors were involved.
• Music is scifi/ haunting
• Superimposed dialogue is introduced with an explosion sound
• Contains important speech from the film that helps to reveal little bits about the plot
• Towards the end the music builds and everything else is drowned out so that the focus is on the lyrics of the music. It then builds to a crescendo after which all is silent
The Crazies Trailer
Mirrors Trailer
The teser trailer for Terminator 4 Salvation gives a good acount to the audience about what the film is about and uses various devices to attract them to go see the movie at a future date. The trailer's fast pace reflects the action element within the movie and also maximises the number of 'snippets' of the film that can be shown. A hand held camera effect is also present which gives the film a slightly urban edge. The element of suprise is also present within the trailer, as it is never clear to the audience what is going on making them more inclined to see what really happens. The sound that can be heard is mainly the distortion noise made by televisions, there is also a male voice over which has been used to sound like a video diary entry.
District 9 Teaser Trailer
The teaser trailer for District 9 follows the same docu-film pattern of the film, mixing interviews with action. Most of the trailer reveals little information as to what the film is about, people keep on referring to a group of people who are not welcome as 'they', and it is only about halfway through the trailer when superimposed texts reveals 'they are not human'. The trailer puts importance on the film maker, Peter Jackson, and it portrays some of the common features of his films, special effects, through showing a huge speacecraft suspended above earth.
Friday the 13th
The Friday the 13th trailer makes good use of some of the main features of horror to clearly help the audience define what type of movie it is. From the start, an eerie atmosphere is created through the sounds used, woodland noises at the beginning give way to supernatural music as the picture fades from black and the first scene is revealed. This is soon acompanied by a voice over of a woman, the tone of her voice suggests that she may not be part of the living world helping to chill the viewer. Sounds such as screaming for help have also been placed over some of the action shots to help build up the suspense. The audience can clearly see that the setting of the film is in a deralict house in the woods, this goes along with what is typical of the genre.
Daybreakers Trailer
• The opening scene suggests a futuristic plot. This can be seen thorugh the use of tall modern buildings which connote a sci-fi theme.
• The trailer starts to involve the audience, as can be seen in the superimposed text telling the audience to 'imagine'
• The trailer almost immediately reveals what the film is about, vampires, through a variety of shots which depict vampires biting victims
• Suspense is depicted through the use of quick flashing images of action from the film
• Production values – high budget, lots of make up, special effects, futuristic themes
• Genre is revealed as a mix of survival horror, horror and sci-fi
• The action builds up leaving the audience wanting more
• Title of the film falls into the screen at the end of the traier, so it is fresh in the audiences mind
• The film production team and actors appear on the final screen for about 2 seconds. This suggests that no noteworthy actors or directors were involved.
• Music is scifi/ haunting
• Superimposed dialogue is introduced with an explosion sound
• Contains important speech from the film that helps to reveal little bits about the plot
• Towards the end the music builds and everything else is drowned out so that the focus is on the lyrics of the music. It then builds to a crescendo after which all is silent
The Crazies Trailer
- From the start of the trailer the audience can clearly see that the setting is within a small town/community.
- The first strange shot is established within the few first moments of the trailer, when one of the characters walks onto the baseball field carrying a gun.
- Pace is built up through quick flashing images.
- There is also a series of quick shots during the middle of the trailer which create a 'film reel' effect, as though the images are being played on a projector.
- There are also several iconic shots to the genre, one being the killer walking up the stairs to his victim with a knife in his hand.
- Other shots however challenge this norm. One of which is the daunting shot of the combineharvister, where its blades are coming down on the victim below.
Mirrors Trailer
- Like most horror movie trailers, the norm is quickly established. The audience are taken into a quiet suburb and shown into the idealistic family home.
- Quick flashes of a range of shots help to create an eerie atmosphere, this is also added to by the chilling music that accompanies it.
- Cantered angles of rooms make the audience feel uneasy, as they are unaware of where they are.
- A reflection effect has also been placed on the 20th centry fox logo, relating to the movie name.
- The trailer also constantly reinforces the idea of mirrors through the use of reflections of the main character.
- Eerie music and sound effects create an uneasy atmosphere
- The pace of the editing speeds up towards the end, and along with the sound effects give the impression of a heart beating.
- The Music builds up to a crescendo at the end, after which the movie title appears.
Monday, 12 October 2009
The Shining - Propp analysis
Propp believed that stories and films follow a simple set of guidance rules that begin with the preparation, moves onto complication, transference, struggle, return, and then finishes with recognition. The shining follows this rule to some extent, although not all of the features are present or happen in exactly the same order as propp described.
Preparation -
1) Jack leaves the hotel for an interview at a hotel
2) He must stay in the hotel for 6 months / Danny must not go into the room 237
3) Jack + Danny enter the room
4,5,6) Jack disables the radio and snowcat
7) Leaving Jack in the store cupboard
Complication -
8) Danny is found with a wound on his neck
8a) Wendy takes Danny away whilst Jack is left to write
9) Jack goes to try and write
10) Wendy tries to escape by disabling Jack
Transference -
11) Different 'homes' within the narrative
12) Bathroom scene / when the snowcat arrives
13) Danny calls Halloran through the shining
14) The Shining
15) Halloran tries to rescue
Struggle -
16)Running around the maze
18) Danny escapes whilst jack is left freezing in the snow
Return - 22) Wendy rescues Danny on a snowcat
Propp also believed that every film had a basic set of characters, and this rule tends to fit the shining, the villan is Jack, the donor is Halloran, the helper is Halloran or Tony, the princess is Danny, the dispatcher is the hotel job, the hero and victim is Wendy and the false hero is Jack or Halloran.
Preparation -
1) Jack leaves the hotel for an interview at a hotel
2) He must stay in the hotel for 6 months / Danny must not go into the room 237
3) Jack + Danny enter the room
4,5,6) Jack disables the radio and snowcat
7) Leaving Jack in the store cupboard
Complication -
8) Danny is found with a wound on his neck
8a) Wendy takes Danny away whilst Jack is left to write
9) Jack goes to try and write
10) Wendy tries to escape by disabling Jack
Transference -
11) Different 'homes' within the narrative
12) Bathroom scene / when the snowcat arrives
13) Danny calls Halloran through the shining
14) The Shining
15) Halloran tries to rescue
Struggle -
16)Running around the maze
18) Danny escapes whilst jack is left freezing in the snow
Return - 22) Wendy rescues Danny on a snowcat
Propp also believed that every film had a basic set of characters, and this rule tends to fit the shining, the villan is Jack, the donor is Halloran, the helper is Halloran or Tony, the princess is Danny, the dispatcher is the hotel job, the hero and victim is Wendy and the false hero is Jack or Halloran.
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