Mathew Allison

Time Management TASK WEEK STARTING

Case study of film + analysis of teaser trailers. 1

Analysis of film magazines and film posters. 2

Identifying target audience and primary and secondary

research 3

Planning stages: storyboard, location, risk assessment,

casting, props and costume. 4

Film teaser, create draft film magazine and film poster

and photos for magazine. 5

Create production logo and final drafts of

magazine/poster. 6

Edit teaser 7

Gain audience feedback 8

Make responses on audience feedback 9

Evaluation questions 10

Upload teaser and add links. 11

Teaser Trailers The main differences between teaser trailers and theatrical trailers is the length and content and

release date.

After watching multiple teaser trailers I have answered the following questions:

What is the definition of a teaser trailer?

A teaser trailer is a short trailer used to advertise an upcoming movie, game or television series.

What is their purpose?

Their purpose is to let the audience know that the movie is coming up in the near future, and to add to the hype of the upcoming release.

How long do they tend to be?

Movie teasers, unlike typical theatrical trailers, are usually very short in length (between 30–60 seconds)

What genre do they tend to be?

The typical genre for a teaser trailer is adventure and large budget film. However it can be used in any popular theme/genre.

When are they released?

Some teasers have appeared over a year (or longer) prior to the movie's release date. There is usually a long delay between trailer and release date.

What are their conventions?

The conventions of a teaser trailer are that they are short, and their intention is to tease the audience.

What information do they include?

Usually contain little, if any, actual footage from the film.

Analysis Of Teaser Trailers

Inception: Short length, no real storyline or plot, a lot of special

effects, loud ‘tension’ music and lots of action sequences portraying the genre.

Saw 3D: Short in length, as above no real plot and also

contains lots of screen shots of text. Shows the genre well and attracts the audience.

Terminator Salvation: Contains a narrative throughout, Uses an effect

which makes the camera look like it keeps losing signal to keep the audience interested.

Paranormal Activity Case Study

Teaser: http://teaser-trailer.com/movie/paranormal-activity/

This trailer was released to the UK audience and contained an original unique selling point (USP). Within the trailer was footage of peoples fearful, shocked and outrageous from watching the film in the cinema. Using this as a USP makes the audience of the trailer intrigued about the cinematic experience. It contains superimposition which addresses the audience to make them involved. It has parts of the film played from within the cinema so the audience gets an understanding of what to expect in the cinema. It contains screen shots of reviews and tension music builds heavily towards the end. All this is continuously reinforcing the horror genre.

Paranormal Activity Website

Analysis Website: http://paranormal-activity-movie.co.uk

Trailer in the middle

of the screen with

tension music

keeps audience

interested

The title and strap

line. The strap line

suggests the film is

scary but also

encourages groups

of viewers, which

means more tickets

are sold.

Release date, so audience

know when to watch

Link to Facebook/Twitter

to promote viral

marketing.

Paranormal Activity Poster

Analysis A review that gets the

audience very

intrigued and

emphasises the

suspense of the film

Two taglines, one

with a rhetorical

question, involving

the audience.

A screenshot from

the film in black

and white

connoting

darkness/night

vision and time in

the corner which

shows that its

recording, giving

a realism affect.

Terminology

Masthead: The name of the magazine Strap line: A slogan used to identify the brand Cover lines: The main story or article in the

magazine Screamers: Attention seeking headlines Billing Block: At the bottom of a poster that

has the production company, writers, producers, along with company logos.

Tagline: A catchy, enticing short phrases used to advertise and sell a film. There purpose is to sum up the plot and/or themes of a film.

SAW Poster

Title in genre

appropriate

font, with tagline

intriguing

audience.

Emphasises

the SAW saga

reputation.

Shows that

the film is

gruesome and

promotes the

horror genre.

No billing block but does

show producers etc.

Inception Poster

USP – the

actors

name sells

the film.

Shows actors

holding

weapons,

emphasising

action.

Tagline is

relatively

vague making

the audience

intrigued

Special effects

used in the film

also give a

slight insight to

film.

