Filming Update 4

Research into horror genre magazine front covers

I have decided to look into a magazine which is for a specific genre, the genre I am basing my trailer on which is horror. I found a producer of horror magazines called 'Fangoria'. These magazine feature horror films specifically. Previously I have only looked at main stream magazines rather than genre specific magazines. These magazines are different as the main images and secondary images are all about horror. The colours used within the front cover are related to horrors, dark colours are used and red and orange as all these colours connote darkness, anger and danger, all things associated with horror films. All the sub headings include information about horror films to keep the theme. These sort of magazines are very specific to the genre therefore the audience range is more narrow and can be seen as niche. The layout of these two magazines, which are from the same producer, have the same layout. The barcode has been placed in the bottom right hand corner on both magazines and the sub headings only on the left hand side. This is different to main stream magazines as these have sub headings on both sides of the main image  instead of just the left hand side. These magazines are good as straight away, anyone who sees this magazine will know that this is related to the genre horror. 

Poster & Magazine front cover i've took inspiration from

On the left is the teaser poster for the film 'Deliver us From Evil'. I chose this poster to use as inspiration for my first draft of my poster and will be used as inspiration for my final poster too. I decided to use this poster as it had a similar layout to what I had in mind for my poster. This is a teaser poster and although I am creating a main poster I still used the same style for mine. As this is a teaser poster, the date is not included but on my poster the date is. I have added in a credit block and created a suitable title. The image on this poster is of two characters, one being the villain, who are in the film and my poster will include the villain in my film and possibly another character just like this photo. The main colours used in this poster are black, white and green and my poster follows a different colour scheme which is black, red and white.

On the left is the magazine front cover which I chose to take inspiration from. I chose to follow the same layout as this magazine as I felt it was effective and related to the type of layout I wanted to go for with my own magazine. The magazine on the left is a general film magazine whereas the magazine I have created is within the genre horror therefore contains different content but the overall look is similar between the magazine front covers. I have chosen to use the same film magazine producer for my magazine which is in the other magazine. There are aspects of the magazine front cover which I have followed such as where the title and mast head are placed and the barcode.

Research into three magazine front covers

Draft of first magazine front cover & poster

Mood Board of Magazine Front Covers

Magazine Front Cover & Poster

 In class, we started to look at existing people's work who have created both a magazine front cover and a poster. The magazine front cover was level 3 and the poster was level 4. We analysed both the poster and the magazine front cover and found the strengths and weaknesses. This magazine front cover was effective as the image stood out. The title of the magazine was in the right place although it could have been bigger. The side quotes were also very small and could of been made bigger. The car code was on the wrong side too. The main storyline was good though as it was large enough to see and grab the viewers attention but also fitted in with the theme and worked alongside the image. This magazine from cover was overall successful as they have followed the codes and conventions of a magazine from cover and have made theirs stand out and look appealing to the right target audience.

This was the poster that we analysed in class, and this got a level 4 as it was very good. The overall image which has been used is effective and works well with the theme of the poster and the title as it makes the audience aware that this is a horror film poster. The only problem with this poster is that although they have included the line 'coming soon', they have also included the credits which wouldn't be included on a teaser poster which would feature 'coming soon'. Therefore they have become slightly confused with what the right conventions are for a magazine front cover. The editing skills used for this poster are very good and one aspect of the poster that I particularly like is the words coming soon and how the effect used makes the word blend into the image.

Filming Update 3

Film Posters for The Conjuring - Purpose and Analysis

Main Poster

Teaser Poster

                                                                 Character Poster

Similarities & Differences between the three posters:

The three posters I have analysed both have similarities and differences. All three posters contain the title of the film to ensure the audience know the poster is related to the film. With all three of the posters, the title has been placed at the top to make it stand out so the viewer can remember what the film is called. As well as this all three posters have chosen dark colours to make the poster more sinister and scary, this is effective as the genre of the film is horror. The main colour used on the three posters is back which connotes danger. All the other colours included on the three posters are dim colours and no bright colours have been used which would have created the wrong impression. All three posters have focused more on having a poster which is filled with an image rather than text making them more visual than text heavy. This is done to create an impression about the film and words cannot do that whereas the correct image can. Each poster has followed the right conventions for it such as the character poster containing the character as the main image, the teaser poster containing the line 'coming soon' and the main poster containing a tag line at the top.

