Pre-production phase

PRE-PRODUCTION
PHASE.
Priya Purewal

 Genre can be used to differentiate between movies, music,
books.
 Set of principles that loosely defines those categories.
 The repetition and variation of those categories.
 Audiences know and recognise these characteristics.
 They then understand that expectations of that genre may
come about in the film and this satisfies audiences.
 A style of expressing yourself.
 Changes and evolves over time- dependant on social
groups and ethnicities.
WHAT IS GENRE?

 A way in which something is usually done.
 Set of agreed or generally accepted norms or criteria.
WHAT ARE CONVENTIONS?
WHAT IS A TRAILER?
WHAT IS A TEASER TRAILER?
 Advertisement before the film is released in cinema.
 Consist of a series of selected shots.
 Most exciting/funny parts of the film – purpose is to attract
the audience.
 Released a long time before the product is completed in
order to begin to build excitement with the audience.
 Very short in length, sets up the audience with a hint of the
story line.

As technology is constantly changing and improving so that
audiences can experience modern and high quality viewing,
there is an obvious difference between trailers in 2014
compared to in the 90’s onwards. Because of this I decided to
look at two films from different era’s in order to identify how
trailers have advanced.
HOW HAVE FILM TRAILERS BECOME
MORE CONTEMPORARY?
Friday the 13th trailer
(1980)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S8YFTcEDME
(2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpKdXnXl93s

HOW HAVE FILM TRAILERS BECOME
MORE CONTEMPORARY?
When looking at both Friday the 13th trailers, from 1980 and 2009, we can
identify the differences immediately. The 1980 trailer compared to the 2009
lacks the HD of modern technology and that is evident through the poor
quality of the trailer. Although we can roughly attempt to relate Propp’s
theory to both trailers when identifying which characters play which role,
Todorv’s theory is slightly less evident in the 1980 trailer whereas the story
line is much clearer in the 2009 trailer. This applies to both trailers overall,
where the 2009 trailer is much better in terms of quality and structure. Due
to the 2009 film being a remake, both trailers still feature the same
elements and story line as well as the countdown to 13 however the
proliferation of technology and camera work since 1980 has allowed for the
2009 trailer to feature many more types of shots and editing such as a
montage of fast paced shots and daunting soundtrack. Also because the
1980 trailer lacks quality, this occurs through the soundtrack as well.
Because of this lack of quality the trailer looses its suspense and the
audience watching will not be as scared compared to the 2009 trailer where
the audience is on the edge of their seat right till the end.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD FILM TRAILER?
Don’t give too
much away Don’t be too
cryptic
Target your
intended
audience
It should be
humble
Set up the
basic plot and
mood for the
audience
Introduce at
least some of
the main
characters
Use an
appropriate
soundtrack that
attracts your
audience
Made up of the
best
scenes/clips
from the film
Conglomerate trailers tend to be
of much higher quality, varied
shots compared to an
independent movie trailer due to
budgeting and ability to purchase
better equipment. How the
audience react to the trailer will
determine whether they think the
film will be worthwhile watching
in the cinema when it is released.

Although technology has modernised massively throughout the
years so that there isn’t a massive difference between
independent and conglomerate films, there are still elements
that can be identified that differ between the two film types. I
will discuss these when referring to the comparison to an
independent film, Kidulthood and an conglomerate film, Boyz n
the hood. Although there is a significant difference in the years
they were produced and the countries they were made, the genre
and theme of both films are quite similar, allowing for fairly easy
comparison.
Kidulthood –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnxADBlxdcg
Boyz n the hood - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lR14IvRKjM
INDEPENDENT MOVIE TRAILERS
COMPARED WITH CONGLOMERATE FILM
TRAILERS

Kidulthood was produced on a very low budget, with a director who is not very well known to
most people – Menhaj Huda, as well as produced by unknown producers. Because of this we can
automatically identify the film as independent.
Due to the producers not being well known, this may cause audiences to refrain from wanting to
watch it. Also, due to their small budget of £600,000, the use of high quality equipment used
would have been limited and therefore the overall quality of the film will not be as good as a
conglomerate film. This is also a disadvantage to the producers and director as their vision may
not be fulfilled due to their financial state.
This also applies to the cast as the budget will not allow the producers to pay for a -list
actors/actresses however audiences tend to appreciate independent films due to their creative
and relatable storylines and the opportunity to see new actors is something many people enjoy.
Independent film company's, such as Revolver Entertainment, also have the advantage to release
something different and unexpected to what audiences tend to see in films, which is something
that sets them apart from conglomerate films.
Referring to the Kidulthood trailer, the technique of using a montage of fast paced shots
showing the basic story line of the film worked as it showed the audience what they’d be in for,
and it does look appealing. However, compared to a conglomerate trailer it was still basic, as is
the whole film overall.
Although the films budget was £600,000 and their box office was £453,876, it shows they made
a loss and this could suggest they were not a successful film. However, this was due to the film
only being distributed in independent cinemas, and then going straight to DVD release. The film
was a success in its own right as the audience obviously appreciated the realness of the plot
and the characters and how their struggles were very relatable, with a side of humour. This is
also supported through the success of the sequel, ‘Adulthood’ which made a box office of
£3,347,811 and was distributed by Pathe pictures international, which became the worlds largest
equipment and production company in the early 1900’s and has distributed many successful
films over the years.
TRAILERS – KIDULTHOOD

