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EXISTING PRODUCTS: SAW TRAILER
Saw (2004) Official Trailer #1 - James
Wan Movie - YouTube
Product
I have chosen to look at the ‘Saw’ trailer so I can see
the different techniques they use such as camera
angles, audio and transitions. By looking at this I can
see how they convey the narrative and the genre of
the film to the audience in such a shot amount of
time. Analysing this trailer will help me when it comes
to making my own trailer as I can apply the techniques
they used when filming and editing and do something
similar so I can clearly show the story of the film and
the genre of it.
Length
The length of the ‘Saw’ trailer is 1 minute and 57 seconds long. In only less than
two minutes they have managed to show to the audience what genre the film is
by the use of the sound and the dialogue as well as the setting of the scene, for
example the opening scene of the trailer clearly conveys that the film is horror
from the dark lighting that is used and the fear and apprehension the character is
feeling in that moment makes the audience feel the same without even knowing
what is going on. Throughout the almost 2 minutes worth of footage shown they
constantly keep you on edge, they show the killers name but never show the
actual killer, they show the victims of Jigsaw but never show what’s going to
happen to them or if they survive. They have chosen the exact right amount of
footage that constantly leaves the audience questioning which makes them want
to see the movie.
Location
The main location the trailer keeps going back to is the setting with the two men
trapped in a abandoned bathroom. Other settings it shows are mostly abandoned
or isolated places, such as the car park scene where we see the killer crawl across
the floor. Using dark and worn down places like this really sets the scene and gets
across the genre of horror to the audience, even in the trailer when the scene
changes to a less rundown area the way the lighting is used and how the characters
act in that setting you still get a sense of foreboding and fear having a sense that
no matter where the characters are they’re never safe. Finding the right location
and setting in a horror is very important, as the genre is equal parts atmosphere
and suspense and the location of the scene is a major aspect to creating the
atmosphere and it’s something the Saw trailer exceeds in, finding the right location
conveying the atmospheric horror.
Lighting
At the beginning and throughout the trailer the lighting used is very
dark, this helps create suspense and it helps manipulate the viewer
into always thinking that something may suddenly appear on screen.
The use of lighting also reflects the genre of the trailer as in horror
movies you always associate it with darkness which is what is
constantly used throughout the trailer. However in the bathroom
scene you can see that the lighting is quite bright this helps show the
audience the rundown setting of the scene and the predicament the
characters are in. I also gives the audience a sense of foreboding as
the bright light used isn’t a reflection to show the characters are safe,
it’s the complete opposite knowing that they’re in danger.

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S : S A W T R A I L E R P T 2
Saw (2004) Official Trailer #1 - James Wan Movie - YouTube
TST
In the trailer I have found that they mostly rely on sound effects and
dialogue instead of a soundtrack although there is faint eerie music played
in the background the main sounds coming through are the dialogue and
sound effects. The sound effects they use helps give the audience a sense of
a reality in the trailer. Dialogue is used mostly all the way through to get
across what is happening, who the killer is and a little insight as to why
they’re doing this. I think relying on sound effects and dialogue is really
effective most time in trailers it’s just visual narrative with a soundtrack
behind it but with this trailer and how it’s put together immediately draws
the audience into the plot and gets them more involved. This is a good
technique that I was thinking of using in my own project instead of just
having a soundtrack and minimum dialogue.
Sound effects and how they are used in the trailer
At the beginning of the trailer it’s mostly silent and the only sounds used are footsteps and
camera flashes. The silene that is used helps create suspense and also gives the audience a
sense of reality within the scene. The silence soon gets cancelled out by a creepy childlike
laughter, this laugh immediately conveys a sense of dread and fear to the audience. The
laugh continues to build in volume and this draws the audiences attention to it, while their
attention is focused on the sound a mysterious figure jumps out resulting in a jump scare.
Another sound they use throughout the trailer is a subtle heart beat which constantly builds
up with the intensity of the trailer. The heartbeat is very effective as it matches the audiences
and the characters pace of heart beat. Other sounds used throughout are quite high-pitched
noises which helps build the tension you can also here diegetic sounds such as the chains
clinking which helps create the atmosphere within the trailer. Throughout the trailer there is
narration built up between different scenes in the movie, This is done effectively as the
audience is informed of the background of the film, we also get to here the antagonists voice
which comes across distorted and adds more mystery to the killer.
Mis en scene
In the trailer you can see the man in the bathroom is using a prop saw, which allows the
audience to witness first hand just how gory this film is. It foreshadows how ‘Saw’ can
control the victims and it could be used as a metaphor or a symbol to show how the
actual person ‘Saw’ is like the object and he is the tool and his victims are his purpose.
Other props used in the trailer are newspaper articles of the killer and it emphasis the
power Saw has and how he has struck multiple times conveying how dangerous he
actually is, You can also tell by the state of the articles that they look worn down which
tells us that this has been going on for a long time now. These props show the audience
just how dangerous Saw is and he should not be underestimated. Another way Mis en
scene is used is through costumes, when we see ‘Saw’ in the trailer the puppet is
dressed in a suit and tie whereas when we see the victims they look scruffy and unkept
which creates hierarchy. With Saw being in formal clothing it shows his power while the
victims scruffy clothing highlights the lack of control they have in this situation and they
have to follow Saw’s rules.
Audience Appeal
Throughout the trailer it constantly keeps the audience
questioning, what is going on? Who’s the killer? Why are they
doing this? It immediately gets the audience interested in the
narrative. The trailer clearly shows all the elements of the horror
genre so there main target is the audience that are into
horror/thriller type of films. This trailer comes across more of a
slasher type of horror and it has all the aspects that appeal to the
audience from that sub genre such as we have a mysterious serial
killer, you can see there’s going to violence when the man says
they need to cut off their own leg and the settings of each scene
clearly gets a cross that genre to the audience. The main goal of
the trailer is getting people to what to know more about what’s
happening and leaving them wanting to watch it.

EXISTING PRODUCT: SAW TRAILER
Why have I chosen to look at this trailer?
I have chosen to look at the ‘Saw’ trailer because it’s a similar plot and genre of film I
was planning to do my project on. By looking at this it has given me ideas as to how I
want to present and produce my trailer, looking at how they use sound and carry the
trailer through a narration of the characters dialogue I have found to be very effective
as it gives the audience a background to what the film is about. Also the way they use
sound effects helps build up the tension in the trailer such as the heart beat in the
background and the flash of the camera at the beginning. Knowing how they have
incorporated this and the effect it has on the audience has given me similar ideas as to
how I can do the same in my trailer, using more dialogue of the characters to build up
the killer and relying purely on diegetic sounds to create the suspense. Looking at this
trailer I can clearly distinguish what I need to do in order to convey the genre and
narrative of my own trailer.
Audience Appeal
The trailer appeals to the audience as throughout it constantly maintains the horror
elements and a sense a mystery which constantly leaves the audience wanting to know
more. Their main target audience is horror fans which is why they have only chosen
selective scenes from the movie that conveys that horror, the rating of the film is also an
18. The trailer itself doesn’t show any gore or language that shows this but it’s heavily
implied as anyone can have access to this trailer they’re aware that not everyone
watching it will be 18. They keep the trailer relatively mild yet it still shows that it’s going
to be grim and more for the adult audiences.
Summary
Overall the Saw trailer executes everything perfectly, especially for a film made in 2004 it’s
originality still makes the film feel modern. Throughout the trailer, it clearly shows that the film
is a horror and clearly shows the basic plot: A psychotic serial killer nicknamed ‘saw’ kidnaps
people and gets them to do horrendous acts in order to stay alive. Yet the trailer still keeps you
intrigued, it makes you ask questions such as why is the killer doing this? Is he choosing
random strangers to kill or is there a reason behind it? It makes the audience want to know
more and the only way to do that is too watch the film, which is why trailers are made to get the
audience to watch the actual film. This is something I need to achieve in order to make a
successful trailer I need to keep the audience constantly questioning and always leave them on
edge and I need them to be interested in it enough for them to want to actual watch the film.

