The images below represent that of the horror parody genre. All of the images apart from one are that of "Scary Movie," with the one exception being "The Cabin in the Woods," which is another classic film in the horror parody genre. Other films in the horror-parody genre include "Shaun of the Dead," and "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil."
For the mood board I tried to go for screenshots that represent both the horror and comedy aspects of the genre. For example, I included the image of the crying woman in the woods at night to help represent the horror aspect of the film and the genre as a whole. I also included one of the key shots in the trailer, the wide shot of a house at night, to again help represent the horror genre.
However, I feel the other images help to represent the much more slap-stick, comical nature of the genre. For example the "Don't answer the phone," text, which people will know serves to mock the general horror cliche if they have seen the trailer. Also, the main antagonist of the movie, "Ghostface," (who is mocking the villain from the Scream series) can be seen in two of the shots. I think Ghostface looks quite comical within the Scary Movie franchise, and thus decided to include images of him within the mood board. A poster for "The Scary Movie Collection," is also shown, showing many bizarre, out of the ordinary characters on the front. This is of course conveying the very slapstick elements that the Scary Movie franchise incorporates.
I think the mood board helps to represent conventions of the genre by firstly featuring a mixture of comedic and horror shots (as previously mentioned.) It shows the "Using satire on horror cliches as it's main source of humour," element with the "Don't answer the phone," picture, which also of course links with the parody and spoof elements of the genre. I also think clear example of gallows humour can be seen in the mood board, with the villain holding up a comical looking knife while looking into the camera.
I think in terms of visual style, a clear style can be identified from the mood board. Quite dark, bold colours are used throughout like black, red and dark orange. It is important that the colours visible are not all dark or not all bright, so people know that both happy and sad elements are exploited within the medium. I think this compromise of dark colours presented in quite a bold and bright way helps to represent the comedy-horror genre as a whole. This is something I should consider when making my trailer.
What idea have I chosen for my main task? For my main task, I have chosen to go with the horror parody idea. This idea, as stated in my pitches, will be in a similar genre to films such as the "Scary Movie," franchise and "The Cabin in the Woods." In other words, it will be in the same genre as films that mock the horror genre. These films tend to make out that the horror genre is bland and predictable, and features a bunch of cliches that crop up in almost every film, such as victims running in the woods, answering the phone to strangers, talking to reporters and generally making stupid decisions so they end up getting killed.
I would exploit these conventions in my final piece, making sure to make the film trailer seem as cliche as possible. As such I would use some of the classic cliches that are found in horror movies. My plot would probably revolve around a pair of teenage boys who are driving before their car breaks down. Realising they have no cell reception, they get out of the car and wave their mobiles around to try and pick up a network. They hear noises in the woods around them, and one of them decides to investigate. This person is killed, and the other one is left stranded at the car. He has a gun on him and fires it, yelling at whoever is in the woods that they are armed and dangerous. The villain would then emerge right behind him, attempting to strangle him. The villain would then get blatantly shot in the head but would simply stand up again to attack him as if nothing has happened. The trailer would end on some kind of cliff-hanger, such as the remaining victim running away into the forest or the villain pulling the victim into his own car and tying his hands together.
I would make sure to exploit the comedy aspect of the trailer to a high degree, whilst at the same time still making the trailer tense and atmospheric. This is important as both the horror and comedy genres have to be exploited in order to yield a successful product within the comedy-horror genre. I also need to make sure that the trailer is not overly cheesy and keeps in line with real movie trailer conventions. In other words, the trailer needs to be made as a serious product and careful attention to detail needs to be applied in order to build atmosphere, even though the trailer will have slapstick elements to it.
After we have made our main task we have to make some ancillary products to support it. As I am doing a trailer, I have three options to choose from for my ancillary products, which are a website, a poster and a magazine front cover. Out of these three options I have to choose two that I will go ahead and make. I am not yet sure which two options I will choose, as I first want to focus on making the actual film trailer. I feel that after making the trailer, it will be easier to decide which two ancillary products would be most suited for the trailer.
(Below, my 100 word breakdown summarises the story of my trailer)
What idea have I decided to go ahead with?
As stated in my previous, introductory post, I have decided to make in the comedy-horror genre.
I have come to this conclusion through audience feedback as well as basing it off of my own preferences. Out of my three initial ideas, I felt this one had the most versatility in terms of how it can be made and structured. I found the connecting of comedy and horror genres quite interesting, and feel there is a lot that can be done within the genre.
I feel comfortable working with the horror genre, as this is largely something that I investigated last year when I made my thriller piece "Unresolved." However the comedy genre is not something I am so comfortable in making in. The reason I have decided to go ahead with the comedy aspect of the genre is because I think it will be more interesting than straight up horror and gives me the opportunity to research into other conventions and come out with a better understanding of how film trailers/openings work generally, rather than just those representing a specific genre.
If I find the comedy aspect of the piece too difficult I can always switch to purely horror, which will probably not be too difficult concerning the script and the props as the horror aspects will be there anyway. If I shoot the trailer and watch it and find it not to be very funny, then I can simply switch the genre of the piece from comedy-horror to simply horror. This way, there will be no confusion in the possible genres involved and there is less risk with making the trailer in the first place.
When I shoot my final trailer I will make sure to incorporate certain shots into it so I am sticking to genre conventions. From my timeline analysis of "Scary Movie," as well as general research into the genre, I can infer that a mixture of close shots, medium shots and long shots are used throughout. An establishing shot should be used as well to build atmosphere. These are shots that are often used in comedy-horror movies, and as such act as conventions of the genre.
For scene-setting I will make sure to have creepy locations to show that the genre does involve horror, while also giving away that comedy elements belong in the genre as well, perhaps through having cheesy props or a creepy environment with light visible in the distance. I will have quite a simple narrative which will be easy to follow (again sticking to the genre conventions) with few characters.
For lighting, I will have a mixture of dark and bright lighting (again referring to the timeline analysis for "Scary Movie.") This is to help show the contrast between light and dark, and thus the difference in the horror and comedy aspects of the trailer.
What have I learnt from my research?
To leave more options open when it comes to our main task and to have a very clear idea of how film trailers work, we were tasked with researching into two non-genre specific films which could potentially be the genre of our main task. Genre-specific wise I chose to look at the comedy genre, specifically sub-genres of comedy such as action-comedy (The Nice Guys), and horror-comedy (Scary Movie), as this is the genre I want to exploit in the main task. For my two non-genre specific films however, I chose the horror genre and the documentary genre. This is because I feel if I was not successful with the comedy genre these would be two possible genres that I would try next.
