Storyboard for my trailer

A story board is needed so that my thoughts and ideas are organised. Creating the story board will enable me to realise if there are any gaps in the shots, or inspire me to create new ones.

Analysis of Magazine covers

As part of the ansillary task, I have decided to design a Film magazine cover. In order to research the conventions of magazine covers and gain ideas doe my own, i have decided to deconstruct various covers. (Although, I did find it difficult to find covers relating to horror movies)

Film magazine Cover 1
The first thing that I notice about this 'Entertainment Weekly' cover is the colour scheme. It features white, blue and red. I think that this scheme has been used because of the type of character that is featured in the background. Due to the pale skin, grey background and dark under eye makeup, i presume that he is meant to be a ghost or something like a vampire. In addition to this the colours have connotations of cold and negativity, and this links to the characters facial expression. I have also noticed that the red writing (even though in a small font) is used to attract your attention and perhaps 'guide your eyes' eround the page. When I first look at the page i notice the red writing at the top and the "39 new films" caption, I then progress down the page to notice "Johnny Depp".

There is a smaller proportion of captions and 'call outs' than I thought on the page. The creater has obviously kept it simple in order to ensure that the reader is not overwhelmed and so that their attentions is ensured to be where the writer wants it to be.

The photo itself  features a mid shot of the main character, there are no other characters featured. Again this makes me think that the writer wants to keep things simple. In addition to this, the characters gaze is shown so that it meets the eyes of the audience. Making the reader feel as though they are being looked at directly. This could work well for my films genre as it could be used as a way of indimidating the reader and drawing them in. The costume that the character is in isn't overpowering, it doesnt distract the viewer from the face and it fits with the colour scheme used.

For this particular magazine cover, i think that the use of well known actors names is employed as a means of attracting the audience. Some thing that may be an idea for me to do on my own magazine cover.
Film magazine cover 2

I feel that this second cover i have chosen completely juztaposes the other. In terms of composition and white space they are the opposite. This cover is packed with as much information as possible, and the words are the focus of the text rather than the image of the actors.

The cover includes stereotypical and necessary features inluding; a barcode,data,issue number and price.

I have noticed that Laura Mulveys theory can be applied to this text. The young and attractive woman appears scared and helpless. She is seeking the help of a man to 'protect her'. She appears defenseless and vulnerable and typical stereotype of a woman in the film industry. This type of application however, will not apply to my film. I want the reader to see the cover and feel fearsome rather that pitty or attraction.

In my opinion,the layout of this cover doesn't work as well. When my is first drawn to the text, I notice the bright yellow caption 'KING KONG' and then i found my self getting confused on what to read next, as i anticipated to read from left to right. In addition to this, I feel that there is too much information on the page i find it a little indimating and that it over powers the picture. This is something that would not work well for my type of film genre as I aim to shock and intrigue the reader. However, I do feel that a smaller 'pop' of colour would work well with my cover.


Film magazine cover 3

There is an extremely simple colour scheme used on this cover. (white and red) Although it does attract the readers eye to the centre of the page which features the character I feel that maybe another colour could have been used. Font size seems to be a common method of attracting attention to certain parts of the texts. I have also noticed that when the write wishes to convey a larger amount of information, they use a smaller, non-emboldened font (or sometimes a different font alltogether).
Again the characters eyes are meeting the audiences, this seems to be a common feature. I also like how the image size is much larger than the rest, so that there is less 'white space'.
In addition to this, i also think that the captions written down the sides of the text work well. This is because my eye follows them naturally in a chronological order. I think that this is because the captions on the left are placed at a higher angle than those on the right.

Finally, i notice that an additional image has been placed on the cover. This is used as a method of enticing the audience with 'freebies' to buy the magazine.

Investigating possible backing track ideas for my trailer

1) Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQVeaIHWWck

I am interested in using this as the backing track to my trailer as it is a stereotypical characteristic of a psychological horror due to the fact that it is classical music.
I think that it would work due to the slow pace and use of piano keys, it sounds negative and depressing. This would work well with the idea that the young girls life is being ruined but would also juxtapose the fast editing that I have created. This particular piece of music reminds me of the track used in 'The orphan'. However, I am worried that the music will become boring as it doesn't change pace. 

2) Linkin Park - Numb (piano cover)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGDPKQPZwIo

I really like the sound of a piano as the backing track of a trailer. I think its extremely effective in reflecting the mood and tone i want to be felt when watching the trailer. However i do feel that the  song doesn't pick up the pace fast enough to fit in with the editing of clips. 