TRAILERS – BOYZ N THE HOOD
Boyz n the hood was produced in 1991,directed by John Singleton. It was
distributed by Columbia Pictures, with a budget of $6.5 million and this is how we
can identify this as a conglomerate film.
Due to the film making a box office of $57,504,069 and the cast featuring some of
the biggest names in Hollywood, we can assume the film and its trailer is of high
quality. Although the film was made several years ago, and there has been a
proliferation of technology since then, we can still see the obvious difference
between this trailer and an independent film trailer.
Firstly, the use of higher quality equipment has clearly contributed to the quality of
the image we see, as well as the ability to make the trailer more action packed than
what the film might be is a good technique to use as it attracts audiences whereas
independent films tend to use clips from the film and that is all. Also, we
immediately identify that Columbia Pictures have distributed some of the biggest
films ever made and this gives the film an immediate audience that enjoy their
films.
Overall, audiences are much more interested in seeing films produced/distributed
by the bigger, more known, companies due to their budgets being much higher and
therefore being able to afford better a better cast, better equipment, better
storyline and set and better overall quality of the film.

There are many reasons for people watching horror films, and this is supported
by the uses and gratification theory which states that there are various reasons
why audiences watch specific media texts. The most common is escapism from
their real life or for the adrenaline and this theory can be applied to all film
genres. The theory states that the reasons are sectioned into four types:
 Personal relationships: Some people watch films to interact with their friends,
family or partners. Films are good opportunities to connect with people over
their opinions of the films and their experiences when watching them
together.
 Escapism: For some people, watching films gives them the chance to escape
from their own lives for a while, get lost in the film and relax. It may also
make people feel better about their own lives if the themes in the film are
relatable.
 Personal identity: Audiences may relate to the characters in the films and
this may make them want to watch the film even more.
 Surveillance: Especially within the horror genre, audiences may enjoy
watching these scary films with the comfort of knowing that they are safe
and protected behind the screen regardless of what is happening to the
people in the film.
WHY DO PEOPLE WATCH
HORROR FILMS?

Many everyday, household items are used in horror films such as kitchen
knives. Masks and weapons are used regularly, the villains always have a
specific weapon/mask to relate to them.
Low key lighting is also used to set the atmosphere and implies horrific
events are going to occur.
We can also identify the following as typical horror film conventions :
- Isolated house
- Weapons – tend to be common, household items e.g. knives, saws
- Young children – associated with innocence and vulnerable so the
audience do not expect them to be the antagonists which creates even
more terror.
- Villains have a trademark, generally masks.
- Weather – stormy, lightning, thunder, rain.
- The story may be following on from past events that were left
unfinished.
- Signs early on warning the audience that bad things are going to
happen.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS –
MISE EN SCENE

Audiences tend to find their worst nightmares are brought to life through
horror films, or they identify their fears when watching them. This gives the
audience the adrenaline they are looking for when they watch these films.
Common fears of horror films are:
CODES AND CONVENTIONS -
FEARS
The unknown
Supernatural
beings/experiences
Drowning/
Suffocating
Death/ Murder
Certain
Phobias
Animals/
Insects
Psychological
fears

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
Most films follow Todorov’s
theory of equilibrium but horror
films tend to adjust it to appeal
more to their audience.
The first part of the film focuses on the main characters
going to the new and eventually dangerous location.
Then after the characters have arrived at their location,
however they got there and whatever it was that drove them
there, we see an occurrence of incidents that least to the
death of most of the protagonists.
The characters who survive then tend to fight back, and in
these attempts, put themselves at more risk. The characters
who try to get external help tend to be dismayed by the
locals or the authorities as no one would believe the
situation the characters are in.
The end part of the film normally involves a ‘showdown’
between the villain and the main characters who are left, and
depending on the film, the result of this will vary.
In more modern films, the ending of the film may be open
and the audience will be left wondering whether the trauma
is over or will the villain return.

Locations for horror films are generally very similar. They tend to be in new
houses that are being moved into or isolated areas where there are woods and
not many people. The locations all tend to be very eerie and mysterious and we
often see characters going to dark, dangerous places, much to our annoyance.
The effect of having horror films in normal settings such as houses or schools
is that audiences generally associate these places with safety and security
however they are then thrown when these terrifying things are taking place in
settings they thought they would be safe and this makes the audience more
frightened as they may begin to think these things could occur in their own
homes.
LOCATION

Propp’s theory of character types can be strongly
identified in horror films. We tend to see the ‘princess’
who is one of the main characters, is very helpless and
vulnerable and constantly needs saving, we see the
‘hero’ who is also one of the main characters and tends
to save most of the cast but sometimes dies himself
and the ‘villain’ who is the character who is inflicting
the pain or is the ‘evil’ in the film.
Some films cleverly choose the hero or princess
characters to act this way to cover up the fact that they
are actually the villain and this causes the audience to
be surprised and even more scared. This is a good way
of adapting and hiding the real enigma from the
audience. An example of this is in the film ‘Devil’, the
old lady turns out to be the Devil and this comes as a
surprise to the audience who would never suspect this.
CHARACTERS

