Audience Feedback

I asked a group of peers what they rate my three media products out of 10. This has given me an idea of how my teaser trailer, magazine cover and film poster are percieved from an audience and how effective they are. The scores were given based on 10 being the highest and 1 being a low score.

Magazine Cover
Emma - 7/10
Mary - 6/10
Stacey - 8/10
Kirsty - 7/10
Alexe - 6/10

Film Poster
Emma - 9/10
Mary - 9/10
Stacey - 8/10
Kirsty - 8/10
Alexe - 8/10

Teaser Trailer
Emma - 9/10
Mary - 9/10
Stacey - 8/10
Kirsty - 8/10
Alexe - 7/10

Film Poster

Audience Feedback.

- "The use of the colours red and black throughout the poster work very well together"

- "I like the facial expression on the young girl's face, her eyes are very powerful"

- "There is not too much text, therefore an audience will want to stop and read the poster"

- "The use of famous actors names will attract more viewers"

I received one comment about a change that I could make which was that the scar on the girl's face could be made to look more realsitic. I agree with this opinion as I think that it would enhance the verisimilitude of the image.

Questionnaire regarding film posters

I asked 20 peers a range of questions about the forms and conventions of film posters and how they perceive particular colours and aspects of the posters. I aim to gain some useful information that will provide me with inspiration and ideas for my own poster, for example what colours would work best, the layout of my poster, types of font etc.

1. What do you usually notice first when you see any film posters?
- The name of the film llllll 6
- The image llllllllllllll 14
- Names of the actors
- The release date
- A slogan or subheading

2. How do you tend to perceive the colour red?
- Danger llllll 6
- Death lllllll 7
- Blood llllll 6
- Love l 1
- Beauty
- Confidence
- Vitality

3. Where would you find the name of the film most visible?
- Centre of the poster llllll 6
- In the middle (horizontally) lllllllll 9
- In the middle (vertically) lllll 5
- At the bottom of the poster

4. What aspect of film posters denotes the genre of the movie the most from your point of view?
- The colours used lllll 5
- Main image lllllllll 9
- The name of the film llll 4
- The type of font used ll 2

5. Where on the poster would you expect to see the text written? (slogan, release date, actors names etc)
- At the bottom lll 3
- On the right hand side lll 3
- On the left hand side l 1
- At the top ll 2
- In the centre ll 2
- In various places llll 4
- It depends on where the image is and how the text can be integrated with the image lllll 5

6. What aspects of the main image enhance the intended impression given to an audience?
- The lighting used in the image lllll 5
- The colours ll 2
- Facial expressions lllll 5
- Mise-en-scene lllll 5
- Background/setting lll 3

From looking at my primary research I can determine that the image/s of film posters attract a lot of attention from an audience, therefore this will be a very important aspect of my poster and I shall ensure that I make the image I use very dominant in the poster. I could do this by making the whole photo the size of the poster so that it fills the whole page.
Nearly half of the people that participated in my questionnaire feel that the title would be most noticeable in the middle of the poster, I agree as the middle would also be eye level.
The main image is important for the representation of the genre to an audience.
The lighting, facial expressions and mise-en-scene of the main photo are all equally important when it comes to creating the correct impression for the target audience.

Poster Image

This is one of the more effective photographs that I have taken for my poster. The position of the young girl in this image allows space for text to be on the right side of the poster (A poster that is A3 and landscape). The main aspect of this image that I prefer in contrast to the other photographs that I took is the intensity of emotion in the eyes of the young girl.

Magazine Front Cover

Click on the image above to enlarge.

Audience Feedback.

- "There is good use of bright and eye catching colours"

- "The name of the magazine stands out well"

- "The use of the words 'World's Best' makes me want to read it"

- "The image looks scary"

- "I like the part where it says 'horror special' because it looks like dripping blood"

The comments below indicate the changes that I would make if I were to produce the magazine cover again.

- "The edges of the font for the name of the film 'The Untold' would look better if they were straighter"

- "The text about the exclusive interview isn't very clear"

Analysis of Film Posters

This poster advertising ‘Matrix reloaded’ shows a symmetrical layout between the images and the text along with a bland colour scheme using mainly black, white and contrasting tones. The position of the two characters featured on the poster represents their equal status and also highlights the focus on the title that is positioned in the middle of both the poster and the actors. There is attention to detail in the reflection of the sunglasses and the background of the poster, however overall this poster is not too busy and overpowering. The main aspects featured include a main image, the title of the film and the release date.

The poster above promoting ‘After the sunset’ contains images showing five different actors and actresses, however the position of these images clearly shows that the two actors on the left are more significant in the film than the others. Unlike the film poster above this one contains more information including a list of cast members and the names of four main actors/actresses which is one of the main focal points of the poster. The colours used enhance the visibility of each aspect, for example the white font against the orange sunset and the title of the film against a dark background. This poster contains more to digest and the title is not as predominant as in the poster above.

