Change of Genre

I was originally planning of producing a psychological thriller. However, now I have thought of a location and a narrative for my teaser trailer, I believe it would be more relatable to a horror genre.  My initial ideas for my trailer would be having one young girl in the forest, looking ghostly, singing a nursery rhyme, as nursery rhymes are iconic of childhood. So using a child would be more effective than using a teenage or middle aged actress. I want to have the girl singing a nursery rhyme. For example, at the moment I am thinking 'Jack and Gill' so when the girl sings in a creepy, whispering voice 'Jack fell (pause) Down.' It feels more dramatic and is emphasised when it cuts to people in the forest struggling (falling) down in danger. After the ghost girl has sang each line, it cuts from the girl to action in the forest. The action is unexplained as the conventions of all teaser trailers are to with hold information and keep the audience engaged.

Conventions of Psychological Thrillers and Moodboard

The selection of images I have chosen in my mood board are a variety of shots from the two films 'The Skeleton Key' and 'The Others.' I have chosen these because they all consist of the most vital ingredient in horror and psychological thrillers. Low key lighting. They all show an extreme amount of darkness and dark mis-en-scene. There are also a lot of close ups, extreme close ups and high angled shots used which help to create atmosphere. I also think the image with the crucifix candle is effective as the cross most often represents protection from evil so we are aware that maybe a devil or poltergeist may be in the film. The high angled image of the candles surrounding the woman also suggest that she is trying to protect herself. The light from the candles also create a sinister atmosphere as there is low  key lighting so our eyes may mis judge images as our eyes can play tricks on the mind and exaggerate how scary a monster or situation can be. finally, a telephone is also a very iconic item within the horror genre. As the female character has mascara all over her face, we can tell the she is upset and in discomfort. The use of a phone emphasises that the characters can communicate with others, all if they are in an isolated area then they are completely alone and no one come help them. They are so close, yet so far to reach for help.


Definition of Psychological Thrillers 
Characters are no longer reliant on physical strength to overcome their enemies (which is often the case in typical action-thrillers), but rather are reliant on their mental resources, whether it be by battling wits with a formidable opponent or by battling for equilibrium in the character's own mind. The suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying upon one another's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state'


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_thriller

Conventions Of Thrillers

• Lots of darkness, low key lighting, contrast in shadows, 
• Quick shots, change in camera angles and montage editing to accentuate action
• Withholds back story information to keep audience engaged
• Common elements in psychological thrillers are mind games, stalking, obsession, psychological themes, deathtraps, change in personality, murder
• Music that increases tension
• iconography and locations of thrillers are old mansions, isolated areas, misty or dark places set at night as this is when people feel most vulnerable, stairways, mirrors, death, flashbacks.
• Disorientation of time and space

Trailer Analysis of Paranormal Activity 2

I have analysed paranormal activity 2 as my teaser trailer will be a horror/psychological  thriller so this relates to my final product. I believe that this is a very effective trailer as you don't get to see lots of gore or scary looking things. This trailer  plays more on the audiences fears as it is the things you do  not see that appear more frightening.

(If the presentation is not visible, then please follow the link below)

http://www.slideshare.net/04freej/paranormal-activity-2-trailer-analysis

Paranormal Activity 2 Trailer Analysis

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I have analysed paranormal activity 2 as my teaser trailer will be a horror/psychological  thriller so this relates to my final product. I believe that this is a very effective trailer as you don't get to see lots of gore or scary looking things. This trailer  plays more on the audiences fears as it is the things you do  not see that appear more frightening.

(If the presentation is not visible, then please follow the link below)

http://www.slideshare.net/04freej/paranormal-activity-2-trailer-analysis

Analysis of Toy Story 3 Teaser Trailer

Toy story 3 Teaser Trailer Analysis

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I decided to analyse the Toy Story 3 trailer to begin my research as this is one of the few teaser trailers which do not full fill the usual codes and conventions as they show the characters recreating the recognisable logo which the footage is not used in the film. Instead it just reminds us of the familiar characters that are in the film to create hype of the new films existence, without suggesting any of the story line.

The Distribution and Exhibition of Teaser Trailers

Most trailers are produced simultaniously as the film is being edited which will be released in the cinemas. The trailer campaign must be previewed far enough in advance to generate hype, excitement and awareness of the films existence, but not so early that people forget about the film before it is even released. Frequently, a very short version of the trailer, known as a ‘teaser’, is released early on in the marketing campaign to give people an idea of what the film entails and to multiply enthusiasm around the release. The majority of films now have websites to accompany their release. These teaser trailers are often seen first online. After this, theatrical campaigns (shown in cinemas) and television spots begin to appear to maintain and strengthen the initial ‘buzz’.

When releasing a film they are often globally staggered. This is when the film is released in different countries at different times. Now with new media technologies, this has changed the way full films are previewed as well as the final profit of the film. For example, pirate copies are conceived due to individuals who record the film in cinema and then upload it online illegally. The overall profit is then affected due to the films being free. Films can now have a 'Blanket Release' where the film is shown globally at the same time in order to reduce the international trade.

Teaser trailers can be viewed traditionally in cinemas which are viewed with a film that has a similar genre and what the target audience would be interested in to immediately engage them. Trailers are very popularly observed through their initial website or through YouTube. YouTube is one of the quickest ways to access a trailer. 