The diegetic and non-diegetic sounds for horror films tend to be very similar
across most of the films as well as the trailers.
Most of the sounds are full of base, and very dramatic and intense. We also see
similar instruments being used in particular piano, at points of high tension and
suspense.
If the producers and directors can make the audience feel they want them too with
the sound, the film will be successful and the trailer will leave the audience
wanting to see the film immediately.
The sound in horror films is an extremely important element as it sets the tone for
each scene and can make the audience feel calm or terrified within seconds
depending on the background music or sounds from objects etc. Without the
sound, horror films would be nowhere as near terrifying as they are with it.
SOUND

High and low angles are used a lot within horror movies to show the difference and to
connote power of the villain compared to fear of the victim. Point of view shots are
also used as it allows the audience to become more involved in the events occurring
and allows them to feel as if they are actually there and this makes them feel scared .
Many directors often use handheld shots to create a more realistic but equally
terrifying effect and again allow the audience to feel as if they are really there.
The dolly movement is also used regularly to follow characters. This again makes the
audience feel as if they are there and are also subjected to the villains’ actions and can
also give the illusion that the character/s are being followed.
We also tend to see establishing shots at the beginning of the film or when the
characters get to a new place to emphasise the eeriness or the normality of the scene.
When editing, whilst the atmosphere is tense the transitions are very slow and intensify
the situation however when there is action the cuts are very quick .
CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES

DECONSTRUCTION OF
TRAILER – ‘THE
CONJURING’
The trailer opens with Warner Bros Pictures
and New Line Cinema as these are the
production and distribution companies for the
film. The theme of the backgrounds have
changed to suit the ‘horror’ theme as we see
they are both black and cloudy, creating an
eerie atmosphere right from the outset.
Here we see a low angle shot of one
of the main characters walking up
the stairs. Before this we see a man
and woman in a cellar/basement
looking for something. The effects of
an old style camera is shown here so
it makes the audience feel as if they
are really there.
The camera then zooms out and
we see a the film was being shown
on a projector to students in a
lecture theatre. The camera then
zooms into a piece of paper, using
shallow focus, held by a student
that reads ‘Seekers of the
supernatural Ed & Lorraine
Warren’. We can then assume that
they are the man and woman in
the film.
Once the man and woman identify themselves, we are shown this image. As the
film is based on a true story it enhances the fear for the audience that this could
happen to them. We then begin to hear non diegetic background music of a
guitar. It is fairly jolly and does not relate back to the theme of the film at this
point meaning the audience could be caught off guard at any point.

Here we see a montage of camera shots showing various terrifying images such as a skull, a graveyard, a house. In
between every few images we see a blacked out screen with words stating ‘out of the thousands of cases they
investigated there is one so disturbing they’ve kept it locked away until now’. This then continues to build terror and
suspense for the audience although the mellow guitar can still be heard.
We are then taken to a college setting where two people approach Ed and Lorraine Warren. We assume that the rest of
the film is based upon these four characters as we see them in a long shot and trailers tend to introduce all of the main
characters within the first few seconds or so.
The close up of the woman shows the fear in her expression and this urges the audience to prepare themselves for what is
about to happen next.
Again we see Propp’s character types have a slight influence on the characters as we have the ‘princess’ type who needs
saving and the ‘hero’s who are going to help her by fighting against the ‘villain’.
Also, Todorov's narrative theory can be identified throughout the trailer as it started off as calm, and at this stage we are
reaching the disruption of the calm and the recognition of the disruption.

“There’s something horrible happening in my house”. We identify this as the voice of the woman who is asking Ed and Lorraine for
help. We then see another montage of images of things in the woman's house – the front of the house that looks extremely eerie
with the fog around it, the family picture, the clock and one of her children in bed.
The clock can be seen to show the time of 03:06. Most people identify this time to be a ‘witching hour’ where most supernatural
occurrences tend to happen. We can hear the sound of the clock ticking and we then hear silence as we are shown the image of the
child in bed once again. As nothing happens for several seconds the audience are full of suspense waiting for something to happen,
and suddenly her leg gets dragged off the bed which wakes her up. This gives the audience an insight into what type of ‘horrible’
things are happening in that house.
We then see all the pictures along the stairs fall down, whilst the children begin screaming. We see a close up of one of the girls who
is completely hysterical and this encourages the audience to become more scared as they realise just how bad it is for that family.
The screen again cuts to black and we see ‘from the director of saw and insidious’. It is key to mention this as it allows audiences to
connect with the film immediately if they enjoyed these previous films from the same director and this makes them want to watch the
film even more. After this we are shown the house, and we also hear a voice over of Ed Warren as he begins to help the Perron family.
The establishing, high angle shot of the house is key as it is a popular element of horror films. Also, as it is a high angle shot. It seems
as if the house is looming over everyone else, showing how terrifying and daunting it can be.

Here we see a long shot of the children in the Perron family.
The way they are all standing, comforting each other and
looking down at the floor shows that they are only children,
that they’re very vulnerable and naïve and they are being
subjected to these awful things happening in their home. This
will make the audience sympathise with them and begin to
build relationships with them and hope that nothing happens
to them which will encourage them to watch the film.
Here we can identify Lorraine Warren as a female protagonist.
This is refreshing to see, especially in a horror film and will
attract the female audience as it is quite unlikely that the
woman in the films is the one that can potentially save
everyone else. This close up shot shows that she is very
intelligent and knows exactly what she is doing, perhaps more
than her husband does which is why he supports her and
allows her to carry out her process. Ed does not feel
threatened by his wife and is still constantly looking after her.
Towards the end of the trailer we begin to see more elements of
horror. The trailer built up the suspense until this point and now is
where the audience will become truly scared. At this point they will
decide whether they want to watch the film because it is so scary
and interesting or they may not want to watch it due to it being so
terrifying. In this scene we see some sort of supernatural being
jumping from the cupboard down on to the girl. We see this
through a low angle shot as it denotes how vulnerable and
insignificant the girl is compared to this horrifying being that could
potentially kill her.

