This document discusses conventions for horror film trailers, posters, and magazines. It notes that trailers for horror films typically have a fast pace, use straight cuts and special effects to create tension, and include both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. The document also provides examples of common horror film narrative elements, characters, settings, and iconography. It analyzes how these conventions may differ for Hollywood versus independent British films in their targeting and presentation across different mediums.

2. LENGTH
THE TYPICAL LENGTH OF THE TEASER
TRAILER IS 1:30. A TRAILERS CONSIST OF
SELECTED SHOTS FROM THE FILM BEING
ADVERTISED. A TRAILER HAS TO ACHIEVE
THAT IN LESS THAN 2 MINUTES AND 30
SECONDS. A TEASER WILL HAVE THE SAME
SHOT AS A TRAILER BUT NOT AS DETAILED
AND WON'T HAVE A LOT OF SUBTEXT WITHIN
IT. HOWEVER OUR ONE IS DIFFERENT AS IT
REACHES 54 SECONDS HOWEVER
SOMETHING WE LOOKED AT FOR
INSPIRATION WHEN MAKING IT, WAS THE
SCREAM TEASER TRAILER AS IT HAD THE
SAME LENGTH AND IT SHOT AND TO THE
POINT. IT WAS ALSO A HORROR FILM.
EDITING STYLE
THE STYLE OF EDITING IN A TEASER
TRAILER WOULD BE FAST PACE. BECAUSE
IF THE AUDIENCE ARE SHOWN TOO MUCH
FOOTAGE THEY MIGHT GET AN IDEA OF
WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT AND THEREFORE
NOT BOTHER WATCHING IT. THIS CREATES
MYSTERY. THE USE OF STRAIGHT CUTS ARE
USED USUALLY DEPENDING ON THE GENRE
IT MIGHT HAVE SPECIAL EFFECTS. THIS IS
SOMETHING WE USED IN OUR TEASER. AS
THIS IS SOMETHING DONE IN A HORROR
TRAILER AS IT MAKES IT MORE DRAMATIC.
WE AGAIN USED THE TRAILER SCREAM TO
HELP US DO THIS AS THIS WAS SOMETHING
WE AIMED FOR.
SOUND
THE USE OF BOTH NON-DIEGETIC / DIEGETIC
SOUND WAS USED IN OUR TRAILER TO ENGAGED
AND EXCITE THE AUDIENCE FOR THE FILM. IT
CREATES TENSION AND BUILDS UP
THE STORYLINE. IT MAKES EVERYTHING
FLOW TOGETHER. DIGECTIC SOUNDS LIKE VOICE
SOUND EFFECT LIKE CARS BIRDS ECT AND NON
DIGECTIC LIKE MUSIC AND VOICEOVERS ECT. IF
THERE WAS NO SOUND IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING AND THE AUDIENCE WOULDN'T
BE ENGAGED.
THIS IS WHY WE USED A SOUNDTRACK TO AGAIN
ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE WE USED SOUNDBRIGES
WHEN TRANSITIONING INTO ANOTHER SHOT.

3. NARRATIVE
THE STORYLINE IS SIMPLE AND DOESN'T GIVE TOO MUCH WAY. WHICH IS
SOMETHING I BELIEVE MY GROUP DID. IT ALLOWS THE AUDIENCE TO SEE
WHAT THE FILM HAS TO OFFER AND GET THEM EXCITED. SEEING AS
OURS IS A HORROR WE MADE SURE THAT AT THE END WE HAD A JUMPY
PART AS THIS IS SOMETHING IT HAS. IT ENGAGES THE AUDIENCES AND
HAS THEM DRAWN IN. FILMS I LOOKED AT WERE BLAIR WITCH AND THE
BYE BYE MAN. THESE HELPED US FIND WAY TO SHOW THE FILM WITHOUT
GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY.
CHARACTERS
THE CHARACTERS SHOWN IN THE MAIN CHARACTER DEPENDING ON
THE GENRE BUT IN A ACTION FILM IT WOULD BE THE HERO THEN
HIS HELP. THE VILLAIN AND MAYBE HIS FRIENDS. OR A
FAMILY MEMBER. HOWEVER IN OUR WE SHOULD THE TWO
YOUTUBERS AND THE VILLAIN BUT WE DON’T GIVE MUCH AWAY .
CHARACTERS HAVE A HUGE PART IN A TRAILER AND DRAW THE
AUDINCE IN.

4. FILM TITLE
OUR FILM TITLE ISN'T AT THE END BUT IT IT CLOSE TO IT . THIS IS
TO CREATE TENSION AND BUILD UP TO THE ENDING. I THINK THAT
IT IS DONE SO THAT WHEN ALL THE GOOD SCENES HAVE COME
THEY WANT THE AUDIENCE TO BE IN SHOCK AND BE EXCITED FOR
THE FILM. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TRY TO DO. FILM LIKE IT , GET
OUT ETC ARE FILM WE LOOKED AT TO GET THIS LOOK.
KEY INFORMATION
THE DATE OF THE FILM COMING OUT. AS WELL AS SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORMS E.G. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. AS WELL AS BEING
ABLE TO SEE THE FILM IN 3D OR IMAX. IT SAYS THE DIRECTORS
NAME AND THE ACTORS TOO. HOWEVER THIS IS SOMETHING WE
DIDN’T DO. WE JUST SAID IT WAS COMING OUT SOON. AND
MENTIONED THE PEOPLE IN THE PRODUCTION FOR THE FILM. BUT
SEEING AS IT IS A TEASER WE DON’T WANT TO GIVE TOO MUCH
AND LEAVE THE AUDIENCE WANTING MORE.