Out of the three posters that I have looked at I feel that this one creates an equal balance between the images and the text, it is also the most memorable in terms of remembering the name of the film and what the film could be about. The image used along with the title of the film suggests that the plot of the movie may be about the couple featured having problems or disagreements with the elderly woman. The aspects featured include one main image, the title of the film the names of the main actor and actress, a list of cast members and a subheading for the film. The title and the photo are equally positioned in the field of depth of this poster.

The Features

There are a few basic features that are used for the vast majority of film posters, these include:
- One main image
-The title of the film
- The release date
-Names of main actors and actresses

Additional features that are not always used when promoting films via posters include:
- Short quotes from magazine and newspaper editors
- A list of the organisations and people involved in the production of the film
- The name of the website for the movie
- A slogan or subheading
- Recognition for awards such as 'winner of best film' or 'winner of best actor'.

Forms and Conventions of Film Posters

Film posters are a vital aspect for the promotion of any film during the marketing process, they attract an audience as they are a major form of visual communication and are of interest to many people of all ages. The main forms and conventions of film posters include:
- A large, bold title to attract the eye and ensure the audience will be aware of the name of the film.
- Contrasting colours so that all the colours of the poster are clearly visible.
- Usually only one predominant image is used to promote the film.
- The names of the main characters also help to promote the film as the appearance of popular, well known actors and actresses encourage fans to go and see the film.
The way in which the poster is constructed and what it consists of are very important for the representation of the film featured. For example if the poster was promoting a horror film but the font used for the title was smooth and elegant, than the film is likely to be percieved incorrectly by an audience. The colours used on the poster can also affect the impression given to an audience about the film, for example it is unlikely that pastel colours such as light pink and purple tones would be used for a horror film poster as pink represents love and beauty whilst purple symbolizes royalty and magic.

When I design my own poster to promote my horror film I will carefully consider what colours and types of font etc that I should use to ensure that my poster reflects the movie. I am going to avoid using any soft pastel colours and any bright and luminous colours.

Analysis of 'Zombieland' poster

From looking at this poster I can clearly see that this is not just a horror movie but also a comedy. The font used for the title portrays an upbeat and lighthearted ambience through the use of the bright colours, the idea of it being lit up and the way that it curves across the poster. A short subheading is also featured underneath the title that enhances the humourous nature of the movie. On the other hand the bottom half of this poster reflects the genre of horror in the film, the use of dull, dark colours and weapons give the impression of danger and create suspense. The facial expressions of the characters featured act as a link between the two genres of the film as they are neither humourous nor horrific but portray elements of both. The information that this poster provides includes the names of the four actors/actresses in the image, the title of the film along with the subheading, the names of organisations and people involved in the production of the film and also the release date.

Analysis of 'Halloween 2' poster

This is a very effective poster as the image is the main focus and covers the whole poster itself. The use of the colour black enhances the sense of horror as the majority of the image is vry dark. The red colour that has been used relates to the genre of the movie as red represents danger, blood and evil; three aspects of a horror film. There is very little text used, the only information provided is the name of the director and a shortened title, this ensures that the focus remains on the disturbing image. The hidden identity of the character featured creates an eery sense of mystery for the target audience.

Storyboards - Teaser Trailer

Types of font for my magazine cover

I have researched a variety of fonts that would be suitable for my magazine cover, taking into consideration that the cover will be promoting my horror teaser trailer. I am going to use a font that enhances the theme of horror and links in well with all of the aspects of the cover. I will also change the colour of the text to achieve a careful balance between all of the colours that I decide to use.

Gatekeeper

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/astigmatic/gate-keeper-aoe/

Horrorama

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/tdf/horrorama/

Dead Mans Chest

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/comicraft/dead-mans/

Barcode

Here is an example of a barcode that I will use on my front cover of a magazine, this will ensure that it looks like an actual magazine cover and follows the conventions of film magazines. On the majority of issues of Empire magazine the barcode is positioned on the right side of the cover, either half way down the page or furthur towards the bottom. Some of the issues have a horizontal barcode but some have the barcode positioned vertically.

http://blogs.asee.org/goengineering/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/barcode.gif

Aspects of my magazine cover

I have created a list of all the features that I will include on the film magazine cover that I am going to produce, this will ensure that I carefully consider every aspect and it will assist me in the production process.

- A masthead with the title
- The date
- Price
- An issue number
- An image or variety of images
- Subheadings
- A main headline
- A barcode
- Information about what is featured in the magazine
- A thematic link between colours, images and text
- Name of the website for the magazine
- Highlight any extras

Audience views on film magazines

I have produced a questionnaire that is aimed at not just my target audience for my teaser trailer but a wider audience including people who are interested in films of all genres and those aged between 18 and 35 who most frequently purchase magazines. The questions that I asked will be used to help me make decisions when planning my own front cover for a fim magazine.

