CLOUD FILM PRODUCTIONS

What is a trailer?

A trailer is an advertisement for a feature film that will be exhibited at the cinema. The short promotion is composed of clips showing various highlights of the movie that is due to release in the near future.

Movie trailers have now become popular on DVD's and Blue-ray disks, as well as on the internet and mobile devices. They are also advertised at the cinema, normally the same type of film as you are about to watch.

 

What is a trailers purpose?

The purpose of a trailer is to:

-Attract an audience and create interest in the film

-Inform the audience of the film i.e. the genre  and the production studio

-To persuade the viewer that the film is worth seeing

-To 'show off' some of the main actors and stars in the film

-To 'tease' the audience by creating excitement and intrigue with the use of conventions

-To showcase some of the best features in the film

-To mention famous directors or producers

-Show the release date, which helps build up excitement around the film

-Encourage audiences to pay to see the film by going to the cinema, digital download, DVD and TV

-Sell the image of the film and any associated products that go with it, such as games and merchandise

 

What form does it take?

Teasers sometimes appear over a year or longer prior to the movie’s released date. For example, a teaser for the Incredibles advertised in May 2003, a full 18 months before the film was released. In cinemas trailers are usually released a couple of months before the film is released. This will attract the correct target audience as a horror film is normally shown before a horror movie to reach the same target audience. They are then released on TV during the adverts and will also be available to watch on Youtube and advertised on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. A theatrical trailer is much longer than a teaser trailer, approximately 2 minutes and is more likely to be shown in theatres right before the film’s release, whereas teaser trailers are more likely to be found online, on TV and in theatres quite a long time before the film’s release date.

After the film has been advertised over various different forms they will then be released on DVD.

 

How long are teaser trailers for horror films?

Teaser trailers typically consist of a series of small and mysterious clips that anticipate a larger, full-blown film; they often last between half a minute and a minute. They are released months in advance to build up anticipation and curiosity and have less film footage and more audio-intense and graphic title-intense. Paranormal Activity, The Ghost Dimension teaser trailer is 20 seconds long; it was first tweeted on the 22nd and is planned to be released on the 23rd October.

 

What are the characteristics of the horror genre?

-Horror films provokes a response; emotional, psychological or physical, within readers that causes them to react with fear.

-They can be scary simply by using loud, eerie noises. They play on your inner fears and provoke your mind to over analysis the next step to give you a thrill

-Abandoned or isolated locations and sudden movements to make the audience jump

-Most horror films feature stories that depict, address or explore the viewer’s nightmares, hidden fears, phobias and psychotic and neurotic tendencies revolving around morbidity, murder, disease outbreaks, mental illness or supernatural events

 

Characteristics of 3 horror sub genres

Thriller:

-Often include a long protagonist or small group of heroes opposed by a vastly superior enemy.

-The threat of death or capture is ever-present, and clever plot twists usually complicate the matter.

-Focus on constant threat coming from an outside menace.

-Becomes a mystery more than a slasher/ splatter gore.

-Includes action and adventure to the suspense.

-An example of a thriller film would be The Crazies or Shutter Island.

-An example of a thriller film is Seven, it was released on the 25th of September 1995 and stars Brad Pitt. It was directed by David Fincher.

 

Psychological/ Supernatural:

-Often based on the disturbed human psyche, focus around possession and dark forces which can remain spiritual presences or take the guise of witches, ghosts or demons

-May also deal with ambiguous reality and seem 'Supernatural'

-Play on fear of the unknown, superstition and the idea that evil forces exist in the world

-Characters fall prey to an evil force that is trying to victimize them.

-Demonic possession in films such as the Exorcist and Paranormal Activity play on the fear of unknown, superstition and the idea that evil forces exist in the world.

-An example of a supernatural film would be Insidious or Paranormal Activity. It was released on the 21st of October 2015. It was directed by Gregory Plotkin.

 

Slasher:

-Extreme gore/ blood, guts

-Aim to gross-out the audience

-Focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence

-Use special effects and excessive blood and guts, tends to display an overt interest in the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation.

-The killer usually uses unconventional weapon, such as blade, chainsaws, cleavers and blunt objects. Rarely does the killer use guns.

-An example of a slasher film would be Scream or Nightmare on Elm Street. Scream was released on the 18th of December 1996. It is a well-known film and is directed by Wes Craven who made this film on a small budget of 15 million dollars.