Conventions of film trailers

Key conventions of film trailers:

• an audience title stating what audience the trailer is suitable for (e.g all audiences) including age certificates
• titles of the production and distribution companies of the film
• the title of the film; this is often shown at the beginning or end of the trailer
• the release date of the film
• a voiceover (either a character or a narrator)
• dialogue
• soundtrack
• editing (e.g cuts, fades, fades to black etc.)
• camera (shot types e.g close up, long shot, establishing shot)
• links to film websites or social media pages for the film are often included
• introduction of actors and actresses names (emphasising well-known or new actors and actresses)

Camera and Tripod Research

Tripod:

• extend the legs of the tripod to the correct height making sure it is level
• attatch the tripod and camera together using the screws
• move the tripod left and right or up or down for panning and tilting

Camera:

• after turning the camera on you are able to zoom in and out on shots depending on the desired shot type

Script

Fallen-script

1-wood setting- evening time (light)

(establishing shot)

characters Mona and Sophie are walking through the woods it is only them in the surroundings and they are comfortable and happy.

2- wood setting- evening time (starts to get dark)

(medium shot)

Mona and Sophie are walking unaware, however there is a figure in the distance following them.

3- wood setting (dark)

(close-up of the girls facial expressions)

the girls realise someone is behind them

Mona: we're being followed 

Sophie: what is that?!

Mona: we need to get away

4- wood setting (dark)

(extreme close up of girls facial expressions)

Sophie: run!

the girls start to run away from the mysterious figure

5- wood setting (dark)

(low angle shot of the girls running)

6- wood setting (dark)

(high angle shot of the dark figure following the girls)

Villain: makes scary noises

7- wood setting (dark)

(medium close-up of the girl's feet as they run)

girls are screaming and anxious as the villain makes scary noises

8- wood setting (dark)

(tracking shot as the villain grabs Sophie)

Mona is not in view at this point and the girls have lost each other

Sophie screams as she is taken

9- road setting 

(over the shoulder shot)

Mona searches her bag to find her phone and calls Sophie and finds the phone in her own bag, looks worried and scared as she is still alone.

10- graveyard setting 

(point of view shot of Sophie's body)

Mona: screams 

Mona runs away to see the police outside Sophie's house

Storyboard

conventions of film posters

other conventions of film posters:

• defines the film's genre
• eye- catching
• indicates the date when the film will be released
• introduces the director of the film 
• focuses on one/ numerous important characters in the film

outline idea

Outline Idea

• Our chosen genre that we have decided on is horror as it is popular with the target audience and allows us to build suspense and fit the horror genre in all of our products including the trailers and posters.

Film title: Fallen

• This title fits the horror genre well and is mysterious, it allows us to use a wide range of settings.

Setting:

• Graveyard- fits with the horror genre as it is seen as a scary place which is associated with death and ghosts etc.
• Woods- this is where the characters will be and again, the setting is common in the horror genre as it can be seen as a scary, quiet place where surroundings aren't clear

Characters:

• Mona
• villain
• Sophie
• These characters will be of a similar age to the target audience which means they can relate to them. Also the fact that they are young shows them as vulnerable which helps add to the scary settings etc.

Plot:

Mona and Sophie are walking through the woods in the dark, late at night when they hear a noise and realise that someone is following them. The girls start to run as they are scared but Sophie runs into a dark figure and Mona loses sight of her. The next day Mona discovers Sophie's phone in her bag, when she arrives home, the police are waiting to tell her the news that Sophie's body has been found in a graveyard. 

1.Establishing shot- introduces the setting of the woods

2. Long shot- shows the girls walking through the woods
3. Medium shot- shows the figure following the girls
4. Close-up- the girls faces when they realise someone is behind them
5. Extreme close-up- facial expressions of the girls
6. Low angle shot- as the girls start to run
7. High angle shot- the figure following
8. Medium close-up- the girls feet as they run
9. Tracking shot- shows the villian grabbing Sophie
10.Over the shoulder shot- as Mona calls Sophie's phone
11.Point of view shot- the graveyard

preliminary task

For the preliminary activity you will be working in groups of three or four.

You will be producing a moving image product for a short narrative within a genre of the following:   

• A western gunfight 
• A horror chase
• A romantic encounter
• A gangster deal

The product must be no longer than 60 seconds and the work should be planned and divided between the group.  All members must develop their practical skills in the use of the camera, tripod, editing and sound.  Each member of the group will produce their own edit.

The project must include;

• a shotlist
• a storyboard
• a script
• 2 characters
• use of all of the camera shots/ angles and movements listed below
• dialogue 
• titles
• a soundtrack
• mise-en-scene
• a final product

Shots that you must include:

1.Establishing shot

2. Long shot
3. Medium shot
4. Close-up
5. Extreme close-up
6. Low angle shot
7. High angle shot
8. Medium close-up
9. Tracking shot
10.Over the shoulder shot
11.Point of view shot

You can use other shots too and you can use the above more than once if you wish.

Look at the examples below to get ideas.

You will have to complete this work before you leave for the summer.  This will mean using a lot of independent study time.  You must get used to this as this will be the expectation throughout this coursework project.

project brief

This year we will be working in the media forms of moving image and print.

There will be a similar structure to the AS coursework.

20% Research and Planning

60% Construction

• comprising
• 40% Main products: a theatrical movie trailer and a teaser trailer
• 10% Ancillary products 1: a billboard poster and an A4 poster
• 10% Ancillary products 2: a movie magazine front cover and a DVD front cover

20% Evaluation

• The project brief is to research, plan and produce a movie trailer, teaser trailer, posters, a magazine cover, a billboard poster and DVD front cover. I will be working in a group and selecting a genre, producing a narrative and storyline. 
• I would like to work in the horror genre for the project and the target audience I would like to consider would be 15 and above, due to the horror genre.