Let the right one in

The blurry, scratched and faded background, is an idea that i liked, the distorted effect is something i am planning too try out. Also the idea of the shadow of the main character too make one of the letters up, is also an idea i will try out. This fits with the genre and atmosphere of my film. Both this poster and the poster below, play with the idea of the unknown and what you can't see, which again is very similar to the atmosphere of my film/trailer.




This is similar to one of my ideas, in the way that you can see the silhouette or the shadow, of the main girl to one side, however my idea develops in that you can see a shadow or silhouette of a man standing way behind her. I like the hand print on the sheet of glass, and the slight tint of red on parts of the glass- suggesting blood, the girl is standing in a way that implies that she is helpless, desperate and scared. All of these features together show clearly that this is a Horror, however without saying it outright.
However, the actual title is not that clear which in a film poster is quite a vital thing, if the title is clear that it is hard for it to be that memorable because of the fact that there are so many around.

Wolfman Film Poster

Again, i like the idea of seeing what she can't see. Despite the fact that this film has a supernatural theme, the forest and her persona gives the idea that she is obviously scared and alone (given the forest is empty) which is the same as the main character in my trailer. The figure moving towards her where she's hiding is good as again it plays with the idea of the unknown.

Final Destination Film Poster

This poster, obviously shows that this is a thriller/ horror, although it is not exactly clear what will be involved in the film , however it seems some what obvious what we should expect. This is a similar theme i am going for in the film poster also.

I liked the smashed glass effect, which splits up the face, so you cannot exactly see what you are looking at, an idea i had was to develop this by having a face in the top left hand corner looking down on her.

The Road Film Poster

This film poster gives no clue as too what will happen in the film, gives an idea of what genre we are expecting because of the colors and the fact that the whole scene is derelict and the atmosphere, which is tense.

I like the completely still and spooky effect you get from this, which is mostly from the colors and the emptiness.

Hide and Seek

This film poster rather than a lot of the other film posters i have looked at, it is not paying with the unknown. A simple but effective shot of the girl looking out the window. The thrill from this poster mostly comes from the tag line 'you can run but you can't hide.' The font is also something that works, I like the way in which it looks like a child has drawn this. Also, this is much more bold and stands out a lot in comparison to the title, which is in a simple white. Although, my focus will be on the images and the title, rather than the tag line.

Font ideas

The different fonts chosen, all have a scratchy and uncomfortable effect. I specifically like the fourth font, as the effect is that someone has written this. The third font, has only particular letters that work, and others that don't work.

Sound

The majority of my sound will be specific sound effects, to build tension; this is very vital in a trailer like this, especially within the montage. This sound will be non-diegetic and will be short sounds, rather than a specific soundtrack, although similar to ‘the strangers,’ I am planning on experimenting with a soundtrack, some sort of classical music, to give a tense and uncomfortable feel to the trailer.

Throughout, there are planned to be three main phone calls, and therefore it is harder to have a soundtrack with there being to much layering of sound. An idea of the sound i could use, is the soundtrack from the film 'Shifty,' the musical director gave us the rights too use this sound, and the whole track has many layers, including simple melodies, however conjoined with my footage, this has potential to increase the tension of the trailer.

Another idea, is too use classic up beat music, not only using sound effects, but also using an uptempo sountrack, which builds up throughout, especially throughout the montage, finally with a big and dramatic ending. This is similar too the trailer, the 'Disappearance of Alice Creed.'

In terms of getting the sound, there are various sounds from Final Cut that I am planning to use, however, on the Internet there are many sound websites, including: 'Freeplay music.'

http://freeplaymusic.com/

Storyboard animatic

Shot List

Idents

The trailer i am currently creating, is a low budget british thriller, therefore, i will be using up too three production companies to help fund my film. I would plan to use a company similar to Metrodome and also the Uk film council.These first three idents will begin my trailer, i will create these idents, but they will be based on other well known low budget production companies. The dwelling is an art house film, similar to Shifty, in the way that it is not a typical art house film however, the trailer, poster and website will all be memorable and outgoing, unlike many other art house films. I am interested in them being, creative and come up with exciting ways to distribute the film. This means therefore spending a lot of advertising it, too make it well known.