Choice 1- Horror genre- Don't Breathe
For my first non-genre specific idea, I chose to look at the trailer for "Don't Breathe", a horror movie which has just recently been released in the UK. The movie is contemporary, potentially meaning conventions found in the trailer represent the current state of the horror genre. I looked at editing, mise-en-scene and lighting within the trailer.
Editing
Editing wise, I found that the trailer differs in its approaches. For example some parts, like the beginning and the middle, have slow editing in order to build tension. However the last third of the trailer has very quick editing. This use of montage editing signifies that the films tension builds to something and that there are fast-paced, dramatic scenes in the film as well as slow ones. This is probably done in order for the trailer to appeal to a wider market. The music builds in sync with the rapid increase of editing and shots used, to show perhaps that the film gets more and more dramatic as it goes on (a horror convention.)
The shots used in the trailer include an establishing shot, reaction shots, long shots and low angle shots. I think that the reaction shots definitely help to portray the fear that the characters are feeling, and thus make the trailer more entertaining to watch. The establishing shot of the trailer with a city skyline visible, and the long shot of the blind man's house, help to build the atmosphere as it establishes location, and pinpoints to the audience where the action is going to be unfolding. As the locations look quite eerie and threatening, this will make the trailer more frightening for the audience. The low angle shots that are used (which are, for the most part, also reaction shots), I feel help further develop the characters emotions, which is important for a film of this nature. I think that it is shot from a low angle in some cases simply to make the trailer more visually pleasing. When the low angle shot is used for the villain in the trailer it is perhaps showing the power and dominance he have over his victims.
Mise-en-scene
For mise-en-scene, I observed that the environments used are environments typically associated with the genre, for example an establishing shot with a city skyline, an abandoned house, and dark, barely lit corridors. Again, this was probably done to make sure the film appeals to the masses (audiences tend to like the familiar.) In the actual environments themselves there is little in the way of physical items. For example the rooms in the house where the thieves break in are quite bare and void of any distractions. I feel this lack of props helps with the overall effect of the trailer, as it makes the house seem more empty and as such more eerie and creepy. The shots are all relatively simple as well, with the things that the audience should be paying attention to clear in the shot. I feel this is done as the horror genre as a whole is quite a simple genre, usually containing no "deeper meanings," or moral messages. As such, shots and set designs used are often simple to convey this idea. Saying this however, mise-en-scene is important in order for the audience to feel captivated, and this is an aspect that the trailer for "Don't Breathe," ultimately exploits.
Lighting
The lighting in the trailer is very dark. Although the lighting starts off quite bright (though still somewhat murky), this is only to show the increasingly dark and sinister tone of the film as the shots get darker and darker, both literally in the lighting and in what is shown on screen. As can be seen from the screenshots, the environment surrounding the characters tends to be murky and hard to make out, with the characters standing out from their backgrounds. I feel this is done for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it makes the characters seem somewhat more important, as they physically stand out from their environment. It attaches importance to them, and makes the audience aware of the fact they should be paying the most attention to them. Also, it really adds to the horror feel of the film, as the dark shadows and environments that surround the characters add a sense of paranoia to the experience of watching, as you never know what could be lurking in the shadows or round the next corner.
Sound
In the trailer, the music starts off with quite a slow, sad tone. The music is not intense or out of the ordinary in anyway, perhaps representing the state of equilibrium that horror movies often start off with. Once the thieves break into the house, the music then stops, building tension. Then, when the villain appears in a dark doorway, increasingly sinister music begins to play, which builds and builds as the action increases on screen. Then, in the last scene which is presumably in the basement of the house, the music stops again. This complete absence of music makes the trailer more scary, as the audience is waiting for something to happen and all we can hear is the worried voices of the people in the basement.
Dialogue wise, we hear important conversations between the characters that help advance the plot within the trailer itself, so the audience have a rough idea what the story is by the end of it. This is another convention of trailers, to show certain key plot points within the trailer so the people that go and watch the film will have a rough idea on what the plot is.
Within the trailer for "Don't Breathe," we hear that the thieves are breaking into the man's house as he is blind (so he is an "easy" target) and because he has lot's of money. We then learn that one of the thieves gets attacked and shot by the blind man, and that the other two get locked in and have to try and avoid him. We learn this through lines such as "There has to be a way out of here," and "He's coming." There is also a hint of another plot point in the film as we briefly see a woman (whom we can hear screaming) who looks to be locked up in what could be the basement of the house. This intriguing plot device could make more people want to go and see the film, as they will want to see if there are any twists in the film and anything that could take them by surprise. This is important as enigma is a convention that often makes the horror genre so successful.
Narrative structure
The trailer, as typical to a lot of trailers, plays out in a linear fashion. From the trailer we get a rough idea of what the story is, which is three thieves break into a blind man's house because he has a lot of money. It is then revealed that the blind man is not nearly as vulnerable as they first thought and the tables turn; they are now being hunted by him.
I think the fact the trailer is shown in a linear fashion is important for the horror genre especially, as the audience need to have a rough idea of how the film will play out to add to the tension of the media. I think this is less important for a genre such as the comedy genre (something to consider when I make my trailer). I think this trailer in particular is successful with it's narrative structure, as it is easy to follow whilst at the same introducing an element of enigma and being somewhat intriguing as well.
Choice 2- Documentary genre- Touching the Void
For my second non-genre specific idea, I chose to look at the trailer for "Touching the Void," a documentary film which was released in 2003. I looked at the editing, mise-en-scene, and overall style of the trailer.
Editing
Editing wise, I found the trailer quite peculiar and not typical to the usual conventions of trailers. This is because the trailer is almost advertising for two films, one half advertising for a documentary and the other half advertising for an action film. I feel this is done in order for the film to appeal to a wider market, as action films generally sell a lot more than documentary films. If the film was, for example, just made and advertised as a documentary, it would not sell nearly as much copies as if there are actual actors, set pieces and action sequences. This film shows that the documentary genre can mix with the action genre, and be successful. The film was received well, receiving 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1/10 on IMDB.
