I have taken the above screen shot from the Pearl and Dean website.This will help me to identify the appropriate target audience for my trailer and poster.I have chosen to look at the film taken,as although this film is not spefically in the horror genre, it is in the thriller genre,which i am planning to have as one of my sub genres in my film.Also the film Taken has a similar narrative to that of my film.Where two girls are travelling on a holiday and they get kidnapped.Looking at the screen shot,it uses a comparable profile to compare the film to Ransom to show what age,gender and class might watch the film.It shows that 38% of people aged between 15-24 watch Action/Thriller movies and at just 1 % lower is the 25-34 catagory. Showing that the film mainly appeals to the younger generation but also to the older generation as well. The Gender for the film, is mainly male at 54%. This may be because of the films main genre, which is action ,which is known to generally appeal more to males then females.Looking at the class,we can see that the main class group the film attracted was c1,which is lower middle class workers.But looking at the other percentages of class,they are all equal at 21% This is good because it shows that the film has attracted a wide set of classes,its not just one set class that are seeing it,its a n equal amount of set classes,showing that it can appeal to everyone.
Paranormal Activity 3
The highest age percentage for this film is in the 15-24 catagory showing that 79% of 15-24 year olds went to see the film.Showing that the film was very popular with young people.This is one of the reasons why i have decided to give my film the age certificate of 15 as i want to attract a wide range of people to go and see it.The gender catagory shows that 53% of males attended the film and 47% of females.This percentage is fairly equal,which shows that the film successfully appeals to both sexes.The class shown is mainly DE at 35% and C1 at 33%.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D
This is another screenshot from the Pearl and Dean website.Showing the age,gender and class, which will help me successfully plan for my trailer. Like most of the films I have researched in the horror genre the majority of people who attend the film fall into the 15-24 age category (59%) This is why when i chose to do my trailer I will choose to give it the age rating of 15. Horrors usually target men rather then females,this is shown here where 53% of men watched the film in comparison to 47% of females. For my trailer I want to use both male and female roles to help attract both sexes to see it. Although the cast in my trailer will consist of mainly female characters,I also plan to have several male characters as well.
Overall I have decided to classify my film trailer as certificate 15.I did this because I want the film to attract a wider audience,which it may not attract if it was classed as an 18 and had stronger scenes.My trailer being in the horror genre will show some scenes of strong violence and language, which would not be appropriate for anyone under the age of 15.
At what point in the trailer are we told the name of the film? Why is this?
The name of the film is not shown until more near the end, when there is only 15 seconds left,This is uncommon for a trailer as usually the title is shown either at the start or at the end. The title could have been shown at this time so the audience remember the name and so it sticks in there mind and so a short clip of the film can be shown at the end.
Why are we told who is starring in the film?
We are told who is starring in the film because of the well known cast and this can appeal to the audience making them more likely to go an see the film.
How is this information given to us? Why?
This information is briefly given to us at the end of the trailer,so the audience remember who the actors are.
What type of action from the film do we see?
We see the same group of friends from the first film,the film is centered around these characters and it revolves around what happened the night before. We see that the film is set in a major capital city (Bangkok) Alot of action is shown,we see the characters in a car chase,we see guns being used and we see the characters getting into fights.
What clues does the music give us as to what type of film the trailer is advertising?
Throughout the trailer the music is up beat and humorous,this reflects the tone of the film as the genre is a comedy and the music fits with this. However if it was a trailer for a horror film the music would be very different.
Does the trailer come with a voice over and if so, what can you tell about the voice being used?
The trailer does not come with a voice over.
How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film? Why is this?
What we see in a trailer is a lot more fast paced to what we would see in a film. As a trailer is only a few minutes long it has to be fast to excite and draw the audience in and to fit all of the best bits of the film into a few minutes.
Does the speed alter through the trailer or does it stay the same?
The speed throughout the trailer alters to entice the audience and draw them in.
What information are we given about the film?