3) Linkin Park - Numb (Orchestral cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQFMZejHqx4
I am thinking about using this version of the song cover for my trailer, the instruments work
a lot better with the editing of the clips and i feel that it would have more of an impact on the viewer than just the piano. My only worry is that the song tune may be too well known and distract from what is being shown on screen

As i was unsure of whether to use my choice of 'Linkin Park -Numb Orchestral Cover' I decided to ask my peers whether they thought the song would distract the audience.
I found that:
"It works well"                            %
"It will distract the audience" %

Analysis of Various Posters

Deconstruction Of Psychological Horror Poster

• The tagline on the top of the page "There's something wrong with Esther" is written in a bold, white typography. The spacing and colour connotes innocence, which could link to the stereotype of the young girl bellow. However, this juxtaposes the title shown bellow as although it is similar in colour, the font style is handwritten and varies in case. This is a common convention shown in horror films when they want to show a child as being frightening.
• She has a deep red ribbon tied around her neck, which almost makes it look like her head isn't attached, this adds a strange, disorientated tone to the poster. In addition to this, in the background you can see two stereotypical bunches again tied with ribbon. The position of the ribbons look as though they are meant to symbolise the something like devils horns.
•  Esthers deviant impression is continued through her facial expression. She looks stern and is squinting her eyes slightly, her face shows no emotion. This suggests that she is not the typical 'innocent' child and perhaps is hiding something sinister.
• The peterpan collar again is a typically childlike.
• An extremely dark colour scheme is used, a meme of the horror genre. The colours have connotations of evil,fear and danger.
• Furthermore, there is a glow around the child, this looks strange and unnatural. Suggesting that there may be something supernatural about the child.

• There is only a brief reference to when the film is being released, the words 'July 24' have been placed under the quote 'Can you keep a secret?'.

First Attempts at filming and editing.

I decided to film a few shots of Audrey as Bloody Mary as practise and then edit them. This proved extremely helpful as I didn't realise how much effort and organising was needed to make a shot look professional. Just to film one shot I needed to organise my time effectively, this meant me finding a time where the media room and actor was free. Additionally, i had to think about the time needed to prepare Audrey for filming, this meant doing her makeup, costume, setting up the green screen, lights and camera.

Whilst filming the actual shots, i learnt quickly that some methods are more effective than others, I had considered filming her by hand but this made the shots look jaunty and unprofessional. This resulted in me filming with the help of a tripod. I then learnt that I needed to give clear and concise instructions to her about what she had to do (there was no time for me to worry about her thinking i was being bossy!). 

Filming these first shots has enabled me to get to grips with the Final Cut Pro software, due to it being completely new to me I found that trial and error to see what looked best was the  easiest method. I have also tried to edit sound into some shots as well. The main thing i learnt was that filming as many shots as possible is important, mainly because it saves you so much time. If you decide that you no longer like one shot, it's so helpful if you have filmed others from different angles or with different lighting. Additionally, i have found that the smallest thing can help add a good effect to the clip. 

Overall, I think that i have a long way to go in terms of editing, but i feel like I am getting to grips with filming. I am going to continue to film as many shots as possible and hopefully my trailer will begin to take shape! 

*unfortunately, I have been unable to upload the videos that i wanted to put with this post*

Time Table for Filming

I have learnt that it is important to be as organised as possible so that you can run plans as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. This is why I have created a 'Call sheet', although mine is alot more basic than the ones used in the professional industry, it has helped me plan my time well.

 

Costume

Costume and props may seem like a minor piece of the process of filming a trailer but when they are used carefully they can add a great effect to the tone of the trailer. 

The Dress: Finding something that would be appropriate for 'Bloody Mary' to wear was difficult, I knew exactly what i wanted but couldn't find it anywhere. In the end I found a  wedding dress that reminded me of tudor times, when Bloody Mary would have been alive. I feel that this adds a realistic tone to the trailer and makes the role easily recognisable, as this style of dress is symbolic of Bloody Mary. 

The Victim & Friends Clothes: This was an easy choice, due to the victim and friends playing roles similar to their own lifestyles, they could just wear normal, casual clothes. However i did make a conscious choice to ask them to wear darker colours, as bright clothing may ruin the feel of certain clips and shots. 

Recce

These are some photos i have taken of locations which are going to be involved in my trailer. Taking these has made me consider and properly think about the effects and connotations of these locations. Most of the trailer will be set in my house, this means that the setting will be easily accessible and it will be easy for me to be able to analyse the composition of each location. 

This is a shot of my house, where most of the filming will take place. It will also be involved in being the 'establishing shot' at the start of the trailer. I decided to film at home due to the fact that most horror trailers are relateable to the viewer, in particular modern ones, which are often filmed in locations that the viewer will spend time at.



