Brief

My name is Jack Cox and I am currently in my second year of studying A-Level Media Studies at Rooks Heath College. Our coursework this year was to create a range of media products to promote a horror film; a trailer, a poster and a feature on a magazine front cover. The first stage of our project consisted of researching our target audience and horror/slasher films as a whole. We did this through many different platforms, including online questionnaire, QuestionPro and a focus group. We distributed our online questionnaire via social media as it would reach a high number of other people on the particular media platform, ensuring that we had a high number of respondents. The questionnaire and focus group however was only a small portion of our pre-production research stage, as we had to analyse existing horror film trailers, posters and magazines. As well as this, our research included a history on the genre, which included film movements such as Film Noir and German Expressionism, as well as analysing narrative patterns that reoccur within films in the same genre. 

When our research was completed, the planning stage of our ancillary tasks took place. This included creating storyboards for our trailer, the casting of our actors, location scouting and creating a synopsis. 

When we were fully planned, we were ready to create our trailer, and go out on set to film. As well as this being a stressful period, I am pleased to say I had a lot of fun in the creation of my slasher film. Once the editing was done, and all the little bits were knitted together, we seeked feedback from our target audience.

As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed my A2 Media coursework.

Research: Analysis of Existing Horror Magazines

Research: Analysis of Existing Posters

Research: Analysis of Existing Horror Trailers

Dead Mans Shoes

The trailer for Dead Man’s Shoes begins with an in-air tracking establishing shot of the forest, or woods. This is a typical location for a film within the slasher genre. It then cuts to another establishing shot, this time featuring two men walking through a field. The two men at this point have their backs turned to the camera; therefore we cannot identify their faces. One of the men is wearing a khaki shade of green with an army kit bag – illustrating an aspect of his character that he is a veteran. The second man is scruffy looking, wearing a tracksuit – an example of binary opposites is now apparent within these two characters. This shows the original state of their equilibrium (Todorov). Although the two men are going along the same path,

Same path separated by two tracks

it is separated by two different tracks – an example of mise en scene that these two characters are completely different. The non-diegetic background music is somewhat calming, which doesn’t suggest that this film is part of the slahser or horror genre. The landscape of the field dominates the next frame, with Richard again walking infront of his brother – almost as if he leads the way. Within this shot, there is only one lonely tree, which represents that there is only one life – this is describing the narrative through mise en scene (as Richard is an imagination of his brother). In the next shot we first see the characters faces in an example of a two-shot. Again surrounded by the landscape, Richard is leading his brother. The woods are a typical location for a slasher film however in these shots they are portrayed in a different way. Usually in slashers, the woods are seen as a place you can get lost or trapped, but in this case they portray the woods in a beautiful and scenic way. This trailer does not follow the usual conventions as you are introduced to the characters before the trailer shows the film studio logos. A caption saying “a brother’s love” shows us aspects of the narrative, and also informs us that these two characters are brothers – which reinforces in the next shot which is home footage of the two brothers as babies. The next shot is a close up of Richard, and in the background is an old cracked wall. This is showing the psychological landscape of the character. This is then followed by a close up of his mentally impaired brother and therefore aspects of British social realism are now embedded within the film. British social realism uses aspects of ordinary British life in order to connect with the audience, as a British audience are likely to relate in some form of way. This is followed by the caption “a brother’s vengeance” suggesting to the audience that this film is not what the trailer originally suggests. A non-diegetic horror sound furthers this as it subverts the audience’s expectations. The next line “what did you do to him” also accompanies that. The camera shakily pans around Richard, letting the audience know that his brother is not with him. This highlights Richard’s instability. There is then a flashback in black and white ,

