Friday, 31 January 2014
Survey.
Film Survey
I am carrying this survey out to help me understand what would
interest you, as my target the most when viewing the thriller trailer I am
planning to create. Below are some questions to help me highlight what is most
popular in the modern day. Thank you for being part and taking your time to fill
out this survey. Tick the answer that best suits you.
1.
Are you male or female?
Male
Female
2.
How old are you?
Under 10 years 10
to 20 years 21 to 30
years 31 to 40
years 41 to 50
years 51and
over
3.
What is your favourite type of thriller
film?
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4.
Why is this your favourite type of
thriller film?
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5.
Do you like viewing a film through a
hand-held camera?
Please state a reason for you answer below:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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6.
Does the music in a film have an effect
on you?
Yes
No
Why?
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7.
Do you feel something is more realistic
when being viewed through a hand-held camera?
Yes
No
Why?
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8.
How do you normally hear about a
film?
TV Adverts
Cinema Adverts
Radio
Magazines
Internet
Other:
Please state ‘other’
answer below:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9.
How long would a trailer interest you
for?
1
minute 1 and a half
minutes 2
minutes
10.
Do you prefer it when I trailer reveals
a lot?
Please state a reason
for you answer:
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11.
If a trailers reveals too much does it
turn you away from watching a film?
Yes
No
Why?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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12.
What makes a good trailer?
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13.
What aspects of the trailer makes you
want to watch the film?
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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The Purge Trailer Analysis.
The
Purge Trailer Analysis:
The
trailer starts of with the first clip being a moving sunset which soon founds
into a black screen where the text of “America Nation Reborn” appears in white,
it then fades the “Americ” out to then create the words “A Nation Reborn” doing
this shows there is change is something as it is being ‘born again’. This then
fades out so where then view a long shot of a family all holding hands (mum,
young girl and dad) although you can only see the shadow figures you can tell
they are happy. In this scene they are shown to be walking into the distance
sunset like a happy beginning. Following this the screen returns to a black back
ground where the same white styled text reappears with the message “Unemployment
is at 1%” and then continues to zoom in on the screen to emphasise the fact. The
scene then quickly cuts to view another family sitting round a table at dinner
(dad; left, mum; right, son; back and daughter; front). For this they have used
an over view shot where the camera has been placed on a work surface from a
distances. As the audience in the same seem when the come across a close up of
the mum laughing and smiling towards her family which then cuts sharply to view
a mid shot of the dad smiling and joking. Doing this implies it is either
between them or the vibe at the table is happy and jolly.
This
scene fades out so we as the audience view a dusk sky, with the pink and blue
clouds moving softly, this helps to bring across the impression of happiness and
peace. Again the seen subtle fades out to then view the daughter) we saw round
the dinner table) with her boyfriend in her room with all her trophies on the
side. This implies she is a clever and intelligent students but like to mess
around. Viewing the same character helps to inform the audience that the family
that were viewed around the dinner table are the main characters in the film.
Another fade into the black background where the continuously white styled text
appears with “Crime is at an all time low” again this zooms in onto the
audience, then fade cuts to a white transition. Using white usually implies
white, purity and innocence. We then see the view over the mums shoulder as well
as the women she is with (can only assume she is another neighbour as they are
in between houses). Are communicating with neighbours in the car that is driving
past them. This clips shows they are a friendly neighbour and get on well with
each other. Then there is a clear mid shot of the two women smiling with one
another, but it clear it is a put on smile and isn’t meant or felt from within.
The scene fades out to hen view a crane shot of the whole suburb estate they
must live in to help set the scene for the film. Another black background fades
in followed by the white styled text which says “Because one night a year” this
text then begins to jump around over the screen as if it has been affected by
something and the peace piano music that had been being playing throughout the
trailer without any other noise is interrupted and ruined with the text begins
to jump around and the noises we now hear are of camera and technical error
sounds. This then informs us as the audience that something is about to change
and the peace we saw wasn’t going to last and something was about to change
things.
After
all the change and disruption the next scene that appear is of
cctv camera clips where you can see individuals being beaten and murder by
others.