Character Plans

Male character:
• Large man, height and weight.
• Gives an unusual era and makes the situation feel uncomfortable when spoken too by the owners of the house, - he in fact is the gardener however; within the trailer this is unknown.
• Although the situation comes across as uncomfortable he is still seen as sane and is also is obviously trusted with the grounds of the home, however not inside the house.
• He wears dark clothing and he is never completely seen as too what he is wearing.
• Brown haired man with a glum face, although again his face is never seen in the trailer.
• Similar to ‘When a stranger calls’ in the fact that the man is never completely visible until the last scene. He’s always shown in darkness



• Also similar too ‘Hide and seek,’ in the way that the dad was seen as completely innocent


• Shot of hands taking the keys wearing gloves and bright light shone on face so that he is hardly seen.
• He was once married, however his wife disappeared years ago and has never been seen since, no one knows where she is, nor what happened too her.


Female Character:
• Two girls- Abi and Charlotte
• Main girl named Charlotte, a teenager around the age of 18-19.
• A regular girl, who goes too stay too stay at her families country house for the weekend with her friend.
o However we later discover that she never arrives as she has been kidnapped by male character.
• Comes across as a fearful girl, who is a relatively outgoing and seems confident- however this is tested with when things start too happen and you see her in an opposite fashion, as fearful and terrified.
• It is unclear whether she knows the area that well, however she seems comfortable and confident with the current surroundings, and not at all fearful about being alone in the house.
• Fear grows on her progressively as the trailer continues, and you see that she is not comfortable about staying in the house alone.
• The last scene we see her as a completely different person, she seems innocent, nervous and feeling very alone.
• Again she is similar to the girl in ‘When a stranger calls,’ in the way that she come across as fearful but she is pushed too her limits.
• Finally the film ‘Lovely bones,’ within the trailer both the main girl and her sister seem fearful and especially the scene in which the sister breaks into the mans house.

Reccee

Rainthrope Hall- Trailer Location

Audience Research (Prezi)

Audience results on Prezi

Stills from different trailers

Prom Night:






The Strangers:










When a Stranger Calls:

HIde and Seek

The trailer starts, witjh slow moving clips, this all helps to build tension and the music adds drama. As the trailer continues the clips because faster and music become more tense, the pace of everything is lifted. This leads to a climax, but at the very end, the last shot, goes back to slow moving and the music is slow, this is simular to the way in which i would like my rtrailer to end.

The Strangers trailers

This trailer is similar to the kind of trailer that i am aiming to create. The way in which there are rhetorical questions, which compare to everday life, and also the shots where we can see things that the viewers where home. All of these things although they are simple really help to build tension, and this hows that it can even be done in a 2 minute trailer.

Inter-textuality:
-Soundtrack: builds tension, hight pitched, begings non diegetic, however continues on to diegetic sound.

The written words throughout the trailer, really appeal to the audience as they can relate to it. It states that the film is based on a true story which adds tension and yet adds excitement.

The cuts are quick although at certain they are uncomfortable long, quiet and still, with very little movement. In these shots, we are able to see things that the actress canot see.

The majority of thirller trailers, the tension is building all the way through and there is a climax at the end, althopugh this is the same in this trailer, the tension is biult and starts at teh very beginning which makes teh trailer that much more gripping. This meant that the genre of teh film is emmediately introduced and is very obvious. Also because of this, i would expect the target audience to be a much younger audience, roughly from 16-22 year-olds.

Salt

How does this trailer promote and focus on the big star? (look at camera work, editing, sound...etc..)

Angelina Jolie is the obviously the main character, the trailer is all about her, the majority of the scenes she is in, and the voice over’s are all about her. The camera work, moves around her, to fit her and her only this suggests that the whole film will be completely about her. The sounds aswell suggests progression to a big finale, and this is obviously stated by the chosen clips used that this is all to do with her.


