EVALUATION SIX: How have you made your trailer seem like a trailer?

TITLES

When creating our trailer, we wanted to make it as successful as possible by conforming to the horror genre and overall, looking like a trailer. During the editing process we added titles throughout engaging audiences but also advertising and selling the trailer. To help introduce our antagonist to the audience we used titles which helped portray the idea of a clown and the eerie and mysterious stereotypes/representations. We explain that this particular clown isn't one which would bring entertainment or excitement. Our trailer is a horror so we demonstrate that he isn't one you would want to meet. We changed the 'Him' to red as it connotes blood, death and scarce, conforming to the horror genre. These are appropriate when making our product seem like a trailer as they are giving informing the audience about the plot without giving too much away. Other titles we used were to help advertise and sell the film. By including that the film has been rated 'Scariest film of 2017' by a popular magazine and that it's won 'Audience choice award' in fact persuades audiences to see the product as its been spoken about positively in the media. Lastly we use 'This spring' to tell viewers when the trailer will be out. This is important as it makes audiences aware of when they will be able to see the film if they enjoyed the trailer. We used a 'Smear' effect on the titles as a more captivating way of exiting the screen. The titles become sharp looking and look as if blood is dripping of the letters conforming to the horror genre. I feel our titles are effective when making our construct seem like a trailer as they help set the scene, explain the story and advertise the overall film.  

EDITING

When editing our product, we wanted to use as many successful edits and transitions to help make it look as much like a trailer as possible. Firstly, we used a 'Smear' effect on the titles as a more captivating way of exiting the screen. The titles become sharp looking and look as if blood is dripping of the letters conforming to the horror genre. Between scenes we used either a 'Dip to black' or 'Dip to white'. The dip to black is effective as it closes the scene creating suspense and questions dud to not knowing what will happen next (Enigma codes). The dip to white is also useful when brightening up the scene subverting the general stereotypes of horror as it makes the trailer look as if something positive will happen. We used the black and white filter when showing the record player. We thought this would be useful as the tones and shadows help make the scene appear eerie and mysterious. This helps make the product look like a trailer as companies are unlikely to use filters in films as it breaks continuity. In trailers you are able to add effects and transitions to help it run smoothly whilst keeping audiences interested. We used a 'Additive Dissolve' when showing our clown as it faded into the background. This is effective as it makes it look like the clown if being presented multiple times. In a film this would't work as it would break continuity. However, in a trailer we are able to confuse the audience leaving them asking questions and mix scenes together as it doesn't have to be in order. 

SOUND

To make our trailer seem like a trailer we used one main soundtrack throughout our tailer with different sound effects. We didn't include any dialogue as we thought it would look more like a opening two minutes. Mostly, non-diegetic sound used as we thought it would help make our product seem more like a trailer than anything else. Our main soundtrack was chime like conforming to the horror genre. It sounds creepy and mysterious as we wanted to portray the clown in a negative light. Sound effect include ticking as it implies the protagonist is running out of time and the clown is fast approaching. We used heavy breathing as we show our protagonists running away from the clown. This is effective as it makes the audiences feel anxious and uneasy. We have a child narration as it reflects the idea of clowns and their main purpose of entertainment for children at circuses. This appears very frightening and tense as the girl is talking very mellow and slowly. The dark scene also fits nicely as it makes it more far more compelling. We used a circus tune to reinforce the clown. The sound effect is loud and fast pace, which creates a tense atmosphere. Our sound is appropriate for a trailer as it engages audiences and fits all the scenes and jump cuts together. It also works throughout the whole of the trailer, meaning viewers aren't left feeling confused. 

MISE EN SCENE

To make our product seem like a trailer, we wanted to use different locations so we could use jump cuts  to portray parts of the story to the audience. We filmed in parks, residential areas, cars and houses to show different timings and days reflecting the idea of a trailer. We also filmed at daytime and nighttime to conform to the horror genre whilst showing different times of the day. This makes it seem more like a trailer as it's not like its only showing one day which is like a film or opening two minutes. For costume, our protagonists are shown wearing different outfits in different scenes. We wanted to make our trailer seem like its been recorded day by day as it looks more like a trailer. If our characters were wearing the same thing the whole time it would appear more like a opening two minutes. Our antagonist, the clown, is shown wearing the same black outfit and mask as we wanted audiences to think there is only one clown. I feel if the clown changed outfit it would look less realistic or supernatural. We also used a balloon in only one or two scenes as we thought if we used it throughout it would look too much like it's been recorded on the same day. Trailers in the real world portray people lives over numerous days/weeks/years. We wanted to make our trailer look as if it had been made over many days to help look more like a trailer. This is why we changed costume, location, props and timings/lighting. 

CAMERA

We used many different camera angles including long shots to show body language and setting, close ups to show emotions, panning and establishing shots to set the scene, low angles to show power and authority and over the shoulder shots. We wanted to use as many different camera angles to help portray different moods and meanings in our trailer. The effect is successful as it makes our product look more like a trailer than an opening two minutes. In a trailer, jump cuts are usually used to change location, setting and character. By using different camera angles, audiences get different meanings and information. Trailers are made to advertise films and engage audiences. Our creation successfully does this through different camera angles as it helps show key points of the film in a short and simpler way.

THEORY

We have conformed to many theorists when creating out horror trailer. We portrayed a disruption of the equilibrium by some action when introducing the killer clown. We wanted to leave our trailer with the state of equilibrium as it engages the audience more. This supports Todorou's theory of narrative. In our trailer we have The villain who causes disruption (clown) and the princess/victim (three teenagers). This supports Vladimir Propp's theory of narrative. Binary oppositions are used in our trailer whereby we portray good and evil. The clown is the evil antagonist and the innocent protagonists are good and vulnerable. This is argued by Claude Levi-Strauss that the world is arranged in terms of oppositional forces and values. We also wanted to show Enigma codes, whereby our audiences are left with unanswered questions, tantalising and engaging them. For example, why is the clown in the park? Why are the girls at the park at night? Who is behind the clown mask? This supports Robert Bathes theory as trailers intend to leave audiences with questions as hopefully they will go and see the film when in cinemas. Our clown is represented as evil, mysterious and frightening. This supports Tessa Perkins theory whereby, truthful representations are changing and evolving. Clowns are no longer mainly stereotyped with circuses and entertainment.