03.22.2013-PURGE FEED, HOUSTON, TX; AM 04:42:09
03.21.2014-PURGE FEED, JACKSONVILLE, FL; AM 07:44:05
03.22.2015-PURGE FEED, CELINA, OH; AM 04:31:35
Looking
at the different clips it showed that with the dates and information shown at
the bottom that whatever was taking place was clearly an annual thing as the
dates went up a year. After viewing the cctv another black background appears
with the same white styled text with the message “All crime is legal” which also
jumps all over the screen like the following message. Another cctv footage
appears;
03.21.2014-PURGE FEED, SIOUX FALLS, SO, CAM 1; PM
20:53:04
In this
footage we come across a guy aiming a gun at someone who is obviously a victim
in the moment. The next you hear is guns shots being fired and as the audience
you can only think the worst. And with the drastic change that has occurred
within the trailer is hard to understand until you continue to watch the
trailer. Then the black background appears with the logo of the Universal Globe
fading in so the audience know who’s film it is before the carry on to find out
more. I think this was done as they knew the audience would be watching closely
as they wish to find out more of what’s going on a why so they would pay
attention to the logo. Next a long shot of an extremely large and expensive
house appears on screen in the dark. When then hear a older man’s voice narrate
the next few scenes “Tonight allows people a release”, following this is a view
of the dad from earlier sitting on the sofa towards his children. And with this
scene we are able to work out the house we view from a long shot it where they
live and also it is the dad taking over the trailer.
The
camera then decides to place itself in the middle of everything as if it is
trying to create a point of view shot of what is going on as if we are one of
the children listening. There is then the follow on to the next scene where we
see and over-the-shoulder shot of the daughter and her boyfriend looking at her
neighbour sharpening his knife in his back garden. This was shot at a birds eye
view and then zoomed in to get more detail within the image. The camera
continues to create an extreme close up of the neighbours hands whilst he
sharpens and all we can hear as an audience is the knife against the metal and
the sound of alarms going on faint in the distance.
Again
we then view another set of cctv footage of a guy being beaten to death,
followed by crane view of fires over roads and gangs in hoodies and then a huge
house fire with a camera view from the front;
PURGE
FEED- 03.21 2016, WARREN, RI, PM 09:25:30:14
PURGE
FEED, 03.21.2016, PROVO, UT, PM 08:35:15
PRUGE
FEED, 03.21.2016, SALEM, CR, PM 23:29:23
Having
a variety of different footages from different times and different states of
America also informs the audience it happens all over the country between the
21st March at 7pm and 22nd March 7am (12 hours).
This
scene fades to black again with the voiceover “from the hatred and violence they
keep up” having the background allows the audience to take in all that he is
saying and allows what they have already seen to sink in as there is nothing
else for them to think about at that time. We then return to view the dad on the
sofa still “inside them”. Another over0the-shoulder shot is used with the boy
this time when he asks his parents “Why don’t you guys kill” from this the
camera cuts to view the worried look on the mum face who then looks towards the
dad who at the moment is out of focus on the camera the boy continues with
“someone tonight?”. Then the next scene is over a close up of a pair of hands
that are reaching out for a gun in a cupboard, you can hear alarms going off
whilst this scene is taking place. We then come across a bird’s eye shot of the
dad and mum dealing/fixing/loading guns up which tells us the thought they had
earlier on may not be the same as they have now. So the audience are aware
something happens for this action to take place. It then fades to black again.
And we hear the dads voice replying with “cos we don’t feel the need to Charlie”
so it is clear that the image of the loading the guns is in the future and was
used to hint to the audience things are changing. Whilst the dad is talking we
come across a side view of him, with an out of focus shot of the mum to his
right shoulder. He continues with “just remember all the good the purge does”
the shot of the mum change and we see a mid shot of her looking at her son. To
reply all the young boy does is nod his heads towards his mum’s direction.
The
scene remains the same but we come across from a different angle as the daughter
sits on her phone messing around trying to not pay attention to everything. In
the background the dad pipes up again with the reassurance that they’ll “be
fine, just like always”. Whilst they gather on the sofa together the dad just
gives his son a subtle taps in inform him that everything is going to be
okay.
There
is then an action shot where we see a close up of a hand pressing the armed
button to activate the security system. Suddenly a deep and intense music
appears when a long shot of the house occurs again, but when we view the house
this time it is pitch black and all of the shutters on the house are coming down
for protection and it informed us what the ‘armed’ button done.
The
camera changes it angling from the outside at get right near the moving shutters
to subtly tell the audience how strong this metal was. We then see the same
angle from the inside and it is clear that all is being blocked out the house,
including the natural light from outside. This all fades to black and then the
pounding noise is heard to confirm that it is all locked up and
complete.
The
next shot we see is of the empty street we saw earlier when the neighbours were
talking and driving past, this is there to show the contrast and the seriousness
of the event that is about to take place. The only noise you can hear are all of
the houses alarms being set and armed. Then comes across over the television
system a deep and informing voice “this is your emergency broadcast system” see
son, mum and dad sitting on the sofa listening and watching the screens
nervously whilst clasping each other hands “announcing the commandment of the
annual” cuts to the daughter who looks up from the mobile once she realises it
is beginning to pay attention “purge at this” view of a close up of the dad
looking worried but trying to remain calm for everyone else “siren” view a
junction in one of the local streets with no movement taking place “all
emergency services will be suspended for” low angles shot of the mum and son but
at a mid view so we are able to see the facial expression to the news taking
place “12 hours” extremely close up of all of the family holding hands together
“your government” view the family house from cctv camera “thanks
you for your participation”. This moment was to set the scene for the audience
so they were aware of everything and how the characters felt at that time to try
and make everything for realistic and true whilst they watch the
trailer/film.
