Research into similar products: Trailer music: "Exodus wounds"

Like i said in a previous blog post every trailer of course needs background music that plays in, behind or with the trailer, this can be done to further sell the movie and its plot/characters. So because of this i obviously  will need to include music within my trailer so it would be only natural for me to do some research into various soundtracks and music scores to get inspiration but also to find something that i could possibly use in my own trailer.

This piece of soundtrack that i found i was immediately intrigued into it and inspired by it. I especially liked the start of the soundtrack with it included keys of piano, something that is really simple bt very effective. It creates a really harrowing and sad feel and tone, it really makes you focus on whatever is going on, on screen due to it just immediately grabbing your attention. This piece of music is something that i would choose to place in my trailer either at the start or the end of the trailer and this is because this is normally the moments when the most intense or sad moments to occur to either grab the viewers attention or to leave them wanting more. And this track would be perfect for this due to its feel and beat. It would just instantly make the audience engaged within my trailer but also make any more saddening scenes more impactful.

There is also another piece of music within this soundtrack. This piece of music that i picked out occurs at the stage 1:45, i picked this part out in particular because of its strong impactful moment. I like the buildup to its moment as this piece of music is something that would be perfect to include in a trailer for that big definitive moment that always occurs in the trailer that will make it memorable and when doing something like that for my trailer accompanied by this piece of music i truly believe i could achieve that due to its strong, impactful and emotional style that would just stand out and make it engaging.  I believe by adding this piece of music to a scene within my trailer it would make the scene more raw or even more harrowing and sinister making it more emotional viewing for the audience.

Research into similar products: "Everybody wants to rule the world"

I am still looking for the perfect music track that i want to include within my trailer, so when i was doing my research i found this track, after listening to the song i thought that this would be a perfect fit for my trailer.  Of course i only have 12 seconds to feature part of this song within my trailer so it is imperative that i pick the perfect moments that would only enhance the trailer instead of derail.

One thing that immediately drew me to this trailer was its impactful beat right from the very start. It immediately grabs your attention and engages you into what is going on- this is something that i do really need to just further excite and gain interest from the audience. I think if this were the song that i would chose to add to my trailer it would really fit with the tone and feel.

The main part of the song that i would want to feature within my trailer occurs at the minute 1:48 till 1:57 this time scale is 9 seconds long which is a perfect time scale for my self as it gives me 3 extra seconds to include anything from the song that i may like at a future date or to use a different song. So to pick this piece out would be a good idea in terms of timing as we are only 12 seconds to include a song within our trailer.

Why i liked this song was mainly because of its lyrics that it includes, obviously the title is a major thing that i liked as it called "everybody wants to rule the world" this resonates perfectly with the plot of my trailer of a mysterious group trying to cleanse the world and so try to rule the world from the shadows. The lyrics that i actually want to include are as followed:

"There's a room where the light won't find you Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down"

I liked this part of the song mainly due to the fact that within the song this is the part where the song is at its most impactful with a really heavy beat and tone, it would really create something that the audiences would remember because of that strong tone it has. Furthermore i really liked how at the start of these lyrics there is a really strong beat that is really fast. I liked this because it creates a really strong moment that could be used to create a really dynamic camera cut etc. I liked the lyrics because like the title of the song these lyrics really work well with the plot of my own trailer creating a kind of sync and connection between both the song and the trailer. The first line which states 'where the light won't find you' fits with my trailer as of course my plot revolves around a group working in the shadows and so this resonates perfectly as it talks about the light not finding you and as the shadows is the absence of light this works perfectly. 

The second line which states "holding hands while the walls come tumbling down" really goes with my trailer as of course again the main antagonist group want to bring the known world down to cleanse it and make into their perfect world. 

So overall i really liked this song and it is defiantly something that i would use when making my trailer because of how well it fits with my own plot and also because it is a really strong and impactful song that is needed within a trailer to truly make a memorable and engaging trailer.

Organisation: Camera for the trailer.

When the stage of filming occurs and i will need to get shooting the scenes for my trailer i think it is imperative to me that i find a camera type that is best suited to what i am trying to create. I want a camera that is very good in quality but also has good mic so that voices and sounds can be heard.

Looking at it i have two options that could be used when the filming stage is underway. I can either pick my own phone the iPhone 6s or the nikon camera 3200.

Iphone 6s

The iPhone would offer a smaller more compact way of filming. Because of its size it can be carried to shoots easily and effectively. The new advancements in technology means that the iPhone can now film in really high quality and not look out of place and look like a high quality film.
However by picking a iPhone it may have some stability problems with the fact it would have to be handheld which may make it look amateurish. But additionally i just feel that a camera quality would just look and feel better mainly to the fact that the iPhones storage may not be as high as the camera and so cannot hold as much media as the camera.

Nikon 3200

This my own camera is something that would be very good to use for filming my trailer. One of the reasons why is that it is a smaller camera in terms of size which means taking it to shot locations would be easier and done with ease. The camera also has excellent image quality making sure any pictures or videos taken would look professional and as well done as possible. The nikon camera also has a feature of an external mic input, adding to the movie feel and making sure that my trailer would look as real as possible. The lens is also adjustable allowing me take a variety of different shot types from different angles and positions which helps me in all manors of ways. I item i may aim to purchase is a tripod just to add to the overall professionalism and slickness for my project.

So to conclude i think it would be only best for me to use my own camera for the project instead of the phone just to ensure that i have that higher quality camera that can produce the best it can, i feel that by using this camera my overall trailer would look more appealing and more engaging to the audience.

Research into similar products: "THE CRUCIFIXION"

One thing that immediately pulled me towards this trailer was its choose of plot and iconography. The film clearly revolves itself around religion and includes a lot of religious props and items. This i believe instantly makes the movie more sinister and creepy for the audiences because religion is something close to a lot of people something they look for, for comfort but instead this movie makes it scary and something you should be scared of. This is something that i did like and is maybe something that i could include myself into my own trailer because it adds that extra layer of creepiness to the trailer but it would also go with the plot of my film that the film would end with the revelation that the main antagonist group would have links to religion etc. So this is something that i did extremely like within this trailer.

Another thing that i did like was the use of the phrase "based on a true story", this feature adds to the overall feel and mood to the trailer because the audience wouldn't expect something like this to be true so again it adds another layer of creepy to the trailer and puts the audience on edge.

