After reading through viewer reviews of the scary film paranormal activity 2 on Movie site IMDB.com, i found that the audience preffered to see horror films which didn't fit to a certain stereotype, for example one user wrote that they preffered to see imaginative attempts to scare the audience rather than the typical gore and blood scenes which they said didn't scare them that much. Another viewer described there dissapointment at the fact that this movie took to long to get going, so in our trailer we will look to make it action packed with lots of excitement to make sure it doesn't look at all boring to our target audience.
Because I have looked at the possibility of making a spoof horror film trailer I also looked at audience reviews for the horror spoof scary movie 3. In these reviews the general consensus was that the audience felt because they were actually missing out on all the typical aspects of a conventional horror film they felt they the film needed to maximise the comedy value in a horror spoof film. The audience reviews also gave me the indication that although they did want a lot of comedy in the spoof horror they also wanted aspects of a true horror film, for example the spoof horror still should include scenes which would scare you initially but also produce a sense of comedy after.
I will use these audience reviews as a guide to what to include in my horror film trailer. They have also given me an indication on whether I should create a traditional horror film trailer or a spoof horror trailer. This will need to be considered as I move on in to my planning for my trailer and I will look to make a final decision before proceeding into draft work.
After publishing this post I have since decided to create a spoof horror film trailer, this decision was made due to my belief that spoof horror films can be just as successful as traditional horror films in attracting audiences.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Final Destination 3 Trailer Analysis
I will look at the narrative of the trailer first of all. The trailer (being the third of a trilogy) first of all looks to reinforce the ideas of the first two films by reminding you what happens in them by playing short clips from those films alongside edited text looking to build up 'hype' for the third film. The trailer then goes on to play scenes from the third film (the one the trailer is for), it shows characters on a rollercoaster, the different scenes are separated by black screens, almost acting as an interval to make the viewer wait to see what happens next, a technique to build anticipation perhaps. After the rollercoaster scenes the trailer then goes on to show the audience two grave stones, these are people which have died from the rollercoaster ride in the previous scenes. This scene is accompanied by speech looking to tell the story of what is going to happen later on in the movie. The trailer continues to show different scenes featuring various characters in situations of danger, although it doesn't actually show the viewer whether these people die or not, this would leave unanswered questions in the viewers minds and possibly tempt them to go and see the film. The directors I think purposely try to keep the trailer short as to not bore the viewers but to tempt them enough to go and see the film, they could also be relying on the films built up reputation through films 1&2 to draw in the audiences.
I am now going to focus on the camerawork of the trailer. In the opening aeroplane scenes they have used a hand held camera to try and make the scene seem more erratic and unpredictable. This would help to increase the scariness of the trailer because anything that seems unpredictable and out of control usually evokes fear in the majority of people. In the scene which reminds the audience of the second film, low angle shots are used a lot to show people in distress, for e.g. the shot of the male and female character running away from a flying car which is even further up than them shows them to be vulnerable and in danger. Close ups are also used in this sequence, examples of these close ups come from the shot of the log of wood and of the male characters face who is driving the car. The first close up of the wood is used to show its potential danger, and the second close up of the man's face is used to show his shock and fear as the log is travelling towards his car window. All of these different camera angles and shots are used to try and give the audience a feeling of how characters in the film are feeling, it tries to give them an indication of how the film is going to pan out and also to evoke a certain type of emotion into the viewer, in this case the desired emotion is fear. As the trailer moves on it shows a rollercoaster scene in a high angle shot, this shot shows all the people on the ride as vulnerable. The audience is yet to find out why they are vulnerable but as I previously mentioned a feeling is put across to the audience that the characters are in danger just by the choice of shot type/angle. A close up is again used on a male characters face as his safety hold on the rollercoaster comes undone, this close up shows him to be very scared and this shot would also look to produce the same emotion in the audience. After this a birds eye view shot is used to show the two graves, this is done to put across an emotion of sadness in the audience, this is done by the graves being the only two things in the shot, emphasising the sadness of the situation. A zoom is also used in this scene, although the zoom is not directed into anyone's face or to anyone in particular I believe it is representing the high speeds of a rollercoaster, this reinforces the danger associated with this ride. At the end of the trailer an extreme high angle shot is used to show the rollercoaster carriages falling down onto someone possibly, this high angle shot is used to show the extreme danger of the falling carriages, this would produce an even bigger reaction of shock to the audience. But the trailer still doesn't reveal whether these carriages actually cause any damage, these unanswered questions are a technique used by the directors to try and make people watch the full film so the questions can be answered.
