Music.

Possible song for the beginning of our trailer, Follows similar music from other horror film trailers - Eerie sounding, sharp and jarring.

The Camera.

Effects -

We found that, when setting the camera to White Balence and using colours other than white, we could achieve a different colour for filming. For example, if the camera uses White Balence on an orange colour rather than white, the effect will be a darker colour for filming, which can work in changing day to night while shooting.

We also found that we had to get the focus and exposure perfect for our shot to have the look of a real film. However within some scenes we found that over exposing the camera worked really well as it gave it a creepy unnatural look which works well for the horror genre.

We also experimented with changing the shutter speed which also gave it an eerie look as it slowed everything down, and caused a juddering effect on the movement within the shot.

Possible Locations

Some possible locations for our trailer:





- Looking up at a window from the street. We plan to put a shot like his in our trailer, with the "stalker" looking up at the girl as she's in her room with another boy.

Camera Shots/Angles

Point of View Shot



Horror Films often use point of view shots, to give the audience more of a first hand account of what’s happening. Obviously the idea of a horror film is to reel the audience in, and make the empathise with the characters; the idea being making us feel the fear that they do. A good example of this is in the original Friday the 13th, we get to see the reactions of the characters as the killer, Jason advances at them. Its also a good way of masking your killers identity as obviously if we are in the ’shoes’ of the killer. We cant actually see him/her, which gives the film a sense of mystery, and makes it a lot scarier as the scariest thing is in effect the unknown.

Low Angle



Low angles make the ‘Victim’ seem powerless. They are usually used when the ‘killer’ is in his prime. For example the picture is from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, when ‘leather face’ is killing a character. They create the feeling of being trapped, that there’s no escape. The victim is helpless and small.

Long shot



Long shots can be used as establishing shots. They help set up the movie, and work well at the beginning of trailers as well. They set the scene and give the audience an idea of were the film is set/located. They work well for Horror films as a long shot can show the audience an isolated area. They work well when showing us how alone the characters are, but it also reinforces the fact that later on when things start to go wrong there is nowhere to run.

Close-up



Close ups are a really important factor of Horror films. They Show the emotions of the characters, which tells the audience how they should be feeling as well, which is usually scared. They can show reactions (reaction shots) to different situations, which help keep a story moving. Close ups provide a way of communicating with out speech. For example in a scene were a ’killer’ is in the room, and a character must stay quiet and hide we may see a close up of them shaking and crying.

Extreme Close-up



Extreme close-ups work the same way as close-ups but they make the situation seem un natural. Perhaps a reaction to an un-human killer. They also show reactions to heightened and magnified situations. Horror films are usually really dramatic so they work well to show this. They can also be of things directly related to horror, such as weapons, or body parts, so they create a bigger impact and emphasise things.

Over the Shoulder shot



Over the Shoulder Shot lets the audience take a ‘back seat look at things. Unlike the point of view shot which places them directly in the midst of the action. We can still see the characters reaction to what’s happening. This works well if we already know who the killer is, for example we see ‘Freddy’ in the picture, throughout the film so its not like a big reveal. The shot also lets us see everything that’s happening within the scene, but were still quite close thus still involved allowing us to feel the fear , or any other emotion. The shot also reinforces that something is happening between to characters , like talking or in this case, an exchange between victim and killer.

Narrative Thoery.

There are ten story types found in screen narratives as described by Phil Parker in The Art and Science of Screenwriting.

I think that most of these story lines can be applied to Horror films, if they are altered slightly, as the stories themselves are very different to other genres as they have to convey very different elements.



The Romance
A person is missing something or someone. There is lack and desire for that thing or person. The character struggles in overcoming all or many of the barriers between him/herself and the object of desire. The closure of unity is eventually achieved.

Example: When Harry Met Sally

The Horror Romance
A person is missing something or someone. There immense desire for that thing or person. The character eliminates all or many of the barriers between him/herself and the object of desire. The closure of unity is temporarily achieved for the desiring character.