Camerawork was really well done within this trailer. One shot in particular that i really liked was the establishing shot of the trailer at the beginning. The shot featured a extreme long shot of a graveyard. I think that this was a great shot to first feature because of its initial creepiness that can connote to the audience and the feels that it can generate to the audience.  The shot may also also tell the audience something about the film, that the film is going to be horror and its going to be creepy and about the church. Another shot that i really liked within this trailer was the extreme close up shot of the needle about to go into someones eye. I really thought that this shot was really intriguing and especially effective. Eye damage is something that a lot of people feel uncomfortable about so that add a shot like this can most defiantly make the audience feel distressed and uncomfortable and so adds a sinister tone and feel to the trailer as at first viewing the audience will instinctively want to turn away but will at the same time want to see what is going on and what is going to happen.

Furthermore i like the editing that had been done within this trailer, it features a mixture of slow paced editing and fast paced editing. I liked the slow paced editing because it can act as a way to make the audience feel uncomfortable because it generates the feeling that anything could happen so your always waiting for something to happen but it doesn't. The fast paced editing is also something i liked because by using this technique it means the trailer becomes more exciting and thrilling but it can also ensure that it gets the best bits in and also enables that the audience can concentrate on whats going on. These are two very simple techniques that i will look to include on my own trailer.

Sound is another aspect of the trailer that i really liked. One key element of sound that i did like was at the start of the trailer and was diegetic bells tolls, i really liked this feature because of how unsettling it sounds, it really adds to the whole creepy tone because of it sounding like a funeral and so gives off a really creepy feel as if something is about to happen or has happened. Another piece of sound that i really liked was a piece of diegetic sound in the form of dialogue. It happens near the end of the trailer and features a man going through the process of the exorcism. I liked this piece of sound because of harrowing and creepy it is especially with the scene around it being in rain it just adds overall and makes a really creepy feel and tone.

Drafting and planning: Taglines

With most movies there is of course the main title that is used to mainly represent and market the movie but with most there is most of the time there is also a tagline. The tagline can be used for a variety of reasons one to help further promote the movie and so can be used for social media marketing.  It can also give a better insight into the movie and its plot. It is very important that i create a suitable tagline that will actually fit with the trailer and perfectly convey what I'm trying to get across so that i do not create something that is cheesy and more importantly does not fit with what I am trying to convey.

The three movies here are particular taglines that i did really like. The first one from "the ring" which says "before you die, you see" i really liked this because its all about mystery and really does create intrigue because it leaves the audience wanting to know and leaves them in the unknown as they want to know what you see. This is really well done tagline. The second tagline for the second poster was also really good as it also has alot of mystery and suspense as it leaves them wanting to know who is coming home and it creates a real creepy feel for the poster and so the film overall.

This movies tagline is also really good because it just really goes with the mysterious creepy movie. "the last man on earth, is not alone". I did like this because its just the pure moment of mystery like what does it mean who else is there.
It intrigues the audience into the movie because they will want to know what is going on and what this all really means.







For my own taglines i do have various ideas and suggestions and i am still in the process of picking the right tagline.  My ideas are as followed:

1. Speak of the devil and the devil and the devil shall appear
2. Hunt or be hunted
3. We have just one simple rule: hunt or be hunted
4. Run
5. The only way out, is in.

To ensure i pick the right one i will do the steps of asking my target audience for their input and ideas so that the tagline that does get picked is the right one and is perfect for my trailer to create the perfect tone and feel.

Research into similar products: "Star wars: The last jedi"

Although this particular trailer isn't in the genre that i am looking to create i still wanted to look into the trailer because first it is a trailer that has picked up a lot of main stream attention but more importantly it has a lot of conventions that i interested me and i liked so i decided to look into this trailer so not only i can deepen my understanding of trailers over all but also to find some aspects that could help me in the creation of my own trailer.

Cinematography is something that really stood out to me for this trailer and is something that really pulled me towards this trailer. Although not a major aspect i believe the setting is really important because it can make the movie seem that much more real, spectacular and beautiful. This is something that is perfectly displayed in this trailer with beautiful colour and scenery adding to the spectacular scenery and feel of the trailer. This is something i would of course want to correspond over to my trailer to make the setting and cinematography really stand out and looks as real as possible so that the trailer ultimately looks good and so adds to everything and makes the trailer stand out.

The colour is something that i really liked especially with the scene of the main antagonist. I picked this out especially because of the pure red that is in the background. The colour looks really impactful  and makes the character star out but also conveys the badness about him and how he is an antagonist within the film. So therefore i really liked this and it did inspire me for how i could use it for maybe using a light background and then a dark character to show some story etc. This is then juxtaposed with the scene straight after this with really natural and bright colours which is used for one of the main protagonists this is Cleary a comparison to show the audiences who is good and bad and who to support and who not too.  So i really liked this technique of colour because its a good use of representation for the characters but to also make a really good scene and shot.

Another strong aspect that i did like from this trailer was its use of camera work. There is a variety of shots used to convey different moods and scenes such as various establishing shots to show characters and scenes.  There was two camera shots however that did stick out to me in particular and these shots were used towards the end of the trailer in its climatic moments. The first one was of the main protagonist of the trailer. It is shot as a close up of the characters face and shows half of her face in light colour but the other half is displayed in darkness. I thought this was really effective because it creates a sense of mysterious and suspense for the audience as the trailer finishes and  gives them something to really think about like is there something they do not know about the character is their some darkness to her can she be bad. Another shot i really did like was also in the climatic moments as it shows the main protagonist in peril which creates worry for the audience as they will wonder what will happen to their main character and if she really is in danger creating further excitement for the trailer. A final came as the final shot of the trailer and was another close up. It shows the main antagonists hand clearly supposedly offering help to someone. What makes this so impactful is that it really leaves the audience guessing and wondering and in shock because they will be questioning whether the antagonist is becoming good or whether the main protagonist is actually going to join the main villain which draws excitement and anticipation for the trailer something i really liked. This is something i really liked within the trailer and is defiantly something i will look to include in my own trailer especially with the shots of the colours of the face.