6. GENRE CONVENTIONS
WHEN LOOKING AT THE NARRATIVE FOR HORROR IT CONSISTS OF A CREEPY AND SCARY LOOKING VILLAIN OUT TO KILL PEOPLE. THERE’S ALWAYS A HERO
A PROTAGONIST. IT COULD BE AFTER SOME EVENT THAT TURNS THE KILLER INSANE OR BY SOME CHILDHOOD PAST OR EVEN PSYCHOTIC MEDICAL
ISSUES, AND THE VILLAIN RETURNS TO HIS HOME-TOWN AND ALWAYS PREYS ON TEENAGERS. THE TEENAGERS ARE SEEN AS QUITE STUPID, USUALLY
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO START THE HORROR IN THE FIRST PLACE OR MAYBE THEY JUST GET KILLED QUICKLY AND THERE IS ALWAYS (SOMETIMES) A
SURVIVOR, MOST LIKELY A FEMALE CHARACTER. FOR OUR FILM WE MADE SURE IT WAS EASY TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS WHY OUR STOYLINE WAS SIMPLE
AND TO THE POINT IT FOCUSES ON TWO YOUTUBER THAT GO THE WOODS THAT IS SAID TO BE HAUNTED.
CHARACTERS
THE MAIN PROTAGONIST, OFTEN THE “VICTIM/HERO” OF THE MOVIE. THE VILLAIN, OFTEN A MONSTER, MUTATED FREAK, ALIEN OR SERIAL KILLER. THE
STUPID/IMMORAL TEENAGERS THAT ALWAYS GET KILLED. CREEPY CHILDREN. POLICE OFFICERS THAT CAN EITHER BE GOOD OR BAD. AND MANY MORE:
GHOSTS, ZOMBIES, DEMONS, PSYCHOPATH, STALKER, WEIRDO, WEREWOLF. OUR LEAD WAS 2 FEMALES THAT WERE YOUTUBERS AND OUR VILLAIN WAS A
DEMON GIRL.
SETTING AND LOCATION,
IT CONSIST OF LAKES, ROADS, HIGHWAYS, COUNTRYSIDE, BARNS, FARMS, DARK WOODS, WOODLANDS, HOUSES, CABINS, CITIES, SUBWAYS, GLOOMY
UNDERGROUND TUNNELS, CREEPY HOTELS, ABOUNDED HOUSES, HAUNTED HOUSES ETC. FOR OUR FILM WE USED THE WOODS WHICH FALL WELL
INTO THE CONVENTIONS.
ICONOGRAPHY
WE LOOK AT DARK COLOURS LIKE RED AND BLACK AS THIS LINKS WELL WITH EVIL AND BLOOD ETC. LIGHTING IS HUGE AS IT SETS THE MOOD. LOW-KEY
LIGHTING CAN HELP TO CRATE DARK SHADOWS. PROPS CAN HELP US TO FURTHER IDENTIFY HORROR GENRE E.G. CHAINSAWS, MACHETES, KNIFE,
CLAW GAUNTLETS, COSTUMES, FIREARMS ETC. ICONS OF THE SUPERNATURAL, RELIGIOUS ICONS.
STYLE YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A PRODUCT IN THAT GENRE.
MAGAZINE – FEATURING ON MAGAZINE WOULD BE A THE VILLIAN OR THE MAIN CHARACTERS. TO GIVE THE AUDIENCE AN INSIGHT. AND THE USE OF
ICONOGRAPHY EG SHOWING ITEMS LIKE WEAPONS. THE POSTER WOULD LINK WELL WITH MAGAZINE AS IT WOULD CONSIT OF THE SAME THINGS WHEN
LOOKING AT GENRE. AS THE AUDIENCE SHOULD STARIGHT AWAY BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT GENRE IT IS.
HORROR

7. INSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS
POSTER – WITH A POSTER IF IT WAS A HOLLYWOOD FILM IT WOULD HAVE MAIN ACTORS NAME AT THE TOP OR SOMETIMES A ALL THE ACTORS NAME. EG
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, SHOOT OUT AND ENDER GAMES ETC. HOWEVER IF IT WAS BRITISH INDEPENDENT IT WOULDN’T ALWAYS CONSIST OF THE
ACTORS NAME EG SHAUN OF THE DEAD. IT WOULD FEATURE THE MAIN IMAGE AS ITS SELLING POINT TO ATTRACT THE AUIDENCE. BUT THE FILM
AWARDS IT GOES TO THEY PUT IT ON THE POSTER TO PROMOTE IT AND SHOW THE VIEWER ITS RATING. THE INFORMATION I WOULD EXPECT WOULD BE
DATE IT COMES OUT, ACTORS NAME ,TAGLINE, TITLE, BILLING ETC.
MAGAZINE – HOWEVER WITH A MAGAZINE I WOULD EXPECT A HOLLYWOOD FILM TO BE ON A HUGE MAGAZINE COMPANY. THAT WOULD FEATURE THE
MAIN ACTORS. BUT ON A BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM IT WOULD FEATURE ON THE MAGAZINE THAT FOCUS ON FILM LIKE THAT EG SIGHT AND SOUND. IT
WOULD HAVE OTHER SELL LINES BUT THE MAIN FEATURE WOULD BE THE FILM ITSELF.
TEASER – LASTLY IF IT WAS HOLLYWOOD FILM IT WOULD HAVE BIG DRAMATIC MUSIC. THE USE OF ACTORS NAMES, THE TITLE, THE DIRECTOR IF THEY
HAVE DONE OTHER FILM BEFORE. ETC A BRITISH INDEPENDENT FOR ME WOULD BE SO OVER THE TOP IT WOULD OVER USE THE ACOTRS NAME AND
FOCUS MORE ON THE STORYLINE.
HORROR