Drafting and planning- Final script

This is my final script for the trailer. From this i do not intend to make any changes and if i do make changes then the changes will be documented so that i have a record of any changes that were made.

Organisation: Props

Of course as you know i decided to get some props to enhance the look and feel of the trailer. As you know the main props i wanted to get was two different types of masks one for the ring leader of the cult and a mask for main group. My main aim for wanting to use the masking was so that the antagonists looked more scary and also so that the audience won't be able to make an emotional connection with them, making the characters seem more scary and intimidating.

Now that these masks have been ordered and have arrived i can finally start the production and filming of my trailer.

Drafting and planning: Characterisation

As you can see in this blog post i have gone through the characterisation of my main character for the trailer.

As you can see i have gone through the characters age and his main characteristics. Roman is young and determined and wants to finish his fathers work to avenge him but to also take part

 Roman Alexander is 18 and was raised in care after his fathers death and taken in by family after family messing with his mind and turning his life to drugs and bad things but the note that his fathers leaves him about his work gives him the wake up call that he so desperately needs to change his life around and also do something meaningful.

Roman first takes up the task his father started in trying to uncover who this group is but ends up in getting caught and taken by the group.

Roman wants nothing more then to be able to connect with his father.

Research into the potential target audience: Film title typography.

I sent an image to the people of my target audience to see what they thought of the different fonts that i had come up with. Before sending the photo i gave them a brief input into the plot and then showed them an image of the fonts and asked what they thought was best.

Drafting and planning: Film title typography

After finally deciding that the title of my trailer will be called "Beneath the shadows" which i believe perfectly sums up the narrative of the film and also generates that eerie feel that should occur in a horror film. As of course with any trailer the film will be displayed to the audience at the end of the trailer so for me it is imperative that i find the perfect font that can correlate back to the plot of the trailer and connect to it and also add to it. To try and decide what i wanted i did some research and looked into various fonts. These are my initial ideas:

As you can see i have gathered together 5 different fonts that i could use for my title each varying in design. This is however just a first look into fonts and so it could change depending on what else i find.
Additionally i also want to add a little colour to the title as seen below just to add a little intrigue and colour to the page.




As you can see i had the idea to colour the last word in the title a dark red colour, i believe that by doing this it looks a little more intriguing and mysterious but also links perfectly to the fact that my trailer has the genre of horror as the red in the title would connote with the idea of blood and death.

My thoughts:

Font 1) The font is nice and bold and can catch the attention of the audience. I like how the first letter of the title is a different font. It gives the title a really nice, creepy feel that i believe would engage the audience because of the fact that it stands out.

Font 2)  I did like this font due to how well it stands out, I like the design and how it looks hand written giving it a really creepy vibe.

Font 3) This is a font that i did really like due to its simplicity and thats exactly what i like, it isn't too flashy but is instead simple and effective. 

Font 4) This font is very much like font 2, the font has that really creepy tone that connotes perfectly with the genre of horror.

Font 5) I picked out this font because i really liked its slickness. I like how it is in a border and just looks really cool, i believe that this type of font would fit perfectly not just on the trailer but also on the poster. 

To get a good idea of what font would better represent the trailer i create i will show the target audience the fonts and see what they believe is the best. 

I personally really like font 5 and font 2 and 1, i believe that these fonts best depict what i am trying create with my trailer. 

Organisation: Potential editing/camera technique /shot.

When thinking of how i can make my trailer as creepy as possible i found this really creepy image.  This shot is something that i am heavily considering for including in my own trailer.
Especially considering how i am going to have my antagonists masked i thought that doing this type of pose would really add to the overall feel of the trailer giving it an element of creepiness and horror.
Because of the whole look of the image and it toking very memorable and unique it is also an image that i could recreate for the poster and/or the magazine.
Obviously i will have too recreate this image within my trailer to do it and after consulting with my teacher on how i could pull it off i came up with the perfect solution on how to pull it off.
What i want to achieve with this shot in my trailer is fairly simple. When the shot appears on the screen i will just have the one figure but after a stinger music sounds and a flash on the screen appears then the rest of the figures will appear on the screen.
To get this done  will do something really simple i film in reverse , by this i mean that i will shoot the shot with all the figures in so that everyone is in the perfect position and then shoot the shot with just the one figure and then put them all together in the editing stage to to finish the job adding in the sting and flash. Again this is a shot i definitely want to include on my trailer just because of its uniqueness and the fact that it is a shot that would almost certainly stand out within the trailer and be the shot that is most remembered.

Research into similar products: The babadook trailer

Camera work:
The trailer for the babadook uses a large variety of camera angles. The camera angles that were used in the trailer go a long way in making the movie effective as a horror.
The trailer uses medium shots especially on the empty stairs and empty rooms. The effectiveness of this allows the trailer to make it seem as though there is something stirring there something the audience can't see and so they expect something to happen.

