Research and planning is crucial for creating a successful media product. It involves analyzing existing similar products to understand what appeals to target audiences. When creating a horror film trailer, extensive research must be done on the purpose of trailers, horror trailer conventions, existing horror trailers, cinematography, editing, sound, visual elements, the target audience, production and distribution companies, budgets, and marketing techniques. Careful planning is also needed for the plot, storyboards, locations, lighting, cast, technical elements, promotion, and costs.

1. Research And Planning
Investigation

2. Research and planning considers all aspects such as developing, producing and
selling the product to the consumer in order to create a successful product/media
text. Research and planning will help us to understand the media text and its target
audience by analysing existing products in order to find out what sells well. This
information will be taken into consideration when creating a professional look on our
media text.

3. When creating a horror film trailer there are many different stages to consider
when researching and planning:
Research:
- Researching the purpose of film trailers
- Researching conventions of a horror trailer
- Researching existing horror trailers
- Researching cinematography
- Research editing
- Research sounds and music
- Researching mise-en-scene
- Researching the target audience
- Researching production and distribution
companies
- Researching budgeting
- Researching marketing and advertising
techniques.
Planning:
- Planning plot and storyboards
- Planning location
- Planning lighting
- Planning casts
- Planning cinematography/editing/sound
and mise-en-scene
- Planning marketing and advertising
- Planning budgets