This blog contains the research, the planning and the final piece for my teaser trailer, which is the coursework for A2 Media Studies. I have had to fiddle around with the publishing dates to have all the articles in the order I want and thought best.
Enjoy!
Research
I have analysed the posters and the trailers for the following films: Psycho, Shutter Island and Snakes on a Plane.
They will be posted in order of review, from best to worse.
These 3 films are all thrillers, which is the genre my teaser trailer will be.
I have also analyzed 2 film magazine covers: Empire and Total Film.
They will be posted in order of review, from best to worse.
These 3 films are all thrillers, which is the genre my teaser trailer will be.
I have also analyzed 2 film magazine covers: Empire and Total Film.
Psycho Trailer Analysis
Psycho is a thriller directed by the master of the genre Alfred Hitchcock. Released in 1960, it stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh and Vera Miles. and tells the story of a woman seeking refuge in a motel after stealing $40,000. However everything in the motel isn't as it seems.
Its rating on the IMDB website is 8.7/10.
I have analysed the trailer of this film, and a poster analysis will follow.
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Medium shots are also used to show characters in their settings. In this example, we can see two men standing outside the office. The clothing of the man on the right can give an idea about the time in which the film is set.
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The name of the film, Psycho, is only revealed at the end. It isn't shown at the beginning otherwise the viewer may think "I know the name of the film now, I don't need to watch the rest of the trailer" It is put at then end to keep the viewer's attention and ensure that the whole trailer is watched and enjoyed.
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The mise en scene is used to show the setting of the film: a spooky motel. The cars, clothes and furniture seen in the trailer reflect the time during which the film is set. Also, the trailer hasn't been remastered, so it contains the original black and white images of the film.
The trailer opens with the cult Psycho theme during the cult shower scene. An eerie string music then takes over and is then taken over by a much more fast paced, low tune. This is used to increase the tension and keep the viewer's attention.
Other sounds used in the trailer include dialogues between characters to help understand the narrative and setting of the film, and sounds of rain and storm are used appropriately to increase the verisimilitude.
This trailer aims to target fans of Alfred Hitchcock by putting his name in the trailer. The target audience is also thriller fans, as the images and sounds of the trailer qualify it as a thriller.
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Its rating on the IMDB website is 8.7/10.
I have analysed the trailer of this film, and a poster analysis will follow.
The trailer opens to shots of the film's cult scene: a woman being murdered in her shower. There are close up shots of her hand sliding down the wall and gripping the side of the shower. There is also a close up shot of her leg, showing she is lying in the shower, dead. A low angle shot is then taken of the shower curtain being ripped down. A shot of a man in the dark thrusting a knife towards the camera follows.
This scene only lasts just over 3 seconds. The edits are therefore very fast and practically subliminal, meaning we barely realise they're there. The cult theme tune, played on string instruments, is heard during this short scene.
This scene alone establishes the setting and mood expected during the entire film: scary, mysterious, tense.
As an anecdote, the woman playing the victim, Janet Leigh, didn't originally know she was going to be attacked. This information was kept from her during filming to try and get a natural look of shock, fear and surprise. However, this scene was reshot and edited over 70 times, so it is certain that for the scene we all know, she definatly knew what was coming.
A wide variety of shots and angles are used during the trailer. An establishing shot is used after the cult shower scene to establish the location of the film: a shady motel.
The motel is often filmed from a low angle to show its scary, intriguing side. Furthermore, the receptionist of the motel, played by Anthony Perkins, is also filmed from a low angle, to reflect his power over the other characters.
Many different locations and characters are put into this short trailer, showing that the transitions are fast. Also, the fade to black transition is used a lot, as it works well with black and white images. Halfway through the trailer, Alfred Hitchcock's name is shown above the word "presents". This is added in to show that Alfred Hitchcock, a very famous name, directed the film. This will therefore attract the target audience of his fans.
The mise en scene is used to show the setting of the film: a spooky motel. The cars, clothes and furniture seen in the trailer reflect the time during which the film is set. Also, the trailer hasn't been remastered, so it contains the original black and white images of the film.
The trailer opens with the cult Psycho theme during the cult shower scene. An eerie string music then takes over and is then taken over by a much more fast paced, low tune. This is used to increase the tension and keep the viewer's attention.
Other sounds used in the trailer include dialogues between characters to help understand the narrative and setting of the film, and sounds of rain and storm are used appropriately to increase the verisimilitude.
This trailer aims to target fans of Alfred Hitchcock by putting his name in the trailer. The target audience is also thriller fans, as the images and sounds of the trailer qualify it as a thriller.