Action films are thought to appeal to a predominately male audience. How does this trailer target both a female and male audience separately?

The stereotypical view that action films are for mainly men enjoyment has changed over the years partly because of Angelina Jolie. The many ‘action’ films she has been in, including, Wanted, and Mr and Mrs Smith. This in away has encouraged women to watch these sort of films. Therefore just have A J, as the main character encourages men and women to watch the film.

The Mist

Case 39

The genre of this film, although it is a thriller, it includes other refrences. It starts of as normal trialer, although as it progresses we see unreal things. This as a whole in a way spoils the trailer. the first minute builds tension and we understand teh extent of the film, including her job and the problems with the parenta and the child. However the ending is unusual and alos some what confusing.

The cuts of the trailer become quicker throughout, which is simular to many other trailers, however the trailer also, simular to the strangers, has the odd long hold shot, which is also uncomfortable uncomforable.

The target audience would be aimed around 16-25 year olds, however because of the certain characted featuring, including renee zellweger and Bradley Cooper, this could attract a niche audience.

The Stepfather

The genre of this film, is not clear from the beginning, we see a normal family life, in the first 40 seconds we understand the whole situation, and the music is an upbeat song, which suggests that this is not a thriller, however there is a sudden cut of music and the music becomes much more tense and the cutes become quicker. By the end of the trailer the cuts are quick and the sound is tense.

Conversations between characters gives us the majority of the information, the trailer gives near to the full extent of what happens, just in the trailer, this although builds tension, however shoes too many vital shots in the 2 minutes. However, because of the good reviews, it meant that on the release date the word of mouse was much more popular, and well known.

The way's in which the trailer firstly starts not as a thriller, but climatizes as one in the end, in the way that the beginning is introducing the characters and the settings etc, and then it leads on with everything including lighting, sound and editing becoming much more tense ad dramatic. But also is not dramatic throughout, differs from the way in which i am planning my trailer. the dramatic scenes are built up, which is simular to mine however in this particular trailer the building time is much onger than i anticipate mine to be. However, the dramatic scenes towards the end, with the quick cuts and up tempo yet dark music and sound effects are exactly the way in which i imagine a trailer in the genre if a 'thriller' to be like.

When a Stranger Calls

The genre of this film, is immedietly introduced, from the scenes and music it is shown automatically. There is classic, tense music from the beginning, however the first couple of shots, for instnace of the car, are as if they are being watched, the shots are slow and eary, which all helps to introduce to the genre.

teh storyline and the information, is all given through the converstations throughout the trailer, not only on teh phone but to here dad in the car, and also to the parents of teh children. The idea of her being watched thorughout the converstaions all adds to the storyline, and goves us a big idea as too the ending of the film.

The way in which the trailer feels tense form the very beginning, appeals to me in ternms of my trailer. Also, although there are other characters, in a way only having one main character, gives the film something different, as although in the edn in the majority of trailers, the person ends up by themselves, starting with one, makes the girl already feel in more danger. This also appeals to me in my trailer, although within the trailer, a lot of the film is given away within the two minutes.

The target audience is also simular to mine as thrillers generally are all aimed at a younger audience.

Inception

What cinematic techniques are used to establish mood and tone?

The film establishes the mood and tone, from the very beginning of the trailer, this is done by the use of leanordo decaprio’s voice over, and also the tense music immediately introduced. The darkness of the beginning shots are contrasted with the brightness of the beach all of these thing help to enhance the tense mood of the trailer. However as it progresses our attention is more focused on the visuals of the multiple dreams we are shown. The mysteries of the entire trailer leave us asking questions about what the whole thing is about, this adds to the tension in a way.

How does the trailer establish genre?

The trailer establishes genre similar to the way in which it establishes mood and tone. The tense music suggests progression and helps to build up the tension. The low voice of Leanardo Decaprio, this gives us a greater understanding of the film. However because of the many different scenes used in the film, the specific genre is complicated, as there is action, thriller, and also romance.

How does the trailer establish the themes and narrative?

