Planning Targets

Well done Shanie. By the end of half term you need to have designed titles and evidenced your storyboard. You need to interview some of your actors, which can be done by video-blogging. A good start so far Shanie - keep it up!

Research and Planning: Popular films of 2013 and how they link to our film trailer

The 2013 film the conjuring is an American supernatural horror genre film which links with the sub-genre film which we are going to include within our film trailer. As a supernatural sub-genre horror film is the most common which we gathered from our questionnaire results. The conjuring trailer is a well presented trailer as it includes the typical conventions of whats to be included within horror genre film as the use of mise-en-scene is used well throughout the trailer which shall make the film successful within the film industry.

Research and Planning: Succesful Directors and Actors

Successful actors within the film industry during 2013 horror genre films have starred -

 Patrick Joseph Wilson which has been included in the successful horror genre film insidious and the 2013 the conjuring. From having a well known actor which starred within the successful insidious shall make the conjuring have a fan base before the film is released within the film industry.


Tobin Bell is the main character within all seven saw films. The film saw is a sequel and is a continuous narrative and storyline. From Tobin Bell starring in all saw films presents towards the audience that he is a well known successful director within the film industry.



 Successful directors within the film industry -

James Wan is an Australian film producer, screenwriter and film director of Malaysian Chinese descent. James Wan is known for directing horror genre films which are successful and popular within the film industry' which include saw and creating Billy the puppet. Furthermore, hes also directed Dead Silence, Death Sentence, Insidious, Insidious: Chapter 2, and The Conjuring. By Wan directing these successful films it shall make him well known within the film industry and his certain films shall create a fan base before the films are released which shall make his films successful within the film industry.

Planning: Soundtrack Research

The typical horror genre soundtrack is subtly mysterious and enigmatic creating an eerie suspense that engages the audience. Therefore, for our horror trailer we aim to create a similar piece of music that will fit into this convention.
Examples of these are as follows:


The trailer for the women in black coveys the typical conventions of a horror genre soundtrack as the trailer begins with an eerie tone building up throughout to create a dramatic climax. This shall make the audience feel more engaged which shall entice the audience to watch the film allowing a fan base to populate creating the success of the film within the film industry.




 Diegetic music of a clock ticking opens the trailer creating suspence for the audience as they are unaware of what is about to happen. The trailer then includes non- diegetic sound which is the use of a fast pace, heart thrilling soundtrack which creates tension and builds suspense towards the audience which is whats included within the conventions of a horror genre film within the film industry.




- Diegetic sound opens the trailer which creates suspense towards the audience as the sound includes the use of a mans breathing which infers that hes running away from something or its antagonist. By starting with diegetic sound the audience shall find it easier to follow the narrative as they are engaged within the characters at the beginning of the trailer which adds the audience to feel enticed and involved within the film. The trailer then goes to non- diegetic sound which is presented in a mysterious heart racing tone which creates a negative effect on the audience as they shall think something drastic is going to commence during the trailer which makes the audience weary and question whats going to happen. This shall make the film successful within the film industry.


- From researching horror genre trailers we can see that these certain trailers include similar soundtracks connoting which music we shall include in order to create our trailer to be successful.

Planning: What influences horror films?

Horror films consist of many famous and successful actors. The more famous the larger the fan base, meaning the more people will view the film. When it comes to horror films many different rules apply for example, the more the film seems scary, and therefore higher the certificate the better the horror film does in terms of the industry. Similar to action films, horrors contain special effects and a certain amount of graphics resulting in a big impact. More money spent means the higher the quality in production in the film. The film has to look realistic in order for it to do well within the industry, therefore there shouldn't be too many special effects as it will begin to look 'fake' and viewers will get bored and lost interest fairly quickly. Horror films are well known for not having famous casts, and is very rare if you see 'A list' actors playing a role in a horror.

 

Planning: Trailer Analysis

The wide range of horror genre trailers which I have analysed include the most important and effective parts of the film to give the audience a brief encounter with main characters. The audience may not have a clear understanding of the characters and their personal story. However, due to the specific collection of scenes which are included in the trailer, it should be clear as to what the film is going to be about. This will make the audience feel as though because they have an understanding of the film, they will feel more engaged and enticed to watch it. Having an effective trailer will produce more of a fan base for the film making it successful and popular within the filming industry.

Planning: Audience Profiling

Scream

 

 

 

 

We can see from this chart that scream attracted the age range of 15-24 with 57%. There were more males than females with 52% male and 48% female which conveys that it appeals to both genders within the contemporary cinema within the UK. Most people who watch this film are within the middle class. From the comparable profile it is clear to us how gender and class can impact a film making it successful in the industry.

 

 

 

Planning: Questionnaire Results Analysis

We created questions which allows us to get an understanding of what other trailers have included and what makes them successful within the filming industry. The feedback from our questionnaire tells us what the audience want to see from a horror genre trailer.


