Research - What I've Learnt

Trailer:

• As I am not remaking or making a sequel to a popular horror film, it is important that I create an air of mystery about the teaser trailer as I will not have a brand to bring in ready made fans of the film. This also helps create a fear of the unknown making the trailer even more effective.
• It should be between 1 minute and 2 ½ minutes (preferably on the shorter side of the scale)
• There should be dark/limited lighting to create ‘the fear of the unknown’.
• A build up of quickening cuts to a climax of the trailer (which should be a ‘jump moment’) is a good and commonly used technique in horror film trailers.
• There should be no reference to a specific date of release.
• The title of the film should be after the majority of the trailer.
• The credits should be at the very end.
• A narrator can help draw the viewer into the trailer, making on screen more realistic to them, and because of that more frightening.
• Using sound and images to overwhelm the senses is important to creating an effective and scary trailer.
• A tagline could be included before the title of the film.
• Hand held camera is an effective way of making the trailer feel more realistic and again scary.
• The use of/lack of non-digetic sound is an effective way of creating fear in the audience through making ‘jump moments’ overwhelming the senses or creating a focus to what is happening on screen or making a lull towards a jump moment.
• There should be reference to the directors of the film so that it provides advertisement for us but also any fans of us will want to see one of our films.
• The producer logo should be at the very beginning of the trailer.

Magazine Front Cover:

• There should be one large, bold and dark image as the background which should be taken from the film. This will show that the focus of that issue of the magazine is focussing on my film and creating advertising for my film to my target audience who would be the same as those buying a horror genre magazine.
• The colours of the magazine should be dark and should include the colour red to show the horror theme.
• The magazine name does not have to be big and bold as I will be focussing on content rather than the brand of magazine. I need to make sure the title of the magazine can be read easily.
• The font of the captions and pugs needs to be simple and bold as that will make it easy to read at a quick look.
• The language on my magazine front cover also needs to relate to my audience which will fans of horror films.
• The front cover and magazine title should say it all. I will use a title and images that will alone connote what my magazine is about.
• The magazine front cover needs to have articles mention that would entice the audience to buy the magazine.
• The name of the film should be the boldest and clearest text as the article about that film is the most important article on that particular issue of the magazine.

Poster:

• The poster needs to include dark colours and use the colour red to connote the horror genre of the film. This was used by the posters I analysed so shows that this is a tried and tested, assured way of showing the audience that horror genre.
• There should be one large image that is from the film that takes up the whole poster background. The image must show fear to show that the film is frightening.
• Should include the names of the directors, producers and actors/actresses.
• The logos of any financial sponsors need to be included as that is what they will have paid for.
• The name of the film should be the boldest and clearest text as that is what the poster is advertising.
• A website address should be included as this is an important part of my product placement over the internet.
• There should be the tagline to the film included but it should not be more noticeable than the title of the film.
• The age rating of the film should be included on the poster so that the audience will be informed if they can go and see the film.