Sound will now be my main focus of analysis in the trailer. In the opening scenes there is an almost 'chilling' music being played which produces a sense of fear in the audience, this then goes on to sounds of people screaming in the aeroplane scenes. Also in the trailer there is text accompanying the movie pictures, and as this text goes off screen (will discuss in editing section) there is a 'wushing' sound which goes with it, I believe this is used to try and resemble the sound of a rollercoaster when they are going at high speeds. As the trailer goes on to show scenes from the second film dramatic music takes over the scary music, this is possibly to show that the two films have distinctly different tones, it is also used to build up drama for the introduction of the third film. As the text re-appears on the screen again it is still accompanied by the 'wush' sound but this time it also ambient sound attached which is the sound of a rollercoaster going over tracks. This is a very effective way of introducing the third film as this film is directly linked to rollercoasters. As scenes from the third film begin to play fast paced dramatic music is played, possibly to relate to the fast moving nature of a rollercoaster. This is done successfully and it also helps to build anticipation in the audience to find out what is going to happen on the rollercoaster. As the trailer continues the music stops, but this is replaced by the sounds of particular things as they happen on screen, for example the sound of 'slashing' swords is used when the swords look to fall onto the male character underneath. At the end of the trailer, when the rollercoaster carriage is falling, you are just left with the sound of the carriage falling through the air, because this is the only sound you can hear it is possibly a technique used by the directors to emphasise the danger of them. This would also signal the same idea to the audience and evoke an emotion of fear into them.
I will now focus on the mise-en-scene of the trailer. In the rollercoaster scenes of the third film the male character who is seen on the rollercoaster is wearing a baby blue and white jacket, this is possibly to represent him as innocent and undeserving of his possible death. This would produce a sense of sympathy towards him from the audience, leaving them hoping that he doesn't die, and because whether he dies or not is not shown in the trailer the audience would be impelled to find out, making them go and see the film. This technique of directors to leave unanswered questions is used clearly and successfully there. The swords shown in the trailer are used as props to produce a sense of danger and fear in the audience, other props in the trailer used to evoke this emotion are the falling planks of wood, the rollercoaster itself and also the tanning machine. The youths in the trailer are all wearing typical American teenage clothing, this looks to show them as typically normal teenagers. This in itself would represent the majority of the teenage population watching this film, giving those people a chance to relate to the characters in the film, this relatability would increase the chances that those people watching the trailer would want to go and see the film. Therefore the techniques used by the directors in the trailer have been successful in drawing people in to watch the full film.
Editing will now be my final focus in the trailer. The first use of editing in the trailer is the idea to put intervals in-between different scenes in the form of a black screen, this is a good idea because the colour black represents evil and the unknown which is part of what the film is actually about. Black also has the ability to bring about feelings of fear in an audience, this would be the effect on people viewing this trailer. Another use of editing is the idea to put text in the trailer, the text is placed on a blue and black screen and the words are shown one after another with each word coming towards the audience and then vanishing for the next word to be shown to the audience, this is done to try and resemble the motion of a rollercoaster, this is appropriate because the final destination 3 features this ride. Another use of editing is the slow motion movement of the wood log falling from the lorry, this is used to emphasise the danger of the situation and also to bring about a sense of anticipation in the audience as to what damage the log is going to cause. The use of text is also used further on in the film as the third film is introduced, but this time their are rollercoaster tracks underneath the words, this doesn't have a profound effect on the audience but it is just used as a technique to introduce the idea to the audience that rollercoasters are going to be of importance in the following film. Fast cut editing is also used towards the end of the trailer cutting between numerous different scenes, this is done to produce a sense of excitement and anticipation in the audience, the pace of the cutting is also used to resemble the speed of a rollercoaster, again linking everything to the importance of rollercoasters in the film.
I am now going to focus on the camerawork of the trailer. In the opening aeroplane scenes they have used a hand held camera to try and make the scene seem more erratic and unpredictable. This would help to increase the scariness of the trailer because anything that seems unpredictable and out of control usually evokes fear in the majority of people. In the scene which reminds the audience of the second film, low angle shots are used a lot to show people in distress, for e.g. the shot of the male and female character running away from a flying car which is even further up than them shows them to be vulnerable and in danger. Close ups are also used in this sequence, examples of these close ups come from the shot of the log of wood and of the male characters face who is driving the car. The first close up of the wood is used to show its potential danger, and the second close up of the man's face is used to show his shock and fear as the log is travelling towards his car window. All of these different camera angles and shots are used to try and give the audience a feeling of how characters in the film are feeling, it tries to give them an indication of how the film is going to pan out and also to evoke a certain type of emotion into the viewer, in this case the desired emotion is fear. As the trailer moves on it shows a rollercoaster scene in a high angle shot, this shot shows all the people on the ride as vulnerable. The audience is yet to find out why they are vulnerable but as I previously mentioned a feeling is put across to the audience that the characters are in danger just by the choice of shot type/angle. A close up is again used on a male characters face as his safety hold on the rollercoaster comes undone, this close up shows him to be very scared and this shot would also look to produce the same emotion in the audience. After this a birds eye view shot is used to show the two graves, this is done to put across an emotion of sadness in the audience, this is done by the graves being the only two things in the shot, emphasising the sadness of the situation. A zoom is also used in this scene, although the zoom is not directed into anyone's face or to anyone in particular I believe it is representing the high speeds of a rollercoaster, this reinforces the danger associated with this ride. At the end of the trailer an extreme high angle shot is used to show the rollercoaster carriages falling down onto someone possibly, this high angle shot is used to show the extreme danger of the falling carriages, this would produce an even bigger reaction of shock to the audience. But the trailer still doesn't reveal whether these carriages actually cause any damage, these unanswered questions are a technique used by the directors to try and make people watch the full film so the questions can be answered.
