Research - Film Genres

After my decision to create a teaser trailer, I then decided to do some research into the genre of film I wanted to make. I came up with three genres which I wanted to look more closely at which were; horror, romantic comedy and romantic.

Horror:
Codes and conventions associated with horror films:

• Location - normally the character/characters are placed in a lonely, isolated area e.g. a church, graveyard, attic etc.
• High/low camera angles - reveal power/lack of power
• Jump Cuts - quicken time
• Diegetic Sounds - give a sense of realism
• Non Diegetic Sounds - e.g. monster sounds to evoke fear
• Low-Key Lighting - create an eerie atmosphere
• Colour - generally dark

E.g. 'The Exorcist' 'The Shining' 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' 'Paranormal Activity' 'Scream' 'Saw' etc. 

Rom-coms

Codes and convention associated with rom-coms:

• Location - usually kept quite simple and realistic e.g. a popular city, sometimes in a small town /cottage/summer home 
• Usually lighthearted - tendency to mock typical romantic ideas
• Include a love story between the two main characters - generally ends happily
• Characters - man, woman, best friend, 'right guy', older/wiser character etc.
• Audience - usually aimed at teenage girls, sometimes include adults
• Natural Lighting - most scenes, evokes a sense of realism
• Clean/quick cuts - realism, calm and precise way so it does not evoke fear
• Ending - not always marriage, but usually they determine that they are in love

E.g. 'Knocked Up' 'Bridget Jones's Diary' 'What Women Want' '27 Dresses' 'How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days' '10 Things I Hate About You'

Romantic

Codes and convention associated with romance films:

• Audience - normally aimed at females, more emotional
• 'Boy meets girl' scenario
• Characters usually separate due to a disagreement but eventually reunite
• Traditional 'happily ever after'
• Typical props - hearts, flowers, wedding bells
• Voiceover - introduce love theme
• Love triangles
  
  E.g. 'The Notebook' 'Titanic' 'Notting Hill' 'Dirty Dancing' 'The Vow' 'The Lakehouse' 'The Runaway Bride'
  
  After this research, I have decided that the genre for my teaser trailer will be horror. 

G324 Advanced Portfolio - Brief #2

For my A2 Media Studies coursework, I have decided to create a promotion package for an upcoming film including a trailer, magazine front cover and a poster. I will decide whether I am going to include a regular film trailer or a teaser trailer after I have researched the codes and conventions the two require.

What is a film trailer?
The definition of a film trailer is 'an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema.' Trailers were originally shown at the end of a film screening. However, as people tended to leave, the decision was made to place them before the screening but the name stuck.
The conventions of a film trailer include:

• Promoting the film
• Creating immediate interest in the film before its release
• Creating a form of narrative
• Including key moments from the film which are not placed in the sequence of the film therefore not giving away any crucial plot details 

What is a teaser trailer?
The definition of a teaser trailer is 'a short version of a movie trailer which is designed  to create interest towards an upcoming film.' The main difference between a regular film trailer and a teaser trailer is that a teaser trailer is much shorter in terms of length therefore revealing less about the film and evoking more interest.
The typical conventions of a teaser trailer are:

• They are released months in advance
• They build interest and curiosity about the film
• They are short in length lasting between 30-60 seconds
• They contain little footage of the film if any
• They literally tease the audience with puzzles and cryptic references

After this research, I have decided to create a teaser trailer as I think it will be a more interesting project.

A2 Media First Post

I'm Chloe O'Neill and this is my first blog post.