Question One: It is clear that the audience prefer watching a supernatural horror. The films which covers the supernatural genre consist of 'Insidious' and 'Paranormal Activity' which were both very successful and popular films within the industry. From our results in our questionnaire it has proved that because the audience prefer supernatural horror over the other categories  we will use our findings to guide our trailer into what the audience have said they liked. 
Question Two: People prefer having only one antagonist within the film, as it creates more suspense. And also allows the story to flow better, and become more engaging enticing more of an audience, as there won't be lots of confusing plot twist losing the viewers attention. Having only one antagonist can allow more dominance and power in that character. From this result, as it is the audiences preferred choice, and in their opinion makes a trailer more successful we will also have only one antagonist. 
Question Three: Our finidngs show that the majority of people thought that including death within the trailer of a film enables the genre of the film as it makes the connection with horror. Showing death, will create tension and create more of an impact for the film, making it successful within the filming industry. 
Question Four: Most of the people said that editing was the most effective, because if a horror film doesn't include continuity or realism it gives the false impression as though it isn't really as scary as it is trying to come across. Editing allows the film to flow more, making it more realistic and therefore, more successful.

Question Five: We can see with the results that people have send that they watch films around once or twice a month. From this we can suggest that it is more of an occasional film type. 
Question Six: People have stated that the audience will get to know the characters briefly within the trailer as it engages the audience and they become slowly intrigued as to what the characters stories are as they have not been properly explained, because it is a trailer and it only shows a short snippet of their lives, leaving the audience intrigued and left wanting to know more. Making the film successful within the filming industry.
 
Question Seven: From our results it is suggested that the people have had a similar and even response.

Question Eight: Our findings convey that a variety of different people agree that death should be in the trailer along with the identity of the killer as it builds tension and engages the viewer also making them want to watch the film to see what happens. This helps it making it successful within the industry. Films like 'Paranormal Activity' do not inform the viewer on the killers identity making the film more mysterious which can make the film engaging and entice the audience but can also make the film confusing and therefore lose the viewers interest, making it hard to become successful within the industry.

Planning: Questionnaire Plan

As a group we have come up with a questionnaire which discusses a range of different questions which get a wide variety of peoples opinions helping us create a trailer for our film. We asked twenty people eight questions each, making it easier for us to decide what we needed to included within our trailer.

1. Which horror sub-genre do you enjoy the most?
-Comedy horror
-Teen-horror
-Monster-horror
-Slasher
-Supernatural-horror
-Zombie-horror

2. Do you prefer there to be a single antagonist (killer) or more than one?

 

 

3. Do you think there should be a deaths shown in the trailer?

-Yes
-No
 

4. What components of horror films do you find most effective?
-Editing
-Mise-en-scene
-Camera shots
-Sound effects/music tracks

5. How many horror films do you watch a month?
-1-2
-3-6
-7-10
-10+

6. Do you think audiences should be introduced to the characters in the trailer?
-Yes
-No

7. What is your favourite features/styles of horror films?
-Gore
-Thrills
-Paranormal effects
-psychological messing
-Lots of deaths

8. Do you think the identity of the antagonist (killer) should be revealed to the audience in the trailer?
-Yes
-No

Planning: Insititution Name Ideas

Planning: Film Names

Planning: Mood Board

 

 

In image one it represents our antagonist in her younger self. The image suggests the eerie and more haunting atmosphere which we wish to create of our main character 'Martha'. 

 

In pictures two and three, it conveys the character after she returns from the mental asylum, both images represent the unstable character.

Images four and seven both show the outfit of the antagonist which is going to be a hospital gown, inferring that she is mentally ill.

Picture five suggests the typical teenagers that are our main characters.

Image six implies the typical setting for a teen horror film. Having a house in the middle of nowhere is a typical convention of  a horror genre.  

In the picture  numbered eight, it is an effective picture of a family looking mysterious. This picture will link to the unconventional one that we focus on throughout the trailer.

In image nine and eleven the weapons represent murder and how the victims feel threatened. Having everyday objects appear as the weapons allows the audience to relate the story to a real life situation.  Making it seem more realistic, and more tense.

Lastly, in picture ten, the use of the contact lenses making the characters eyes appear fully black will give her a mysterious and uneasy look, engaging the audience.

 

Planning: Audience Profiling - The Ring

 

This chart shows that the percentage of people that went to see 'The Ring' were aged between 15-24. 46% of men have viewed the film, but there were more women with a percentage of 54%. Lastly, the chart conveys that middle/upper class people have seen the film. This suggests that young females enjoy the typically conventional horror film within the filming industry. It also can infer that having a child being involved with the main story line, allows the females to connect with the child maternally. Because the ring isn't a gory horror yet more of a thriller it could be a reason as to why there are not as many men as women viewing the film. We can only suggest that they would prefer more gore within this genre.