The first half of the trailer is styled in a much more conventional, documentary styled way. This is because there are slow shots of, for example, a boot lying next to a closed book. Audio wise there are voices narrating over what is shown on screen (which are the slow shots and text describing the experience of the mountain climbers.) This again is a typical documentary convention, with the real people describing their experiences to the audience.
The second half of the trailer strongly juxtaposes with this however. The voice-overs are gone, and instead we are suddenly bombarded with dramatic, action film music. On screen, we can see extravagant action scenes taking place, for example someone falling off a mountain and someone cutting a rope with another person attached to the other end. These scenes could easily be found in the trailer for a new action blockbuster, and so to place them side by side with previous scenes which would usually be found in a documentary is both intriguing and mildly confusing. I feel this is what the producers were aiming for when making the trailer, to make the film seem as interesting as possible so people will go and see it. Indeed the trailer is accurate to the movie, as (having seen the movie myself) this is largely how the film plays out, with documentary styled scenes cleverly interspersed with high-energy, high-octane scenes of action.
The shots used in the trailer include sweeping birds-eye view shots, long shots and also close shots. I think that the mixture of long shots and close shots (for example a long shot of the Andes compared to a close shot of one of the character's faces) makes the trailer more intriguing and all the more peculiar. The sweeping high angle long shots definitely serve to make the trailer more dramatic, and help set the scene for the action that takes place in the second half of the trailer.
Mise-en-scene
For mise-en-scene, similiar shots of environments and landscapes are used throughout. Certain similarities can even be found in the shots within the first half of the trailer and shots within the second.
For example, there are numerous shots of a boot hitting the snow beneath it (these shots can be found in both the first and second half), which signify that this is a drama documentary on a hiking expedition. This is an example of how mise-en-scene quickly and easily gives away what the film is about.
Visible in the trailer are the Andes where the film is set, this time establishing where the film is set rather than what the film is about. I feel the mise-en-scene is successful in the trailer as it gives away a lot about the film's material whilst at the same time not giving away any spoilers which audiences may want to avoid (although such a scenario is less likely in this case considering this is a documentary.)
Props that you can see in the trailer include hiking gear, a rope, a knife and animals such as a lizard and camels. These represent the outdoor nature of the movie and, again, give away certain aspects of the film which is what trailers are supposed to do.
Lighting
For lighting, I observed the lighting and environments to be very bright and "in your face." I feel this is accurate as it represents where the film is set, which is the snow covered Andes. This can also be linked with themes of the movie. As the film is very dramatic and "edge of your seat," I think the lighting has to represent this and should fit with the action shown on screen. As such the intenseness of the brightness on screen fits with the overall feeling of the movie. The lighting is not just bright however. In some parts of the trailer the colouring is very grey, and in other parts very black. Whatever colouring is used is used to the extreme, for example the greyness of a snow storm or the scene where one of the mountain climbers looks up at the night sky, where everything within the shot has a very dark colouring to it. I think this is done to add to the intenseness of the movie, as strong colouring in a particular shade often makes the visuals more dramatic. As this is a dramatic film, I think these kind of visuals are necessary, especially in the trailer where producers want to make the trailer as convincing as possible.
Sound
Sound-wise, the trailer starts off with the unmistakeable sound of wind blowing, presumably over a vast, empty landscape. This immediately makes the trailer dramatic and intriguing, however not to the point where it is over the top. This is important, as the first half of the trailer has more of a documentary feel to it than the second half. Then the narration starts, over a sweeping, birds-eye view shot of the Andes. The first line of narration is "We knew a number of expeditions had failed on it, so we knew it was hard." This, like the sound of the blowing wind, serves to intrigue the audience and make the trailer immediately engaging. The second line is "At some point you're going to have to rely, wholly, on your partner." This line further engages the audience, as well as now giving away a key component and theme of the film, which is relying on partners and the element of trust that comes with that. The lines of dialogue get more and more dramatic as well as cleverly giving away more details about the film as a whole, finishing on the line "As soon as I saw it, I knew it had been cut." The slow, ominous music that had been building along with the sound of the wind suddenly erupts into dramatic music that plays loudly over scenes of action, telling the audience that what they can see on screen now are scenes in the film that are full of adrenaline. The trailer slows down briefly at the end, where the wind sound returns and the last line is spoken "I thought this is it, this is as far as this game goes." I think the trailer ends on this note because it is effective, as it again slows down the thought process of the audience and will leave the trailer lingering in their heads after they have finished watching.
Narrative structure
Unlike the trailer for "Don't Breathe," this trailer does not follow a particular linear style. This is a typical trailer convention that it is breaking.
Instead of being linear, the trailer shows a selection of random scenes from the film, especially in the second half, where action is taking place. For example we see shots of a man falling down a mountain and a rope being cut. This means the story we can gauge from what is happening is difficult to identity, as the shots are following no sort of order. It should be worth mentioning however that the voice-overs that are in the first half of the trailer do have a sense of order, as the lines of dialogue get increasingly dramatic as the trailer progresses.
The sense of story we get from the trailer however is not very detailed at all, though the main gist of what is happening (man gets cut off from rope and separated from partner) should be able to be identified by most.
For my second timeline analysis I analysed the first 30 seconds of "The Nice Guys," trailer. This is because this links to my first pitch, and one of my ideas which is buddy-cop action comedy.
Like the last timeline I went through the first 30 seconds of the trailer and took note all of the shots that were used. I observed that the trailer uses establishing shots, close shots, medium shots, long shots, reaction shots, over the shoulder shots, wide shots, eye line match shots and logos.
Although at this stage I think I am going to go with the horror parody idea, if I were to make in this genre I could make sure to refer to these shots as I made it. For example, starting with an establishing shot to build atmosphere and to identify time and place (this is important for "The Nice Guys," as it is set in Los Angeles in the 70's), and using long shots, close shots, and medium shots throughout. Like in my previous timeline analysis, I feel all of these shots are exploited in the trailer to make it more visually dynamic and exciting. If I were to make in this genre, I think I would make use of all three as it is quite an "exciting," genre.
In this trailer the logos are used quite close to the start as well, starting at the 18 second mark and finishing on the 20 second mark. They are quick and snappy and fit with the tone of the trailer. This is another thing I could think about if I were to make in this genre. There are also quite a lot of reaction shots used. I think this helps to build the comedic side of the film, as showing the characters reactions to strange events and occurrences is comedic, not only making the audience laugh but also giving them a key sense of how the film will play out. This is an important convention of a trailer, as the audience will want to know what they are paying money to see.
