Download - Pre-Production Phase Film Trailers
Pre-Production
PhaseLouise Tindall
What is genre?
A style or category that divides up art, music and
literature. A set of principles for the
category of composition.
A set of conventions in which a piece of art must follow to fit
into a certain category.
An artistic category or style.
A category of artistic endeavour that has a
particular form, content and technique.
A category of things which establish a
similar characteristic or quality.
A group in which a set of arts is
distinguished within their similarities.
A way to divide a piece of art or literature into a group that follows similar conventions and ideas.
What are
conventions?
A way in which something is usually
done.
A typical strope of plot, character, setting, theme or effect in a genre story.
What we expect to see in a specific type
of films.
Accepted ways of doing something. The give the media text
meaning and determine the response of the
viewer.
Familiar and predictable forms and techniques used by the
media to communicate certain ideas or to convey a desired
impression.
The widely recognised way of doing things in
particular genre.What we
expect to see in a specific
genre of media.
What is a trailer? • A trailer is a form of advertisement for a future film that will be later exhibited at a cinema.
• Trailers consist of a series of selected shots from the film. As the main purpose of a trailer is to attract the
audience into watching the film the scenes are usually drawn from the most exciting, funny or important
parts of the film but are used in an abbreviated way to ensure that they aren’t any spoilers. (Sometimes
the scenes are not shown in the order that they are in the actual film)
• A trailer has to achieve this in 2 minutes and 30 seconds which is the maximum time length allowed by
the MPAA (Motion picture association of America). However, recently it has been recommended that
they are not over 2 minutes although some films can have longer films depending on the size and
fanbase of the film.
What is a teaser trailer? • An advertisement campaign which consists of a series of small, cryptic and challenging
advertisements that anticipates a larger, full blown campaign.
• Released months before the actual release of the film to give an example of what the film will be like
and to build audience anticipation.
• It is a lot shorter than the official trailer as that gives more ideas to the actual storyline of the film.
How have movie trailers become more contemporary?
• The proliferation of technology has meant that the viewing experience of trailers has massively changed
over the last few years. The emergence of technology has not only provided the audience more
entertainment options than ever before such as the internet, tablets and smartphones but it has also
created a wider audience through social media, people are able to discuss pieces of media such as
trailers with other people who have the same interest for it which creates more of a hype and
widespread knowledge of it.
• This has increased the fan culture for films and has made the release of a trailer almost as important as
the film itself. Dedicated fans are now prepared to wake up early or alternatively stay up late just to be
one of the first people to view and then discuss it with people who have done the same. Previously this
was only done for the actual film itself not for trailers which shows the extent to how much has changed.
• New trailers are now almost dissected second by second by fanbases to find out clues as to the plot of
the film and are then able to make their own interpretations of what will happen in the film. They often
make fan art, fanfics and trends discussing these ideas on social media with other people who have
done the same which once again allows the hype to reach more people.
• The proliferation of technology has also made the editing of the trailer so much quicker as using a
computer makes it easier to add in graphics and move things around compared to when trailers were
produced using a film. This means that the trailers can be produced and released a lot quicker in the
lead up to the film and also means more effects and graphics can be used to make them more
exciting.
Contemporary Continued
• An example which helps to show how trailers have changed and become more contemporary over the
years is through the Titanic trailers.
• As you can see there is a massive difference between the ways in which the trailers are presented in just
the difference of around 20 years. Both tell the same story but the trailers essentially couldn’t be more
different which is down to how the intake of how media is now accepted by our audiences.
• It is also noticeable of how shorter the newer trailer is which shows the extent in which trailers are no
longer revealing the main plot and are just leaving it down to the audience to create their own
interpretations. If you hadn’t seen the original film you probably would not get much out of the more
modern trailer of the actual plot itself which links to the ideas of trailers becoming more contemporary.
• The quality of the film has also improved vastly between the two different trailers. There is a noticeable
difference between the first and second in terms of HD, effects and acting which goes to show how
much has changed between the two releases.
The first trailer was made in 1993 which you can see here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCy5WQ9S4c0
The most recent trailer which was released in 3D in 2012
can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIxY42OuJrg
What makes a good trailer?
• First impressions This is the first time the potential audience are going to be introduced to the film and
it is important to create the “I need to see that” feeling. The best film trailers find the centre between
giving too much away and leaving it too cryptic and this is what creates the hype for the film as the
audience have a base as to what the film is about but it leads them onto wondering what is going to
happen create social media discussions and creating more awareness of the film through word of
mouth.
• Don’t give too much away It is important to capture the audiences attention by revealing perhaps
the main characters in the film, the genre of the film and some of the “best” parts of the film. However,
one of the most important things is to not say exactly what will happen as if the audience know what is
going to happen in the film it may put them off actually watching it. It is best to build up suspense by
showing things that are happening but then cutting them so you don’t see what happens next as this
will encourage the audience to see the full length film.
• Sound Having non-diegetic sound in the background helps to set the mood of the film which once
again helps with establishing the genre. It gives the audience the impression as to whether it is a fast
paced action film, a horror film or a rom-com. In the sense of a horror film it helps to build up the tension
and is one of the easiest ways to create fear as you know something is going to happen but it is just a
matter of when, this works just as well with silent pauses.
• Capture the mood One of the main things the audience should be able to capture from the trailer is
the mood, is it light-hearted or not? This is usually easy to tell through the sound, colours and clips shown
but it is important that as soon as the trailer starts the audience have an idea of what to expect.
• Names If there are any well known actors/actresses in the film it is important to show them off as it
automatically creates a response of people believing that the film is going to be good. It also
encourages people who are already fans of them to watch the film creating a wider audience.