Sound is also a really strong aspect of the trailer as for the most part there is alot of diegetic narration that goes on. This creates mystery as the audience will want to know where in the movie this narration fits and so who is the person talking to and why. Thus creating suspense and mystery for the trailer.  Another part i really liked was the ending when the titles appeared. I liked how it was really strong music creating a impactful finish that is really going to connect with the audiences and keep them excited for the full film. But the music that is used is familiar music, music that is used alot in the star wars movies which furthers the excitement as it uses nostalgia to excite the fans. So my first point is something that i really liked about using a really strong soundtrack to end the trailer as it generates more impact and suspense and intensity from the trailer and is going to be something that you are going to remember.

Editing is also superbly done within the trailer as within the first 30 seconds there is a fade cut, fast paced editing and slow paced editing all making different feels the audiences. When the fast paced editing kicks in its normally to get in a load of different shots very quickly. I liked this technique as it meant that the audience couldn't concentrate too much on a particular scene so nothing would be overly spoiled for them but also make it more impactful and exciting for the viewer.

Research into similar products:Soundtrack for trailer: "Mother!"

As well as actually making the actual trailer it is imperative that the trailer is accompanied but a soundtrack. The soundtrack is very important to the trailer and as it can add to what the trailer is trying to across adding to the feel and the tone of the trailer. The soundtrack should also match the trailer and what is going on so that it doesn't feel weird and disjointed and then ruin the entire tone and feel for the trailer.
So the first soundtrack that particularly stuck out to me and really liked was the trailer soundtrack from the trailer "mother". I liked the raw and intense sound that the soundtrack carries all through out the entire trailer.  It keeps the audience engaged into the trailer and gives a really creepy sound to the trailer that adds to that distressing and weird plot that its going on within the trailer.
I really like how at the start of the trailer the soundtrack seems to be really sweet and innocent this plays with the audience making them feel that that this isn't a creepy movie but about half way through this tone completely changes, changing to really sinister and dark this completely goes with what is going on with the trailer. This is something that i really liked because it really plays with the audiences emotions and ensuring they don't know what to expect.
The sound that starts to come in at 00:44 is is what really pulled me towards its soundtrack. Its like simple jabs that feel uncomfortable and actually quit intense. I believe these moments of sound are really impactful for the trailer and really pull the audience in. The sound kind of echoes shrieks which only conveys mystery, darkness and creepiness. This is especially obvious in the part 1:00 when the sound really picks up and is used on the inter titles. I really liked how the sound played when words appeared on the screen giving it a nice matching but also further creepy feel to the entire trailer.

This is a soundtrack that i really liked and have in fact been looking around to see if i can use this soundtrack or parts of it or find something similar because i really liked the sound of it especially those shrieking sound and how they are used on the inter titles. I really liked the creepy and intense feel but especially how it all juxtaposed itself with the beginning feeling really sweet and the ending being sinister.

Drafting and planning: Final name of the trailer.

After much thought process and deliberation and weighing up all of the options i have decided that the name of the trailer that i will be producing will be called "Beneath the shadows" i came to this decision for a variety of reasons.

My first reason that i believed helped me in choosing this title is the target audience response i got from it, from all sections off the research the name was either the most popular or was always mentioned. Although not the definitive factor as to why i picked this name it was  certainly a big help as my target audience; the audience who the film will be trying to engage were most captivated by this particular name. A second reason why i particularly liked this is how in the name itself there is a-lot of mystery and intrigue that brings the audience in as they want to see what is going on. I also believe that this title is the title that perfectly sums up the genre of the film (horror/thriller).  Furthermore after the research was done i took the time to take a look into each of the titles that i put into the research and first of all decided whether i actually liked them, how it would fit with the genre and plot and how it can connect and hint to the plot and characters, and i can honestly say that after taking the time to do this i did decided personally that beneath the shadows was the better name as i thought it was more original and intriguing.

Trying to connect the name 'beneath the shadows' to my plot i did manage to find how the title would perfectly connect to the plot of the trailer. I manage to find that by calling it beneath the shadows it connotes to how the main antagonists of my film work in the shadows to achieve their goal but also the title connotes to the films major twist that the film has that the antagonists are much bigger then first thought and so they work beneath the shadows as they are more mysterious then first thought and the more you know about them the further away from safety you get.

So to conclude i have made the decision to name my trailer 'beneath the shadows' i decided to get the naming stage out of the way now so that it wouldn't bother me in the future and meant that i could put my focus on other various and more important aspects of the course. Over the next couple of weeks however i will now be taking the time to come up with the design of the title and how it will look, this of course will include font, size and colour etc.

Drafting and planning: Using a song within the trailer

Over the past couple of weeks i have been analysing various songs that i could include within my trailer. I have done this for various reasons one being that it is almost definite that i will include a song in my trailer. I want to include a song to enhance the trailer and add to the story that i will be displaying within the trailer. So in this post i am going to discuss the typical codes and conventions for what a song within the trailer should include.

1. The song should in some shape or form correspond with the film, such as making the lyrics or beat of the song to match with the story of the film and also if the song is quite chilling and slow it may then match with a thriller type of genre of film.
2. It is also important to not overuse the song to much as it may distract and and draw away from the main point that the trailer is trying to convey. 
3. To try and match the lyrics of the song to the trailer. This can show dedication to the plot and theme of the trailer.
4. Can be used to imply the attitudes of the characters within the trailer such as their motive and whether they may be good or bad.

So as you know i get around 12-15 seconds to feature a song. This is a perfect amount of time to feature a song in the trailer as i within this timescale i can get the right lyrics and feel to match the mood, plot and theme of the trailer. However i am still looking for the perfect song that i would like to be featured in my trailer although i have some favourites that i am considering i am still very much keeping my options open in case a better song comes along.

From what i know from the plot i need a song that will generate the right amount intrigue and excitement around the movie that will draw the audiences in. I want something thats mysterious and creepy at the same time something that can make the audience feel uneasy and also tense that adds to the feeling that anything could happen but also that they shouldn't take their off of the trailer.

Organisation: Costumes/props

In this post i will take a look into costumes that some of my characters could wear. For this post i will take a look into how i want my main antagonists to look.