Here we begin to hear very daunting music, which contrasts the gentle guitar playing at the beginning of
the film. From this point onwards we see clips of the terror that is being unleashed onto the family
amongst blacked out scenes of words saying ‘its not a haunting, its not a possession, but the truth will
consume you’. The font and fear of the words make the audience watching more scared as they
compliment the theme of what is happening with the family.
Again we see horrifying images of the types of things that are inflicting this fear on the family. The close
ups of these figures terrify the audience as they are not expecting it. Before something scary happens the
trailer goes silent and then a daunting, bass type sound will play whilst the frightening thing happens.
All the scenes after this move in a very fast pace and allow for the audience to try and pay close attention
to see exactly what is happening. There are a lot of screams to be heard throughout this montage of
scenes and it finally silences once the title of the film appears on the screen.

Once the title is shown and the diegetic sounds are
silenced, the audience would assume that is the end of
the trailer. However, the directors wanted to leave the
audience with one final, frightening scene. Here we see
Lorraine talking to one of the young girls of the Perron
family. She is being told that the girl sees someone
standing behind her when she winds up the object. We
see a medium shot of Lorraine holding the object in front
of her face. From her expressions she seems unsure about
doing this and the audience could assume she is just
humouring the child.
Lorraine winds the object up and looks behind her to see
if anyone is there. We see an over the shoulder shot as
she looks behind her. To hers and the audiences surprise
there is no one there. However, children have a big
imagination and it is easy to assume that she was just
making this story up.
Lorraine winds the object up and looks behind her to see if anyone is
there. We see an over the shoulder shot as she looks behind her. To
hers and the audiences surprise there is no one there. However,
children have a big imagination and it is easy to assume that she was
just making this story up. An easy assumption for the audience to make
is that the ‘person’ will be there once she turns around however there is
still no one there until she lowers the object and there it is. This will no
doubt make the audience jump as they hear Lorraine scream one last
time before it is silent once again and the screen returns to black,
showing the release date.

Similarly to horror films, there are reasons why audiences enjoy
watching films from the romance genre. Once again, one of the main
reasons is escapism – to forget about their own lives and to become
lost in someone else’s, especially if the love interests are their favourite
actors/actresses.
Propp’s character types are also seen in romantic films as we often see
the ‘princess’ character as well as the ‘hero’. Romantic films can also
be relatable to viewers and this may be another reason why they watch
it.
Often we see audiences who have experienced heartbreak watching
romantic films as they seem to feel better after watching a story play
out with a happy ending, unlike their own which could be comforting as
well as hope that they will find this one day. Also, it is commonly the
female audience that tends to watch this genre as they are seen to be
more open about their emotions and enjoy relating and sympathising
with the female characters on screen.
Audiences enjoy watching romantic films with friends or their partners
as they can then discuss their favourite parts of the film as well as the
parts they found relatable.
WHY DO PEOPLE WATCH ROMANTIC FILMS?

Many elements of romantic films and
their trailers have adapted over time
due to the continuous changes of
society.
The younger generation constantly have
new views on what romance is and how
it is portrayed and therefore the films
made in the last 10 years are completely
different to the romantic films made in
the 90’s.
Obvious changes such as clothing,
general appearance, language and
ideologies have changed but we also
see an increase in provocative behaviour
and clothing on screen from the modern
films as older films tend to be much
more modest in most aspects compared
to the films made today.
The increase in technology has also
allowed for recent films to have more
opportunity to choose varied locations,
A-List actors/actresses, a better
soundtrack and an overall higher quality
to the film.
HOW HAVE ROMANCE FILMS/TRAILERS
ADAPTED OVER TIME?

‘Love’ is the main convention of the romance genre and is what all romantic films
are focused around. It develops the characters – their personality and actions, the
storyline, the location and any other storylines that are occurring at the same time
as the main one.
It is important for romantic films to use a variety the types of love they use in their
films. E.g. the love between a pet and its owner, parents and their children, lovers,
friends, different types of family etc. As this then widens the target market for
romantic films and can then appeal to almost anyone.
The concept of ‘love’ also appeals greatly to those already experiencing it and those
who want to as this is what attracts them to watching these films.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – LOVE

The props and costumes used in romantic films tend to highly reflect each individual character, as
well as the situation occurring at that moment. Some films also enjoy adding comedy or thriller
elements to their films and therefore unexpected props and costumes such as guns, fast cars, leather
etc. are used. It is also important that the films and their trailers keep up to date with society's
values and trends at the time of its release.
The trailers also reflect the films and any unexpected elements it has in order to attract a variety of
audiences despite their usual preferences.
Usual props found in romantic films are flowers, chocolates, teddy bears, balloons, gifts for
occasions – Christmas, birthdays, valentines days etc. These props could be used to show the love
between the characters on stage however they could also be used as ‘making up’ gifts when
characters must fight for the other characters affections once again, after a conflict or issues that
have gone on throughout the film.
The clothing of the characters also strongly reflects their personality. We tend to see that the male
characters generally look very smart and professional, however still have a sense of casualness about
them which shows they are not as intimidating as they may seem. Also this makes the male
characters much more attractive to the female audience, especially if the film has cast their favourite
actors.
The female characters tend to try and look their best as much as they can, attempting to look classy
and attractive and are often seen trying to find their best outfits when going out. However when the
film comes to a point of disequilibrium for the female characters, we see them wearing tracksuits,
pyjamas, jumpers as a comfort to the poor mood their in. At this point we also see a lot of fast food,
chocolate and ice cream.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – MISE EN SCENE