Independent and Conglomerate companies
• Larger conglomerate companies are obviously going to have a much larger budget and so are able to
spend money on the best HD equipment, special effects and actors which independent companies will
no have the opportunity to do. This automatically gives them the higher advantage as people are
going to be more attracted to these trailers compared to others. If there are well known
actors/actresses in the film and it is produced by a well known company the audience are going to
assume that is already a good film giving it an automatic advantage.
• Although this gives conglomerate companies the advantage, special effects and HD quality alongside
with well known actors are not enough to attract an audience. The main focus should always be on the
content of the trailer and expensive equipment does not solely make this possible. This gives smaller
independent companies a chance to prove themselves with their content. As long as the content of
the trailer is exciting for the audience to watch they are going to want to see the actual film whether it
is from a larger company such as Warner or not.
• It does make it difficult for independent companies in the sense of making the film seem “real”. For
example, if they wanted to make an action film it would be difficult for them to create realistic looking
explosions and fights which gives them a disadvantage against conglomerate companies that have
the money to create these special effects.
Scenario Films – Delight
• http://www.scenariofilms.com/films/delight/
• I found an independent film company called scenario films which have created a trilogy of films which
look to explore the ideas of creativity.
• I looked at the trailer for the second film in the series called “Delight” and will compare it to a film trailer
that has been produced by a well known company. The trailer can be seen below:
• The plot of the trailer is that an ex war photographer goes back to a small village in Wales to look for
an old lover but ends up in a relationship with his son. During her stay in the village a lot of her past is
brought back up causing her to relive painful memories and put her in danger.
• The trailer follows a different structure to the way a larger company would produce theirs.
• Firstly, they do not have an opening green screen with the films titles, certificate etc. This is mainly
because the film is now going to be distributed in any cinemas meaning it is not a legal requirement
to include this.
• On a first viewing of the trailer it is difficult to pick up some of the key parts of the plot which could put
an audience off from watching the full length film. However, after reading a brief synopsis of the film
the trailer made more sense. This is a massive disadvantage to this film as it does not instantly grab the
audiences attention so their audience would most likely be people have a keen interest in
independent films.
• There are also no well known actors/actresses in the film to show off in the trailer making less people
aware of the film. Even though the actors/actresses in the film are not famous
they have still given the main characters names a shot on the
screen on their own. This is a device to used to emphasise the
significance of the main characters as they don’t have the
high profile actors names to speak for themselves.
Scenario Films – Delight
Like most larger companies they have included the institutions
name that created the film right at the beginning to familiarise
the audience with the company which is especially important
for independent companies.
• You can tell from the quality of the trailer that the cameras used does not have as high quality that a larger
company would have. Most of the camera work is handheld which is visible by a couple of shaky moments of the
trailer. However, on their small budget this was unavoidable.
• The sound used in the background is also quite simple and is not a well known piece of music that larger
companies would have the rights to use. I also think the music does not fit the style of the film well as the film is
presented to have quite a complicated plot but the music seems to suggest otherwise.
• There are also no special effects when it comes to the editing. The majority of the shots are separated by the use
of fading which I think ruins the idea that she arrives in the village as a mysterious character. It also slows down the
speed of the trailer which could lose people’s interest.
• Despite the simplicity of this trailer, like larger companies they have used a variety of different shots and angles
to show significant characters and props as well as enhancing the use of setting. Some examples are below:
Close up emphasises her as a mysterious
character.
Wide shot helps us to establish the setting of the film.
Our focus is moved to the character talking.
It ends with the title of the film so the audience can
familiarise themselves with it.
Warner Bros – If I Stay
• Warner Bros is one of the most well known conglomerate film companies and produces films of all
different genres and styles.
• I looked at the trailer for a new film called “If I Stay” to see the difference between this and what the
independent company produced.
https://www.warnerbros.co.uk/movies/if-i-stay
• The plot of the story is that a young girl called Mia who has a musical talent falls in love and has to decide
whether to follow her musical career or go to college to stay with him. However, there is a massive family
carcrash and she is balancing between life and death and has to decide her own fate.
• This film similarly to “Delight” follows quite a complex storyline however it is easier to understand on the first
viewing, this is probably down to the better money, actors and editing.
As you can see both types of films have given full screens to their main
characters to highlight their
significance.
As this film is made by a larger company they are able to use
more powerful editing software. This can be seen here where they
have inverted the colours and made it slightly blurry to show the
differencebetween reality & fantasy.
• There is also a obvious difference
between the quality of both of these
trailers. This one is of a much higher
quality as they have been able to use
better cameras and equipment.
This company also has more money to hire extras
such as the audience here. “Delight” was only
able to use the main characters.
Warner Bros – If I Stay
You can also see here that this was not just made by
Warner Bros but in fact three big well known companies. This shows the scale of the film and how much money
was clearly put into it.
• This film also uses a much wider variety of settings compared to “Delight” such as the house, the park, the auditorium,
and the hospital. This all shows that it had a much larger budget to hire out these venues.
• The soundtrack to this trailer is a popular song called “Say Something”. The fact that they have the rights to this song
once again highlights how much of a bigger budget they had as “Delight” had to use a simple royalty free song. This
means that the song for If I Stay fits the theme of the film much better.
Both films end with the title of the film so it makes an impact on the audience.
• The budget for If I Stay was $11 million and the budget for Delight is not recorded but it is obviously going to be a
lot lower than this.
• This larger budget obviously helps with the quality and advertising of the film meaning that If I Stay is going to be
a lot more well known.
• This film also has an official age rating of 12A as it is shown in cinemas.
• It also had an hashtag on twitter of #IfIStay where people could discuss the film and write their opinions on it
which furthered the hype which is something independent companies would not be able to generate as they do
not have a big enough following.
Horror
Why do people watch horror films?