EXISTING PRODUCTS: SHUTTER ISLAND TRAILER
"Shutter Island" - Official Trailer [HD] -
YouTube
Product
I have chosen to look at the shutter island trailer because the
film itself is a psychological thriller film, and I want to look at
and analyse how they convey that genre through a trailer and
how they show the audience what they think is the basic plot
while also showing them what they see isn’t actually all that it
seems. This will help me with ideas for my own trailer as I
plan to do a psychological thriller and I want to know how
they use mis en scene, audio and cinematography to convey
the basic narrative of the film.
Length
The length of the trailer is 2 minutes and 22 seconds long, the
film itself is 2 hours and 18 minutes long. In that 2 minutes
and 22 seconds they have managed to show the basic plot of
the film as well as it manipulating the audience into thinking
there’s some sort of evil going on in the hospital which is
causing DiCaprio's character to go insane. The trailer leaves
the audience with loads of unsolved mysteries such as who
was the female patient shushing the character? What is
causing the protagonist to go unstable? Leaving these
mysteries for the audience is called the Barthes hermeneutic
code which is a technique used to establish the story by
creating mystery and causing enigmas. Scorsese manages to
show all this in less than 3 minutes and it leaves an impression
on the audience making them want to know more about
what’s happening in the film.
Location
The main location used in the trailer is the mental hospital on shutter
island. Only showing this location in the trailer indicates that it’s
where the main plot is going to be set, when they announce that they
have arrived at shutter island the audience already know that is going
to be the main setting as the film itself is named ‘Shutter Island.’
When filming, the hospital they chose to film shutter island at is an
actual insane asylum located in Massachusetts and it was called the
Medfield state hospital. Shooting the film in an actual mental hospital
makes it more realistic and immersive for not only the audience but
also for the actors as well. The hospital used as the main filming
location has also appeared in many other films as well such as The
New Mutants, The box, Collapse and Knives out. The hospital gives
the film a more chilling vibe to it, and it makes it that more unsettling
knowing that it’s filmed in an actual mental institution.,
.
Lighting
The colours used throughout the trailer are mainly very dull and dark
which indicates the setting of which the film is set is a very unsettling
and mysterious place. This also helps show the genre of the film as a
thriller as it creates a dark and tense atmosphere which is most
commonly used in thriller films. Another indication to the genre of the
film is the blue tint of colour they put over some of the clips which
makes it look mysterious which convey that it’s also a mystery film as
well. When the title cards show up it uses black and white colouring
which suggests binary opposition of both good and evil through black
and white. However through the grey colouring it could also show that
there is an in between and not everything is as it seems.

EXISTING PRODUCTS: SHUTTER ISLAND PT2
"Shutter Island" - Official Trailer [HD] -
YouTube
TST
The soundtrack used in the trailer sounds quite ominous and sinister which allows
the audience to know that there is something shady going on in that hospital, the
music tempo goes deeper once they arrive of the boat onto shutter island making
the audience feel an unwelcome sense of dread for what will happen. From there
the soundtrack is mostly cancelled out by dialogue or diegetic sounds, but then
the further into the trailer we get the soundtrack picks up and in a way it sounds
like a ticking sound that keeps picking up pace, this helps move the trailer along
and creates a feeling of suspense as you can see the two characters are trying to
get to the bottom of what’s going on. The music builds up to a crescendo but
stops and slows down again when the woman shows the protagonist a message
saying run the music cancels out. Then as the trailer starts to show title cards the
music picks up again but at a much faster pace, the clips are being shown faster
as the intensity of what’s happening picks up. It then shows the title of the film
implying that the trailers over, until a jump scare scene is shown and the music
picks up again.
Mis en scene
The use of clothing used in the trailer establishes the authority of
who is in charge. We can see DiCaprio’s and Ruffalo’s character
both wearing ties and long trench coats along with hats which
immediately shows that they’re detectives due to the stereotypical
look. It also shows the time this film is meant to be set from the old
style clothing. We also see Ruffalo’s character more well put
together than DiCaprio’s in the sense that he isn’t smoking and he’s
dressed up cleaner, this could show that with DiCaprio being the
protagonist he hasn’t got a good moral complex he’s more in the
grey area. As the trailer progresses we see in one scene that both
investigators have switched from the suit and tie to wearing the
mental patients attire, this could indicate their loss of identity and
imply that they are slowly loosing their minds the longer they keep
doing the investigation.
Sound effects and how they are used in the trailer
The trailer opens with the sound of waves overlapping each other, which immediately tells the audience
that the setting of the film is somewhere isolated and surrounded by water. The combination between
the waves crashing and the ominous music in the background creates a tense and mysterious
atmosphere, along with the mis en scene it creates a feeling of unease for the audience. The opening of
the trailer automatically indicates what type of film his is going to be with the mysterious and tense
sound effects you can tell this is going to be a suspenseful thriller film. From the opening dialogue is
mostly used to establish who the characters are and their reasons for being at the island, when Teddy
Daniels (DiCaprio’s) character says “These are all violent offenders right?” the camera pans down to look
at the needle and drugs then the screen flashes and a violent scream can be heard, this could indicated
that rather than curing the patients they’re just hurting them instead. From then it’s more narrative
dialogue which establishes a missing patient and gives a sense that the people who run the institution
are doing something bad to the patients. However, in the actual film we see that this is not the case the
dialogue used misleads the viewer into thinking they know what’s happening when they don’t.
Audience Appeal
At the beginning of the trailer the audience appeal will at first be on the
cast such as Leonardo DiCaprio who is a big named actor, and mostly
attracts the attention of woman however as the trailer goes on and the
dialogue establishes where they are “It is a mental hospital for the
criminally insane” this immediately attracts all viewers men and woman.
The strange and mysterious atmosphere that the trailer gives off
immediately grips you into this mysterious plot, it appeals to the
audience immediately after establishing the genre of the film. Then as
the trailer picks up it gets much more suspenseful which leaves the
audience questioning and on the edge of their seat wanting to know
more about what is going on. The film is also directed by Martin
Scorsese who is classed as one the best directors in the world so that
will also draw the audiences attention as well.

EXISTING PRODUCTS: SHUTTER ISLAND TRAILER
Why have I chosen to look at this trailer?
I have chosen to look at the Shutter Island trailer because it’s in the same film genre I want to set
my trailer in, mystery/thriller. Looking at the colour gradings they use such as the dark and grey
with tints of blue I have found that it visually shows the genre of the film through that, now I know
when it comes to editing my own trailer I need to try and convey the genre of the film through the
colour gradings. Now looking at this trailer and the Saw trailer I can clearly see the differences and
similarities for example I have found that both trailers rely mainly on dialogue and diegetic sounds
to show the narrative and genre of the film, however in shutter island they use more soundtrack
music to build up suspense. Because I have found that to be a common theme so far, mainly using
dialogue and diegetic sounds through the trailer I know that it’s something I will apply to my own
work to convey the genre and show the basis of the plot.
Audience appeal
Shutter Island is a film for people who like mystery and investigation type films, this is clearly shown
in the trailer that the two characters are trying to solve a missing patient case and through the audio
used and the quick paced transitions you can also see it’s a suspense film which appeals to the
audiences that like thriller films. The film Shutter island is a 15, I think the target audience for this are
late teens to mid thirties. By the cinematography of the film and the grown up themes used it shows
that this is more of a film for older audiences, there’s no jokes or anything being showed so you can
tell it’s a very serious movie. Also by the plot of the film which is an investigation mystery type of
movie the audience needs to pay close attention to the plot to know what’s going on which is also
why it’s targeted at an older audience rather than a young one.
Summary
Overall I believe Shutter Island to be a great example of how trailers should be made. From the very
beginning it establishes the genre by the use of the sounds, the mis en scene, and the colour grading
you can easily tell the film is a thriller. The use of dialogue they chose to put in the trailer also
establishes the plot but it also underlines that not everything in that hospital is as it seems. The trailer
keeps the audience on edge all the way through, and the plot seems to keep thickening at the trailer
progresses making the audience question what exactly is going on in that hospital? This is what
trailers should do especially in this specific genre, after seeing the actual movie and now looking at
this trailer it misleads you into thinking it’s something it isn’t just like the actual film but it does it
without giving any major details away, and not giving any indication to the massive plot twist. This is
something I plan to achieve in my trailer, although I won’t be making an actual film I’ve already
planned it so I have the full plot of it as if it was a film I was making I only have to do what Scorsese
has done choose selective scenes and dialogue from my plot and make into something that will keep
the audience guessing and wanting to watch it.