We are given the month the film is coming out, the date its being released,and the online website. We are also given the name of the production and distribution companies,as well as the name of the director actors,producers and the composer.
At what point in the trailer is this information given?
The production and distribution companies are given at the start of the trailer and the name of director is given a short while after,the month its being released is given half way through and the rest of the information is given at the end.
What type of audience is the trailer aimed at? How can you tell?
The trailer is aimed at an audience of 15 years upwards due to the use of guns and action in the film,it is also aimed at any one who enjoys watching films in the comedy genre.
Insidious Trailer
At what point in the trailer are we told the name of the film? Why is this?
At the very start of the trailer we are told the name of the film,and the title is constantly repeated through out. This is so the audience remember the title and so it sticks in there mind.
Why are we told who is starring in the film?
We are not told who is starring in the film because there is no high profile actors in it.
What type of action from the film do we see?
We see a family who have just moved into a new house,we see strange paranormal activities going on, by watching the trailer we may first think that the strange going ons are to do with the house but really it is to do with the young boy in the family. We know this from the end of the trailer when the actress said “it is not the house thats haunted its your son” The trailer narrative shows similarities to the paranormal activity film,with the fact that it goes against the typical horror convention of the house being haunted. A similar line is also used in the Paranormal Activity film where the character says “its not the house its me”.We can tell that the genre of the film is horror from the dark images we see throughout.
What clues does the music give us as to what type of film the trailer is advertising?
The Music starts with a constant ticking sound,it starts off slow but gradually quickens pace towards the end of the trailer. The ticking sound is popular as it has also been used in past horror trailers. The music builds tension and adds suspense for the audience watching,we know from the music that the film is in the genre of a horror.
Does the trailer come with a voice over and if so, what can you tell about the voice being used?
The trailer does not come with a voice over.
How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film? Why is this?
What we see in a trailer is a lot more fast paced to what we would normally see in a film. As a trailer is only a few minutes long it has to be fast to excite and draw the audience in and to fit all of the best bits of the film into a few minutes.
Does the speed alter through the trailer or does it stay the same?
The speed throughout the trailer alters,it is mostly slow paced throughout (in
comparison to other trailers)this is probably to enhance the tension and keep the audience on the edge of their seats,it doesn’t pick up speed till the very end.
What information are we given about the film?
At the start of the trailer we are given the name of the production company,Film District, we are also told the makers of the films previous successful films in the horror genre paranormal activity and saw.We are also given the name of the production company, the website and the date it is released.
At what point in the trailer is this information given?
This information is given at the beginning of the trailer and at the end of the trailer.
What type of audience is the trailer aimed at? How can you tell?
I think the trailer is aimed at anyone from the age of fifteen and above due to the horrific horror images shown and usually films in the horror genre have the age raiting of 15.
Paranormal Activity trailer
At what point in the trailer are we told the name of the film? Why is this?
We are not told the title until the end of the trailer,were there is only a few seconds left. This is so the audience can get to see the action in the film,and possibly judge whether they want to see it or not,as well as this having the title at the end makes the audience more likely to remember the name.
Why are we told who is starring in the film?
We are not told who is starring in the film because there is no well known actors starring in it.
What type of action from the film do we see?
In the film we see a young couple who have just moved house but while they are there they are disturbed by a presence.The young girl thinks there is something in the house,the couple use there camera to film whats going on at night In the film we see strange things going on like the lampshade moving on its own at night,the couple waking up to find salt in there room,the door slamming shut on its own and someone being dragged towards the camera.
What clues does the music give us as to what type of film the trailer is
advertising?
The music starts of slow to build suspence,the music becomes loud and sudden at certain points to emphasise shocking parts of the trailer and also becomes more fast paced.
Does the trailer come with a voice over and if so, what can you tell about the voice being used?
The trailer does not come with a voice over.
How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film? Why is this?
The trailer is usually a lot more fast paced in comparison to a film. As a trailer is only a few minutes long it has to be fast to excite and draw the audience in and capture all of the best bits of the film.
