Organisation: Requesting music for the trailer.

As i said in a previous blog post i really wanted to use a music track that i found on youtube made by the composer Dan Brown Jr. The moment i heard the track i knew it was something that would fit perfectly with the trailer that i was creating.

Just to be sure that i would not be doing anything wrong in terms of going against any copyright issues, i decided to email the owner of the track to see if i would be able to use the track.  I made sure to mention that the trailer i was creating was not for any commercial gain and was and is for a school project.
I made it clear that i can give full credit to the composer on this blog.
I will now just have to wait and see and hope that the composer will allow me to use this track in my trailer as i already know how much i want to use it and how much it would fit and work in the trailer.

Drafting and planning: Editing

In this blog post i will be looking into some of the editing that i did in preparation for my first draft. In this piece of editing i wanted to add narration to one of the scenes that i had filmed so that it looked more like a trailer and also so that it would help explain some of the plot to the audience.

To do the narration it was simple enough and quick and easy so that it did not delay much of the editing process.
As you can see from the photo to the left all i had to do was click on the narration icon on the movie plus application. From here all i had  to do was simply get my actor to read out the lines that i needed him too.

After the narration was complete all i had to do was simply slide the file over to where i needed it and in this case it was the graveyard scene. To do this all i did was get rid of the audio file already attached to the scene and just replace it with the narration.
Overall i think it worked really well with the narration seamlessly working naturally with the scene to add some extra and needed depth to not only the scene but the trailer as a whole.





So as you can see below you can see the finished results for the editing process for adding the narration. For me i think the process worked out really well and I'm happy with the outcome of the scene.

Organisation: Rescheduling and reshoots.

Over the holidays when i reviewed some of the footage i had already done i realised that some of the footage i had done either didn't really go or needed re shooting. This only applied to about two scenes so would not effect the flow and timing of the creation of my trailer. This is being done today so that i can get it done as soon as possible so that the footage can be edited tomorrow in lesson and then everything can get back in track.

One scene i wanted to add in completely was a scene at the graveyard. I got the idea for this recently i decided that i wanted to add in this scene as when i looked at the script i realised that not only would it go it would also fit in really well. So the location of this scene will take part in north field graveyard.





Another scene that i wanted to re shoot was the scene with the main antagonist of the trailer and the main protagonist. I felt that this scene could of been done a-lot better in the final piece so i asked my actors if i could re shoot the scene so that scene will also be re-shot today ensuring that it is completed for tomorrows editing.

Drafting and planning: Trailer sound effects:

Of course with most if not all trailers my trailer is going to include background sound and music. This adds to the overall feel of the trailer and can actually add the impact and the story.

The music above is the type of music that i am looking to use or try and create/replicate. I like how the beat and effect is shown throughout the entirety of the trailer and it perfectly represents what my trailer will be about.
I do believe that this music would go very well in my trailer because it has that stinger sound but also the eerie sound that i believe would captivate the audience and keep them engaged in the trailer and what is going on.

It is important that i pick the perfect trailer music because i believe that the music can either make or break the trailer. It has to fit within the trailer because if it does not go then it could completely wreck the feel and tone of the trailer.

Drafting and planning: Editing

As you already know the deadline for our first draft is fast approaching. Because of this it is imperative that all my scenes that i already have are edited so that when it is handed in it looks as good as possible and of course makes sense. As you can see from the photo below in this blog post i will be showing you the editing process that took place during the fight scene that occurs in the trailer.






Before the editing took place the scene of course was just one continuous scene so while the scene was still dramatic enough i wanted to make the scene more impactful and look a lot cooler and memorable for the audience.  To do this as seen above i had to copy the scenes over three times into movie plus as i wanted to make the scene cut out and cut back in while being the same scene to make it more intense especially with the music that would go with it.

As you can from above i cut the scenes into three separate parts so that the scene would quickly cut in and out making it seem intense and look alot better and quicker in the final trailer.

So as you can see from the finished piece above i edited the scene so that there was three cuts in the three vital bits and make them cut back in when something important was about to happen. This i believe made the scene a lot quicker and also made it look better overall. Obviously now i just need to add the music but right now i am really happy with the outcome of the scene.

Research into similar products: Movie magazine

I decided to look into this particular magazine cover from Empire for a variety of reasons. The moment i saw this magazine cover i was heavily influenced by it and i really liked it and saw how i could use a similar design for my own poster.


As you can see from this particular issue of Empire magazine the masthead is featured at the top of the page and is in the typical colours for the empire magazine (red).  I like how the main star in the magazine is over the masthead covering it little. It suggest the importance of the film and the actor suggesting that they are important and can sell the magazine to the audience without the help of the magazine name.

The magazine also features cover lines on the right hand side of the page. These allow the reader to see what else is in the magazine incase they are not intrested in the main selling point of this issue.

I really liked the colour scheme used on this magazine. The colour used was a green colour. I thought that this was really effective as it fits with the overall design of the magazine and also the film of the magazine being the mummy. It gives the magazine a decaying feel to it making  it seem more creepy.