Shutter Island Trailer Analysis
Shutter Island is a thriller directed by Martin Scorsese. It was released in 2010. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Ben Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo. In the film, 2 Federal Marshals are sent to investigate the disappearance of a patient of an asylum set on a remote island.
It's rated 8/10 on the IMDB website.
I shall now analyse the trailer of this motion picture. An analysis of its poster can be found below.
First, I shall analyse camera shots. Close ups are used to show tension and the characters' variety of emotions. Various locations are shot in the trailer, revealing the dark and spooky areas of the island. Wide shots of the island are used early on to establish the location of the film.
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I now move on to edits and transitions. Fast cuts are used to attract thriller fans and they increase in number towards the end of the trailer, when the editors try and cram as many random images in as they can to increase the mystery and the desire to see the film. These fast edits also allow a large amount of locations to be shown in a relatively short trailer.
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The name of the main actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, is shown and he features in most of the trailer, to attract his fans and increase the film's revenue. The director's name, Martin Scorsese, is also shown earlier on.
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The shots of old buildings, rooms, clothes and weapons all contribute to the mise en scene, showing it is set in the not too distant past.
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The trailer features fast paced music to increase the tension. We can also hear dialogues between the characters which helps us understand the setting and learn more about the characters.
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The target audience for this trailer and film are fans of the actor Leonardo Di Caprio as he features in most of the trailer and his name appears on screen. Although Ben Kingsley's name doesn't appear, he is still seen a lot during the trailer, therefore attracting his fans as he is recognisable both physically and through his voice. The fans of Martin Scorsese and his films will also be attracted by this trailer. Once again, thriller fans will also be targeted and attracted by this trailer due to its sounds and images.
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It's rated 8/10 on the IMDB website.
I shall now analyse the trailer of this motion picture. An analysis of its poster can be found below.
When Leonardo DiCaprio's character is vulnerable towards the end of the trailer, high angle shots are used to reflect his vulnerability.
The shots of old buildings, rooms, clothes and weapons all contribute to the mise en scene, showing it is set in the not too distant past.
The trailer features fast paced music to increase the tension. We can also hear dialogues between the characters which helps us understand the setting and learn more about the characters.
The target audience for this trailer and film are fans of the actor Leonardo Di Caprio as he features in most of the trailer and his name appears on screen. Although Ben Kingsley's name doesn't appear, he is still seen a lot during the trailer, therefore attracting his fans as he is recognisable both physically and through his voice. The fans of Martin Scorsese and his films will also be attracted by this trailer. Once again, thriller fans will also be targeted and attracted by this trailer due to its sounds and images.
Snakes On A Plane Trailer Analysis
Snakes On A Plane is an action thriller directed by David R. Ellis which was released in 2006. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies and Nathan Phillips. A mob boss puts hundreds of snakes on a public flight to try and murder a prime witness.
Its rating is 5.9/10 on the IMDB website. Some may consider this to be good rating, but I didn't enjoy the film. It wasn't particularly thrilling and the narrative was bland. I think it's just another opportunity for Samuel L. Jackson to try and prove he's a 'bad ass'.
I will now analyse the trailer and the poster later on.
All the camera shots in this trailer are taken inside the plane or showing the plane itself. However, the number of different shots and angles are superior to the number of locations as most of the film is set on the plane.
Close up shots of the snakes are used to scare the viewer but also attract those seeking thrills. There are also several shots of the snakes moving around the plane then attacking. This increases tension before delivering the final scare. Medium shots of the different characters are used to show their shock and pain.
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Samuel L. Jackson's character is often filmed from a low angle, representing his power and position in the narrative.
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Bright text on a black background is an edit used several times to help understand the film's setting and narrative.
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A wide variety of characters are filmed in the short trailer to show the size of the plane and the potential victims. Rapid transitions are also used to keep the audience's attention.
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The mise en scene shows us that the motion picture is set in a dark, unmanned plane, which shows that something is wrong.
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The sounds also increase the suspense. A slow drum beat which increases in speed suddenly when the first snake attacks plays throughout the trailer. There are also a few lines of various characters and we can hear plane sounds and also snakes hissing in the background. These kind of diagetic sounds increase the verisimilitude of the scene.
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The target audience for this trailer is thriller/disaster film fans. The unmanned plane is a perfect setting for a disaster film, even without it crawling with deadly snakes. The quick edits and soundtrack also qualify it as a thriller trailer. The fans of Samuel L. Jackson will also be attracted to the film by the trailer due to him being shown several times.
I have now finished the analysis of the thriller trailers.
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Its rating is 5.9/10 on the IMDB website. Some may consider this to be good rating, but I didn't enjoy the film. It wasn't particularly thrilling and the narrative was bland. I think it's just another opportunity for Samuel L. Jackson to try and prove he's a 'bad ass'.
