Camera Shots and Angles...

Shots:

Establishing Shot: Usually used at the beginning of a scene which provides a visual of the setting.

Master Shot: This shot is usually taken from a wide angle and covers all the actio ntaking place in a scene.

Long Shot: When filming a person the viewer would see the top of the heads down to their feet.

Medium Shot: Shot from the waist up.

Close-up: Capturs facial expressions, mainly used for conversations.

Extreme Close-up: This has a dramatic impact and may just show the eyes.

Wide Shot: Shows a group of people all together.

Two-Shot:Shows two people in the frame, this is often used for two people in a conversation.

Point Of View (POV): This is used to draw the viewer in and to direct them towards the action.

Angles:

Bird's-Eye View: Used as an establishing shot to view from directly overhead to enable a clear view, leaves the viewer feeling as though they are in a God-like position.

Eye-Level: This is a fairly neautral shot, with the camera showing a view that an actual person in the scene would see.

High Angle: Viewing from above the subject, implying vulnerability.

Low Angle: Viewing from below the subject, looking up, to imply superiority.

Canted Angle: Camera is tilted 25 to 45 degrees to one side, creates an impression of chaos and instability.

Genre Conventions-Thriller...

Thrillers tend to be fast paced with quick cuts. They are full of suspense and tension. The lighting tends to be dark and mysterious. They often like to "play with the viewers minds". A lot of the story is from the killers point of view.

Iconography associated with thrillers:

Mirrors
Stairs
Shadows
Confined spaces
Street lamps

Codes:

Characters tend to look like normal/average people, wearing clothes that any other person would wear. However certain characters may wear certain colours to connote different things. For example, a mysterious character could be wearing black, an innocent character could be wearing white, and a character who is seen as dangerous could be wearing red.

Again the location of a thriller tends to appear fairly normal, this could be in a house or often in the city. Thrillers tend to have regular props, costumes and locations, but have characters that are mysterious or a storyline that gives the audience "thrills" when they watch it.

Managing My Time...

Evaluation of research findings completed 12th July
Planning and drafting completed (including shot lists, location recces, storyboards, mock-ups of layouts etc.) 6th September - at the latest
Production completed (main task) 21st October
Production completed (ancillary tasks) 8th November
Editing completed 25th November
Final audience feedback on production 29th November
Final changes made in response to audience feedback 5th December
Evaluation completed (refer to guidance and ensure you submit a full evaluation, using a range of digital technology)
12th December Final submission 13th December

Audience Theory...

Media Effects Models

Much research has been done into the possible effects of the media on its audience. There is also research that shows how the media and audience affect each other.

Hypodermic Syringe Model: 

There is an argument that the media has a direct and immediate effect on its audience, like a drug being injected directly into a vein. If you watch something violent, you become violent. The following headline from 'The Times' gives an example:

Grand Theft Auto withdrawn in Thailand after copycat killing 

Thai distributors have pulled GTA IV after after a 19-year-old  

killed a taxi driver while recreating a scene  from the game. 

(Jonathan Richards, 

The Times, 4 August 2008)

Cultural Effects Model: 

This model also states that the media has an effect on its audience, However, unlike the drug analogy, it sees the effects as being much slower. Like a dripping tap, the repeated messages of the media slowly enter our consciousness and new norms are set. Certain values and behaviours are 'normalised'. 

Two-Step Flow Model:

This model also accepts that an audience is affected by the media, but this is seen as an indirect effect. Some people are seen as opinion leaders and they interpret the media for others. An example for this in 2008 was when comedians Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were taken off the air due to thousands of complaints, which were based not on directly hearing their show, but on media opinion of the show. 

Reflection On Research...

I created a questionnaire and handed it out to 30 people. Although I know that the sample I have will not be completely representative of the larger film watching population, the answers given will give me some indication of where to begin.
Below is some analysis on the questions:

50% of the people I gave my questionnaire to were in the age range of 15-18, this will help me when deciding what age to classify my film as. I will probably have it as a certificate 15, as this is what my largest audience is likely to be and I will make sure that the content in the trailer is age appropriate.

