The document discusses props that will be used in a slasher film trailer to establish conventions of the genre. It describes including a car to transport the protagonists to their destination, alcohol and cigarettes to show the teenagers are reckless, and an axe as the antagonist's signature weapon. A basic black skeleton mask is also mentioned to follow the slasher convention of the killer wearing a mask. The purpose of these props is to hint at the sub-genre and show that the teenagers' transgressive behavior leads to their demise.

1. Prop
Ideas/Analysis

2. Car
A car will be used in order to get the protagonists to the location whereby they are going to get killed.
This is very common in slashers, such as a ‘Cabin in the Woods’. In the trailer we see the teens with an
orange car, unpacking to get to the cabin itself. It also gives hope that they can escape via the use of their
car. This is why we have decided to use a car in our trailer. It shows the protagonists are spontaneous in
their journey their - if they had to walk all the way their it would be unlikely they would bother. Also, at
the end of the trailer we can tease the audience as we see the final girl trying to get into the car, with the
antagonist right behind her, leaving the audience curious as to whether she manages to get away.
Furthemore, the teenagers in my trailer are going to be ‘under the influence’ suggesting further that they
are reckless and rebellious, not conforming to society's expectations, a convention of slashers, from this
we can expect their deaths from being transgressors.
The car we are going to use in the trailer. A cabin in the woods.

3. Alcohol and Cigarettes
Through the use of both of these props the audience will be able to establish the protagonists reckless
and rebellious. These products are conventional in slashers, as well as the use of drugs. Due to the
protagonists in slashers being transgressors, it is another reason for them to be targeted by antagonists.
This is present in Friday the 13th trailer whereby in the trailer we can see the group of teenagers drinking
and dancing on tables. This is presented in a montage with a range of different shot types so we can see
the behaviour the protagonists get up to at a fast paced, with detail to the props they are using. I am going
to adapt this to my own trailer, so it is clear that the group of teenagers are acting in a way they should
not be, with access to this they shouldn’t be, because they are ‘underage’.

4. The Weapon- Axe
Slashers are renowned for brutal killings, to a vast and large amount of people. The way this is done is
through a choice of weapon. It is evident through slashers that most antagonists have a signature
weapon, such as Freddy Krueger and his sharp knives as fingers or Texas Chainsaw Massacre. By
having a signature, original weapon it allows symbiosis to be created, allowing audiences to recognise
the likes of a chainsaw and refer it back to the ‘Chainsaw Massacre’. This is something that I would like
to establish in my own trailer, as well as ancillary pieces with an Axe. It will be promoted across all
platforms in order to create a symbiosis with ‘Deadwood Grove’.

5. Mask
Masks are one of the key conventions within the slasher sub-genre so it is adamant that we follow
this convention. With most masks we have seen, such as Mike Myers, they have been very simplistic,
insinuating that less is more. This is why we went for a basic black skeleton mask as we wanted to
follow the same effective code.

6. Overall, through the use of these props we should be able to give the
audience a hint of the sub-genre (mask), and the representation that
teenagers are transgressors and then reckless and silly behaviour leads
them to their deaths.