Everything on the screen fades out but is all affected whilst it
does so and the noises of alarm seems to get louder and clearer as it
progressed, even the cctv camera on the house become affected. I think this is
done to show things are efficient and are about to go wrong (message for the
audience). Then from no where a figure appears from the left side of the screen
towards the house opposite trying to hide. Another alarm siren is set off whilst
this scene is happening. The individual begins to exclaim “help me!” and where
everything is so quietly his voice echo’s across the estate. It flicks back to
inside the house where we see the son just standing there watching al of the
screens with the cctv on, he seems to have a worried and concerned look on his
face whilst tells us he has see the human outside asking for help. It then
quickly cuts back to the cctv camera outside “someone please help me!” then a
straight cuts is used to show the low angled shot of the mum running on a
treadmill within the bedroom area then straight to a close up of the dad
working. This shows they are not playing attention to what is outside and are
trying to take their minds off the evening. It changes back to view an extreme
close up of the young boy who seems to be even more worried now and then the
individual outside shouts “I just need to get somewhere safe” the next we see is
the young boy and his hand twitching towards the disarm but on the security
system “can anybody hear me?” the man exclaims powerfully. This then fades to
the daughter in her bedroom with her head phones in lying on her bed; this also
tells us that she isn’t even paying attention to what is happening or about to
happen. Then a straight cut is used to show the tension between scenes at that
moment and then next thing we know the boy has disarmed the security system.
When cut to the welcome area of the house where the boy managers to run himself
to to be able to get the individuals attention and get him through the front
door of the house, once his gets to the door an over –the-shoulder shot is used
to see the man reacting to the boy actions whilst the young boy is shouting
“lets go! This way!” the guy reacts and begins to run towards the camera as it
remained still. The noise of the alarm disarming themselves is in constantly ear
shout to emphases the actions the boys had decided to make. When then see the
dad running towards the room where the system is exclaiming “CHARLIE!” and
without even thinking he re-arms the whole system. As the shutters begin to shut
again it cuts to the guy running towards the house and the boys shouting for him
to “hurry” luckily the guy manages to slide underneath the gap that was left
right into the camera that remain fixed that whole scene shot. We next view a
side shot of the young boy being comforted by his mum. Then all you can hear is
the dad exclaiming “WHY DID YOU LET HIM IN OUR HOME?” the boy innocently stands
there looking upset whilst the dad gives him a disappointed look as he knew his
son meant well by his actions by didn’t think of the consequences. We then see
the son and mum together still comforting each other whilst the dad continues to
shout “we have no idea who’s after him!” not seeing the dad talk but hearing him
speaks means we are able to pick up on the instant expressions the characters
have on the moment.
It all
fades to black when the sound of a door bell goes, the same white text from
earlier reappears with “from the producer of Paranormal Activity” the door bell
goes again whilst the black screen remains except that text disappears with a
fade out and more reappears “And Sinister”. Breaking the text up allows the
information to sink in more with the audience as it is know to make a larger
impact on someone when something it broken down. Again the door bell goes,
except this time it returns to a straight cut back to the film but we view 4
different screens;
Top
left: guy in mask, girl to hid right in background.
Top
right: front garden with people messing around wearing masks.
Bottom
left: another view of the front garden with another group of people in who were
also wearing masks.
Bottom
right: the drive way where a different car sat with even more people in who were
also wearing masks like the others.
