room for improvement - Poster

The first "draft" of my poster came out rather well. The images portray the conventions of a horror movie, and the use of colour really helps to catch the eye. However, now that I have the image, I now need the infomation. That part of the poster didnt really meet the the standars of a movie poster. The first thing I need is a change of font. Many movie posters usually have a tall, thin type font that is quite hard to read, but very common, and is now known as a factor in poster making.

As you can see from this poster, the different types of font are used for effect aswell as information. The different sizes of text also help to indicate the difference in importance of words.

At the top, there is also a catchy slogan, one that relates to the film, sometimes this is a quote, other times its an invite to see the film "if you dare" etc. This makes the veiwer interested as it directs itself at them.

The date of the film release also is relivent to show clearly on the poster, this informs. But it can also be used as a feature. Firday the thirteenth for example, was actually released on friday the thirteenth. This creates an effect of realism and relivance.

my new inspiration - mag cover

Because I have strayed away from the big mag industry of Empire and moved closer to the more independant, niche type of mag, I have had to look for a mag of that status to base my one around. I have chosen a magazine called G.A.S.P, an independant gore-fest mag. It shows big films as well as independant ones.


The blood red background and grey, cracked font is a very effective eye - catching idea. I like the whole, light on dark background and think I will use a similar colour sceme for SHOCK.
This will have an effect on the type of audience I will be aiming the mag at. Empire for example, targets everyone who has an interst in film, this new mag cover however will spefically target one type of film-loving audience. That is the horror film fanatics.

What its all about.

From looking at about 30 different Empire mags I have decided that the best thing for my trailer to feature in would be an independant horror film mag. To do this I have discovered that there are a few main things that NEED to be incorperated in my frount cover. This is what I need... and what Im going to do with it...

1. A Mast Head.. every mag needs a name, one that will stand out, attract the public eyes and at the same time showing the genre of the mag and the audience it wishes to attract. My mags name shall be SHOCK. It shows the type of mag it is and what will be likely to show up in it. Its also quick and snappy, easy to read as well as being memorable.

2. The second thing I need, now that I have my name is a font that compliments the name and the mag itself. I have decided that the font will be a cracked, distorted type.

3. Now what I need is a plug like "NO.1 mag for horror fanatics" or "Worlds best horror mag", it will need to be something exagerated and memrable.

4. Next I will need a main headline. Since I want to base it on my A2 trailer, my focus will be mainly on that. I will have the name of my film in large font, slanted in the middle of the page.

5. Now thats all established next I will have to focus on my photos. At the moment I am working on my main picture using a complicated progame to edit. fortunatly I have my free poster (that comes with the mag) complete, now its just the frount cover that needs editing.

I have taken the pictures tho, using green screen for the first time, hopefully this should increase the standard of my mag quite alot.

...And now I know (=

Well luckily I have been successfully informed that my next task is to create the frount cover of an Empire Magazine. This mag is based around movie reviews, upcoming movies and gossip of the actors and directors so it seems perfect for my movie to publish.


In oder to create this though, I need to be able to find out the conventions of the mag. So far I have successfully coppied the fornt for the name of the mag which is...

However the other conventions of it arnt as stable. For each issue, or rather collection of issues, everything about the cover (except the title) changes! Because of this I will either have to base my cover around one that has been already made and that has the same genre of my movie OR I will have to create one useing the minimal amount of conventions given.

Just to show you HOW different they can be... here are 2 covers from the same mag!

Looking at these 2 without the title would look like two VERY different mgazines!

Green Screening - Poster

My main image will be of Sofie (the dead girl of the film). She will be shown off centre and to the right of her will be an image of a far away moon. In order to do this though I needed to green screen. This means to take a photo with the screne in the back. Cut out the green and add in a different backgroung. This however sounds alot easier than it is. My first task was to understand how the programe that was used for green screening worked... and it was'nt easy. After a while fiddling with the different buttons to experiment on my pictures, I had to look into detail of what I needed to do. Of course this meant I couldnt do my poster as one image, but as many. I had to learn to take out any little fault that might be seen (when not zoomed in), adding shaddows, darkening blood and creating a suitable background, one that wouldnt avert the eye from the main picture.