For my timeline analysis I decided to analyse the first 30 seconds of the "Scary Movie," trailer. I decided to do this is as, at this stage, this is the genre I think I want to work with (horror parody.) I decided to analyse "Scary Movie," because it was the basis for one of my pitch ideas to represent the genre, and I feel that it represents the mood that I want to achieve with my final piece.
I went through the first 30 seconds of the trailer, taking note of all of the shots that were used throughout. I observed that the trailer uses an establishing shot, tracking shots, close shots, two shots, head-on shots, medium shots and long shots. When I make my final film within the genre, I could refer to this and possibly use some of the same shots in a similar order, as "Scary Movie," is an example of a successful film within the genre.
For example, at the start of my trailer I could use an establishing shot to help create atmosphere, just like the first 3 seconds of the "Scary Movie," trailer. I could also use a mixture of close shots, medium shots and long shots (as is in the trailer) to help make my trailer more dynamic and visually interesting. Long shots, like establishing shots, help to build atmosphere and establish environments, which is often important for horror movies (although not so much comedy movies.) As "Scary Movie," obviously has a horror element to it, I feel this is why the long shot's are used at such a high frequency. As such, this is something I should consider doing in my final piece.
Close shots are also important however, to show the reactions of certain characters (also often known as a "reaction shot.") Close shots however are not used with as much frequency as the long shots within the first 30 seconds. However I think I will make good use of them within my final film as well as the long shots.
What are conventions of the Comedy-Horror genre?
In comedy-horror movies, "Gallows humour," is often an element that is used. Gallows humour is defined as being humour that stems from very unpleasant, serious or painful circumstances. For example, if someone were to make a joke about war or disease then that joke would be defined as being gallows humour.
Within the comedy horror genre specifically, gallows humour is quite important because it allows the audience to laugh at the unpleasantness that they see on screen. For example in the movie "Shaun of the Dead," many violent things happen such as people get ripped apart by zombies, but it is done in a comical way. For example when Shaun and Liz try and rescue David from being eaten by zombies and they end up pulling his legs off. This is Gallows humour, as it is making light of dark events that are happening.
The same thing can be seen in "The Cabin in the Woods." Many of the characters die in horrible ways, but we never take the action too seriously as the film is obviously exploiting gallows humour to be funny.
I think that to make a successful film within the comedy-horror genre, I need to carefully exploit gallows humour. I would probably have initially done this without even knowing what it was as the comedy-horror genre is just that; making fun of dark things that are happening. However, I think now I know exactly what gallows humour is it will help with the overall production of the media piece as I can use it as much as I can.
From my research into the genre, I can also gather that the horror and comedy genres have been closely associated with each other for a long time. In literature, many novels have taken advantage of both the horror and comedy genres. For example many nineteenth century authors used black humour in their horror stories. For instance after the publication of "Frankenstein," many comedic parodies were made.
The first commercially successful comedy-horror movie is said as being "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein," which is a 1948 American film directed by Charles Barton.
Another thing I found from my research into the genre is that the comedy-horror genre generally has three elements, which are black comedy, parody and spoof. Black comedy is a genre which is very closely related with the comedy-horror genre, and inevitably both genres tend to cross over a lot. Parody is also obviously an element that will be used, as comedy-horror movies are generally making fun of horror movies. This links with the "spoof," element of the genre as well.
I found that the majority of comedy-horror movies will use "satire on horror cliches as it's main source of humour." It will also sometimes take a story and change it so it pans out differently for comedic effect. Successful films in the genre that manage to exploit all the conventions correctly are said as being films that will both scare you and make you laugh within the same scene. This is obviously hard to pull off, making the comedy-horror genre quite a challenging genre to work with.
I had 3 initial ideas, which were the buddy-cop action comedy, the slapstick Mr. Bean comedy and the horror parody. I have analysed the trailer which represents the buddy-cop action comedy (The Nice Guys) and the trailer which represents the horror parody (Scary Movie) and a clip from Mr. Bean. I have picked up several of the techniques that were used by the producers to make the genre of the pieces specific and clear, and have gauged how mise-en-scene is used to help also identity what the genre is. Idea 1: Buddy-cop action comedy
Editing
I have learnt that the genre (buddy-cop action) requires a fast paced, dramatic atmosphere in order to work. I know this from watching the trailer for "The Nice Guys," as well as "Cop Out," which is another genre specific film. Having also seen "The Nice Guys," at the cinema, I picked up several of the techniques that were used that ultimately made the film a success (remember the film was quite highly regarded by critics, receiving 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 70% on Metacritic.) These techniques again include the fast paced narrative, dark environments juxtaposing with dialogue from the characters (to show somewhat that it is a dark comedy), and a dramatic, highly energetic atmosphere. If I were to go ahead with this idea, I would have to make sure to incorporate these ideas in order for the media to work. From my timeline analysis I found out that the trailer makes good use of close shots and reaction shots, as well as also having an establishing shot. Long shots were not used very much in the trailer. This is perhaps because the attention in the trailer is largely on the props and the individual conversations between characters.
Mise-en-scene
The film takes place in Los Angeles. This can immediately be seen from the establishing shot that is the first shot within the trailer. After this initial establishing shot however, the shots within the first 30 seconds are quite closed off. For example the inside of a front living room can be seen, as well as the inside of a restaurant and the inside of a car. This can be linked with the lack of long shots in favour of close shots and reaction shots.
Quite a lot of props can be seen within the first 30 seconds of the trailer. For example a car, a gun, a razor and a notepad, amongst more. I think this amount of noticeable props within the first 30 seconds is useful as it gives the trailer more context, and thus may make watchers more likely to go and see the film. I think the closed off environments that can be seen in the trailer help to give it more context as well, as we are focusing on individual things that are happening and so our understanding of the story is clearer from watching the trailer.
Lighting
The trailer for "The Nice Guys," features a number of different lighting techniques. For example at the start of the trailer it is day and a lot can be seen, however as the trailer progresses it suddenly becomes night, and the shots are generally a lot darker. I feel this mixture of light and dark shots helps to make the trailer more visually pleasing, as well as dramatic. I think the fact it is night in certain shots helps to make the trailer more exciting, simply because it is dark which makes it more intriguing. I think the mixing of the light and dark shots helps to show that this film has both dramatic and comedy elements to it. This is important, as this is something I will need to consider as I am making in a sub-genre of comedy. This juxtaposing of shots to help establish genre will be important when I make my trailer, and will be something I need to consider. I have ultimately learnt from analysing lighting within this trailer that the lighting of the shots does help with establishing the genre and making the trailer easier to follow.
