The Main concept and idea i took from this trailer when thinking of a concept for my own trailer was the zombies taking over the world it may be cliche but my main concept when brainstorming in the beginning is. One individual who may have a mental problem or classified as disabled he is stigmatised by his peers and drawn into isolation. But one day where he cannot take no more physically and mentally he takes a unknown drug to end his life but all goes wrong as the symptoms alter his DNA and he goes and seeks revenge by poisoning everyone in his path and aims to make everyone a zombie.
This Trailer is a trailer from Zombieland which is a American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer which was released in 2009.
In part to our media project in creating a teaser trailer we are also doing media regulation which is also very important in our Media A2 course media regulation consist of a variety of different media umbrellas which come together as a conglomerate there are a different companies in different countries which specify which age restriction will be put on a film depending on the amount of violence, sex, drugs etc, that the movie contains which will be elaborated on but the first company that will be looked at which is the one based in U.k is the BBFC which stands for British Board Of Classification this is a panel of highly trained individuals that judge what age restriction a film will be on.
There have been many complaints that have been recieved by the BBFC with the general public complaining about movies on recent movie that certain precautions had to be taken a movie " The Devil Inside" were cuts had to be made is because it contained strong supernatural horror, bloody images and strong language.
The BBFC is an independent media content regulator, they are a highly experiencedregulator they aim to protect children from content that may be also to empower the public mainly the parents who deem fit to complain if the content of a certain programme is to explicit.
The teaser trailer that I have decided to do a textual analysis on is called “Against the dark”. This film is a 2009 zombie film directed by Richard Crudo and the reason why I have chosen this particular film for my textual analysis is because it is a zombie film and my group will be producing a zombie teaser trailer.
Within the first twelve seconds of the trailer it is already made obvious that it is a zombie film which allows for the audience to have an idea of what to expect from the movie in terms of storyline. The trailer first shows a lot of people running in fear which gives off the idea that it may be an apocalyptic style film. From quite early on in the trailer there is non-digetic music used very early on in the trailer and this adds a lot of fear to the situation which is probably what the trailer intends to do as it is a horror film. The digetic sound at the start of this trailer is just as effective as the non-digetic music because it has zombies and citizens’ screaming which is very ominous and it implies that there is more evil to come.
This film has been approved for all audiences which means that anybody can see it and this doesn't reflect the nature of the trailer that my group are making.
The first scene shows people running in fear and this is a good to let the audience know what the film may be about. This particular scene may also cause the viewer to think about why the citizens are running away.
This scene has the words "The infected travelled in packs" and this gives an indication as to the nature of the zombies and it implies that the zombies travel in groups as a more effective way to catch those who haven't been infected.
These are two shots of the zombies. They're made to look sinister to keep the audience on the feet during the film. The make up helps to add a lot to the sinister look.
The example below shows a Vinten pro 5 tripod with three stage legs and a fluid head. The tripod we will be using for our final product, is a lightweight tripod, high quality for easy portability and stability.
Before you begins to spread the legs of the tripod, make sure that one hand is place on the top of the tripod for safety.
Spread the tripods legs and adjust the spreaders.Then release the tensioners on the leg, so from there you can adjust them to the height you want them to be.
If you are working in harsh weather conditions, maybe if it is windy, then make sure that you place some weight like a sand bag against the legs or on the spreaders so it is well balanced.
Adjust the pan/ tilt angle to a preferred angle. The handle is used by the right hand whilst the left hand is used to operate the camera functions or the other way around depending on what hand you use. One thing I try to remember is to test different angles to see which one works best for the shooting of the scene.
Position and screw plates together by using a coin to unscrew the plates, making sure the camera is balanced.
Then fit the plates onto the heads, there is a quick release mechanism which the tripod plates lock into, always make sure you feel a click.
Then fit the camera onto the baseplate, again you should hear a click. After that has been done, you should shake the camera a little bit to check if it is secure.
Adjust the pan tension. There should be a pan and tilt lock to avoid the camera from moving. Make sure this is done when the camera is not being used.
Once the camera has been turned on, check the framing and make sure if any height or balance adjustments need to be made.
Also, make sure that the tripod is position properly so you do not trip up.
In this Blog post it shoes O.J using Blackberry messenger talking to a member of the public asking this person a specified set of questions on what they find interesting or what attracts them to watch a horror film and by asking these questions which is used for our audience research we will take their answers into consideration and try to incorporate their answers into teaser trailer which fits the sub genre that my group has chsen so in this audience research questionnaire are a set of general questions and particular questions that are needed to i can get an insight on what type of conventions attracts our target audience to watch a film or trailer.
So as You can see from my previous document posted up by O.J I show my audience research questionnaire which shows the questions that i would ask to the general public to get their feedback on what conventions and what overall would attract them to a teaser trailer and if they would get hooked enough/intrigued to go to the cinema and actually go and watch the film and that is the main factor when watching a trailer not to give too much away and just get your target audience. So when asking this member of the public her answers will be used to help us make our teaser trailer.