These are images of various mirrors inside my house, these will be particularly important due to the storyline being based around an urban legend revolving around the mirror. I will need to think alot about how I am going to film the clip of the girls saying Bloody Mary in the mirror, if i dont get it right I think that it will make the clip seem ammateur and unbelievable. I will also have to think about lighting as the quality of the videos will be reduced if i filmed into a mirror.
This is an image of the staircase inside my house. It may seem like a strange place to film but I think I have had a good idea of a scene inspired by The Exorsist. I think that using this as a location would only work best if i showed a short clip, if the clip was too long the viewer may find the location boring. I also have to consider the lighting in this setting due to the fact that it is quite a dark part of my house, and there is no natural light there.
 Long dark hallways are a stereotypical setting for a psychological horror. I think the hallway in my house will be a great setting due to the fact that there are so many doors, it will be a good location to make the viewer jump by Bloody Mary jumping out. Again, lighting may be an issue with this location.
This is where i would like to film the scene where the victim wakes up to find Bloody Mary at the end of her bed. Composition may be an issue as i will have to think about where to position the camera in order to include both the villain & victim in the same shot. Also, a pink duvet cover isnt exactly iconic of a horror trailer, so i will have to either change it to a darker colour or edit the clip.
I aim to use this setting in various ways, for example conversations between characters. I also want to use it in a clip where I film from outside looking in. I think that it will take alot of practise but the end result will look good.

Casting

Casting
I had to take a lot of time to consider who to ask to be in my trailer. I needed the actors to fit in with the roles I'd pictured and take the work i was doing seriously. 

Bloody Mary - Audrey Corben 
I decided to use Audrey as Bloody Mary because she had long, dark hair much like the images I have seen of 'Bloody Mary' online. With her hair and makeup done she looks much like the stereotypical image of a 'crazy' woman. She reminds me of the actress Helen Bonham-Carter. 

The Victim - Georgie Crotty
Georgie is exactly what i imagined the victim to be like. She is pale with blonde hair and big eyes, these are typical conventions that you would expect to see in a horror movie victim. I think that because she looks so innocent, it will provoke more of a reaction from the audience.

I have deliberately picked the victim and the villain so that their images juxtapose each other. Georgie's (the victims) image has connotations of youth and innocence, whereas the image i've created for Audrey (the villain) has connotations of evil and negativity. 

Victims Friends - Claudia Carr & Faryl Smith 

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment
It is essential that I produce a risk assessment for the task at hand. This is so that i am prepared for any unexpected incidents, and so that i can weigh up my options if something has a too high risk. I need to ensure that a consider all of my ideas and the risks that come with them. Luckily i plan to film the actors inside, with a few shots from the outside looking in. 
RISK

1. Filming on hard to reach or uneven ground - assess the area for unseen hazards and take your time to reach the area. Make sure people have full concentration throughout.
2. Filming near roads - Be constantly aware of traffic, don't get too close to the roads or do anything that could be dangerous.
3. Weather when filming outside - Make sure everyone wears suitable clothing as you can be outside for a long period of time.
4. Rain- Ground can be wet and unpredictable to work on, equipment may get damaged 
5. USB lead for camera- Can be unreliable as leads for the cameras from school are often broken, double check its in good condition.
6. Permission- Some areas you will need permission before filming.
7. Unpredicted problems- always have a back up plan of what to do if something happens to prevent you taking photos e.g) Unpredicted bad weather, think of a suitable place to take photos in doors.
8. Filming within school- Ensure you film at a time when there are few people around e.g. Not at lunch or break.
9. Tripping up when running up stairs - Ensure that actors are extremely cautious and understand that they don't have to take a risk. 

Focus Group

Creating a focus group has enabled me to establish what the audience really wants and expects to come from a psychological horror film trailer. I asked a group of ten people, made up of six females and four males (finding males is difficult when you go to a girls school). I asked them questions based on horror, varying from "what scares you most about psychological horrors?" to "Do you like a voiceover on a trailer?". It is important that I reflect upon the results so that i can ensure that my trailer relates to my audience as much as it can.The Questions
1) What type of horror movie scares you most?
2) What is your favourite horror movie?
3) What scares you most about psychological horrors?
4) Do you prefer gore to suspense?
5) What type of characters do you expect to see in a psychological horror?
6) What do you expect a horror trailer to show?
7) What persuades you to see a film at the cinema after watching the trailer?
8) In general, what do you find frightening?
9) Do you prefer it when suspense builds in a trailer rather than it all being 'thrown' at you from the beginning?
10) Do you like a voiceover in a trailer?

