The document discusses conventions of movie posters and trailers. It provides guidance on constructing an effective horror film trailer, including using fast cuts to build tension, low camera angles to make the audience feel vulnerable, and close-ups to build empathy for the main character. Color schemes, imagery, and unsettling sounds and music should be used to set an ominous tone. While revealing some hints about the plot, an effective trailer will also raise questions to intrigue the audience. Feedback on a draft trailer suggests making edits to better follow trailer conventions and more clearly portray the plot and psychological thriller genre.

12. Convention
Convention
Challenge
FILM POSTERS
RESEARCH

18. Part 1 - introduces the idea of the
movie
Part 2 -- will give hints to the plot and
possibly some sort of climax.
Part 3-- may hint the cast or provide a
montage of quick clips, possibly other
hints to the movie itself

23. Fast cuts - create pace and a sense of panic. Viewer needs time
to understand and process what is going on in each shot and
that makes them apprehensive (realised in my trailer in
particularly via all the rapid bike wheel and dark room shots)

24. Lots of low angles to make audience feel vulnerable and dominated
by, just like the main character Lux is. Canted (tilted shots) are also
present which disorientate the viewer

25. Lots of low angles to make audience feel vulnerable and dominated
by, just like the main character Lux is. Canted (tilted shots) are also
present which disorientate the viewer

26. Lots of low angles to make audience feel vulnerable and dominated
by, just like the main character Lux is. Canted (tilted shots) are also
present which disorientate the viewer

27. Close ups – makes audience identify with a character and
empathise with their emotions, therefore persuading them to
watch the film

29. • Non diegetic soundtrack – Sinister, eerie, slow
music used – creates a juxtaposition with
action that’s going on therefore creates a
sense imbalance
• Creepy/sinister diegetic sounds – heavy
breathing, doors creaking, wheels rolling,
• Lack of dialogue – Something isn’t right…
worried voice

34. • Red/black colour scheme
• Blurred picture
• Big emphasis on Dark Room
location
Could be improved by:
Having same font in trailer as well
Strap line “The camera never lies” in
trailer too
Also including cast name in trailer
Reviews/reviewers also included in
trailer

35. `
Trailer Website Poster
Font Different to website and
poster
(used “Trajan Pro” for film
title)
Used “Skins and Bones” for film
title
Used “Skins and
Bones” for film
title
Tone Sinister from the beginning
however there IS a contrast
between light and dark which
is not present in ancillary tasks
Dark and eerie (black smudges
create sense of mess and chaos)
Dark and eerie
(black smudges
create sense of
mess and chaos)
Colour
Schemes
Lots of red (dark room) in
between light shots
Red/black/white/
Colours presented in trailer and
poster will adjust mood of viewer.
Dark colours = intense/action
packed situations
Red/black/white/
grey
Language Direct address:
“What would you do?”
Words associated with horror
“Thrilling”
“Haunting”
Declamatory:
The camera never
lies.
Imagery Distressed female, a few shots
of the dark room, many
London locations, audience
get a sense she is being
chased etc
Emphasis on main character (Lux) Clearly a dark
room location

38. • Different audiences want
different things - Eg a male
dominated demographic
would opt to watch horror
films with blood and gore,
whereas a more female
driven audience prefer
something more
intellectually stimulating
with frightening and
unpredictable moments
• Audiences like predictability
• Sound effects especially add
to scary aspects of trailer

40. 1) What do you think the genre of the film is? How can you tell?
2) What do you think the plot is? How can you tell?
3) What could be added to the trailer to make the plot and
narrative clearer?
4) The target audience for this film is females from the ages 18-25.
Do you think the film would appeal to this demographic? Why?
5) Could you tell through the trailer the main character has
psychological issues? If so, how?
6) What issues do you think were raised and what themes do you
think were represented?
7) Do you think this trailer holds typical conventions of a
psychological thriller or a horror film? If yes, give examples.
8) Would you go see this film? If so, why?
9) Overall, what questions does this trailer leave you asking?
First draft trailer viewing – Target Audience
Questions

41. • Everyone could identify the film as a
horror/thriller because of the
soundtrack, quick shots, name of film,
tone of paranoia evoked, disoriented
main character and location shots (dark
room) which they all found quite
frightening.

42. • Narrative possibilities were
grasped. All understood the
concept that she was being
chased/stalked without having to
know the full plot-line

43. •Age group of target audience
(Females from around 18-25)
is represented in the trailer

44. - Many questions were raised
- Good footage: including of
Lux in the dark room being
chased/scared

45. • More slow motion shots
• Change the font in the titles, seems to much like comic sans
• Too much bike footage going backwards
• Cut out the shot where she drops the picture – looks like she doesn’t like what she sees or is
just really clumsy
• Make it less repetitive so there is space to include some more unused footage
• Make more fast cuts into slow cuts
• Explore with other possibilities for the establishing shot, play with the idea of contrast
• Add a green screen at the beginning
• Use even shorter clips (a couple of seconds for each clip) and cut between different images
to build pace. For example, just a flash of Olivia on the ground, or looking at her reflection,
spread through the trailer. Watch some more professional trailers to remind yourself of how
short each shot can be. Images in a trailer need suggest events, not explain them.
• Consider beginning the trailer with the shot into the camera lens. Also, this is one of many
moments that will be fantastic when you have spent a bit more time on more ruthless
editing: don’t let the camera zoom out of the lens again at the end of the clip!

53. Research bibliography
http://www.fastcompany.com/1815812/psychology-behind-movie-poster-designs
http://www.filmbuy.com/the-psychology-behind-movie-trailers/
http://www.youthedesigner.com/2011/10/21/35-horror-movie-posters-that-will-
give-you-the-creeps/