Most romantic films tend to stick to the
same types of location such as schools,
workplaces, beaches – characters are on
holiday, nightclubs/bars or big cities. This
makes them more appealing to audiences
as they are familiar with these locations
and can then relate more.
The types of romantic film it is can be
identified by the location. If the setting is
a school or bar, you can assume the main
cast are young, happy-go-lucky and will
have comedy elements. Whereas if it is set
in the workplace or more traditional
settings you can assume the main
characters are more mature and older.
Because of this, the audiences who choose
to watch these films will decide whether
that specific romantic film is for them
from the trailer as they will then be able
to identify the location and the main
characters.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – LOCATION

The usual structure of romantic films is that
the story line and main cast tends to be made
known to the audience at the beginning of
the film and then the plot develops.
Propp’s character types are very relevant in
the romance genre as there will be a
‘princess’ who needs saving by the ‘hero’ and
there is often the ‘false hero’ who tried to
take credit for whatever the hero achieves
and there is also the ‘father figure’ who looks
after the princess.
Romantic films and trailers work on ensuring
that their characters are introduced at the
start as it is important for the audience to
identify with the main cast and develop a
relationship with them and whether the
audience like them or not as that will
determine the sympathy or hate that will stay
with them throughout the film whilst events
occur – good and bad.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – CHARACTERS

It is vital that the sound in the trailers and the films of romantic films makes the
audience feel connected with the film, the characters and their story.
Romantic trailers also tend to use voiceovers to introduce the plot and the
characters. This attracts audiences as they will get an idea of the plot without
getting confused as someone is explaining it to them and this will make it seem
more intriguing and encourage them to use it.
The diegetic and non diegetic sound of romance films contribute to the atmosphere
and emotions on screen. Instruments such as violins, guitars or pianos tend to be
used in romantic films as they have a soft, soothing tone to them which sets the
scene nicely on screen and off screen for the audience. However the volume and
pitch must also be suitable in order to create that romantic effect as well as
portraying the tenderness between relationships and the personalities of the
characters.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – SOUND

Although all good films use a variety of camera shots and angles to make the film more
appealing to its viewers, romantic films tend to commonly use a selection that have an
impact on the story its telling.
- Long shots/ establishing shots: This is important because it allows the audience to set
the scene or establish the location they are in. This then allows them to relate and
build excitement to places that they like and then conjure up thoughts about what
might happen in the film.
- Close ups: This shot is extremely useful when portraying the emotions the characters
are feeling so we as the audience can see how they really feel from the expressions
on their face, regardless of what they are actually saying. This could also cause the
audience to sympathise with them more depending on what their expressions read as,
and therefore become more involved in the film.
- Over the shoulder shots: This type of shot is used when people are conversing. This
may be used in the film or specifically the trailer as it shows the proximity of the
characters in the screen and the intensity of their conversation.
- Two shot: A two shot is when two people are in the frame and this shows their
relationship and allows the audience to see how close they are and how they interact.
This shot is important in romantic films when showing the relationship between two
people.
- Quick/slow shots: At moments of high intensity or drama, it is ideal for romantic
films to use quick or slow shots to emphasise the atmosphere of the scene and allow
the audience to interact and identify this.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – CAMERA
SHOTS/ANGLES

DECONSTRUCTION OF TRAILER –
‘DEAR JOHN’
After the producing company is introduced, the first few
scenes are fast paced and we see an almost montage of the
boy on his surfboard in the sea. Non-diegetic music also
begins to play and the main instrument we can identify is a
guitar. The guitar compliments the way the sea is moving in
a fast but graceful way. This also links to the idea of falling in
love.
After this we see we see an over the shoulder shot of a boy
looking at a girl. Typically of a trailer, we identify the main
characters within the first few seconds which can be seen
here.
As this is a romantic film, the trailer must establish the key
moment when the two love interests meet. This is shown in
this scene where the boy saves the girls bag from the sea
and returns it to her. This is a long shot and it allows us to
see the setting and the body language of the two characters
which shows they are making direct eye contact and facing
each other. This could connote they are open to getting to
know each other and intrigued about who they are. Also, the
main male character is shown to have a visibly appealing
body and this will attract the female audience.
Propp’s character types are relevant here as we see the
‘princess’ character and the ‘hero’ who saves the princess –
or her bag.
This high angle, shallow
focus shot reads ‘from the
best selling author Nicholas
Sparks’. This will gain the
audiences attention
immediately if they’ve read
this book or others from
that author as they will want
to see their favourite
authors words come alive in
a film.