The Results 

Analysis Of Results

The participants of the focus group usually reacted similarly to the questions, this could be due to the fact that they may have been influenced by others and not want to go against the majority. I found the answers extremely helpful, as it gave me an idea of what the audience expect to see from a psychological horror. I now know what to do about the features I was unsure of including, and have gained inspiration from them adding additional     ideas. 

Overall, I found that psychological horrors were deemed the most 'scary', this is due to the fact that the audience feels as though they can relate to the characters, as they are often young and lead similar, 'normal' lives. Additionally, although plots are often based on stories that are relatable to urban legends and myths, the audience will often feel as though "this could happen to me", a few participants added that this was due to the fact that we are brought up to fear the unknown, that bad things often happen when you least expect it. A number of people added that they find the best psychological horrors have a plot that will stay with them, and "mess with their head". It is important that i make my trailer as memorable as possible, so that the images and sounds on screen stay with the audience. Making my trailer as memorable as possible also links to the participants that stated that they find the memorability of the trailer the thing that influences them most to continue to watch the film at the cinema. 

I also asked questions about trailers in general, participants stated that its important for a trailer to have fast editing, memorable characters, and good sound effects. I asked them about their opinion on voice overs, and 100% said no, this was an interesting find as I thought that voice overs were iconic of trailers. They added that they much prefer when clips of the characters speaking works as a much better method of portraying the plot. 

An interesting point someone made was that they find the best horror trailers "lure you into a false sense of security", again I found this to be true. As mentioned in my 'analysis of psychological horror trailers' post, a trailer will usually start in an upbeat manner, introducing characters and setting is a must. 

Finally, when asked "what else influences you about a trailer to watch a movie at the cinema?". 30% said that it was the fact that a movie had famous actors in, this will be impossible to include in my own trailer so it is important that i focus on other things they said, such as including: cliff hangers, good plot and that it's memorable. 

"Audience Theory"

The Cultivation / Culmination Theory

This theory disagrees with the 'hypodermic needle' model, it states that it is not  possible for one media text to influence an audience. However, watching years and years of thing life violence, will make you less sensitive to the subject. This process is called desensitization.

I believe that this theory relates to my genre in the way that desensitization effects the audience. When you look back at the history of horror, the most commonly used settings, plots and characters have changed dramatically. 
When horror movies were first produced, the main type of 'bad guy' was something like a vampire or a werewolf featured in a castle. This was the 'gothic horror' generation. This then progressed to characters such as cannibals, movies such as texas chainsaw massacre and the hills have eyes were popular. It also has to be noted that the character choice has also changed, in the past i think that Laura Mulveys theory was of greater accuracy, attractive women being slaughtered was an extremely popular trope, especially in the 1970's slasher movies. 
I feel as though the audience of these movies have been 'desensitized' to horror that cannot relate to the real world. This is why horror has taken such a realistic turn. People will no longer find castles or vampires scary as they have become bored and lack fear. Nowadays, Films are most often set in real homes, and feature 'real' families, because this is what can actually relate to the audiences life. Attractive women being slaughtered by werewolves are a thing of the past.

(If a person was to see dracula now, they would view it as more of a comedy!)

Uses & Gratifications

According to the 'Uses and Gratifications' theory, everyone has a different use for the media and we all make decisions over what we want to watch. When we are approached by a media text we will always expect some kind of gratification from it, it's not just a mindless, random choice. Every individual has the ability to pick what they 'need' and what will satisfy them. The model is based on Maslows Hierarchy of needs. Through research, there has been 4 'needs' in particular that an individual will require.

1. Information: This is where an individual wants to find out about the society of the world. In other words, the person seeks to satisfy their curiosity. A good example of this could be The News or something like  wildlife documentary.
2. Personal Identity: Some may follow media in order to establish models for their behavior. For example a person may identify with someone that they have seen on a soap. In particular, the characters help us to decide what we feel about ourselves and if we agree with certain actions. 
3. Integration & Social Interaction: This is where a person will follow the media in order to find out more about the circumstances of other people. Watching certain shows may help a person empathize or sympathize with the lives of other people. People who watch these shows may feel attached to characters.
4. Entertainment:  Perhaps the main of the four points, most often we watch media for enjoyment, relaxation or just to fill in our spare time. 