I will now analyse the trailer and the poster later on.
Close up shots of the snakes are used to scare the viewer but also attract those seeking thrills. There are also several shots of the snakes moving around the plane then attacking. This increases tension before delivering the final scare. Medium shots of the different characters are used to show their shock and pain.
I have now finished the analysis of the thriller trailers.
Barthe's Enigma Code
This theory suggests that a narrative involves a puzzle, which the viewer must solve or that is solved at the end of the narrative. This puzzle or riddle draws the audience in and keeps its attention. These puzzles can include amongst others the identity of a criminal, what happened to a certain character, or how characters are going to survive a certain situation.
Barthe's Enigma Code can be found in the previously analysed trailers in different ways.
Psycho: The puzzle presented in this trailer is the identity of a murderer and the mystery of the motel in which the narrative takes place.
Shutter Island: The puzzle of the Shutter Island trailer is what has happened to the escaped patient, and how she escaped. Another puzzle presented is the identity of an extra patient.
Snakes on a Plane: Who put snakes on the plane? What for? Who will survive? These are the puzzles brought forward by the Snakes on a Plane trailer.
Barthe's Enigma Code theory is relevant to the production of a teaser trailer as it is what entices the viewers. Also, if a certain, specific puzzle is presented through the trailer then it can make the trailer unique.
Barthe's Enigma Code can be found in the previously analysed trailers in different ways.
Psycho: The puzzle presented in this trailer is the identity of a murderer and the mystery of the motel in which the narrative takes place.
Shutter Island: The puzzle of the Shutter Island trailer is what has happened to the escaped patient, and how she escaped. Another puzzle presented is the identity of an extra patient.
Snakes on a Plane: Who put snakes on the plane? What for? Who will survive? These are the puzzles brought forward by the Snakes on a Plane trailer.
Barthe's Enigma Code theory is relevant to the production of a teaser trailer as it is what entices the viewers. Also, if a certain, specific puzzle is presented through the trailer then it can make the trailer unique.
Levi Strauss's Binary Opposition Theory
The opposition of two different things in a narrative, giving this narrative an edge, making it more interesting. Examples of such oppositions are love and hate, good and evil and right and wrong amongst others.
Such oppositions can be found in the analysed trailers.
Psycho: In this trailer we can find the opposition between the normality and boredom of a motel conflicting with the strange events that seem to be taking place within its walls. The audience does not expect strange things to be happening in a motel, which gives the narrative that all important edge.
Shutter Island: Someone escaping from a top security asylum built on a remote island is enough of a contradiction. However, this isn't the only one presented in the trailer. Another one is the 2 sides of Leonardo Di Caprio's character. At first we see him in a suit investigating the island. But we see him later on wearing what appears to be the kind of clothing patients wear. We can also see the conflict between the Marshalls trying to find out the truth, and the secretive attitude the asylum staff have adopted. The edge creating elements of this narrative and trailer are what happens to the escaped patient, what happens to the Marshall, and will the Marshalls uncover the island's secrets.
Snakes on a Plane: The innocence of the unsuspecting plane passengers versus the brutality of the snakes is the main opposition of the film. The calm of Samuel L. Jackson's character opposed to the panic of all the other passengers also gives the trailer and narrative an interesting edge.
Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition theory is also relevant to the production of a teaser trailer as it makes the trailer far more interesting and worth the watch.
Such oppositions can be found in the analysed trailers.
Psycho: In this trailer we can find the opposition between the normality and boredom of a motel conflicting with the strange events that seem to be taking place within its walls. The audience does not expect strange things to be happening in a motel, which gives the narrative that all important edge.
Shutter Island: Someone escaping from a top security asylum built on a remote island is enough of a contradiction. However, this isn't the only one presented in the trailer. Another one is the 2 sides of Leonardo Di Caprio's character. At first we see him in a suit investigating the island. But we see him later on wearing what appears to be the kind of clothing patients wear. We can also see the conflict between the Marshalls trying to find out the truth, and the secretive attitude the asylum staff have adopted. The edge creating elements of this narrative and trailer are what happens to the escaped patient, what happens to the Marshall, and will the Marshalls uncover the island's secrets.
Snakes on a Plane: The innocence of the unsuspecting plane passengers versus the brutality of the snakes is the main opposition of the film. The calm of Samuel L. Jackson's character opposed to the panic of all the other passengers also gives the trailer and narrative an interesting edge.
Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition theory is also relevant to the production of a teaser trailer as it makes the trailer far more interesting and worth the watch.
Todorov's Equilibrium Theory
This theory proposes a basic structure for all narratives: there is a time of peace called equilibrium at the start of the narrative, which is then turned into disequilibrium, at time of unrest, and then the narrative goes back to a peaceful setting. This theory can be partly demonstrated in the trailers.