Sound will now be my main focus of analysis in the trailer. In the opening scenes there is an almost 'chilling' music being played which produces a sense of fear in the audience, this then goes on to sounds of people screaming in the aeroplane scenes. Also in the trailer there is text accompanying the movie pictures, and as this text goes off screen (will discuss in editing section) there is a 'wushing' sound which goes with it, I believe this is used to try and resemble the sound of a rollercoaster when they are going at high speeds. As the trailer goes on to show scenes from the second film dramatic music takes over the scary music, this is possibly to show that the two films have distinctly different tones, it is also used to build up drama for the introduction of the third film. As the text re-appears on the screen again it is still accompanied by the 'wush' sound but this time it also ambient sound attached which is the sound of a rollercoaster going over tracks. This is a very effective way of introducing the third film as this film is directly linked to rollercoasters. As scenes from the third film begin to play fast paced dramatic music is played, possibly to relate to the fast moving nature of a rollercoaster. This is done successfully and it also helps to build anticipation in the audience to find out what is going to happen on the rollercoaster. As the trailer continues the music stops, but this is replaced by the sounds of particular things as they happen on screen, for example the sound of 'slashing' swords is used when the swords look to fall onto the male character underneath. At the end of the trailer, when the rollercoaster carriage is falling, you are just left with the sound of the carriage falling through the air, because this is the only sound you can hear it is possibly a technique used by the directors to emphasise the danger of them. This would also signal the same idea to the audience and evoke an emotion of fear into them.
I will now focus on the mise-en-scene of the trailer. In the rollercoaster scenes of the third film the male character who is seen on the rollercoaster is wearing a baby blue and white jacket, this is possibly to represent him as innocent and undeserving of his possible death. This would produce a sense of sympathy towards him from the audience, leaving them hoping that he doesn't die, and because whether he dies or not is not shown in the trailer the audience would be impelled to find out, making them go and see the film. This technique of directors to leave unanswered questions is used clearly and successfully there. The swords shown in the trailer are used as props to produce a sense of danger and fear in the audience, other props in the trailer used to evoke this emotion are the falling planks of wood, the rollercoaster itself and also the tanning machine. The youths in the trailer are all wearing typical American teenage clothing, this looks to show them as typically normal teenagers. This in itself would represent the majority of the teenage population watching this film, giving those people a chance to relate to the characters in the film, this relatability would increase the chances that those people watching the trailer would want to go and see the film. Therefore the techniques used by the directors in the trailer have been successful in drawing people in to watch the full film.
Editing will now be my final focus in the trailer. The first use of editing in the trailer is the idea to put intervals in-between different scenes in the form of a black screen, this is a good idea because the colour black represents evil and the unknown which is part of what the film is actually about. Black also has the ability to bring about feelings of fear in an audience, this would be the effect on people viewing this trailer. Another use of editing is the idea to put text in the trailer, the text is placed on a blue and black screen and the words are shown one after another with each word coming towards the audience and then vanishing for the next word to be shown to the audience, this is done to try and resemble the motion of a rollercoaster, this is appropriate because the final destination 3 features this ride. Another use of editing is the slow motion movement of the wood log falling from the lorry, this is used to emphasise the danger of the situation and also to bring about a sense of anticipation in the audience as to what damage the log is going to cause. The use of text is also used further on in the film as the third film is introduced, but this time their are rollercoaster tracks underneath the words, this doesn't have a profound effect on the audience but it is just used as a technique to introduce the idea to the audience that rollercoasters are going to be of importance in the following film. Fast cut editing is also used towards the end of the trailer cutting between numerous different scenes, this is done to produce a sense of excitement and anticipation in the audience, the pace of the cutting is also used to resemble the speed of a rollercoaster, again linking everything to the importance of rollercoasters in the film.
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Creep Trailer Analysis
I will first look at how the narrative of the trailer helps to introduce the film to the audience and also entice them into watching it. First of all the trailer doesn't give to much away, only setting the scene in a train station and creating a sense of scaryness with the heavy breathing of the character. This is followed by the introduction of a female character and then it goes on to use text on the screen to explain the situation in more detail, explaining the female has missed the last train home. It then uses a range of techniques (low level lighting etc) to set the scene as a sinister one, at the same time introducing a male character who appears to be injured, this leaves the question to the audience, how did he get injured? Another male character is also introduced, he appears to be distressed and this would again leave questions in the viewers mind as to why. The trailer then continues to show a lot of different scenes, in most of them there is someone running or screaming, this creates a scary tone on the film. It then cuts to show the film title, but after this you see a 'figure' wielding a blade, this allows the audience an idea of who is actually causing all this violence, but it doesnt give the full picture, this would hopefully entice the viewer of the trailer to go and see the film.