Red title,

contrasting

colour to stand

out. Also using

director as

selling point

Billing block shows

the writers,

producers etc.

Release date and

IMAX as selling point

also.

Empire Cover Page

USP

Masthead-

follows colour

scheme and

strap line.

Screamer,

bold and

insight to

film

Second

USP

Entire

background

close up of

face, shows

actor and

makeup and

props connote

action

Total Film Cover Page

USP

Masthead

incorporating the

films maze like

features

Screamer

also used

to sell

magazine

Image

portrays

action (gun)

and shows

main actor

Small

articles with

magazine

The cover line

shows the main

story within the

film.

BBFC

What is the BBFC? British Board of film classification What certificates are there? U, PG, 12, 12A, 15, 18, R18 What are the main issues they are concerned with. Issues such as language, discrimination, violence, sex and drugs in films,

DVDs and video games, parental concerns about younger viewers What possible ways could the BBFC intervene? They have the power to seize illegal video works. How many films did the BBFC cut last year? 9/665 films were cut in 2010. For my film I would be aiming for a 15 certificate, the restrictions that apply to

this are as follows: No-one under 15 can rent, buy of watch in the cinema, cannot promote drug use, no sadistic or sexualised violence, there may be use of strong language, nudity is allowed without strong detail.

http://www.google.co.uk/images

My Teaser Questionnaire

My teaser questionnaire is my

main primary research. The

information gathered from the

questions are mostly

qualitative (rich in information

from open questions) and

some quantitative (nominal

data that is easily measured

from closed questions).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71

948903@N06/6498376969/in/p

hotostream/

Questionnaire Analysis

Gender

Male

Female

What's most likely to make you watch a film?

Teaser Trailer

Book Adaptation

Good Review

Question Analysis

What do you consider are the main

conventions of a thriller/horror teaser trailer?

Responses include the use of quick cuts,

dark lighting, tension music and dramatic

sounds. I will make sure to use these

conventions with my trailer to fully appeal to

my audience.

What part of a thriller do you find the most

exciting/engaging?

Viewers reactions, tension build up, scary

actors. I will included these within my trailer

to hook the audience.

What is a particular downfall to a typical

thriller/horror film?

Predictability, poor endings, not scary, no

use of new materials. To overcome these I

will be sure to build tensions in the right way

and execute them effectively.

Secondary Research - UKFC

Above is a segment of one page of secondary research. I have used

secondary research as it would not be possible for me to ask such a wide

range of people. Through the research found people who enjoy thrillers tend to

be over 35 and mainly women. This also table shows that thrillers are the 4th

most popular genre in Great Britain with 63% of the population enjoy watching.

(http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk)

My Target Audience

From using Primary and secondary

research my target audience for my film

will be mainly over 35 and primarily

women. I also found out that to get a

possible audience member involved is

through a teaser trailer. My target

audience also believe a good

thriller/horror needs to build suspense to

be successful.

Storyboard

http://www.flickr.com/phot

os/71948903@N06/6498

547059/

Location

The location of the trailer will be at home.

This is appropriate for the film as people

(the audience) see their home as a safe

place, whereas my teaser will contradict

this. This should reinforce the horror

genre.

Risk Assessment

As I may use the loft for one of my shots I

am going to make sure the ladder is

stable, and the actor is comfortable with

doing a shot in this environment. I will

also tell Alex (the actor) where to stand

and where is safe. This should reduce if

not eliminate any risks.

Casting

I will need approximately 2/3 actors. I have

chosen a main zombie, a victim in bed

and a second zombie.

The cast I have chosen do not have to fit

any certain traits, but must be

comfortable in costume and makeup.

Prop List

Bed (from home)

Makeup (mainly white/black/green)

Zombie costume (homemade)

Window (from home)

Door (from home)

Makeup for the zombies

Costume Design

The costume for the main zombie is homemade. This consisted of a old t-shirt that was torn up and black/dark trousers and zombie style makeup.

Another is bed clothes style which is supplied by the actor.