I also really liked the face image that is used behind the main actor. It creates a sense of mystery and suspense as the reader will want to know who that is.

The magazine also features all the typical conventions of a movie magazine such as the skyline to further promote the magazine  and also bring in more readers. The magazine also features the typical date, price and barcode which are the small but important aspects of the magazine.

Drafting and planning: How is horror illustrated through posters:

As i have said before the trailer that i am creating will be a hybrid genre of the horror and thriller genre. So to make sure that i make the perfect piece i wanted to look into how horror movies are illustrated through posters just so that i could get some idea into how they usually look and are designed so that i have a better understanding and knowledge of posters and the horror genre.

Most horror movie posters will normally use a singular image of a object or person. These objects or people shown in the poster are normally very important to the narrative of the film. The person chosen to be used in the poster is usually the antagonist and this is done to not only give an insight into the films narrative but to also create a feel of fear or worry. They may want to create a feel of uneasy or being intimidated. This is shown through both the 'conjuring' and the 'poltergeist' posters where the characters are staring directly at the camera and so directly at the audience.


A extreme close up is a shot that is used a-lot by horror posters. This is normally done on either the main antagonists face to create fear and distress or on the main protagonists face to create worry.  By giving a extreme close up the poster may reveal details about the narrative. For example in the 'Annabelle' poster there is clearly shown to be tears of blood running down from the dolls eyes showing that the doll is very much evil and that it is not your average doll so you should be very much afraid of the doll.  Another shot that is generally used in horror is the medium shot. This type of shot can make it seem as though that the antagonist is very close to the audience and is trying to communicate with them. This can be shown through the character making direct eye contact with the audience.  This type of design can make the audience feel uncomfortable.


The main colours that are normally used in horror posters are normally dull dark colours. It is common to use these type of colours as dark colours such as black are normally associated with terror, mystery and death. As you can see on the poster to the left the poster has also used the colour of red for titles. This is a more of a bright colour and separates the title from the rest of the poster allowing it to stand out. The colour red also has connotations of blood and violence which is key for a horror poster. Unnatural lighting is also used in horror posters.  This can create tension and unease within the whole poster and suggest that something is not right, this is shown in the paranormal activity poster.

Research into similar products: Hostiles film poster.

Now that editing has begun on the main stage of the project it became important that i started to look into the ancillary products. So i decided to look into various different genre posters to get a look into how posters are designed and also get some inspiration for my own. In this post i will be looking into the poster for the film "Hostiles"

One thing that immediately stood out to me for this poster was the use of colour and how it splits down the centre down the entirety of the page. The split then affects the text turning them different colours depending on the side that they are on even connecting the characters on the page.

The second i saw this poster i was immediately engrossed in it just because how unique it looks i noticed how i could get inspiration from this for my own poster. It's simple yet complex design looks really effective and engaging and makes you want to dive deeper into the narrative of the story.

I like how the split down the middle clearly represents how the two main characters shown in the poster are different to each other and are hostiles to each other living very different lives and being polar opposites to it each other.



When thinking of how i can get inspiration from this poster to my own i can think of quite a-lot. Firstly i like the split down the middle which then turns the poster into to colours and splitting the characters and setting. I think i would be able to achieve this as it would be simple enough to split the poster and then put the main protagonist and antagonist at the top of the poster with a setting of the castle in the lickies which i have done some filming around as the main setting for the poster. Then i can simply add the text and change the colours as done in that poster.

So overall i think that this poster is a really effective poster because of its use of colour and design so this is something that i will definitely come back to when the creation of my poster happens.

Drafting and planning: Editing

As you can tell from the image at the top i have started editing my trailer. As you can see i have several scenes to edit and get perfect for the trailer. For some of the scenes i have trimmed the length to make it the perfect length and have started to piece together where the scenes i have recorded will be placed i the trailer. I have used the story board i have created to help with the structure and the length of each scene that i have started to edit. I have also started to add some sound effects and music to the scenes that i believed needed them or i wanted them to have. However as you can tell there are some scenes which need to be finished and completed and these are scheduled to be completed very soon so then i will have the whole trailer to edit and make perfect but for now i have started the stage of the scenes that i do have done to make time scheduling much easier.

Drafting and planning: Film distributers.

I thought it was important for me to take a look into various different film distributers that would be included in my trailer so that it comes across as professional, realistic and effective.

The first company that came to mind for a film distributer was the massive scale budget company 'universal'.  I had many reasons for wanting to take a look into this particular company. My first reason being that this distributer in recent years has taken a look into horror type movies called within the industry as the 'dark universe'.  So if i were to choose this particular distributer then i would have a distributer that is well known in the horror type movies. This company also distributed a very well-known and liked thriller movie 'a walk among the tombstones'. I feel that if i were to include this company in the trailer then the trailer would look more main stream and would appeal to a domestic and global audience.

Another company that i decided to take a look into was 'warner bros'.  This company was very appealing to me in this sense it is very well known for its horror movies and successful horror movies at that including the likes of the 'conjuring',  'Annabelle', 'the exorcist' and 'IT'. These were all really successfully movies that were marketed at a niche and mainstream market and also the domestic and global markets. So to have this particular company distribute my movie would ensure that the movie is not only marketed well but also ensures that when the audience sees the movie advertised they will know its in the hands of a distributer that is well known for these movies.