The difference between the posters is noticeable. The character poster has focused the image just on the character whereas the main poster has no character in it, and is just a location shot. Then the teaser poster has combined both of these and has established the location of the shot but shows the back of one of the characters, most probably the villain as no face has been shown. The main poster and character poster have located the title at the top however the teaser poster has placed it at the bottom which is different. Another difference between the posters is that only the character poster has promoted the date of the film, the teaser doesn't have it and the main poster have not made it big which means it doesn't stand out.

Filming Update 2

Filming Update 1

Camera & Film Workshop

To help with research, our media class went to a camera & Film Workshop. We learnt new information and ideas from someone called Robert Foster who had helped with filming on The Bill and Hollyoaks. The workshop included him explaining his own experiences and giving the group helpful hints on camera work and lighting. He had brought along his own camera which was a high range one which although I will not be using such a advanced camera to film my trailer, the techniques that he showed us were very useful and can help me to produce my horror trailer. We learnt about different ways that lighting can help you to produce the right scene you want such as adding a sheet over the light to make it more balanced and change the perception of what time it is when you're filming. He also told us about positioning for the lighting and how changing it can change how you view the character. With this, he also told us about different techniques with the camera we could use such as positioning it in different ways to show a character being a victim (by filming upwards to the character) or making them a villain (by filming downwards to the character). Over all the work shop was beneficial and helped me for getting prepared for filming. Robert Foster also talked to us about continuety and how this is important to keep a film looking consistent. With my trailer I will need to make sure if I have a scene which I am shooting on different days, I make sure I keep things consistent and looking the same in order for it to not impact my trailer.

Risk Assessment Viewed & Checked

To make sure my risk assessment was ok and everything had been thought about and precautions made, my teacher viewed my risk assessment and gave me feedback. One aspect of my risk assessment which needed to be re thought was the timing. A lot of my shooting time was later in the evening and will probably already be dark therefore I would not be able to film anything as it would be dark. From this I have now changed the timing and moved everything earlier so it's in the evening time therefore it will not be as light but also will not be as dark. Another issue was the fact about filming later at night and being in a location like a woods therefore again, I have made sure all my timings have been moved forward so they're evening time not night time.

Risk Assessment

Scheduling Script

25 Word Pitch

Above is my 25 word pitch which I have created as a YouTube Video to convey my ideas. I have done this in order for the viewers to see what my trailer will include/ a generally idea of what to expect.

Once I had produced my pitch, I then had to show it to my peers to get feedback from and how I can improve. One of the points which I did was show the narrative of the trailer, you found out from the pitch, what the initial ideas and what was going to happen in the trailer from the edited parts of the film. My pitch also showed the genre I was doing, all my peers knew what the genre was by the clips and narrative used within the clip. One part which I wasn't very clear on and need to delve into more is the target audience for my trailer. Within this pitch I have made, there is no clear target audience and this is a very important part into my film. I have already done research into the age restrictions for films and from this, it helped me to choose a age restriction for my trailer which impacts the target audience. My target audience is for older teenagers aged 15+ and also young adults. I have targeted this audience as older teenagers will be able to watch the film by the age restriction and both teens and young adults merely like films which create adrenaline and scare therefore my trailer/film will appeal to them and they will want to watch it, making my trailer a success.

Experimenting with Fonts

I have decided on a name for my trailer which is called 'Hooked'. From this I needed to make sure I included an appropriate font which fit the theme of my trailer. I asked for feedback from my peers about the fonts and asked them to chose their favourite one which would suit my trailer best. 

The first font used is called 'Blood Lust'. The feedback I got from this one is that it is a good font to use for a more violent trailer whereas mine is not like this therefore this font may give the wrong impression  and probably isn't the best suited to my trailer although does fit into the right genre I'm doing. Another person also said that the font looked cartoon like which is not a good impression to give therefore because of this feedback I have decided that the first font will not be used for my trailer.