For my trailer i want my antagonists to have a distinctive and creepy look and feel to them. A look that really sets them apart from anything else so that when they appear on screen. I want to be able to create something iconic. A look that as soon as they appear on screen they are immedialty recognisable and are feared. To go with the theme, genre and name of the film i want the antagonists to be dressed quite dark so that it goes with them working in the shadows almost as if they can hide in the shadows and not be seen. I want my antagonists to be masked and this is for very simple reasons, my first reason is that i think its quite effective as you can't see their identity so you never know who or what is behind it so it could literally be anyone. A second reason is that by having them masked the audience can't create a connection with them. I believe this all adds up to create further mystery and suspense around the antagonists.

My first idea was to have my antagonists masked behind the now famous 'guy Fawkes' mask. I really did like this idea at first but i changed my mind quite recently and decided that to chose this item of masking would not be the best idea. My reasoning for liking this idea was just down to its simple design that i thought made it more creepy.However i decided against this idea as i thought that maybe this wasn't an original chose as this type of mask is commonly used for stuff like this and as well as this i thought that maybe it would be too recognisable and too mainstream, furthermore i just thought that maybe the design was too simple and so i have chosen against it however i have decided to include this idea on the post because of course my mind could change.

My second idea for what type of masks my antagonists could wear is a type of masquerade mask. I wanted to use to different designs if i were to use this mask design. My main mask design would be what all of the cult wear as their distinctive look and my second mask would be a special designed mask that only the ring leader would wear to set him/her apart from everyone and everything else.

My first masquerade mask is something i was really drawn to when i first found them. i like the design and colour of it all because its something that doesn't immedialty look creepy but to me thats what makes it creepy and i really like the simple and dark smile the mask has on it. Furthermore i feel by using this type of mask i would almost instantly set my antagonists apart and given them a truly distinctive, mysterious and creepy look. What draws me towards this type of mask is that its not really been seen any where so it would give my trailer a look of its own. I also like how its almost designed too not be creepy but it is and i truly believe that if a figure was coming towards you or me with this mask i would be creeped out and worried.

The second mask design that i would chose to use is for the ring leader of the antagonist group and because of that i needed to give this figure his own look that would set him apart from all the others giving that person their own look and feel overall. I chose for the design of the plague doctor mask. I really did like this design because it is a design that would almost immedialty creep out and frighten people due to the back story that this mask has with it. Another reason why i chose this mask for the ring leader is because of its connection their the main antagonist groups aim to 'cleanse the world' which fits with this mask being the doctor making a simple and subtle connection between character and plot.

In terms of other clothing for what the antagonists could wear i of course want my antagonists to be in dark clothing to go with the mysterious and creepy vibe that goes along with them. I have two very simple ideas and that is either to dress them in all black suits while i believe this to be the most effective it would be much harder to get everyone who would play these roles to get an entire black suit as its not something that everyone would have, my second idea is alot more simpler and easier and that is to just have the antagonists dressed in a simple black hoodie and black jeans. I like this idea as it goes with the idea that they work In the shadows and they cannot be seen so because of that i like this idea for design and costume for the creativity. 

So to conclude this is my first round up of ideas for costume so because of that these could change or aspects could change but for the most part i am extremely happy with what i have come up with here.

Research into similar products: "The dark knight"

One thing that immediately stuck out to me from this trailer was its use of sound. At the very beginning of the trailer a heavy sting like sound hits the trailer. Because of being so used so early on it creates an immediate and sudden impact that resonates to the audience that within the movie there is Clearly going to be action and be impactful.  The non diegetic sound that is used on the trailer is very effective in the terms of creating tension, it just constantly pulls you into the trailer and make you concentrate on what is happening within that particular scene. It acts to draw in all the elements. One key type of sound that is really effective and develops over the course of the trailer is the narration. Especially from that of the joker, Batman and Harvey dent. The voice over clearly connect these three characters together and shows that there is conflict between the three. The narration also gives some sort of clues for the audiences in letting them know who are the main characters for the narrative. The sound in the trailer has a lot of powerful bass and varies in speed and power this allows the sound to match with the editing and also what is going on in the particular scene. The non-diegetic sound connotes with the violence going on within the trailer. The diegetic sound can also show this through the explosions etc. I really liked this type of sound and it is defiantly something that i will look too when i think about adding my own soundtrack.

Editing with this trailer is very well done, it starts off with slow paced editing, this technique allows the audience to take in the scene so that they can see where it is set but that so they know what is going on. The slow paced editing also creates a nerving vibe where the audience may feel uneasy as it may make them  feel that anything could happen. This type of editing allows the audience to get drawn into the scene and make the moments within the trailer more tense and powerful such as when the joker says "kill the batman" for example. Another type of editing that is used well is the fast paced editing, the fast paced editing is something i really like as it creates a more chaotic tone and doesn't allow the audience to take all the scenes in leaving them in total suspense, this makes the audience want to see more of the film.

The technique of mise en scene is also used very effectively. The main part of this is through costume  as the main characters are almost immediately distinguishably due to their costume such as the batman in his suit and the joker in unique purple suit and face paint. The lighting within the trailer is also superb as its given a rather dark and pulled tone this gives the trailer a meaningful tone but also connotes back to the title of the movie being batman (black). Within mise en scene the main thing i could pull out of this trailer was its use of lighting, i really like how darker overall lightning of the film represents the dark and mysterious tone of the movie. this is something that would really be interested in when doing my own trailer.

Camera angles also varied within this trailer, one prime example of this is in the trailers beginning, they show a variety of establishing shots, these shots are one of the most vital in the trailer as it almost immediately tells the audience what is going on but also tells the audience where the movie is set and also may give an insight into what the overall film will be about. Most of the camera shots that are included are medium or long shots this allows the audience to see perfectly see the setting and also the characters that are also involved in that scene. One immediate camera shot that stuck out to me was the over shoulder shot that was used in the scene with the joker walking into the room with the knife.  This gives the audience an instant idea as to what is going on but also makes the audience feel as though they are walking in with the joker and so makes them feel as though they are in the scene which engages the audience and creates total suspense within the scene.

Drafting and planning: First basic plot outline.

Within this blog post i will be outlining the first draft and basic outline i have now conceived for my own film/trailer. It should go with saying that this is by no means by finished idea as everything i say in this post could be edited or completely changed.