Horror films are usually used by an audience as a sense of escapism and to generate adrenaline. The uses
and gratifications theory suggests that there are four main reasons as to why we watch media texts, they
include:
• Surveillance: This is based on the idea that the audience feel safer and somewhat happier with their
lives because they do not have to face the problems that the person on the screen has to. In horror films
this is the idea that they are not the ones facing the villain nor are they the ones being hurt making
them feel secure.
• Escapism: People use media as a way to forget about the problems in their own lives. It is easy for horror
films to provide this comfort as they are often so far from reality that the audience can rely on them as a
form of escape. It also can free their imagination as the audience could if they wanted to pretend that
they are one of the characters in their film to give them a sense of strength and belonging.
• Personal Identity: This relates to the idea that the audience may be able to connect with some of the
characters in the film as they hold similar traits, problems or personalities. This is often likely in horror films
as they like to use the idea of having an “ordinary” family involved to make the audience able to
connect with it more.
• Personal Relationships: This is the idea that an audience may watch a particular media text in order to
participate in social activity with friends etc. It can bring the audience together and provide a sense of
inclusion as everyone can talk about their favourite parts of the films and what there favourite parts
were. In horror films many groups of friends (particularly teenagers) enjoy watching them together as
they are able to see who the most scared of them is and all share the viewing experience together.
Codes and conventions – Location
All horror films tend to use similar locations as a way of provoking fear. They tend to use isolated and dark
settings as they are considered to be unsafe and so correspond with this being where the majority of events
take place. An example being the woods/forest. Other popular choices include graveyards and churches.
The Blair Witch Project:This was a film that was
situated mainly in the
woods. The woods even in
children’s books are
considered dangerous
places where we should
not go so it makes sense for
the danger to take place
here as the person will be
on their own with no one to
help them. It is also easy to
get lost in the woods which
adds to the disorientation
and fear of the characters
of the film as well as the
audience.
Paranormal Activity:
Alternatively some modern
horror films such as
paranormal activity like to
go against this normality
and use everyday locations
such as houses and schools.
This is said to heighten the
fear for the audience as
these are locations that are
normally considered safe. It
makes them feel more
involved and makes the film
appear to be more “real”.
Codes and conventions – Characters
Within the majority of horror films the characters tend to follow Propp’s theory of the specific character types
in every media text. There tends to also be a “princess” which is the weaker female like a mum or a
daughter, she tends to be the one the villain is after and is usually the most fearful character. There also
tends to be a “hero” which is usually a male character who tries to save everyone, most horror films follow a
family structure so it will be the dad who saves his wife and children.
There will then also be one main “villain” who is the catalyst of all the problems in the film. He is sometimes
disguised as an ordinary person or more commonly follows a physical deformation. Physical deformations
can include scars, blood, masks, unhuman faces (different eyes etc) and they often wear dark clothes such
as a black cape/robe so as to hide most of their body thus keeping their identity covered. Although the
majority of villains work alone in some horror films the villain is part of a group all working towards the same
thing however there tends to always be a “leader” who is the most dangerous and once they’re dead the
others stop too.
In Scream the villain
wears a mask and a
dark cape so the
audience can
identify him as the
villain straight away.
The other characters in
Scream resemble your
typical family which
gives the audience
something to relate to.
Codes and Conventions – Fear Horror films are known to play on the audiences fears and make them lifelike by applying them on screen. By having everyday characters in the film it exaggerates the reality of them. By playing on the audiences fear it gives them the adrenaline rush that they are looking for. Although horror films scare the audience by using their fears it also provides a sense of relief, escapism and excitement for them as they are glad that they are not in the same position that those on screen are.
Some common fears include:
• Drowning This plays on the idea of what lurks beneath which is what films such as ‘Jaws’ play on.
• Supernatural This is the idea of anything that is not human such as ghosts, vampires, zombies etc. The majority of films use this as a way to create fear. Films include ‘The Blair Witch Project’, ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and ‘Art of the Devil’.
• Open Spaces This is the idea of being completely alone and away from civilisation and not being safe. Most horror films use woods and empty forests as a main location to help get this idea across. Once again ‘The Blair Witch Project’ is an example.
• Dark This once again plays on the fear of the unknown as you never know what is lurking beneath the shadows and round corners.
• Death Almost all horror films have their main theme as death with people either getting brutally murdered or coming close to it. The majority of people are already fearful of death and seeing it made to come across as such a scary idea helps this fear. Some films also play on the idea of the afterlife which once again creates more fear.
• Animals Films that use this as a way of promoting fear usually use animals that many are already afraid of such as snakes, wolves and spiders. This a way of confirming the audience that their fear is something to be afraid of.
• Children Most horror films especially modern have began to use children as a method of fear. This is because children are usually seen as innocent and so nobody would expect this behaviour from them. They also tend to use children’s toys, specifically dolls, to create this fear as they are an ordinary household object which makes the fear it creates more realistic to the audience. An example of this is ‘The Conjuring’.
Codes and Conventions - Sound
Sound is one of the most important ways for a horror film to portray the fear it needs to. It has the ability to
use both diegetic and non-diegetic sound to create this fear. Sound is the best way to help portray the
audiences and the characters emotions. For example, a slow pace piece of non diegetic music is usually
faded in and slowly builds up until it is fast paced and loud. This is the way the audience know that
something is about to happen but they just are not aware of what, as the music builds up the tension and
fear in the audience also builds up which makes it a whole lot more effective.
Alternatively, films such as paranormal activity use long silent pauses to create the tension as it makes the
audience look out for something but have no indication as to when it is going to happen. It is effective way
to create fear alongside the more diegetic sounds used.
Diegetic sounds usually includes the sound of rain and/or thunder as horror films typically are set in bad
weather and this can be used as a pathetic fallacy to create a more sombre atmosphere. Other diegetic
sounds can include whispering, loud bangs, heavy breathing, creaky stairs and footsteps all of which
indicate another presence (the villain) and make what is appearing on screen become somewhat more
realistic.