I will now focus on the camerawork of the trailer, The first shot of the trailer is a mid shot of the train station, this then cuts to a high angle shot of the female looking down the stairs, this could also be classed as a long shot, because it shows a lot of the train station, this helps to emphasise how alone the female is in the train station, and represents her as vulnerable. Further on into the trailer a tracking shot is used to follow the female as she walks down the platform, this connotes someone is watching her and emphasises the danger of the situation. After this there is a high angle shot of an injured male clinging onto the train carriage, this shows him to be very vulnerable. This is followed by a high angle mid shot of the female running down a platform, this shows the lady to be very distressed and also in danger, this is shown from the high angle shot to show her as helpless. Continuing on through the trailer a male is introduced, a handheld camera is used at stages to show the man and also to show scenes after him, for example a handheld camera is used to show someone running down a path. The technique of using a handheld camera is very useful in creating a sense of realism in a scene, it also helps to show the scene as erratic or unpredictable, both of which would produce fear in the audience. Right at the end of the trailer a mid shot is used to show possibly the person who is causing all this mayhem, it does not show the persons face, this is a very successful technique used by the directors because it keeps the audience guessing, it does not give them the full picture, possibly enticing them further into going to see the film.
Sound will now be my main point of focus in the trailer. For the first 20 seconds approximately the only sound heard in the trailer is the heavy breathing of a female character, this on its own wouldn't connote anything, but coupled with the slow moving camerawork and also the camera shot which was a long shot it helps to produce an air of fear amongst the viewers to what is going to happen to the female character. After this a sense of fear is brought about by the scary music being played in the background. The music then stops as the female character screams, this helps to create a sense that she is all alone because she is the only sound you can hear, making her seem more vulnerable also. Continuing on into the trailer you can hear ambient sounds, for e.g. the rattling of the train or an alarm going off, this helps to set a sense of realism. The alarm going off continues until nearly the end of the trailer, this is until all sound stops and the breathing from the beginning of the trailer returns, this again helps to reinforce the sinister situation that they are in.
Editing will now be my main focus in the trailer. The text is used again to separate certain parts of the trailer, this is possibly a convention of scary film trailers because the same technique was used in the 'Eden Lake' trailer. The text from this trailer reads "Missed the last train home? Dont worry, your not alone". This gives the audience an idea of what may happen in the train station, but again it neglects to give the full picture so there are still unanswered questions for the audience which may entice them in to go and see the film at a cinema. Editing is then used leading up to the end of the trailer, it is used to create fast cut editing, this is used to create a sense of unpredictability due to the speed that different scenes are being cut to and from, so ultimately reinforcing the fear being felt by the audience. The fast cut editing stops at the end of the trailer to show the female character alone in a corner holding a torch, this is used to reinforce her helplessness in the situation and also the extreme danger she is in.
I will now focus on the mise-en-scene in the trailer. In the opening sequence of the trailer high key lighting is used, this is possibly done to make a contrast between this and later scenes of the trailer. So the later scenes seem even more scarier than this one. The female character is wearing a grey jacket with a yellow dress on underneath, this yellow colour suggests she is not at all dangerous, it represents her as innocent almost. The next male man who is introduced is wearing a grey suit, he is injured, this doesn't represent innocence, the grey represents a boring type of person. The next male who is introduced is wearing a hoodie and jeans, this suggests he is of a lower social class than the female and male characters introduced before, this male also looks very scared of something. The directors of this film are possibly looking to show to the audience that no social class of person is safe from harm in this film, creating an even more sinister feeling to the film, because no one is safe. During these introductions of the two males the lighting is very dark, this alone would put fear into the audience. The trailer continues towards the fast cut editing section, during this a flash of sepia colour is shown, this is shown alongside an unknown figure, this helps to reinforce the scariness of the situation because the use of sepia is unusual, this is trying to suggests what goes on in the film is too. During the fast cut editing sequence a prop is used, this prop is a long blade type weapon, this gives the audience an idea of what is actually causing the mayhem in the train station, but again it leaves unanswered questions, for example who is using the blade? All of these unanswered questions in the trailer are all used on purpose to try and get the viewer of the trailer to go and buy the DVD or watch the film in the cinema. At the end of the trailer you get a glimpse of the person that is possibly causing all this mayhem; the figure is wearing a dark green cloak, this is very unusual attire, this costume is chosen to try and make the figure seem different to everybody else in the film, therefore creating a sense of fear around them.