Example: All The Boys Love Mandy Lane



The Unrecognized Virtue
A virtuous person enters another world and falls in love with a powerful person in that world. The person seeks love but the power gets in the way. The person tries to help the powerful person and their virtue is eventually recognized.

Example: Pretty Woman

The Unrecognized Virtue Horror
A virtuous person enters another world and falls in love with a dangerous person in that world. The person seeks love but the danger and differences gets in the way too late. The person tries to escape the dangerous person and their virtue is eventually recognized.

Example: The Lost Boys



The Fatal Flaw
A successful person uses opportunities for personal gain, often at the expense of others. Then, seeing the damage, the person seeks to repair it, but the quality that led to success eventually leads to failure.

Example: Macbeth

The Fatal Flaw Horror
A successful person uses opportunities for personal gain, at the cost of others lives. Then, as others see the damage, the person seeks to repair it, but this eventually leads to failure/capture.

Example: Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber Of Fleet Street.



The Debt That Must Be Repaid
A person wants something or someone, for which there is a high price. The person accepts the price but seeks to put off paying the debt. Eventually, though, they have to pay it.

Example: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Debt That Must Be Repaid Horror
A person wants something or someone, for which there is a high price. The person accepts the price. Eventually they have to pay it, perhaps with their lives.

Example: Hostel



The Spider and the Fly
A person wants another person to do something. Lacking the influence or power to demand it, they seek to ensnare the other person, tricking them into compliance. They are successful and a new future is faced.

Example: Double Indemnity

The Spider and the Fly Horror
A person/thing wants another person to do something. Lacking the power to demand it, they seek to ensnare the other person, tricking them into compliance. They are successful and a new future is faced.

Example: Jenifer's Body



The Gift Taken Away
A person has a gift which is lost. Seeking to regain the gift leads them into a new situation, to which the person eventually becomes reconciled.

Example: Rain Man

The Gift Taken Away Horror
A person has a gift which is lost. Seeking to regain the gift leads them into a new situation or place to which the person eventually becomes reconciled.

Example: Silent Hill



The Quest
A person is set a task to find someone or something. The challenge is accepted and the quest is eventually won. There may or may not be a prize.

Example: Star Wars

The Quest Horror
A person is set a task to find someone or something. The challenge is accepted and high prices must be paid for the quest is eventually won. They may or may not live.

Example: Saw



The Rites of Passage
A person knows they have reached a new stage in life and seeks to find what must be done to complete the transition. They pretend that they already know, then meet a challenge that shows they do not, yet also provides the route by which they achieve the full transition.

Example: Stand By Me

The Rites of Passage Horror
A person knows they have reached a new stage in life and seeks to find what must be done to complete the transition. They pretend that they already know, then meet a challenge that shows they do not, yet also provides the route by which they achieve the full transition.

Example: Shrooms



The Wanderer
A person arrives somewhere new and finds a problem there. In facing the problem they show why they left the last place. They then seek to move on, repeating the pattern.

Example: Shane

The Wanderer Horror
A person arrives in a new situation and finds a problem there. In facing the problem they show connections to previous situations. They then seek to move on.

Example: Prom Night



The Character Who Cannot Be Put Down
A person demonstrates prowess, but then faces a bigger challenge that tests that prowess. They succeed.

Example: Die Hard

The Character Who Cannot Be Put Down Horror
A person demonstrates prowess, but then faces a bigger challenge that tests that prowess. They succeed.