1. How much would you pay for a well-known film magazine that contains plenty of articles and information about all the latest films?
-£2.99 lllll 5
-£1.75 lll 3
-£3.45 lllll 5
-£3.70 lllllll 7

2. When you flick through a film magazine before choosing which one to purchase, what is it that you look for?
- The films that are featured llllllll 8
- Who the interview of the month is with lll 3
- The latest news about films and movie stars lllll 5
- Any extras that may be included such as posters or prizes up for grabs llll 4

3. What aspect of the front cover tends to grab your attention first?
- The masthead lllllll 7
- The main image lllllllll 9
- The price l 1
- The subheadings lll 3

4. Do you purchase the same magazine or do you tend to swap and change the magazine you buy?
- I prefer to buy the same magazine llllllllllll 12
- I dont always buy the same one llllllll 8

5. Are you more intersted in the front cover or what is inside the magazine when you are deciding upon what one to buy?
- What is inside llllllllll 10
- The front cover llllllllll 10

From looking at the responses of my questions I can determine that customers expect to pay higher prices for film magazines than the cost of many other magazines such as womens mags. The films that are featured are clearly the main point of interest as well as the main images that are on the cover. The contents of the magazine and what is on the front cover are equally important from a consumers perspective.

Empire Film Magazine

I have observed various aspects of this front cover of Empire magazine. Empire is a British film magazine that is publihed monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. The very first issue of the magazine was released on sale in July of 1989, it is now the biggest selling film magazine in Britain and is also published in Australia, Turkey and Russia.

http://pix.ie/lyricis/419798

• The date and the price of the magazine are in very small font just above the title and are not very visible at all, this is because they are not as important to the consumers as the contents of the magazine is.

• The genre of the film featured on the cover is clearly horror, this is reinforced by the colour and font of the text, the red title enhances the eerie sense of the film whilst the statement that goes through the middle of the cover immediately gives the impression that the film is going to contain a lot of bloody violence and gore as it appears to be carved into something rather than typed.

• Just like most of Empire's magazines this issue also shows the feature photograph overlapping the title, this gives an overpowering effect showing that the film is such a hit that it is even better and more important than the magazine itself as the title is in the background in comparison to the photograph.

• The use of the phrase 'world exclusive' in the heading about the magazines main theme attracts customers as they believe that they cannot purchase the magazine along with its exclusive contents anywhere else.

• The fluorescent purple and green colours used for the variety of shapes and letters highlight the key information on the cover and draw attention to the most interesting parts of the cover, without these bright colours the cover would appear very dull and boring. Therefore this shows that simple things such as colours of font can make a huge difference to the success of the issue.

• Although there is text over the top of the photograph this does not take the main focus away from the image, where as if the image was smaller to ensure that the text could fit on the cover without overlapping with the photo it would not be as significant on the cover.

• The section of information at the bottom right corner of the cover in white font is clearly visible ad shows up against the dark background, the fluorescent green cross next to the text draws attention towards the text.

• The use of the word PLUS ensures the customers that there is more inside and not just the film featured on the cover, it also suggests to a certain extent they are going to recieve extra articles or information inside.

Sources of information from http://www.wikipedia.com/

Common Features of a Magazine

-Most magazines are very colourful and eye-catching and they always consist of photographs, usually one that fills nearly the whole cover with several smaller images or sometimes a few images that are similar sizes, therefore of equal importance to the contents of the magazine.
-The front covers of magazines tend to be quite busy with lots of text and images that keep customers interested and makes the magazine more appealing.
-The title of the magazine is usually in the biggest, boldest font on the cover to ensure that it is clearly visible to customers.
-Women's magazines in particular display the two most important peices of information from a consumers perspective very clearly, these are the price of the magazine and a rough idea of the contents of the magazine.
-Magazines that are designed to target a specific group of people with a particular interest tend to be more expensive than other magazines and do not make the price of the magazine one of the main focuses.
-There are plenty of photographs on magazine covers aimed at teenagers and adults
-Although there are lot of images and text on magazine covers there is a careful balance between the two.
-A variety of fonts are usually used to create a more diverse and interesting cover.
-The date and price of the magazine are usually found in small print either near the title or the barcode, however some womens magazines ensure that the price is highlighted through the use of big, bold font and bright colours.

Different Types of Magazines

The vast majority of magazines are specifically designed to target a particular group of customers. The likes, dislikes, needs and wants of the target market are reseached by the producers of the magazines in order to ensure that they are providing what the potential customers are looking for. The contents of most magazines are very predictable for example women's weekly magazines always contain the same sections such as fashion, health and beauty, real lives, celebrity gossip, quizzes, competitions and horoscopes. The predictability of magazine's contents is a positive feature as readers want to be assured that it will be full of articles they want to read.
Magazines are classified either by age group or interest, for example childrens magazines such as 'Girl', teenagers and womens magazines such as 'Reveal' or 'Heat' and also mens magazines such as 'Men's Vogue'. The types of groups that different magazines are classified into include film, nature, sport, hair and beauty and even home renovations.
I will be focusing on film magazines in particular when I begin to plan and produce a front cover of a magazine that features my teaser trailer.