Psycho: This trailer is a bit different as it starts with a disequilibrium, a woman being murdered in a shower (backed by one of the most famous tunes in the motion picture universe). However, it then goes to a state of equilibrium when we see the motel and some of the characters. As the trailer advances, the state is slowly set back to disequilibrium when the viewer realises that the motel and some of the characters aren't all they seem to be. The trailer never really returns the narrative to a state of equilibrium, as the mysteries of the motel and the characters aren't resolved. But then again, that is the point of a thriller trailer. To make the viewers ask themselves enough questions to go and pay money to see the film.
Shutter Island: The state of equilibrium presented at the beginning of this trailer is 2 Federal Marshalls investigating the escape of a patient from a high security asylum. At this point , the viewer might think that this will be a simple story of finding clues and eventually discovering how the patient escaped. However, as the trailer goes on, we can see that it mostly involves Leonard Di Caprio's character, and the viewer can see him in scenes not set on the island, and scenes set on the island but where he doesn't look like a Marshall. The viewer then starts to realise Shutter Island may not only be about an escape, but also about how the asylum affects an outsider. This gives the viewer 2 reasons to see the film, and two reasons to part with a small amount of money. Once again, the trailer doesn't return the narrative to a state of disequilibrium.
Snakes on a Plane: In this trailer,. the viewer is immediately thrown into a state of disequilibrium by the sentences appearing on the screen and then seeing an unmanned plane.The snakes then progressively spread throughout the plane, increasing the state of disequilibrium. Once again, the state of equilibrium is never instated because the last part of the trailer shows a snake attacking.
My narrative will partly follow Todorov's Equilibrium theory, just like the above trailers do. I will start off with a state of equilibrium, as in known facts, then move to a state of disequilibrium. However, my teaser trailer will not return the narrative to a state of equilibrium.
Psycho: This trailer is a bit different as it starts with a disequilibrium, a woman being murdered in a shower (backed by one of the most famous tunes in the motion picture universe). However, it then goes to a state of equilibrium when we see the motel and some of the characters. As the trailer advances, the state is slowly set back to disequilibrium when the viewer realises that the motel and some of the characters aren't all they seem to be. The trailer never really returns the narrative to a state of equilibrium, as the mysteries of the motel and the characters aren't resolved. But then again, that is the point of a thriller trailer. To make the viewers ask themselves enough questions to go and pay money to see the film.
Shutter Island: The state of equilibrium presented at the beginning of this trailer is 2 Federal Marshalls investigating the escape of a patient from a high security asylum. At this point , the viewer might think that this will be a simple story of finding clues and eventually discovering how the patient escaped. However, as the trailer goes on, we can see that it mostly involves Leonard Di Caprio's character, and the viewer can see him in scenes not set on the island, and scenes set on the island but where he doesn't look like a Marshall. The viewer then starts to realise Shutter Island may not only be about an escape, but also about how the asylum affects an outsider. This gives the viewer 2 reasons to see the film, and two reasons to part with a small amount of money. Once again, the trailer doesn't return the narrative to a state of disequilibrium.
Snakes on a Plane: In this trailer,. the viewer is immediately thrown into a state of disequilibrium by the sentences appearing on the screen and then seeing an unmanned plane.The snakes then progressively spread throughout the plane, increasing the state of disequilibrium. Once again, the state of equilibrium is never instated because the last part of the trailer shows a snake attacking.
My narrative will partly follow Todorov's Equilibrium theory, just like the above trailers do. I will start off with a state of equilibrium, as in known facts, then move to a state of disequilibrium. However, my teaser trailer will not return the narrative to a state of equilibrium.
Propp's Stock Characters Theory
Propp claimed that there are 8 different types of characters in a narrative: the hero, the villain, the donor, the dispatcher, the false hero, the helper, the princess and her father. Some of these characters can be found in the trailers.
Psycho: The hotel receptionist, who isn't completely sane, can be perceived as the villain. He can also be seen as a false hero, as he seems to be helping the woman when she arrives. This woman is perceived as the princess, the woman in danger.
Shutter Island: Leonardo Di Caprio's character can be perceived as the hero, because he is the protagonist. There are 2 possible villains in this trailer. The woman who escaped the asylum but also the warden, Ben Kingsley's character. He could also be the false hero, as he is trying to help the Marshalls but when the viewer sees that the asylum isn't all it seems, his motives could be questioned.
Snakes on a Plane: All the snakes are the villains in this trailer. Samuel L. Jackson's character is without doubt the hero. The air hostess could be the princess based on the trailer, but viewing of the film could change that.