Once again there is a montage of fast
paced scenes that blend into each other
showing the boy and girl together.
There is also a voice over of the girl
explaining it only took two weeks
together for them to fall in love. For
those who love romantic films, here we
begin to see scenes of them together
and this will cause the audience to
want to get to know the characters
more and find out about their story and
how it pans out.
At this point we establish more of the
plot and realise the boy is part of the
special forces. This could be seen as a
disruption to the equilibrium or could
be the reason for the disruption.
This proves to be a key moment in the film
although we not establish it at this very
moment. However this scene has been
cleverly placed in the trailer so that the
audience can begin to ask questions about
who that man and child is and what
relevance they have to the love interests.
This is an establishing shot as we are again
shown the beach which clearly indicates this
location has significant meaning as this is
where the love interests met and seem to
spend a lot of their time.
This is also a long shot of the two men, the
girl and the young child. The way in which
the two men are almost towering over the
girl standing in the middle shows they both
have significant meaning to her life yet they
seem to both be protective over her in a
competitive way. The audience will also
begin to raise questions as to who is the
child and why does he behave in that way .
Here we see another high
angle shot. This could connote
that they are both vulnerable
and naïve regarding their
feelings towards each other
however it could also connote
that they are vulnerable
because something is going to
happen that will put their
whole relationship at risk.

Here we see the boy punching another
male character who we are yet to identify.
This links in to the voice over of the girl
telling the boy that people around him act
as if they’re scared of him. This adds some
action to the trailer which will then appeal
to the male audience.
The girl states that she is not scared of
the boy – John. This is a defining
moment in their relationship as they
begin to learn about each other and their
pasts. Here they also share their first kiss.
First they lean in, and there is then a
pause and all non diegetic sound also
pauses however we can still hear the rain.
This is a well known feature of romantic
films that dates back to years ago – a kiss
in the rain.
The scene then fades to white – which
signifies purity and could signify the pure and
passionate relationship they now have.
However here is where the main disruption
comes – Summer is over and John must return
to the special forces. The voice over of the girl
asking John were they’re sending him is also a
significant point in the trailer as this is what
the whole film is focused on. We then see an
establishing shot of John getting off a plane
which will encourage the audience to ask
questions about where he is going.
‘I’ll see you soon then’ the girl
says at this point where her and
John share their last moments
together. This saying occurs
repeatedly in the film so it is
important to be placed in the
trailer as it shows the audience
there may be hope for them.

“Dear John, tell me everything,
write it all down” At this point the
audience can establish what
relevance the name of the film
has to the plot and what will
occur in the rest of the film. It
also shows how dedicated they
both are to making this
relationship work despite the
distance.
“That way we’ll be with each other all the time even if
we’re not” Here we see a long shot of the girl reading a
letter from John. We see the significantly different
locations of both of them and how they contrast to what
is going on in both of their lives however they still take
the time out to read and write letters to each other. It is
also clear that this is the only thing that gives them both
hope as they both look forward to receiving them so
much. This dramatizes the relationship and the audience
will be able to identify the passion between them which
will make them want to see the film in order to find out
what happens at the end.
The moon also has a significant meaning in the film. At the
beginning of the trailer we see the two characters talking
about the moon and this is what links them together as
every time they see it they think of the other person and
gain comfort in knowing they can both see it regardless of
where they are. The two scenes of both of them looking at
the moon seem to merge here and then fade out however
at one point we can see both of them looking at it in the
same scene.
Here we see the girl visiting
John’s dad even though John
is not there. This shows that
the girl has also built up a
relationship with John’s
family which again confirms
how serious they are. The
audience will become
intrigued as to what happens
during this meeting.
Throughout this part of the
trailer, we see the use of a
montage of scenes again.
This allows us to see how
their lives progress whilst
they are apart without giving
too much away.

“I miss you so much it hurts” says John in a voice over
from one of his letters to the girl. Here we then see them
reunited at some point throughout their time apart. Their
very public display of affection shows that their love
consumes them so much that they will show it off
regardless of where they are. Here we see a long shot of
the two showing a lot of affection, and we also see the
people around them looking at them in interest to see
what happens between the two. There are also several
faces we can identify that are not too happy about this
public display of affection and this links to the idea of
young people having very heightened emotions and are
very impulsive to act upon them as is shown here.
We also notice that
the girl, Savannah,
wears a lot of pastel
colours, which
connotes how pure
and good hearted
she is – always
wanting to help the
people she cares
about.
The close ups of their faces show
that another disruption has occurred
and the emotion we see is evidence
of how much they do love each
other. This allows the audience to
really get to know the characters and
sympathise towards them.
Here we see a follow
movement from the plane in
which John Is travelling in. It
is very fast paced however it
is easy to establish the
distance is very long, which
reinforces how far John and
Savannah are from each
other.
We see a quick scene of John
and his Dad in a hospital bed.
This raises questions for the
audience as they ask what is
wrong with his dad and hope
for the best as they have
begun to develop a
sympathetic and loving
relationship with John –
especially the female
audience who idolise this
actor.
We also see a quick scene, within
the montage of Savannah and
John in bed together, reflecting
the physical love and attraction
they have for each other. This is a
common feature of romantic
films.