Aspects of a Magazine Cover

I have researched four main aspects of magazine covers that are essential to the structure of the magazine. I shall need to consider the following points when I begin to plan the structure of my own magazine cover.
Purpose: The two main purposes of the front cover of a magazine are to grab the reader's attention and to provide a little bit of information about what is featured in the magazine. The cover of the magazine is the most important part in terms of selling opportunities, it is the cover that will entice customers to purchase or if they are not impressed by the cover then they will look elsewhere.
Structure: Most magazine covers have the same or very similar structures as the position of images and text on the cover will affect where a customer looks first when they pick up a magazine, depending on what catches their eye. They consist of:
-A masthead that contains non-changing features such as the magazines title and price.
-A logo
-A motif that identifies the theme
-An issue number
-A photograph or image that usually takes up the majority of the page, often overlapping parts of the title
-A variety of small photographs or images that advertise specific features in the magazine
-A main headline
-Subheadings which preview some of the feature stories
-Bold or highlighted announcements of competitions, quizzes, posters and pull-out sections
Language features:
-A short and simple title ensures that customers will remember the name of the magazine
-A short statement of the magazines main theme is usally placed directly below the title but can sometimes be found above the title.
-Catchy headlines containing alliteration may be used
-Short and direct noun groups that often use noun groups
-Rhetorical questions might be used in order to confront the reader or involve them in the topic
-Rhyming is used to create an upbeat mood such as 'She's Hot, He's Not'
Visual features:
-A glossy full-colour cover
-An easily recognised masthead that contains the name of the magazine and the date of publication
-A close-up feature photograph or just a photograph that fills most of the cover
-Titles of feature articles in a variety of colours and fonts, often the same colour and style of font is used for the subheadings and a different colour for other parts of the cover
-Highlighted text and large print for the headlines of the msot important articles
-A well-balanced colour scheme that brings it all together whilst focusing on particular elements
-Slanted text suggets a lighthearted and fun mood

Props and Costume

I have produced a list of the props that I need to use during the filming process to ensure that I remember what I need and when I will need to use it.

Props:
-Black liquid eyeliner
-Fake blood
-Kitchen Knife
-Child's slippers
-Paint brush

Costume:
-Black hooded coat
-Black trousers
-Black t-shirt
-Black gloves
-Black shoes
-White t-shirts

The liquid eyeliner, fake blood and paint brush will be used to create effects and transform the appearance of the actors, making them look more horrific. The child's slippers will portray the idea of innocence and emphasize the fact that the corpse is of an innocent child, or make it seem that way...
The black items of clothing will conceal the identity of the villain and enhance the sense of mystery, where as the white t-shirts will be used for the corpses in order to give the impression that they are innocent people.

Target Audience

The majority of horror films are rated 15 or above due to the content such as bloody violence and gore that is only suitable to be viewed by teenagers aged 15 or older. My horror teaser trailer contains scenes and clips showing gore, blood and death, similar aspects to those in the trailers I have watched therefore I would classify it as a 15. My target audience for my trailer is the core audience of people aged 15 to 24 who are the most frequent cinema goers and are most likely to want to watch the film.
I asked a group of people who are in the core audience of 15 to 24 year olds a question about what they expect to see in a horror in order to make sure that I have included the different aspects in my teaser.
What forms and convetions do you expect to see in a horror trailer?
-Blood
-Death
-Victims
-Villains
-Weapons
-Darkness
-Gore
-Screams
The above are the answers that i received from my mini survey, having observed what my target audience expect to see in a horror teaser, I can see that i have covered all of the aspects.

Forms and Conventions of horror teasers

I have carried out furthur research in to what most horror trailers consist of and what makes them horror trailers in order to gather inspiration for more ideas and ensure that my own trailer will follow the conventions.

Typical elements of a horror movie include:
-blood
-death
-murder
-villains
-victims
-isolated settings
-weapons
-darkness
-gore
-violence
-screams

Other elements that are not seen in ALL horror movies but are conventional include:
-ghosts
-monsters
-evil
-storms
-chasing scenes involving cars or on foot

Shooting Schedule

I will be filming the shots for my horror teaser trailer in various locations to ensure that the audience will be constantly engaged when watching and do not become bored of the same setting or a sequence of similar shots. The majority of my shots will be in black and white or very dark areas to create an element of fear through the use of low key lighting and mysterious shots.
I have booked a camera to use out of school for a period of one week from saturday 19th September until Thursday evening which will be the 24th of September, I will decide when will be best to film certain shots depending on where I need to film and how much time I have to film each day. For example I want to film shots from inside a friends car showing the view out of the front window, but when I can film these shots will depend on when my friend is availableso therefore I arranged in advance when I will film particular scenes and shots.