I asked my audience what most appeals to them in a film trailer and the most popular answer was 'an engaging story line' so I am going to make sure that I write a script that it is intriguing without giving away too much of the story. Although this wasn't the most popular answer, I want to make sure that there is plenty of suspense within my teaser trailer to make people want to watch it.

The most popular sub-genre of thriller was a psychological thriller, I think this sub-genre would be very interesting to film as it is different from typical thrillers. The suspense is mainly driven from a mental threat, rather than a physical one.
However, the killer sub-genre was also very popular so I will also need to consider this too. I need to make sure that I come to a final conclusion about which sub-genre to choose because they are very different to one another and the moods that are conveyed will be dissimilar also.

The most popular answer given for the location of my trailer was a house, I feel that this will be an appropriate location to film in as I will not need to ask for permission (that is if its in my own house) and I can spend as much time as I need filming it and altering things to make it suit my trailer. I am however likely to use other locations too as I want to make sure that there is a range of mes en scene within the teaser.

I asked my audience whether I should have a cliff-hanger or not and 60% answered yes. I'm not sure exactly how I am going to interpret this into the teaser trailer, but I will try and make sure that I do not give everything away in the trailer and that the audience is left wondering how the story will end.

90% of my audience said that the antagonist should be a male. I think this would be good as it would be following typical stereotypes of the "badies" always being male, however it could also be interesting to challenge this stereotype by having a woman as the main antagonist.

I wanted to also gain feedback for ideas on the poster for the film and most people said that the image on the poster should be like a still from the film, I like this idea as I think that it would really capture the mood and atmosphere of the film, but I also enjoy conducting photo shoots, so I may do both and compare them to which image I prefer.

I asked whether the colour scheme for the poster should match the magazine cover and most people answered yes. I agree with this as I want there to be continuity within my whole project.

Doing this questionnaire has helped me a great deal and I have been able to explore certain ideas and come up with final decisions for my media product.

Questionnaire Results...

Questionnaire...

Questionnaire: Thriller Teaser Trailer

I am a media student currently studying at A2 level. I am going to be creating a thriller teaser trailer along with a poster for the film and a magazine cover promoting the film. I would appreciate it if you could answer my questionnaire and give me any feedback, I will consider all of your answers to help me with decisions for my final media product.  

Please tick or circle your answers.

1. Are you male or female?

Male

Female

2. How old are you?

15-18

19-25

26-30

31+

3. What appeals to you most in a film trailer?

Good actors

An engaging story line

Lots of suspense

Good editing

Other ..........................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

4. What is your favourite thriller sub-genre?

Psychological thriller

Crime thriller

Mystery thriller

Action thriller

Killer thriller

5. What location would you expect a thriller to be set in?

A house

The woods

In the city

In the country side

A graveyard

Other ...........................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

6. Do you think there should be a cliff-hanger in my thriller?

Yes

No  

7. What gender do you think the antagonist should be?

Male

Female

8. How should the image appear on the poster?

Like a still from the film

Planned, with the main character in a particular pose

9. Should the colour scheme for the poster match the magazine cover?

Yes
No 

The Target Audience...

It is extremely important for film makers to identify their target audience before they make any final decisions or begin to plan their film. The target audience could influence many factors within a film such as character representations, locations, props, actors, editing styles, etc. Film producers will carry out primary and secondary research to make sure that their product is well suited to the audience it is aiming it at.

I have decided to create a thriller based teaser trailer and have looked at film demographics so that I can identify who watches this genre of film. Most films in the thriller category are rated 15, which is why people above this age watch them, due to mostly language, violence and possibly sexual references being in them.

Although the audience ranges depending on the sub-genre of the thriller, the broad audience for a generic thriller tends to be both male and female aged between 15 and 30. Young adults are more prone to watching a thriller due the 'adrenaline rush' feel whilst watching, which is something that adults above 30 tend to feel is unnecessary or unpleasant.

I will aim my product towards 15-25 year olds, being predominantly female.

Reflection On Research...

The secondary research that I have been doing is based on what my final products are going to be. The first thing that I did was analyse teaser trailers. I found this really useful as it showed me the kind of thing that I wanted to do in my own trailer and helped me to decide the genre I wanted to do.

