2. Conventions of Trailers
• Low angle and High angle shots are used to show
dominance
This is important to tell who is the main characters in the
film and to show the characters that are venerable.
• Release Date
The majority of trailers have a release date when they are
release but some also say coming soon. This is so that the
audience will know when the film it coming out.
• Sound Effects
Sound effects are used to make the trailer more exciting
teen comedies use more fast paced music where horrors
use tense music.
• Voice Over
A voice over from the characters usually tells the
background story to the trailer.
• Show who the main characters are
Trailers normally show who the main characters are through
the various shots throughout the trailer.
3. Conventions of Horror
From the analysis of horror trailers I have picked out a few conventions that could
be used when I produce my trailer:
• Low Key Lighting
The Low Key Lighting helps create a dark atmosphere which helps adds to the
tension.
• Isolated Setting
The Isolated setting shows that the characters are alone and helpless making,
which creates more tension when the events start.
• Always starts with the characters happy and having a good time
By using this It help emphasise how bad the ending is compared to the beginning.
• Handheld cameras are used to give a realistic effect
This is an important aspect of the horror genre as the more real the trailer seems
the more scared the audience will be.
• Props
Props are used to set the sense for example an axe would be used in a horror film.
• Fast paced editing
This is usually used towards the end of the trailer when the events start to happen
and this creates an atmosphere of the unknown as the audience cant see what's
happening due to the fast pace.
4. Conventions I will use
• Low Key Lighting
I will use low key lighting to give the atmosphere of the trailer more effect
and this will give of the fear effect and make the audience realise that it is
a horror
• Sound effects – Music
I will use tense music to increase the suspense of the horror trailer, the use
of effects like a recurring theme tune and the sound effect of heartbeats.
• Handheld Cameras
I will film using a handheld camera to increase the realistic effect of the
film and therefore increasing how scary the film will seem.
• Release Date and Titles
To show when the movie is coming out and the name of the movie, this is
usually at the end of the trailer. This is so that the name and date sticks in
the audiences head.
5. Conventions of Ancillary
• Posters always show release date
This is to make the audience aware of the date that the film is out so
they can come and see it if they take an interest.
• Magazines usually have the main character/s of the film on the front
cover
This is so that the magazine is displaying the main characters and this
creates a brand identity the main characters are usually on the poster
and DVD case.
• The magazines masthead usually has their logo on sometimes in
relation to the colour scheme of the film.
The magazines mast head is always has the same logo but sometimes
it changes depending on the film for example the hulk film the logo
may have changes to the colour green.
6. Conventions of Horror Ancillary
• The colours of the poster are usually dull and dark to empathise the
scary aspect
This is because the dull darkness makes the poster feel unknown and a
sense of not knowing.
• The tag line of the film is usually on the poster
This is another thing to link all of the product together as it creates a brand
identity
• The typeface of the poster always links into the brand identity
This is another great way to link products for example film posters and
standees for advertisement in cinemas.
• The poster usually doesn't give much away about the film only little
details.
This is a great way film makers can play with the posters and give away
details about the film that cant be noticed
7. Conventions that I will use
• Bleak colours
This will empathise the effect of the scary theme to the movie.
• Tagline
I will create a tagline that will be used in the poster and the magazine.
• Little details about the film
I wont give away many details of the film as then it will make people
not want to see it.
• Release date
The release date will be shown at the bottom of the trailer.
• Create a brand identity
This will be great to use as it will link all my products together
• Use Main characters
The main character I will think about using if they poster looks good
with it on but I will use them on the magazine.
8. Target Audience
• The target audience that I am aiming for with this film is older teen age group 16 and
over, this is because a lot of this age group watch these type of films which has shown
in my research. I have researched my target market by using survey monkey and wall
wisher I then spread it via facebook and twitter.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13. Result Analysis
• 90% of my results came from the age group of my target
market so therefore these results will be really effective when
I make my trailer if I use the feedback I have received. For
example the low key lighting, 90% of people said that they
thought that it made the trailer seem scarier and also that the
trailer should only be 1.5 - 2 mins long. More people liked the
thriller type of horror and the apocalypse horror theme which
we have looked at doing was low popularity. But only 36% of
people chose horror as their favourite so these results were
not as good as they could have been but it still gives me a
better idea of what to think about planning.
• From the results of the wall wisher I have found out that
people like dramatic pauses which will work well in a horror
trailer, this could be used toward the end of the trailer.
14. What I plan to use
• Low Key Lighting
• Tense music
• Isolated location
• Brand identity through typeface and logo
• Dramatic paused and some fast paced editing
• Trailer length about 2 minutes long
• Show little details of the film
• Bleak Colours
• Handheld camera
• Fast action shots