The third costume needs to be dark so no focus is taken away from the face in the window shot.

Filming: Day One

Today I completed the main

part of the filming. I dressed

the actors in the costume

and added makeup. I took

several shots of different

ideas but the all related to

the initial story board. I was

very happy with what was

completed today.

Filming: Day Two

Today I added a new idea to the film. After experimenting different ideas, I decided to film dripping taps and I am planning to use the noise to build tension and suspense in the trailer. I tweaked a few shots from the previous day and re-filmed. I also filmed the window shot and I am very happy with the overall outcome

Creating The Zombies

Draft Magazine Cover

Draft Film Poster

Magazine/Poster Image Ideas

Poster

http://www.bing.com/images

/search?q=scary+flashing&

view=detail&id=8B098350F

47788271F80795D990B918

D4D56EFCD&first=0&FOR

M=IDFRIR&adlt=strict

Poster

http://www.bing.com/images/

search?q=scary+hand&view

=detail&id=CE39D68B11AF9

F02CD42E59E934D58F03D

6E7429&first=0&FORM=IDF

RIR

Magazine

Production Company Logo

MLA = Made

from the

initials of my

name. The design

is simple

but

professional

looking.

A simplistic design means it can easily be put onto

film products without taking focus away from the

actual product.

Film Magazine

http://www.flickr.co

m/photos/7194890

3@N06/64983389

53/in/photostream/

Film Poster

http://www.flickr.com/phot

os/71948903@N06/6498

376797/in/photostream/

Teaser Trailer (before

amendments)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

53u3mQ4Bkjg

After screening this I will gain

feedback from my screening

questionnaire and then made

amendments to make the teaser

more appealing to my target

audience.

http://www.google.co.uk/images

Screening Questionnaire

http://www.flickr.com/photo

s/71948903@N06/649837

7063/in/photostream/

Questionnaire Analysis (Quantitative answers) (Evaluation 3)

YES 100%

NO 0%

Did you enjoy the trailer?

Thriller 40%

Horror 60%

What genre is the trailer?

YES 93%

NO 7%

Did you understand the trailer?

YES 87%

NO 13%

Would you watch the film?

100% of answers

were yes, this is a

very positive

outcome and

means the trailer is

successful.

The answers

given on this

question were all

horror and thriller.

My teaser fits

exactly into these

categories.

93% of the audience

understood , but 7%

didn’t understand

what the virus did, to

improve my trailer I

could consider

making this clearer.

The majority said

they would watch

the film after

viewing my

teaser. However

13% said they

wouldn’t but this

was purely

because they

don’t enjoy horror

films.

Questionnaire Analysis (Qualitative answers) (Evaluation 3)

QUESTION ANSWER

Reason why you enjoyed teaser trailer

Shot types, tension built, well constructed,

the costume, lighting and editing used, the

mystery and the length of the trailer.

What do you feel needs improving?

Sound- heartbeat to drip. More varied text,

more shots, more explanation, less

explanation.

What do you feel was a particular strong

point?

Quick shots, editing, lack of speech,

lighting mise en scene, camera angles and

sound effects.

From all these questions and after analysing each one I have learnt that even though my

teaser is effective, it still needs some improvement. The responses said I needed to be

more clear, however I chose not to give any more information away to give the audience

a hook. Most respondents said I needed to change the sound effects within my teaser, I

acted upon this by making the heartbeat less intense and adding a dripping noise.

Film Teaser (Final Draft)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSul0KI

_2eI

After analysing my audience feedback I

have made adjustments to create a

hopefully, more effective teaser trailer.

http://www.google.co.uk/images

Evaluation (1) Masthead is following

conventions of a real

magazine, in terms of font

choice and positioning

There are also similarities with the

inside stories and how it is presented

The picture is the USP of

the magazine, as is the

one from empire

magazine.

I followed other main

conventions of a

magazine such as a

strap line, barcode.

I followed the colour

conventions and mise en

scene to also show the

genre of the film, much like

Empire magazine

Evaluation (1) The colours follow

conventions of a horror

and it is essential to keep

this throughout my

products.