Sound
The sound within the trailer is very noticeable and loud. There is music playing in the background from the first shot, which kicks off immediately and instantly sets the tone of the film. However, this music does stop briefly quite early on when we listen in on the first conversation, between one of the cops and an old women. This is so we can concentrate on the conversation, as the conversation is humorous and as such is important for the effect of the trailer to work. However the music does pick up again after this, with the same upbeat tune as before. As previously mentioned this music does set the tone, as the tone of the film is very dramatic and "in your face." I feel that the music helps to portray this idea and as such is successful within the trailer. There are more conversations between the characters in the trailer, however the music does not stop for them and keeps blaring away. Again, I think this helps to show the mood of the trailer, as in the film (which I have seen) there is a lot going on, with a lot of things happening at once. In other words, the film is very high octane and full of energy, and the trailer definitely helps to present this idea.
Narrative structure
Unlike some trailers, this trailer does not follow a linear structure. Instead, random parts of the film are interspersed throughout. However the dialogue of the trailer does follow a rough order, as from the conversations we can hear the two detectives when they are first introduced to each other and when they are explaining their jobs. However the action we can see from the trailer is interspersed throughout, perhaps to make the trailer feel more high octane to help represent the film better.
Idea 2: Slapstick comedy
Editing
From studying this genre (slapstick comedy) I have learnt that a more basic approach is needed in order to make the media successful and funny. From studying the popular clip from Mr. Bean (which has over 6 million views on Youtube so is obviously regarded as a classic scene - good to represent the genre), I picked up on the fact that the clip is very slow paced and is very subtly edited. This contrasts strongly with the trailer for "The Nice Guys," inferring that these are two very different sub-genres within the comedy genre. The editing is slow as only 3-4 shots are used throughout the entire clip, including the predominant head-on shot and the side shot, as well as occasional cuts to the invigilator who is telling them how much time they have left in the exam. I feel this slow editing is used as to not distract people from the actual action that is taking place on screen. As slapstick comedy is a very subtle genre (meaning one often needs to pay attention to the small details to find the content funny), the editing should not be distracting or over-the-top in any way.
Mise-en-scene
This basic style carries over into the mise-en-scene of the clip as well. The props used are only designed to help identify the environment clearly for the audience (a classroom.) The lighting is quite dim, and the characters wear dark, unremarkable clothing, again as to not distract the audience. Other people can be seen in the background behind the two central characters, to help establish that it is a classroom environment.
The props that can be seen include a desk, a pen, and an exam paper. These props all help to show that it is a classroom environment, and ultimately helps to establish the genre and the mood of the clip. I think the rather basic approach to mise-en-scene within the clip is successful, as it is not distracting and instead serves to simply add to the context of the clip. For this reason, I think the mise-en-scene is a success within the clip.
Lighting
The lighting of the clip is quite dim and not very eye catching. I think this can be linked with the lack of props in the scene, as in it is trying not to distract the audience from the action that is taking place between the two characters. As what the characters are doing, plus their facial expressions, is of great importance for the sake of the comedic value of the clip, then it is important that the audience are not distracted by what can be seen around the characters and how the lighting is portrayed.
Sound
There is little of the way of sound in the clip. The clip, as it is from Mr. Bean, obviously does not exploit much dialogue, with the attention mainly being on the actions of the characters and their facial expressions. This is true for all of Mr. Bean, not just the clip I am analysing. There is also little to no music in the background. Again, this is a convention of the Mr. Bean franchise.
As the dialogue is scarce and there is no music, the result is a clip that is very low in sound. What can be heard however is the sound of laughter in the background, which is a classic sitcom convention. This laughter can be heard quite frequently throughout the clip, and is often all we can really hear. We do hear however the sounds of other characters speaking, such as the exam invigilator. We can also hear other sounds such as Mr. Bean rustling his exam paper, and people coughing in the background. These subtle sounds make the clip more comedic by allowing us to pay attention to the small details. As the slapstick comedy genre as a whole is a very subtle genre, the audience being able to pay attention to the small details that are taking place is crucial.
Overall I think sound is effective within the clip, and manages to be subtle and add to the comedic aspects whilst at the same time sticking in the background and not distracting from the actual action on screen.
Narrative structure
Unlike the other two genre specific mediums that I am analysing, this clip is not a trailer and is instead an extract from an episode, meaning the narrative structure is likely to be different. Indeed, the clip does pan out very differently to the other two mediums that I am analysing, which are both trailers. The clip is linear, meaning things are shown in the order that they happened. This contrasts with both the trailers, which both have non-linear narratives and instead use montage editing to show a selection of random clips. I think the narratives contrast so strongly because they both have very different purposes. The clips from the trailers are deliberately placed to make the audience want to go and see the film, however the clip is simply made to entertain, as it a section of an episode.
Idea 3: Comedy-horror
Editing
I have learnt from this genre (horror parody), that horror and comedy elements need to be scrupulously placed together to make it clear to the audience that the said media is horror-comedy. From analyzing the "Scary Movie," trailer, I have observed that the editing is fairly fast paced and jumpy. It immediately incorporates the genre-specific conventions from the very start of the trailer, having a dark opening immediately preceding a laughable, slapstick moment. The first scene of the trailer is a parody of the opening scene from "Scream," where a woman answers her phone with a voice on the other end asking her increasingly strange questions. This should be clear to fans of the horror genre. The trailer helps to show the coming together of horror and comedy by having a mixture of light and dark scenes in the trailer (as in light/dark lighting.) It goes even further than this however, by literally putting comedy sections from the film side-by-side with horror sections, such as a crying woman running through a wood in the pitch black with a piano falling down a staircase.
There is also text in the trailer which basically spells out that this is somewhat a comedy film. This is because it gives away several horror movie cliches to avoid, one of them being "Don't talk to reporters."
The shots that are used include an establishing shot, tracking shots, and a mixture of close shots, medium shots and long shots.
To summarise editing, the trailer has fast paced editing, a clear juxtaposition of horror and comedy scenes from the film in the same trailer and text which adds to the comedic value of the film.