Seeing as our sub genre for our film is a zombie horror, we decided to look at certain trailers that would give us an insight into what qualities are need to produce our final product. We went through a number of stages when deciding what the final product would turn out like. There were many changes in the idea as we had to carefully think about the genre, plot and the kind of props that would be required.
Teaser Trailers that we watched
Supernatural Horror- Paranormal Actvity 2 (2010)
We decided to watch this trailer because at first we decided to do a supernatural trailer. And Paranormal Activity 2 was a excellent example of that. As it gave away little but enough of what the audiance needed to know by reminding us what happend at the end of paranormal activity 1.
Our supernatural idea- "Mystic" - JENNIFER
A troubled person, the main character (boy/girl) had social difficulties whilst they were growing up, which resulted to them being bullied. Eventually the main character comitted suicide, seeing as they could'nt cope with the bullying.
Years later, the victim ( the main character) comes back to face his bullieds in spirit. Strange events being to occur in a quiet town, and help is needed fast.
Conception - JEFFREY
A hex is cast on a woman and a few weeks later she becomes pregnant with a demon child. The child is born and a lot of supernatural disasters occur which leaves the woman in a position where she must kill her child against her own will.
Zombie Horror- Shaun of the Dead ( 2004)
Seeing as our final product is going to be a zombie horror, we took inspiration from the 2004 movie shaun of the dead. This trailer doesn't completely relate to the idea but it gives the basic idea of what we think our horror could end up being.
Our zombie idea- "lifeless" - JENNIFER
A drink that had been contaminated in a pub/bar, is being sold to customers. After 72 hours the customers die slowly and turn into zombies leaving the people of a small village in danger, as they have to find a way to evacuate before time runs out.
The Deceased - JEFFREY
A group of people suffer from an incurable disease and end up dying but the disease continues to spread despite the fact that they're dead. This ends up in the carriers of the disease coming back to life as zombies and giving the disease to unsuspecting citizens which causes them to die and come back as zombies which leaves a small group of people who don't have the disease to fight off the zombies.
The empire magazine is mainly aimed at a younger target audience, for people between the ages of 15 and 30. From the colours used in the magazine I believe that the magazine is mainly aimed at males seeing as the colours used are red, black and white. The magazine is for film fanatics, people who usually go to the cinema, that is why it is aimed a younger audience.
The masthead ( the name of the magazine) is shown in big bold writing, which has been designed to fit the genre of the main film they are advertising. The colour red seems to stay the same throughout the rest of the front cover of the magazine, this way it keeps the continuity of the magazine running throughout the whole issue of the magazine.
The main feature on the cover is "inception" with a large image of the film star Leonardo DiCaprio. The main headline is red which is the same as the masthead, which show that they are still keeping that same sophisticated style. The Actors image is place in front of the masthead to symbols his importance and shows that he a useful selling tool for the magazine.
The background of the front cover is from the film itself, also around the image of the actor,there are other names of films given which will be featured in the magazine. The font of the text is in italics and they have used a 3D effect to make it look more attractive to the audience.
There is a sticker on the front page which has been positioned in the centre saying it the film of 2010. This is a good way of advertising, because the use of colour is different from the masthead and the other cover lines, which has stood out very well as it helps with the marketing of the magazine.
The bar code on the front cover is position on the bottom right of the magazine, which has been placed out of the way so it does not interfere with the content of the magazine.
The main selling lines are very short and original as it has target its main audience effectively.
On top of the magazine in between the letter "M" of the masthead, is the issue date, July 2010, which shows the season of that year, which interest me as that is around the time that young people will be on their summer holidays, and they will be going to stores buying this magazine preparing themselves for a good movie for the summer. This shows that the magazine is a seasonal magazine as it doesn't indicate a specific day as to when the magazine was issued just the month and the year.
Also the website for the empire magazine has been placed on the first quarter of the magazine, as it allows people to go onto the website as an option if they would prefer to prescribe the magazines.
The types of sound effects used in horror, have become more and more effective over the years. The reason for adding sound effects in horror, is that it adds an element of fear to the audiance, as it heightens the impact of the scene.
Diegetic Sound-
This is the kind of sound that happens in the film itself, and this sound is heard by the audience and the actors/ actress.
Types of Diegetic sound that can be used in Horror could be footsteps, and dialogue (speech) maybe a character in the film is whispering to scare the protagonist or even sound effects. This creates suspense in Horror and it also portrays the kinds of characters in the films personality and behaviour. For example, a piano can be used when an antagonist is coming for its victim, which shows they are not good characters. Diegetic sound contributes to the realism of the film this is important as it creates a perfect or not so perfect atmosphere for the audience.