Some of Propp's stock characters will be in my trailer. However, my narrative doesn't follow a classic storyline. Also, not all stock characters feature in all trailers.
Psycho: The hotel receptionist, who isn't completely sane, can be perceived as the villain. He can also be seen as a false hero, as he seems to be helping the woman when she arrives. This woman is perceived as the princess, the woman in danger.
Shutter Island: Leonardo Di Caprio's character can be perceived as the hero, because he is the protagonist. There are 2 possible villains in this trailer. The woman who escaped the asylum but also the warden, Ben Kingsley's character. He could also be the false hero, as he is trying to help the Marshalls but when the viewer sees that the asylum isn't all it seems, his motives could be questioned.
Snakes on a Plane: All the snakes are the villains in this trailer. Samuel L. Jackson's character is without doubt the hero. The air hostess could be the princess based on the trailer, but viewing of the film could change that.
Some of Propp's stock characters will be in my trailer. However, my narrative doesn't follow a classic storyline. Also, not all stock characters feature in all trailers.
Questionnaire
Here is the questionnaire I created to get a better idea about what to put in my trailer:
Please answer the following questions
by filling in the circles and writing where necessary.
1) What gender are you?
o
Male
o
Female
2) How old are you?
o
16
o
17
o
18
o
18+
3) What is your favourite film genre?
o
Thriller
o
Comedy
o
Romcom
o
Horror
o
Action
o
Other
4) Which way do you prefer to watch a
film?
o
DVD
o
Cinema
o
On
Demand
5) What do you expect to see in a
trailer?
o
The
cast of the film
o
Information
on the narrative
o
A
lack of information, to keep the tension and mystery.
6) Which is the most recent thriller
you’ve seen?
............................
7) Do you think the soundtrack is
important in a thriller?
o
Yes
o
No
8) Do you prefer films to be fictitious
or based on a true story?
o
Fictitious
o
Based
on a true story
9) What period of history do you prefer
films to be set in?
o
Past
o
Present
o
Future
10)
How
long do you expect a thriller trailer to be?
o
30
seconds to 1 minute
o
1
minute to 90 seconds
o
90
seconds to 2 minutes
o
Over
2 minutes
Analysis of Questionnaire Results
I have analyzed the results of the questionnaire using pie charts. I shall go into a more detailed analysis below. 10 questionnaires were answered.
My sample for this questionnaire was split 50/50 in between males and females.
One question I could not put into a pie chart was Which is the most recent thriller you've seen?
All the thriller fans gave the name of a recent or classic thriller. Those who didn't select thriller as their favourite film genre didn't see a thriller recently, or couldn't think of one, or didn't even know how to recognise a thriller.
The preferred viewing method for a film is the cinema. Most people mentioned DVDs as a 2nd choice due to its convenience. A couple claimed that they only used on demand when they had nothing to watch.
50% of the people interviewed thought that getting information on the narrative whilst watching a trailer was the most important.
90% believed that the soundtrack is important in a thriller. A couple of thriller fans even stated they found it was the most important aspect of the genre. The one person who thought it isn't is a fan of comedy films, so therefore may not have enough experience to realise the importance of soundtrack in a thriller.
A large majority of people interviewed, 80%, preferred to watch a film based on a true story. All 3 thriller fans preferred true story based films.
60% of the questionnaires came back with a preference for stories set in the past. 40% preferred films set in the present. None of the people interviewed preferred films set in the future over the other 2 time periods. Once again, thriller fans are also fans of thrillers set in the past.
60% of people expect trailers to last from 30 seconds to a minute. the other 40% are equally divided between 1 minute to 90 seconds, and over 2 minutes.
Based on these answers, I can see that my thriller trailer should be set in the past, based on a true story, featuring mainly information on the narrative, a prominent soundtrack, and should be between 30 seconds and 1 minute long. Well luckily, I had something like that in mind.
Treatement
The analysis of posters and trailers has helped me get an idea of what my teaser trailer should be like. The questionnaire has also helped me to see what others expect in a thriller trailer.
Title: The Frozen Truth
Narrative: This film explains the conspiracy theory surrounding the Titanic “accident”. The White Star Line, owners of the Titanic, also owned a sister ship called Olympic. This ship was damaged in a crash but wasn’t insured, so an already poor company faced a huge loss of money. The conspiracy theory claims that the Olympic was switched with the Titanic, which was insured, was slightly patched up and then crashed on purpose to get money. It also claims that the British Government helped to cover up the plot, due to the owner of White Star Line also owning the company providing the Government with steel for war weapons.
The audience can expect another side to the Titanic incident as the word Frozen links to the ships’ fate and the iceberg which is what caused the ship to sink. The word Truth links it to the story.