Camera composition is also used very effectively in the trailer. The shot to the left is slightly out of focus and so therefore seems more frantic and also more spooky.  The shot seems very effective because of the mothers facial expression being one of fear but also looking as though she has been possessed creating a more creepy and mysterious feel to the trailer.

Mise en scene:
For the most part of the trailer the trailer is set in a house which is very typical of a horror movie as the home is meant to be the safe place for people but the trailer instead flips this and manages to make the home scary and on edge as normally these aspects of life would not typically be associated with being scary which only makes the audience more on edge.
The trailer is also very effective with its lightening. The trailer uses something known as makanan lightening known as the use of black and white lightening. It is used to cast shadows within the trailer  and also fading lights which may hint at fading hope.
Props are also used in the trailer very effectively and the main ones are the book and the knife.

Editing:
The editing of this trailer is a type of non-linear representation for the film. The editing is used to enhance the colours of the film and applying the special effects for the film. In most of the scenes of the trailer the scenes seem to have been desaturated in colour making the scene seem more dark and mysterious but also to make it seem that there is a bad force in the scene that could appear and telling the audience what type of movie this is.
One thing that i really about this trailer was its use of inter-titles. The way that they are used means that they link to the trailer perfectly as they are torn up pieces of paper and are edited to fall perfectly into place.

Sound:
The trailer uses both diagetic and non diagetic sound. Screaming is used very effectively in the trailer creating a more harrowing and intense moment for the trailer.  The non diagetic sound used in the trailer is used in the form of turning pages sounds which is linked to the idea of the book being haunted and being able to create a horror atmosphere.

Research into similar products: Blair witch project: trailer

At the start of the trailer i liked how there was no footage from the film but instead there was just narration clearly from a distressed women who is crying and is saying sorry to peoples moms for her mistake. I thought that this was effective as it shrouded the trailer in mystery as the audience can't see what is going on they can only hear what the narrator is saying which adds mystery to the trailer.

Furthermore, I very much liked how this particular trailer opened. Instead of the usual studio films coming up it instead featured some background information regarding the movie. By only adding this to the start of the trailer the film seems more realistic to the audience as instead of a film it is more depicted as a documentary which overall makes the movie seem more creepy and horrific as we the audience are lead to believe that what is happening actually happened. I really liked how this trailer started, it was unique and different and added a whole new layer of meaning, story telling and depth to the movie. This is something that i will look at in my own trailer because right at the start the audience are lead to believe that this is something that they have never seen before.

What i liked about this trailer was that it does not say much about the film which builds anticipation for the film as the audience do not not know what to expect.
The sound in the trailer is something that is done perfectly. Throughout the music is building up which effectively builds up the anticipation and makes the audience feel as though something big and scary is about to happen which it doesn't which brings the audience into a false sense of scary.

After the text appears on screen the shots that do follow are filtered in the colour of black and white and is mostly used in hand held camera style. This i believe is very effective as it furthers the idea that what the movie is showing is real and is in the form of a documentary instead of a film.  This then, builds the anticipation and also the creepiness of the trailer as the audience does not know what to expect.  The editing in this scene is fairly slow which is quite unconventional of a horror film as there is usually more jump scares but adding this technique is also really effective as the audience is constantly expecting something but it never occurs causing the audience to be on edge.

The final shot of the trailer is something that i really liked. The quick cut reveals an extreme close up of one of the students showing her intense fear to the audience which may cause discomfort and distress as the audience is left wondering what has happened. The shot also reinforces the idea of it being a hand held camera and a documentary instead of a film which displays the characters vunerrabilty in the scene.

Drafting and planning: Feedback from pitch

Feedback from the trailer pitch:

After doing my pitch to the class, the class and my teacher all gave me feedback on what they thought of my idea with them talking about the positives and how maybe i could improve my idea so that i create the best trailer that i can. What i was most proud of from the pitch was that my target audience seemed to like the idea calling it a 'unique and original' idea which is something i am very happy about as it only means that i am on the right tracks.

Positive feedback that i received:

• "Idea is unique and original and shows you know your narrative inside out".
• "Good connection between the use of the props and the plot"- (masks)
• "A really compelling idea"
• "Very relevant and relates to the genre of horror and thriller"

These being just some of the positives i got from the pitch i was really happy as it meant that clearly i am doing something good and i am on the right tracks and gave me an insight. As well as receiving those positives i got some feedback which will only act to help me and that was feedback in how i could possibly make the trailer better.

Feedback for how to improve my trailer:

• "How will i show that that the trailer takes place in the future"
• "Alot of content, could be simpler"
• "How can you match the montage scenes could relate to the story"
• "Will the location all be shot indoors"

The main comment that i received from my peers is how i would be able to create the trailer in a futuristic sense considering i said that my film would take place in the year 2050. As this comment came up several times i did realise that it would be quite unrealistic for the plot to be set in this time frame as it would be easier to do just do it in the current time frame.