New Ideas - poster

My main picture I have decided to go for a more solid image, rather than one thats been split into sections. For example instead of my original idea, which was to have many people and even a "busy" background, but although it was an interesting photo, it didnt quite catch the eye the way a poster is meant to. My NEW poster now consists of one of my main characters (the dead girl) behind a dark background. There is an aspect of blood aswell as she is bleeding from the eyes. This is very effective on her pale skin, making it stand out alot, also attracting the eye to her face.
Something long the lines of this picture

Lets Make a MOVIE (:

For me to really understand this project i feel like I should relate it to real life, as if it really were a movie and I really was making the trailer for it. In order to do this I have to think about every aspect of HOW it could become a real movie. Firstly I have to find a company that would make my film, obviously disney and Happy Madison are out of the question as they dont fit my genre, however I do need to find one that does.
Hammer films is a production company made for horror films, however after some reaserch I have found that this very famous company only produced classic horror films like frankenstien etc.
Cinefantasy is also another one I have been looking at, the only problem with that one is that its an independant film company, that only show for film festivals. This isnt the type of movie I want to make.
FINALLY! I have found what I am looking for! Paramount pictures is Known for its famous, big bugeted, horror film which is exactly the type of film I wanted mine to be.

Poster - Horror Genre!!!

Because my film is based around the horror genre I have to start thinking about how my poster will show this. I have decided to base my poster around the characteristics of this one.

As you can see, the picture is off centre with a ghost like light comming from the middle which would be the first thing the eye would be attracted to, based on the brighness. The picture has been photoshopped to give the impression of movement. The expression of the mans face is aslo worrying, showing that there is distress in the film.

If you look deeper into the picture you can see the image of a woman in the back of the photo looking ghostly. This shows that there is alot going on and that the picture wouldnt get boring anytime soon.

Many posters also include a caption from the film, usually a witty quote from the film which is also an indecation of what will happen e.g "You cant catch, what you cant see" which willl usually be shown in one of the top courners of the poster. This is used to intrest the audience even more aswell as making the poster memorable.

The dominant colour of this is black, making it easy to understand its a horror even without seeing the expression on his face or even theghostly shaddow in the background.

If either the actor or director is a big name, they are usually mentioned in order to attract their fans, even if it isnt their type of movie.

POSTER!!!

While thinking about my poster I've had to research a few posters and see how the conventions of film posters were made in order to be informative aswell as eyecatching. So far I have looked at over 40 different posters for all types of film.. These were the conventions I found:

1. The image is usually off centre. This is done because the eye is attracted to the left of a page naturally, this makes the audience view the main image first, making more of an impact and therefor more memrable.

2. There is usually a dominant colour. This is to enhance the mood of the film as well as the genre. For example, most comedy trailers are very minimal, often with a white background. Whereas for a thriller/action movie there are alot of colours, showing that alot is going on

3. The title is usually only one or two words, rarely it will be a whole sentance. Drama's tend to use the names of people whereas Horror films will have a short name relating to a certian aspect of the film.

Power Power Power - Characters

In order to make my movie to appeal to a more feminine audience I needed to add an element of romance. Ella's "partner in crime" (Jordan) soon becomes her actual partner. This is shown through short clips which allows the viewer to understand their relationship. The clips that bind the characters together are the positions which I have made them sit in the film (Ella is close to him, he is sitting in the way that it shows a protective stance) aswell as the things they say to eachother. Although he is much quieter than Ella, its what he says that gives him little power in the scene. "Then let me help you". As if its a question instead of a promise. He does gain more authority though when he proclaims "You dont need her!". As the trailer progresses, her authority is lessened by her vanrability, whilst his is strengthened by his ability to fight, and the roles are reversed. This shows progression in the movie through the trailer. Showing how the characters grow or weaken in their situation.

Accidental Inspiration

Whilst accidentally leaving the camera on, I managed to capture a a bird flying past. When watching the film back I decided that the image was a perfect transition into another scene! HOORAY for mistakes! (:

Setting 0_0

My main setting took place in a graveyard in Easton-in-Gordano, Of course I had to get permission from the local gatekeeper after some clever persuading and a box of roses chocolate he was more than happy to let me in. To get the shots I wanted I also had to climb the bell tower which isnt the easiest thing to do with two cameras, stands and an actor thats scared of heights... Buuuut we got though it and the settings and shots/angles really bring out the type of movie genre im making.

