ABBEY
WHAT HAVE I LEARNT?
Based on my individual research that I have conducted, it has become evident how film makers use conventions of both horror and the Slasher subgenre.
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One thing that stood out to me was the encoding ideas surrounding protagonists based upon the way they are presented E.g. Their costume. An example of this is in scream Sydney the protagonist is dressed in casual clothes and is presented as a tomboy. Her unisex name indicates she is the final girl within the film. Whereas Tatum is a stock character is dressed in more revealing clothing. This is something I would like to include in my work as I think encoding ideas about the protagonist and stock characters through styling can be very effective.
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By conducting research I also noticed one key convention of film posters was the low key lighting. By noticing this has made me aware that whilst taking photographs for my film poster i must focus on the lighting so my work follows the conentions of horror film posters.
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Furthermore another conventions that became aparent to me from my research was the use of female protagonists (E.g Sydney from scream) I would like to incorporate this convention into my work as i am interested in an idea surrounding Teen girls and threat that could come from within the group. This way i could also focus on the styling of each character to create an identity for them (E.g. Tatum in scream.)
BRAINSTORM ON THE HORROR GENRE
Creating this brainstorm has allowed me to catagorise well known horror fims into different subgenres of horror. Including Slasher, Supernatural, J-horror and zombie. It has enabled me to begin gaining basic knowledge of the horror genre and several conventions of each subgenre. For example knives and masked killers within the Slasher subgenre.
To improve my brainstorm i could have icluded mpre subgenres including monsters, werewolves and vampires, splatter and thrillers. I feel this could have given me a deeper insight into the horror genre.
RESEARCH INTO TRAILERS AND THE HORROR GENRE
By creating a Prezi on research into film trailers and the Horror Genre it has given me an indepth knowledge which will be beneficial when it comes to creating my own trailer. I have looked at What a trailer is, what form it takes and the purpose of trailers. I also looked at the horror genre in futher depth than my brainstorm and discussed in detail the conventions for each Subgenre. By doing this acitvity It has allowed me to understand the basics of what i will need to do to meet the expected standards of a horror film trailer, from the length of my trailer to the conventions i must include.
CONTENT ANALYSIS OF HORROR FILM TRAILERS
TRAILER 1
TRAILER 3
TRAILER 2
TRAILER 4
CONCLUSION
By conducting a trailer content analysis I have been able to draw several conclusions of what I need to pay attention to whilst creating my own Horror movie trailer. Within each four of the examples I have chosen to analyse there is always over double the amount of shots of victims than shots of the aggressor. This helps the audience to learn more about the victim and to potentially feel sympathy towards them whilst leaving the aggressor as more of a mystery for the audience.
Another conclusion I have drawn from my research is the use of quick cuts, in all 4 trailers whilst the storyline is being developed there tends to be a use of long takes, in contrast to when the danger/horror takes place there is a use of quick cuts and in some cases extreme quick cuts. This is done so that the audience can gather an idea of what the movie storyline is and then showing lots of scary scenes in quick cuts reflecting the impact the aggressor has on the victim’s lifestyle.
Overall from my research I found that commonly around 50-70 shots are used depending on the length of the trailer. I found doing a horror film trailer content analysis will benefit me as I have learnt common aspects of horror trailers and therefore will be able to contribute that knowledge into my own work.
THEORETICAL IDEAS
Creating this Prezi based on Theoretical ideas has allowed me to understand a rage of conventions withi horror. From Characters and Icons. I have learnt how i could potentially incorporate these theories within my film trailer toattract a precise target audience which have indepth knowledge of the horror genre
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF A FILM TRAILER
Film title: Poltergeist
Year released: 2015
Director: Gil Kenan
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements
Production Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Ghost House Pictures, Vertigo Entertainment
Synopsis
This film is Remake of the film ‘poltergeist’ created in 1982 by Steven Spielberg it is about a family who move into a new home. This house is haunted by evil forces, the evil force knows what they fear and uses this against them, and for example the young boy is scared of clowns. The little girl is then taken by the evil forces and the family fight to get her back whilst seeking professionals help with the supernatural force.
Genre
Poltergeist follows the subgenre of a psychological/supernatural horror. This is supported through Mise En Scene. The use of props such as the TV with hand prints is iconic to the movie and gives supporting evidence that there is an evil force.
Narrative
During the beginning of the trailer we develop an understanding of the family’s life. We are aware they are moving house by the establishing shots and everything is looking successful, this is reflected through the constant use of high key lighting. However after the storm we see a contrast within the trailer the lighting switches to low key to create a dull, miserable vibe. The music also switches to sinister, creepy jewellery box music; this informs the audience that life for this family will suddenly change. Also action shots tend to be quick cuts this done to keep the audience intrigued to see more about what happened and to therefore watch the movie in the cinema.
Location
The location is set within a new home which is placed in front of a power line. We know this is the main location as there are several establishing shots and the haunting takes place within the house.
Characters
In the trailer we have 5 main characters which is the family, the mum and dad, the daughters and the son. However in the trailer the main 2 characters are the youngest son (Ruben) and daughter (Maddie). Maddie is represented as very sweet and innocent through her clothing, she is dressed in pink and her NVC at the beginning of the trailer is very excited and happy however we can see a contrast in her NVC once the haunting has begun. Maddie’s NVC turns tense and we can tell as an audience that she is scared. She is also seen as the vulnerable as she is taken from her family by the dark forces.