Analysis of Film Posters...

This is the film poster for the film 'Vacancy'.
The outline of this poster is black, dark connoting death and emptiness. The two main characters and the window in front of them are highlighted with an orange/red tint to it, this connotes danger and that they are in the spotlight suggesting that somebody is looking for them.
The reflection on the window shows the audience that the film is set in a motel, which is a hotel located by a roadside, this suggests that the stay was not intentional and that they are only staying there due to car trouble.
The two main characters are looking out of their window with scared expressions on their faces, showing that they are trapped in the room and that there is something outside the room that is trying to harm them.
The title of the film has been made larger than any other text on the poster which is likely to attract an audience if the name appeals to them. The writing has been made bold and clear so that it is easy to read and is one of the first things seen on the poster. The colour of the text is an orange/red which connotes blood and reflects the genre of the film which is possibly horror.
Just above the title the actors names have been used, this has been done because they are well known and are likely to attract more viewers to the film.
Underneath the title the text says: "Once You're In, There's No Way Out", this implies that the two characters have been lured into the motel room and are now trapped. This is a simple statement that shows the audience what the film is about without spoiling the whole plot, it also reinforces the genre of horror or thriller as it is short but haunting statement. 

Analysis of Film Posters...

This is the film poster for 'Back To The Future'.

The location of this image is on an ordinary road with scenery and street lights in the background, showing that this film isn't a typical science fiction film as they are often set on another planet. 

However, the audience is made aware that this is a sci-fi film because it conveys to certain conventions of this genre of film such as a scientific concept that has not been achieved yet, which in this film is time travel, this can be guessed by the title of the film. 

The vehicle on the left looks like a car, but the door opens upwards showing advances in technology which could be viewed as futuristic. It is assumed that the car is the time machine, due to these qualities it possesses. 

The tire tracks are on fire showing a great speed, they also lead off the road and the time machine is at the side showing that there are possibly complications within the film. 

Although the vehicle is futuristic looking the main character shown on the poster is juxtaposed with this as he looks like a normal boy and his clothes suggest that he himself is not from the future due to his clothing which is a pair of jeans, a shirt and a denim jacket. 

His facial expression as he looks at his watch suggest that he has ended up somewhere unexpected and the audience is lead to believe that there are further ups and downs during the film.

The title of the film is placed at the top of the poster and the colours of it correspond to the rest of the poster, which gives it a clean look and does not over complicate the page. 

Analysis of Film Posters...

This is the film poster for 'E.T.the Extra-Terrestrial'.

The first thing I notice when looking at this poster is the boy on the bike flying across the moon, this shows the audience that there is an element of fantasy within the film and that children will enjoy it. 

The only colour used on the poster is blue, making it simple by giving it a clean look and makes sure that other elements are not overpowered by unnecessary bold colours. The blue also connotes purity which appeals to a younger audience.

The title of the film is placed near the bottom and is in white, which stands out well among the black trees in the background.

The directors name, Steven Spielberg, is placed just above the title, this will attract people who are fans of his other films and will make more people want to see the film.

Underneath the title states that the film is about an extra-terrestrial's (an object or being beyond Earth) adventure on earth which tells the audience that this is a science-fiction film. 

Analysis of Film Posters...

This is the poster advertisement for the film 'Scream 4'.

The main character 'Ghost Face' is positioned in the middle of the poster with just his mask showing, without his body. The mask is very iconic and people will recognise it. The bottom of his mask has been made into the shape of a knife reinforcing the genre of horror and that the character is a killer.

The background is just black which makes the white mask very exposed and makes it seem more frightening. Another colour that has been used is red, connoting blood and violence. The 'A' in scream has been cleverly transformed into a 4 showing that this is the fourth sequal in the franchise.

Analysis of Film Posters...

This is poster advertisement for the film 'Horrible Bosses'.

My first initial thoughts on looking at this poster is that it is a comedy due to the bright colours being used and the facial expressions of the characters.

They have used humerous words to describe the bosses such as 'Psycho', 'maneater' and 'tool'.