The second font which I tried was called 'DK Face Your Fears'. I decided to use this one as I feel it fits the theme of my trailer and from just this writing you would be able to tell that the genre of my trailer was a horror. The feedback I got from this font was that it would be good to use as it fits my trailer and the font is different but you are still able to read it. From this feedback I decided to chose this font as the font I would use for my trailer.

The third font I tried was called 'Oh No'. The feedback I got from this was that it was also a good font to use however you can't really tell the difference between this font and the font before therefore the other font is still stronger than this one. As a result of this my decision on what font to choose ended up being the second font I tried out, which is similar to this font.

The last font I tried was called 'Crimes Times Six'. The feedback I got from this was that it was a strong font to use however would be better to include on your poster/magazine rather than the trailer as it would have more impact on a document like that rather than a trailer. From all the feedback I got, it was clear that the feedback I got back says the second font was the best and strongest one and from this I have decided to use this font as I feel it makes my title stand out and looks bold as well as fitting in with the genre I am doing.

Film Title Ideas

-Hooked
-The Forgotten
-Cold Shadow
-666
-The Dark
-Who's there?
-Escape

I started to brain storm some potential film names for my trailer. I want the name to link with the trailer and the specific genre i'm doing and also want it to be  catchy title to gain the interest of my target market and just from the name want people to want to know more about the film or even watch it.

Shooting Script

Coming up with a Company Name

To create my trailer I will need to have a production company in which creates the film. For this I will have to think of a name and all the different aspects which are involved with this. The name I have chosen to use is Dark Ring Productions. Scream time productions will be a small British advertising company that creates mainstream horror films, which will be low budget.

Key Info:

-British, Based in London

-Founded by Kara Lawrie in 2015

-Produces mainstream horror films

-Focuses mainly on horror genre, not various genres

My production company will be in charge of the advertising, meaning the trailer itself, the poster and the magazine front cover. My production company will focus on mainstream horrors, which will be created on a low budget and the company will be independent. 

Possible Logo:

Legal Considerations for Trailer

Engaging Actors:

When creating a film you must make sure that every person involved in acting in your film, signs a contributors release form. This basically gives you the right to use the acting of these people in your film and related marketing. If someone is shown only in a crowd of people or in the background, they do not need to sign a contributors form.


Term of Engagement:

With the terms of the actors and actresses, producers should be entitles to the exclusive services of an actor for a set amount of days/weeks in order to get all the filming done and complete to a standard they want. In addition, the agreement should set out if the actor will be required for rehearsals and wardrobe fittings. With this the producer can sometimes require actors for retakes, post-synchronisation and other post-production services.

Expenses:

The expenses will be the costs in which the producer will be paying for i.e. transport and accommodation.

Credit:

This should state the position of the actor's credit ( start, middle or end) and whether it will appear on a single card in the on-screen credits. It should also state as to whether the actor will be credited on any advertising material.

Health:

Actors will need to give assurance tot he producer that they are not suffering from any injuries, illness and the like which would prevent them from rendering their services and are often expected to engage in hazardous activities during shooting.

Engaging Child Actors:

If you choose to feature a child under the age of 16, you need to make sure they have a license from their local authority. This license will include medical certificate and detailed information on their availability to film. It is the producer of the film who will need to apply for the license from the child's birth certificate and a school letter authorising absence. The license grant must be kept on site at all times.

Location Agreements:

You should find a location manger to help find suitable locations which you are allowed to film on. Even if they;re untrained, it is a good idea to find someone who is willing to take on the responsibility of finding the locations and making sure you can use them. This involves looking around your local area, finding a location that suits your needs and then finding out who owns it and whether they'll let you use it. You should always try to have a location agreement in place before you shoot on anyone's land. Location agreements should allow you to not only film the place but also grant you the right to rehearse and take stills for publicity. Im your film, you may want to call the location a different name, and your agreement should give you the right to do so.

My Trailer:

When I create my trailer I will need to make sure I follow all the requirements in order for my trailer to be done legally. As I do not have any children in my trailer, it makes it easier for me as I will not need to get a concert form or request time from the children's school to take out to film. I will need to make sure that anything I film and produce is within the age range I have chosen to market my trailer at which is a 15. Including anything which is not aloud in 15 films will be against the law. When choosing my locations, I will need to make sure that if any of the places I choose are owned privately by individuals, make sure i ask permission to film and get their consent. With this I can start to film correctly and will have completed all the correct procedures needed to make my trailer.