Theme
The underlying message within the Poltergeist trailer is the idea of facing fears. Throughout the trailer we see the family being faced with their biggest fears, including a clown following the young boy Ruben. They continue to face these fears in order to fight against the dark forces. The hidden message within is to face your fears.
Pacing
The pacing varies within the trailer at the beginning the trailer is filmed at a slow pace. The majority of the editing in the beginning of the trailer is long takes. Whereas when the action takes place we see a lot of quick cuts. This connotes how fast pace and exciting the scary parts of the film are. It also reflects on how quick the family’s life has changed within a 2 minutes 40 seconds trailer.
On-screen graphics/captions
The font used reflects the TV screen where Maddie is stuck and also the power line which lights up during the storm. The information is relevant to the producers, when the film is going to be released and how it is available to be watched.
Editing and post production (special effects)
In the trailer there are a lot of special effects used; this is because of technological development. In comparison to the original Poltergeist film there is a clear development. There is numerous examples of special effects such as CGI within the trailer. CGI has been used to create the slime that grabs the eldest daughter’s leg.
Music and other sound effects
During the trailer there is a lot of use of dialogue, this is diegetic sound which also enables the audience to understand the story line. There is also a high use of screaming and loud bangs.
However other sound effects have been used to enhance the trailer and increase tension. During the storm we can hear waves of electricity whilst the eldest daughter is on her mobile. Also the use of the clown laughing creates a creepy tension for the audience.
There is also a use of non-diegetic sound, the music has been added to make the trailer scarier and more intense for the audience.
Camerawork
Within the trailer there has been a diverse variety of shots, during the beginning there are several wide shots and establishing shots to help the audience to develop an idea of the setting. Then as the storm occurs there is zooming, panning and canted shots showing that something isn’t right due to the storm. Then finally during the quick cuts of action we notice a lot more close up and medium close up shots.
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF A FILM POSTER
Instantly by looking at this film poster it is clear that it is part of the horror genre. Although this film poster is simple there are several iconic features involved within the poster.
The photograph used displays the iconic protagonist of the masked killer from scream it is composed centrally within the frame and the photograph is taken at a side profile this is unusual for a horror film poster however it is effective as it enhances the shaping of the mask and creates a three dimensional effect therefore it is eye-catching, as this mask became an icon after the first scream film was released they have chosen to incorporate the antagonist for the film poster of Scream 4. According to Burton’s theory on Genre, Each genre contains recognisable conventions such as Themes, Characters, background and Icons. An iconic feature of the Slasher subgenre is a sharp weapon such as a knife. Also an iconic feature of the scream films is the mask; it is automatically recognisable within the horror genre. The photograph used has considered both these conventions by incorporating a knife by turning the long thin bottom half of the mask into a blade; this would attract an audience who have an in-depth knowledge of horror and the slasher subgenre. This photograph is the focal point of the film poster.
The lighting is low key; the use of low key lighting is a common feature of horror film posters as the darkness creates an edgy vibe. Correspondingly the use of a black backdrop enhances the white mask automatically drawing our attention to the iconic antagonist. The colour scheme is dominantly black and white however there is also a use of red, this represents blood and this is closely linked with the slasher genre.
The film title uses a white sans serif font; this keeps the poster simple so we still focus on the photograph. The white font stands out against the black backdrop and reflects the white and black mask. The letter ‘M’ has a long sharp centre this signifies a sharp knife. Furthermore the ‘A’ in the film title has been replaced with a red number ‘4’, this makes it stand out and makes the audience aware that it is the 4th sequel of the Scream films and therefore is successful at informing its audience. Also the use of red symbolises blood and red is associated with danger which is involved in the slasher subgenre. The film title is positioned in the middle at the bottom of the page; it is the biggest writing to make it stand out.
The tag line used “New Decade. New Rules.” Gives an impression that this film will be different to the previous Scream films. This is written in red to also symbolise blood but also so the font doesn’t stand out as much as the film title. It is positioned in the middle at the top of the page, opposite to the film title; this makes the format of the film poster neat and simple. However the font size is a lot smaller to maintain the film title as the most important text on the poster.
The film credits are extremely small and are placed in the bottom left and right corners. This is because they want to keep the poser simple. By keeping the poster simple it makes the photograph of the masked killer more dramatic and eye-catching. The font is white so it is still visible against the black backdrop.
By analysing this film poster I have been able to gain knowledge of convention used whilst producing horror film posters. For example the use of a black backdrop and a white or light object as the contrast between the two colours creates a dramatic, eye-catching effect which is important as it makes it apparent that the film is in the horror genre but also attracts an audience. From conducting this research I know which conventions I wish to use in my own film poster. I will use low key lighting and use a colour scheme of white black and red. I also wish to use a simplistic format as I think it is most effective at catching attention. I also want to include iconic features of the horror genre to also appeal to an audience which have in-depth knowledge of horror.
PINTEREST BOARD
By creating a pinterest board it allowed me to notice common features that horror displays. This will therefore be beneficial to me whilst producing my horror film posters and creating my trailer as i will understand the conventions involved with horror. I have also had an insight into how each subgenre is presented to audiences. Also whilst creating this pinterest board it allowed me to explore settings and make up in further depth which i hadnt considred beforehand, this will be beneficial as setting and make up will help to make my trailer look professional.