The use of a voice over, gives us clues about the film, this and the special visuals give us little to understand about the film. However the showing of different conversations show from throughout the film, give us more information and a greater understanding, however there is still a lot to understand from having only watched the trailer.

Who is the target audience and how is this audience targeted in this trailer?

The target audience is much more varied rather than the average and norm target audiences from roughly 16-25. Here because of the characters and the effects this is a much wider audience. The niche audience is probable to be people who are experts and big fans of special effects and care a lot about the visuals, this is similar to film like Avatar.
Also the strong word of mouth spread and the great reviews as the film came out, made the film that much more popular with all ages.

What is the reason/ effect for using the director's name and previous work?

The Dark Knight, profited very well in all areas, including box office, DVD sellings, and also with all the special effects DVD’s and the merchandise. This therefore would encourage and persuade people to go and see the film, as it is more likely to be a better and more interesting film, if the directors pasts films are good and have done very well.

Boy Called Dad

At the beginning of the trailer, it obviously shows the young boys difficult current life, also shows how he is troubled. It starts by setting us with the relationship he has with his father, ‘You said you would meet me…’ this is what the boy said to his father, which also obviously shows how him and his father do not have the strongest connection. However as the trailer continues, it is clear that they have some kind of bond, which develops throughout.

Throughout the first shots in the trailer, we are given a great understanding of the boy’s life, that he has had a hard and troubled upbringing, he has runaway form home, and he seems angry and this is shown to us through when he smashes the car, and also through the words that his mum speaks over the camera work. We then find out, how he has a baby, although is not involved in his life at all as he does not even know her name.

The sad clips that continue to move us throughout the trailer are contradicted by the upbeat music in the background. This makes the trailer sad and yet happy at points, especially happy as we see the strengths of the boys relationship with his father and his son. The weaknesses although are also shown, also within the relationships between the boy and his father, and also his son.

The boy, is shown in a young way, we see him desperately thriving for a relationship with his father, and yet at the same time, we see him trying to also build a relationship with his son.

The soundtrack to the trailer, although in some ways contradicts the filming, it also fits in the way that the lyrics suit the story of the film. Both the meanings are very similar.

Winter's Bone Trailer

The music in the opening sequence seems out of kilter with scene before us. We realise immediately that we are looking at an environment which has a bleakness about it. The scene also suggests poverty, this from the look of the house and it's surroundings. The relationship between then main girl and the two younger children is not immediately clear.

The light is low and this gives the viewer a sense that the film is likely to be bleak and unrelenting. The camerawork is relatively simple in the selection of shots, but mixes between black and white and a series of very 'washed out' colours. There are no vibrant colours at all. This enhances the sense of struggle that the main character - the older girl - is likely to endure. The camerawork juxtaposes the apparent innocence of the children through long shots of them on trampolines and among bales of hay with close-ups of more sinister characters encountered by the girl as she seeks her father.

The structure of the trailer, in a way, tells the story though, in common with many other trailers, there is little detail. The trailer starts with unusual music which almost contradicts the clips we are seeing. This opening sequence is simply setting the scene and introducing us to the lifestyle of the family. Then the change in music could suggest a change in their life, as the cop turns up. The music becomes serious and much more tense and this begins to build up tension. As the sequence continues the music becomes more upbeat as we find out that little bit more. These end clips start to bring the story together, however the extract ends with the viewer understanding enough to what is going on, but still leaving a series of unanswered questions.

The end whisper by the woman not only certifies the specific genre of the film, and shows the tense atmosphere, it also suggests that there is a very dramatic ending, as this is the last memory of the film that we are left with.

The grammar of the trailer makes clear that this is a tense and scary film. The editing is tight and 'choppy'. The second shot, of the girl quite innocently chopping wood immediately adds to the sense of something sinister. The trailer - and therefore the film, we presume - builds to a climax, leaving open the central question of whether the girl finds her father. The shot editing gains speed towards the end of the trailer, building up suspense in layers. It is likely to be of special interest to 16-25-yr-olds. So the key selling point is the thrill and tension and the audience desire to answer the question: what happened next?