Now that i have received this feedback from my peers i can begin to start the processing of filming now that i have a much clearer idea on how my trailer will come together. 

Drafting and Planning: Movie trailer pitch

To make sure that we are ready to make our movie trailer and to ensure that our trailer is on the right tracks and is actually something that can be created. Above is the pitch that i created going through the genre that i want the my trailer to be. I also went for the age rating of what my project will be. I went through the entirety of the plot from start to finish.
I also decided to look into props that i wanted to use, and who my main character will be in the film. Including a first draft of how i expect the trailer to go by including the first draft of the storyboard.

Organisation: Main character

When thinking of films an aspect that most people will remember the main character. The main character can make the movie and pull everything together. The main character is the central focal point of the movie and is in most cases what the story will be revolved around.

It is important that I make the main character is relevant to the story, genre and target audience it needs to be able to relate to the audience but also engage and captivate them.

That is when i came to the decision to cast Adam Tooley as the main character for my trailer, Adam understands perfectly what i am trying to create and because of his passion for acting and film especially shown by him taking drama for A-level i know he will give the best possible performance making the trailer instantly better.

Adam will be the best choice for the role because he fits the target audience role and so would be able to draw in the audience in who could relate to the main character. Adam would also fit the bill of the main character because of him being 17.

By picking Adam for my role i know i will get the best i can possibly get and so enhance the feel and look of my own trailer.

Research into similar products: Movie poster: "The exorcist"

One thing that really stands out to me on this poster is its layout. Everything is really spaced out and is really simplistic, this kind of approach leaves more to the imagination for the audience.

Colour is also very well done in the poster and is definitely something that i will take inspiration from. I very much like how the majority of the poster is in black with the only features of any of colour being white and it being centered around the only figure on the page. This type of editing really does fit in with the genre of the movie as it whole, giving a chilling and mysterious vibe.

The text on the page is really simple. Each text isn't an extreme or flashy font but instead is really simple giving it that more chilling tone. I also really liked how the all the text bar one piece is in white sticking to the whole colour scheme. The title is the only thing that is different in terms of colour, size, and font. It really draws more eyes towards it making it stand out more. The purple really fits in well with the horror genre.



The tagline that is accompanied with the poster at the top of the page is a really effective feature. "The scariest movie of all time has returned". This will grip the audiences as people who have seen it before will want to see what has changed as well as new audiences wanting to find out what it is all about.  I like how there is a lack of information given away to the audience adding to the intrigue of the movie as a whole.

One thing that i can definatly say will inspire when creating my own movie poster is the main image of the figure and how the light is shining on him clearly showing his importance to the story and the audience but also giving a really mysterious tone to him like who is he. I like how is represented as being in black because of the light just adding to that really mysterious vibe.

Organisation: Locations

For any film and so effectively trailer to actually work it needs to shot at a location. It is important that the location fits the genre of what is going on and in some circumstances can actually add to a scene. In this post i will be looking at some of the locations i plan to film at.


Location 1: 'The lickies castle':

My first location that i have picked out is the location known as the lickies castle. I like how the castle has that 'ruined' look that gives it eerie vibe and to give a good backdrop or even main setting. This particular piece of setting could be used for the main antagonists main area and hideaway.






Location 2: 'Graveyard':

My second known location that i will be filming at as the local graveyard and surrounding areas. This is the type of setting that will fit in perfectly with the genre of my trailer (horror/thriller) it will create a chilling and creepy tone to the movie especially if shot at night.

Research into similar products: Movie poster: "The conjuring"

In this blog post i will be looking into movie posters so that i have a more in depth and broader understanding of the creation of and main features of a poster so that when it comes to creating my own i can make a professional looking one that ticks all the boxes.

One thing that immedialty jumped out to me was the text at the top of the poster, it doesn't state the directors name but instead states two his most famous movies. By stating these movies it means that audiences can expect the same intensity for this particular film but to also say that if you liked those films you will like these films. And can expect the same for it. 

The title is placed near the top of the page and also the centre, this makes it more noticeable as it is the largest font and text. It is also coloured in black texting which gives it that really dark and sinister feel and also symbolise death. 

No actual names of actors are used on the poster and the only incline clue into characters is it stating 'the warrens' in one of the tagline this gives the whole film and poster a more real feel and make it all seem natural which could potentially worry the audience even more.

I really like how the poster is shot and designed to look like a establishing shot, this tells the audience where the movie will be set giving the audience an insight into the film and also what to expect. The main image of the poster is also very harrowing. It shows a bare tree with a noose and just the shadow of the body hanging. 

This really connotes a really creepy harrowing tone that connotes to the whole narrative that creates a really mysterious tone and feel. Making them want to watch the movie to see what it is all about. 

I really like the colour used on the poster, the poster seems to look as if the colour has been drained creating a more draining and creepy feel.