Mise-en-scene
Quite a lot can be seen within the trailer. Props include a phone, a car, a knife, a villain with a full costume and a swing. I think these props all help to add the genre, as for example the knife and the swing help to show that this film belongs somewhat to the horror genre. For the most part, the props are necessary in expanding the story within the trailer, such as the phone and the knife. Some of the props however, such as the swing outside the house, do not expand the story and instead serve to build atmosphere.
Within the trailer we can see the interior and exterior of a house, as well as numerous other outdoor/indoor shots. I think this range of interior and exterior shots makes the trailer more visually exciting as well as perhaps showing the divide between the comedy and horror genres, as the exterior shots tend to be darker in nature than the interior shots.
Lighting
I think lighting is closely related to mise-en-scene for this trailer. As previously mentioned, there is a mixture of dark and bright lighting in the trailer to help show the divide between comedy and horror, which also links with the interior/exterior shots that I picked up on in mise-en-scene. Within the first 30 seconds all the shots take place at night time, however the interior shots are noticeably brighter in lighting than the exterior shots. After this however, some of the exterior shots take place at day time. These scenes are typically showing the comedic side of the film, rather than the horror side. This again shows that the brightness in lighting represents the comedic aspects of the film, which juxtaposes with the darker shots (such one of the characters running in the woods and a women getting run over by a car) which represent the horror aspects of the film.
Sound
At the start of the trailer, up until the 22 second mark, there is no music. Instead, we can hear a conversation taking place between one of the protagonists and the antagonist, over a phone. I think this lack of music helps to build tension. A lot of horror trailers often start with no music for just this reason; it is unnerving and helps to build tension. There may also be no music so we can simply concentrate on the conversation that is taking place between the two characters. This conversation is quite important, as audience members who pay attention and know the horror genre well will know that the scene is mocking the opening scene of "Scream," which is a popular horror movie. If they know this, then they already know that this movie serves to mock the horror genre.
However at around the 22 second mark, some quite cheesy, upbeat music suddenly begins as one of the characters gets chased by the villain. This is a very quick way of telling us that this movie should not be taken too seriously, and instead of being purely horror it is a comedy-horror.
I think the sound is effective as, like the lighting, it cleverly shows the mixture of horror and comedy elements. The lack of music in the first twenty seconds shows that there are horror elements involved, and that the movie does build tension, however the music afterwards tells us that the comedic elements are there as well and ultimately dominate. The same can be inferred from the conversations that the characters have. Some are serious and some are very comedic.
Ultimately, I think the sound in the trailer does a good job of showing the mixtures of the genres, and I think I should refer to this use of sound when I make my own trailer within the genre.
Narrative structure
This trailer follows a somewhat linear style. The shots that we can see are more linear than the trailer for "The Nice Guys," however they are obviously not as linear from the clip from "Mr. Bean."
The opening scene that we can see in the trailer is the opening scene to the film, and the shots that follow take place in roughly the correct order. However as the trailer progresses, the shots become more and more spread out and interspersed. I think this is necessary as it helps to make the trailer more dynamic. However the first 30 seconds (which is specifically the time period in which I based my timeline analysis), the shots are shown in linear style, which I think helps to build tension and make the trailer funnier as we understand the story and the subtle references.
After coming up with our ideas and putting them into a power point we had to present them to others to get feedback on our chosen ideas/genres. I presented my ideas for the slapstick comedy, the horror parody and the buddy cop action comedy. Initially, I was thinking it would be likely that I would make in the buddy-cop action comedy genre, as this is what me and a friend thought would be the most interesting. However, after my partner dropped Media Studies (again), I was left to my own devices, and I started to think that perhaps my other two ideas would be most suitable. However, I still thought that the buddy cop action comedy would be the most likely.
However, after making my pitches and gaining audience feedback, I found that the people watching found the other two ideas to be more interesting and intriguing. For my first pitch (the buddy cop action comedy) the general consensus was that it would be very difficult to make. This is because I would have to be very considerate in my use of props, to make it realistic. For example things such as police cars, police uniforms and weapons such as guns. My teacher informed me that I would also have to pay very close attention to the script to make sure that the genre is clear in the final piece.
For my second pitch, me and my audience agreed that the idea is the most simple of the three and would therefore be the easiest to make. This is because this idea, unlike the other two, is not a sub-genre of comedy and is pure slap-stick comedy in it's conventions. However, my audience and teacher said again that I would need to be careful with writing my script to make sure that it is funny and is successful in the end. Overall however, my audience were a lot more keen on this idea than the first one.
For my third and final pitch, the reactions from the audience and my teacher were the most positive. One audience member said they thought that it would be easier to film in terms of camera shots and angles, as the trailer would be mocking the horror genre and as such would be easier to exploit. Another audience member also said that the idea was funny, and would be good if "it was done in the right way." When asked at the end what idea the audience preferred, they all said the last one, for reasons such as it is the funniest, the most interesting, and the easiest genre to make in. One person said they found it the most interesting because of the juxtaposing of horror and comedy genres.
There was one concern, which is how I would make it clear that the trailer is funny and has comedy aspects to it when it would contain people getting shot in the head and/or running away from a psycho killer. I responded to this by saying I would make it initially clear that it was comedy by having jokes, and making it seem "overly cheesy."
I feel the feedback has been very helpful in my choice process. My final idea at the time of writing is the horror parody. I feel this is partly because of the opinion of others, and partly because of my own change of heart.
A trailer, simply put, is a video usually of around 2 minutes in length, which is designed to persuade and convince people to go and see a movie. The trailer will typically feature some of the best moments from the film in order to "show off," the movie as much as possible. Despite this, people who make the film trailers have to be careful not to include any spoilers in the trailer, as this can often annoy fans and people who are planning on seeing the movie.
Key conventions of a movie trailer
Movie trailers have a number of key conventions which most abide by. These conventions include:
-Film production logos. This immediately creates an idea of the type of film that is about to be advertised, as well as perhaps appealing to a larger market due to some people having seen films (and enjoyed them) from the same production company in the past.
-Film title. This will obviously be included in every trailer so people know the name of the film. This can also give clues to the mood, genre and setting of the film.
-BBFC age certificate.
-Character introductions. This is important, as before going to see a film many like to have a rough idea of who the central characters are and what their personalities/ intentions are like. Also, introducing the characters means people watching the trailer will be able to identify the actors/actresses behind the characters. If they have seen previous films with the actors and enjoyed them, this could convince a wider audience to go and see the film.