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S : G E T O U T P O S T E R
Product
I have decided to analyse the Get Out poster so I can look at the different
fonts, Colours scheme, and art style and see how they use these conventions in
order to show the genre of the film and how they make it appealing to the
audience. This will help me when I make my own poster as Get out is a
psychological thriller I plan to make a trailer and poster in the same genre and
looking at this will help me get a better understanding of how I can present my
own poster and how to convey to the audience the genre of it. I have also
chosen Get Out because it’s a blockbuster hit and I want to see how they use
the poster to appeal to such a large scale of audience.
Fonts
The font used for the ‘Get Out’ title is the sans serif font, this is quite a
modern font and it’s quite bold in a way that it clearly stands out. The use
of the font being white printed on a black background makes it seem
quite plain and obvious and at first quite welcoming. This is also shown
through the narrative in the film at first the family seems welcoming but
later on the actions contradict this, which shows like the title font not
everything is as black and white as it seems. This is also shown through
the slogan too. The way they have used the colour white as well for “Get
Out” is quite domineering against the black, this is also shown through
the narrative of white supremacy in the film and how they are trying to
dominate over coloured people, the font is showing us this inequality and
discrimination that will happen in the film, and in a way the white font is
almost threatening to look at.
Colour Scheme
We can see from the first two top images shown of the two men hugging
and the woman smiling at the man that they have used quite bright
colours. The have done this so your attention immediately focuses on those
two images, the bright colours used immediately attracts you to it. This
contrasts with the other images when you look down, the colours are
considerably less brighter and they’ve turned almost tinted blue. In those
images you can see the man looks scared which severely contrasts to the
first two image shown. This fits the narrative of the movie as at first you
only see the bright colourful images where everything seems fine and they
all look happy, but when you look more into it the colours get darker and
the other images convey that not all is what it seems. This is also shown in
the film as at first the man arrives to a welcoming family only to find out
that they are anything but. This also shows that you can’t trust people just
by appearances you need to look deeper to find the bigger picture.
Slogan
The slogan they use at the top of the title “Just
because you’re invited, doesn’t mean you’re welcome”
gives the poster and the movie a more sinister feel to
it. After reading the slogan then looking at the images
featured in the poster such as the woman smiling you
begin to see the fakeness behind it and the smile that
she’s giving him is more unsettling than welcoming
which goes with what the slogan says about him not
Art Style
The gun shot used to create the cracked glass effect could
symbolise police brutality in America. It could also symbolise
how the main character has found out the true intentions of
the family, the shattered glass represents that they’re not
perfect, welcoming people and they’re façade has been
broken. Another aspect the cracked glass could symbolise is
the crack between reality, in the film the mother hypnotises
black people so they’re trapped inside their minds and have
no control over their actions. The cracked glass could show by
doing that their minds have been broken, you can see in the
middle left image a crack has been drawn over the characters
eye. This indicates how he is being infected by the hypnotism,
and they eyes are the window to the soul which is the main
target for a hypnotic victim. At the bottom left image we can
see that it is shot with a low angle view, this could show that
the character has power in the scene and is in control of that
situation which contrasts with the previous image of him
looking terrified. This could foreshadow that late in the film he
will win the conflict in the narrative. Looking back at the
gunshot in the middle of the poster this could also
foreshadow how the film will end, someone will get shot and
when they do that is how the façade cracks showing everyone
the families true intentions and this could be how the conflict
is resolved.
Credits
At the bottom of the title for the film it says ‘written
and directed by Jordan Peele’. Jordan Peele is quite
well known for making and starring in comedies, TV
shows and some big blockbusters. At the top of
poster it also says it’s a Blumhouse production, stating
their other successful blockbuster hits they have
produced such as The Visit, Insidious and the gift.
Putting these titles on the poster makes the film
appeal more to the audience knowing they have
worked on previous horror movie hits therefore giving
them comfort in knowing that this film would
hopefully to the standard the companies usually

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S : G E T O U T P O S T E R
Why have I chosen to look at this poster?
I have chosen to look at the Get Out poster because the film is in the same genre I plan to create my own product
in and the way it’s designed, the colour schemes, the images used and the symbolic meanings behind it all convey
so much about the film but still keeps the main plot hidden. By looking at the poster and analysing it, it has given
me ideas for how I can design my own poster in a similar fashion and how I can apply subtle hints for the narrative
in it as well. By applying different fonts, colours and designs I have found that I could convey so much through it
and make it appeal to the audience at the same time, just by analysing this poster.
Audience appeal
The poster appeals to the audience by the way it uses colours and fonts, they make the title of the film stand out
in quite plain and bold fonts but that is what gets the audiences attention and the hidden meaning behind it
with the title being white over the black background is symbolism to the main theme in the film. They also
appeal to the audience with the credits for the film, saying it’s from Blumhouse who are the producers of other
successful horror films immediately makes the film appeal more to the audience. Also having Jordan Peele on
the poster who is a noticeable actor and filmmaker makes it more appealing to the audience. The way the whole
poster is designed gets the audiences attention as it conveys the genre of the film and it leaves an impression on
the audience with the originality of the design.
Style
The way the poster is designed immediately conveys that the film is a horror/thriller. The title itself is quite
threatening with the bold font used, and the images in the poster show the fear of the character which will reflect
onto the viewer when watching the film. The style of the poster as well I have found it to be quite similar to the
Split poster with the glass cracks, I have found that both films were released in the same year they have just used
similar ideas and different representation for the glass. Overall I have found the style of the poster to be very
appealing especially for audiences in the horror/thriller genre, the film itself I found to be very good, it was
disturbing but the originality of the narrative really stood out to me and I think this reflects onto the poster as well.
Summary (overview)
The way the poster is designed with the shards of glass, the top images reflecting the charade the family is putting
up in comparison to the fear shown in the other images, to the fonts and colour schemes used I have found to be
very appealing especially as someone who is a fan of horror looking at the poster makes me immediately
interested in the film. Analysing this poster will help me when it comes to designing my own, as I have already
gathered ideas for the basic outline of my poster and how I want to present it in a similar fashion to how the Get
Out poster has done. Overall analysing all this has really helped me for when it comes to making my own project
and I think it was a great Poster example to look at especially one in my area of genre.

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S : T H E S I L E N C E O F T H E L A M B S P O S T E R
Product
I have decided to analyse The silence of the lambs poster, looking at this product
will help me when it comes to creating my own poster. Because Silence of the
Lambs is quite an old film released in 1991 I think it will be interesting to look at
the styles, images and fonts they use to create such a classic poster. Compared to
the Get Out poster this one looks relatively simple yet eye catching at the same
time, I think it will be interesting to find the hidden meanings behind the colours,
fonts and images used in the poster and what they represent. Looking at a
different style posters like this will help me find the contrasting elements between
the modern poster such as Get Out and it will help me decide which style I like
best so I can apply it to my own or maybe mix both styles up.
Fonts
The font they have used for the title is quite small, it doesn’t immediately
stand out, to me when I look at the poster the thing that immediately grabs
my attention is the moth placed of the woman's lips. However the colouring
of the moth is similar colour to the title used which makes the font stand out
more. You can see that other fonts for the credits are much smaller than the
title, using such small fonts indicates that the creators wants the audiences
attention mainly on the image. I have looked at other classic movie posters
made around the same time as the silence of the lambs such as Misery,
terminator and Goodfellas and I have found they use small fonts as well for
the title making the main focus be on the main image of the poster. I find
that not over powering the poster with bold fonts makes it more interesting
to look at with the focus purely on the main image that the creators want the
audience to look at.
Colour Scheme
The colours of the title and the colour of the eyes are both red. This
connotates that there is danger, blood and death within the film. Using
these colours are a common sign for a horror film, as the colour red is a
prominent signifier of horror films, which helps conveys to the audience the
genre of the movie, The colour red used in the girls eyes could also
foreshadow that she is a victim in the narrative and she is going to witness
a lot of death. The eyes stand out a lot in the poster due to the only colours
being shown are through the eyes, the moth and title, the rest is in black
and white. This signifies the main importance in the poster that can be
reflected in the actual movie, there is a saying that ‘eyes are the window to
the soul’ this could have some significance again linking back to her seeing
too much violence and death. The moth used represents the woman’s
silence which links back to the title ‘The silence of the lamb’ which could
imply that the woman is the lamb as she is the one being silenced.
Slogan
At the bottom of the title it says ‘From the terrifying
best seller’ this shows the audience the repeated
theme in the poster which conveys it’s a horror/thriller
film based on the word ‘terrifying’. This also gives the
film great audience appeal with them knowing its
based off a best selling novel. This also gathers more
interest from the book readers that are fans of the
novel, knowing the film is based off it will make them
Art Style
The poster shows a contrast between light and dark, you
can see on the right part of her face the darkness is trying
to cover the light. This suggests her presence is of good
and evil, as light and dark are symbols of the two sides,
this also confuses the audience and throws them off not
knowing which side this character is on. You can also see
there is a skull painted on the back of the moth, a skull is a
symbol of death and evil and as the moth is attached to
her mouth it could be a symbol that death is following
her. There is also the fact that moths are attracted to light,
the woman could represent the light in the film and the
moth is death and evil trying to flush out the light which is
why the darkness on the right side of her face looks like
it’s consuming her; the moth has infected her with
darkness. In the poster there is a lot of symbolism used
with different meanings behind them, one other aspect
the moth could symbolise is the killer, Hannibal Lecter,
attaching himself to the victim who represents the lamb
and “Silencing” her which could also mean death and in
death there is no way to communicate. The way the
colours are used and all these hidden meaning in such a
simple poster really stands out to me especially the classic
look of the poster as well, it conveys the genre and many
theories as to what the film is about.
Credits
Above the title of the film are the actors names, the actors in
the film are well known such as Jodie Foster and Anthony
Hopkins. Including their names above the title makes them
stand out which catches the audiences attention, and makes
them want to see the film knowing that these actors will be in
it and knowing that it will be good as they can act
professionally which helps the audiences to get into the
characters. Below the title we have more credits, which tells us
who the director is, who did the music, who the story is by
etc… this has the same effect as including the actors name, if
it’s a well known director producing it then chances are more
people are going to see it, doing this with well know names is
a great selling point for the film.