But
because of the guy being at the front of the camera in the top left he makes the
biggest impression and you cant help but see him first. Although you still
notice what the others are doing also the lighting on him is a lot stronger
where it is by the front door where the others are playing in the shadows. Then
a new voice appears saying “Our target for…” low angle of backs on individuals
walking around the perimeter of the house “this years purge is hiding in your
house” then we come across a quick and short cut of the guy they let into the
house, where the guy from outside continues with “you have 1 hour to find him
and give him to us”. Then the camera decides to fade to a mid shot f the dad,
mum and son watching the television screens looking panicked. Cuts back to the
guy who were first saw wearing a mask in the top left. But this time he has
removed the masks to show that he is confident to take the actions he says
forward because the facial expressions give it away to the characters as well as
the audience. He dresses smart and comes across well off but continues his
speech with “or we’ll kill all of you” it the flickers onto the him more closely
as he moves himself towards the camera to put him out of proportion and with
that he follows on with an evil smile we then see large views of all the screens
that were split into 4 where all of the people are up in the cameras still
masked as they are cowards within this process. Whilst viewing the larger views
there is creepy and earry music played to help set the vibe and scene. All of
this then fades out to show a change in scene and time and to emphasise the
darkness that is about to take place, all you can see is a torch light with the
music becoming more intense. Then dad is holding the torch as he edges through
his own house terrified the light of the torch the lights up a wall in front
that has the message “don’t look for me” written in blood. This helps to give
across a horror based feel as well as a mystery and we know they will try to
look for him. It then returns with a fade transition of the mum comforting the
son who is out of focus, doing this implies to the audience the son in venerable
and the mum is going to make an impact and has more dominance in the particular
moment. The mum suddenly speaks u with “they can’t get in here, right? They
can’t get into our home? With her voice quivering, this implies the fear she is
going through and she already knows the answer to her questions. Again the scene
fades black to show a change in time where we then see a close up of the dad in
full focus and something move in the background that at that moment is out of
focus until he dad moves out of the scene where the camera pulls into full to
make out the image of a masks within the house. The darkness is used for the
next transition (scene change)where we next see the once confident young teenage
girl, crying underneath her bed in the darkness whilst someone above walks
around. As the foot moves towards the bed you pick up on the music becoming
louder the build tension at that moment.
When it
fades to black again more white text appears with “This year” whilst loud and
powerful music begins to increase, cuts to action shot of the mum and dad
running as the security is destroyed. The camera then dolly's them from behind as
they run. The a straight cut appears of a viewing from the cctv as a guy in a
mask is being shot by another in a mask. To show change a black fade out is used
to then come across and girl in a beautiful white dress covered in blood. This
is only a close up so the audience aren’t actually aware of who is wearing the
outfit, this leaves tension within the scenes to come. As these scenes continue
the music become even louder to make the tension even more of a part to play.
This fades to seeing the guy they saved from the people holding the daughter
hostage with a gun to her head this is only visible due to a torch light being
shone on their faces., this suddenly cuts to black so the audience have a moment
to take in what they just saw as the tables have seemed to turn again. It allows
them to question and stay unknown to the story as well as knowing the basic
story line.
The
next part of the trailer is second long clips of different action parts that
take place. As the are happening the music that has been building in the scene
is now at its peak moment this si done so the audience have more of a knowledge
to what is happening but don’t have enough to give things away to them to spoil
their viewing;
Cuts to
dark panic of bodies.
Cuts to
glass window being smashed.
Cuts to
mum struggling on the floor.
Cuts to
dad fighting masked person.
Cuts to
guy being dragged around the floor.
Cuts to
mum screaming on floor up at a masked figure.
As
these scenes calm down it fades to black again to show a change in time, speed
and scene to the scene of the dad fighting the masked person a few weeks longer
to tense the audience a little bit more. This fades out black to the see the guy
they saved now holding the neighbour we saw earlier on hostage. This allows us
to assume that guy they helped was inside help for the individuals who were
masked. Then a gun shot is fired but there is no scene to show was it came from,
so that is left a mystery for the audience to find out when actually watching
the film. This then cuts to the dad at mid shot firing a large gun, so if you go
back to the beginning of the trailer the mum and dad said how they don’t feel
the need to kill anyone it shows how things can change and all the fades out and
cuts have informed that to the audience without actually having to say anything.
Following my point on we see the mum swinging for a woman below her except this
is shown in day light. This all then fades to black again to show the change
when we see the dad looking towards his daughter saying “we’re gonna make it
through tonight… and everything is going to be okay” the daughter looks to have
been crying a replies with “nothing is ever.. going to be the same” the pauses
in between both of their speeches shows that is was there to create tension and
anger between them both.
The
another fade occurs where there is amid shot of the mum holding a gun firmly in
her hands walking through a hall ay of the house and an out of focus mask
appears from a window behind her and is pulled into focus as she leaves to show
how venerable the mum is as she is now unaware of the danger despite her having
a gun. The music then begins to build as another fades out of black occurs and
screams and panic arises to set the scene of horror and fear within the audience
viewing. The suddenly a cut is made to an American flag fading it with wind
movement behind it and the words “The Purge” appears clearly in the same white
text to show continuity throughout despite the drastic changes made within the
film due to actions. The flag then fades out the leave the white text on a black
background. The gospel music that has been playing throughout is at its peak
again and cuts instantly for effectiveness. Fades to complete
blackness with now music, just silence to allow the audience to take in
everything before the entire text ad advertise reappears onto the
screen.
White
text then whips on “on May 31, survive the night” the sound of the tape being
affected reappears to remind everyone of the beginning of the trailer so it
replays in their minds again.