• After considering the 'uses and gratifications' theory, i have been able to consider how it would apply to the audience of my project. Overall, I feel as though the 'entertainment' concept would apply the best. This is due to the fact that when a person watches a trailer, they are seeking to find some form entertainment. They are seeking to find something interesting to do with their time, like watching a movie. I feel that as a trailer is rarely over a couple of minutes long, the audience would not have time to fulfill the other needs i mentioned. As my target audience are between 18 and 28, i feel as though they will be seeking an adrenaline rush when watching a trailer. Psychological research has shown that this is the age that a person will feel that they have to 'prove' themselves to their peers, and will be also influenced by the people around them. I feel that this is why horror is so popular for this age range, in addition to be entertaining, watching a trailer gives them the opportunity to be up to date with latest releases. To go on to suggest that their peer group watches the movie could suggest that they are 'fearless' (especially in males).
• In addition to this, from 'The Blaire Witch Project' in 1999 to the recent 'Paranormal Activity' films in 2011/12 the horror genre has taken a 'realistic' turn. I feel as thought that the audiences that watch horror now, need psychological horror as some form of gratification. Most horror films are filmed within the home, or even on a handheld camera, the 'fear of the unknown' is now realistic due to the realism of the settings,shots and characters. 

Digital Technology Going To Use

In order to create my trailer, it is important that i reflect upon the technologies I am going to use and that I have already started to use. This will help me to plan the project, and help me realise if there is anything I should change. It is important that I make a comparison between the pro's and con's of the technologies. 

Blogger

 The most obvious piece of technology that I am going to be using is the internet blogging site 'Blogger'. Using this piece of software has allowed me to show my research and reflect upon my idea as the course has progressed. As i used this technology in my As course as well, it has enabled me to understand the site, and carry out new tasks as I have learned more. 

PRO's

•   The software is easy to use as i have already had a years experience with it in my AS course.
• It has enabled me to make a comparison of my work as time has gone on.
• It is easier for me to edit a post and add more information to it than using something like pen and paper. 
• I am able to use it at home.

CON's

• If the internet is down then I will be unable to access and continue with my work.
• It is sometime frustrating as it is hard to move images around posts.

 Apple Mac

As my school is lucky enough to have Apple Macs, this is the main type of computer that I have been working on. I have used it to carry out various tasks, from using the internet to creating mood boards. Again, I have also worked from this type of computer in my AS course. 

PRO's

•  The computers have extremely good software such as 'Final Cut Pro', this will be extremely useful when editing my movie.
• These computers are really fast compared to the ones i have at home. 

CON's

• A massive problem is that if i start a piece of work on these computers, on order to finish it i will have to go back to the same computer. This sometime proves difficult if someone else is also using it. 
• Another is that I am unable to send work home because the software on this computer isn't compatible to the computer i have at home. 

Panasonic HDC Video Camera

When it comes to filming my trailer I will be using one of the video cameras that the school provide as i do not have one at home. This will be a new challenge as I focused on still picture in my AS course. 

PRO's

• It will allow me to create the videos for my trailer & watch them back. 

CON's 

• Unfortunately the camera's provided have been with the school for some time, and as technology advances so quickly, the cameras have become dated. This means I will have to ensure the editing is of a high standard.
• Low resolution. 

    You Tube 

A considerable amount of my research has been carried out through youtube. It has enabled me to watch so many film trailers that have compared. In addition to this it allowed me to watch the movie 'Candy Man' in parts. 

PRO's

• This year, being able to access youtube has helped so much, while i was doing my AS course the school server had blocked it. 
• It gives me access to thousands of videos about horror films. 
• Blogger allows me to embed youtube videos so that others can watch what i have. 

CON's

• On occasion I have watched videos and been unsure as to whether they actually are 'official' or not, there is no form of verification. 

Final Cut Pro 

I have not used this piece of software yet, so i am a bit unsure as to what i should expect. It will allow me to edit my videos, and create the desired effects of a trailer. 

PRO's

• It will allow me to edit my trailer to an extremely high standard, this piece of software is even used by professionals. 

CON's

• I will have to carry out all editing on the same mac, as my work will only be saved to one. 
• I will be unable to send work home. 
• As this piece of technology is so advanced it may prove hard for me to use. 

Other pieces of software i have used on occasion include things like:

• Google
• Pages
• Various websites that list the 'best' horror films. 
• A digital camera

The Ideaologies Of My Chosen Genre..