In the last 20 seconds of the trailer, we are
introduced to a song by Snow Patrol called Set
The Fire To The Third Bar and we establish this
has been playing throughout the rest of the
trailer as an instrumental, focusing on the guitar
elements. The lyrics are relevant to the film as
they describe the distance between two lovers
and what will happen when they finally reunite.
The main credits are then shown, establishing
the main characters as Channing Tatum and
Amanda Seyfried – two very famous and well
loved actors which will encourage audiences to
see the film. After each name we see a shot of
both the characters looking into the distance at
something, possibly signifying they are looking
for each other.
“A lot can happen in 12 months John”. The end
image is of the moon, which I mentioned earlier is
very significant in this film as it is the only thing that
stays the same for them both throughout the year
they are apart. “Tonight you’re here with me” is the
last thing we here Savannah say before the music
fades out and we are left with extracts of the guitar
before the trailer finishes – leaving the audience
wanting to see the film as they want to see what
happens between the lovers.

Similarly to horror films, thriller films work to ensure that they create enough
suspense and exhilaration to entice audiences into watching them.
Thriller films enjoy leaving their audiences feeling anxious and full of tension
as they are clinging on to their seats, wondering what will happen next. This is
what makes thrillers appealing – the uncertainty of the plot and the characters
and knowing that they can unexpectedly change at any point.
Thrillers split into several other categories however they all tend to have
characters fighting to save someone something, fighting with each other or
uniting to fight external forces. These sub categories are:
- Action/Adventure
- Sci-fi
- Crime
- Western
- Romantic
- Musical
- Spy
- Horror
WHY DO PEOPLE WATCH THRILLERS?

Throughout history, audiences have recognised Alfred Hitchcock as
the ‘master of thriller’. Directors have also recognised his talent and
attempted to interweave his techniques into their own ‘thriller’
films. Audiences enjoy the thrill of being scared and not knowing
what will happen next and this is what attracts them to watching
thrillers.
‘MASTER OF THRILLER’

A thriller without suspense would not be a thriller.
It is the reason why audiences enjoy watching
these types of film – the element of not knowing
what will happen and constantly being surprised.
We see the suspense throughout the film, within
the plot and between characters and this is what
allows the audience to build relationships and
connect with the characters whilst they embark on
the journey they are on.
Generally we see the main characters put in
dangerous situations, people they know being put
in dangerous situations or mysterious things
occurring and it Is the main character/s jobs to
solve it and ensure everyone is safe. Most of these
situations and things that occur are potentially life
threatening and that is what keeps the audience
on edge throughout the whole film, wondering
whether they’ll survive or not.
SUSPENSE

The trailers for most films in the thriller genre introduce the audience to
what establishment the film is based around i.e. government, royal family,
police etc.
The main props in thrillers are:
- Uniform belonging to higher authority i.e. detectives, police, politicians
etc.
- Guns, knives.
- Badges belonging to authority figures.
- Brief cases.
- Files kept locked up – secrets, mystery etc.
- Hats.
We also see a lot of low key lighting when there is opportunity for it,
creating shadows and therefore adding to the element of mystery and
suspense. Also we see most of the clothing and props to be black as this
also signifies darkness/night time, hiding, secrets etc.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – MISE
EN SCENE

Thriller films are commonly set in public places such as busy streets, large
cities and urban/suburban areas are common locations for these films.
Also, professional institutions such as police stations, forensic labs, offices,
hospitals and car parks, trains and planes are also regularly seen in thrillers.
This throws the audience off and makes them more on edge as we would
assume the storylines and characters that appear in horror films can not
occur in real life and when they are happening in places we are in so
regularly, it makes us think that these things could happen to us, making the
film much more intense.
LOCATION

Often in thriller films we see the antagonist/s
who are working to create havoc, death, revenge
etc. on someone, something or a group of
people. The villain in thrillers tends to be more
extreme then the usual type depending on what
type of thriller it is. If it is a horror or
psychological thriller, the villains are often
willing to go to any extents to get what they
want, despite what they have to do to achieve it
which puts the hero at more risk, adding much
more suspense to the film.
We then also see the protagonist, who tends to
be a male, who is often working with or against
the authority to save the situation and any
people involved. However, in more modern
thrillers, we have begun to see more female
protagonists, which then appeals to a wider
female audience, as well as male as the females
would feel empowered and the males want to see
their favourite female actresses in action.
CHARACTERS

Thriller films use the plot to focus their diegetic and non diegetic
sounds around. When there are moments of high tension and drama,
the music will reflect this. When something bad is going to happen,
the music will become slower and more intense, warning the audience
of the upcoming events. The tone of the sound also reflects what is
happening in that current moment, leaving the audience unaware of
what will happen next which then causes much more shock when the
events take place. In many ways, the sound of thriller films reflects
horror films as the film plays on audience reactions to that specific
part of the film and dramatizes it with sound making it more scary and
suspenseful for the audience.
CODES AND CONVENTIONS – SOUND

DECONSTRUCTION OF TRAILER –
‘TAKEN’
Similar to other trailers, Taken opens with its audience
ratings. This film has been rated PG-13 meaning parents
are urged to be cautious as the film may contain some
material that some parents might consider inappropriate
for children aged under 13 years. This allows parents to
decide whether their children can watch the trailer or film
straight from the outset as they will be able to see if it is
appropriate for them or not.
The film is distributed and produced by 20th Century
Fox and EuropaCorp. As these companies are
extremely well-known, the audience can assume the
film will be just as good and very high quality,
encouraging them to go and watch it.