Paranormal Activity Trailer Analysis.
Paranormal Activity Trailer Analysis:
Within
the first second of the trailer we come across an end of a tape which then shows
to be knocked off when an image I shown, originally it is facing a bedroom door
but when it is knocked the audience views the ceiling fan and are able to hear a
deep and manly breath from behind the camera. The tape then ends again but more
of a damaged a ripped tape noise comes across, we then come to the understand
after watching the whole trailer the end of tapes clips and
noises/sounds are used to transition between scenes. I believe this was done to
make the trailer different to other and more mysterious but also to also involve
the film where ever they can to try and see it to the audience more. The next
clip is shown in night vision, so the scene is set for the audience watching.
But is of an audience we can only assume is watching the film themselves who are
seen to be jumping in fear of what they are viewing on screen. A tape transition
occurs and then a black background with the white text of “Last Year You
Demanded It” it then sharply cuts to a face approaching the camera lens to form
an extreme close up in the video camera that was knocked over at the beginning.
This then changes back to the audience we viewed earlier who are now covering
their faces but from a different angle from before. Another tape transition, a
black background with the later appearance of the same style white text from
before (creates continuity) saying “But That Was Just The Beginning”. Tape
transition appears, the next clip is in colour and daylight (looks friendly and
happy environment which is a dramatic change to what was earlier shown) we first
see the outside of a baby’s room the capital letters of ‘Hunter’ on the front of
the door as you enter (so we instantly know they is a little boy within the
family) the hand held camera then moves into the room so more is visible to the
eye and so we as the audience can feel more a connection with the characters as
we know more about them (a hand-held creates a more personal and relaxed
environment of viewing but also a sense of realism). You can then hear a baby
mobile playing in the seen to emphasis the age of the child and the innocents of
them. We are then able to hear a male voice from behind the camera “This is your
room”. So as the audience we now understand why they are filming (it is for the
little boy for when he grows up, a personal home documentary). There is then a
close up on the letter upon the door as the male leaves the room with the camera
still on. We can only assume the male voice is the father to the young baby boy.
This is then flowed by another tape transition where we then come across a close
up of a female’s side profile who is holding a piece of paper. She then turns to
face the camera straight, so we are able to view who she is and as she exclaims
“Hunter” we know she could be the baby’s mother. As the name is exclaimed a baby
turns and laugh as a response so we are instantly able to know who Hunter is
(put a name to a face). After another tape transition we view the male
originally behind the camera holding the baby over this head still with a towel
over his shoulder to show how young the baby is but also how he cares as well as
showing how much attention the baby receives as a new born (important). From
this, the audience are able to understand he will likely be the protagonist in
the film as everything has been about him so far and we only know his name so
far. The scenery in which Hunter and his dad are in the impression given across
is happy and loving due to the bright and sunny garden, which the occurrence of
the baby laughing.
The
tape transition between this scene and the next is extended to show the change
in time between them. We then hear a young female voice “Who is that?” with the
sound of the baby mobile playing the back ground (this adds a creepy tone to the
moment but also show that the baby is the importance of this film and everything
links back to him). With the questioned asked by the girl we view a young girl
holding an old picture of a young girl in her school uniform, a female
voice from behind the camera then replies “It’s your aunt Katie”
so we now know the mother has a sister and the young girl who asked the question
is an older sister to Hunter. The old picture then becomes a close up on screen;
this implies that this will hold relevance within the full-length film. The
picture then fades into the same picture except all the edges have been damaged
and burnt around the edges. Also the scenery has changed from a living area to
the mother lying on a bed. This emphasises a change in time has occurred. She
continues to say “Weird, I thought we lost it inn the fire” this then implies
that something isn’t right and this picture will pay a large relevance to this
film. Another transition occurs and we then view an image of the whole family
(dad, mum, sister, baby and the foreign nanny), after this we view another
transition but instead of it being like a tape ending it come across more like
the tape is damaged and appears on the screen longer.
We then
come across a high angle shot of the living room that has been completely
wrecked and ruined; we have a clear understanding of where we are in the house
as the stairs in visible in the bottom left corner. With this film being filmed
above allows us to feel as if the guy is more superior to who ever done it. We
then hear “Somebody broke in…” from behind the camera so we have an
understanding of what actually happened (sets the scene and moment for the
audience). The next clip is of baby Hunters room but instead of his stuff being
chucked around it has all been piled in the middle of the room, this implies
there in something important about the baby rooms due to it being
defaced and vandalized differently to the rest of the room.
