In what ways does media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?

I have created a film trailer called ‘Dead End’ using the codes and conventions current media products. Before I started to create my own trailer, I researched many different trailers in order to have a greater of the common conventions for all trailers – for example, the length of the trailer - before focussing on the horror genre. Then I studied more trailers in further detail in order to build trailer that fits in with the correct genre. During this research I managed to gain knowledge of how to use camera angles, shots, music, pace, narrative structure and mis-en-scene to create the best trailer possible to advertise the film.

I used these conventions in my trailer in order to make it professional and so that it allows me to be more creative with other parts of the trailer and still have a steady core of these common codes and conventions. After watching and analysing horror trailers, I really wanted to create a trailer that would be quick and snappy and keeps the horror tension through-out. This would be after the calm atmosphere at the beginning so you can see the equilibrium change. This I feel keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

Therefore, by using these conventions that are clearly successful in the current market, I will be able to engage the audience and therefore add to the tension. This then leads to the audience wanting to see the film when the theatrical release happens and builds up the hype for the film.

Through further research I noticed that the pace of the trailer was very important and that most trailers that are good at creating tension, start slow with a state of equilibrium, which we see change and then they increase in pace to keep building on the tension that the breaking of calmness created. Through-out this, the music over the top, I found can be a very good creator of tension, Therefore, I laid a piece of calm soothing music over the top of the start of the trailer where everything seems okay and this then changes in to faster paced music with extra sound effects such as, heavy breathing, bangs, crashes and screams which creates the huge tension when the state of normality is broken. I also used intertitles to break up the long shots and provide potential unease during the start of the trailer. I did this using the soundtrack and when the intertitles flashed up, I would put a quick loud fuzz that evidently does not fit in with the constant calm music. I got this idea when I analysed The Wrong Turn trailer which is very good at creating the tension with intertitles.At the start of my trailer, I used longer shots to show the state of normality which after feedback, I realised they were a bit too long and that using more shorter clips will create a better trailer and more tension. This is where I used intertitles to break up the longer clips and used black flashes between a lot of clips like I saw when researching. This adds to the tension because the flashing makes the audience uneasy.

The first piece of music I created was a slow high pitched noise that faded in and out through-out the trailer which even at the time of equilibrium created a bit of tension. I wanted to do this to portray to the audience that although it seems normal, there is something big about to happen. This keeps them engaged and eager to see what happens. This advertises the film well as it makes the audience want to see what actually happens rather than seeing short clips of fast paced horror.The added pieces of music/sound effects were used to create horror during the intertitles at the start of the trailer to break up the clips and put doubt in the audiences mind that the car journey will be calm. I also added half a second images in between the longer shots at the beginning which showed later actions and horror. With this I added a fuzzy noise which was clearly different from the normal soundtrack which grabs the audiences attention. The last piece of music created was the fast paced soundtrack at the end. This was to fit in with the quicker paced clips and cuts which were used to create the most tension possible. I used heavy breathing, enhanced diegetic noises so that the audience feel more engaged and I also used loud bangs and crashes which were used to make the audience jump when a quick shot of the horror is flashed up.

I also had to use common fonts for intertitles and titles, which I found to be helpful as these were the favourites when getting feedback. It was usually a simple black font the had a tiny bit of formality but creativeness about it. Thinner fonts were commonly used which is then what I created as I believe it somehow feels as though it reveals less and takes up less of the page which then creates a sense of isolation and mystery. I kept all the intertitle fonts the same in order not to confuse the audience as they may loose interest if everything does not link together or make sense. As you can see below, the font on the left was the first font idea I had and the font on the right is the one I used after feedback.

The location of my film was in a forest which again after research was a very common location as it portrays isolation which then adds to the sinister atmosphere. This helps to create further tension in the audience and which can be sustained through-out. I also filmed in the winter which is when leaves have fallen off trees which is an icon of death which again all adds to the horrifying atmosphere. The bare trees also enhance the isolation.

After researching film trailers, I noticed that a lot of them use filters which can be used to manipulate tension. I did not use extreme filters in my film as I felt the colour was sufficient enough to create its own tension as it was just getting dark in winter which is very dull. I used the colour corrector occasionally to help the continuity flow due to filming on separate days but apart from that I did not use it much.

The 4 victims in my trailer, I dressed how they would usually dress because I wanted it to seem as though they were not expecting anything to happen. This creates tension in the audience because they will be empathising with the characters because they are un aware of anything going to happen whereas the audience are because it is a horror. Therefore, I used t-shirts, shirts, tank tops, chinos and jeans. These, I know through observation are very common everyday clothing.

The horror in this trailer was dressed up reasonably normal as well but was dirty and had ripped clothes which was meant to portray that this person may have experienced the same thing as what is about to happen. It is a very psychological horror in this way.