Example: Untraceable

Textual Analysis On a Trailer -Friday The 13th (remake)

What Genre is this film and how does the Trailer indicate this? The trailer for Friday the 13th is obviously a horror film trailer. As most Trailers and Films for horrors go, we usually see some form of equilibrium at the beginning, this trailer does exactly this, we see the untouched lake, the sunset, which suggest a sense of peace and serenity, but we also hear the birds call. Obviously this is to be expected because of the setting but although it fits in perfectly with the ’peace and quiet’ it also suggests a sense of loneliness, its the only thing we can hear. It goes along with the expectations of a horror film, ’there’s no one here to help you’. It also reinforces the expectations that the ‘setting sun’ create, it’s the birds last call before night fall, and again one of the scariest settings for a horror film is simply in the dark. It also subtly hints at what’s going to happen later on in the film/trailer, it’s the birds last call before nightfall, therefore it could be someone’s last breath, or someone’s last words before nightfall, will everything be the same by sunrise? After this first shot, everything we see is generally dark. It makes the audience empathise with the characters who are seen in the trailer, as in effect we can only see what they can. But it also has the sense of mystery we cant really see what’s going on, which makes everything seem a lot more scary and obviously makes people want to watch the film to find out. We see a lot of shots with flashlights swerving around, this creates a sense of disorientation, which again makes us empathise with the characters, we don’t know what’s happening which is really a lot scarier than actually knowing what’s going on and adds to the fast paced effect we usually see within film trailers. The sound within the trailer is a major giveaway to the fact this is a horror film trailer. Like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre trailer, we also hear a heartbeat sound in the Friday the 13th trailer, again this makes it seem quite fast paced as the heartbeat gets faster as the shots get faster. It works really well as the heartbeat is in sync with the characters realisation that something is wrong , that something bad is happening, and so as an audience we can make the connection. Throughout the trailer we can here the ‘typical’ horror score. We hear eerie echoes and whooshes , the ‘sound of silence’ and so on, these are a big factor of horror film trailers as they tell the audience what they should be feeling. When we hear the echoes we feel a ‘creepy sensation’ which tells us something is wrong, the whooshes designed to draw us in, they usually lead on to a louder sound, perhaps a scream, which obviously makes the audience jump. The ‘sound of silence’ the sound which sounds eerie and silent, makes us feel like were alone, but aware, something else might be (and probably is) watching, waiting. There is a voice over in this trailer, something which seems unusual for a modern horror trailer, as usually they tend to change the feelings an audience has about the film , it makes them seem less scary. However this voice over works well. This Trailer relies heavily upon sound as they have chosen to create the chilling atmosphere by almost blinding the audience with darkness, which works really well. However it also limits how much of the story they can convey in the small time slot they have, which is where the voice over comes in. They use it to give the audience an idea of the storyline, of what the films about, as obviously the idea of a film trailer is to sell your story and your film. We can also see how the trailers relies on sound to help create the tense atmosphere they are looking to achieve as the voice over is really the only speech we hear throughout. Towards the end we hear screaming, and whimpering. But the only speech we hear is a girl saying ‘Oh God’. I think this works well as it makes the audience actually feel the atmosphere rather than having someone hand it to them on plate. This works especially well when we have extended shots of a black screen. As the audience has to actually use there imagination, which draws them into the film, and makes things seem scary but it also means that the trailer is not giving to much away. A lot of the sounds we here are normal everyday things, which are used to make the audience nervous, even scared as they are things that they might actually hear often. For example there is a shot with someone opening a door slowly , and we can hear the sickening creaking sound as it happens, this is something we often see in horror films/trailers, for example the same idea is used in the trailer for the original ‘Halloween’. We also hear footsteps running, and heavy breathing in horror film trailers as these are the most basic things and yet the scariest. There are a lot of hand held shots within the trailer, another common feature of horror films as it makes things seem as though they are out of control, and in some scenes unnatural. This particular trailer also used unnatural lighting. Although this is a must as most scenes are set in the dark at night but I also think it works well as it reinforces the fact that the ‘killer’ is human but also unnatural. We also see the darker scenes covered with a bluish tinted colour. This is seen within most horror films. It makes things seem cold, and again reinforces the idea of the ‘unnatural’ killer. It also adds to the idea of ‘being alone’ especially in this trailer as they are in an abandoned camp. I think that this film differs slightly to other horror films trailers, as we don’t actually see anyone die, or anyone in real danger. There is a lot of running and screaming, but we only see one actual act of violence, which is towards the very end. I think this works well as again it makes the audience use there imagination, they have to think about what’s happening. We also only start to see close ups of characters towards the end an I think this has the same effect as leaving out the violence, we see there reactions to what’s happening at the end (which is when we usually see the most gore) but we don’t know why these reactions are necessary. We also see one of the close ups in black and white, which I think works well as it shows that these are raw emotions, just like black and white are raw colours. What do you learn of the story of the film from this trailer? We don’t actually learn a great deal of the story from this trailer. Which I think works well as it makes people curios. But I think that because it’s a remake they can afford to leave things to guess work as the majority of people have heard of or seen the original Friday the 13th film. Nearly everything we learn about the story comes from the voice over. We know that it is set at what we assume is some sort of holiday place or camp or school, as we know there were counsellors. We the later see a sign that says ’camp crystal’ we assume its abandoned as there is no real sign of life within the trailer, and not enough characters to make it seem as though they attend. We know a boy called Jason drowned and that the day we assume we are seeing (Friday the 13th) is his birthday. We know that people are in trouble and we assume that the man we see in the mask is after them.