We then
view a close up on the bed/mattress we saw the woman laying on
earlier on in the trailer, there is a high angle shot and zoom to emphasis the
damaged caused “…and trashed the house”. This time the bed was violently damaged
with rips and stab marks all over it, this high the strength and danger this
individual in creating. When then over hear “Christie thought it was a ghost”
although as ghost is said the speech become damaged and effective as if whatever
it was that caused this was over hearing a effecting the system to hide what
they were. A transition occurs again and we viewed a shadowed image close up of
the mum and dad looking distressed and worried, this is due to their facial
expressions and also body language. This will help to set the tension with the
audience and with it all being filmed on a handheld home camera allows us to
view everything from the characters perspective which will create a sense of
realism and makes it more believable therefore more worrying. After this mood
has been set he imaging returns back to light. This technique informs that
everything is better at the moment but what the audience viewed before will
still be playing on their minds and they’ll believe and wait for something
dangerous to occur.
The
daylight image is then the young girl in shot with the foreign nanny looking
terrified in the corner, despite the daylight. In the background you can there
hear the dominate voice of the father saying “I know you guys are freaked out,
okay. And I’m going take care of you guys” automatically a non-diegetic noise
appears in the background which informs the audience that something in going to
occur further along, it also allows the audience to maintain the fear and
distress they felt earlier and the beginning of the trailer as well as the break
in (can tell something isn’t right). We then come across and the tape transition
so we know time has passed, we the n view the dad fitting CCTV cameras in the
corners on the rooms. We shall no view almost everything through these cameras,
and it also makes the audience feel superior because they are watching over the
characters in the film and can witness any occurrence but also see things before
they do. This leave a sense of powerful but unknown as well as we don’t know
what it going to happen still. The transition appears again, until we view CCTV
blue night vision of the baby’s room, everything is silence except the breathing
and movement of Hunter and the dog within the room (expecting noises). It then
cuts to the view of the pool outside. The time and date appears in the bottom
right hand corner of the screen so we have an understanding of where the room is
to everything else as well as what time it is. The pools lights turn off and
we’re able to focus on the outdoor noises of animals and crickets calling (makes
everything come across as normal). It then quickly cuts to the kitchen and
living. Although nothing unusual was happening, as the audience you still felt
as if something was there because of it being at night and view through night
vision it just automatically appears scarier. When then view the dog sniffing
around the basement door within a few seconds of viewing him in the baby’s room.
The dog seems to be interested with something, this allows us to prepare
ourselves for something to occur and something is happening within the house.
The camera is then placed at fast forward so we can seem the time change in the
bottom corner, until it continues to play at normal pace we are able to hear the
dog defensively growling at something and due to us not being able to see
anything makes the audience worry more as the felt when the cameras were first
put up they would be able to view everything and have an advantage. It quickly
cuts to the baby’s room, where we view him standing up in his cot facing the
camera; he then starts to looks around as if something has grabbed his
attention. But we still cant see anything, this technique create tension with
the audience because the film makers are aware the audience like to know what’s
going on and hate to be ‘left in the dark’. It is clear the night light is on
for the baby but it randomly begins to flicker and the door is wide open. If the
light hadn’t of started to flash we as the audience would of assumed that the
dog was the reason for the door being so widely open but after the light being
effected we has an undecided mind set of what it was and then as the audience we
being to question and guess to ourselves what is going to happen and what is it.
We then flask back to the kitchen area we viewed earlier on expect this time the
basement door has opened and the dog is no longer visible. We hear the door
creaking open (sense of unknown and commonly used in horror for
tension).
The
tape end transition appears again, with the appearance of dawning music
approaching the scene. A complete black background the fade in of white text
‘This October’ informs the audience when you can view the film in full but the
fade out of text a dawning music has the ability to inform them the trailer is
still to continue. As the audience we then come across a voice of a teenage boy
“So what do you make of this whole ghost situation?” the next clip is of the
teenage girl in the family pool looking happy and excited during the during with
her reply being “I think it’s awesome!” the tape end transition reappears to
show there has been a change in time and also the possible of a change in
thought with the characters. When then come across the foreign nanny in the
kitchen late at night (the time of the cctv camera tells us this). She is seen
to be shaking candles around to almost get the ‘spirits away’ as it is her
belief back home to help protect a family. Suddenly the tape cuts again and the
teenage girl reappears on our screen but this time it is a close up on her face
which come across as worried and is followed up with “this is the freakiest
thing to ever happen to me last night”. During this speech the young girl turns
her hand-held camera onto the playback computer screen of the house cameras for
us to see the girl standing just on the outside of the house with the front door
open and it suddenly just swings shot being able to hear the noise of the front
door slamming shut. The girls finishes the film with “this is the door closing
by itself” but you can tell there is now a sudden panic and fear to her voice
compared to the cocky and up beat voice she had in the pool earlier on in the
trailer. To end this moment the tape transition is used again to
keep the audience informed it is hand-held for a more personal touch but to also
so a change in time and scene.