Main character name:  Roman Alexander

Main antagonist: The order of salutis (The main antagonist is going to be a dark cult)

The film will be set in the year 2050 after various wars have waged on, the world over populated and tensions high where ever you go. The world is slowly dying out.  

A mysterious cult who work within the shadows have secretly been behind all the worlds wars and its problems big and small but no one knows of their identities and do not even know they exist. 

The mysterious cult who work in the shadows will be called the 'order of salutis' (translates to order of salvation). This cult kidnap and murder various people with their ultimate aim to the cleanse the world and make it a perfect kingdom. On one night they trick and abduct a young man who is close to finding out about the groups identity after making it his life work after his dads diserperance. After many nights Roman Alexander (the young man) manages to escape their hide out with two others. 

From this the movie would simply revolve around Roman trying to expose and bring down the mysterious and dark cult while the order try to finally take out the person who now knows more about their group while also trying finish their aim of cleansing the world. However the main character would be unaware that the order has ties and actually controls various governments and has ties with religious groups making the order far more powerful and larger then originally thought.  So as the main character would think he's getting closer to bringing the order down he is actually only getting deeper and darker into a web of shadows and mysterious taking him further from safety and hope.

First act: The main characters fathers disappearance and the main character taking up his investigations learning more and more about the group gaining him more knowledge and understanding but also more enemies.  This act of the movie would revolve around the main character just basically piecing all the information together so that he and the audience would have more knowledge about this group so that future acts are more impactful.

Second act: The main character is now being hunted by the group and is kidnapped by the group where he is taken to their hide out where he is experimented, tortured and more with. Trying to physically and emotionally destroy the main character like they have done with so many others. After many nights the main character meets two people in the cage beside him and hatch a plan to escape; which they do. 

Third act: This is the ending act of the movie and so is the most impactful. The main character and his now two companions now stealthily return to the hideout with cameras and weapons. Their aim is to take out the ring leader of the group and so effectively ending the groups growing shadow over the city. This act will be the most impactful and most intense. The ending is something i really like as it will feature the big omg wtf moment that will lead audiences eangaged and griped and will turn their knowledge upside down as they main character will realise that the group isn't as small as first thought with it having political and religious influence. As the main character thinks he has ended it all it is only revealed its only just began as the group is far larger than he thought. And so has only gotten himself further in the worlds mysterious and webs.

Research into potential target audience:feedback for title of the film

Over the week i have been conducting some audience research into what the title of my trailer should be called. Before the target audience gave their answers i gave them a basic insight into the plot of the  trailer and also what genre it would be. I gave them four answer suggestions as well as a other box to see what they thought would be the best option for me to use. To get the best response for this research i conducted the research onto facebook, snapchat and survey monkey. All of these options came back with support. I decided to conduct my research on these areas as these areas would most likely reach the age range that my trailer/film is reaching out to.

Survey monkey response:

I decided to do my research on here as i would be able to not only be able to find out the responses of what people thought but i would also see the results in a table making the results a-lot easier. I got a good amount of responses, enough to make it worth while and also impactful enough.

As you can see from the responses i got from survey monkey i got answers for a variety of the options expect one of them. The clear favourite from the survey monkey was the first option which was 'beneath the shadows' which got 50% of the votes. The second most popular answer i got was for 'the order of salutis' which got 20% of the votes from survey monkey.



Facebook survey:

As you can see from the Facebook survey i also got majority of the support for the first option which was beneath the shadows. As well as this  i got some explanation as to why i should chose 'beneath the shadows'  with the person saying that it adds to the mystery and that it fits perfectly with horror genre. This will help
me when it comes too picking the definitive decision.










Snapchat survey:
From my snapchat survey i got some responses that i had never had before as two of the three decided went for the heart of darkness. This made the overall decision alot harder as now all the options had answers to them.

Conclusion:

So to conclude i found this target audience research really helpful in getting a better understanding into what i should call my trailer as it revealed to me best interested my audiences view. From my personal standpoint i really like the idea of choosing 'beneath the shadows' as i felt this best connected with the plot of the trailer and this also seems to be the same with the target audience as most of the target audience voting this way. However this is not my final decision it just means that at this point i am preferring the 'beneath the shadows' and am heavily considering it.

Drafting and planning: Title of the trailer

Although the trailer is the main focus of promoting the film other vital aspect of a films success is of course the title of the film. Because of this i wanted to ensure that the title i pick out and create the perfect title that goes the best with what i am creating to ensure maximum effectiveness of the story that i am creating. To ensure that i achieve this goal i decided to do some research into the titling of movie.

It was clear from doing my research on various sites that the title of the movie should act as a type of sales tool. The title should captivate the audience and make them want to read or watch further into any particular movie. Additionally to this fact the title of the movie should sufficiently and simply reflect the story that the movie is trying to tell and give audiences a general insight into the movies arc and story just so the audience can know a little of what to expect from the movie. Furthermore the title of the movie should give some reference into the central conflict that is happening within that particular movie, for example the movie 'exorcist' is clearly going to show exorcisms.

I also found out from doing research into titles that i should try to keep it simple and try not to be too over complicated or clever. Titles are not meant to be something that audiences should need to try and figure out unless for a specific reason however by giving a movie a title like this may run the risk of audiences just move on if they don't get it straight away.

The title of a movie will of course be accompanied and be featured on a movie poster because of this it is imperative that both title and the posters should work in harmony together and support each other  in making the movie look intriguing and also working well to sell the movie to the audiences. Furthermore the title of the movie should also tell the audience what the genre of the movie is, audiences should be able to guess straight away for example 'star wars' being a sci-fi and 'conjuring' being a horror.

For my own trailer i have myself some options for what my trailer could be called, of course the genre of the trailer will be horror/ thriller with the plot being......   the titles are as followed:

• "Beneath the shadows"
• "Shadows"
• "Heart of darkness"
• "Darkness"

Here i have come up with four potential titles that could become the title of my own trailer. To make sure i pick the right title i am going to let my target audience decide what they believe to be the best title for the trailer. 

Research into similar products: "Shutter island"

One thing I immediately noticed and liked about this trailer its the use of text card. The first text cards that are used are to show the director and the main actor of the film. It states "Director: Martin Scorsese" and "Leonardo DiCaprio". I like how these are the first to be used as it instantly intrigued into the movie as they know the movies is in good hands and being directed and starred by someone who is well known and good at what they do.