In a trailer I believe the most important type of sound is the non-diegetic as it automatically gives the
potential audience an impression of the genre of the film. As a trailer does not give the entire plot away the
music can help build it up to the point where something will happen but not show what is happening which
once again creates anticipation for the film alongside a glimpse of the fear the film will generate.
Codes and Conventions – Mise-en-scene
Mise-en-scene is one of the most important things to consider in a horror film to help enhance fear. The term
is French for “placing on stage” which refers to props, lighting and in general everything that we see.
Some of the most general things we expect to see in horror films involving mise-en-scene include:
• Low key lighting
• Dangerous household objects (knives, scissors)
• Stormy weather
• Blood
• Dark clothing
Other conventions that we expect to see in horror films: • Something going wrong before hand indicating danger (car breaking down,
flickering lights, pets distrubed) • Characters going towards danger (go to investigate a sound that they have
heard, go back to save a friend) • A child• Time jumps (“x years before/after”)• Based on a true story
Codes and Conventions – Camera Work
The use of different camera shots, angles and movements is essential to capture the audience and to
emphasise the emotions on screen. Some typical ones you expect to see in horror films include:
• Extreme Close Ups This helps to emphasise the fear of the characters on screen. Commonly used to
show tears, sweat or screams.
• Tilts This helps create disorientation making the audience feel more part of the action on screen.
• Establishing shots These are typically used in horror films every time a new location is introduced as it
allows the audience to familiarise themselves with it.
• Dolly These are mainly used to emphasise when the characters are being followed by the villain.
However, it can also be used as a method of making the audience feel as though they are part of the
what is happening on screen as they are seeing it from the characters perspective.
• Handheld This makes the shots appear unsteady making the audience feel as though they are a part
of what is happening which creates fear.
• Focus It often switches our focus from the character to the villain by blurring one out and then
focusing on the other. This helps the audience to recognise who they should be watching at that point.
Also, for example if we are concentrating on the main character and the villain is blurred out in the
background it gives him the ability to do something evil and make us jump.
The Quiet Ones Trailer (2014)
The Quiet Ones was released on April 10th 2014 and is a supernatural horror film directed by John Pogue. It is
about a student who attends a class of a professor who wants to prove that there is no supernatural. He
shows the class a video of a boy who is possessed and says that they will find the cure to this “disease”.
A few students are invited to film the experiment process and their subject Jane Harper who generates
strange phenomena is left abandoned. Jane is kept in a locked room with loud rock music in the hope that
her not being able to sleep will increase psychological agitation.
The professor and his assistants settle in an empty house so nearby so they can keep an eye on Jane. Jane’s
negative energy takes the form of “Evey” which is a doll like creature that only she can see. Jane is then
given a physical doll to store her negative energy in to destroy it. As the experiment goes on the stranger
things get.
A mark is carved into Jane and one of the assistants discovers that this is from a cult which worshipped a
Sumerian demon. Everybody in the cult died of a house fire set by Evey and the assistants become certain
that Evey is a demonic presence that is possessing Jane however the professor denies it and says it must be
a figment from Jane’s past causing her to act in this way.
After an argument all the assistants and professor are marked with the same symbol and Jane discovers she
is the child who was supposed to die in the house fire, Evey isn’t a demon but she is Jane’s real identity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB2IcXA41uQ
The Quiet Ones Trailer (2014)
Like the majority of film trailers, it opens with this screen informing
the audience of important information such as the age
rating of the film.
We are then introduced to the main institution that created the film.
Lionsgate has recently become well known for it’s production of horror films
such as Saw. As this company is well known for it’s production of this genre it will encourage the audiences interest.
We are then introduced to a much less well known company. The fact that it is
shown after Lionsgate shows this. However, it begins to familiarise
audiences with the company as it will be seen as a good to be working with
Lionsgate. Therefore in “Hammer’s” future productions people will be more familiar
with the company.
This is a convention of
trailers in general not just in
relation to horror films.
The Quiet Ones Trailer (2014)Once the institutions have faded off
screen we are immediately introduced to repetitive, slow paced
music which establishes the atmosphere and genre of the film. This
is accompanied with an clip of a young boy in a field with an “old film”
effect on screen. This from the beginning raises enigma and builds up
tension as children are seen as vulnerable.
It then cuts straight to a
black screen making us
question what has happened
to the boy. As it changes we
hear a banging sound
suggesting that something is
about to happen.
We here a narrator over the top asking “what is the
supernatural?” which introduces a theme to the film but it is
still very vague. Once the screen fades into the university
we can establish the setting and realise the voice to be
that of a professor. A university is normally considered a
safe place but the fact the repetitive music is still playing
suggests otherwise.
The Quiet Ones Trailer (2014)
As the professor is talking we
keep getting flashbacks
suggesting that this boy is part
of something but we are not
sure what creating enigma.
The old fashioned effect on
screen makes it clear that it is
something to do with the past.
The screen is then dropped back
to another black screen. This starts
to build up the impression that the
boy is part of the supernatural as
this is the second time this has
happened when he is on screen
perhaps foreshadowing later
events.
We are then given information
such as the year and location.
This allows the audience to
familiarise themselves with basic
information and is the turning
point of the trailer. The repetitive
music is still playing leaving a
lasting impact on the audience.
The Quiet Ones Trailer (2014)
The repetitive music that we have been hearing then stops and
becomes a thudding which is significantly louder, once again
bringing in the idea that something is going to happen soon. We
are introduced to all of the main characters and now have an
idea of what they are trying to achieve.
When the professors says “welcome to the experiment” on
screen we see doors being locked giving a trapped sensation
making the audience feel inclined to watching but also raising
fear.