Textual Analysis On A Trailer - Summer's Moon.

Genre: what genre is the film, and how does the trailer indicate this?

We can see from the trailer that the film is a horror. Many elements contribute to this, such as the use of the music which has a breathy-gaspy sound as the scenes change and occasionally uses a sharp metallic noise, almost like a knife slicing through something as the credits come on. These noises bring impact on what were about to see, and the gasping noises make us feel like were in the scene, trying to stay out of view, but feeling immense fear, its almost like we're making the noises. Also, the credits have a horror look, the screen is blood-splattered and the image shakes and shivers as the writing fades slightly, almost as if its trembling. Also at one point as the scene becomes violent, the image on screen solarises, like an x-ray, as its after the girl has been hit, it immediately connects the image to one of pain and injury.

The main themes shown in the trailer are of capture, torture and death which are all related to horror and are shown repeatedly to back that up. there are lingering shots of the girl chained up, struggling, crying and covered in blood.

There are alot of shots used that are specific to the horror genre such as close up's of body parts, e.g. feet dragging themselves along the ground, hands chained up, an arm around a neck, knives. These shots are used to instill fear and focus on the point of danger.

Narrative: what do you learn of the story of the film from this trailer?

We can see that a girl "Summer" is hitch-hiking and accepts a ride from a young man named "Tom" he takes her to a bar and suggests she stay at his house for the night. she agrees and they have sex in his room, who we assume to be his mother is listening outside the door. The next day the girl tries to leave but is stopped by the mother and chained u with several other girls in what looks to be the basement of the house. From the voice over, we understand that the people capturing these girls are a family, and the "Father" is menacing. "Summer" tries to escape but fails and the person helping her is killed, it's then implied that she kills/injures the family and the other girls try to escape.

Representation: what social groups are represented in this film, and how? Are stereotypes and conventional values supported or subverted? Is this film being sold on the names of any big stars, and if so, what values do these stars represent?

Family is represented and they look as if they are very close, even if psychotic. They seem to be too close as they seem to rape girls in front of one another, listen to one another have sex and kidnap people with the intention of bringing them into their "family" also. I think this implies that family is temporary now, and not as important as it once was. For a "crazy" family, the stereotypes are being supported, when compared to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" for example, there are many similarities. This family, especially the "Father" seem to be from Texas, which also supports the "Hillbilly" stereotype, there are skulls in the basement, much like the bone-furniture room in TTCM, and the victims try to stick together and help each other out.

When looking at casting, there aren't very well known stars involves. The credits seem to pin the marketing strategy of the female lead Ashley Greene as she is the only person with her name in the trailer. The credit points out her previous roles in "The Twilight Saga" but I don't think this is very well thought out as the film is rated "R" in America and many "Twilight" fans would not be old enough to see this film.

Audience: what do you think the target audience for this film is?

Again, i think they have tried t market this film at "Twilight" fans but I'm unsure of how successful that will be, otherwise I think it's aimed at fans of films such as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" as they are presented so similarly.