I will now focus on the camerawork of the trailer, The first shot of the trailer is a mid shot of the train station, this then cuts to a high angle shot of the female looking down the stairs, this could also be classed as a long shot, because it shows a lot of the train station, this helps to emphasise how alone the female is in the train station, and represents her as vulnerable. Further on into the trailer a tracking shot is used to follow the female as she walks down the platform, this connotes someone is watching her and emphasises the danger of the situation. After this there is a high angle shot of an injured male clinging onto the train carriage, this shows him to be very vulnerable. This is followed by a high angle mid shot of the female running down a platform, this shows the lady to be very distressed and also in danger, this is shown from the high angle shot to show her as helpless. Continuing on through the trailer a male is introduced, a handheld camera is used at stages to show the man and also to show scenes after him, for example a handheld camera is used to show someone running down a path. The technique of using a handheld camera is very useful in creating a sense of realism in a scene, it also helps to show the scene as erratic or unpredictable, both of which would produce fear in the audience. Right at the end of the trailer a mid shot is used to show possibly the person who is causing all this mayhem, it does not show the persons face, this is a very successful technique used by the directors because it keeps the audience guessing, it does not give them the full picture, possibly enticing them further into going to see the film.
Sound will now be my main point of focus in the trailer. For the first 20 seconds approximately the only sound heard in the trailer is the heavy breathing of a female character, this on its own wouldn't connote anything, but coupled with the slow moving camerawork and also the camera shot which was a long shot it helps to produce an air of fear amongst the viewers to what is going to happen to the female character. After this a sense of fear is brought about by the scary music being played in the background. The music then stops as the female character screams, this helps to create a sense that she is all alone because she is the only sound you can hear, making her seem more vulnerable also. Continuing on into the trailer you can hear ambient sounds, for e.g. the rattling of the train or an alarm going off, this helps to set a sense of realism. The alarm going off continues until nearly the end of the trailer, this is until all sound stops and the breathing from the beginning of the trailer returns, this again helps to reinforce the sinister situation that they are in.
Editing will now be my main focus in the trailer. The text is used again to separate certain parts of the trailer, this is possibly a convention of scary film trailers because the same technique was used in the 'Eden Lake' trailer. The text from this trailer reads "Missed the last train home? Dont worry, your not alone". This gives the audience an idea of what may happen in the train station, but again it neglects to give the full picture so there are still unanswered questions for the audience which may entice them in to go and see the film at a cinema. Editing is then used leading up to the end of the trailer, it is used to create fast cut editing, this is used to create a sense of unpredictability due to the speed that different scenes are being cut to and from, so ultimately reinforcing the fear being felt by the audience. The fast cut editing stops at the end of the trailer to show the female character alone in a corner holding a torch, this is used to reinforce her helplessness in the situation and also the extreme danger she is in.
I will now focus on the mise-en-scene in the trailer. In the opening sequence of the trailer high key lighting is used, this is possibly done to make a contrast between this and later scenes of the trailer. So the later scenes seem even more scarier than this one. The female character is wearing a grey jacket with a yellow dress on underneath, this yellow colour suggests she is not at all dangerous, it represents her as innocent almost. The next male man who is introduced is wearing a grey suit, he is injured, this doesn't represent innocence, the grey represents a boring type of person. The next male who is introduced is wearing a hoodie and jeans, this suggests he is of a lower social class than the female and male characters introduced before, this male also looks very scared of something. The directors of this film are possibly looking to show to the audience that no social class of person is safe from harm in this film, creating an even more sinister feeling to the film, because no one is safe. During these introductions of the two males the lighting is very dark, this alone would put fear into the audience. The trailer continues towards the fast cut editing section, during this a flash of sepia colour is shown, this is shown alongside an unknown figure, this helps to reinforce the scariness of the situation because the use of sepia is unusual, this is trying to suggests what goes on in the film is too. During the fast cut editing sequence a prop is used, this prop is a long blade type weapon, this gives the audience an idea of what is actually causing the mayhem in the train station, but again it leaves unanswered questions, for example who is using the blade? All of these unanswered questions in the trailer are all used on purpose to try and get the viewer of the trailer to go and buy the DVD or watch the film in the cinema. At the end of the trailer you get a glimpse of the person that is possibly causing all this mayhem; the figure is wearing a dark green cloak, this is very unusual attire, this costume is chosen to try and make the figure seem different to everybody else in the film, therefore creating a sense of fear around them.
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Eden Lake trailer analysis
I will firstly focus on the narrative of the trailer and how it is structured; the 15-20 seconds is used as an introductory phase to show us the two main adult characters. It shows them in peaceful spirits, driving along the motorway, laughing and joking. The trailer then goes into a different mood, with the introduction of the youth characters, this is also signified with a change of music from a peaceful sound to a somewhat sinister one. It then goes on to show the first confrontation between the male adult character and the 'leader' of the youth group. The trailer then starts using fast cut editing to show conversations between the youth and adult. This continues throughout the trailer showing multiple confrontations between the two adults and the youths, th cutting also gets fastr and faster as the trailer comes to an end. The last scene of the trailer shows the female character in a location which isnt the woods, this would bring about a sense of mystery to the audience because they would want to know whether the two characters live or die.