I have also included my production logo,

like the SAW poster and will use this

throughout my products.

The picture is the main

focus of the Poster, it

shows the genre and a

basic outline of what to

expect in the film.

I challenged this poster but also developed

further by following other main conventions of a

poster such as a billing block website and

release date.

I tried to keep the poster minimal

like the SAW poster. This is to

keep the focus on the genre and

also produce a ‘hook’ for the

audience to want to now more.

Evaluation (1) The colour conventions

(dark, gloomy) of a horror

are consistent within both

teasers and it is essential

to keep this throughout my

products.

I have also included my production logo,

like the SAW teaser and will use this

throughout my products.

The words are a main

focus of the Teaser it

builds the tension but

also informs a basic

outline of what to expect

in the film.

I followed other main conventions such

as film website, release dates and

green band title card.

It also contains lots of quick shots

to follow conventions of a typical

horror/thriller trailers. I also

developed this further by

containing a large sum of quick

shots to build tension.

http://www.y

outube.com/

watch?v=BS

ul0KI_2eI

http://www.

youtube.co

m/watch?v

=zg0go2b3

ekY

Evaluation (2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSul

0KI_2eI

I used the

production logo

with my poster

and teaser to

show

consistency .

I have the name of

the film and tagline

in my poster and

teaser to get the to

want to understand

more.

I used the main

actor within the

teaser and

magazine, but I’m

not using it to sell

the film, only to get

the audience

familiar with the

style and genre of

the film

The costume and

lighting within all

three products

relates to the genre

Each product is

not giving much

of the storyline

away, this is part

of my marking

campaign to keep

the film very

mysterious.

My Marketing Campaign (Evaluation 2)

After analysing other media products, in particular ‘paranormal activity’ I have decided to create my own marketing campaign.

The campaign will be very mysterious, I will use viral marketing to produce a ‘hook’ by making the target audience want to know more. The aim will be to get people talking about the film to increase it’s fame.

My Marketing Campaign (Evaluation 2)

The campaign will be split into several sections each section will be

called an ‘UPDATE’. They may not necessarily be in the following

order:

Poster release – I will release a poster as my first form of

advertising.

Website – The website will contain eye-witness stories about the

‘virus’ making people question whether its a true story.

Magazine – As the main article of a magazine, the campaign

followers start to know more about the updates and a small insight

to the film this will hopefully make the followers be craving to

understand more about the film.

Teaser trailer – This will be where the followers start to get a real

insight of the film, but still don’t understand too much.

The film - Released around Halloween of 2012 to relate to the

horror genre and feel of the season.

Evaluation (4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

kb3bT7FC89M&feature=endscree

n&NR=1

http://www.google.co.uk/images

Evaluation (4 continued)

Research • Computer (hardware) for the

primary and secondary

research using the internet

primarily for secondary

research.

• Microsoft packages such as

Word to create my

questionnaires.

• I also read and analysed

other sources of media

including magazines and

poster examples to help

develop a wider breath of

knowledge.

• Scanner (hardware) to upload

questionnaires onto

PowerPoint.

• Microsoft PowerPoint

(software) to record the

research.

Construction • Scanner (hardware) to import the

pictures for Magazine and questionnaire

hard copies.

• Smart phone (hardware) To take the

picture for magazine.

• Microsoft Publisher (software) to create

the magazine and poster.

• iMovie (software) to create the teaser

trailer.

Planning • Scanner (hardware) to upload storyboards onto PowerPoint.

• Microsoft PowerPoint (software) to record storyboards,

location, risk assessment, casting, prop list and casting

design.

• Computer (hardware) Internet to find ideas for poster image.

• Smart phone (hardware) to give photographic evidence of

planning stages.

Evaluation • Computer (hardware) I used software packages to record my

evaluations.

• Microsoft packages (software) I used these to analyse and present my

evaluation.

• Apple Packages (software) I used this to edit my evaluation podcasts.