Saturday 19th - location - flat in Erith - 5.00pm
- I will film the shots of a bloody knife, a male lying amongst rubble with bloody injuries and various close-up shots of corpses and weapons, including any last minute ideas that I think of whilst filming.
Problem: When I began to charge the camera in preparation for filming I realised that i had accidently been given a cleaning tape instead of a recording tape therefore I was unable to film.

Sunday 20th - location - Slade Green - 8.00pm
- I am going to film long shots and medium close-ups of a black figure walking alongside a busy road late at night, incorporating shadows where possible for example near a street lamp. I aim to achieve a shot that focuses on the black figure whilst the lights from oncoming cars create as sense of urgency through the speed of the cars passing by.
Problem: I have still not had an opportunity to purchase a recording tape so I will need to collect one from school tomorrow and return the cleaning tape.

Monday 21st - location - Danson Park - 7.30pm
- The shots that I need to film at Danson Park include a zoom shot and close-up of a teenage girl lying on the ground, a variety of shots showing the black figure acting suspiciously in wooded areas and a reflection shot of the black figure in water, either the lake or a stream in the park.
Problem: When I arrived at the park it had already closed so instead I filmed in secluded areas that were near to the park, shots that I filmed include the the street lamp shot and the busy road shot that I planned to film yesterday.

Tuesday 22nd - location - Danson Park - 4.00pm
- As I was unable to film last night I returned to Danson park to film the shots that I had planned to film last night.

Wednesday 23rd - location - Bexleyheath - 10.00pm
- I will film the shots featured in my storyboard of the view out of a front car window whilst a friend is driving at night when it is dark. I will also film various shots of a young girl lying on the ground with blood around her and on her top. Other shots from my storyboard that I need to film are the clips of the young girl with dark circles around her eyes.

Thursday 24th - location - at home/garden/kitchen - 8.00pm
- I will film the shots that I had planned to film on saturday but couldn't and will also film any other shots that come to mind through inspiration during filming.
- As this will be the last evening I have to film before the camera it due to be returned I will check through all of the shots I have filmed incase anything needs to be redone or i have missed any shots out.

Desptie three problems occuring that affected the amount of time I had to film I feel that i have successfully filmed enough shots and all the shots i require. If when I begin to edit I feel as though some clips could be better or I want to re-do some shots then I will need to book a camera to take out of school again.

Risk Assessment

I have carefully considered the potential risks and hazards regarding health and safety when filming. The following are hazards that I will attempt to avoid:
- Be sure that all equipment is being used correctly to prevent damage and to ensure nobody gets hurt, for example if a tripod is not set up properly someone could trip over it.
- If I film shots near any roads I must be cautious of all vehicles and makesure no-one is put in a dangerous situation.
- When choosing my filming locations I will makesure that they are not dangerous in any way.
- I will avoid filming on any uneven surfaces to prevent injury and damage of equipment.
- When planning my shooting schedule I will need to check the weather forecast as extreme weather conditions could be dangerous.
- The camera must be fully charged to avoid wasting valuable time.
- If I decide to film in the rain I must protect the equipment from the weather by using an umbrella.
- If any of the actors involved in the filming have medical conditions that require them to use medication or inhalers etc these must be easily accessible.
- A fully charged mobile phone must be on hand at all times in case of an emergency.
- A first aid kit may also be required if anyone does get injured.
- If my shooting shedule means that I have to film late at night or in the dark everyone involved in the shooting process must be more cautious of their surroundings than usual.
- To avoid trouble no-one will interrupt or disturb any members of the public.
- Nobody should be left alone whilst filming out of school.
- If I decide to use a sharp weapon such as a knife during filming then I msut film the shots inside a controlled environment where everyone is aware of what needs to be filmed and how to be safe.
- No destruction or vandalism of public property for the benefit of the filming will take place.

I will avoid possible risks from occuring but not all problems can be prevented, such as the weather or not having access to a camera when it would be most suitable for me to film. Precautions that I must take before attempting to film any shots include checking the ground is flat and dry, ensuring everybody is aware of what needs to be filmed, when and where and also making sure that everyone has a mobile phone or money so we can contact people if any problems arise.

The Difference between a Trailer and a Teaser Trailer

I have researched the difference between a trailer and a teaser trailer in order to ensure that I am fully aware of what I need to do to fulfill my brief.
Teaser trailers tend to be shorter than trailers, the average length of a trailer is two and a half minutes to three minutes long where as a teaser trailer is usually just 30 seconds to one minute long. Teaser trailers contain less clips from the actual film itself and do not give away as much information about the plot. Often the teaser is filmed before the footage for the movie itself has even begun.
Trailers show a longer preview of the film and contain more shots than a teaser, these clips are often from the actual film itself. Trailers also give a more detailed outline of what the film is about and give away key details of the plot in an attempt to entice an audience to watch the film. Teaser trailers do not include much dialogue and some may not contain any but trailers do show dialogue throughout the scenes.
When I come to plan the production for my own teaser trailer I shall carefully consider and follow the conventions of a teaser trailer in order to makesure that I correctly follow my chosen brief.