The narrative does follow the Todorov’s conventions of equilibrium, disequilibrium, and equilibrium as known facts of the Titanic accident are shown (numbers of people on board, fatalities, etc.), then a new theory is revealed, and the theory is explained.
Originally, the characters wer going to be the CEO of White Star Line and a couple of his employees. However due to complications on the day of filming I had to cut down to the CEO and one employee, and give the lines of the 2nd employee to the 1st one, on top of his own.
One of Propp’s stock characters is present in my narrative, the villain, as in the CEO of White Star Line. He could also be perceived as a false hero, as he’s trying to save his company.
Levi Strauss’ Binary Opposition theory is relevant to an extent, as in the opposition of good and evil, and also right and wrong concerning the plot, and the choice between human lives and the fate of a large company.
My trailer will follow Barthe’s enigma Code since I don’t intend to reveal every detail about the plot, therefore keeping the audience's attention and intrigue. Also, Titanic will only be seen and said once. Once again, the final trailer will only feature the word Titanic, not the ship itself. This is because I couldn't film it in water as I'd intended, due to the airfix model I bought for this shot and the poster. Even the manufacturers claimed there was no way of making it float.
First then Final Planning of Trailer
Initial Planning (refer to original storyboard)
Props
Titanic Model for shot 14
Locations
Office for shots 9 and 11
Corridor for shots 3, 4, 5 and 7
Large expanse of water for shot 14
Characters
Boss
Man 1
Man 2
Costumes
Suits for Boss, Man 1 and Man 2
Final Planning reflecting finished trailer (refer to new storyboard)
Locations
Outside Wollaton Hall for shots 4, 6, 9 and 10
Characters
Boss
Employee
Costumes
Suit for Boss (provided by actor)
Suit for Employee (provided by actor)
Props
Titanic Model for shot 14
Locations
Office for shots 9 and 11
Corridor for shots 3, 4, 5 and 7
Large expanse of water for shot 14
Characters
Boss
Man 1
Man 2
Costumes
Suits for Boss, Man 1 and Man 2
Final Planning reflecting finished trailer (refer to new storyboard)
Locations
Outside Wollaton Hall for shots 4, 6, 9 and 10
Characters
Boss
Employee
Costumes
Suit for Boss (provided by actor)
Suit for Employee (provided by actor)
Copyright confirmation
For my trailer, I used the DJ Prince NegaaFellaga's song Introduction, for which a youtube video can be found below. Here is a printscreen of the Facebook message I sent him asking him for the rights to use his song. After 2 messages, he never got back to me.
New Storyboard
Due to changes being made during the day of filming and the editing process, and complications to do with my model of the Titanic, I decided to make a new storyboard, seen below.
Trailer
Here is the product towards which all the research and planning has contributed to, and from which the ancillary tasks will feed off: the teaser trailer.
Trailer Outtakes
I did this video as some light relief, and to show that no matter how much planning and research goes into a project, something will always go wrong.
Ancillary Task: Film Poster
Here is part 2 of the ancillary task: the film poster I designed for my film, following the trends and regulations of the film posters I researched and analysed.
Own images authentification
I have posted this photo of the model Titanic I bought to show that the picture on the film poster is my own, as I made this model myself.
Ancillary Task: Film Magazine Cover
Here is part 1 of the ancillary task, the fictional film cover magazine reporting on my film trailer.
Evaluation
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
To show how my media product is linked to real media products, I have taken nine different aspects of forms and conventions and captured 9 different framesof my trailer to demonstrate each one.
1) The title of the film: This frame is situated in the last few seconds of the trailer. I did this to keep the sunspense about the name of the film, and to make the viewer wonder and ask questions about the plot but also the title.
2) Setting & location: I used the outside of Wollaton Hall as a seeting as it is an old yet mice looking building. As my trailer is set around 1912, I needed to find a location that seemed plausible and where there was little risk of anachronisms, which are elements that weren't present at the time the film is set in, for example a car or plane. Wollaton Hall is also the kind of place where two high ranking members of the White Star Line Company could be expected to meet.
3) Costumes & props: Just like the setting and location, the costumes worn by the actors also had to be in accord with the times the trailer is set in, to increase the verisimilitude. I asked the 2 friends to wear suits, which they seemed comfortable enough doing and could provide their own.
4) Camerawork and editing: I used captions at regular intervals in the trailer to show or explain what I coudn't through standard video. My camerawork mainly involved mid to close up shots of the actors, to show their expressions, the setting, and their costumes.
5) Title font and style: For the captions I put in the trailer, and for the title on the poster for the film, I used a special font I found online which has a steel, nuts and bolts type design. I though this was appropriate for a film about the Titianic, as it was a huge construction. I put the font in a light blue colour to represent cold and ice, linking it to the Titanic's demise, but laos to show that truth can be a cold, scary hing.