Thirdly a company that i looked into for a distributer was 'studio canal'. This company is a bit different from the two previously mentioned in that it is more of a 'mini major' distributer and is not as big in terms of money and recognition but is still valuable and respected in the movie industry. Studio canal distributes to over 10 different counties which include the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Australia and New Zealand etc. What pulled me into looking at this distributer was its high work in the UK and has a high reputation in the UK and distributes movie that may not have mainstream attention and gives it just that working with a-lot of indie movies and indie directors. So this appealed to me because as of course i am not a mega- Hollywood director studio canal would be the type of distributers that pick this sort of movie up.

As you can see i have clearly gone into detail on three different movie distributers. I did this for the sole reason that in todays society and Hollywood business most movies are distributed by multiple companies to help achieve and maximise its success and it is common that movies receive fundings from multiple distributers.

Drafting and planning: Title animation

The above video is the title animation that i have decided to go for. Overall i am very happy with the finished result.  I picked this particular title animation for two reasons. The first is because as you already know it gained the most positive feedback from the target audience which straight away let me know that this one was the better choice.
Secondly i just felt as though that this title just worked so much better within the trailer and different levels. For starters i liked how the music lead up to it. The music makes the audience believe something big and scary is about to happen but then all that happens is a very simple title animation leading into a case sense of security and being weary of what could happen next.  And carrying on with the music i just felt that the animation just worked a-lot smoother and a lot better with the music.

I got the idea to design my title animation like this from the title animation from the insidious movie as that is very simple to my own and i believe that the animation is just more creepy and intense when it just simply appears to the audience.

I went with the black background and the white text because these colours are very common in the horror and thriller genre and connote very dark things such as death and mystery. Something my film is all about. I also felt that by using this title animation that it creates a connection between the inter-titles and the title.

Research into potential target audience: Film title animation

Using snapchat i sent these two videos which had two different title animations to my target audience to see what they're reactions were to the two and also so that i could see which one was more appealing to them. 

As you can see from the results the target audience preferred the first video which was the video with the more simple animation. 

The responses i got were really helpful with one saying "i had the horror vibe which goes with your trailer" and "i prefer the the first clip because it works better with the added music".

One person stated that they preferred the second option because it was "unique and different".

From this and will go try out both designs and see which i like best but as the target audience research suggests the first option seems to be the best option.

Research into similar products: Title animation

Every movie needs a title animation, it is usually the last thing that audiences will see as the trailer ends and of course it is the aspect that promotes the film.  So because of this i thought that it would be  a good idea to look into title animations of other films to get an idea into what they do and the typical conventions of them all.
I decided to do this as i know that i need to show the name of my trailer in a effective way so that it is memorable and also something that audiences can be interested in it.



As you can see above i found a video that has a large variety of film title animations from various different films made. They are normally around 3-5 seconds in length. In each the title is clearly visible in all and the theme of the film is always visible from the end title animation.


As you can see from the short GIF above one title animation that i very much liked was the title animation for the film "insidious".  What makes this animation more appealing and effective is that it is so simple. It is simply just red text over a black background that flashes just ever so slightly. When looking at it i am already pulled to having my own title animation look something like this because it looks more unnerving and creepy and is not overdone.


The star was GIF for their title animation is also something that i very much liked. It is a little more complex then then the insidious one and had more animation to it making it a little more intresting and captivating.

From here i will try and create my own title animation. I hope to create something that goes with the overall narrative of the film and also try to make it fit in with the trailer and also the title animations.

Research into similar products: SAW

In this blog post i will be looking into poster for the movie saw 2.

The main feature of the poster is the character that is situated in the top left hand corner. The image is a very iconic character in the horror genre so even if the audience has never seen the movie before they'd be able to recognise the character.

One thing that i really liked about the poster when i first saw it was how it all looked and the colour of it all. I really like how all the colour looks very drained and unnatural. This type of effect only adds to the whole creepiness of the poster. This type of colour effect is something that i would like to add on my poster just because it looks so different and eerie.

Another thing that i really liked about this poster was the title and the font that is used for it, it really is unique and stand out. it doesn't look natural and doesn't look like an average and conventional title. The title looks very eddy and looks like its been scratched onto the page giving the whole poster a very unique look and telling the audience how this is in the horror genre. This is something that i would like to do when i do my own poster to make it look different and allow it stand out front the crowd of all the different posters out there.

Another thing that especially stood out to me from this poster was its use of positioning and lighting. I like how the main character suddenly appears out of the darkness. I really like this technique and is defiantly something that i was looking into doing for my own poster because it really creates a creepy vive to just have the figure come out of nothing as darkness is something that loads of people are scared of the dark. And doing this sort of design is something that can indeed correlate with my own trailer as mine is centred around the shadows.

So again this was a poster that i really liked and gave me alot of ideas and also supported my own ideas for my own poster.