Key Concepts

The following are the key concepts that I have researched that relate to teaser trailers:
Definition: Horror films are movies that aim to obtain negative emotions such as fear from an audience. The main aspects of the narrative usually include themes of death, murder, the supernatural or mental illness. A thriller film is designed to promote intense excitement, create a high level of anticipation and build suspense to maintain attention from the audience and keep them engaged, trying to guess what will happen.
I am going to consider both horror and thriller movies when planning my own teaser trailer as i feel that a trailer combining the two will be very effective.

Forms and Conventions: This refers to the common aspects found in particular film genres and trailers. Film producers and directors will carefully consider established conventions when planning their shooting schedules and storyboards. Sometimes the forms and conventions are purposely not followed in an attempt to break the rules and expectations of an audience, this may prove popular with veiwers or be ineffective and jeopardise the success of the film.

Representation: Representation is about how the trailer signifies the world to an audience.

Audience: The audience is one of the essential components as they are who the trailer is being produced for. The effects of the media product on the audience needs to be considered when I'm planning the production of my trailer, this is a key area of debate as some movies such as horror that contain elements of death and murder may influence others to recreate scenes or commit crimes.

Target Audience: The certification of films has to be carefully considered for all film genres as certain scenes may be unacceptable for children or young teenagers to watch, for example references to horrific scenes, the use of strong language or sexual content. The certification for both "Sorority Row" and "Orphan" is 15. The most common reasons for why many films are classified in the category for teenagers aged 15 and above is due to the use of stong language, bloody violence and strong or mild sex references. When I reach the stage of classifying my teaser trailer I will categorically consider all of the content included in my trailer in order to decide upon the most suitable certifcate rating.

Audience opinions about teaser trailers

I have gathered information about what my peers and family members think about horror teaser trailers in order to decide which aspects would work most effectively when I produce my own teaser trailer.

The following are the questions that I asked several people:
1. What aspects of a horror/thriller teaser trailer keep you on the edge of your seat?
- the build up of the music as it becomes louder and more intense
- the use of shadows that create an eery and mysterious atmosphere
- seeing a suspect or various suspects during the trailer
- when there is a lot of action included
- if there are weapons, fire, blood or corpses shown it builds a lot of tension

2. Which of the following do you think builds tension the most in a teaser trailer for a horror film? mise-en-scene, lighting, sound, music, camera movement or types of shots?
- the sound effects
- low key lighting
- loud and sharp music
- the location, depending on where it is and what it looks like
- fast paced editing
- camera movement, if the camera is frantically moving around

3. What is it about a horror teaser trailer that makes you want to watch the film?
- the sense of a good, interesting plot
- when it leaves you feeling shocked and wanting to see more action
- when there is a very fast paced sequence of horrific shots just before the end
- the build up of tension throughout the teaser trailer
- when bloody, horrific scenes are shown as it looks like it will be quite a good horror
- when the trailer is full of action
- when a mystery is shown
- if the trailer ends on a cliff-hanger

4. Have you seen any teaser trailers for a horror movie that did not entice you? If so, why was it not an effective trailer?
- no, not that I can remember
- yes it was a very predictable trailer that featured halloween and contained too much information about the film

5. What is your favourite horror teaser trailer and why?
- 'Prom night' because the facial expressions of the actors were really good and at the end of the trailer a hand reached out towards the screen before the title sequence appeared, it was very effective and scary. Also the use of shadows and the music made you want to see more.
- 'Sorority row' is the most recent one that I have seen and I really want to see the film, it had an interesting twist in the plot which was that a young adult accidently murdered his girlfriend.

6. What type of location do you think would create a tense atmosphere in a horror film?
- the woods
- an attic
- a huge, very old house
- graveyard
- an isolated and abandonned location
- an empty school building

Phrases

The horror trailers for both "Sorority Row" and "Orphan" contain phrases that appear on screen during the fast paced sequences. These phrases provoke thoughts in the minds of the audience and create an eery sense of mystery. After having researched these two trailers and noticing that both contain phrases that effectively build tension and suspense, I am going to experiment with the idea of including phrases in my own horror trailer in order to see if they enhance the emotional effect that my work has on an audience.
The trailer for "Sorority Row" contained six shots in total that showed a phrase during sequences. These were "A PRANK", "NO ONE WOULD EVER FORGET", "A SECRET" AND "NO ONE WOULD EVER TELL". During a sequence that followed two more phrases appeared, these were "SISTERS FOR LIFE" and "AND DEATH". Every phrase used relates to the shots and reinforces the narrative as well as ensuring the audience are aware of what the film is going to entail.
Only two phrases appear throughout the whole trailer for "Orphan", these were both slightly longer than the short, sharp ones used in "Sorority Row" but still induced a mysterious nature. The two phrases that appeared in the horror trailer were "There's something wrong with Esther" and "You'll never guess her secret". The second of the two is very direct and aimed at the audience in a way that is more invading and personal than the other phrases. The use of a direct phrase puts the audience on edge as they are almost being challenged or confronted by the trailer.