What are the conventions of your chosen film genre and which aspects of trailers in this genre influence you?

The majority of trailers involve the classic and recognizable good conventions within a trailer, these include, voiceovers, used to give clues and also too express information. They also showcase the actors to us, mainly expressing who the main characters are, and also involve one-liner conversation between characters this is too give that little bit of extra information. Although most key points are often shown through some kind of title sequence.

Dramatic camera angles are often used to showcase events or characters. The whole point is to create atmosphere, which is then developed and helped by specific music chosen to accompany the images. The music and shots then build to a climax and it builds up towards the end of the trailer, which usually ends, especially in the duration of a thriller, with a dramatic ending, normally leaving it on a cliff-hanger, therefore meaning that it attracts audiences to go and see it.

The Majority of the trailer conventions mentioned I will be using in my trailer. The genre I have chosen is a thriller, I will be designing a ‘classic’ thriller similar to others like, ‘The Strangers,’ ‘When a stranger calls,’ and finally ‘Hide and Seek.’
I will be using a montage and conversations between characters to give information, however the conversations will lie over separate footage from were the conversation is, in particular parts during the film, a sound bridge.

A trailer building too a climax, is even more important in a thriller trailer as it is all about the fear factor. The way I intend to do this, is by using dramatic camera angles to dramatize the more eventful shots of the trailer. For instance specifically in ‘The Strangers,’ when the main girl in the film is standing in the kitchen, and the man comes into shot, without the girl knowing, this specifically plays on the idea of the unknown.
Also similar too the trailer, is the key points that are conveyed through the titles, however they will be used to cause atmosphere. This will be done by relating the situations in the film (trailer) to everyday life.

Finally, instead of using music to create the tension, rather, I might use sudden sound affects and tryout using complete silence to build tension and also add a sense awkwardness and a feeling of being uncomfortable. In terms of characters, it will be based around one main character, a girl, and work around the fact that another girl fails to arrive at a house in the countryside. This is a similar theme too ‘When a stranger calls,’ which again plays with the idea of a girl being alone in a house in the middle of nowhere. Specifically showing things that the audience can see however she cannot.

All of these aspects are used to build to a big climax, the classic ‘baddie,’ in a thriller will be unknown throughout, and hardly seen throughout also, we will also never know who he is throughout the duration of the trailer. This again is a classic convention of a trailer particularly for a thriller, and also plays with the idea of the unknown.

Skills and Development

Creativity:

• When it came to creativity to our project last year, we had plenty on creative ideas, in terms of settings and especially camera work, however because of the timings and the amount that we set ourselves to do we were unable to carry out many of our ideas, however for instance the flashbacks, we were able to use effects on it to get the flashback effect.

Research and Planning:

• In terms of coming up with an idea, as a whole class we studied films, for instance fish tank and shifty, and these are all typical British films, which gave us a good idea of what our films were going to be like, we then all came up with our own ideas and then going into partners, me and Jordan were able to compare our ideas and conjoin the two ideas together.
• Coming up with my original idea, I looked at many opening sequences, the idea that we had in the end, is unique in its own way, however it is still under the influence of other low budget British ‘Action/ thriller,’ films.
• Improvement wise, I would really like of improve on the planning side of things, having had too many aims and ideas in the planning side of things, the editing and actual filming was unorganised and therefore took much longer than expected.

Post-Production:

• When it came to editing I had little experience in comparison to what Jordan knew on Final Cut Express, we decided to although decide on the editing together, he would work more on the effects and I would work on Final Cut Express, however working on the title sequence and the written side of things, for instance finding the writing font and working on the Research and Planning, the Storyboards and the shot list.
• Again just being organised in terms of post-production would be much easier, having left a lot till the last minute last year, it became very unorganised and much more stressful than needed.

First Lesson Back

Strated A2 course, went through coursework and The actual exam.
The exam consists of making a teaser trailer, a website and Film poster. All of this, simular to AS, is 50% of the final mark.
The exam consists of, Section A and Section B, sectiion A tal;king abou the coursework, still to be developed on, talking about our skills and over all a theatrical evaluation. There are 2 questions in section A. In section B, one question on Postmodernism.