Non- Diegetic Sound-
This type of sound is only heard by the audience, it is usually created during the post production of the film, and a certain soundtrack is created to match the action that is going on in a particular scene. This kind of sound provides the audience with an emotion, a mood that adds realism to the scene.
Voice overs-
In horror many producers tend to use voice overs, especially when spirits are in the film, or when a frightened character is thinking. This allows us as the audience to know more about the characters on screen than the other characters who are in the film.
Incidental Music-
This is used to add emotion and rhythm to the film, so the audience are drawn to it from the beginning till the end of the film. Background music usually foreshadows a change in the mood in horror, which is important as it may indicate trouble is ahead or a disaster has happened. It also allows the audience to link scenes from the film to one another, and example could be a situation that may have occurred earlier on in the film which reminds the audience about the idea of the film.
I usually find that in many horror films static effects are used. This also create suspense in horror film, in scenes such as when there's a thunder storm, or a phone and the TV starts to frizz out.
Disturbing sounds are very important in horror, as it excludes any threats if we are unable to see them in the film, but it makes us more aware of what's going on in the actual scene. However, we need to be careful when creating types of sound as it may create an unsettling tension and suspense. So the pace of the music added into the scene needs to be appropriate so it terrify the audience too much.
For my audience research I asked three people a few questions relating to horror films just so that I could see what ideas members from a possible target audience would have as well as their views on horror films.
The research shows that all of the people that I asked about horror film are 17 or 18 which is good because this falls into the groups target audience. This also means that I don't have to worry about any of the questions being inappropriate for the age group.
As a group it was also important to think about appealing to people that don't watch horror films since that was the case for most of the people that I asked. This showed that it was especially important to take into consideration what they would want in a horror film.
My test audience has shown that in a horror film they are looking for something that will scare them as well as looking for something that will keeping them in suspense. This indicates that the trailer will need to be scary and keep the audience guessing.
When it came to the colours that we had to consider using it was very hard to tell because I was given three different answers so I couldn't tell what the best choice in colour would be meaning that the decision on colours would have to be made as a group.
When making a film/ trailer, its generally about capturing light. By using a bright light, it captures the viewers eyes. Also, the way a scene is lit will depend on how the audience relate emotionally to the film. The angle and direction of the light gives the audience an idea of what time of day the film is set as it creates a sense of realism.
Colour Balance
The colour balance also known as the white balance, is a technique used to ensure that a photographed object or setting is captured with its real colours.
The colours in the wheel above are made from the three primary colours, red, blue and green. Where the three colours overlap in the middle, we get a neutral grey which is somewhere between black and white.
A proper camera white balance has to take into account the colour temperature of a light source, which refers to the warmth or coolness of the light. Our eyes are good at judging what is white under different light sources, however, digital cameras have difficulty with auto white balance (AWB) and can create an unsightly blue, orange or even green colour cast.
Colour Temperature
Colour temperature describes the spectrum of light which is radiated from a balckbody with that surface temperature. A blackbody is an object which absorbs all incident light neither reflecting it or allowing it to pass through.
The graph above shows how 5000k produces roughly neutral light where as 3000k and 9000k create light spectrum's containing more orange and blue wavelengths. This proves that shorter wavelengths contain light of higher energy.
Hard Light
Hard light cast shadows on objects or a person. Photographers usually use background lighting without reflectors to create a edgy look.
Soft Light
Soft light is the light that is used to wrap around objects casting with soft edges , by using a single light source you can control both the background and the light on the object.
Fluorescent Light Bulbs
A Fluorescent light converts electrical power into useful light more effectively than an incandescent light would. However, it cost more than an incandescent light because it needs a ballast to regulate the current through the lamp.
Incandescent Light Bulbs
This type of light bulb is generally used in households and commercial lighting for example table lamps. These light bulbs are gradually being replaced for other electrical bulbs, as they do not last long also creates different kind of mood in peoples households.
Producer: Michael Aguilar, Rob Cowan, Dean Georgaris, George A. Romero (executive)
Financing/Production Company: Overture films
Synopsis: A toxin begins to turn the residents of Ogden Marsh into violent psychopaths, while the sheriff of the town, his wife and a few other uninfected people come together as a group to fight for survival.
As you can see, I will be analysing the teaser trailer for ‘The Crazies’. By doing this I have print screened each shot in the trailer which I think is important and will analysis each shot.
The beginning of the trailer shows that the trailer has been approved for appropriate audiences by the MPAA which is the ‘Motion Picture Association of America’. This means anyone from the age 15 and over are capable of watching the trailer as long as they feel they can cope with what they are about to see.
The next clip shows the name of the production company and one of the studios that were used to create the film. This clip was show for less that a second, this could be for copyright purposes because people may try to copy the logo idea for ‘Overture Films’. Also during the trailer the Production Company and studio used is not as important as what’s happening in the trailer which is why it is only on screen for a short amount of time.