In my opinion, I think that Psychological horrors are the most memorable and shocking out of all the genres. 
I believe that they stand the test of time more than any other type of horror, and that you are able to see elements of psychological horror influencing most scary movies. Psychological horrors are often based on such surreal subjects eg. cannibalism, serial killers, ghosts.. Yet they are still able to have some form of grip on reality and get underneath the viewers skin. Making the audience believe that "This could happen to me".
A good example of this could be the 1992 film 'Candyman', it carries all the conventions of a typical psychological horror. Based on a similar storyline to mine, it follows a young woman investigating the urban legend of the candy man. When watching the film i noted that although it was horror, there wasn't that many gory or 'horrifying' shots. It focused more on building up the anticipation that something was going to jump or or that something bad was going to happen to the characters. In addition there are lots of features that make the story of the urban legend believable, this is clearly important as this is what reinforces the idea of the audience feeling as though 'this could happen to me'. In addition, there is a clear link between what is shown on screen and Laura Mulvey's theory. It featured the stereotypical trope taken from 70's slasher movies, involving a teenage virgin being 'punished'.  I think that a psychological horror film doesn't end after you've left the cinema.. it stays with the viewer as a new fear, because of the storyline seeming so realistic. You could compare watching a psychological horror to being on a roller-coaster, they both relate in the way that the anticipation of the 'drop' increases until it seems almost unbearable. When it does 'drop' you find it is short lived and that your anticipating the build up again.


Directors of these films, rely on giving the viewer a false sense of security at the beginning of the film. This trope is also common of psychological horror trailers too. I have found that Classical music most often played by string instruments such as violins, highlight the peace of mind the characters have and the happiness they feel. However I have also found that as the plot shown in the trailer unravels, the clip time shortens and what's on screen is accompanied by something to heighten the suspense and suggest that the viewer should be fearful. A typical feature of sound that relates to this is often a heartbeat or even drums. In addition to this i have found that a good way to effect the viewer. I think that a really good effect is when the drums or heartbeat is playing, and the pace increases, is to completely stop the sound and briefly just show blackness on screen. This is soon followed by a 'horrifying' image and a loud almost screeching sound.

A Good Website to Refer To..

http://www.timeout.com/london/feature/2482/100-best-horror-films-the-full-list

This is a link to the "100 best horror films", a suprising amount of them are psychological horrors rather then things such as slasher or sci-fi horror related movies. 

Mood Board Reflecting My Idea..

Influential Directors Worth Remembering..

WES CRAVEN 
Wes craven has written, produced and directed many horror films of the 'pyschological' genre. Films you may have heard of include Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street and The hills have eyes. Craven usually focuses on developing plots that 'explore' reality and the effects it can have if slightly warped.. An example of this is Nightmare on Elm street.. he brought forward the idea of peoples dreams happening in real life. His work relates to mine in the way that it takes urban legends and makes them a reality. His films always relates to the audience in the way that it gets them to think that 'this could happen to me'. After watching his film 'the hills have eyes' i found that the plot almost planted a seed in my head and has made me believe that its possible for the story line to happen to me. This reinforces the idea that his films really are psychological horrors. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWNav9lhCPA (link to the first hills have eyes trailer)

"What began as a vacation ended as a nightmare"  
This quote automatically relates the the viewer, every family goes on holiday and its always a possibility that their could be a car accident causing you to be stranded. The evolves so that the viewer sees their worst nightmares, whether that be their baby being taken or their family being murdered. At the time it was a brand new kind of horror, it tested the limits of the viewer and what they'd be able to will themselves to watch. Craven aimed to shock audiences, so that it acted as a talking point and encouraged people to view the film. It also seems that using a voice over in a trailer is a commonly chosen feature for Craven, i think it adds a personal touch, in the way that it makes the viewer feel as though they are being told a story and what they are imagining is being shown on screen, almost becoming reality infront of their eyes.

My Target Audience

What do i expect the gender of my audience to be?
Although the storyline of my trailer mainly involves females, i want the film to appeal to both sexes, therefore a mass audience. The trailer shall relate to females through the characters an storyline. As females are often seen as compassionate and sympathetic, they shall feel empathy towards the main character in my film and want to find out what happens to her. Females will be able to relate to the characters and understand how they must feel being in that situation.
I have decided to comply with Laura Mulveys theory that women are often seen as defenseless and apply laura mulveys theory of male gaze to an extent. This will encourage males to view the trailer as they will be watching a group of young girls, that in their eyes need 'protecting'. In other words, as a trailers aim to is attract a wide range of audience as possible, i will stick to conventions and follow the various actions carried out that link to Mulveys theory so that i will be able to attract a large male audience in addition to female. In order to do this i will focus on stereotypical trates of horror movies.. For example; A girl has ran away from a monster after having no sleep the night previously, she hides behind a car and there is a closeupp of her... Yet she still looks attractive. In reality, if that would have happened the girl would have looked awful, she would have bags under her eyes, be sweating and so on..
Another point to make out is that it is extremely likely that both sexes will be able to follow the storyline as the trailer is based around an extremely famous urban legend.. It is probable that the audience will have heard a story about 'bloody mary' or have even tested the legend themselves.
I have decided that the most likely target audience members for my film will be students and the working class. They will therefore be classed as D&E on the ABC scale.