Does the speed alter through the trailer or does it stay the same?
The speed throughout the trailer alters to excite and entice the audience in what they are watching.
What information are we given about the film?
We are given the name of the production company,Paramount films, we are also given the opening dates it is being released in certain cities in America aswell as this we are given several accolades throughout the trailer to show to the audience the positive reviews the film has recieved and to highlight to them that this is going to be a successful film,worth watching.
At what point in the trailer is this information given?
At the beginning and end of the trailer.
What type of audience is the trailer aimed at? How can you tell?
The trailer is aimed at people who enjoy watching horror films from the age of 15 and above.This is clear because most horrors have the age rating of 15.
Teaser trailers
The Hangover part 2
In the teaser trailer we are shown the title towards the end of the film,this could be so it sticks in the audiences mind,also because the film is a squeal to the previous film the audience may already be aware of what film it is and therefore the title may not have as much importance.
We are not told who is starring in the film because its just a teaser trailer,there is not a lot of time given.
Because we are watching a teaser trailer we do not see much action from the film,we are shown review quotes from various different magazines and the words "The Wolf pack is back" is shown and we see the three main characters walking towards the camera.
The music reflects the film and the pacing of the trailer as the song used is quite slow,which reflects the editing in the trailer.The teaser is different to what you may normally expect from a teaser trailer as you would usually expect a teaser to have fast paced editing shots and more footage of the film but because the audience have seen the first film they already know what to expect therefore the teaser is used more to excite and entice the audience for the upcoming film.
The speed throughout the trailer stays the same,it is mainly slow paced unlike what we would expect to see from a teaser.
The information We are given in the film is the production and distribution companies names, quotes from magazine reviews, the release date of the film and the films website
Insidious
The Insidious teaser trailer is similar to the Main theatrical Insidious trailer, as a lot of the same clips are used but it is just shortened down and more fast paced.
The title is shown at the end of the trailer,unlike on the main theatrical trailer where the title is constantly shown throughout (to remind the audience and keep it stuck in there minds)It is just shown once in the teaser, due to the fact that it has to be kept short.
The accolade "From the makers of paranormal Activity and Saw" is used to make the audience aware of the companies previous successes in the box office genre.This is a good selling point for the film as if the audience like the companies previous films, then they are likely to be interested in seeing this one.
The speed throughout the trailer alters,from slow to fast pace editing,this is to entice and excite the audience.
Paranormal Activity 2
The title is shown at the end of the trailer as it is a second edition to the film the audience will probably already have a good idea to what the film is.
The Music in the trailer builds tension and adds suspense for the audience,there is a non diegetic sound of footsteps used to create this.
In the trailer we see the same clips from the first film, to remind the audience of the first Paranormal Activity.We see the character being chucked towards the camera,then we see a close up shot of a women's face staring into the lens of the camera.This shot is very sudden and is used effictively to shock the audience.This is proven when we see the audiences reaction. We are also shown clips from a video camera, of all over the house, in the bedroom.kitchen,outside,and in the living room.In the bedroom we see a dog barking and we here footsteps coming up the stairs to indicate that there is something there,It then suddenly cuts to a girl standing in the room.
The speed throughout the trailer mainly stays at the same pace throughout,it is slow paced to keep the audience entinced and add suspense.
The tagline in the trailer reads "In 2009 you demanded it....nothing can prepare you for whats next" this gives the impression to the audience that the follow up to the film is going to be even scarier then the last.
A website for the film is given at the end of the trailer and we are shown a small picture of the distribution company
Was it made by a major studio, a minor studio, or an independent? What does this suggest about the film’s budget?
The film was made by a minor studio, Haunted movies,this suggests that the films budget was relatively small (1.5 million dollars) However despite having a small budget the film still managed to gross 91 million dollars
Film's title
At what point in the trailer are we told the name of the film? Why is this?