The 1st scene shown in the trailer is of a young woman lying on a hospital bed asking ‘is this really happening?’ this shows that she does not believe what is happening or what is going to happen. Seeing as she is lying on a hospital bed, it shows she may not be well and be infected. However even though she is in a hospital, she may not be able to be cured. The connotes she may die. This is because the light is shining down on her as if God is looking down at her. Also light she will ‘see the light’ or ‘the doors of heaven’. However because she is looking away it shows that she is not ready to die yet.
After the 1st scene is shown the words ‘Before our Lives End’ fade in from the background. The sentences causes the audience to think what is going to happen before their lives end. The font is a bright white which makes it easy for the audience to read because the background is completely black.
The next scene is of a woman trying to open a door that has been locked, the lighting is dull so the room seems dark, this could be to give a sense or fear and warning. The woman who is opening the door was panicking and looked as If she was in a hurry to open the door. The woman could be panicking because she maybe infected and locked in a room for other peoples safety or she could be locked in a room with someone who is infected.
The next scene is of a man holding a lit match, he looks confused and as if he cant control what he is doing or what he is about to do. This shows that this maybe one of the symptoms of being infected. The background is quite dark to focus all the attention on the man.
After the scene of a man holding up a flame, the words ‘before our cities are take over’. This means that there will be an epidemic and the cities will now survive. The background is still dark but towards the end of the shot a grey/green cloud that is spreading into the shot. This could represent the toxic virus because viruses spread quickly and they are visible.
At the 19 second mark in the trailer it is a quick cut of the sheriff, the trailer has shown the sheriff because he is one of the main characters. In the background there are a several amount of people including an army soldier. The arm soldier maybe in the shot to help keep the crowd calm and to secure the place. This then alerts the audience that the scenery they are in is not a safe place and that they could be trouble.
At 21 seconds a shot of a man walking towards lights with his hands in the air shows that he is surrendering and that he is not infected. The lights in the background shows that their colour be safe people up ahead and that they are keeping alert for any infected people.
In a shot not to long after the words ‘before our humanity is lost’ the words are not as bright as the 1st sentence shown in the trailer, and the words are not fully white. This could represent people within the cities hope. This would mean that at the beginning of the toxic virus epidemic, people had high hopes that the virus wouldn’t be much of a big deal and a cure would be made before the city is destroyed. While the more people get a virus the less hope people have.
At 26 seconds a shot of a badly infected man is show reaching though jail bars. This clip is very important for the trailer because it shows the audience what the victims of the virus will look like and how they will act.
At 28 seconds a shot of a large crowd of people running away from army soldiers. This could show the audience that all the infected people may not be able to be kept tamed as there are too many of them. This warns the audience that there is a small chance of survival in these conditions.
At 29 seconds a shot of a extremely infected man (worse than the first man showed). The main character in the show has green alienated eyes which could show how bad each stage is. This could show that if a infected person has them green eyes, there is no cure for them and that they may even know what they are doing and are passed the ‘confused’ stage.
At 30 seconds the words ‘It will begin here’ is shown. These words as the background are seen to be particularly weird because the background has not been funny invaded by the green cloud that had been shown with the last sentence. This could represent the toxic virus to be coming and causing and epidemic, and then going without any trace it was even there. The sentence automatically breaks the pattern by starting with the word ‘it’. This is because every sentence the trailer had shown had started with the word ‘before’ to show what would happen in the future. However because this sentence ends with the word ‘here’ in capital letters larger than the other words, it indicates it will show something that has happened in the past.
The scene at 32 seconds shows the setting where the first victim of the virus took place. The setting is a baseball field in what look like a small town. The setting was chosen to be a baseball field to show that the virus can infect anybody not matter if they are athletic or not.
The second to last shot is the name of the film titled ‘the Crazies’. The background is complete darkness except for the right hand side there is a cloud of green that could represent the virus. It looks like the same cloud that was on behind the other sentences but except the cloud is much clearer and not as faded into the background. The film title is in full capitals except for the word ‘the’. This could be to make the word ‘crazies’ stand out more and grab all the audience’s attention.
The last shot in the trailer is of the credits and the date. The background is only dark around the wording and logos to make sure the audience is capable of reading the words and recognising the logos. However in the corners and on the edges of the dark background behind the writing is the cloud that represents the virus, this specific cloud could represent that the virus is now an epidemic because the majority of the town has it. The words ‘coming soon’ are in full capitals but the word ‘soon’ is much larger than the word ‘coming’. This is to show that the film is coming out sooner than the audience would think. The websites in in between the logos are to grab the audience’s attention; this is because it shows that the audience is able to investigate more about the film and to see if there are any exclusive clips that are only released online. The logos that represent the studio and the production company are placed on both sides of the websites to balance to credits out.