I will now focus on camerawork; the opening scenes show multiple different angles showing the two adults, some examples of these are a two shot showing the couple kissing and also a birds eye view showing the couple in a car is used, this is possibly to show how isloated they are in the huge forest. A long shot is also used to show the couple driving away into the forest, because it is such a long shot this again reinforces their isolation. A close up shot of the sat nav telling them to turn around is another camera shot used, this to the characters seems to be a humourous thing (shown by the laughter) but the audience could recognize this as a sinister warning. An establishing shot is used to show the forest, this again shows the vastness of the forest, and their vulnerability. An extreme long shot is used to show the whole beach, it shows the two adults on one side and the group of youths on the other side, showing that there could be confrontation between the two groups. When the adult male character approaches the youths a high angle shot is used to show him looking down at the youths, possibly trying to show an air of dominance over them; this leaves the audience wondering whether the roles could be reversed in terms of dominance. A shot showing all of the youth characters is also used to show the number of them against the two adults. Showing the youths now dominance over the adults. The trailer then continues showing multiple confrontations between the two groups, all different camera angles and shots are used throughout this, examples of the type of camera shots used are close ups and tracking shots, all looking to show the two adult characters as in danger and vulnerable. The very last sequence also uses close ups to show the knife wieleded in the adult womens hand, this shows a sense of helplessness and also how desperate she is.
I will now focus on how sound is used in the trailer, The opening sequences uses non-diegetic peaceful tranquil music to create a sense of peace, dialogue between the two characters is also used to show that they are happy together at that point. Diegetic dialogue of the sat nav is also used, this is "turn around" which possibly signifies a sinister warning to the couple. This music then changes to a more 'scary' sound, this happens when the introduction of the youth group happens, possibly signifying that they are a sinister group. Youthful upbeat music is used in association with the youths when we are first introduced to them, this presents a stereotypical image of youths who like that type of music. Later on in the trailer the sound of the car is put high up in the sound mix to present the youths with an air of dominace over the adults at this point. Throughout the last few sequences of the trailer the same sort of scary sinister sounds are used every time the trailer cuts to another scene, this is used to show the dangerous nature of the situtation for the adults. An ongoing dramatic beat is also used towards the end of the trailer to further dramtise the situation. This then comes to an end as the "Eden Lake" title is revealed, but then when this is removed another scary sound is used as a build up to when the toilet door opens and the sound comes to a climax, all of this helps to build up drama for the audience.
I will now focus on editing; in the opening sequence cross cutting is used between different scenes showing the adult couple happy. During the trailer text is used as a introduction to the narrative to the film; the first one used is "out of the country", suggesting the couple are now out of their comfort zones and could possibly be in danger. "Off the map" is the next text used, this shows the mystery to where they actually are and also reinforces the dangerous situation they are putting thereselves in. In coordination with the change of music to a more sinister sound, there is also flashes of 'red' across the scene in sync with a change of scene, this signifies danger as red is a colour often associated with that. Fast cut editing is now used to show the car scene, emphasising the danger of the situation. This continues but the red flahses are also re inroduced now to again remind the audience of the scary situation. Fast cut editing is used as a tool to make the trailer seem more dramatic, this works because it shows a differnt sinister situation every time. This trend of fast cut editing and red 'flashes' continues throughtout the trailer and succesfully creates a sense of danger to the audience.
I will now focus on the mise-en-scene of the trailer; in the opening sequence the two adult characters are wearing baby blue (male) and pink (female), this connotes a sense of innocence about the two characters and also shows them as slightly vulernable. The sat nav in the trailer is used as a prop; it is a prop used to show the audience that 'bad things will happen' if they dont turn around as the sat nav instructs. The costumes of the youth characters is also used to show them as sterotypical youths, this includes hoodies, trackies and jackets. The prop of the radio is used to represent the sub culture as typical youths. I believe that the car is used as a prop to reinforce the domincance of the sub culture of youths over the two adults. The glasses the youth character wears also could be classed as a sign of domincance over the adult male; this is because the glasses belong to the adult male and he is wearing them. The knives used by the youths is also trying to represent them as a sub culture by showing them not to be following hegemonic values. The 'Dirty' clothes worn by the two male adults also signifies the desperate situation they are both in, this along with the non-diegetic music helps to create a sense of fear for them from the audience.
I will now focus on camerawork; the opening scenes show multiple different angles showing the two adults, some examples of these are a two shot showing the couple kissing and also a birds eye view showing the couple in a car is used, this is possibly to show how isloated they are in the huge forest. A long shot is also used to show the couple driving away into the forest, because it is such a long shot this again reinforces their isolation. A close up shot of the sat nav telling them to turn around is another camera shot used, this to the characters seems to be a humourous thing (shown by the laughter) but the audience could recognize this as a sinister warning. An establishing shot is used to show the forest, this again shows the vastness of the forest, and their vulnerability. An extreme long shot is used to show the whole beach, it shows the two adults on one side and the group of youths on the other side, showing that there could be confrontation between the two groups. When the adult male character approaches the youths a high angle shot is used to show him looking down at the youths, possibly trying to show an air of dominance over them; this leaves the audience wondering whether the roles could be reversed in terms of dominance. A shot showing all of the youth characters is also used to show the number of them against the two adults. Showing the youths now dominance over the adults. The trailer then continues showing multiple confrontations between the two groups, all different camera angles and shots are used throughout this, examples of the type of camera shots used are close ups and tracking shots, all looking to show the two adult characters as in danger and vulnerable. The very last sequence also uses close ups to show the knife wieleded in the adult womens hand, this shows a sense of helplessness and also how desperate she is.