We are constantly changing between old video clips and the
present day which gives the audience a sense of what the film is
about but raises enough questions as to their significance that it
will leave them wanting to watch the film.
The hand held camera work makes the audience feel more a
part of what they are seeing.
The Quiet Ones Trailer (2014)
The trailer by this point has reached its climax and now begins to speed up quite drastically. Especially when
the professor says “things start to happen.” We hear a thud non-diegetically creating tension.
From this point on nothing is really given away it is just a series of fast paced clips fading in and out with fast
paced music to accompany it.
When it appears on screen saying “inspired from actual events” it is a method used to create fear as it
automatically becomes more realistic. The music even becomes almost like the sound of a heart beat.
It also introduces other films that this company has made which makes the audience more likely to go and
watch it due to the success of the previous ones.
The trailer follows Todorov’s theory as we gradually build up to the climax. As it is a trailer not much is given
away and so we don’t see a decline in events leading to a conclusion however we can assume that during
the actual film we would. The speed of the trailer increases towards the end so we only see tiny clips of what
is happening, this is accompanied with fast paced music to show how quickly the events are occurring. The
way that it happens so fast creates tension and interest in the actual film as we have questions that we
would like to be answered such as what the marks on their bodies actually mean.
The way the writing flickers on screen relates to the idea of it involving the supernatural and links to the genre
thus creating enigma and suspense.
It then finishes with the title on screen so the audience can familiarise themselves with it increasing the
likelihood of them wanting to see it once it is released.
The Quiet Ones Trailer ~ Shots
Establishing shot Medium shot Two man shot
Close up shot Close up shot Over the shoulder shot
Here are some of the main shot types that were used throughout the trailer to help
create the atmosphere of the genre. I think that the establishing shot and the close
ups are the most significant as they allow the audience to connect with what is on
screen. I will consider all of these when it comes to producing my own trailer.
Romance
Why do people watch romantic films?
Romantic films are often used as a form of escapism in the sense that the audience of these films wish for a
relationship like the ones presented on screen and as the characters are typically shown as ordinary people
it makes it seem more realistic. Other reasons people may watch horror films include:
• Mood: Romantic films tend to always maintain a “feel good” factor and end on a positive note so many
people watch romantic films as a way to cheer themselves up if they are having a bad day. Once
again the fact that the characters are ordinary people makes it easier for it to achieve this.
• Realistic: Romantic films are known to be quite realistic in the sense that the characters are relatable
with normal jobs and lifestyles and this makes the happiness shown on screen perhaps identifiable in real
life. It gives the audience hope that maybe something like this could happen to them.
• Escapism: On the opposite side, some may see what is being shown on screen to be unrealistically
happy and therefore watch as a way to escape their own relationship problems and maybe seeing a
couple go through a lot on screen and still stay strong could impact their belief that they can get
through their problems.
• Social: Many couples watch these films together as a way of making themselves feel happier with each
other. Similarly groups of friends may watch the film together as a topic of discussion over their “dream”
partner.
How they have changed
There is a noticeable change between old and modern romance films mainly in the plot. As society changes
you begin to see changes in the films made in order to make them more realistic.
For example, in older romance films you would probably expect to see some love letters and romantic meals
etc whereas in modern films it would be likely that they would stay up late talking on the phone all night or
their idea of a date may be something more adventurous like a long drive or a theme park. Although in the
modern films there are still some aspects of old chivalry this is mainly because it is seen by a female audience
as being “cute” and “romantic”
The music in modern romantic films is also of great difference to what would be expected in older ones for
example nowadays we would expect a well known chart song to be playing in the background, perhaps
the song being written mainly for the purpose of the film whereas before it would have been simple,
unrecognised music as this may have been all that they were able to use at the time.
However, there are still some recognisable features such as kissing in the rain is seen to be a really romantic
gesture and has passed down through the generations of romantic films.
Codes and Conventions – Location
Typically we expect romantic films to be set in an ordinary location such as a town that we would recognise.
They are seen as ordinary people so would live in a regular house/flat and the audience would find a sense
of being able to relate.
The settings tend to be quite simple and natural however, some have differences where perhaps the couple
will go on a romantic holiday and so although this setting may not be familiar with the audience it gives
them hope that perhaps one day them and their partner could do something similar.
There are many different types of romantic films that aim to do different things when it comes to location.
However, it gives a lot away about the type of film that it is going to be. For example, we can assume that if
the film is located near a beach or in the countryside it is going to be quite peaceful and ideal whereas if it is
set in the middle of the town we would expect a lot more chaos and maybe more office type jobs and
problems to deal with.
Here for example we have a large
house with loads of empty space
surrounding it suggesting it is away
from the town. Therefore we would not
assume the characters to have busy
jobs or lifestyles.
Whereas here we can see it is
located in a busy town so we
would expect them to have
chaotic lives and to fall in
love unexpectedly.
Codes and Conventions - CharactersThe main thing that we expect to see in the characters in a romantic film is relatability. This refers to the idea
that they have ordinary jobs and lifestyles that their main audience (females) can relate to. The reason for
this is that it can either provide a sense of escapism for people who may be having a rough time or it could
be done to give the audience hope that it could happen to them because they are similar to the
characters on screen.
Often we see characters falling in love with the “wrong” person before they realise who is right for them as
this makes the storyline interesting. We also tend to see the girl as being the “hero” in relation to Propp’s
character types which is unusual in other genres. They tend to be heroes in romantic films as they stop the
man from getting in with the wrong crowd etc.
We sometimes see people we would not expect being together, for example perhaps a popular boy from a
schools football team falls in love with an unpopular girl who plays the violin. The fact that they are so
opposite can either give the audience hope that something similar will happen to them or it just gives the
impression that real love just happens and you don’t have a choice when it happens to you.