The way that the characters have been positioned is so that the main characters are positioned straight underneath their bosses, showing that they are vulnerable to them and that their bosses have more power.

Kevin Spacey (top left)  has been labelled 'Psycho' and he has a very stern look on his face, Jason Bateman underneath him looks intimidated by the look on his face.

Jennifer Aniston (top, middle) is a 'maneater' and her head is tilted back slightly showing her confidence, Charlie Day underneath her looks scared.

Colin Farrell (top right) has been labelled as a 'tool' and has his head tilted down with an expression on his face that suggests that he is (like the poster says) a tool. Jason Sudeikis underneath him looks frustrated with his hands positioned on his head.

The actors names have been put on the poster showing that they are well known and people will see the fim just because they are in it.

Analysis of Film Posters...

This is the film poster for The Dark Knight.

The character that has been used is The Joker, he has been placed behind frosted glass so the audience cannot see him clearly which makes his character seem mysterious and sinister.

The writing says "Why so serious?" which is ironic due to the stern look on his face and the fact that it has been written in possibly blood. His hand has been placed directly underneath the writing with blood also on his hands, showing that he has done it.

The name of the film has been positioned at the bottom of the page and the text is small and spaced out, this is because they have used the Batman symbol which is very iconic and so the audience are made aware that the film is part of the very successful franchise.

The lighting that has been used is very light in the background but where the Joker is standing it is very dark highlighting the outline of his body and connoting that he is an outcast and that he is suspicious and omnious. The Batman logo has been highlighted by a bright light outlining it, which connotes that he is good and is against evil. The dark colours and blood also suggest that the films genre is an action and may contain violence.

Analysis of Film Magazine Front Covers...

This is an issue of the film magazine 'Total Film', which features one of the main characters from the X-Men franchise, Wolverine.

The first thing that my eyes are drawn to on this cover is the image of the cover artist. The X-Men films are very popular and were originally part of a comic book series. I like how the producers of the magazine has split the page in two and have made the left side comic book style, such as the left side of Wolverine's face, and have made the right side of the page as the actors in their roles as the comic book characters.
This theme is carried out not  just for the cover stars face but also the characters at the bottom of the page.
The shot of Wolverine is a close-up which challenges the conventions of a typical magazine cover and makes the image seem more tense and suspenseful.

  The colour scheme that has been used has been kept very simple, using only the colours blue and yellow which relates to the comic book theme as these two colours are very popular within them. The writing has been kept white so that it stands out compared to the colours.

A skyline has been used to show the audience that this is a comic book edition to the magazine and that it will be reviewing movie interpretations of the comics.
The sell lines have been used to attract a larger audience by showing what else the magazine will include.

A puff has been used to make the page seem more busy and to show that the magazine includes 70 comic book films, which will make fans of this genre want to buy the magazine.

The masthead has been placed at the top of the page and is very large showing that it is the most important text on the whole page. The outline has been made black so that it stands out even more from the background, this is good because if a customer is looking for this particular magazine then they will be able to find it with no trouble whatsoever.

Analysis of Film Magazine Front Covers...

This is an issue of the film magazine 'Empire', which features Will Smith on the cover.

The main image used is a typical magazine cover image which conforms to the conventions, such as being a mid shot, which shows the body language of the cover star but also showing their facial expression. He is also looking straight to the camera which gives a direct mode of address to the audience. He is also positioned in the middle of the page, showing that he is the main attraction of the magazine. Will Smith is wearing dark clothing and is holding a gun which shows that the genre of his film, 'I Am Legend' is an action. The camera is positioned slightly lower than him, showing that he has authority over the audience and contains lots of power and slight arrogance.

The outline of the background is a lot darker than the centre, it is almost highlighted in the middle of the page showing that Will Smith is the star and that all focus should be on him. 

The colour scheme used is very basic with a very dark background, the text has been white and red so that it stands out from the background. The red connotes danger, violence and possibly blood which may suggest that the genre of the film could be horror.

The skyline states that it is the best winter preview ever, which is a big statement and one that will possibly persuade customers to buy this magazine over any other.