6) Story and how the trailer is set up: My trailer opens with a figure, which those that know a bit about the Titanic may be familiar with: 2201 people on board. This is my state of equilibrium. I then throw the trailer into a state of disequilibrium by questioning wherever or not it was an accident. As this is a trailer for a thriller, I decided to not restore the state of equilibrium.
7) Genre and how the trailer suggests it: The genre of the film shown in my teaser trailer is the thriller genre. Such as shown in picture 7, I respect the thriller genre by asking the viewer questions. I also have a deep, quick soundtrack, and quick edits and close camera shots, all of which were elements that I found in the trailers I researched and analysed.
8) How characters are introduced: There are 2 characters in this trailer: the CEO of White Star Line, in the grey hat, played by James Cooper, and a high rankign employee in the black hat, played by George Palmer. The CEO is shown as unforgiving and a businessman with no morals or limits, whereas the empoyee is seen as more merciful and humane, trying to stop the plan of his boss, as shown in image 8.
9) Special Effects: I mainly used edits and photo effects as special effects. Both of these can be seen in shot 2. Here I bring an old looking family photo in. I took this photo at a family gathering, then gave it an old fashion effect during the editing stage of the trailer. This is to represent the passengers and to also furthermore give the impression of a film set in the past. The photo is introduced and removed with a wave like transition to link it to water, as the Titanic is a ship that sunk, so it is likely that some photos ended up, and were lost, in the water.
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The film magazine cover and film poster both compliment my main product, the film trailer, by reflecting the dark atmoshpere of the film, with the lack of bright colours on the spoter. It also gives very little information away about the film, just as the trailer does.
I found that other thriller posters were also quite dark and mysterious, all lacking information about the film's narrative.
3. What have you learned from audience feedback?
To receive audience feedback I linked the blog to my personal Facebook Wall, and asked people to leave their feedback and opinions in the comments section.
From this first set of feedback, I realised that I had a good base but certain things needed improving, such as spelling, syntax and certain colour schemes
The things about my trailer that remind me of other trailers, such as the ones that I've researched and analysed, are the captions, the quick scenes and the fast paced music.
The strenghts of my trailer are that it follows conventions of standard trailers. Also, to my knowledge, this subject has nver been used for an A2 Media Studies coursework project, or even a full production real film. It is therefore unique, and more interesting. The idea came from a book I was reading in the summer, and I already knew I didn't just want to film teenagers running round the woods and call it a horror film, as I knew this had been done many times before and there was no real challenge in it.
I would say that the weaknesses of the trailer are the captions. Most traiers would have them more animated and better quality. Then again, I could only work with the programs I had at my disposal, which are nowhere near the quality of those used by professional video editors.
4. How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
The big new technology that I used for all stages of this project is the one you're using right now: Blogger. I had heard of blogs before, but never visited or used one regularly. Everything I have done whcih is linked to the trailer is on this blog.
I also needed to use a video editing program for the construction stage. I used one which I woned personally and had used several times before, Adobe Premier Elements 7. Although it isnt' the best program on the market or the most recent version, I found it was good enough to make my trailer. Other than that I mainly used the same programs I used for AS level. Word, Google Images, Excel and YouTube were used for the research and planning stages. I brought in PhotoShop and Publisher ofr th creation stages i.e the film magazine cover and the film poster. All pictures and videos were captured using my own Nikon Coolpix camera, and most of the work was done on my own Acer laptop.
Conclusion
All in all, this project has been an enriching experience. Despite the technical difficulties, it has allowed me to leanr how to use new programs, whic I will definitly use for non educational purposes in the future, but it has also allowed me to look more into a subject I'm interested in, and to share it with others. I would like to thank my friends James Cooper and George Palmer for helping out and agreeing to play a role in the trailer, and all those who have encouraged me to do this project, but also all those who tried and failed to make me do a simpler trailer. It is my conviction to prove them wrong that partly drove me to complete this project to the best of my abilities.
To show how my media product is linked to real media products, I have taken nine different aspects of forms and conventions and captured 9 different framesof my trailer to demonstrate each one.
1) The title of the film: This frame is situated in the last few seconds of the trailer. I did this to keep the sunspense about the name of the film, and to make the viewer wonder and ask questions about the plot but also the title.
2) Setting & location: I used the outside of Wollaton Hall as a seeting as it is an old yet mice looking building. As my trailer is set around 1912, I needed to find a location that seemed plausible and where there was little risk of anachronisms, which are elements that weren't present at the time the film is set in, for example a car or plane. Wollaton Hall is also the kind of place where two high ranking members of the White Star Line Company could be expected to meet.
