1. Horror Trailer Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?

2. Our media product conforms to conventions of horror films through its use
of paradigms and application of narrative theories such as Todorov’s theory
of narrative, Barthes’ Pleasure of Texts and Propp’s character types.
We decided we wanted to do a slasher horror film trailer and so we
researched existing slasher horror film trailers such as Scream and
Halloween. We decided to incorporate paradigms from Scream and Sorority
Row as well as the conventions we had seen in other slasher films.

3. We have used forms ad conventions of real media products in our trailer
such as preview cards, production logo and end credits because when
researching existing film trailers, we found that all films had these, whatever
the genre.
We added a blinking effect to the
production logo to make it fit with
our horror genre

4. Paradigms we followed:
Setting:
We chose to set our trailer in different settings but mostly followed paradigms of settings
in real media products. However, the first scene is set in the school’s dance studio to
establish a sense of equilibrium, this challenges the setting paradigm as not many films
are set in a dance studio; we also created the moment of disequilibrium in this scene.
We set the second scene in the tennis courts as the
disequilibrium continued because woods/forests are a
setting often used in slasher horror films; we filmed when
it was dark which conforms to conventions of real media
products. The third scene is set in a bathroom because it
makes the death more personal as well as intriguing the
audience to want to find out how the killer got in and who
it is. Also, we wanted to recreate our own Psycho shower
scene as it is an infamous scene, so the link to it attracts
more people.
Our bathroom
Psycho scene
shower scene

5. Our scene Scream scene
The final scenes were also filmed
in a house which is a common
setting for horror films, but usually
for supernatural horror rather than
slasher.
We wanted to film our trailer while it was dark like in most slasher horror
films, because people are more afraid of what they can’t see; however, this
was difficult to do because the camera wasn’t picking up the actors in the dark
so, we used a torch light on a mobile phone to film Kirby’s death.
Additionally, most slasher horror films are set in secluded locations such as
Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre; we followed this conventions but also
challenged it with the house and dance studio settings.

6. Props:
• We used a fake knife as the murder weapon in our trailer as
knives and sharp objects are often used in slasher films, because
they allow the murder of the victim to be more personal
• We also used fake blood to make our trailer look more realistic
and professional
Masks:
• We used a mask for the villain as slasher horrors keep their
villains anonymous; also, because our questionnaire results
showed that our audience prefer if the villain remains
anonymous

7. Characters:
• The villain in our trailer is a masked villain; we decided to
incorporate this paradigm from the slasher films Scream and
Sorority Row, who also have a masked villain, as well as other
slasher horrors.
• We decided that we would follow Propp’s character types theory
for our trailer, as they are conventional in the existing trailers we
looked at; we decided that since our trailer is based on Scream
and Sorority Row, that our characters would each have a certain
personality and the victims would be female, as in Sorority Row.
Also, the answers from the questionnaire showed that most
people preferred the villain to be male.
Our
• We had five main characters: 4 characters
female victims; Buffy (the sporty
character), Kirby (the geek
character), Tatum (the promiscuous
character) and Nina (the final Sorority Row
girl).Thomas (the villain/Nina’s characters
boyfriend) who we chose to be the
villain based on the Scream trailer.

8. Costumes:
Costumes are a large part of conventional mise-en-scene in slasher horror, such as revealing
clothing worn by the promiscuous character. We decided to reflect the personalities of our
characters through their costumes: Buffy is wearing a sports t-shirt and leggings to convey
that she is the sporty, unafraid character; Kirby wears a t-shirt, cardigan, leggings and
glasses, in her death scene, she wears similar clothes to portray her as the geeky character;
Tatum wears a low cut top and cardigan with shorts and tights in the first scene, to convey
that she is the promiscuous character; in the bathroom scene she is ‘naked.’ Nina wears a
white t-shirt and leggings in the dance scene to convey her purity and changes into casual
clothing in the next scenes.
We have conformed to the conventions of costume for the villain as he wears all black to
juxtapose with the white the victims wear and a mask; when we researched slasher horror
films, we found that the masks the villains wore often linked to the plot or film title, such as
in Scream, which our villain is similar to. We decided that the ‘Anonymous’/’V for Vendetta’
mask was appropriate.
Our villain Scream villain