The sell lines show other stories that are within the magazine which will hopefully attract a wider spread audience other than just the ones who wish to read about Will Smith.

The strapline includes the titles and images of the upcoming and big budget films which attract people who want to see the films because they will want to read the reviews before paying for cinema tickets to see it.

The masthead is in the colour red, in keeping with the colour scheme and corresponding with the violence in the film. The name of the magazine is Empire which connotes higher authority and prestige. 

Part of Smith's head is covering the title which shows that the producers are confident that the magazine is iconic enough for people to recognise it despite some of the name being covered.

Analysis of Film Magazine Front Covers...

This is an issue of the magazine 'Total Film', which features Leonardo DiCaprio.

The cover star has been positioned in the middle and covers most of the page which shows that he is the main attraction of the magazine. He is wearing a smart suit which suggests that his character may be quite sophisticated and that the movie could have a big budget. This is not a typical magazine cover image as he is not looking directly towards the camera which gives him a sense of mystery. There is also a shadow cast over the entire right half of his face which could connote that he character is sinister.

The background looks very technical and almost futuristic which may suggest that the film is a science fiction. The background is blue and some of the text is silver, which suits the technical theme. The rest of the text is in white and red which could suggest that there is some violence in the film.

The skyline states that this is a 'mind-blowing' edition which could suggest that the film is quite psychological and requires 'thinking about'. It also shows that this is a special edition of the magazine and all of the films mentioned will 'blow your mind'. No strapline has been used on this cover.

The sell lines help to 'sell' the magazine, the main image and anchorage text help to attract people to the magazine, but the sell lines are what make people decide to buy this magazine compared to others. The magazine producers try to choose articles that they think people will want to read about.

The masthead has been made to look like the background but has been made a slightly lighter and brighter shade so that it stands out and people can read it with ease. The name of the magazine is 'Total Film' so it is very clear what the magazine is and what kinds of articles it publishes.

Analysis of Film Magazine Front Covers...

This is the cover of an issue of 'Empire' magazine, which includes three of the main characters from the film 'Django Unchained'.

When looking at the cover my eye is first drawn to the cover artists. The colours and clothing that they are wearing suggests that this is a western film. Jamie Fox is standing in the middle of the page suggesting that he is the main character in the film. Leonardo DiCaprio (on the left) is standing sideways on to the camera and has a sinister facial expression which suggests that he is not a "good" character in the film compared to Christoph Waltz (on the right) who has a calm facial expression which may reveal that he is on the "good" side. The camera shot that has been used is mid-shot on all of the characters which shows their body language as well as the expressions on their faces.

The colour scheme that has been used relates to the genre of film-western, due to the brown and neutral colours. The other main colour used is red which suggests that this is a violent film, there has  also been blood splattered on the wall and Django (Jamie Fox) is holding a gun.

No sell lines have been used on the cover but a skyline and strapline has been included.

The skyline states that this issue of the magazine is an oscars special, which may entice the audience as they know that the film they are reading about are award worthy and therefore will be good. It also makes the issue more exclusive which collectors of the magazine will not want to miss therefore it is important that it is at the top of the page so it is one of the first things people see.

The strapline includes reviews of new big budget films which people will attract people who want to see the films, they will want read the reviews before they go out and pay money for cinema tickets.

The masthead is in the colour red, in keeping with the colour scheme and corresponding with the violence in the film. The name of the magazine is empire, connoting higher authority and prestige. Part of the title is covered by Django's head which shows that the producers are confident that people will still know what the magazine is due to how iconic is.

Analysis of Film Magazine Front Covers...

This is a copy of 'Best Movie' magazine, which has the two characters Harry Potter and Edward Cullen on it.

I was first drawn to this due to the two cover artists on it. I know that the fans of Harry Potter and the fans of Twilight are very competitve with each other and think that you can only love one film but hate the other, so I thought it was clever how the producers of the magazine have picked up on this and have made the two characters are rivals. A close up shot is used on both of their faces which challenges the conventions of a magazine cover and makes the image more suspensful.