Profile of a typical audience member:

















I have chosen to use stacey as part of a profile of what i expect my audience to look and be like. I feel as though she will represent the female side of the audience perfectly, although i do want the trailer to appeal to many girls of different ages and interests, i think that her back ground and interests will do well as a general expectency.
Stacey is an 18 year old girl (although i want the age range to be from 18-28), born and brought up in kettering, a fairly busy town. Her lifestyle is typical for that of a teenage girl.. She is often busy juggling her school work and a hectic social  life, therefore she takes every opportunity to take a step back and relax.
She, like the girls in the trailer has her own social group of friends, that she enjoys spending time with. Stacey, as expected is largely effected by whats most 'popular' in media at the moment, whether thats through music, magazines or film. Around once or twice a month she will chose to go cinema with friends/family, in addition to this she will watch films at home once a week. When asked: "Do you watch horror movies, and if so, why do you watch them?".. She stated that she did, and that it was mainly an influence of her friends talking about a film and influencing her to go with them and watch it. ( It made me think more than the point of a trailer was to act as a talking point, so that more and more people hear about the film).
Taking her socio-economic group into account, i think that she would fit into the between the C2 and B area, this is because as a teenager and not having a house or bills ect to pay for she has a higher disposable income than other types of people. She spends this income on time relaxing with friends, and often in the cinema. The trailer needs to be able to persuade stacey to watch the film or at least talk to others about it. Her background will be from a well brought up family, who work for a living and parents have a particular skill.
Finally, as said previously, i dont want to claim that only one type of person will watch the trailer, however i think that it's Stacey's age group that is most easy influenced by what is new in media or what is popular with their peers.
In reference to Young and Rubicam's study of the four consumers. I believe that the audience of my particular trailer will be of the 'Mainstreamers' group. This group makes up 40% of the audience population. They like security and belonging to a group. This means that the audience will feel compelled to watch this film, as they would do so as a social activity (as part of a group), although the film plot could be seen as a threat to their views on their security, they will be okay at the time due to being around their peers.  

"Deconstruction of a key text from my Sub Genre"

The Orphan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgxVIB2WuHU

I have decided to deconstruct a Psychological Film trailer, although i have noted the conventions of horror trailers in a previous blog, i want to analyse this trailer in more detail. Analyzing this trailer to a greater extent with allow me to gather some kind of idea of what kind of shots, sounds and colours to show in my own trailer. It will also allow me to develop an opinion on certain memes, and allow me to decide whether I want to contrast them or not. In particular i want to focus on shots, iconography, sound and editing.

MISE EN SCENE

The first thing i notice is that the lighting is extremely bright, this is used as a form of pathetic fallacy, as its reflecting the characters moods. The lighting also resembles a child's innocence, bright lights showing everything suggest that she has nothing to hide. However when the clips shown on the trailer take a turn for the worst, the lighting dims, reflects the negativity of what is being shown on screen. This also acts as a contrast to the families previous happiness and the child's previous innocence. Also, the lighting used is always in a natural way, this is the same as the make up and costume. This relates to the story, a normal american family, living in a normal house and going to a normal school, there is nothing artificial about the setting or characters and this is shown through the mise en scene. 

SOUND

The sound at the beginning of the trailer mirrors the lighting, its light, airy and upbeat.In particular the sound of a piano being played reflects this, the high notes relate to positivity and in my opinion reminds me of Esthers supposed innocence. I would say that 'The orphan' follows a film trailers typical conventions because it has taken dialogue from the film and used it in a way the reflects the story line of the movie in a short space of time. Again the dialogue at the start and end of the trailer contrasts each other, with it being positive at the beginning and negative towards the end. The tension in the characters voices and what is spoken increases as the trailer goes on. Eventually it result in the sound of screams just being able to be heard, i would imagine that this would attract anyones attention towards the Tv and almost demand that they watch the rest of the trailer. 

CAMERA SHOTS Establishing ShotAn establishing shot is common of all moving pictures, whether it be a music video, tv program or movie trailer. So it comes as no suprise to see that the trailer of 'Orphan' follows this trate. The Establishing shot is shown at the begining of the trailer, to establish the scene, which in this case is an orphan village. It also helps to connect shots together, for example the next shot is of a nun at the orphan village and kids running round, without this shot you may have been confused as to where its set. Also it allows the viewer to see the families car pulling up to the house, this automatically portrays the contrast in life styles as its clearly an expensive car (like a land rover), it shows that the families life style will be completely different to that of Esthers (the orphans).