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S : T H E S I L E N C E O F T H E L A M B S P O S T E R
Why have I chosen to look at this poster?
I have decided to look at the silence of the lambs poster because I was interested to see the differences between this
and the Get Out poster. I also wanted to look at the more classic takes on thriller posters especially from one of the
most iconic films and looking at all the hidden meanings the images, fonts and colours represent. I have found from
the get out poster that it shows a lot more about the film than silence of the lambs does, it has images from the film
which shows quite a lot about the narrative. Whereas with the silence of the lambs it’s all hidden and represented in a
different way, we don’t know who the villain is, we don’t know who the protagonist is and we don’t know anything
about the narrative. They have left it up to the audience to figure out and I really like how they have done that, not
giving any of the plot away and leaving it a mystery for the audience.
Audience appeal
The poster appeals to the audience by the use of selective colours it uses, pretty much the whole poster is in black and
white except for the moth, the eyes and the title. This attracts the audiences attention immediately to the coloured images
signifying that they have a greater significance which leaves the audience questioning what that could be. It also appeals to
the audience by including credits of who is in the movie, the film includes some big name actors so that will attract more
audiences who are fans of their work. It also says ‘from the terrifying best seller’ having the audience know it’s based of a
best selling novel makes it appeal more to them, especially when they use the word ‘terrifying’ it draws in horror and thriller
fans of that genre. Also knowing it’s based of a novel it will grab the attention of the readers knowing that the film is based
off that book.
Style
The way the poster is designed creates this mysterious atmosphere surrounding the poster that reflects in the film, the use
of red colouring immediately indicates to the audience that this is a thriller/horror film as the connotations of the colour red
usually reflect violence and death. The way they have used shadows also contributes to the horror/thriller feel of the poster
and it shows the sense of mystery the darkness is covering up. The way they have designed the moth with the skull on the
back also represents death and it’s silencing the woman, and by having a close up of the woman’s face it shows that she will
be the main character in the narrative most likely the protagonist due to the fact she is the one being silenced therefore
symbols the lamb which indicates she is the target for the antagonist. The whole style of the poster is very classic with the
use of black and white which kind of makes it look like the exorcist poster which was also a horror film.
Summary (overview)
Overall the way the poster is designed, using different lighting and shadows as well as selective colouring I find to be very
effective as it’s eye catching to the audience and intrigues them. The poster really doesn’t give any of the plot away unless
you look deeper into it, such as the meaning to the moth and why the colouring is used. The only thing it give away is
who the protagonist is as she is on the main cover, however even then with it being a close up shot an the way the
shadows are surrounding parts of the face it’s hard to who she is. This gives the poster and the movie a sense of mystery,
not knowing exactly what to expect from the narrative when you watch it. I find using all these hidden messages and
colouring to create a poster is very clever and something I would like to apply to my own poster making it classic looking
and having a sense of mystery surrounding it. I find this to be a very effective way to get the audiences attention and
leaving them wanting to see the film.

RESEARCH ANALYSIS
What common features do the researched products have?
The common features I have found in my research for the trailers are the way they use audio and the colour grading to set the atmosphere of the scene. In Saw I
have found that they use dialogue as the main sound in the trailer and to convey to the audience the narrative of the film, I have found they have done the same in
Shutter Island as well. Both trailers rely on diegetic sounds to create a tense and suspenseful atmosphere, for example in Saw at the beginning of the film they have
that creepy laughter of the puppet the continuously gets louder setting up a jump care. In Shutter Island they have the sound of the patient shushing the character
is a creepy manner that immediately puts the audience on edge. I have found by both them using diegetic sounds it contributes a lot to getting the genre of the
film across to the audience as well as creating a tense and chilling scene. With the colour grading and lighting they have used in the trailers they both use very dull
and dark lighting, which immediately sets the scene for the trailers and it presents to the audience that the film is going to be suspenseful and dark. However, in
Saw they use a lot more dark lighting with it being more of a horror film whereas Shutter Island uses more grey shadow lighting to keep the mystery of the film and
to show it’s more of a thriller. For my Poster research I have chosen two very different styles of poster with one being made in 2017 an the other in 1991. However, I
have found some similarities such as both the posters get the genre of the film across by the use of colours that usually connotate thriller and the style of images
and the way they are presented also gets the genre across. There is quite a few differences, however, such as with Get Out poster it tells you a lot about the story,
from the slogan to the pictures used but with the silence of the lambs poster it tells you very little but still gets the appeal across to the audience.
What aspects of my research will I include in my own work?
When it comes to making my own project I plan to include a lot of features I have found in my research. From the similarities I have found between the products
I plan to apply to my own work such as using dialogue as the main sound throughout the trailer to get the narrative of the film across to my audience. I also
plan to use a lot of diegetic sounds as well to help create the atmosphere I need to get the genre of my film across as well. I also know to use a lot of low key
lighting when filming in order to keep that mystery thriller feel to my trailer and try to perfect it so it doesn’t come across as grainy. I also need to include a lot
of mis en scene in trailer such as the characters clothing, in shutter island I knew what kind of character the protagonist was by the way he was dressed and the
occupation he was in. I need to do this to my own characters in my trailer so give the audience an understanding of who they are the kind of background they
come from. In Saw as well they used newspaper clippings to convey the severity of the killer which I found to be an effective way to show the audience how long
they have been at this and how long the police have been after him. This is something I would like to do in my own trailer as I find it be very effective. When it
comes to making my poster I quite liked both the designs of the posters I had researched, I think when it comes to making it I will do draft designs so I could try
it in the style as Get Out and use stills from the trailer to feature in the poster and bold fonts for the title or I could try it like The silence of the lambs poster and
use very subtle images with hidden meanings behind it and in a black and white style. After I have done both designs I will be able to see which ones work best
or I could try and apply the two different styles together to see if that works as well.

S E C O N D A R Y A U D I E N C E R E S E A R C H
Psychological / Mystery / Thriller
Psychographic
The psychographic for the thriller genre are mainly main
stream audiences. It is for the audiences with a mature
attitude as they need that to fully understand the complex
storyline of some thrillers. The audience are also more
realists because most thrillers are set in a realistic world
with realistic expectations and rules set. With most
Psychological and thriller movies they are more
intellectually demanding, which is also why they’re for a
mature audience. Most characters featured in thrillers are
very grey meaning they have flaws which appeals more to
audiences with realistic expectations and for the characters
to be easier to connect with. Psychological and mystery
films are also aimed for people who like problem solving, it
also means that they have to pay close attention to the
storyline in order to understand the plot twists and
problem solving that applies in the films, which again links
to the genre being aimed at a much more mature
audience. The most popular psychological thriller films are
Shutter Island, Misery, the shining and a more recent film
the Joker. Psychological thrillers are still very popular today
the Joker having a 8.5/10 IMDB score which shows the
audience are very much in favour of the film and the sub-
genre being amongst the most popular in the film industry.
Age
From the chart and the general age ratings for thriller film
the age majority is 15-24 year olds. This links to the
psychographic with the audience being more mature in
order to understand and follow the narrative of thrillers,
The BBFC has rated most thrillers to be either 15s or 18s
films like The Joker is rated a 15 but in America it is R
rated meaning no one under 17 can watch it without a
guardian. The difference in age rating between UK and
America could be because the US believes the audience to
be more vulnerable to the film at a younger age whereas
in the UK they believe 15 year olds to be mature enough
to handle it. The age rating differences can be seen in
Gender
With Psychological thrillers I have
found the main gender for that
audience is females. This is
because they enjoy the story
behind the events that take place,
and it’s been shown that females
favour the intellectual side of
strange psychologically
challenging behaviour and plot
points that features in the sub-
genre. Females also tend to have
more patience with storylines
instead of just wanting to see
action scene, violence and conflict.
However there is still a lot of the
male gender who favours this sub
genre as well but the majority of
males prefer action or crime
thrillers and from my research
females seem to favour the
psychological, mystery side of the
narrative.
Why people watch this genre
Using gratification theory I have found that
audiences watch thrillers for entertainment,
information, social interaction and for personal
values. People watch thrillers to be mainly
entertained and thrilled, this allows escapism so the
audience can escape their reality and get lost in the
film. With psychological thrillers it aids conversation
and social interaction, because people like to boast
about working out the ending or discuss different
theories they have regarding the film. This is
because there is usually a clear difference between
good and evil in the genre which can influence
people to act heroically by identifying with that
character and understanding their situation.
Social grading
The largest social class that watches thrillers are in C1. From the UK box office research conducted
from the 2005-2016 audience box office, 35% of the audience are in the C1 category which is the
majority that has been to watch thrillers.C1 is the lower middle class of audiences, they are
supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative or professional. The second social class of
which the majority of audience watches thrillers are grades A and B with 30% audience rating on the
chart only 5% less than C1. Audiences in the A social class are upper middle class and those in B are
middle class. However looking at the audience rating for every genre in the chart it shows the majority
of audiences for every genre is the C1 class all being just over 30%. This shows that C1 audiences
favour movies the most as they are the majority that watches them.
Ethnicity
In Psychological/mystery/thriller films they change ethnicity based of their
points of origin. Japanese thriller films usually cast Japanese actors. In
American thrillers they usually cast white Americans, however now they
have started to include more diverse casts in their films such as Get Out, Us
and antebellum all having a much more diverse set of cast, In classic thriller
films the main leads were usually male, this has also changed with females
now being some of the main leads or having the same amount as
importance as the male character instead of just being a love interest
Although the casting all does dependently rely on the narrative of the film
and who that character is and where they came from. Just like if the film was
based in Japan it would have a Japanese cast, if the film was in Ireland then
the cast would be Irish. I find it better to stay true to the characters origin
rather than casting someone who tries to put on an accent as sometimes