The film was made by a minor studio, Haunted movies,this suggests that the films budget was relatively small (1.5 million dollars) However despite having a small budget the film still managed to gross 91 million dollars
Year of release
September 14,2010
Main stars/performers
When do their names appear? Why do you think that is?
We are not told who the main stars are starring in the film because they are not high profile actors that the audience would recognise. As the film only had a small budget,they probably didn’t have the money to hire a well known cast.
Director
Why are we told who is the director of the film? How is this information given to us?
We are not told the name of the director.
Rating
When does the rating certification alert appear? What does the rating signify?
The American age rating is pg 13 rating signifies that the film is only suitable for 13 and over. The English age rating is 15 .
Running time of trailer
1 minute 51 seconds
Genre
Decide on the film's principal type, its categories (such as science fiction, action, adventure, musical, comedy, etc.). If it's a hybrid(a combination of two or more genres), what are they?
The film’s genre is horror.
Taglines
When does that appear? What are its connotations? How does the tag line create an enigma or draw in the audience?
The tag line “its not the house thats haunted” is not shown but it is said during the trailer and is shown on the posters. This tag line makes the audience curious to what is haunted and fits in with the theme of horror.
Accolades
Does the trailer use any of these accolades to attract its audience:
Nominations, awards , reviews from the press/film magazines etc
The trailer shows the makers of the films previous works Paranormal Activity and Saw. This may attract the audience to see it more because of the company’s previous successes in the horror genre.
Type of trailer
Is it a teaser trailer or Main trailer?
Main trailer
Intertextuality
Has your trailer used any subtle/less obvious techniques to similar themes to other films;
eg in the Terminator films you always see a motorbike chase in the films and trailers and same one always says ‘ I’ll be back’ or the trailers have the same theme music
Throughout the trailer a ticking noise is used to build tension and add suspense,this can be a common technique used by other horror films also in Paranormal activity the same idea is used as in Insidious where its not the house thats haunted instead its the person.
Website
Does the trailer include a website? Why?
What are the advantages of including a website for the Studio?
Yes the trailer does include a website,this is so the audience can find out more about the film. The advantages are that it can raise awareness with the studio and people can visit the website to find out more about the other films they make.
Introduction
In the introduction explain which film trailer you are going to analyse and give the film’s release date, stars and director. Mention what you think are the main codes and conventions of film trailers, and Science fiction specific ones.
The film trailer I am going to analyse is Insidious,the film was released everywhere on 1st April,It was directed by James Wan and does not include any well known actors. Usually the main codes and conventions of film trailers are to generate interest in the film and entice an audience to see the movie.They usually run between 2 and 2.5 minutes,compressing all of the best parts of the film into the trailer.From watching the trailer the audience can tell that it is in the horror genre just from the codes and conventions used as well as the dramatic music and mise- en scene.
Identify which type of trailer it is:
Teaser Trailer
Teasers, unlike typical theatrical trailers, are usually very short in length (between 30–60 seconds) and usually contain little, if any, actual footage from the film. Sometimes, it is merely a shorter version of a main theatrical trailer.
They are usually released long in advance of the film they advertise. One of the reasons for the name "teaser" is because they are shown usually a long time (one or one and a half years) before the movie comes out, so as to "tease" the audience and they do not give a release date.
Main theatrical trailer
A main trailer is usually about 2 minutes and 30 seconds in length and will include the typical code and conventions of trailers.
The trailer for Insidious is a theatrical trailer which runs for 1 minute 51 seconds.
Main Discussion
How does the trailer start?
What are the first shots you see? Studio/Production company logo? Audience certification information?
The first shots we see is a shot of the distribution company ‘Film District’ It is shown in bold, black font with a smoky red background,two colours which are dark and most commonly used in horror films to symbolise blood and death. We are also told the producers previous films in the horror genre, We are shown the name of the company and there previous works to inform the audience who is behind making the film and highlight there successful past films.
Genre
What is the film’s genre?