The cinematography and colour of the trailer is also something that was quite well done as the colour of it is quite dark and very dull. This creates a sense of unsettling nerve for the audience.  As it makes it seem that anything could happen and makes and give a sinister, mysterious tone to the whole of the trailer.  Additionally to this the trailer seems to add hints of blue to the trailer, along with the dark cinematography this gives the trailer a cold and mysterious. This is something that really intrigued me and inspired me for my own trailer as it really goes well with the genre I'm creating like the horror/ thriller. It really gives the trailer a more sinister tone and adds to the overall feel of the trailer. So this is something i can say will influence when creating my own trailer just to add another layer of creepiness and mystery to the trailer. A lot of the setting of the trailer takes place in quite old looking buildings which only adds to the awe of mystery that the trailer is trying to convey to the audience as the buildings could show history which can convey fear to the audience as the old fashioned buildings are quite common in film genres such as this. The setting of the trailer is really well done as it highlights it being on a secluded island where there is clearly no escape which is something to play on the emotions of the audience.

The trailer opens with a standard establishing shot which most do, this is done to set the scene and setting for the trailer and as a film overall so the audience can gain an understanding into where the movie will take place. Also used is a variety of close ups within the trailer this is really effective and something i really liked because it shows the characters emotions and they are feeling which will in turn tell the audience and give them an insight into how they are feeling and what they are thinking. It allows the audience to feel the emotion the character is expressing. Other shots that were used that i really liked in this trailer was a point of view shot, this is a really effective camera shot to use as it makes the audience believe they are in that particular scene and that the movie world is purposefully communicating them. This acts as a way to create suspense and ultimately make the audience unsettled and nervous. One example of this is through the shot of the women looking at the camera with a 'shush signal' this is effective as it insinuates it is at the audience and so the audience are left in the dark but also left intrigued and in the dark. Overall these are all camera shots that i believe i am influenced and inspired by and defiantly shots that i would heavily consider using in my own trailer as i defiantly want to make use of the point of view just because it is so gripping and different.

Its clear from the trailer that towards the end of the trailer the editing is really quite fast and intense. I really liked this convention as it manages to create suspense as audiences are not able to fully take in a scene but also meshes with the whole plot of the movie about it unraveling the mind and going insane so both work really well together, it also leaves the audience unsettled as they are constantly left wondering what could happen next.  Another type of editing used was a cut away used which is used on the marshall badge, this gives the audience an insight into the protagonists goals and builds a representation as to why he is there; to solve a case, but this also leaves the audience guessing again such as what has happened and who has done it. A second cutaway used was the shot of the character handing over his gun, this also raises questions as the audience would be left concerned as now he has handed over his weapon and is now defenceless.

Sound was also a strong aspect of the trailer, a aspect that i really liked and was intrigued to.  One of the strongest aspects of sound in this trailer was its use of non diegetic sound. The trailer opens with a continuous beat of a drum. This is effective as it creates a dark mysterious tone that relays a quite eerie tone to the audience. The sound is also slowly building up which tells the audience that something big could happen. Quick ticking is also used throughout the trailer and i believe it is really effective because it makes the audience constantly believe that something is about to happen but do not know what or when which is really unsettling but also intriguing. Another type of sound used is a type of high pitched screechy sound, this is a type of sound that can become uncomfortable for the audience which only adds to that creepy, dark sinister tone. Additionally another use of sound used that i did really like and believe could be a convention i use is parallel sound. This is used in the shot of the women putting her finger to her mouth and although no sound comes out of her mouth the audience is played a soundtrack of something similar to the "shhhh" this overall makes a really creepy tone for the trailer ad only acts to really bring the audience in and want to watch the film.

The trailer follows a type of code that i really like called the enigma code,  it follows this by playing scenes which display unanswered questions like showing the women patient with no explanation, it creates intrigue and makes the audience want to watch it to find out. The code known as the Barthes hermeneutic establishes the story by creating mystery. This is done through various scenes that are left unanswered and not explained just creating this whole sense of mystery around the entirety of the trailer. I really like this idea as it means the audience through the entirety of the trailer are in the dark and can never really guess what is going to happen next because they simply do not know.

So overall i did really like this trailer and is something i will defiantly come back too when development of my trailer is taking place as there are aspects from this i really liked such as some of the shots and especially the Barthes hermeneutic code.

Research into similar products: "Gods gonna cut you down"

I have most defiantly decided that unless something happens i am going to feature a song in my trailer so because of this i have taken my research into looking into potential songs to ensure that i pick the right song that will not only add to the trailers narrative, add to the overall feel of the trailer and also perhaps be able to give an insight into the plot of the trailer.

So because of those reasons i decided to look into this song, the reason i decided to look into this song in particular was its creepy and eerie beat that carries throughout the entirety of the song creating a truly mysterious and impactful tone for the song something i believe would also incorporate really well into my trailer as the song has that impact and powerful feel that would make the trailer intense and pull the audience in and make them want to watch the trailer.
The second aspect as to why i chose to look into this song was its lyrics as they really carry the story and tone that would fit into the genre of my trailer with it being 'horror/thriller'.

The part of the song that i am most interested in using from this song is defiantly going to be from the chorus of the song as i feel that this has the most feel and weight to the song and carries the most intense tone to it that can actually really carry and add to the trailer. The lyrics that i would choose to use from this song is:

"Go an tell that midnight rider

tell the rambler, the gambler the back biter

tell em that Gods gonna cut you down

tell em that Gods gonna cut you down"

I picked this part of the song out because the lyrics just fit perfectly with the tone and feel with the song. Furthermore these lyrics seem to fit in more with the genre of film that I am intending to create. It talks about being 'cut down' with positions perfect into the type of trailer that i am intending to make. The song carries a mysterious tone that quite simply i like and think would fir perfectly into the trailer. The part of the song that i would chose to use from this song is from the minute of 2:25 till 2:40. This time scale of course is 3 seconds over the approved 12 seconds that a song can be featured in the trailer so if i want to use this song there will need to be cutting to get the song to the approved timescale.