Flashback

which is a narrative technique to take the audience back to a previous event. This trailer therefore is in a non linear form. By juxtaposing the disturbing flashback to a shot of the gang laughing, it shows the audience that these are not nice people. Juxtaposition is when meaning is created by placing two or more shots together. We then see a man in a gas mask which is the first sign that this trailer is from the slasher genre. When the masked man attacks, the screen flashes red which symbolises the bloody murders occurring. The edits now become much faster, conveying the idea of chaos. We are then introduced to the first gang character via a close up shot. There is then a two shot of the antagonist, and the protagonist, Richard. Anthony, the mentally impaired brother, is placed between the two men in the frame as well as in the narrative, as mise en scene places him there, as he is between them also in the narrative. The screen flashes red

Flashes red

once again to a masked Richard again symbolising danger. This is followed by a big close up if the antagonist adding high intensity. The editing begins to gradually build in pace after Richard says “I’m gonna hit you all”. During the speedy edits of Richard slashing the gang members, we are shown another flashback, so the audience don’t lose sympathy with Richard – even though he is killing everyone. This refers to Roland Barthes semantic code, which describes that the audience sympathise with the main character, as we are seeing events through his point of view. Juxtaposition is then used again with a close up of Richard looking down with a voice over of him saying “God will forgive them and let them into Heaven… I can’t live with that”. This is followed by a one line review and a star rating – which is a marketing strategy. More fast paced violence follows during the trailers climax followed by two more reviews as well as the name of the film. The words ‘A film by Shane Meadows’ is then presented on screen – another marketing technique as Shane Meadows is a highly regarded director who can sell a film.

Halloween

Point of view shot

The trailer begins with a point of view establishing shot of the house, a typical setting for a film of its genre. The point of view shot could represent the view of the killer within the narrative. By using a normal, suburban house this shows that the events of the narrative can happen to anybody. The voice over of the trailer is a common convention as it helps the audience to understand the narrative of the film. There is a dull, non diegetic high pitched violin sound which creates suspense, a technique used by the film Physco with high pitched violin noises every time the killer killed a victim.. This shot is followed by another point of view shot of the stabbing of a girl. The shot reinforces the voyeuristic nature of the narrative, and by placing the audience in the position of the killer, the audience feel powerless, helpless and uneasy. The dark shadows around the frame suggest that this point of view shot is looking through a mask, which is typical of the slasher genre. The stabbing of the girl is accompanied by the diegetic noises of screams from the victim as well as sounds of the knife. This shot juxtaposed with the previous shot of the house suggest that the killing took place within the house. Sticking with the point of view shots to put the audience in the place of the killer, the camera goes downstairs and out the house to which we see a car pull up outside. We then find out that the killer is the little boy – this challenges conventions of trailers as it gives away an important aspect of the narrative. Usually within trailers, only elements of the narrative are revealed, usually the beginning and the middle, however the enigma resolution is never shown (Todorov). This is because filmmakers use the trailer to attract an audience, and by not giving away the ending of the narrative, the audience will want to come and see this film for closure. This is followed by a caption of the  name of the film accompanied by the voice over saying the films name. The film is in red text on a black background, and when put together these two colours have connotations of danger. The next shot is a close up of an older man, and through the way he looks and what he is saying we know he is the benefactor of the film. A benefactor is a typical slasher film character, usually a wise old man who provides information to the characters about the killer – and usually aids the final girl in the final showdown with the killer. What he says describes more of the narrative. This man is the binary opposite of the child, as he is old and wise, whilst the child is young, and a killer. Spooky, non diegetic music enters when the benefactor says “evil” as this portrays and describes the next shot we see. A red light flashes when the man from the mental institute jumps on top of the car, as in this case the red represents danger towards the woman in the vehicle.

Red light flashes

When he grabs her face, there is a loud, sudden non diegetic sound to represent her panic and shock. The quick editing between the shots raises the tension of the trailer, adding to the effect that this is a film where the audience may feel un-easy. As a whole this is a typical opening to a trailer, however the extended point of view shot is unusual, and is not conventional.