9. Narrative:
We have followed forms and conventions of narrative in real media products by conforming to
Todorov’s theory of equilibrium; our trailer begins with a calm balance as in most trailers,
such as Jeepers Creepers, which is followed by a moment of disequilibrium as the first victim,
Buffy is being attacked in the dance studio. This is where the disequilibrium begins as the
other victims are consecutively attacked. The return to equilibrium is not shown at the end of
the trailer as most trailers don’t show this because, it creates mystery for the audience and
makes them want to watch the film to find out who survived, if anyone, and how, as well as
the identity of the villain.
We showed the main protagonist, Nina being attacked by the villain
to create mystery like in the Halloween trailer: the villain walks
towards a victim and the audience don’t know if she survives or not.
We wanted to re-create this in our trailer to further intrigue our
audience.
We also added the shock after the title tone card as most horror films do this to
By following these forms and conventions we have conformed to structuralist theory as we
have used the props, settings and characters to communicate with our audience and
convey meaning.

10. Jeepers Creepers Trailer Our Trailer
Equilibrium
Moment of disequilibrium
Disequilibrium
Quick short cuts
(montage) as
disequilibrium
continues
Title

11. Shot Types
We used a range of shot types for our trailer, following conventions of real media
products such as the Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre trailers, by using close ups
and making the cuts quicker as the disequilibrium continues.
Our shots
Psycho
Texas Chainsaw
In the beginning of the trailer, we used long, mid angle Massacre
shots to portray the characters as vulnerable. We also used
pans to reflect the balance and calm in the trailer, similar
to Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Additionally, we kept the camera still rather than
handheld, again to reflect the harmony, in the first parts of
the trailer.

12. After the moment of disequilibrium, we have used extreme close ups to convey the fear
of the victims. We used a handheld camera to reflect how the balance has shifted and
everything is obscured by the villain’s arrival.
We used low angle shots of the villain to portray his power over the victims and make him
look dominating, similar to trailers like Halloween.

13. Editing
We edited our trailer once we had all our footage; we put clips of each scene together and
edited the scenes individually before putting them together to create the bare bones of our
trailer.
In the beginning of the trailer, we added effects such as fades and cross fades to reflect the
harmony of the equilibrium in the dance scene.
As the disequilibrium begins, the cuts get faster and
shorter to create tension. We also made the fades go in
and out quicker so that the shots of characters only
flashed onto the screen briefly, in order to create tension.
We used montage editing at the end of the trailer by putting clips of each
scene together to highlight the discordance that the villain’s arrival has
created.
We also added effects to the tone cards as most trailers such as Jeepers
Creepers, Scream and Cabin in the Woods also do this.
Jeepers Creepers, Scream, Cabin in the Woods Our tone card

14. Sound
We developed forms and conventions of sound in horror film trailers as we researched
existing trailers and created our own soundtrack from what we had learnt. We created two
soundtracks and asked our audience which they preferred; we received mixed reviews and
so thought of editing them together, to cerate a new soundtrack. However, as both the
soundtracks were in a different, they didn’t fit with each other, so we decided to go with
the one the audience thought worked better with the trailer but also added bits of the
second soundtrack.
The sound in the trailer is all non-diegetic; it begins with a slow song which we heard on the
Texas Chainsaw Massacre trailer and thought worked well with our dance scene, as it
portrays the equilibrium and calm of the first scene. As the moment disequilibrium occurs,
the non-diegetic music gets more tense and crescendos into a faster tempo as the
disequilibrium continues. We also added sound effects as we learnt that many trailers use,
such as the sound of a heartbeat, screams and water for the bathroom scene.