I will now focus on how sound is used in the trailer, The opening sequences uses non-diegetic peaceful tranquil music to create a sense of peace, dialogue between the two characters is also used to show that they are happy together at that point. Diegetic dialogue of the sat nav is also used, this is "turn around" which possibly signifies a sinister warning to the couple. This music then changes to a more 'scary' sound, this happens when the introduction of the youth group happens, possibly signifying that they are a sinister group. Youthful upbeat music is used in association with the youths when we are first introduced to them, this presents a stereotypical image of youths who like that type of music. Later on in the trailer the sound of the car is put high up in the sound mix to present the youths with an air of dominace over the adults at this point. Throughout the last few sequences of the trailer the same sort of scary sinister sounds are used every time the trailer cuts to another scene, this is used to show the dangerous nature of the situtation for the adults. An ongoing dramatic beat is also used towards the end of the trailer to further dramtise the situation. This then comes to an end as the "Eden Lake" title is revealed, but then when this is removed another scary sound is used as a build up to when the toilet door opens and the sound comes to a climax, all of this helps to build up drama for the audience.
I will now focus on editing; in the opening sequence cross cutting is used between different scenes showing the adult couple happy. During the trailer text is used as a introduction to the narrative to the film; the first one used is "out of the country", suggesting the couple are now out of their comfort zones and could possibly be in danger. "Off the map" is the next text used, this shows the mystery to where they actually are and also reinforces the dangerous situation they are putting thereselves in. In coordination with the change of music to a more sinister sound, there is also flashes of 'red' across the scene in sync with a change of scene, this signifies danger as red is a colour often associated with that. Fast cut editing is now used to show the car scene, emphasising the danger of the situation. This continues but the red flahses are also re inroduced now to again remind the audience of the scary situation. Fast cut editing is used as a tool to make the trailer seem more dramatic, this works because it shows a differnt sinister situation every time. This trend of fast cut editing and red 'flashes' continues throughtout the trailer and succesfully creates a sense of danger to the audience.
I will now focus on the mise-en-scene of the trailer; in the opening sequence the two adult characters are wearing baby blue (male) and pink (female), this connotes a sense of innocence about the two characters and also shows them as slightly vulernable. The sat nav in the trailer is used as a prop; it is a prop used to show the audience that 'bad things will happen' if they dont turn around as the sat nav instructs. The costumes of the youth characters is also used to show them as sterotypical youths, this includes hoodies, trackies and jackets. The prop of the radio is used to represent the sub culture as typical youths. I believe that the car is used as a prop to reinforce the domincance of the sub culture of youths over the two adults. The glasses the youth character wears also could be classed as a sign of domincance over the adult male; this is because the glasses belong to the adult male and he is wearing them. The knives used by the youths is also trying to represent them as a sub culture by showing them not to be following hegemonic values. The 'Dirty' clothes worn by the two male adults also signifies the desperate situation they are both in, this along with the non-diegetic music helps to create a sense of fear for them from the audience.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Front Cover Analysis 2
The main feature of the magazine 'Flipside' is the film 'Avatar'. This is shown by the picture of the 'Avatar' character on the front cover covering two thirds of the side. The layout of the magazine is quite simple but still manages to advertise 'Avatar' along with other features at the same time. Firstly im going to focus on how 'Avatar' is advertised. Quite simply 'Avatar' is advertised succesfully due to the large picture of the character which is so much bigger than any other picture on the page. The blue theme to the 'Avatar' picture is also contrasted nicely against the white background of the strap line and masthead above which makes it stand out to the reader when they look at the front cover. As well as the picture there is also text which complements it, first of all it gives the page number of the article but below this there is text which is written in bold writing which reads "MEET THE NEW MOVIE STAR", 'Meet the new' is written in red font whilst the rest is in white, this is emphasising that part of the text even more, this is possibly to make the word 'new' stand out. This would help to push forward the fact to the audience that the film is new and the text above which reads "Has Avatar changed cinema forever?" poses a question to the reader which would entice them to read further on it to the article. The main 'Avatar' picture is also featured heavily in the hotspots of the principle of thirds sectors, this would further help to get the image and article catching the readers eye and therefore advertising it better. It is also featured in the route of the eye, the text is also in the route of the eye which would further help to advertise both the image and the text and ultimately, 'Avatar'.