SAW
Gender
Saw is a mystery/horror film, horrors attract the male
gender rather than the female due to the suspense and
violence that feature in horrors. With Saw it also attracts
the male audience due to the extreme violence and gore
that occurs in the film. From my research violent films
appeal more to men than they do woman, however with
this film there is a lot of violence but the main appeal is
the plot and trying to find how you, the audience, would
get out of the situation the victims are in. Due to this it
can also appeal to woman as well looking back at my
research for psychological thriller genre, I have found
that woman prefer that genre more than men because
you get to solve problems. Although the main target
audience for Saw is the Male audience it can also appeal
to woman as well.
Age
The BBFC age rating for Saw is an 18, this means no
one under that age rating is allowed to watch the
film. This is due to the explicit violence and gore
shown in the movie and this will have an effect on
younger audiences such as giving them nightmares
or making them feel uneasy. The reason it’s targeted
at older audiences is because the brains more
mature and is able to handle the violence, they are
also more aware that the film is fiction no matter
how real it looks. Most horror films are rated 15s or
18s, it’s usually slasher films that have explicit
violence in such as Scream and Halloween that are
rated 18s. Usually supernatural horrors stay below
that and are rated 15s due to the lack of explicit
content in most of the films.
Social grading
The social grading for horror films is C1. C1 is the social
middle class and they are the majority of people who watch
films, according to the research made from the UK box office
from 2005-2016 32% of the C1 audience watch horror films
which is the majority of people. Looking back at my genre
audience research a similar amount from the C1 social
grading also watch thriller films as well. Saw appeals to them
because of all the horror conventions the film uses such as
jump scares, tension building scenes and a lot of violence. All
aspects of what horror films need to be able to fit under that
genre.
Observation
From this research I have found that the main
target audience for Saw is the male audience, and
the age the film is targeting are people over 18
due to the explicit content in the film. I have also
found that the social grading that watches the
most horrors which includes this film are C1 which
is the social middle class. Knowing this has helped
me get an understanding of the differences and
similarities between the thriller audience and
horror audience, which will help me when it comes
to making project as I Know the line between the
two genres. For example if I include too many
jump scares or create an atmosphere through my
trailer that looks like a horror the I know that I
have gone over to the horror genre instead of
thriller. I need to make sure to include some
intense scenes but ultimately make the trailer a
thriller as that is the target audience I am aiming
at.
What this says about my
audience
This gives me an idea of different
horror aspects I can include to
appeal to this audience in my own
project. I am ultimately aiming to
make a psychological thriller but I
can include some horror elements
such as suspense scenes or jump
scares in order to appeal to both
audiences. I have also found that
audiences that are fans of the
horror genre also has similar
interests as the thriller fans as well, I
know they like intense scenes,
violence and problem solving
scenes so that is something I can
include in my own work.
How will my product
appeal to this audience
Although I plan to make a thriller
trailer, looking at Saw which is a
horror helps me see the
differences and similarities
between the two audiences for
the genre. This allows me to
include aspects from what I have
found from this audience
research to my own work such as
I know only to include a certain
level of violence to avoid an 18
rated film, I know the social
grading I am aiming the trailer at
is C1 which I have found that
both watch horror and thriller
movies, so I can apply aspects of
horror to my own work to appeal
to them more.

SHUTTER ISLAND
Gender
The gender of the audience who watches shutter
island can be either male or female as the film is for
anyone who likes mystery, and makes you
constantly question what is happening and what is
going to happen next. Females may be watching it
due to the cast such as Leonardo DiCaprio who has
quite a big fanbase, mainly made up of females.
However, females may also be drawn to the film due
to the complexity of the narrative as well as males,
and males may be more drawn to it due to the
protagonist being male and it might be a character
they can relate to and sympathise with. Overall, I
believe this film to attract both audience genders.
Age
Shutter Island is rated a 15, however due to the
complexity of the storyline and the length of the film I
think it aims at more 17-30 year olds. You need to
follow the storyline closely in order to comprehend
what is going on and understand the twist at the end
and to do that the audience needs to be patient
especially in scenes that are just dialogue based. This
is why I think the film more aims at the older
audience because I don’t think the younger audience
has the patience to understand it and they might get
a but bored with the build up of the narrative, the
won’t be able to appreciate the film fully. I think the
reason it is rated a 15 is because unlike Saw it doesn’t
have any explicit violence or anything in it to get an
18 age rating, it does have bad language but that is
common in 15 rated films.
Social grading
The social class for the majority of audiences that
watched thrillers are C1. However with this film it’s all
based on the plot. For example skilled manual workers
and supervisory or clerical people might not find the film
enjoyable. However because the majority of people who
watch films in the UK are from the social middle class I
do think they’ll enjoy this film due to it’s originality of the
narrative and the complexity of it I think film fanatics
who are from the C1 social grading will enjoy this movie
more.
Observation
From my research I have found that the
film is aimed at both the male and
female gender, the age rating for the
film is a 15 but the film itself is more
aimed at a more older audience due to
the plot. I have also found the social
grading for the film are audiences that
are part of the C1 social class. I find that
the audience that watch Shutter Island
like mystery films with an intricate plot,
They also like a challenge to try and
find out why the patient has gone
missing or to work out the plot twist at
the end. From this research, it gives me
a better understanding about who I am
appealing to for my own project as
Shutter Island is in the same genre I
plan to make mine in.
What this says about my
audience
This shows that my audience
are fans of mystery films, a
narrative that always keeps
you guessing and wondering
what will happen next. It also
shows that I will appealing
both genders rather than just
one which makes my
audience much broader to
appeal to. I have also found
that I’m aiming my own
project at a older audience so
I can include some mature
scenes in my trailer in order
to appeal to them and not to
a younger audience.
How will my product
appeal to this audience
Knowing the age of my
audience I am appealing to
as well as the gender and
social class it helps me know
what I can include in my
work that will appeal to
them. For example I need to
convey through my trailer a
compelling and gripping
narrative that gives off a
sense of mystery in order for
it to appeal to my audience, I
also need to include scenes
that conveys clearly that my
trailer is a thriller in order for
my audience to know what
type of film it will be,

P R I M A R Y A U D I E N C E R E S E A R C H : S U R V E Y
Observation
From the survey I have conducted I have received 27 responses, my first question I asked my audience is what is there gender. Asking this gives me an
idea of who exactly my audience will be and more about their preferences. From the graph I can see that 66.7% of my audience is female and 33.3%
are male. This shows that the majority of my audience is female.
What this says about my audience
This shows that the majority of the audience watching my trailer will be female, this means I need to include different aspects that will appeal to them
but also with 33.3% of males watching and I have found that thriller movies appeal to both men and woman so I need to include elements in my trailer
that appeal to them both.
How will my product appeal to this audience?
Knowing that the majority of my audience is female will help me get a better understanding of how I can include aspects in my trailer that will appeal
to them for example, my main protagonist can be female and I can make her someone the audience can relate to and sympathise with this way it
appeals to them more, I will also appeal to the male audience as well as thriller generally appeals to all genders and the plot I have planned I think will

PRIMARY AUDIENCE RESEARCH
Observation
For my second question I asked my audience what their age is, by asking this I get an idea of how mature
my audience is and what I can include in my trailer that will appeal to their age range. There is a lot of
mixed ages from my audience the most common age is between 18 to 30s. I don’t have anyone younger
than 17which shows that I am appealing to quite a mature audience that are mostly adults.
This shows that I am appealing to a mature audience, knowing this shows that they will probably expect a
interesting plot with twists rather than just a very simple storyline that is easy to follow, it also shows that I
need to make my trailer look mature so whether I imply something violent to happen or some more
mature language in my trailer it needs to appeal to the grown up audience and I need to make it clear that
the film will not be for kids.
Knowing that I am appealing to an adult audience I know that they will most likely expect a more mature
film, so I need to make my plot of the film interesting to them so it can’t be just a simple straightforward
plot, it needs to imply that twists will happen in the narrative and not everything is like it seems, a bit like
the Shutter Island trailer, I can also include more mature themes such as hinting at a lot of violence or
including some mature language that will appeal to that audience age range. I think the most important
thing, however, is getting the plot across.

Observation
My third question I asked my audience was what age rating would they expect a thriller film to be. The majority of my audience have said a 15 with 44.44% votes
however it was close between a 15 age rating and an 18 with 37.04% votes for an 18. This shows that my audience expect quite a mature film with quite graphic violence
and some mature language. They also probably expect an intricate plot with quite complex storylines and characters. This again links to my audiences own ages with
them being between 18-30 year olds they most likely expect a 15 or 18 age rating for a thriller film.
This shows that my audience is expecting some quite mature themes in my trailer, they expect a thriller film to either be a 15 or an 18 and usually in those types of films
especially 18 there is a lot of graphic scenes and mature language used. Without asking my audience ages this also implies their age knowing that they watch films rated
15s or 18s show that they are an older audience. However after asking their ages I did expect this kind of outcome for this answer.
For my trailer I didn’t really plan on making an 18 rated kind of thriller, just because I think I can convey the plot and themes of the trailer through a15 rated film. I don’t
think it’s necessary for the type of trailer I am making for it to be an 18. This also means that making it a 15 I have a much larger target audience to appeal to, however
knowing that my audience are ages 18-30 this just gives the option for a younger audience over 15 to watch the trailer as well so it appeals to both my target audience

Observation
My fourth question I asked my audience was how much violence they expect to see in a thriller, this just helps me know whether they expect a
lot of violence or not. Quite a big majority says they expect some but not over the top violence and only 14.80% said they expect quite a lot. This
shows they’re more interested in the plot rather than explicit violent scenes.
This shows that my audience aren’t that bothered about violence in the film, they want to see some because it is a thriller but they don’t expect a
lot. This shows that they’re more interested in the plot of the film than anything else and they probably expect some deaths considering they
want to see some violence.
In my trailer I plan to show some violence such as some dead bodies that have been murdered. However, I mostly plan on keeping my trailer
narrative based so conveying the basic outline of the plot for my trailer rather than showing loads of violence which my audience expects not to
see a lot of, so I won’t include loads of violence in my trailer.