One reason why i would chose to use this song is mainly due to its lyrics and its beat that would fit perfectly into a trailer due both to the story that it conveys and so would be a great paralell for my trailer as i believe they would both work in harmonising sync to create the perfect tone for the trailer. However one negative for using this song is that while the beat of the song does work well the actual pace of the lyrics does work rather slow and perhaps for that reason would not actually fit too well and i believe it could make it quite boring. 

So before i make the final decision on which song i will feature in my song i think i will defiantly have to have second thoughts on this song to see if it is the right song to be featured.

Research into similar products: "Jungle"

Another song that i have decided to look into for the potential to be used in my trailer is this song "Jungle" by X ambassadors. I decided to look into this song due its unique tone, sound and feel. I looked into this song because of its difference from the original song as this is an acoustic style of the song as the original song was perhaps to heavy and impactful while this song is more simple and effective, its simplistic tone is also something that i like because it can create more eeriness within the trailer as you wouldn't expect to hear this in a trailer. Due to it being acoustic i truly believe that the song is actually being more creepy and mysterious because of its laid back tone.

As I've said before one aspect that truly drew me towards this song is because of it being acoustic meaning there is more emphasis on the voice of the singers and the beat of the song. These two aspects really create a intense and mysterious tone that i believe would work well in the trailer.

The part of the song that i would like to feature in my trailer is from the chorus of the song, this is because this is when the trailer is at its most powerful and the song is working at its best.  Additionally to this i believe that this part of the song is the part that would fit more with the trailer. The lyrics that i would chose are as followed:

"Ain't no God on this street in the heart of the jungle

won't you follow me into the jungle" 

Although this is just a small part of the song i believe it works well, due this being the closing parts of the song it also means that the song is at its most impactful as it is reaching its climax. I think the tone of the song fits well with the genre of the trailer that I'm making due to its slow and creepy tone. The time scale of the song that i would chose to use is from 1:58 till 2:13 this is of course 15 seconds which will be 3 seconds over the time scale, however i would chose to cut some of the song between the lyrics finishings and the guitars chord. The dead space can be cut as it is not really needed so this would fit into the 12 seconds. I think this song would be picked for my trailer in its final closing moments so that both the trailer and the song go hand in hand and work well off each other to create the perfect tone. 

So one positive about using this song is of course its simplistic but yet effective tone and beat that can create mystery and erroneous for my trailer. However one downside to using this song is perhaps the pacing is bit slow and so may in some circumstances may not work as well.

Drafting and planning: Age rating/ classification.

As of course this course entitles us to create a film trailer and a film poster it is imperative of me that i decide and research into the age rating verification for films.  It is important that i do this because the age rating i give to my trailer will dictate what can and cannot be featured in my trailer.

The rating that i could choose to label my trailer is the two ratings of 12 and 12a both distributed by the 'BBFC' (British board of classification). Films that are classified with the rating of a 12 may contain material that is unsuitable for children especially for those under the age of 12. If younger than 12 then they should be accompanied by a parent/guardian. If a film is to be certified as a 12 it must follow these circumstances:

• There is minimal use of drugs which won't be glamorised.
• There may be moderate violence, however it must not be detailed with no emphasis on blood or injuries.
• There may be moderate language and strong language is permitted depending on the frequency of its use and how it is used.
• There may be sexual content and nudity but it should be brief and discreet. 
• Discriminate language or behaviour is not permitted as a whole within the movie.

From looking at the 12 age rating i do not believe i would wish to choose to use this classification for my own trailer, this is due to many aspects one being that i would find the 12 rating too restrictive. 

The second age rating that i could choose to certify my trailer is the 15,  just like the 12 rating movies given the rating of a 15 are suitable for those over the age of 15 with those who are under the age should be guided by an adult. A film qualifies for a 15 age rating if it follows this criteria:

• Drug taking can be shown but cannot and should not be promoted or encouraged.
• There may be racist or discriminative behaviour/language but it should not be endorsed as behaviour as a whole.
• Violence can be shown and can be strong but should not overall dwell on the pain or the infliction of injury.
• There are no constraints on nudity in a non sexual manner, sexual activity may be portrayed but without any strong detail.
• There may be strong language included and very strong language can be included given the context and cirsumstances.

At the moment the 15 age rating looks to be the best choice for me to give to my own trailer.

And the final age rating i could chose is the age certification rating of the 18. Films classified with this rating should only be viewed by those over the age of 18 with people under this age not being able to view this. A film may classify for this rating when various aspects such as drug references, violence,  sexual activity and language is explicit and far more extreme and strong then the previous ratings. Some aspects of film may actually be too strong for this rating.
However i do not believe i would wish to chose this certification as perhaps its too extreme and maybe too explicit requirements i wouldn't be able to meet but also requirements i wouldn't want my own trailer to include. Additionally to this by sticking the age rating of 18 on my trailer it would be restricting audiences under 18 to view the film.




So overall after analysing the three age ratings i think for the best of my trailer and my own wishes i will choose to classify my trailer as a 15. This is because i believe the 15 age rating gives the perfect amount of freedom for me to experiment with my trailer as the 12 age rating is to restrictive and so perhaps wouldn't allow me to explore some themes for example. As I'm making a trailer that will be following the themes of horror and thriller there is bound to be some scares and perhaps violence and aspects that would be unsuitable for those under the age of 12. However as i said previously i wouldn't want to make the trailer an 18 as i believe this would just restrict my audience as to who could view it.

Research into similar products: Ancillary products: Film magazines

As well as making a film trailer and an ancillary product of a film poster we are expected to also make and create a film magazine to further promote the film trailer. So that ensure that i have a deep understanding of this area it is vital that i also research into this area so that when it comes to making my own i actually know what i am doing. This post i will examine the codes and conventions of film magazines and also take a look into the magazine company known as 'Empire' as this company are one of the most well known and successful film magazines in the world so it would only be right that i start my research with the arguably the worlds best film magazine company.