A black
background reappears on the screen with the fade in of the continuously white
text ‘“The most anticipated horror event of the year”- Steve Barton,
Dreadcentral.’ This is so the producers of the film hopefully gain more interest
because the audience are informed of the film and know someone well known has
viewed it and given positive feedback. The camera then become affected and moves
around, and due to all the stranger moments happening during the film we can
only assume it is the ‘thing’ they are all becoming to fear. Suddenly the
trailer cuts to the nursery, we are away of the room placement due to the props
within but the cctv camera we view from has the name of each room in the bottom
right corner (NRSRY-6, STRWY-5, KTCHN-3, POOL-2). We view the baby asleep in his
cot but the dog barking at the bathroom door, loud and aggressively as if he was
trying to warn of whatever was there and was trying to protect the baby. The
camera angle changes, so we view the dog and the baby from another position
which creates a closer filming frame to view the moment. Soon after we no longer
hear the dog just barking but a creaking noise appear, with this the dog backs
down in fear of whatever is causing the happenings and suddenly the baby is
lifted by his cot just into mid-air with nothing around him. This moment informs
the audience that there is actually something within the house and the family
aren’t scared of nothing. And the fact that you can’t see what is causing all
this distress makes things more terrifying because it all comes across as a
mystery and possibly makes it more realistic when watching and having everything
filmed and shot through hand-held home cameras as well as cctv camera also helps
to create the realistic effect.
After
this revealing screen occurs the end of tape effect is used again which then
flows into a black out, so the change in scene and time has occurred again
without us knowing what is really going on or why the ‘thing’ is there. The
trailer cuts straight back to the hand-held camera with it facing the mum whilst
the front light shines strongly on her face to allows us to see the fear and
panic upon her face. The low shot also informs us that she is soaked but we
unaware of why. With the camera still facing her we are able to work out that
she is running through the house, it then turns back round so we are able to see
what she can (see all open door ways and the staircase). Her panting starts to
become deeper and heavier with the running and panic. As the audience we then
view a long shot of Hunter crawling along the road outside their house. She
exclaims “HUNTER”, he turns his head to acknowledge he heard her; the hand-held
camera then zooms in onto his face to show something isn’t right with him, but
what? The view is dark and blurry which tells the audience that there is all
occurring earlier late evening or earlier hours of the next morning. The blur
could possibly be the ‘thing’ affecting it, we can only guess at this moment in
time. The tape end transition is used again and cuts straight back to the next
scene which is then all viewed in night vision mode. The next thing we see is a
hand in the bottom left corner without any background noise to focus ourselves
onto. Then we hear the daughter’s voice come across confused when she yells
“Dad?” Suddenly the camera cuts out with the tape end transition, the daughter
then appears in the left hand side of the hand-held but this time she is seen
screaming, again the tape end transition appears and we then come across a view
from the top of the staircase with the night vision still on. All we hear is the
screams coming from all characters from all angles of the house with the sudden
exclaim of “GET OUT!”. Once again the tape end transition occurs (it has
appeared several time in this last moment, to stop the moments being ruined for
the audience and it creates more of a mystery for them as they don’t know what
is happening and can only see the family scared at certain moments. This is a
way to bring them into the cinema to then watch the film to find out
everything). From nowhere a new figure of a woman we have not seen during the
whole incidence has appeared within the nursery bathroom, who is she? Where did
she come from? Where did the dog go? How did she get in? we don’t know, and
that’s what the directors want us to question.
The
tape end transition makes us then view the chandelier swinging violently above
the hand-held camera, straight cut to the mum exclaiming at the top of her voice
from the top of the stairs protecting the young baby’s room “GET OUT OF MY
HOUSE!” Tape end transition occurs again, still with the night vision we view
the trailer clip upside down due to the hand-held camera being knocked over, but
the audience are still able to make out that it is Hunter standing in the middle
of the screen. This time for a scene change the camera just cuts to black,
showing something stopped it filming. The filming is then back to up right where
we see the mum standing over the baby’s nursery door and then suddenly being
knocked off her feet and dragged viscously by her legs out of the room. The
trailer moves straight to a Black out screen and the number ‘2’ appears on
screen with the following of ‘Paranormal’… ‘Activity’ flickering onto the screen
as if it was being affected. We then hear a deep and well-spoken voice of a man
appear “paranormal Activity 2, Rated R. opens Thursday night October
21st at midnight”. Then all sound is cut and the black screen is left
to play on.
The Blair Witch Project Trailer Analysis.