PRIMARY AUDIENCE RESEARCH: SURVEY
Observation
The fifth question I asked my audience was what types of character traits they look for in a protagonist, this question will help me when it comes
to creating my protagonist so I know what traits to give them that will appeal to my audience. From the responses I have the biggest trait I have
conducted is that they need to be relatable and likeable and quite few said they have flaws and show human like emotions so not a superhero
type of protagonist.
This shows that my audience wants someone to relate to and are believable. They want to see protagonist that has morals but can also go into
the dark sometimes so they are in the grey area, sometimes you won’t agree with the choices they make because it might not be morally right
but that’s what makes them believable and likeable because not everyone is perfect and we make choices that some people might not like.
Now knowing what type of protagonist traits my audience looks for I can apply some of those traits to my own protagonist. This will make my
trailer more appealing to them because if they connect with the character they most likely will want to see the actual film. To do this I need to
convey who my character is and try to channel as much of their personality through my trailer. I can do this through mis en scene and the
clothes they are wearing to the dialogue and the emotion the character shows.

Observation
My sixth question I asked my audience as what film in the thriller genre they liked. I asked this because I wanted to get an idea of what type of
thrillers are their favourite so if I find a common answer or theme with the films they have voted I can apply it to my own work. A theme I have
found with the films my audience have chose is that most of them are in the mystery /psychological thriller genre, with films like Gone girl, the
shining, seven and misery. This also gives me an understanding of what kind of plot the like and from the looks of it they like complex plots that
constantly keep you questioning and on edge.
This shows what type of films my audience likes to watch and from the feedback I have got I can tell that my audience likes films that have an
interesting and complex narrative that feature complex and compelling characters. The most brought up film mention was the mystery thriller
seven which kept people constantly question what was going to happen so I know my audience likes narratives that keep you on edge and
always makes you think.
Knowing the most common answer to my question was the film Seven, my plot I plan to make is actually quite similar to seven’s plot with the
serial killer murdering people according to the seven deadly sins, However, I am on the serial killer theme my plot will be a bit different but I still
think it will appeal to this audience if they like the movie Seven.

Observation
For my seventh question I asked my audience what their favourite sub genre of thriller was. This will help me know what sub genre they favour so I can try and make my
own trailer fit their chosen genre,. From my results, I have found that the majority of my audience prefer psychological thrillers, when I asked the question I only included
sub genres I was able to actually make so no matter which one the chose it was do able for me to produce.
Because my audience prefers psychological thrillers this shows that they like complex and intriguing plots that messes with your mind making you think it’s one thing
when it’s actually the other. I think out of all the sub genres in thriller psychological thrillers are the most popular because there’s so much you can do with the narrative
in that genre, you can string people along and mess with their heads and by the end of the film everything that has happened will be explained in this complex way that
will all makes sense in the end.
Knowing that my audience favours psychological thrillers, that is the sub genre I am going to base my trailer on. Originally is was going to be more a mystery thriller but
knowing that they prefer psychological thrillers I can make my plot like that because my basic outline for it I can still do under this genre because I find that Psychological
and mystery thrillers can be quite similar.

P R I M A R Y A U D I E N C E R E S E A R C H

Observation
The final question I asked my audience was from any film who there favourite villain was and why. I asked this so I can see
what qualities there favourite villains have that I can apply to my own and I wanted to see if there was any common
answers to my question. The most common answer I have got was the Joker, whether it be Heath Ledger’s version or
Joaquin Phoenix’s they are both compelling villains. Another common answer I got was Darth Vader the similarities
between both The Joker and Darth Vader are their both misunderstood characters I find and there is reasoning behind
why they are the villain.
This shows that my audience likes interesting and complex antagonists that have a reasoning behind why the are like that,
they also need to have a good motive as to why they are targeting the protagonist and why they do villainous acts.
Knowing this shows that my audience liked to understand the character and why they do the things they do and they find
them interesting and compelling to watch. I think it also depends on the actor who play the villain as well because they
also need to come off as compelling and realistic in their portrayal.
Knowing what type of villains my audience likes and the reason behind why they like them has given me ideas of the type
of villain I can create in my film, for example I know that they like villains that in some way you can sympathise with and
have a good reasoning behind why they are doing what they doing. When it comes to making my trailer I need to try and
make my villain compelling to the audience and hint at the reasons they are doing it without giving the whole movie plot
away.

INTERVIEW 1: WENDY ROBERTSON
Question 1: “What appeals to you most in thriller films?”
Answer 1: “ I think probably the plot and the Characters, I like watch thriller movie with interesting characters in
because they also make the plot interesting as well.”
Question 2: “When you watch a trailer for a thriller movie, what aspects in that trailer would make you want to
see the film”
Answer 2: “ They need to have an interesting plot that looks like it’s actually going somewhere, also I sometimes
watch films just because some actors are in it as well so if I saw an actor I liked in the trailer then I would
probably see the film.”
Question 3: “In thriller movies, what tropes of the films tend to annoy you the most?”
Answer 3: “Probably well this is mostly in crime thrillers, but when a detective is trying to find something and
the answer is literally right there in front them. It just annoys me when characters are supposed to be smart but
they act dumb,”

Observation: From my questions I have asked I have found that what appeals to them in a thriller film is mainly the
plot and the characters as they find that sometimes the characters drive the plot. I have also found that when they
watch a trailer some of the main aspects that makes them want to watch the actual film is the plot and the actor
that features in the movie. Then finally I found out what annoys them the most when they watch a thriller which I
found out to be when a character is supposed to be smart yet they act dumb just to make the plot of the film drag
out.
What this says about my audience: This shows that my audience wants to see a compelling narrative with good
complex characters, it also shows that if the character in the film is meant to be a certain way then they should stick
to that and not all of a sudden change it just for the plot, Mainly what I have found is that they watch movies based
of compelling characters and a good driven plot.
How will my product appeal to this audience: Because I know that they watch thrillers based on the plot and
characters to appeal to them I need to make interesting characters that always stick to how their personality is
meant to be, and I need to make an interesting and intriguing plot for them to want to watch it. However, I can’t
appeal to them by getting actors that they know to star in my trailer because that just isn’t possible.

INTERVIEW 1: TONI POWELL
Question 1: “What appeals to you most in thriller films?”
Answer 1: “ The plot and the suspense, also I like jump scares as well does that count in thriller? Or is that
horror? ”
Question 2: “When you watch a trailer for a thriller movie, what aspects in that trailer would make you want to
see the film”
Answer 2: “ The plot of the film needs to be interesting if it looks boring I wouldn’t watch it, but if it looks
interesting I would.”
Question 3: “In thriller movies, what tropes of the films tend to annoy you the most?”
Answer 3: “So I have watched a lot of thrillers where the main character knows who has done it but no one
believes them even though the evidence is right there like it’s so obvious, that really annoys me,”

Observation: For my interview I have asked my audience questions to do with thriller movies, my first question was what appeals
to them in thrillers. I have found that the plot of the film as well as the suspense it creates appeals to them most, they also asked if
thrillers can have jump scares in which they can which also adds to the suspense they like in the film. I also asked them what
aspects in a trailer makes them want to see the film and they said that they would only go see it of the plot of film looked
interesting. Then the final question I asked them was what tropes in thriller movies annoy them the most and they replied with
when the character is trying to convince the other characters who the bad guy is and they don’t believe them.
What this says about my audience: This shows that in thriller films the thing that appeals to my audience the most is the narrative
of the movie, they said that they would only watch the film if the story appeals to them through the trailer. They also said they find
it annoying when a character can’t convince other characters who the bad guy is even though it’s plainly obvious I believe some
films do this purely to drag the
plot along and it can be quite frustrating which is something I will avoid when making my own project.
How will my product appeal to this audience: Knowing that my audience will only watch the film based of the plot that is shown
through the trailer, I have to try and show the basic plot of the film without revealing the whole movie at the same time, because
sometimes you get trailers that just reveal pretty everything that will happen in the film and you feel like you’ve seen it all after the
trailer ends, I need to avoid doing that but at the same time I need to make the plot appealing to them.