15. Lighting
We used conventions of lighting in horror films by filming the outdoor scenes when it was
dark, as all horror movie play on the idea of the dark and fear of it. We used low key
lighting in the other scenes to create a mysterious mood and tension; we didn’t want it too
dark in the house scenes as we wanted to show the juxtaposition of the villain in black and
the victims/the house in white.
This is conforming to Strauss’ theory of Binary Opposites; opposites can be conceptual
(love/hate) or used (light/dark) or to do with soundtrack. Our trailer follows this theory as
the binary opposites in it are good/evil (conceptual), light/dark (visual) and slow/fast in the
soundtrack.

16. Ancillary Tasks
Empire Magazine Cover & The Blair Witch
Project Film Poster

17. Strapline informs readers
Masthead is at the top so people what’s inside and is placed
can see it when displayed in at the top so that it can be
shops; as it is a well known easily seen when displayed
magazine, the main image is able in shops.
to cover part of the masthead.
The masthead links with the
main cover line and background Cover lines inform readers
image which attracts attention. of other articles in this
issue; the lighter colour of
the text stands out against
Issue number and price written the dark background.
above the masthead; this is
characteristic of Empire The main image is a long
magazine as the text is easy to shot which makes the actor
see and informs the readers that look powerful – Empire
it’s a new issue. often use long and mid
shots and rarely use
extreme close ups.
Button attracts readers’
attention as it is a different
colour to the background Main cover line is placed
image and the text is easy to in the centre so it
read. It informs readers of a attracts readers
feature in the magazine. attentions; the font and
colour stand out against
the background image.
Extra cover lines places at the Barcode is placed at the
bottom to inform readers what bottom so it doesn’t
else is included and the light cover parts of the main
coloured texts stands out image.
against the dark background.

18. I have followed conventions
by placing the strapline at Masthead is at the top so
the top so that it can be people can see it when
easily seen when displayed displayed in shops; I have used
in shops and informs conventions by covering part of
readers what’s inside. the masthead with the main
image, as it is a well known
magazine.
Issue number and price
written above the masthead;
I have used conventions of I have used conventions of
Empire Magazine as they Empire by placing my barcode
often do this so readers at the side so it is visible but
know it’s a new issue. doesn’t interfere with the
main image. Empire often do
this.
I have used forms and
conventions by adding a I have challenged forms and
button as it attracts readers’ conventions of Empire
attention; it is a different magazine by using a close up of
colour to the background my character to attract readers
image and the text is easy as, the direct eye contact
to read. attracts attention by forming a
connection with readers.
I have placed extra cover I have challenged
lines at the bottom to conventions by placing the
inform readers what else is film at the bottom because I
included; I have followed didn’t want to have it across
conventions by using two the main image because this
different colours as Empire wouldn’t create a
does. connection with the reader.

19. The top half of the image
establishes the setting;
this isn’t common as most Instead of a tagline, this
posters focus on the main poster has a short prologue
protagonists and usually and gives some background
show the main setting as information about the film
the background image. which intrigues the
audience.
The main image is an
extreme close up of a
woman's eyes looking The film title is near the
directly at the audience to bottom of the page so,
attract attention. like the Scream poster, it
fills up some empty black
space.
The cast and crew are
under the film title in
white so that the text can Production and
be seen against the black distribution logos at the
background; the font is bottom appeal to the
different to other text on audience as they show
the poster and easy to that well known
read. companies have worked
on the film.

20. I have used and developed
conventions by using an
image which establishes The film title is near the
setting on my poster, like the bottom of the page so,
posters for Sorority Row and like the Scream poster, it
The Blair Witch Project. fills up some empty black
However, most posters often space.
show the main setting as a
background image so the
focus is fully on the
protagonist.
I have conformed to
conventions of film posters by
adding my own tagline and
I have used forms and
placed it under the film title,
conventions of The Blair
because when I researched
Witch Project poster by
real media products, most
using a similar image of a
film posters also did this.
character from my trailer. I
have also used a light effect
on my image.
I have followed conventions by
placing the production and
I have used forms and distribution logos at the bottom
conventions by placing the to inform the audience that well
cast and crew at the bottom known companies have worked
in white, so that the text on the film. I have also added
can be seen against the links to websites which people
black background; the font can visit, as The Blair Witch
is different to other text on Project poster has.
the poster and easy to read.