The Blair Witch Project
Trailer Analysis:
The trailer begins with a
black background with the films production company appearing in a white text in
the middle of the screen, this is done so that the audience are instantly
informed. As this appears so does deep music which helps to create a tone and
sense of evil and mystery. As this fades out to leave the black screen we as the
audience come across a female whispering a confession speech about how sorry she
is and how she loves her family so dearly. Her speech comes across as breathless
as if she had been running and teary. I believe they left a black screen for
this moment so that the audience focused on what she was saying and it created
more tension in not knowing who the woman was. Her voice then fades out but the
black background remains then fades in a large amount of white text which sets
the scene of what has happened “In October of 1994, the student filmmakers
disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a
documentary” the is a large gap in between and then another line of text fades
in “A year later their footage was found”. This helps to create a documentary
convention film which gives the film/trailer a sense of realism. It helps to
anchor the context of the following images so the audience are able to then view
them only in a certain way, this makes all that we see a lot more realistic. To
create more tension whilst you are reading the text disturbing noises and
screams are added faintly to the background so the create tone is set whilst the
storyline is being built up.
Once a fade out from the
following clip occurs we are able to see our first visual image of the trailer
after 27 seconds. The image is of the ground, which is covered in leaves (wood
land area). There has also been a use of a black and white filter on the lens so
the audience get the sense this clip was filmed in the dark. Also where the
footage is all over the place it is clear to the audience this has been purpose
down to inform them that this is a hand held camera clip, therefore one of the
films of the student. This has been done so we are drawn instantly and emphasis’
the text that appeared on screen before. We then come across a news report of
the incident we read about before creating more of a realistic element towards
the trailer also having jolted camera shots allows us to believe the storyline
created . The next shot we view is a still one of the floor to help enforce the
scenery where the individuals filmed. Once this fades out a close up of a pair
hands appears on screen, it is opening a book which immediately comes across as
evidence due to the scenery around and amongst it. It separate this they added
another fade out where we then view a camera we can only assume was used by one
of the filmmakers, another faded is involved where we then see a film wit a
label on it (it had written; The Blair Witch Project) it then tracks downwards
towards another film to emphasis more than one filmmaker disappeared (this
creates a more serious matter) but this was used to clarify that all the
evidence we had come across before was the evidence found in the forest. There
is then another fade out but this is extended so we can recognise the changed
made in the trailer.
We as the audience then
view the first clip of film footage found, we know this because of the un-level
filming, the camera quality, the dark edges formed around the lens and the then
the add on lighting so we are able to view the scenery in front in full colour
and not under and black and white filter. This was done so we could clearly see
the hands prints all over the white wall were blood. To help back up the points
and scenes set before. This shortly plays until a fade out occurs where we then
face a mid –shot of a mature males side profile, he visually looks distressed.
Whilst we view this scene there is a news report playing over the top so we are
able to understand he is a father of one of the victim filmmakers (uses the line
“your son”). This allows us to understand why he looks distressed and to
therefore sympathise for him.
Before long the creepy deep
music reappears to the trailer and a black fade appears on screen with the text
“This Summer”, this is draw the audience in to when they can see the full length
film because before this not much has been given away which more often than not
grabs more individuals attentions because they wish to know more. After a second
this text disappears and we are left with a black screen where the music then
appears loud as we have nothing else to focus ourselves on. This then emphasises
the mood being set and will tend to scary and worry the audience viewing.
Suddenly, an extreme close up of a female face (nose to forehead) appears on
screen where we view her is colour. She comes across as emotional, out of
breathe and teary. We can then only assume she is the voice we heard at the
beginning on the trailer (audience will start to make connections with this
character). When then hear the line she made at the beginning “I’m so scared”
which then confirms who she is. There is then a quick white fade to another
black screen (this was done to add more depths to the darkness of the film and
then the black screen that follows) after white text of “The Blair Witch
Project”. This is to then inform the audience slightly more about the film.
Keeping the text to a minimum also allows impact to what is being said as it
creates a strong impact and has more effect of the audience. At the end of this
clip we start to hear noises of individuals shouting and panicking, we are then
faced with a clip of someone running in the pitch black between trees in a
forest area (able to see this due to camera light) allowing us to view the
images made by the noises (another connection the audience have to put together,
which will keep them entertained and interested). We can hear the male breathing
and then the girl in front of him screaming. Sharply the black background cuts
in with the white text www.blairwitch.com. We
as the audience are still able to hear the screaming and cry’s in the
background. This was do the encourage the audience to come a see the full length
film so they can understand everything they viewed due to very little being
given away and are able to find out why they were running, who they were running
from and what we they doing out there in the first place?
Chosen Brief.
I have chosen to create a trailer for a new film accompanied by a poster and a
front page of a film magazine, which will feature my film. There should be a
sense of cohesion between the three products.
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