The first scene opens with a man
getting out of a car, holding a
present. The size of the gift is
obviously big implying the person
receiving it is very important to the
man. We see a long shot of him and
he is wearing a suit. This could
signify he has a well paid,
professional job. From the setting we
can see big houses meaning
whoever he is visiting also has a lot
of money.
We then establish that he is visiting
his daughter. The way they
embrace each other shows they
have a very close relationship. As
most trailers, the main characters
are introduced in the first few
seconds so we can assume the film
is focused on the man and his
family.
The non-diegetic sound playing in
the background seems foreign,
almost dangerous in a calm way
which could signify that whatever
happens in the film has something to
do with foreign people or places. This
over the shoulder shot shows the
man and his daughter talking. They
seem comfortable in this scene and it
shows they have a relationship where
they can be open about things and
talk to each other easily. Also, the way
the girl is dressed – floral dress,
bright colours, hair pushed back with
a hairband shows she is still quite
young and vulnerable.
We see the girls mum and dad at the
airport saying goodbye to her as she
goes to Paris with her friend.
Although her parents are not
together, they put up a united front
when it regards their only child,
showing how important she is to
them. The long shot shows the
distance between them as there is
clearly no romantic interest between
them.

Here we see the girls friend,
who she is travelling with.
Again we see the girl looks
and dresses as if she is still
young, meaning they are both
very vulnerable and naïve.
Also, she is another main
character introduced in the
first part of the trailer.
We are shown an establishing
shot of Paris. Here we realise
just how big the city is for two
young girls.
Compared to the previous
over the shoulder shot of the
girl talking to her dad, we saw
how excited and happy she
was at the prospect of
travelling to Paris with her
friend. We now see it from the
girls point of view and the
dads expressions show us that
although he is clearly not
happy about his only
daughter travelling so far on
her own, he wont deny her
this opportunity as she means
so much to him that he does
not want to make her sad.
Also, he may be realising she
is growing up despite her
looking so young still.
Throughout the first part
of the trailer we see
scenes of the girl talking
to her dad about going to
Paris and her at the airport
saying goodbye to her
parents as she boards her
plane with her friend.
Propp’s character types
are relevant here as we
see the girl being the
‘princess’ and her dad
being the ‘father’ who only
wants what's best for her
despite knowing its not
safe for her to go to Paris.

The atmosphere of the trailer
suddenly changes as soon as the girl
and her friend board the plane.
There is a thunder style noise and all
off a sudden we hear a phone
ringing. The bass/thunder sounds
continue as the screen splits in two
showing the dad ringing his
daughter and the daughter in their
apartment in Paris.
The girl finally answers the
phone and the dad says ‘you
were supposed to call me
when you landed’. This shows
she is still young and
irresponsible.
We then see the girl looking
out of her door to the other
door in their apartment where
her friend is. She sees men
approaching her and
immediately tells her dad. At
this point we hear the fear in
her voice, confirming she is
definitely still a young child
who needs her dad to help
her. The use of a two split
screen allows us to see close
ups of the dad and his
daughters reactions and it is
clear her dad is just as scared
for her, although he isn't even
there.
This close up shows us just how serious the
situation is as the girl is hysterical after
seeing her friend being taken. However, the
dad remains completely under control and
gets out his briefcase in order to instruct his
daughter on what she should do. Here we
realise his profession may be completely
different to what he had imagined but this
is what will attract both female and male
audiences as they would want to know what
happens next.

She follows her dads instructions
immediately without any hesitation and
hides under the bed. The camera then
moves to match the eye level of the girl.
This makes the audience feel as if they
are under the bed with her, waiting for
whatever comes next, which continues
to build suspense.
Despite the calmness of
his voice, this close up of
the dad shows the strain
in his face as he tries to
keep it together to save
his daughter.
Still at eye level, we see the feet of a man.
This is an extremely high moment of
suspense as we wonder whether the girl
will be taken or not. It goes silent as
suddenly she is dragged from under the
bed. Then all we hear is screams from the
girl. This sound makes the audience jump
as well as anticipate what happens next as
the audience begin to ask questions such
as how far will this man go to save his
daughter.
The scenes that follow the
scream show the dad on the
phone to someone explaining
who he is and the lengths he
will go to in order to find his
daughter. We then see scenes
of people being tortured and
fights that the dad carries out
in order to get answers.
At the same time as the
dad trying to find his
daughter, we see
scenes of what his
daughter has been
made to do. This high
angle shot s the disgust
the girl has towards the
men making her
behave in this way.

The rest of the trailer consists of a strong action element
which will appeal to a lot of the male audience, as well as
some female. The audience are given an insight into what they
will see in the film without too much being given away. We
see that many dangerous stunts will be performed and this
intrigues us to want to find out what happens in the end and
whether everything the man goes through is worth it – does
he save his daughter?
The non-diegetic sound played at this part of the trailer is very
loud and edgy, almost rock music with a lot of bass and
tension. This reflects what is happening in the trailer.
The last thing we hear is “If you let my daughter go now, that'll
be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you.
But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill
you” The person on the other end of the phone replies with
“good luck” It leaves the audience with a big impact and adds
a lot of suspense as to whether the dad, Brian, does find this
man and his daughter and what happens in between this time
and after.
After the montage of fast paced, action packed scenes, it
finally cuts to black to show the title of the film. Then each of
the main characters names appear on screen in a fade in and
out transition. This allows audiences to identify with their
favourite actors/actresses.

Pre-production phase

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (6)

Similar to Pre-production phase

Similar to Pre-production phase (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Pre-production phase