This document summarizes the key conventions and techniques used in creating a trailer, poster, and magazine cover for a horror film project. The creator conducted research on common elements in horror trailers, which usually feature mysterious footage and shots promoting the film. Their trailer uses fast cuts and minimal dialogue to generate intrigue around a female protagonist seeking revenge. Corresponding poster and magazine cover designs employ conventional horror colors and compositions seen in other media, prominently featuring the main character to promote the film.

1. In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media productions? Michael Cooke

2. THE TRAILER

3. Trailer To begin the project, I research teaser trailers in order to gain a good understanding of the conventions to create an operative and precise media product. Following this research it became clear to me what these conventions were and how I was going to apply then to my own production. Convention Research: http://year13ascoursework1.blogspot.com/2010/10/key-element-in-genre.html http://year13ascoursework1.blogspot.com/2010/11/we-looked-at-common-elements-in.html

4. One of the main conventions that we discussed in our group was the type of footage and shot types we where going to use in our trailer. This is so the film can be promoted while it is still in production or to create a back story. I created a sheet of concept that I wanted to use for the trailer. In my concept I full focused on the protagonist character that is un many horror film and trailer. From my research of character there was a similarity within the different films, all of the protagonist killer where all male. I wanted to change this convention of the horror genre and use a female. The male killer is too common in the horror genre so this is why I did this. I began to develop this idea of using a women but I want to use an character that could relate to my target audience so I change my ideal of using a women and change it to a young girl I really wanted our trailer to appeal to our audience so a Unique Selling Point was introduced; every film of very genre had a unique selling point so I wanted to also include this convention. This is my Unique Selling Point http://year13ascoursework1.blogspot.com/2010/09/concepts.html

5. To ensure the trailer that was very good I followed the conventions of real current films that are running as closely as possible so it fit with the convention and that our target audience will not be confused meaning that our trailer product fully serve its purpose. Research was also conducted into the horror genre, including a investigation of killers, location, costume and props as well as titles. Our groups intention was to create a 90 second trailer that created enigma and a sense of mystery. We did this by using a young female as our protagonist and the type of locations that we used Example of this would be ‘The Ring’ as the girl is very mysterious and Friday the 13th , it a mystery because you don’t get see his face.

6. I incorporated fast rapped shot and text with the trailer so I could draw audience into the trailer. Iused text to create a sense of enigma. I used a scrip in the trailer however a small number of sentence are said through the trailer, I did this so that the trailer keeps it tension and gives a little as it can away to the audience. In he trailer I added title that give the audience a little bit about what going on yet again keeping he suspense level high. http://www.flickr.com/photos/55771114@N07/5166044849/ At first I did not what to use a voice over at first because I felt that it would give to much away to the audience however when I add a voice over it help to explain the narrative yet giving nothing away. I try to focus on one of the sub-genre of horror by using blank black shot to create a physiological I wanted the audience to use their imagination. The advance portfolio explains that the genre is horror so I create production details that could be easily linked to the horror genre. It was important to maintain a more abstract approach to the creation of the teaser trailer keeping the nature of the film ambiguous.

7. When my research, I could begin to see a continues repetition with was that the killers in this genre were normally killing to gain some sort of revenge for an incident that has happened to them prior to their death. In my trailer this is told by title that are in the trailer briefly explain in word what happens to her and what see is now after. Also I added a voice over that accompanies the titles. The audience do not know why she was murder and secondly how she comes back from the dead and get her revenge, all of this preserve the sense mystery. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1SrMf-FuHI As recognised in my concept and research, we used a young child in the making of our trailer as they are seen as vulnerable. However in my trailer I changed this idea around and made the adult look much vulnerable and fragile. At the beginning of the trailer the little girl get sympathy because she’s an innocent that get murdered however the tables turn.

8. FILM POSTER

9. To complement the teaser trailer, I also design and created a film poster for my campaign. I looked at current film posters that would inspire and give me ideas. film posters of this genre used conventional colours such as black, white and red. I wanted my audience to immediately identify my film that is link to the horror genre. I used the same colour that I used in my trailer in my poster. One poster that I was very influence by was ‘One Miss Call’. I followed this convention very closely. I wanted my main character on my poster to instantly be the first thing my audience see.

10. I created a title for the film and poster that stands out. I made my title green because the word forest connote nature and wood, tree before designing I asked my group and we agreed on the colour. The font that I used make the title look scary and give it more of an edge. http://year13ascoursework1.blogspot.com/2010/12/final-title-design-for-our-production.html

11. MAGAZINE COVER

12. I also began to look at existing film magazine cover to give me a clear understanding and ideas. I wanted my magazine cover to have the same quality as current big selling Magazine such as Empire, Total Magazine and Fangoriaso I looked to these magazine cover a inspiration for my own. http://year13ascoursework1.blogspot.com/2010/12/magazine-research-and-analysis.html

13. I Called the Magazine BritCinema because we wanted to target a British audience as well as a national and global audience. I used a basic but classy mast head to show the classiness suggesting how successful it is. I added a Strapline to the master head to gain maximum attention. Usually a film magazine would use a close up or mid-shot as their cover image. This is what I adopted in my magazine cover. I used a close mid shot of our character. The reader will see clearly who the star of the film is. The reader will recognise her face when they watch the movie. This leaves me more space around the image of my character to include subheadings indicating other articles in the magazine. I purposely wrote subhead that where linked in the same genre as my own movie. This fit with our cover turning the film magazine into a horror based magazine or even a horror special.