SUBJECT RESEARCH: CAMERA ANGLES
Extreme wide shot
A shot in which figures appear small in the landscape. Often used at the beginning of a film or sequence as an
‘establishing shot’ to show where the action is taking place. Can also be used to make a person appear isolated or small.
Eye level
The camera is positioned so the subject can look directly into the lens without moving their eyes up or down,
Birds eye
This shot is taken well above the height of the subject, it’s often used as an establishing shot to set the location of the
scene in the film, they can also use it to capture actions or objects that can be obscured by other figures in a normal
shot.
High angle
Taken from well above the height of the subject, the high angle shot establishes the dominance of the subject.
Low anlge
The low angle shot, taken from taken from the below the eye level of the subject, gives the opposite impression if the
high angle shot. It makes the subject appear dominant or in charge.
Dutch Tilt
The Dutch tilt is achieved by tilting the camera so the horizon is no longer level. Used judiciously, it can provide an
unusual or dramatic perspective.
Depth of field
This refers to how much of the shot seems to be in focus, in front of and behind the subject.
Over-the-Shoulder Shot
A shot in which we see a character or main object over another’s shoulder, often used in interviews or dialogues.
Extreme close-up
From just above the eyebrows to just below the mouth, or even closer: used to emphasize facial expression or to make
the subject appear threatening.

S U B J E C T R E S E A R C H : F I L M T E R M I N O L O GY
Dialogue
Dialogue is the most important part of a film because it changes the way we watch and perceive the movie. Dialogue hints at underlying aspects of
a character and mentions things that may be important later in the film, it is also an important way to get to know the characters personality as well.
Editing
Video editing is important because it is the key to blending images and sounds to make us feel emotionally connected and sometimes truly there in
the film we’re watching. If there is a mistake in the movie then editors can just edit it out or tell the director that they may need to re shoot the
scene.
Plot
Plot connects events for the audience. Plot gives flow and purpose to the story, a sense of continuity. This can make the story seem more plausible,
because the audience feels that events are connected, causally or thematically, and not just random or contrived occurrences. Plot starts the story
with a bang.
Abstract (form)
A type of film that rejects traditional narrative in favour of using poetic form (colour, motion, sound, irrational images, etc.) to convey its meaning or
feeling; aka non-linear.
Archetype
A character, place, or thing, that is repeatedly presented in films with a particular style or characterization; an archetype usually applies to a specific
genre or type classification.
Atmosphere
Refers to any concrete or nebulous quality or feeling that contributes a dimensional tone to a film's action.
Character study
A film that uses strong characterizations, interactions and the personalities of its characters to tell a story, with plot and narrative almost secondary
to them
Conventions
The expected elements in a type of film, without question, thought, or judgment

LOCKDOWN ACTION PLAN
Problem Solution
I don’t have a proper camera to film my footage, due to
lockdown I won’t be able to use the college cameras or
equipment.
If lockdown is still happening when it comes to production
I will have to use my phone to film all my footage, I have
done this with my year 1 project and the quality turned out
well just not as good as it could have been on a canon
camera. I can also record audio on my phone, which can
come out clear, I also have a stand to rest my phone on
instead of a tripod.
I won’t be able to go far out on location so I will be
restricted to only certain areas I am allowed to film in.
I have planned my trailer so I won’t need to go on location
that is really far away, the place I will be filming at the most
will be my house and the park next to it which is only a two
minute walk so I wont be breaking any lockdown rules by
traveling far.
I can only film with two people outside my family bubble,
which will be a struggle with actors and filming.
For my trailer I planned to have just about 4 people on set,
because I was aware that they might be a lockdown I was
going to play the main character in my trailer in case I
couldn’t get any other actors to come. I was going to set
the camera up and get someone in my family to film it by
telling them where to position the camera and everything,
and I had a plan on how to have less people in it because
the main focus is only on 2 characters if necessary those 2
characters will be the only people shown in it.
I don’t have the software such as premiere or photoshop
to edit and put together my project at home.
When I first began my FMP I made a vlog of different
websites and apps I can use in case lockdown did happen
and I can’t use any adobe software. I had found editing
websites where I can put footage together and do
transitions, it doesn’t give me as much options as premiere
does but it does put everything together. I had also found
a website that is very similar to photoshop as well. If these
websites don’t work then I also planned to do a free trial

M A K I N G A C O M P E L L I N G A N T A G O N I S T
Dark knight’s Joker
Competing for the same goal as the protagonist
Having the antagonist and protagonist competing for the same goal might seem
strange, however their goals within this shared desire can be entirely opposing. This is
shown in The Dark Knight as the Joker and Batman are both competing for ‘the soul of
Gotham.’ It is equally important to the Joker that Gotham City descends into anarchy
and chaos as it is to Batman that the city is hopeful and has Law and order. By creating
a protagonist and antagonist who are competing for the same goal, it automatically
creates a narrative where they are forced to continually cross paths and enter into a
conflict.
Stakes are personal
There is a number of films where the antagonist’s goal is to destroy the city or planet
and the audience is always reasonably sure that the antagonist will fail because of this.
However, in The Dark Knight stakes are less high as the Joker doesn’t want to destroy
the city or the planet he is trying to take over Gotham and only a relatively small
number of lives are at stake. But this makes the film even more interesting because at
every stage of the film it’s plausible that Batman will loose.
Attacking the hero’s greatest weakness
One of the aspects that makes The Joker ‘the ultimate antagonist’ is his obvious and
deep understanding of Batman, and how he tailors his attacks to target Batman’s
weaknesses. Batman’s strength is his physical power, and therefore the Joker conspires
to turn this into his biggest weakness through making scenarios where this power is
nullified. Batman also refuses to kill and the only way he can stop the Joker is by
breaking his moral code, creating an interesting dilemma in the protagonist’s character
arc.
Pressuring the protagonist into difficult choices
The Joker pushes Batman to his personal limits, as he threatens him with further
murders if he doesn’t surrender and reveal his true identity. The Joker works to force
Batman to reveal his true character- not only who he is under the mask, but what he is
and isn’t willing to endure, and the sacrifices he is willing to make for Gotham. He is
forced to accept that he is not willing to sacrifice Rachel and this conflicts with the
moral duty he feels towards Gotham City.
The protagonist should be affected by the antagonist
Batman at the end of the film is not the same character he was at the beginning, due to
the impact of the Joker’s actions and their relationship. He ends the film as ‘The dark
knight’ and this is the direct result of the pressures and challenges forced on him by the
Creating a compelling antagonist tips
1. Treat your Antagonist like a human being
An Antagonist should be somebody you hate to love. Audiences should be able to
relate to the antagonist in some way, no matter how big a villain they are. They
should not be an unrealistic, cackling, beard stroking black hat type of villain which is
unrealistic and even a little boring. The best antagonists have complex personalities,
hidden depths, and have moments of sympathy or even kindness or at the very least
have some admirable or “Good” qualities to them, even if time or tragedy has
altered their traits towards darkness. Ambition can be a humanizing trait for an
antagonist. Everybody has goals, and the willpower to accomplish them by any
means necessary can be compelling and even admirable, even in a villainous
character. In another story, this might make a character like this the hero – it’s only
when their goals impede the protagonists own ambitions that they became an
antagonist and it’s when they go too far to achieve their ends that become a true
villain.
2. Make them a hero in their own mind
The antagonist should never be truly evil, at least in their own mind. In the
antagonists mind they are the hero, they’re doing the right thing, or doing what they
think needs to be done. Their goals are righteous, their means justified or at least a
necessary evil. And the so called heroes trying to stop them are their antagonist,
their personal villain that must be defeated at all costs. If the story is being told from
multiple viewpoints then the antagonist should have a POV as well. The events of the
narrative needs to be described from their perspectives, particularly the actions of
the protagonist. This gives the audience a unique insight to the character and helps
humanize them.
3. Describe the antagonists ambition
The antagonist needs a plan – a plan that once set in motion will force the heroes to
act in order to prevent a catastrophe. Their ambition should be a powerful force in
the narrative, and their actions in service of this ambition impede the hero in their
own quest. Their ambitions is what brings them into conflict with the heroes of their
respective stories. Ambition is the key to what actually makes the character an
antagonist.
4. Make them a menace
In order for the audience to take the antagonist seriously, they need to be
established as a genuine threat. In some parts they could win against the hero or
accomplish some small part of their master plan. If there is fighting in the film make