3) Costumes & props: Just like the setting and location, the costumes worn by the actors also had to be in accord with the times the trailer is set in, to increase the verisimilitude. I asked the 2 friends to wear suits, which they seemed comfortable enough doing and could provide their own.
4) Camerawork and editing: I used captions at regular intervals in the trailer to show or explain what I coudn't through standard video. My camerawork mainly involved mid to close up shots of the actors, to show their expressions, the setting, and their costumes.
5) Title font and style: For the captions I put in the trailer, and for the title on the poster for the film, I used a special font I found online which has a steel, nuts and bolts type design. I though this was appropriate for a film about the Titianic, as it was a huge construction. I put the font in a light blue colour to represent cold and ice, linking it to the Titanic's demise, but laos to show that truth can be a cold, scary hing.
6) Story and how the trailer is set up: My trailer opens with a figure, which those that know a bit about the Titanic may be familiar with: 2201 people on board. This is my state of equilibrium. I then throw the trailer into a state of disequilibrium by questioning wherever or not it was an accident. As this is a trailer for a thriller, I decided to not restore the state of equilibrium.
7) Genre and how the trailer suggests it: The genre of the film shown in my teaser trailer is the thriller genre. Such as shown in picture 7, I respect the thriller genre by asking the viewer questions. I also have a deep, quick soundtrack, and quick edits and close camera shots, all of which were elements that I found in the trailers I researched and analysed.
8) How characters are introduced: There are 2 characters in this trailer: the CEO of White Star Line, in the grey hat, played by James Cooper, and a high rankign employee in the black hat, played by George Palmer. The CEO is shown as unforgiving and a businessman with no morals or limits, whereas the empoyee is seen as more merciful and humane, trying to stop the plan of his boss, as shown in image 8.
9) Special Effects: I mainly used edits and photo effects as special effects. Both of these can be seen in shot 2. Here I bring an old looking family photo in. I took this photo at a family gathering, then gave it an old fashion effect during the editing stage of the trailer. This is to represent the passengers and to also furthermore give the impression of a film set in the past. The photo is introduced and removed with a wave like transition to link it to water, as the Titanic is a ship that sunk, so it is likely that some photos ended up, and were lost, in the water.
2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The film magazine cover and film poster both compliment my main product, the film trailer, by reflecting the dark atmoshpere of the film, with the lack of bright colours on the spoter. It also gives very little information away about the film, just as the trailer does.
I found that other thriller posters were also quite dark and mysterious, all lacking information about the film's narrative.
3. What have you learned from audience feedback?
To receive audience feedback I linked the blog to my personal Facebook Wall, and asked people to leave their feedback and opinions in the comments section.
From this first set of feedback, I realised that I had a good base but certain things needed improving, such as spelling, syntax and certain colour schemes
The things about my trailer that remind me of other trailers, such as the ones that I've researched and analysed, are the captions, the quick scenes and the fast paced music.
The strenghts of my trailer are that it follows conventions of standard trailers. Also, to my knowledge, this subject has nver been used for an A2 Media Studies coursework project, or even a full production real film. It is therefore unique, and more interesting. The idea came from a book I was reading in the summer, and I already knew I didn't just want to film teenagers running round the woods and call it a horror film, as I knew this had been done many times before and there was no real challenge in it.
I would say that the weaknesses of the trailer are the captions. Most traiers would have them more animated and better quality. Then again, I could only work with the programs I had at my disposal, which are nowhere near the quality of those used by professional video editors.
4. How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
The big new technology that I used for all stages of this project is the one you're using right now: Blogger. I had heard of blogs before, but never visited or used one regularly. Everything I have done whcih is linked to the trailer is on this blog.
I also needed to use a video editing program for the construction stage. I used one which I woned personally and had used several times before, Adobe Premier Elements 7. Although it isnt' the best program on the market or the most recent version, I found it was good enough to make my trailer. Other than that I mainly used the same programs I used for AS level. Word, Google Images, Excel and YouTube were used for the research and planning stages. I brought in PhotoShop and Publisher ofr th creation stages i.e the film magazine cover and the film poster. All pictures and videos were captured using my own Nikon Coolpix camera, and most of the work was done on my own Acer laptop.
Conclusion
All in all, this project has been an enriching experience. Despite the technical difficulties, it has allowed me to leanr how to use new programs, whic I will definitly use for non educational purposes in the future, but it has also allowed me to look more into a subject I'm interested in, and to share it with others. I would like to thank my friends James Cooper and George Palmer for helping out and agreeing to play a role in the trailer, and all those who have encouraged me to do this project, but also all those who tried and failed to make me do a simpler trailer. It is my conviction to prove them wrong that partly drove me to complete this project to the best of my abilities.
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