Camera Angles, Terminology & more Research

The very first Horror Films (19th Century)

The You tube video below shows a fragment of a dancing skeleton in which this was one of the first ever horror films. It was created by the Lumiere brothers in 1895. Many people took an interest in this from the audience to producers although the genre was not defined until the 1930's. Before they were classed as horrors, they were referred as 'Spook Tales'.

                                 

The very first horror film (below) on record is Le Manoir du Diable (1896), created by Georges Melies. The running time for this first official horror film is just over three minutes. The contents of this short film contains bats, devils, witches, cauldrons, ghosts, and trolls who all appear and then disappear in puffs of smoke.

                               

Research: Cinematography

Before starting to shoot my trailer, I thought it would be best to do research into how to go about it and what techniques would be best for the my horror trailer, I found a really useful site:

http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/cinematography-tips-for-horror-filmmakers/

This site has helped me to think about the different shots, angles and techniques I can use and how to go about filming them. The website has gave me ideas to help me with the different shots I can use to make my trailer more effective. It has also made me aware of different filters I can use to help me with the overall scary effect of the trailer. This research will help me when planning my shooting and scheduling script as I will need to include on these the different shots I will be using and with the help of this research the shot types I use will be more varied and different, initially meaning my trailer will be to a better quality.

Existing Horror Films

Horror Theories

Research of Horror Film

Sinister (2012)

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Time: 110 minutes long

Director: Scott Derrickson

Writers: Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill

Plot Synopsis:

True-crime writer Ellison Oswald (Ethan Hawke) is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

Budget: $3,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $18,007,634 (USA) (12th October 2012)
Gross: $48,056,940 (USA) (28th December 2012)

Target Audience:

The target audience for Sinister would be people who enjoy horror/mystery films. This is due to the fact that it doesn't hold back with what it includes in the film with regards to the blood, gore, freakiness and violence. The film does contain quite a few typical conventions you would expect to see in any horror and what you do. Some of the target audience who like horrors may prefer niche independent films in this case, Sinister is not the right one for them. Whereas people who are into stereotypical horror's will love this film as it is full of it. Within this film they use different aspects such as using a foreign symbol which is now a common trait in horror films as it can represent hell/demon which is a popular aspect to add into a film. The whole storyline follows the path of crime  therefore this film will appeal to people who especially like this genre.

Methods of Marketing:

For marketing, the film did a number of different aspects. They created an official page for the film which was published on site and a site for Japan too. They also created an official Facebook page which kept them interactive and social with the audience. By creating their official page for the film they were able to give the target audience information and cliffhangers to the film which would help with promotion as people will want to go and see it more. The Facebook page mean't that people could interact directly with the film and post on the wall to ask questions and queries. This page also gave away spoilers and any links to new methods or marketing. As well as this, there were a number of pictures released which gave away parts of the storyline to the audience to make them want to go and watch the film more. An official poster was released to make people more aware of the film and as well as a poster, a teaser trailer was first released and then an official full length trailer was released, this would've built up the anticipation of the audience and help with reaching a goal with revenue and the Box Office.

The aim of the website was to provide as much information about the page without ruining the plot. The official site would contain links to new methods of marketing therefore would link it all up and make the audience aware of everything available to do with the trailer. This makes it an effective website and allows the audience to stay up to date. The aim of the Facebook page was to create a page where the audience can be interactive and ask questions about the film and providing they don't give away to much, the organisers of the page can reply. The posters aim was to make more people aware of the film, if they see a poster which looks appealing to them they're more likely to want to watch it or go and look into it more. The poster can also be displayed in a variety of good promotional places such as cinemas, side of buses and advert boards. The aim of the teaser trailer was to get people excited for the full trailer and build up tension, this would've created a bigger hype for the main trailer meaning it will be more successful. The trailer was also released first at a film festival in the USA which would've highlighted the release of the film and gained more attention from the audience and possibly people who did not intend on going to see the film.


The Main Cast:

Ethan Hawke

James Ransone

Nicolas King

Juliet Rylance