-Music. This is important as it helps to set the tone for the trailer, and can also give people a sense of the budget of the film.
-Name captions and release dates- This will usually be shown at the end of the trailer. This is important as, like the credits at the end of the movie, it states who is involved and who the main actors/actresses are. Giving the release date is also important so people know when to expect to be able to see the film.
Comparing trailer to short film
I will be comparing the trailer to "127 hours" trailer to short film "Plastic," by Sandy Widyanata.
Analysing "127 hours" trailer Editing
The trailer uses a wide variety of shots to show off the film. From the trailer we can see close shots, medium shots, long shots, wide sweeping shots, POV shots and high angle/ low angle shots. I think this wide use of shots is very effective in the trailer, as it gives the trailer an energy that I think can also be seen in the film itself. The subject matter of the film is quite unusual, as it involves one central character who gets his right arm stuck behind a boulder. If this were to be explained to someone who had never seen or heard about the film before then they might think it would be quite a closed off, slow moving film with not much momentum, as it essentially features one man who is trapped in a canyon as it's subject matter. I think the trailer serves to diminish this viewpoint by making it seem a very energetic film, which is valid as the film itself is also energetic and fast moving, despite it's subject matter.
However the trailer does make use of slow editing as well, as opposed to the fast montage editing that can be seen elsewhere. For example when Aron Ralston talks to his video camera about the situation that he is in. This again is valid in terms of the film, as the film does exploit slow moving, more sentimental scenes as well as fast moving ones. Overall I think the trailer in terms of editing is very successful, both in making the trailer entertaining to watch and in painting a good idea of how the film will pan out with it's conventions.
Mise-en-scene
The props that can be seen in the trailer include a rucksack, a water bottle, a car, a map, hiking costumes and of course the rock that is trapping the protagonist. I think even though the props are not all crucial for the development of the story in the trailer, they are crucial for building the atmosphere and for setting the scene. For the audience to be fully invested and convinced by the environment, the props that they see must be relevant and make the environment seem authentic. I think the props are successful in doing this.
Landscape wise, we can see a mixture or shots from inside the canyon and shots from outside. This is clearly done to make the trailer as visually dynamic as possible. Obviously quite a lot of the shots need to be from within the canyon that the protagonist is trapped, as this is predominantly the space in which the film pans out.
Lighting
Even though a mixture of bright and quite grainy, dark lighting is used, I think the trailer makes more use of bright lighting. I think this is to convey the feeling of hope which is spread throughout the film. Certain shots, like those where Ralston is talking into his video camera, are quite grainy and dark, as are shots where he looks into his water bottle at his decreasing supply of water. This helps to show the ups and downs in his mood and his hope, and is something the film makes good use of as well.
However bright shots are predominantly used. Again, this is to show the strong feeling of hope as opposed to despair. This is important, as the feeling of hope contrasting with despair is one of the key conventions of the film as a whole.
Sound
The trailer starts off with very upbeat, happy music, with a very fast moving tone to it. However, about halfway through the trailer, the music suddenly stops. After another period music comes back, however this time the music is softer and slower, introducing a sad but somewhat hopeful tone to the trailer. I think this is very effective.
I think the reason the trailer starts off with upbeat music is to show how unexpected the accident was for Ralston, and how much it took him by surprise. We can actually see the rock crush his arm within the trailer, and it happens very suddenly, conveying the feeling of surprise that he felt and making the audience feel the same.
Numerous lines of dialogue can also be heard in the trailer despite the music. There is a mixture of shots where Ralston is taking to his video camera, as well as shots where he is talking to other people, such as other hikers. This mixture of shots helps to show the contrast between his trapped state and his free state, and perhaps the feelings of hope and despair. I think the lighting is quite similar in this approach as well, as similarly examined.
Narrative structure
The trailer does follow a very rough linear style, however shots of when he is trapped and when he is free are interspersed throughout. For example, the opening shot of the trailer is actually that of when is trapped in the canyon, when he is talking to his video camera. However the trailer does have an order to it, as it shows the time before Ralston was trapped roughly preceding the time in which he is trapped.
I think the rather random order of the shots makes the trailer more interesting to watch as we are seeing his story from a multitude of different angles all at once. We are almost bombarded with different events that are happening, which I think links with editing where I mentioned that the trailer is deliberately fast moving and high octane to convince people that the film is not slow moving and/or boring (due to it's story.)
Analysing short film: "Plastic." Editing
The short film uses a variety of shots within it's medium. Long shots, medium shots, close shots, extreme close shots and reaction shots are all used within the short film. However, medium and close shots are used at a much higher frequency than the long shots. The short film also makes use of montage editing, especially near the start of the trailer, where the main character is getting dressed.
I think this use of montage editing and the wide variety of shots that are used is effective, as the short film is quite closed off, meaning it takes place essentially in one room (apart from the last minute.) As it does this, I think having a magnitude of different shots and angles is important to make it entertaining. This is especially true as within the first third of the short film not much is actually happening. The main character is shown as getting dressed and talking on the phone to her boyfriend, and there is not much actual action.
I think the reaction shots that are used help with the comedic element of the short film. They take place when the main character is changing and distorting her face, and her reactions to the differences serve to make us as the audience feel more amused.
To summarise, the editing is quick and full-on despite the plot, probably because this is a short film and as such memorable shots need to be used in order for the medium to be successful with it's short running time.
Mise-en-scene
As mentioned previously, the short film takes place predominantly in one apartment. Within the apartment we can see things typically associated with the environment, such as clothes scattered on the floor, toiletries, a TV and a bin. The one thing that is somewhat out of the ordinary that we can see in the apartment is the moth, which is large and stands out from it's background, both through it's colour and it's movement.
I think mise-en-scene is largely successful within "Plastic," as a lot of what we can helps to build the picture that the short film is taking place in an apartment.
The last minute of the short film however strongly contrasts with everything that preceded it, as it takes place outside. In these shots, we can see a city landscape, and the closing shot of the short film is that of a slow pan upwards with a city landscape dominating the mise-en-scene. I think this is effective as this is what the short film concludes with, meaning everything was building up to this point. I think the fact that it ends on such an exterior shot will mean the short film stays in peoples heads for longer, and perhaps makes them think more about the subject matter and the finishing line from the characters.
