1. Evaluation.
Question 1.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. Setting and Location...
For my film I have chosen to use the setting of the bedroom as the main location for the film, this is also the only setting you
see through out the trailer, as is really drums into the audience where it’s set, and makes them question why? In turn
making the audience think about what could happen and drawing in their attention.
By having the idea of only having one setting comes from the idea of the from horror films that they want the audience to
pick up on the ideas of being trapped and isolated, but also by having it set in someone’s home it becomes more realistic
and a naturalistic setting. Helps to put the audience them in that kind of setting. Therefore by having only one setting this
will help to portray this.
I have used the main setting of the trailer as the bedroom, as this links to the storyline as this is where nearly all the action
will take place, as it also links to sleeping, what's going to happen while she’s sleeping and being on a medical trial for some
sleeping pills.
However if I were to do this again I would maybe use a different setting to maybe have a change, but also by having a
different location would help the trailer to look less all the same.
3. Costume and props...
With in my trailer I have used different props, but I have used simple such as a phone, you see her use this when
she has a phone call from the medical trial people who tell her needs to stop using the pills, rather than having big
out landish props as they don’t fit in with my trailer.
Another prop I have used would be the bed, as it’s mostly set at night and is based around sleeping, this is really
a key prop which I have used, by having simple props will help add to the effect of it being very natural and
helping with the realistic look of the trailer.
The costume I have used is to reflect the type of style I have chosen to use for my horror film, again I want it to be
realistic and natural as everything will be adding to the fact it being self filmed. I have dressed her in sleep wear
as to show that it’s at night and therefore when wearing day clothing you can tell that it’s either in the day or its a
different scene.
An improvement I would make would to add a pill box or see her eat some of the pills, to help make it more hard
hitting and I would also change the costume in the terms of making her look more dishevelled.
4. Title of the film...
For the title of my film, ‘Sleep tight’ describes some clues to the audience, on what the film could
be about, ie sleeping, something is going to happen when she’s sleeping. But also the name
‘Sleep tight’ sounds quite sinister as it’s quite patronising, and it helps to add to the dramatic irony,
you as the audience know that something this going to happen to her while she’s sleeping and you
want to know if she knows what’s going to happen.
I have placed the title of the film at the end of the trailer as by doing this it stays in the mind of the
audience better and makes it easier to remember as it’s one of the last things you see while
watching the trailer. Again by doing this it gives something away about the film as you start to the
link the title with what you just saw with in the trailer and start to think about what could happen.
As I have the title come on at the end with no sounds over the top of it, if I were to improve this I
would maybe add the main character whispering the title over the top of it to add to the dramatic
effect of this but also it could help to make it more memorable for the audience.
5. Conveying the narrative...
A film trailer is used to help make the audience want to see the film, by giving them short scenes from the film
itself. This gives the audience enough information about the film’s narrative to make a decision about whether they
would go and see it or not. I have done this with my film trailer.
I have used key images from the film itself, and some of the more scarier scenes to makes the audience pick up
on the genre, but also by doing this you are able to get a sense of the storyline. As the beginning of the trailer is
important to the narrative because it tells you what she’s doing and what the drug is she’s taking.
The next part you see her on the phone from to the medical trial people, taking about how she should stop taking
the pills as she’s going to have bad side effects. As the audience you soon pick up on the fact this is the key
narrative of the film, from this the audience then start to question different things about it such as, what's going to
happen to her? Does she carrying on taking the pills?
Another way in which I have tried top show the narrative of the film is through the help of the titles, as I have said
that it’s the ‘scarcest film of 2014’ which again links to the fact it’s a scary film, therefore what ever is going to
happen will be scary, and you know the type of film your viewing.
If I were to improve on anything at all with conveying the narrative of the film, I would maybe use titles a bit more
effective and have them saying little clues to the storyline or having them say some stats about medical trials and
side effects.
6. Titles, font and style...
For the titles with in my trailer I have chosen to use the same font through out as I found this made
it look cleaner but also from looking at different trailers I found that they keep the font and the style
of lettering for the titles all the same.
I chosen this font style as when looking at different horror film trailers they all use similar fonts, and
this fits in with this. I also felt as though it looks as though its from a medical packaging, which links
well to the film.
The titles I have done I wanted to keep them simple and minimal as from doing audience research
people felt as though when a title has too much writing on it, you don’t have time to read it and it
can be quite boring. Therefore I have made titles which are short and simple which I think work
well, as they give you enough information but there isn’t too much writing on them.
Also for the sizing of the writing on each slide I have used the same size as again to keep the
continuity throughout the trailer, however as you can see on the COMING SOON and on the
SLEEPTIGHT titles I have made the writing slightly bigger as these are the too most important
titles with in the film, as they tell you the name of the film but also when it will be released.
7. Camera work...
With in my trailer I
wanted to try and use as
many different shots as I
can to show a different
variation in camera shots
and techniques.
By using different kinds of shots, I
wanted to be able to show the
switch in moods, for example at the
beginning you can see at the top
she is placed in the centre of the
frame, and introduces herself. This
suggests that she has prepared
this. Compared to the one just
below, this is just after she has
been told to stop taking the pills,
but wants to carry on taking them.
You see her close up to the camera
and slightly off to one side, as
though she’s telling you something
important but also it shows how she
is frustrated.For another shot for my
trailer I used a focus pull, as
you can see on the phone.
By using this your attention
is drawn to the phone, this
also suggests to the
audience that in this scene
the important thing is the
phone, and what it could
mean. Also when using a
focus pull the rest of the shot
is slightly out of focus so you
as the audience can’t see
what’s happen fully, so when
she comes in crawling on
the floor, it adds to the fact
it’s a horror and it’s meant to
be scary.
8. Editing..
.
While creating my trailer I
have used various different
types of editing to help create
the effect and the look which
I want for my film. By being
able to use the different types
of editing with in Premier Pro
I was able to achieve the
effects and the look which I
was aiming for.
As I wanted my trailer to
look as though it has been
self filmed, I chose to add a
lot of noise to my shots,
which gives it this static and
jumpy look. This works
because it helps to give it a
realistic look and feel about
the trailer. It also helps with
transitions between two
scenes, as it helps it to look
a bit more neater; looks as
though she’s turning the
camera on and off.Through out the trailer I have also added a small
REC button which blinks at the top of the screen,
this helps it look as though it has been self filmed
and again helps with the realistic feel which I
want to be portrayed through out my trailer.
Another effect I used was being
able to put a blue hue onto the
shots where she is in bed, or
suppose to be at night. I did this
to make it look as though I have
used night vision while filming
these scenes. When I first did
the night vision for my shots I
used a green hue, however from
looking at trailers similar to
mine, like paranormal activity I
found that they used a blue hue.
I found that by having the blue
instead of the green made it
look more realistic, and fitted
more within my piece.