Common conventions of the film magazine:

• The masthead: This of course is the most well known convention of any magazine and is normally situated at the top or centre of a magazine. It tells the reader what company it is which gives them an insight into what to expect.
• Main image: This will normally feature a mid shot and will most often than not will include the main actor or include the main actors from a particular film. It can reflect to the reader what the film may be about.
• Buzz words: These words include 'free' and 'exclusive', they capture the readers attention and entice them into the magazine.
• Anchorage text: This will commonly overlap the main image to tell the audience what the story is and give them an insight. It can be a quote from the movie/actor/director.
• Banner: Gives overall information about what is included in the magazine as a whole, a way to bring a reader in that may not be interested in the main article.
• Barcode, date etc: The common items that are needed.

Empire magazine:

This magazine is a British Film magazine that is published monthly by Bauer consumer media. The magazine is the biggest selling film magazine in Britain and has has published in the USA, Australia, Russia and many more. Some of the common features of the magazine includes film previews and reviews and features a "classic scene" page in which a transcript from famous scenes are included. One of the reasons why this would be a good film magazine to incorporate my trailer on is because its such a mainstream company that deals only with the big films which in such would add to my trailer making it seem like a 'big' movie that can attract more of an audience.

One thing that i very immediately noticed from just taking a look at some of empires magazine is how they individually style their magazine to suit the ethos of the film their promoting. This can include elements such as the colour of the masthead or just the overall design such as images and placement of the cover lines etc.  This is most evident in the "James bond" magazine as it features bullet shots on the magazine which of course is reference to the fact it is a action and spy movie but also reference to the iconic gun barrel James bond moment, enticing the readers into the magazine. This is one of the reasons i would lean towards having my own film magazine feature under the "empire" banner is it will allow me to be creative with my magazine and add elements of my movie onto the magazine. Making the magazine more related to the overall film that is being advertised.

The font of the empire magazine is always the same adding consistency and familiarity to the magazine however the magazine is known to change the colour of the magazine depending on the movie it is promoting, this allows the magazine to really sync together and also ensure everything goes with nothing seeming to look out of place.

The colour scheme of the magazine is also always dependent on the film that it promoting on that individual issue, for example on the interstellar issue instead of the original red colour scheme they've gone with a blue, white and black colour to really match with the plot and genre (Sci-fi, space etc) 

Research into similar products: Imagine dragons "Believe"

Its imperative that I make sure I do enough research into songs that could potentially feature on my blog as I want to ensure that I have enough songs to pick from so I can ensure that I pick the right song. This song is 'Believer' by imagine dragons.
What made me come to this song is its beat of it. From the moment it starts its strong, intense and powerful, I believe this is the type of song that would be good to be featured within my trailer. This is because the song throughout has that wham and impactful beat that just makes the trailer so much better and intense.
The part of the song Id like to choose is at part 2:40- 3:20. Obviously I know that I  am restricted to only 12 seconds to feature the song so I would have to cut some of the song to limit it to this time scale.
The lyrics id chose from this song in my trailer are as followed:

"Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer Pain! You break me down, you built me up, believer, believer Pain! I let the bullets fly, oh let them rain My life, my love, my drive, it came from... Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer"

I picked this part of the song as for starters its the final chorus so the song as its most impactful and intense which only adds to the feel which would then carry on over to the trailer and its elements such as 'pace, feel and adding to the story arc'. Secondly i picked this part of the song as i think the lyrics are incredible and despite the genre of the song would go incredibly well with the genre of my trailer as of course it talks about pain which can be incorporated as being physical or emotional depending on what is being shown on the trailer.

To get around the limit of just having 12 seconds I was going to use the lyrics from "pain" till the second believer". Id then cut out the rest of the dialogue until it got to the final dialogue of the song which states "Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer" and have that run over the titles. I have timed the song and the parts I would like to use as part of my trailer and it came in just above 12 seconds which is a good thing.

Like I said one positive from this song is its beat and pace, I believe that this song would only add to the trailer and make it more intense and powerful. However I did think to myself that maybe the song wouldn't actually go with the trailer and its genre so its something that I would have to revisit when the shooting for my trailer has been done.

Research into similar products: Yelawolf: "Till its gone"

To give my trailer a hopefully more realistic feel and also add to the overall tone and feeling of the trailer I'm aiming and hoping to add 12 seconds (the allowed amount) of a song to my trailer. A song can add to the narrative of a trailer and also create an impact and just simply add to the trailer.

The song I'm analysing in this post is "till its gone" by a band called 'yelawolf'. What immediately drew me to this trailer was its beat and tone. The starting beat that the song begins with is really intense, strong and powerful. What i liked about this is that if i added it my trailer i believe it can really make a strong sense of mysterious and suspense around the trailer and would draw the audience in as it has a captivating beat that would make it seem like anything could happen and really intrigue the audience into the trailer.

As I've said i only have 12 seconds of a song to use within my trailer, with this song I've managed to find two areas in which i could use this song in my trailer, The first idea is just to have the song playing out for the final 12 seconds of the song adding another tone and feeling to the trailer. If i went with this approach the part of the song i would chose is 2:00 -2:38, clearly this well goes over the 12 seconds that i can use, however i only took into consideration the parts of actual singing and didn't time the parts with no singing and i cut out some of the lyrics as i thought them not to be too necessary, this enabled me to get the song down to the required 12 seconds that are needed. The lyrics for this part are as followed:

"Aint much i can do, but i do what i can.

You handle your own when you become a man

and become a man when you handle your own

ooh ooh till its gone

ooh ooh till its gone"

I picked this part of the song due to its lyrics and how it can correspond with not only the thriller/horror genre but also my own trailer as it talks about not being able to do much i.e. being powerless and having to do things on your own to actually get things done.

The second area id decide to choose to use this song is in the final moments and is situated at 3:43 till 3:55.  The lyrics are as followed:

"ooh ohh till its gone

ooh ohh till its gone

ohh ohh till its gone"

I decided to look at this part of the song as i believe its the most impactful part of the song as in this part the beat and actually music just stops leaving just the lyrics which really makes it impactful and quite intense, this is something that i was looking for. If i was to use this part i would decided to use it when the titles of the movie comes on just to add that final impactful moment on the trailer but also allow the audience to reflect and and think about it all as this part of the song goes well with the genre as it talks about being gone, this connect to missing, or fading hope etc.

One reason why i would pick to use this song is again because of the beat and the overall message and story of the song. However there is some reasoning as to why maybe it should not be picked as that when taking a deeper look into except for little moment that you can extract is that maybe the song doesn't overall go with the genre of the trailer.