Lighting
All the shots that are used within "Plastic," are quite dark, almost sinister looking shots. Even the final exterior shots clearly take place in the evening when the sky is darkening. I think this is simply done to represent the mood that the creators are tying to convey through their short film. The short film itself is meant to be quite sinister and mysterious, as well as getting people to think about what the overall message of it is. The rather dark lighting that is used throughout is probably meant to signify these themes.
This could be seen as being representative of short films generally, as because they are obviously going to be short in running time every shot has to count, and as such mise-en-scene and lighting both have to represent the overall message and themes of the film within each take. I think the lighting is successful overall and links nicely with the story and what is actually happening on screen.
Sound
The short film goes through stages where music is and isn't used. Music is typically used when the main character is getting dressed and looking at her reflection in the mirror. The music is quite unusual, helping to represent the unusual tone of the short film.
However when there is dialogue between the main character and her boyfriend, the music disappears. This is probably so we can concentrate on what the characters are saying, as because it is a short film we need to understand exactly what is happening.
Again this could be representative of short films generally, as because the running time is short every bit of dialogue between the characters is important and as such there should be no distractions, such as music playing or extravagant sound effects.
Sound effects are used when there is no dialogue. For example when the main character changes the size of her nose, we can hear the sound that it makes (a stretching sound) which I think makes the short film more comical.
Overall I think sound used is effective throughout, and is only used when necessary to add to the overall effect of the short film. Narrative structure
The short film plays out as a completely linear piece of media. Everything that happens happens in the order that it played out, and there is a clear beginning, middle and end. This could potentially represent short films as a whole, as because it is short there is no time for changes in narrative, for example skipping ahead to the future or interweaving past and present.
Comparing and contrasting "127 hours" trailer with "Plastic" short film
Both the trailer and the short film share similarities. For example they both make good use of the reaction shot. In the short film, the main character looks into a mirror, and in the trailer the main character looks back at themselves from a video camera. Both mediums make quite good use of this particular shot, and both for a similar reason as well, which is to show how the respective characters are reacting to their environment and the situation they find themselves in.
Also, both trailer and short film make strong use of a range of different camera angles, despite both being set in a relatively small space.
However, they both have differences as well. The "127 hours," trailer is not nearly as linear as the short film. This is predictable, as trailers in general will be much more interspersed and non-linear than short films, as their purpose is to persuade rather than to tell a story.
I think both mediums have very different purposes on the whole. The trailer is obliviously intended to attract people to the "127 hours," film, whilst "Plastic," stands on it's own ground, and intends to portray messages and ideas through solely it's 6 minute run time. I think these differences in conventions will be found in the majority of cases when trailers and short films are analysed, and as such I feel that this particular analysis which I have done is representative in the differences in conventions on the whole.
How are film/artists promoted? How has this changed in recent years?
In the contemporary market, films are usually promoted through forms of visual media. This includes film trailers on sites such as Youtube and through forms of social media. Films have not always been promoted in this fashion however. For example films used to be advertised a lot more heavily on the radio than it is today. People would read film advertisements in the newspaper or on other forms of print media, such as billboards and physical posters. Even TV advertisements are not strong in the contemporary market anymore. This is because the "digital era" is taking over and more and more people are using the Internet and digital devices over watching the TV. Saying this, some forms of physical advertisement are more popular now than they used to be, for example advertisements on the side of buses and in train stations etc.
Old form of advertising vs new form of advertising
What different forms of marketing do we see?
In the media currently, the forms of Media we generally see are films trailers on the Internet instead of on TV or in newspapers. This is due to the proliferation of hardware and content that has taken place within the media, with the rise of sites such as Youtube and Twitter, which help promote films that are being released. However films are still advertised in newspapers and on the TV, at a higher frequency than before even, however the rapid increase of digital technology/ social media means a higher percentage of people are consuming this type of marketing as opposed to the former.
Logos for Youtube and Twitter
Innovative example of promotion
When Toy Story 3 was released in 2010, an advert was released on Youtube featuring a 1983 dated bear, appearing to be filmed on VHS tape. It was uploaded to a Youtube channel that, beforehand, uploaded videos of real adverts of toys in the 80's. People soon began to realise that the bear in the trailer was one of the new characters being introduced in Toy Story 3, and the video soon gathered over a million views. Later on, leaflets were handed out to students advertising for jobs at "Pizza Planet," which is a fictional venue from the first movie. There was a link on the leaflet which led people to a Facebook event page, inviting them to a special screening of the film at their respective universities. This is an example of how Disney are making use of rapidly growing social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook, in order to attract as many people as possible.
How is digital technology being used to promote films?
In the contemporary market, digital technology is often used in order to promote films. Three ways that films are often digitally promoted include viral marketing, cross media convergence and through forms of social media. Viral marketing is simply marketing that is spread over the Internet through word of mouth. For example advertisements that display on the side of websites or adverts that exploit social media and encourage people to share with others.
Promotion of films through social media means people will share their thoughts on movies that they have seen through the form of a social media, such as Facebook or Twitter. This is often a successful form of marketing, as so many people can be exposed to the information about the films.
The final main form of digital technology is cross media convergence. Cross media convergence is the combing of two or more mediums, for example TV and film or radio and the Internet. Digital technology often uses cross media convergence because of the proliferation of hardware and content, meaning we now have more options than ever before to use converged technology in order to promote films.
An example that can be used to show the success of digital technology is Star Wars 7. There was a trailer for Star Wars 7 which was released on Youtube 2 months before the films release (exploiting the social media promotion), a Google tie-in (exploiting social media and cross media convergence), and a Spotify convergence which linked your music choices to the franchise. These examples show that digital technology was used a lot in order to promote the film. The movie was huge box office success, making 238 million dollars within the opening weekend.
What is the future of film promotion?
I believe that as the film industry grows and the proliferation of hardware and content continues to grow, films will more and more frequently be promoted through an online format. This is evident through Star Wars 7. This is because it is a fairly recent film, and was more heavily marketed on the Internet than any other Disney film to date. I think that films will rely more heavily on promotion mediums such as apps, subscription platforms such as Netflix and social media sites such as Youtube. Here, I am referring to the distribution cycle and the number of different ways that films can be promoted under the category of "Internet."
From the distribution cycle, I can also infer that older methods of promotion (looking under the category of "physical") include posters and print, books, comics and through other physical items such as clothing and toys.