The colour scheme on this cover is simple with the colours red, white and yellow. The colours needed to be fairly bright so that they had the ability to stand out from the dark grey background, however they are not so bright that they distract from the main attraction. The font is very bold and upper case lettering has been used, this allows the reader to be able to view everything on the page clearly.

The masthead is positioned right at the top of the page, it is in the colour red and is fairly large. It is larger than any other text on the page which shows that it is very important. This will make it easy for a reader to spot on the shelf of a shop and will make it stand out compared to others.

A puff has been used in the top right corner, making the cover seem a lot more busy and shows that there is plenty of material for the reader within the magazine.

The sell lines include other articles that the magazine has inside, which will either pursude the readet to buy or not. It also fills up the space on the page.

Analysis of Film Magazine Front Covers...

This is an issue of the film magazine 'Premiere', in which Will Ferrell is the cover star.

The first thing that my eyes are drawn to on this cover is Will Ferrell due to his striking pose and the fact that he is in the center of the page. He is also looking straight at the camera, giving the audience a direct mode of address. In the photo he is holding a skate which relates to his film 'Blades of Glory' in which he plays an ice skating performer, he is wearing a green and glittery outfit and the pose that he is doing is seductive which relates to his character in the film. The camera shot that is used is a mid-shot which is usually a convention of a magazine front cover.

The colours that are used in the magazine are black, white and yellow. These are simple colours but are effective as they do not draw any attention away from the main attraction of the cover. They also make the magazine appeal to both male and female. The font that has been used is very clear and easy to read which helps to advertise the magazine to its potential customers.

The skyline shows that the magazine is not just interested in actors but all aspects of film, in this case it's film directors.

The masthead is in clear writing and is placed at the top of the page, showing that it is on of the main things on the cover. The name makes it clear to the audience that this is a magazine within the style of film, due to premieres being a very important part in the release of an upcoming film.

The sell lines on the cover relate to films that the audience "need" to see, which is good promotion. They also include lots of famous actors which will appeal to potential customers when they are deciding whether to buy the magazine or not.

Final Decision...

I have decided to choose the genre, thriller. This is my favourite genre of film and so I have some knowledge of it. I think I would enjoy this genre the most and would be able to do it justice.

Other Genres...

Science-Fiction:

This teaser trailer for 'Elysium' begins by showing the logo of the film studio 'TriStar' pictures which is a successful company and people will be interested as they know that the film is like to have a big budget.

There is an establishing shot used which is from a birds-eye view and shows one of the locations (presumably the main one) in the film. The scenery shown is very bright and clean looking, the grass and trees are a vibrant green connoting life and purity.  It then cuts to another location however the two are juxtaposed, as the second is very dull looking and is crowded with people. The text on the screen shows that the film is set in the year 2154. It also states that only the privileged people live on 'Elysium' (the first location) and that it contains no poverty, war or sickness. The definition of Elysium is a place or state of perfect happiness, which is everything this planet is supposed to be. The second location is revealed to be Earth and is where the rest of the human population live. The lead character, Matt Damon states that he is going break into Elysium in order to save the rest of mankind.

The factors that make this trailer conform to its genre of Sci-Fi are:

The concept-this is because it is set in the future and is an idea that has never been explored.

Science Fiction films are usually set in the future, this one is set in the year 2154. They also are often set in space or on a different planet, this film is set on both earth and the planet Elysium. They also contain technologies of the future, in the trailer it shows a lady being scanned and cured of cancer. 

Comedy:

This is the teaser trailer for the comedy film 'The Hangover'. 

The trailer begins by showing the logo of the film studio 'Warner Bros. Pictures' which is a very popular film company and people will recognise the film logo and know that it is likely to be successful. 

Difference Between Horror and Thriller...

Looking at the conventions of horror and thriller films, I have noticed what makes them different.

Horror's tend to be more violent and contain a lot more blood and possibly weapons. Most of the time horrors are based on supernatural elements and it is highly unlikely that a horror storyline could be true.

Whereas, thrillers tend to be based on people's actions and how they behave rather than, for example, a ghost. This makes thrillers more realistic compared to horrors, which I think is scarier as the audience are left at the end of the film with the thought of, "that could happen to me".