Viral marketing is a very contemporary way to entice the audience. 'The Dark Knight' followed this marketing tool and became incredibly successful as the target audience had to earn their information which revealed 'The Gothem Times' which acknowledged the fictional newspaper which was passaged in the film. When the audience retaliated, they were sent on a treasure hunt which if followed through, a trailer would be revealed. it earned more than $1 billion in revenue worldwide, making it the seventh highest grossing film of all time.

For my ancillary products, I need to choose between two of the following.

a) Film magazine front cover

b) Poster

c) Webpage

At the moment I am interested in constructing a magazine front cover and a film poster. These show the promotional package as a whole and that its not only the trailers which help sell and promote the product.

Posters

A teaser poster or advance poster is an early campaigning film poster, containing a basic image or design without announcing too much information. For example, the plot, theme, and characters. Although, usually an image of the star persona is shown on the front cover to evoke the audience. Some other information can be previewed on more detailed posters. such as the directors name, reviews and credits. The purpose is to create awareness and generate hype for the film. A tagline may be included. There are some instances when teaser posters are issued long in advance before the film goes into production, although they are most likely to be issued during the films development.

Here is an example of a teaser poster from the film Avatar. It fills the convention of showing a basic image with only the title of the film

Film Magazines

Film magazine front covers usually display the star persona(s) in the centre of the page, filling the whole page. The mast head is positioned at the top whilst . They also advertise other feature fillms to branch out in to wider target markets to receive larger profits for the increased number of people who purchase and consume them. Like magazines across all genres they continue to follows ingrediants including puffs, coverline, strapline, plug. date barcode and sometimes their exclusive website. Here is an example of the film Bourne Identity. It shows the star person and we can identify that it is an action film with the iconic guns as props

Web pages

Web pages for films can often be shown on posters to stimulate audiences to research more about the film and create hype. They often include games, characters and stars, gallery and much more. The deciding images and colour palette are decided upon the genre and specific target market.

For an example of a films web page for 'Alice in Wonderland 3D' please follow the link (below)

http://www.disney.co.uk/DisneyMovies/alice/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_poster#Types_of_film_poster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_(film)
http://www.filmeducation.org/teachingtrailers/secondary/downloads.htmlhttp://www.filmeducation.org/teachingtrailers/secondary/downloads.html

Codes and Conventions of Teaser Trailers

• Only made for big budget companies and popularly themed movies as independant film companies lack in budgets. Therefore cannot produce trailers of high quality.
• It is a shortened version of a theatrical trailer which lasts between 30 and 60 seconds.
• To 'tease' the audience to want to view the film, teaser trailers often contain as little information on the content of the film to project an upcoming movie
• Teaser trailers also commonly activates with fast cuts. For example, rapid montage editing, or begins with a slow pace, gradually accelerating. A vital code and convention is that they are released a long time prior to the films exhibition (mainly a year or a year and a half)
• They also present the most intriguing parts of the film, without spoiling the plot for the audience, as teaer trailers have limited time to grab their audience. They are also not previwed in chronological order
• Lighting, sound, shots and the overall atmosphere depend upon a particular genre. For example, horror films stereotypically would contain dark low key lighting and shadows accompanied with mysterious music to create an intense atmosphere. Where as, a comedy would bright and include happy, cheerful music to entice their audience.
• The films title is usually not viewed until the end, after the trailer has built to a climax where it then ends.
• Sound is very important in a trailer, particularly the music which accompanies the action, which can conduct our emotions and construct a specific atmosphere. The voiceover, a feature of advertising, is used to summarise aspects of the story and emphasize credit information where appropriate. Like every other element of the trailer, the voiceover also promotes the film by building our anticipation.
• The star personas often help advertise a film due to fans of the star and also helps understand the genre of the film. 

For my teaser trailer I plan to follow the majority of these conventions as I believe these are the worthwhile ingredients to help engaging audiences and encouraging to sell a product in this particular area. I believe this is because most trailers would not follow these rules if they were unsuccessful.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaser_trailer

What is the purpose of Teaser Trailers?

For my A2 level media project I have chosen the medium of producing a teaser trailer which will be accompanied by an original piece of music and possibly a voiceover. First of all, I have researched on why teaser trailers are assembled and how they are composed. The most vital reason is that they are used as a marketing devise to promote an upcoming film. Teaser trailers are usually very short in length, between 30 and 60 seconds. They contain little, if any, actual footage from the film to create awareness and hype for the film.


They are usually released long in advance of the film they advertise, to make people aware of its existence. Teaser trailers inherite their name from 'teasing' the audience to want to view more and recieve more information about the film. This is one of the main 'Unique Selling Points.' 
Teaser trailers and often be confused with theatrical trailers. The main differences between the two are theatrical trailers flesh out the plot of the film previewing some of the best parts to increase the audiences enthusiasm and entice them to see the film, without producing spoilers. They also exist for a longer length of time, usually 2- 3 minutes. Trailers have become highly polished pieces of advertising able to compliment even poor films in an attractive light. 

To develop a clear understanding of the involvment in teaser trailers, I am going to find out the codes and conventions of teaser trailers, to help and encourage me to develop my skills for my own teaser trailer product. 


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_(film)