It depends on the plot of the film what method the characters take but it is usually one of these three or
perhaps a combination of both. All scenarios are made somewhat realistic to lure the audience in.
Codes and Conventions - Love
Love is of course the main theme of the films as it is the core of the storyline and everything that happens. It
can either be presented as being simple and beautiful or it can be seen as being complicated but pure.
Many modern romance films tend to take the option of making the main couple go through something
terrible that is a threat to the bond that they have but because their love is so strong they make it out the
other side. Romance films may use this to play on the audience watching it for escapism as they may see
that the couple on screen are going through something worse than they are and if they can get through
that then so can they.
Either that or romantic films take the idea of making love complicated by perhaps making the two main
characters try and resist each other because they may be “bad” for one another but in the end everything
works out and they get together.
I think that the reason romantic films tend to present love differently is because it is believed that love effects
everyone differently and they are trying to portray it as realistically as possible.
Codes and Conventions - Sound
In a romantic film we expect to hear a well known song throughout the trailer as it is recognisable and helps
to establish the genre of the film. However, during the film we might expect soft flowing music when the
couple are out on a date etc and then fast paced music if something action related was happening on
screen eg a fight scene where the guy is protecting his girl and acting like a hero.
If something sad is happening like someone dying or they have briefly split we expect slow paced music but
it will be soft and not repetitive as it still presents a calm mood and helps us to establish that everything will
be okay in the end.
As for diegetic sounds their always tends to be scenes where the girl will be home alone after having a great
day/night with her partner and is just singing/dancing to herself to express her happiness. Perhaps also we
expect to hear them both talking to their friends about the other person.
Unlike horror films there tends to be no silent pauses as no tension is needed to be built up and if there were
long pauses it would make them awkward which isn’t good for a couple unless the idea was to make it
awkward because either they weren’t right for each other or because they are both nervous.
Codes and Conventions – Mise-en-scene
Because there are many different sub-genres to the romantic category it is hard to tell what we would
expect to see in ALL of them. However, there is almost always something with a sentimental value in the film
whether this is a piece of jewellery like a family air loom, an old love letter or ornament, there will be
something that means a lot to either one of the characters that they cannot bare to get rid of.
If it is a piece of jewellery it will tend to be a ring which will then get used as an engagement ring towards
the end of the film.
Because romantic films are meant to be quite light hearted we would not expect to see dark colours or eerie
props. Everything is most likely to be brightly coloured such as reds, yellows and pastel greens and blues. This
is because they are seen as calming colours which represent the freedom of love. If there are children
involved it will tend to use the stereotype of pink for girls and blue for boys.
Depending on the type of film, if it is one where the boy is typically in the “wrong crowd” it may have props
such as guns or motorbikes however this is unlikely in the most recent films.
Codes and Conventions - Camera
• Over the Shoulder: An over the shoulder shot is commonly used in romantic films to show the
conversation between the main two characters, it helps us to feel a part of what is happening on
screen.
• Close Up: Close ups are used to help exaggerate the emotions that the characters are feeling. In this
case it would help to illuminate the idea of love for example if one had left the other a present of some
sort a close up could be used to show their happiness.
• Two Man Shot: This is used so we can see both of the characters on screen at the same time and it is
often used in romantic films to help establish the “cuteness” of the couple.
• Fading: When it comes to editing it is likely that one common transition will be to fade in and out
between scenes because this helps to show the happiness and the calm of the relationship. It makes it
flow effortlessly giving us the idea that the people are content with one another.
• Angles: It is unlikely that high angles would be used when the couple are talking with one another as it is
more likely that they will be shown to be on “the same level” and therefore neither one has more
dominance over the other.
Other key shots include: • Long shots • Wide shots • Establishing shots • Panning
The Lucky One Trailer (2012)
The Lucky One was released in 2012 and follows the of a boy called Logan who was a marine serving in Iraq.
Whilst in Iraq he finds a picture of a girl and he cannot find the person that it belongs to. An explosion occurs
and when he survives he believes that it is the fate of finding the picture.
When he arrives back in the states he makes it his mission to find the girl that this picture belongs to. He sees
a landmark from Louisanna on the photo and learns that the girls name is Beth. He finds her however cannot
get the words out to explain why he is there and so she assumes that he is there to apply for the job that they
have been advertising to work at their family business, a dog kennel.
At first she is suspicious of him but her grandmother gives him a chance. Logan begins to make a bond with
her son and much to the joy of her grandmother they begin to get close. However, her ex shows up and
finds it shifty that he had a picture of her before they met and threatens to take their son away from her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htg8CHNkFtQ
The Lucky One Trailer (2012)
Like all films, it begins with this screen
showing the audience that it is
appropriate for etc.
We then open with an
establishing shot so that we are
aware of the whereabouts of
the film and can adjust to them.
We are then introduced to a narration over the
top and a series of flashbacks shown on screen
edited together with the use of fading. This is so
we can learn about the character and create
our opinions of him straight away.
The Lucky One Trailer (2012)
We are then introduced to where he finds
the picture and the narration still continues
over the top so we begin to feel like we
know the character. This is different to horror
films as they don’t tend to give much away
but here we can already learning major
parts of the storyline.
We are then presented with the series of
companies that were involved in the
production of the film. Warner is shown first as
it is the biggest, most well known company
and encourages people to carry on
watching.
We then have another establishing
shot showing that their has been a
change in time and location. The
narration still continues and by now we
are familiar with the character.
The Lucky One Trailer (2014)
We are then introduced to who before we
even are told we assume to be the love
interest. The fact she walks through the
door with light behind her gives the
impression of an “angel”.
We are then shown them introducing
themselves to one another which we
assume to be the turning point of the film.