The films genre is horror,
How do you know? Which genre specific codes and conventions have been used?
We know this from the trailer that the genre is horror because of the codes and conventions used,these include the dark lighting,the isolated setting of the house,the strange supernatural events that are going on and the use of dark shadows.
Discuss any particular iconography in terms of setting, props, costumes, music etc
In the film trailer,the setting takes place in the family’s house and a shot of this house is shown in the trailer. Haunted houses are known as an iconic setting in horror films. The costumes in the film are typical for the evil characters as the woman at the end of the trailer is dressed all in black,with big hair,her character could symbolise a dead bride. The music in the trailer is also very iconic of the horror genre,as the soundtrack used is slow paced to build up tension and suspense.
Does the typography used in the trailer link to any codes and conventions?
In the trailer the title of the film appears several times,each time it appears it changes from backwards to forwards and zooms in and out,there is also a red background in place. The title that appears ‘Insidious is’ is shown, then images of the film are shown, this keeps the audience interested in the trailer and curious to know what the films about. The same technique where the title is shown in different ways is also used in the film trailer Seven.
What part do SFX/Special effects play in the trailer in relation to establishing genre and narrative?
The special effects used add to the suspense and the horror factor in the trailer for example when the man is in the room,we can see the shadow of the old woman,this adds to the scariness of the trailer and gives the feel that another presence is there.
Graphics/Typography
How is text used to link together the narrative? Eg does the title font reflect the genre and/or narrative?
The title font is shown in capital letters and in white bold font this makes it stand out against the black and red background and reflects the genre.
Discuss the way titles may be superimposed over images to establish and lead the narrative
The title of the trailer is shown several times in different ways,it could have been done this way so the audience will always remember the title and be aware that Insidious is all around.
Narrative and characters
There are several significant moments shown in the trailer these are when the young boy is i'll and is shown in hospital an his parents are unsure of what's wrong with him,where the shadow appears on the window in the boys room,where the woman heres voices on the baby monitor. These are shown to portray to the audience the strange supernatural events going on in the house as well as to show the film to its best advantage.
Which significant characters are shown? Why?
The characters we see in the trailer are shown because they are all relevant to the film,the boy is shown because the story is centered around him and the fact that he is haunted.
How does the trailer use significant dialogue from key scenes and key characters to identify the narrative and character types?
From the dialogue used the audience are able to get the impression that there is something wrong with the son in the film "its not the house thats haunted its your son...he’s not in a coma they don’t know what to call it. I went into daltons room there was something in there with him."
Is the narrative in the trailer linear? (is it told in order- beginning, middle, end?)
No the narrative in the trailer is non linear as it starts off at the end of the film rather then the beginning.
How is information about the plot and characters given?
The information about the plot and characters is given through the use of dialogue and through the disturbing imagery we see.
Does the narrative relate to Torodov, Barthes, Levi Struss, Propp or any of the other theories we have studied? Explain how, and give examples.
The trailer contrasts to Torodovs theory, as the trailer does not end in resoulotion, instead it ends on a bad note,which makes the audience question what happens in the film and leaves them wanting more.
The enigma
What enigma is used to ensure that the audience is left with a puzzle to solve or unanswered questions which can only be answered by going to watch the film?
Throughout, the trailer uses the play on words "Insidious is" but the audience are never actually told what Insidious is,instead we are left guessing or the play on words could have been used to highlight that Insidious is everywhere on 1st April.
What parts of the narrative/plot are left unanswered? What missing elements do you have to guess?
The trailer first show a man sitting in the chair, the woman asks if he is ready and he replies by saying yes,but we do not know what he is ready for,what he's about to do? Most things in the trailer are left unanswered, for example, how the boy became i'll and how the doctors couldn't explain what it was,one of the characters claims there was something in the sons room with him but we are not told what that something is. The audience may guess that there is ghosts in the house.
