Question 1

 
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Paranormal Activity

 

Here is an effective example of a Paranormal Activity trailer where text has been used to create suspence and give the audience information about the storyline.

 

The Soundtracs I have used in my trailer

 

Sinster soundtrack

Breathing sound effect

Dead silence sound track

 

The Conjuring - Similar 'loosing picture' effect

In terms of location (mise-en-scene) I chose to use one of the most generic settings for my trailer so it was clear from the start of what the genre was. Through my research on existing trailers I found that the most common and most effective was a derelict forest, and as a result I chose to use this setting for my own trailer. From the research I carried out I also found that the most common time of day to shoot was at night. I think this is because people automatically seem to become more scared in darkness, because not as much can be seen, but as the quality of my filming would be better in the daylight I chose to just add the ‘day to night’ effect over the top of all my footage to create a similar effect. Filming I the daylight come to some advantage as it allowed me to create a silhouette when the antagonists are shown following Francesca and Rio into the forest. This I feel acts as a scary effect as the viewer can see the dark outline of the antagonists following the protagonists, making them appear scary and almost ‘unseen’.

A statement to back up my point

Tessa Perkins says stereotypes - can be held about one's own group

"This I believe to be true. The main stereotype about teens is that

they are all ‘thugs’ or ‘chavs’. Although there are many of us that fight this very well indeed, there is defiantly a large minority ofpeople who make this stereotype worse for the rest of us."

 

Link to the site found on

 

 

An example of the protagonist filming themself during a trailer

Horror movie mistakes

Everyone Is an Idiot (to be explained on the slide below)

For a horror film to work, people have to make some pretty awful decisions. Splitting a group up seems especially stupid when dealing with a serial killer who picks people off individually, but horror film characters do it all the time. Inexplicably holding back valuable information when talking to people who might help you (as Ethan Hawke does with his box of snuff films in 'Sinister') offers another example of horror film idiocy. There a whole universe of horror stupidity. But if everyone did the smart thing, we'd have no more horror to watch.

 

Link

          I have cleverly linked this part in the trailer to one earlier by the rhyme 'Twinkle twinkle little star'. I feel this helps to create a sense of continuity within the trailer and almost warns the audience that the antagonists are near.

 

         

         Throughout my trailer I have also followed more conventions in relation to mise-en-scene. I chose for Francesca to wear a red hooded top for two reasons. The first being that the colour red connotes danger and anger and this suggests to the audience that she is the character who is going to get taken in the end. I also chose to dress the two antagonists in pale coloured clothes. I did this to almost trick the audience into thinking that they are not the antagonists because white is a pure and calm colour, connoting no danger. The pale colour could also show that they are ghosts coming back to get Francesca. Finally I chose to dress the antagonists in matching clothes to show to the audience that they are sisters, as this helps the audience understand the storyline better.

         I have chosen to challenge conventions in my trailer so that it stands out from all of the other existing horror trailers that may be shown at the same screening as mine. Although following conventions makes a professional looking trailer, I feel challenging some of them can make a more interesting trailer that stands out as being slightly different, in a good way.