The next shot in the trailer is a brighter shot and symbolises a happier place. There are trees all along the street which represent life and therefore the girls. The place where the three girls are is known as the state equilibrium, a place where the characters feel at home (Todorov). We can tell that the girl on the left is the films ‘final girl’, a recurring character within slasher films. This character is usually the purest of the group of friends, and is virginal. Out of the three girls, this girl is the only girl that is not wearing denim jeans, which were seen as an image of rebellious youth, instead she is in a sensible knee length skirt, showing her maturity. Secondly, this girl is the only girl not smoking and the books in her hand show that she is quite sensible. The same, non diegetic music slowly re-enters the trailer, which as well as the close up adds tension.

The name of the film again enters the screen to drill it in to the audience. In the next shot, we see a squeaky door slowly open to a bed-sheet ghost, which is typical of a kids Halloween, almost like a trick or treat scenario. Also, some could argue that the use of a ghost like figure reinforces that the killer is almost super natural. We see a girl lying down on her bed with a grave stone in the background; mise en scene is used here as this girl is moments away from her death. A pumpkin is on her bed side table, reinforcing this could be anyone’s typical Halloween due to the fact that the pumpkin is an iconic image of Halloween, and also showing the brand image of the film. In the next shot, a low light barely lights up this characters face, which looks almost gothic-horror-esque. This relates back to the 1940’s German expressionism, where they used low lights and shadows to create meaning. We then for the first time see our killer. The killer is wearing a mask, typical of horrow films as the audience’s imagination can make up what is underneath. It also adds a sense of mystery about them. When the girl gets pushed down the stairs, a point of view shot is used to make the audience connect and show sympathy with the character. These two characters are an example of binary opposites, the strong powerful man and the helpless girl.The monster is then shot from a low angle, showing his power and dominance over this helpless girl. Her shadow in the next shot is cut off by the bars of her staircase, almost as if she is trapped under his power.

Staircase shadows

Another use of shadows again has links to German expressionism, which many suggest were the early stages of the horror genre, as Hollywood film makers were influenced by this movement.  

The shots of her running juxtaposed with the killer walking down the stairs let the audience know that he is following her. As she approaches the next house, there is a shadow on the left hand side of the door which looks like a man holding a knife, which is portraying the narrative. These shots show the neighbourhood, showing that this is your typical girl, from a typical town. The trailer ends on a cliff-hanger after showing a lot of the narrative, which is a marketing technique to get an audience to go and see the film as they want to find out which happens to the girl.

This trailer as a whole is pretty formulaic, although some aspects subvert the usual form of film trailers, as it gives away a lot of the narrative, only leaving the final girl alive. Audiences however will be attracted to see this film as they will want closure on what happened to the girl at the end of the trailer. Usually the shape of a typical trailer begins with the state of equilibrium, and slowly rises in tension before reaching the climax. However, with the Halloween trailer, it begins with a shocking event, and the equilibrium is only apparent in the middle of the trailer, before reaching the climax at the end.

Scream

The trailer begins like many trailers with the certificate of age consent. This film is rated R for restricted, meaning for audiences over the age of 17. The shots in the trailer begin with a subjective shot of a telephone with a diegetic sound of the telephone ringing. The voice on the phone follows  through the screens of the studio and the distributor for the film, meaning it is subjective and worth the audience listening to. The trailer then shows an establishing shot of the house, a typical location for a film within the slasher genre. The girl on the phone is blonde, and within the slasher genre, the blonde sexually active girl is usually the one to die first. The non diegetic sound is raising tension as the phone call becomes creepier. A shot of the popcorn bag slowly rising represents the rising tension, which is the first example of mise en scene that we see.