Accolades/Reviews
How are reviews and accolades used? Where are they from
Reviews are not used in the trailer,an accolade that is used in the trailer is “from the makers of paranormal activity and saw” this is so the audience are aware that the producers have had previous film successes in the box office genre.
When and where do they appear, and are they accompanied by a voice over? If so, what affect do they have on you?
They appear near the beginning of the trailer,to give the audience the impression that the film is going to be good and no they are not accompanied by a voiceover.
Does the narrative relate to Torodov, Barthes, Levi Struss, Propp or any of the other theories we have studied? Explain how, and give examples.
The trailer contrasts to Torodovs theory, as the trailer does not end in resoulotion, instead it ends on a bad note,which makes the audience question what happens in the film and leaves them wanting more.
Editing and Camera Shots
It is a convention of trailers that they are fast moving, with quick editing and various camera angles. The information conveyed is very fast moving and requires the audience to focus completely on what they are watching and listening to.
What camera angles and movements are used and why?
When the title 'Insidious' appears, the camera slowly zooms in and out, this creates suspense and when the camera moves the writing changes to 'Insidious' to 'is' this could have been done to connote a message to the audience.An establishing shot of a house is used to show the audience where the action in the film will be taking place.This scene is shot from a low angle,which makes the house look dominant and overpowering.The editing used for this scene also allows high shadows and contrast.This sets the horror mood that was presented earlier on in the trailer.
How are the key characters highlighted?
The key characters are highlighted throughout the trailer for example the old woman's shadow is shown next to the man and she is also shown again at the end of the trailer.
Does the narrative relate to Torodov, Barthes, Levi Struss, Propp or any of the other theories we have studied? Explain how, and give examples.
The trailer contrasts to Torodovs theory, as the trailer does not end in resoulotion, instead it ends on a bad note,which makes the audience question what happens in the film and leaves them wanting more.
How is the action interspersed (mixed in with) the credits on screen?
The action is interspersed with the credits, as the title Insidious keeps appearing then quickly flashing back to the images from the film and as the trailer progresses the flashbacks to the title of the film become faster paced and zoom in and out more.
How is light used? When does the trailer use high key and low key lightening.
We can tell from the trailer that the genre is horror because of the low key lighting used which adds to the dark, unsettling aspect of the film,this low key lightening is used when the trailer portrays
What colours are used? Are they symbolic or representative of the narrative, themes, genre?
The main colours used are: red,black and grey. These are all dark colours which you would normally expect to see in a horror film. These may have been used to symbolise,death,blood,danger and unhappiness in the film.
Sound
Sound, especially music manipulates (influences) emotions and creates a specific atmosphere. Voiceover tends to be used to summarise aspects of the story and emphasise credit information, and to add anticipation and excitement.
Discuss where, when and how sound bridges, parallel/contrapuntal, non-diagetic and diagetic sounds are used in the trailer.
A constant metronome ticking sound is used throughout the trailer,this diegetic sound is taken to the next scene through a sound bridge; we can hear the sound of the metronome in another scene. This creates tension and adds suspense with the audience.
How does the tagline engage and target the audience?
The tagline of the film ‘Its not the house thats haunted its your son’ engages the audience in the film and increases there likablity in them wanting to see it,as it goes past the typical horror convention of using a haunted house, instead there son is the one thats haunted.This twist may excite the audience because its not the typical story line you would expect to see.
What can you tell about the music used in the trailer? Is it dramatic, fast, slow, steady, loud, linked to a previous film etc
The music in the trailer is very dark and slow paced,at first it starts off at a steady speed,then as the trailer develops,like most horror trailers, the music becomes more dramatic and loud to draw the audience in.
Codes and conventions of Film Trailers
Generate interest in the film
Star vehicles - Show off the stars of the film
Show the film to its best advantage
Create excitement
Tell people what the film is about, e.g. the genre and narrative
Not give too much of the plot away
Tease the audience by setting u
narrative enigmas
Showcase some of the best bits of the film, including characters and scenes
