THECONJURING

Promotional campaign

The Conjuring is a hybridity of both the horror and the thriller genre. The film focuses mainly on the paranormal/supernatural theme of horror, this is one of many themes which I am considering for my film trailer. The first promotional images for The Conjuring were released in November 2012, in which they revealed that Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Below is the image which was first released on the Facebook page for the film, introducing these two characters.

The first teaser trailer for the film was released at the 2012 New York Comic Con, which kicked off the film’s marketing campaign in February 2013. Interviews were then taken at the New York Comic Con with the cast of the film, which can be viewed on sites such as YouTube. Below are some useful links to show this:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nUHS9NKy94• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k_2qoR0tlg

One of the main ways to promote the film is that throughout the campaign the film was heavily promoted as “based on a true story”. This would have helped hugely with the campaign as people feel that the horror and shock of the story is intensified if they know it was once real, making them more determined to go and see the film.

In the few weeks leading up to the films release, trailers and TV spots began to feature the real-life Perron family.

This TV spot advertisement shows the reactions of those who saw the film and interviews with audience:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZa3SOWLkxM

The trailers and TV spots were then followed by a featurette entitled “The Devil’s Hour” in which Lorraine Warren and other paranormal investigators explain some of the supernatural occurrences seen in the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EHcSDuBQ9A

One of the main methods of promotion used for this film is the internet, they used a variety of different social networking sites to attract a wider audiences and interact with them.

They created a twitter account dedicated to the film where the users tweet pictures and interviews with the cast to update fans on the film. Fans and other twitter users can also tweet to the page to give their opinions on the film.

They also created a Facebook page dedicated to the film where they post new updates such as interviews, pictures, film posters, feedback from audiences, film clips etc to give audiences an incite to the film.

Both the Facebook page and Twitter page can be accessed from the films official website: www.theconjuring.warnerbros.com

On the film’s website there is a variety of information available to audiences. The guide on the left hand side of the website’s page shows what is accessible.

On the site there is a gallery providing a range of different photographs taken from the film which will help entice an audience by showing them different characters and scene from the film.There are also all 3 trailers for the film available on the website.

To link in the theme of the film (supernatural/paranormal activity) another website has been set up: www.yourhauntedstories.theconjuringmovie.com on the website people can post videos, photos or stories on hauntings which they have experienced.

On the websites home page it also shows various tweets that people have posted of twitter about the film giving their opinions on it.

The use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, creating their own site, Youtube etc. Helps to spread news about the film faster as these social networking sites allow you to like and share pages. It also helps to expand and reach younger audience such as teenagers who use these social networking sites.

When promoting The Conjuring they released a variety of film posters to be positioned on the side of buses, bus stops, billboards etc. Some of these are:

All of film posters reflect the key elements of the horror genre.

The dark colours; black, grey and white, used in this poster show the gloomy aspect of horror. The use of space in this poster represents isolation.

The mise-en-scene used in this poster such as the mist makes the poster look haunting and gloomy. The use of the rope from the tree represents death thus frightening an audience.

The close- up and closed framing used for this poster makes it clear for the audience to empathise with the characters fear but also makes the reader feel uncomfortable as these cannot see what surrounds the character making them cautious

For the films promotion a number of different trailers were released to keep audiences keen and interested.

• http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1380755225/ This one consists of a non-diegetic soundtrack, clips and dialogue from the film and intertitles.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFDXlIKPHFo This one consists of a voice over (narrator), dialogue and clips from the film and a montage of black and white photographs.