From this point on we are shown a series
of scenes of them together with faded
editing used showing them getting to
know one another.
We are then introduced to the
grandmother who “sets them up” by giving
him the job. We automatically like her
character.
The Lucky One Trailer (2012)
We are then shown who created this
story and one of his previous best
sellers. This sparks interest as The
Notebook was considered popular.
We are then introduced to Beth’s
son with the quote “who is he?” This
suggests that he has more to him
then she is aware of, foreshadowing
future events.
We are then show him creating a strong
bond with the son as well as going on
dates and becoming close to Beth which
brings out the romantic part of the film.
The Lucky One Trailer (2012)
We are then introduced to the problem of
the relationship, her ex boyfriend and the
father of her son. He threatens to take
away the boy because he is suspicious of
her new lover.
The grandmother is still a likeable character as
she comforts her granddaughter. Her ex
boyfriend finds Logan carrying the picture of
her and says that it is dodgy and that he
doesn’t trust him. This is all part of the conflict
building up.
We are then given the name of the main actor
in the film who is very popular especially with a
young female audience. This will encourage
people to watch it.
The Lucky One Trailer (2012)
The trailer uses two well known songs, one by Embrace and one by The Fray. The fact it uses these songs
helps to establish the genre of the film as we would not expect it to be eerie or repetitive music in a romantic
film like you would expect in a horror film. The narration over the top makes it slightly more personal and
makes us feel more involved with the characters on screen which is important in a romantic film as they are
meant to be somewhat realistic. Horrors are unable to really use this tool effectively as having a narrator
would not build up tension or suspense as what is being shown would be explained.
The colours used in this trailer tend to be quite summery and light such as greens, oranges and yellows which
establishes the mood of the film. However, when things become some what complicated the colours drop
to blues as this reflects a sad and sombre atmosphere.
Using well known actors in this film reigns in their target audience. Almost all young girls will have heard of
Zac Efron and just by him being in the film it gathers great momentum and demand for the film. Horror films
may struggle to use this technique as well unless the actors were well known specifically for horror films
because it may attract the wrong audience and therefore impact the success of the film.
The transitions are generally straight cuts which is what most trailers use as it creates a seamless transition
between each shot however the occasional use of fading helps to emphasise the genre of the film.
Unlike horror films, we get the main jist of the plot from this trailer and would not necessarily have to watch
the whole film as we know enough to assume what happens in the film however we want to know HOW it
happens and this is what creates interest for the film.
The Lucky One Trailer (2012) Shots
Establishing Shot Close Up Over the shoulder
These were the three main shots that were used in this trailer. They tended to be repeated
over and over which keeps the trailer somewhat simple. The simplicity is what makes us feel
more involved with what is happening on screen which is an important feature of any
romantic film.
Sci-Fi
Why do people watch Sci-Fi films?
• Escapism: Like the two other genres I have explored, sci-fi films are used as a form of escapism from
people’s everyday lives. This genre is particularly good for this as there are often very few signs of reality
in them, for example there will be imaginative weapons/gadgets, new places and different species that
in the real world do not exist.
• Social: They are also often used as a point of discussion in different social groups where people discuss
what has happened and how ‘cool’ it would be if things like this happened in real life.
• Mood: These films can often be used as a method of cheering someone up as the problems in the film
will be so much more dangerous and problematic than the ones they may be struggling with in their
lives. It may also cheer them up as it lets their imagination run wild and escape into another world.
• Technology: Sci-Fi films often use advanced technology and gadgets that do not exist in the real world
however because they tend to have a scientific base perhaps it is easy to wish that maybe one day
things like this could exist in our world. With the proliferation of technology advancing massively within
the last few years who knows where we will be in say another 10 years and these films allow the
audiences minds to wonder to a better day.
Codes and Conventions - Location
Some sci-fi films tend to go with the idea of science and technology. This means that expect to see them located in somewhere like an advanced science with loads of new gadgets and computers that we are yet to have in the real world. They are often created with basic colours to give the impression that they are large
and completely different to ‘our world’. Colours such as white, silver and black are common.
However, different types of sci-films use completed different worlds and galaxies as their main location. They tend to be situated in large open spaces and have different life forms inhabiting them. Places that could be
considered “perfect” or on the opposite side, places that could seem like hell. It is this that makes them interesting because we are introduce to different life forms and because they are so different to the world
that we live in we become absorbed in what is happening on screen.
This is an example from star
wars. The large open space
seems really peaceful but at
the same time unnerving as
we know something will
happen. It is not a sight we
would expect to see on
earth.
This is the science lab from Captain
America and as we can see that
are norms that we would expect
such as the lab coats but the layout
and all the gadgets are completely
new to us.
Codes and Conventions -Characters
Typically when we think of sci-fi movies we automatically think of aliens and other life forms. They tend to
exist from another world and either want to inhabit “ours” or need our help but we are reluctant to give it.
It is very rare that sci-films base ALL of their characters on other species because this loses interest as the
audience cannot connect with anything. There tends to be either a group of humans or at least one who is
the leader of everything that happens. They often hold similar characteristic to those the audience hold
such as the reluctance to believe what they are seeing/thinking they are going mad, job and families. Even
though it is still far-fetched from reality the fact that the audience can connect with at least one character
makes the experience easier to watch.
Sci-fi films tend to go one of two ways if they are based on new species. If for example the “aliens” are
against us and we are trying to kill them then there always tends to be one “good” alien or one that we
sympathise for. This then leads onto the main plot of whether we can trust them and whether there is
another way to sort the issues outside of violence. The other way is that the majority of the human race will
aim to go against one but perhaps there is one person who believes that there is another way to resolve the
issue and therefore the plot revolves around whether he can change other people’s minds.
The characters will always have some sort of advantage ie having a special talent, or a gadget that can
help them along the way of whatever it is that they are trying to resolve.