Popcorn rising

The girl says “I’m going to watch a scary movie” which foreshadows the entire narrative of the film, as Scream is about the typical events within slasher films. When the voice on the phone says “I wanna know who I’m looking at” the camera zooms into her face to emphasise the emotion of fear that the character is feeling. By this, the audience feel empathy towards this character. The tension hits its peak as the sound of crashing accompanies the figure smashing through her window; this is followed by a quick close up of the girl screaming, with a faded image of the scream mask for the first time. Masks are typical of slasher films, as therefore the audience’s imagination portrays their own individual fears under the mask – the fear of the unknown. This shot is juxtaposed with a shot of police cars, which by adding these two shots together creates meaning in the fact that they are investigating the events that we just witnessed within the trailer. Tension begins to rise as the non diegetic music gets tenser as well as the editing of fast placed shots to portray a chaotic feel as we see more of the slasher narrative. There is another girl on the phone at this point with the same voice on the other end, suggesting to the audience that this man is out to kill again, like we saw at the beginning of the trailer. This character is brunette and in a baggy grey jumper, typical of a slasher films so-called ‘final girl’, as they are usually mature and virginal. The sound of the girl speaking back carries on into the next shot in the form of a voice over as the camera pans around the girl who seems visually trapped behind bars, representing the fact this man has the girl under his trap, another example of mise en scene. When she says “big breasted girl”, it shows a big breasted girl in the frame, suggesting that this girl is sexually active – and if following the slasher genre’s codes and conventions, the next girl to die. The next shot is a group of teenagers, again typical of slasher films, informing his friends about the conventions of slashers, which shows that this film is self aware.

Knife pointing on TV

The television in the background has a knife pointing towards this character, maybe portraying that he is also to die. As he talks through what the teenagers shouldn’t do to avoid getting killed, the camera cuts to some of the teenagers subverting his warnings to show the rebellious youthful side of them. Tension begins to slowly rise and we see a shot of a girl in white in a white room, suggesting she may be the final girl, as white represents purity. When he says “you won’t be back” there is a shot of a door closing, representing what the character is saying. After this, the climax begins and the voice over returns. The extreme close up of a girl crying and putting down the phone shows emotion, and also due to what we have already seen in the trailer, we know that the killer was the one she was on the phone too. The film revolves around the night of prom, which could be an intertextual reference to another successful film within the genre, named ‘Prom Night’. The caption “don’t answer the phone” comes up as a warning and the text gets shredded off the screen in red – which symbolises death, blood and anger. More warning captions appear, and the shots after them again represent the rebellious youth of the teenage group. The name of the film appears to put the climax to an end. The voice over throughout the trailer could be argued as the voice of reason, as it Is warning the audience about the killer, and how to avoid getting killed by him.

Research: Existing Conventions: Logo's and Typography

Research: Existing Conventions: Logos and Film Titles Typography

Before we created the film’s logo, I wanted to research titles of other successful horror films in order to find some inspiration. I wanted my audience to be able to look at the title of the film, and with along with viewing the colour scheme and the font, and automatically realise that this film comes under the horror, or more specifically the slasher genre.

I found within my research that similar colour schemes were used among the majority of films. Red black and white/grey are commonly seen within horror film titles, usually a combination of two. These dark colours represent the dark nature of the films, along with the red representing the blood of the victims and the danger that they face within the narrative.

We particularly liked this font that you can see in the two images above, used in A Nightmare On Elm Street and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This font is iconic to the horror genre due to the fact that this font is widely used on gravestones, which represent death. The use of the font can also be seen as an intertextual reference. The font is also sharp and has a cold nature about it, which represents the weapon used within our film. Lastly, when creating our own logo, we added blood to add an extra slasher like feel to the title.

One element we always wanted to include was an iconic symbol that people would be iconic to our film. Horror films such as Scream have an iconic symbol of the killer which people will automatically link to the film, without seeing the films title. We were inspired by the Scream masks iconic nature, and decided that the gas mask that our killer wears could be iconic to our film. By doing this, we are creating a brand identity.  

Research: Audience Profile

After collecting the quantitative and qualitative research, I created an audience profile. This outlines my target audiences interests, and gives me an idea about their lifestyles. This can be used as a reference. As you can see from it, my target audience use a lot of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, therefore advertising on a free platform as such will be crucial. However, the target audience are still very sociable, as you can see from the alcohol and the party silhouette.

Research: Stylistic Influences on the Horror Genre

Stylistic influences on the horror genre from cfcjack96