After we understoof the structure of the exam, we started on the 'guide to eh exam,' this took us thorugh section A, the structure etc.
We also had to find oour own film which had a teaser trailer, film webiste, and poster. The film i found is '4321,' which has many different posters and websites and also a detailed website, with competions and directors cuts, as well as information about the characters.

Evaluation Questions 6 and 7

EVALUATION - Question 5

EVALUATION - Question 4

EVALUATION - Question 3

EVALUATION - Question 1 and 2

RESEARCH AND PLANNING - Plot – Final version

The title of the film appears on a black screen, ‘2Face’, this is followed by a sound bridge of a radio station broadcast “And in sport arsenal have ……” The sound bridge transitions into a digital photograph image that moves across screen as is accompanied by the title sequence. The photograph shows a ‘cute’ young boy smiling and after a few seconds another photograph appears with the same boy in it. After 5 photos have appeared the 5th one transition’s into that actual photograph in a real life, it is in a photo album and is being looked at by the mother of that child. As this transition takes place the radio news switches to “Breaking headlines….. A boy aged 16 was stabbed to death last night in……” There is also the sound of the mother crying whilst looking through the photo album.

Then it switches to two boys, Victor and Reece, in Victors car, listening to the same radio broadcast while Victor is driving, but instead of listening he turns of the radio when he hears the bad news and says “ahhhh not again…”

Meanwhile, Reece is reading the newspaper, ‘The Daily Mirror,’ whilst sitting in the passengers seat, the front page is explaining the same story on the radio, and suddenly Reece says in a panic, ‘It’s Him!’ In a state of shock, Reece shows Victor the newspaper and especially points at the specific photo on the front of the newspaper, Victor at seeing this stops the car in shock, and looks at the newspaper. This leads to a flashback, in which the two boys are being held up against the wall by a group of boys, there is shouting and then we see that the main boy is in fact, Ryan Saunders, the victim. The boys are being threatened with guns to empty their pockets. This cuts straight to the next seen in which we join Iona and Sophia in the kitchen.

The two girls are eating breakfast and listening to the same news report, there are newspapers on the side, as Sophia looks closer to the newspaper she realizes the photo on the front. As she in shock goes to pick up the newspaper, she freezes and says ‘oh my God, It’s him!’ Iona then asks, ‘Who is it, what’s up?’
At that moment the girl has a flashback in which she is running and keeps looking behind her, because the boy is following her the boy calls out to her “Stop running, come here!” It then switches back to real life in which she is in a massive state of shock still, “what is it?” her friend asks again, “It's him!” she replies and then it blacks out.

2FACE - Title Sequence - Final copy

FOUNDATION PRODUCTION - Rough Cut 3 of Film Opening

RESEARCH AND PLANNING – Storyboards

RESEARCH AND PLANNING - Opening Sequence Pictures

FOUNDATION PRODUCTION - Rough Cut 2 of Film Opening

This is much closer to our final film. Mr Grogan has toldus to make sure it's only two minutes long so we've got to shorten it.

FOUNDATION PRODUCTION - Rough Cut 1 of Film Opening

This is a first rough cut of our title sequence. Not all the scenes are finished and the music still needs to be edited.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING - Newspaper Front Page

We made this using Adobe Indesign.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING - Title Fonts

These are the two fonts we finally chose for our title sequence. We wanted to have a scratchy, street feel like graffiti but without choosing the obvious kind of graffiti type of font. We think this is a good compromise even though its been used on other British films like 28 Days Later. We plan to use red and black to stand out against the film and photos and to put across the idea of there being two sides to the main character.

FOUNDATION PRODUCTION - Radio 1 News Report

This is our completed news report done in the style of Radio 1. We want this to counterbalance the mellow acoustic music that we've chosen to use over our title sequence.

RESEARCH AND PLANNING - Shot List