Comparison between "Sorority Row" and "Orphan"

The main structure of these two trailers is very similar, almost the same. Firstly both trailers begin with a positive and upbeat ambience that is emphasised through the use of gentle and angelic music. Also the diegetic sound of dialogue can be heard before the character who is speaking is seen, this introduction to a trailer is used for both trailers that I have researched so far. The main structure of both trailers begins with a positive sequence of shots that uses high key lighting and ambient light, this mood then rapidly changes to a much more negative sequence with a fast editing pace that contains very low key lighting and sharp, high-pitched music. The audience soon become unperturbed and at ease when these horrific shots return to a serene nature with calm music or content characters. But for the final time the atmosphere on screen changes back to a shocking, negative condition that leaves the audience wide-eyed and breathless. I think the switch from a positive atmosphere to negative, then back to positive and finally ending on a negative note works well at maintaining full attention from an audience as they are experiencing an emotional roller coaster throughout the trailer.
The main aspects that both horror trailers have used include very low key lighting for the negative sequences, fast paced shots, high-pitched and intense music, black and white flashing shots, fading transitions, many close-ups and also the use of phrases that appear in black and white during sequences.
The use of phrases between shots highlight the thoughts of the audience but also provoke questions in the viewers minds. Every cut to a phrase puts short breaks between the shocking images on screen and builds tension amongst the audience.
The black and white flashing shots that have been used in both trailers were created in different ways but still produce the same effect. The shots in "Sorority Row" were created by using black and white images that rapidly flash up on screen, the same effect was acheived in "Orphan" but through the use of lighting that flickers intensely rather than short black and white shots.
Another similarity between the two horror trailers was that both ended with loud, intense music before the title of the film was shown then one final short scene played before the shot cut to another shot stating "coming soon" in the centre of the screen. Both "coming soon" shots of each trailer showed the font slowly zoom towards the screen before it goes blank.
The age of the main characters of whom are suspected or shown to be the murderers or villains of each trailer are different as "Orphan" features a young girl who appears to be an innocent child where as the murderer in "Sorority Row" is a male in his late teens. In my opinion neither of these characters follow the forms and conventions of most horrors as adults are usually the main actors for the villains. However I think that this unconventional take on each film will increase the verisimlitude of the narrative as audiences are not used to seeing younger murderers.
During the trailer for "Sorority Row" the audience are shown a murder but no deaths or murders can be seen in the trailer for "Orphan". There are advantages for both including a murder in a trailer and for resisting the temptation. I think that if a murder is shown it will have a more horrific and memorable effect on an audience but if a trailer does not contain a murder then it leaves more to the imagination of the veiwers who are left wanting to see more. An unusual aspect of the trailer for "Sorority Row" was that a group of teenagers witnessed the murder and were all involved, where as in many horror films only the murderer is present at the scene. An unpredictable take on this trailer was that the murder occured almost by accident. This makes the audience even more interested to find out what is going to happen, and therefore go and see the film.
Overall I think both trailers were very effective and worked well at keeping the audience interested. I feel that "Sorority Row" was much more intense and provided a clearer narrative than "Orphan". There was a lot of key information about the film in the trailer and the variety of music helped to keep the atmosphere alive.
On the other hand the trailer for "Orphan" retained key elements and details about the film, it also contained more fast paced shots showing the horrifying action but not giving away too much about the plot.

"Orphan"

"Orphan" is an American horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, it was released on the 7th of August 2009. The trailer for the film begins with the diegetic sound of dialogue, we can hear a woman speaking in a mellow tone of voice that sounds almost pessimistic as she says "Im ready to adopt". This introduction to the trailer provides the audience with key information about the film and allows them to make assumptions about the denotation. The sound of gentle, angelic music can be heard in the background that gives off a warm, positive vibe to the audience. This music immediately becomes slightly fast paced as we are shown a very long shot of a young girl from behind. The depth of field in this shot creates a sense of curiosity for an audience as only a small fraction of the shot shows the child with the camera briefly pans towards the right.
The shot then cuts to a medium close-up of the girl who introduces herself to the woman and her husband, ambient light is used as we see a short sequence of shots that cut between the young girl and the couple who are looking to adopt. The use of lighting, facial expressions and body language during these shots show happy people in a friendly environment and make the audience feel relaxed.
Very low key lighting is used when the couple are discussing adoption, this sudden contrast creates a sense of danger for the audience and makes them want to know more. The camera shot then fades in at the same time as the non-diegetic music dies down, a new sequence of shots begins as the shot fades out again. This makes the audience aware that a new scene is beginning and provides a smooth transition between the sequences.
We are shown a shot of the house that the couple live in, as the car drives into the shot the camera zooms in towards the house, this movement puts a negative emphasis on the house and suggests that it will be a key location in the film. The background music is very faint and gradually becomes more noticeable as it beeps at a constant pace, almost resembling a heart beat. The shots inside the house also use very low key lighting, again darkening the mood and creating an eery feeling as though something is going to happen.