Codes and Conventions – Sound & Technology
In sci-fi films we expect to see some aspects of non-diegetic sound and it usually has some kind of echo to it
to emphasises the new world that we are watching/experiencing. They don’t have a soundtrack that we
recognise like romantic films as the idea is that this is completely different to what we are used to.
Alongside the new gadgets and technologies that we become accustomed to there are often signs of a
new language or code that we begin to understand. It is usually the new life form that brings in the new
language and customs and the humans have to try and figure out what they mean. The aliens often give
out a sort of message that we begin to interpret.
The technologies power and possibilities seems to be endless and can do anything from tracking things
down and hacking other computer systems to find out crucial information that they need to solve what it is
they need to solve. This is what makes it interesting for the audience as their minds can escape and they
forget about their own life because they are so absorbed in watching someone else’s who appears to be
more interesting.
Codes and Conventions – Narrative & Mise-en-scene
They tend to follow the idea of good vs. evil and there will be loads of explosions and fast paced scenes to
emphasise the difference between this and reality. It tends to follow Todorov’s theory of narrative with it all
building up to a climax and then slowing down to a reconciliation unless perhaps they are part of a series in
which case it may end on a cliffhanger but then at the end of the series it will form some sort of resolution.
In terms of mise-en-scene we expect violent weapons such as guns and explosives in which will be used
during the climax of the film, probably in some sort of war or battle. We expect plenty of technological
advances, medicines and perhaps miracle cures to save lives if needed. There tends to be a love interest
which is for some reason forbidden and sometimes it can be this love interest that prevents the war because
everyone realises that they can live alongside each other in peace. There tends to be an omniscient
character that everyone goes to for advice, they tend to be an old character who has experience much in
their lives but occasionally they use a child who for some reason is the “chose one” and has a natural talent.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
Avatar is about a war veteran who lost his legs and he decided to take part in a project to mine for a
precious material in the world of Pandora that is worth a fortune. In return he is offered the money so that he
can have the surgery he needs to fix his legs.
He is turned into an avatar himself and enters the world where he is instructed to gain their trust and learn
everything that he needs to know. However, along the way he falls in love, there are fights and he realises
he does not want to go ahead with the mission of destroying Pandora.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRdxXPV9GNQ
Avatar Trailer (2009)
Like all of the others this has
opened the trailer so it is
definitely something that I will use
in mine.
We are then once again
introduced to the companies that
are behind the film. The big
names are recognisable and
therefore encourage people to
continue watching.
We then have a close up
of the main character
with his voice narration
over the top. We
become familiar with the
characters we are going
to see in the rest of the
film.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
We are then introduced to the idea
of it being a “new world” which
establishes the genre of the film.
Through a series of faded flashbacks and the
characters voice narrating about himself and
his life we begin to learn about him and
become familiar with what is happening and
what has happened in the past making it
easier for us to understand.
We then have flashes of being in
reality and then being in Pandora. This
is to ease us into the new world and to
reflect us entering it.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
We are then introduced to the
motive of the film and their
reasoning for entering this new
world which helps us to establish
the storyline.
We are then given the date of the films
release which is something we haven’t
had in the trailers I have previously looked
at. I think they have done this to make it
stand out and to make people remember
it, especially as this has a shot purely on it’s
own in bold writing.
We then begin to get introduced to the idea of the
Avatar which is also the title of the film. The main
character is narrating over the top talking about
how the avatars are made and how they work. We
begin to feel like we are a part of what is
happening on screen.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
We are then thrown into the new
world with the main character which
once again makes the audience feel
that bit more involved.
He wakes up as an avatar and we realise
that this is when things are going to start
happening.
We then are introduced to who later becomes
his love interest and becomes a problem when
focusing on what their main aim was. There are
currently fadings in and out of what is happening
in Pandora and what the main character is being
told to do so we are learning at the same time as
him.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
We are then faded in and out of things that are
happening in Pandora but nothing is really
making much sense to us. This is a method used
to encourage the audience to want to watch
the actual film so they can find out answers
about what is happening.
After being shown various clips of the plot
and learning about the characters we are
introduced to the director of the film who
once again is very well known and this
makes people more excited about it
because of his previous work .
It then gives examples of his work so
those who may not necessarily be
aware of him will almost definitely heard
of this film.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
In between showing off some of his other work
such as Titanic and True Lies, there are clips of
action happening on screen from Avatar but
because none of it currently makes sense to us it is
raising excitement for the audience to see the
actual film.
After this we are given the title of
the actual film it big bold lettering
so that the audience will
remember it.
We are then shown the director of the
film again to make us aware of how
big the film is going to be and it raises
more of a hype for it.
Avatar Trailer (2009)
The soundtrack of this film increases in speed and volume throughout the entire trailer (except when there is
dialogue), this helps us to establish what genre it is and helps us to follow the structure of Todorov as it is all
building up towards a climax. The sound is not recognisable which is symbolic for us not being able to relate
what is happening to real life.
This follows a similar pattern in relation to the horror film trailer as it does not give much away, instead it gives
us little clips of what to expect but no explanation of what or why is happening. This is an effective way of
attracting an interested audience as people will want to find out the answers.
The fact the main focus is on the avatars offers the audience a sense of escapism which is a main reason to
watch a sci-fi film. Despite the fact it is evidently not real, the fact that real people build the avatars and are
part of the film makes it more enjoyable as it doesn’t seem quite so far fetched.
Avatar Trailer (2009) Shots
Extreme Close Up Close Up Over the shoulder
These were the three main shot types that were shown in the films trailer. The fact that
most of the trailer stemmed from these kind of shots and were all fairly close up is a way of
making the audience feel more involved in what is happening and gives them a greater
understanding of this new life.