M A K I N G A C O M P E L L I N G P R O T A G O N I S T
Creating a memorable protagonist
Giving the protagonist a clear purpose or goal
Looking at some protagonist examples, we can see that every main character has something driving their choices and actions – a cause or a goal.
- Frodo Baggins cause: Destroy one ring and defeat the fascist Sauron – from The Lord of The Rings
- Amy Dunne’s cause: retain power in her relationship by any means – From Gone Girl
- Bruce Wayne’s cause: To bring order and Justice to Gotham City- From the Dark Knight trilogy
In each of these protagonists examples the characters actions demonstrates an underlying goal. Protagonists also don’t necessarily need to be good or sympathetic. In each case, there are
unknowns that make the character’s goals more intriguing. How will an easy-going Hobbit confront terrifying malevolent forces? What will Amy do to maintain the upper hand over
husband Nick and her way? How will Batman maintain order and justice against an antagonist with opposing goals? For a clear cause for the protagonist, there needs to be complications
for the main character.
They’re the focus
The protagonist needs to be the stories focal point. However, the ‘focal point’ doesn’t mean they have to be the hero or the main character of the story, sometimes the story doesn’t need
to be told from their point of view. Instead being the focal point means that the protagonist is the primary catalyst creating change in the story, thereby advancing the plot. They should
also be someone the audience can identify with. For example with Great Gatsby, who is the protagonist? Nick or Gatsby himself? The answer would be Gatsby as he is the catalyst,
changing not only the course of the story but also the lives of all the surrounding characters. The audience’s focus is on Gatsby, and their primary concern is with the outcome of his
journey. While Nick has a role to play in the story, he is not the protagonist, even though he’s the point of view character.
They resolve the conflict
To be the protagonist they must be the one to resolve the story’s plot. This goes beyond making the character a ‘Chosen one’ through prophecies and special symbols, and even beyond
giving them special powers. Instead, a good protagonist is one whose unique qualities as a person- gained through their growth overt the course of their story- make them the best
equipped to resolve the climax. Foe example, Katniss Everdeen fulfils her role as the protagonist in the Hunger Games because of her intelligence and strong spirit. In the pivotal moment
at the end of the games, she’s the only person who would sacrifice her life to deny the Capitol a winner. While the protagonist may be just an ordinary person, their particular personality,
qualities, and experiences should set them up to resolve the conflict in the story in their own unique way. Essentially, they must be the deciding factor in the story’s finale, or they aren’t the
protagonist.
Their arc shapes the conflict
A good protagonists character arc will be the most in depth and relevant arc throughout the story. This is because their arc should be driven by the conflict of the story, and their ability to
resolve that conflict will hinge on their growth as a character. Often, that growth will also affect the character arcs of those around them. For instance in Schindler’s list, Oskar’s entire arc is
based on his growth from greedy and self-serving, to self-less. By the end of the movie, he is willing to sacrifice not only his fortune, but his own safety to help the Jews he employs. His
character arc is profoundly affected by the conflict of the story- the execution of the Jews- but this arc is also what allows him to resolve his conflict. This should also apply to the
protagonist in any film.
They symbolize the theme of the story
The protagonist should embody the themes of the story. While at times, even though it’s quite basic the theme of the story is the lesson, moral, or question it asks the audiences. Whether
that’s the value of courage, trust, or something more complex. Regardless of what the theme is, the protagonist is the key in communicating that theme to the audience through their
character arc and behaviour- though they can act as a cautionary tale, as well. For example, a story about humility is well served by a protagonist who starts out head strong and
aggressive, such as Thor. Thor begins his first film as a self-important prince, believing he deserves the throne and the power that comes with it simply due to his birth right. Through the
trials and challenges he faces, he learns to put others before himself and be gracious with the power he’s been blessed with, finally earning his title. This makes him perfectly embody the
themes of humility put forth by the movie.
They excite you
The final point to making a compelling protagonist is they need to excite the author of the story or film. For many writes it’s easy to get caught up in the first idea, committing to a
character that isn’t your favourite simply because it’s planned for them to be the protagonist from the beginning. When writing a protagonist, you need to feel driven to write about them.

T H E M E O F R E V E N G E
How this theme works in my plot
For my actual plot and reasoning behind why the killer is doing what
he is doing, murdering people and leaving puzzle boxes for the
detective to find, is because he wants revenge and justice. However,
because I am making a trailer, not a film, I can’t give the whole plot
away so the basis as to why he is doing it won’t be fully conveyed in
the trailer for my audience to fully know but it will be hinted at. My
plan is for the killers backstory, is he was wrongly accused for murder
by the detective he is giving puzzle boxes to and he was put away to
jail for 20 years so he has essentially wasted 20 years of his life because
the detective found falsely planted evidence that lead back to him.
However, the detective then found the real murderer and the man
wrongly accused was released. The wrongly accused man wants
revenge on the detective for wasting his life, so he goes and murders
people who are actually murder convicts and leaves puzzles for the
detective to find as a way to show her up, if she can’t solve them and
another person dies then that puts the blame on her in his head. In the
end, he wants the detective to live with all these murders on her hands
because she can’t solve a puzzle due to the fact he had to live with a
murder on his hands that he was falsely accused of. In his head, he is
his own hero because he is killing people who he believes deserves to
die all the while getting revenge on the detective that imprisoned him.
The way I plan to hint at this theme and plot in my trailer is by the
narrative dialogue I plan to use which will mainly come from the killer. I
plan to write a whole speech in my script that hints at the reason they
are killing people and why he is targeting her to solve the puzzles.
Theme of revenge
The Roman Poet, Juvenal, once said that ‘Revenge is always
the weak pleasure of a little and narrow mind.’ Most people
would agree that revenge is an abhorrent human need that
can only satisfy narrow-minded people. Even though, we
know revenge will generally not bring us much satisfaction,
we still continually lust for taking revenge on someone. It’s
because revenge is such a natural part of human nature that
writers often use it as their theme. Revenge can easily be an
awe inspiring theme for a plot because it is something that all
people can relate to, whether they know it or not. The
suspense from it not knowing whether they’ll get their
revenge on not is the thing that keeps the audience on the
edge of their seats. When you watch a movie you want it to
capture your attention immediately. Revenge is one of those
themes that can easily be used to grasp the audience. It I
always an exhilarating theme to watch because it can bring
out so much in a character. It will often be used to bring out
the worst in people. It can make people go mad, and it can
even completely consume them. It can bring people to an
extreme point on life, and this is what makes it so fascinating.
In the movie, Straw Dogs, the protagonist, Dustin Hoffman,
goes to such an extreme. After Hoffman’s wife is taken
advantage of, he begins to slip into the abyss of madness. He
wants revenge, and it escalates quickly into a bloody battle. In
Shakespeare's Hamlet, Shakespeare is able to use revenge in
such a skilful way that gives us a deep insight into the
characters. It is an excellent play that shows the complexities
of humans. When Hamlet finally gets his revenge, we as the
audience feel satisfied even though it came at the cost of his
life. However, even though it is not our life, stories have the
power to make us feel more satisfied about our own need for
vengeance.

T H E M E O F R E V E N G E
How to not do a revenge plot (The last of us II)
The theme of revenge can sometimes be overused and can get a bit boring if it’s the same generic revenge plot that has been seen countless of times in films. As
an example of how not to do a revenge plot I will be looking at the Last of us II videogame and seeing where they went wrong, despite controversy on the
narrative I believe this to be a poor, generic attempt at a revenge narrative just to introduce a new character, to me the story is wholly unsatisfying and it just falls
flat. To many people the story is far too long and structurally awkward, we see the main character die not even an hour into the game by this random character
we don’t even know because they hadn’t introduced her properly or explained the reasoning behind why she killed Joel, the main character from the first game.
We only find out why she did it, after playing 12 hours as Ellie, the other main character from the first game who is essentially Joel’s adopted daughter, who goes
on a revenge spree trying to find the Abby, the person who killed Joel. By the time we find out why she did it, I simply stopped caring, I’ve already played 12
hours of Ellie trying to lead up to her getting revenge only for it to switch POVs to Abby for another 12 hours, a character I have come to hate just becomes
dragged on.
There’s flashbacks within flashbacks trying to build up Abby’s character and they try so desperately hard for the audience to like her I just couldn’t. For example,
when you play as Ellie you are forced to kill her Dog, when you play as Abby you get to play with the dog, the favouritism is so obvious between the two
characters. Both characters narratives lead back to each other once Abby has found out that Ellie had killed (in total self defence) Abby’s pregnant friend who Ellie
didn’t know at the time was pregnant. So Abby then finds Ellie and is about to kill Ellie’s pregnant girlfriend actually knowing she is pregnant it was only until Lev,
Abby’s other friend told her to stop that she didn’t. The difference between the characters is that although Ellie is lead by revenge, she actually has remorse she
instantly regretted killing Abby’s pregnant friend even in self defence she didn’t know she was pregnant, Abby fully aware that Ellie’s girlfriend was pregnant was
just going to kill her. This is why and many other reasons, that no matter how long I spend playing as Abby she is a bad character at this point you don’t know
whether she’s a ‘protagonist’ or an ‘antagonist’, she isn’t a good character and you can tell that the writers were trying so hard to make her be but it just wasn’t
done well.
Once, Abby finds Ellie she beats her up and lets her go for plot reasons, that don’t entirely make sense. The game then time skips forward to just over a year and
Ellie is suffering from PTSD and leaves her girlfriend and son to go out for revenge again. This is the point where I just didn’t care anymore the narrative is
unnecessarily dragged out, by the end I was hoping there would be an actual pay off. There wasn’t. After a very long and tedious fight after finding Abby again,
who had been tortured, Ellie loses her two fingers, loses her mothers knife, loses her girlfriend and son and is basically left broken. All because of this horribly
dragged out revenge plot that was executed so poorly. This is an example of how to not do a revenge plot, the structure of the game was a mess, the narrative
can either be linear or non-linear for a revenge plot it’s usually linear as it follows a series of events leading up to the protagonist at the climax moment in the
story. Having flashbacks randomly placed in different points in the narrative can be very confusing and The last of us II, all though a video game is an example of
this. There was also hardly any character development with the characters, there was side characters in the games you didn’t even know the name of but the main
characters acted shocked when they died but you were left confused not knowing who they were. Overall, The Last of us 2 to me was one of the worst revenge
narratives and plots I have had to sit through, it’s unsatisfying to the audience, and I now you can’t always please the audience but that is what films, books and
games are made for; the audience. The reason why I looked at this game in particular, is because I believe it to be a good example to look at how not to do a
revenge plot and why it’s important to follow a linear narrative and make a story that give the audience pay off and so they feel satisfied at the end of the film.

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