Close Up

Close ups appear frequently throughout the trailer, i feel that its because it allows viewers to clearly see characters emotions and because it heightens the tensity in certain scenes.. eg, mother screaming.It also means that producers can influence the way the viewer sees a character, for example an extreme closeup to Esthers face as she drops her smile and has a more sinister look can indicate to the audience that she isnt as innocent as she seems. It also makes them feel closer to the characters in the way that they may fear for the other childrens safety after seeing her face drop. The close up is especially effective and memorable when esther is screaming into the camera. In addition extreme closeups to childrens playground toys such as swings, give a sinister approach to something innocent, when i first watched it i kept expecting something to jump out as the pace had significantly slowed down compared to what it was previously.

High Angle shot
This shot is used when esther is shown throwing a young girl off the top of a climbing frame, you see her pale face at the top looking down at what she has just done. This has connotation of Esthers abililty to dominate others and her power. It suggests that she is above anyone else and is able to do anything she wants.

Birds Eye ShotThis shows the new 'mother' of Esther on the phone being told "There's something you need to know about Esther". She is shown with an exhausted expression and the camera looks down on her. This is done so that her emotions are reflected... She feels helpless and trapped. The birds eye shot connotated the she feels almost like bate, waiting to be caught by a bird, she is completely defenseless.

Urban Legends

An urban legend is a story that has been told, but has not necessarily been believed by the teller. This can range from stories about crime to stories about horror. In the past plots of movies have been taken from urban legends, an example of this could be the exorcist. 'Bloody Mary' is also derived from an urban legend, where if you repeat the name seven times she will be 'summoned' from the dead and haunt you. I like the idea of being able to base the trailer on an urban legend as  could state that there is some truth behind it, or that it is based on a true story. I feel that this would provoke more of an reaction from the viewer and perhaps keep them talking about the film after the movie has ended. 

Idea For My Trailer

I have decided that I'm going to link the trailer to something all teenage girls have experienced. I have decided that it will be a good idea to focus the story around the game 'bloody mary'. Where if you say the name 'bloody mary' in front of the mirror 7 times, she will appear and haunt you. I could do it so that a group of teenage girls play the game as a joke, acting as if they aren't scared and are really brave. The girl a mentioned in my narrative could take part, but however when she does it, it comes true and no one believes her.  

Narrative For My Film Trailer

Narrative

I have chosen to do a film trailer as part of my coursework. I have decided to do it on the horror genre of film, in particular Psychological horror. This type of horror focuses more on what's not shown on screen rather than what is shown on screen. For example a group walk into a creepy, dingy looking room and suddenly the lights go out and someone screams. This type of scene wont show anything particularly scary on screen but with still produce an element of fear from the viewer. In other words, it relates to the viewers 'Fear Of the Unknown'.

I want the story of the trailer to focus on a teenage girl. This is because i feel as though it will link to the theorist Laura Mulveys ideas that are commonly shown in horror. I want the girl to be portrayed as being defenseless, unable to stand up for herself. I then decided that i wanted the story-line to be similar to this;

"The main character is a privileged teenage girl, who has been brought up with almost anything she wants. When her and her friends take part in a similar activity to a ouiji board, she gets freaked out and decides not to continue. A few days after she begins to realise that something isn't right, she feels as though someone, or something is watching her. The story will unfold so that the girl is haunted, and no one will believe her." 

 I want the trailer to make the viewers feel as though they are the girl who's being haunted. Snippets of a scary image will flick across the screen. This is a common feature of psychological horror trailers and will heighten the sense of panic featured in the trailer. I also want the trailer to begin at a slow pace, introducing the character and scene, i want it to start with an upbeat feel. To do this i will perhaps have the tune of a guitar in the background playing an upbeat sound (as string instruments are common for psychological trailers). In addition i want it to focus on the girls life before, how everything seems perfect, so that the change after the game her and her friends play is dramatic. As the clip of the girls playing the game is on screen i think it would be good to have the guitar tune change to something similar to a heartbeat. This will indicate to the viewer that they are anticipating something sinister to happen. I want the second half of the trailer to be dark and a complete contrast to the first half. Again this is to define the change in the girls life. Also, i want this half to be fast paced so that it appears and dramatic. I want the end of the trailer to make the viewer jump, as after watching other trailers i feel that ones that feature something similar to this have a lasting impact on the viewer.