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A sequence of fast paced shots begins as the non-diegetic sound of sharp and high-pitched music builds tension. A close-up of the young girl screaming abnormally puts the audience on edge. This sound then fades out and we see a blank white screen, an unusual phrase in black font appears in the centre of the shot that creates confusion and interest among the viewers.
The next few shots show a steady image that cuts to a black screen then again to another image before cutting to a black screen again, this pattern continues for a short sequence of shots. Every time that the shot is black we hear the diegetic sound of the Sister talking about the adopted child, then when the shot shows an image again we can hear both non-diegtic sound and ambient sound. These shots and phrases work very effectively at ensuring the audience are on the edge of their seats. www.google.com

A low angle shot of the young girl shows her strong and dominant nature, this shot flickers as though there is lightening surging through the windows, the music builds up as it becomes more high-pitched before it crashes loudly as the flashing kicks in. A long sequence of fast paced shots quickly builds suspense through the use of low key lighting, intense background music, a fast editing pace, a variety of different types of shots and dark natured images featuring weapons, violence, fire and a sense of urgency. The sequence ends as a shot cuts to a black screen and all the sounds fade to silence. We then hear the diegetic sound of the young girl singing a peaceful song in an innocent tone of voice whilst we see a white shot with the title of the film in black font, centre screen. This again relaxes the audience into a sigh of relief yet to be thrilled with tension again when a for the final time during the trailer sharp, loud background music suddenly highlights a shot making the audience furthur shocked and horrified wanting to see the film.

Information sourced from http://www.imdb.com/ and www.youtube.com

"Sorority Row"

"Sorority Row" is a horror/thriller film directed by Stewart Hendler that was released on the 9th of September 2009. The trailer for the film begins with a positive and upbeat atmosphere and the non-diegetic sound of music can be heard in the background that beats in sync with the shots that flash up on the screen. There is also dialogue being used as a teacher speaks to a class of students who are graduating, this opening dialogue provides key information about the status of the characters in the film including their age group and what stage they are at in their lives.
Bright and ambient lighting is used for the opening scenes which enhances the joyful nature of both the music, and the expressions of the teenage girls that are introduced to the audience as the camera shots cut from one to the next. These consecutive shots make it clear to the audience that these girls will be main characters in the film. The diegetic sound of the girls squealing and cheering is very unusual for a trailer of a horror film, however a sound bridge is used to link the opening shots to a range of more serious shots that begin to unravel more about the film.
Low key lighting is used for the next sequence of shots which show the group of teenage girls planning to show an unfaithful boyfriend a lesson, the use of low key lighting immediately portrays a sense of danger and suggests that something unpleasnt is going to happen. The use of a stereotypical view about teenage boys being cheaters increases the authenticity of the narrative. The pace of the shots, dialouge and music quickly become much faster as tension building parts of the plot flash up on the screen. In between different shots of scenes a black screen appears with a short phrase in capital letters and white font, these phrases are positioned in the centre of the shot which is also the focal point and they create suspense for the audience as we are unsure of their meaning. This works very effectively in the trailer because the connotation of these phrases is unknown by the audience who are eager to find out.
The setting for the murder that is shown during the trailer is desolate and typical of many horror films - outside in the middle of nowhere with pitch black skies. The mise-en-scene of the murder scene along with the continuity editing enhance the verisimilitude, for example the rocks, debris and old wooden structures create a rustic and realistic landscape. The shots fade from one to another as the music gradually builds and becomes more intense. Very fast black and white flashing shots are used to highlight the intense fear of the murder. Fast shots keep the audience interested and fixed to the screen.

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A blank white screen appears before the more tranquil and positive shots of graduates celebrating make the audience feel relaxed and a sigh of relief, but again the tension gradually builds with rapidly moving shots and the music is even more intense than before with diegetic sounds of screaming and gasping. The shots also use more low key lighting and feature fire, weapons, mysterious figures and black and white flickering shots.
The last few seconds of the trailer create an urgent and horrific feeling for the audience as the shots cut from one to the next faster than before with the non-diegetic, sharp background music becoming louder and more high pitched every second. The final shot shows the mysterious figure in the black cape throwing a weapon that appears as though it will smash into the camera screen leaving the audience stunned into silence and wanting to watch the film.

Sources of information: www.youtube.com, www.imdb.com