And the winner is....

Well after asking many people I have finally come up with a catchy title that fits my horror trailer to perfection and am very proud to be able to call my film... DEAD REVENGE =D
I have chosen this one as it suits my film PERFECTLY. As most film titles, mine gives away an important aspect of the film. This helps the audience to understand what its about even before seeing the movie. Both words "Dead" and "Revenge" also help to show the type of genre the movie is.

Name????

Now that I have established WHO its for, I now need a catchy title that will appeal to this audience.. but what could that be??

well I have a few suggestions...

1. The Awakening/awakened
2. Eye Spy
3. Sleepless
4. Possession/ possessed
5. Takeover
6. From Beyond The Grave
7. Watching
8. The girl at the Graveyard
9. The Spirit
10. Doppelganger
11. Reflection
12. Betrayal/faces of betrayal
13. Grave Danger
14. Shaddow/shaddowed
15. Expire
16. Wondering
17. Phantom
18 Blood Reign
19. Different Worlds
20. Dead Revenge
21. Day and Night
22. The Bell Tower
23. Serperation
24. Caged
25. Trapped
26. Cut
27. Secrets
28. Sacred
29. Messages
30. Disturbed
31. The immortal
32. Restraints
33. Frenzy
34. An Eye for an Eye

Target Audience

Because my film now has a specific genre, it also means I need a specific target audience. From the similar trailers I have watched I have come to a conclusion on who my audience is and also how to make it obvious.

Main audience:
- Female (femalee dominated, main character. Scenes of romance, psychological - appeals more to female than male)
- Male (Access amounts of blood, hero - but not main character - of the story is male, sex appeal, supernatural)

Age:
15 - 25 (the main characters if the story range between the ages of 15 - 18, this will apeal more to people of that age as they will be able to relate to the characters more and hence will make the experience of whatching it more thrilling. The age restriction of the film is also a 15, this will encourage teenagers of this age and above to see it.)

Education:
There is no real mention in the trailer of education however the film is based around a school bully and the girl she kills. This would then be easier for people that go to school or have gone to school recently to relate. I would therefore say that my target audience would have the education of at least GCSE (which would be 15years)

Status:
I would say that my target audience would be middle-class and have shown this by making my characters with this status by using clothing, dialogue and setting to show this. I would also say that the main target audience would have a partner as there are hints of a romantic story and therefore would be a good movie for a date.

Aha!

Well after MUCH diliberation it has been decided that because of the excessive amount of blood and the gripping story line the film will be put in the genre of "Possessive Horror"!! Success!

Decisions decisions =S

Well, in order to make a successfull trailer I needed to get more of an insight into the genre. This started off with watching a number of trailers that were based around the horor genre (which is what my trailer will be) The first of these trailers were everything from saw to the shining. However after more research I found that I would need to look closer at what I was doing... i.e. if I was creating a slasher I would need LOADS of blood but if I was making a more psychological film trailer I would require alot of clever dialogue. Buuuut what should i decide on????

A bloody good bath

For the "bath of blood" scene I had to have alot of preperation for props, makeup and of course being alowed to use the setting. The scene takes place in my upstairs bathroom (much to my mothers dilike) where my main character (Elle) is shown looking dead in a bath, blood surounding her and multiple slits on her wrists. Instead of actually showing her cut herself, I thought it would be more effective to have the impression of what had happened, leaving the audience wondering. My actors had to arrive early in order to get the make up ready which ended up taking over three hours. Eventually I got the shot i wanted. a great success to the day!!!

Editing 1

Editing started with the usual waiting for the images to letterbox, which as always took a good part of an hour. Unfortunatly though disaster struck as I realised I was going to have to reshoot because the rest of my footage had refused to letter box. The next shooting was scheduled a week later in a forest setting.

First Day Of Filming

The first scene I shot was the "Churchyard" scene. This scene is vital to the characteristics of the genre of trailer I'm creating. My main character Bryony and "Behind the Scenes" camera girl Sofie (Also a main character, the dead girl.) also assisted me. I took short takes of Bryony standing behind a gate, looking terrified. The camera zoomed closer and closer to her face, so that the shots would look like flashes toward her. This technique is often used in horror trailers. The whole scene took about 2 hours to shoot, but was a great successs as I got alot done.