The magazine front cover also manages to advertise other things apart from 'Avatar', An example of how they do this is shown with the little pictures just below the masthead, these advertise things such as the Olympics, new fashion and electronical equipment, the pictures are also accompanied by pieces of text displaying the page numbers and additional information, Each box of text is a different colour, this helps to contrast against firstly the picture it is associated with and also the picture of the 'Avatar' character below. Each one of these pictures is featured on the route of the eye, this signals the editors aim to not only fully advertise 'Avatar' but also to advertise somewhat smaller articles so their magazine has other things to offer to a wider target audience.
The magazine front cover also manages to advertise other things apart from 'Avatar', An example of how they do this is shown with the little pictures just below the masthead, these advertise things such as the Olympics, new fashion and electronical equipment, the pictures are also accompanied by pieces of text displaying the page numbers and additional information, Each box of text is a different colour, this helps to contrast against firstly the picture it is associated with and also the picture of the 'Avatar' character below. Each one of these pictures is featured on the route of the eye, this signals the editors aim to not only fully advertise 'Avatar' but also to advertise somewhat smaller articles so their magazine has other things to offer to a wider target audience.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Front Cover Analysis 1
On the front cover of this magazine they are featuring the film 'Aliens vs predator' as well as featuring other new films in small pictures at the bottom of the front cover. I will be focussing on how the magazine advertises 'Alien vs predator', first of all the picture of the aliens and predators covers basically the whole front cover which would immediately catch the readers attention. It is also complemented with a bold cover line in the colour white with a blue shadow as a bolder to the writing, this blue colour around it is similar to the colour of the 'aliens' and 'predators' in the picture, this helps to really connect the two items on the front cover. The text in the cover line also helps to 'build excitement' for the movie, for example "The First Killer Blockbuster" is a very powerful statement and would help to 'sell' the movie to the reader. Another instance of the editors wishing to fully advertise 'Aliens vs Predators' is the fact they have placed the two 'characters' of the film in the hotspots of the the principle of thirds, this puts more emphasis on them. They are also directly through the route of the eye going diagonally down the page which has the same effect as my previous point.
As well as the 'Aliens vs Predator' feature other things are also incorporated on the front cover. For example the four films featured in small pictures at the bottom of the page gives them added interest due to there being pictures of them, they are also in the readers eye due to them being close to the main feature which itself gives other things coverage. The main colour scheme for the front cover features yellow black and white, The yellow is mostly used as a fill colour for a box with black writing contrasting this, this helps to emphasise whatever the writing is, An example of this is the pug placed on the left hand side of the front cover just below the masthead. It features information about an article in the magazine where they have reviewed various movies, the contrasting colours helps to give it a more eye catching appeal. The strapline of the front cover features names 'big' in media, for example 'Sky' and 'BBC', this association with these big companies would give the magazine added prestige and possibly increase its appeal to an audience.
As well as the 'Aliens vs Predator' feature other things are also incorporated on the front cover. For example the four films featured in small pictures at the bottom of the page gives them added interest due to there being pictures of them, they are also in the readers eye due to them being close to the main feature which itself gives other things coverage. The main colour scheme for the front cover features yellow black and white, The yellow is mostly used as a fill colour for a box with black writing contrasting this, this helps to emphasise whatever the writing is, An example of this is the pug placed on the left hand side of the front cover just below the masthead. It features information about an article in the magazine where they have reviewed various movies, the contrasting colours helps to give it a more eye catching appeal. The strapline of the front cover features names 'big' in media, for example 'Sky' and 'BBC', this association with these big companies would give the magazine added prestige and possibly increase its appeal to an audience.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Poster Analysis 3
For my last poster analysis I will be analysing the film poster for 'White Noise'. This is quite a simplistic poster but in some ways has the same effects as a more complex poster. The main background in the poster is black but this is contrasted boldly with the blue fuzzy outline of a person on the left hand side of the screen, this image uses the convention which I have noticed in my last two analysises of not giving the audience the full image of what is being presented on the poster, therefore using the natural instinct of people being scared of the unknown to there advantage to evoke a sinister feeling to the audience. The title of the film is also in the blue fuzzy font which connotes a link between the image and the title suggesting the 'scary' main character is going to be the person in the image. The tag line is presented below the title, it reads 'The line seperating the living from the dead has been crossed'. This gives the idea to the audience that the film is going to feature supernatrual influnces which somehow influence reality. The use of the word 'dead' also would bring about a scared feeling in the audience. The poster does use the principle of thirds but not in the same way as other posters, for example not one thing is in the central hotspots, but instead the image and the film title are both featured in the hotspots, again emphasising the link between the two. So the use of principle of thirds does not go along with the conventions of other posters i have analysed. The route of the eye is used also, the first 'route' along the top of the page has nothing in it, but the one going diagonally down the page features both the scary image and the title. The final route which goes along the bottom only features the name of the company making the film, this reinforces to the audience who actually made the film and would have the desired effect of making the audience look for other films which the company have made, that is if they find this film enjoyable.
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