As a part of my research & planning, I created a questionnaire to allow me to gather information related to the task, that can help sculpt my final products. After I had received an acceptable number of responses, I compiled and compared the results to look at the opinions on film trailers themselves. The results were clear, with 26% picking Drama as their favourite genre, with Horror not close behind with 26% and 58% of people choosing 'A good plot' as their favourite aspect of trailers, I know which areas to focus on when creating my trailer. The results of my questionnaire have helped to reinforce some early ideas for the my trailer. I shall focus around the genres of Drama and Horror as these were the two most popular and while not neglecting other important aspects, such as cinematography, I will ensure the plot is prominent and professional in the final product. With each respondent giving a reason for their choices, it is important that I use the information carefully to make my trailer as effective as possible.
The link to the full set of result is below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SKFXzkeMZF8TBvtKPBlAw6zTQmLbDtrMx2W6_HLIKSM/viewanalytics
Monday, 24 June 2013
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Trailer Research - Horror Trailers
As a part of my research into the genre of Horror, I watched the films that had been nominated under that category for the golden trailer awards. I believe that the trailer for The Possession is the best of nominees. The use of fades rather than just using sharp cuts towards the beginning of the trailer helps to create smooth transitions that allow for a a gradual build up of tension. Also, the lighting of the footage shown is quite effective, and in several ways. At the start of the trailer, most of the shots are light, to help portray the 'happy family environment' that is effectively later ruined through the events of the story. This light is swapped for darkness as to reflect the turn in events as more supernatural/ dangerous things are shown. The music of this trailer also plays a large in why the trailer is effective. The song is cover of Rammstein's 'Engel' which ultimately creates an eerie atmosphere and feeling which is useful for a trailer of the horror genre as it often intensifies what is felt by the audience when watching the clips on-screen. Just as important as the use of music, is in fact the use of silence. Horror trailers, including 'The Possession' often has all sound cut...leaving the audience on the edge, captivated in what will happen next.
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
The History of Film Trailers
The first ever film trailer was made for a film called 'The Pleasure Seekers' and was first shown in November 1913. From then on, trailers have evolved and adapted to be formed into what we see as an important part of advertising for films today. Although a rare feature for many years, now we are surrounded by trailers, becoming a distinct part of the modern cinema experience.
One of the oldest examples of film trailers is that for the 1937 animation, Snow White. Obvious and immediate traits of the trailer, as with many early creations, are the heavy focus of large text and the use of superlatives. This is something that was very common in the beginning but was slowly replaced by the advance in technology which allowed the focus to switch more to effects. The Snow White trailer is also unusual in the fact that no moving image is actually shown, which is uncommon for a film trailer. It also featured the creator, Walt Disney, part way through the trailer delivering dialogue on each character. These features are clear in portraying just how far trailers have changed.
Just a couple of years later, the trailer for the 1939 film 'Gone With The Wind' shows major developments from Snow White. Although large bold text, and superlatives (inc. voice over) are still all very prominent, the trailer is made up of moving images from the film. Even more interestingly, some of the clips aren't in the final production, as the trailer was compiled before completion, this is something that is still very common today but sometimes goes unnoticed. Furthermore, although the characters and the actors/actresses playing them are introduced, it is not through speech delivered by the director, but through text and voice over, a stark contrast to Snow White and something that is not too dissimilar to modern trailers.
One of the oldest examples of film trailers is that for the 1937 animation, Snow White. Obvious and immediate traits of the trailer, as with many early creations, are the heavy focus of large text and the use of superlatives. This is something that was very common in the beginning but was slowly replaced by the advance in technology which allowed the focus to switch more to effects. The Snow White trailer is also unusual in the fact that no moving image is actually shown, which is uncommon for a film trailer. It also featured the creator, Walt Disney, part way through the trailer delivering dialogue on each character. These features are clear in portraying just how far trailers have changed.
Just a couple of years later, the trailer for the 1939 film 'Gone With The Wind' shows major developments from Snow White. Although large bold text, and superlatives (inc. voice over) are still all very prominent, the trailer is made up of moving images from the film. Even more interestingly, some of the clips aren't in the final production, as the trailer was compiled before completion, this is something that is still very common today but sometimes goes unnoticed. Furthermore, although the characters and the actors/actresses playing them are introduced, it is not through speech delivered by the director, but through text and voice over, a stark contrast to Snow White and something that is not too dissimilar to modern trailers.
A stark contrast and clear example of evolution from above if not all previous trailer comes over two decades later in the form of the trailer to the film Psycho. This trailer is one of the most famous, allbeit for its extraordinary length of 6.5 minutes or for the guided tour of the infamous motel by Alfred Hitchcock himself. These were both and remain to be unusual features for film trailers. The decision to place the title screen at the end of the trailer also had a lasting effect, now a common feature in most modern trailers, it had been previously thought that the optimum place for the title would be at the beginning.
A somewhat extraordinary and unique example of its time would be the film trailer of the 1964 film Dr.Strangelove, directed by Stanley Kubrick. The trailer incorporates a mixture of fast jump cuts (136/minute) with dialogue that is partly delivered through text/voice over and then finished with words cut out of the actual film footage. The combination goes well to leave the viewer with an overall disorientated feeling, that suites Kubrick's style.
One of the most ground-breaking trailers of it's day came in the form of that for the 1977 Star Wars film that started the iconic film series. By this time, technology had began to advance enough to allow for a greater, more professional use of special effects in the film than had ever been used, which the trailer was not shy of showcasing. Although a voice over is still featured, Star Wars: A New Hope, marked a significant point in film-making technology, that would continue to evolve into the SFX and CGI filled films (and trailers) that we see today.
One of the most ground-breaking trailers of it's day came in the form of that for the 1977 Star Wars film that started the iconic film series. By this time, technology had began to advance enough to allow for a greater, more professional use of special effects in the film than had ever been used, which the trailer was not shy of showcasing. Although a voice over is still featured, Star Wars: A New Hope, marked a significant point in film-making technology, that would continue to evolve into the SFX and CGI filled films (and trailers) that we see today.
Saturday, 15 June 2013
Trailer Analysis - Pain & Gain (2013)
Theatrical Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRtXB0_Caws
Pain & Gain is the latest film by Michael Bay, due for release this summer. Famous for his Bad Boys and more notably Transformer series, Bay is a well known and often well-loved director who is used to far bigger-budget blockbusters. Based on true story, Pain & Gain depicts a group of bodybuilders who enter a kidnapping and extortion ring after hatching a plan against a wealthy 'crook' to obtain his assets, when the plan fails, events spiral out of control.
The Theatrical trailer has a length of two and half minutes, which is very common with trailers as that is the limit which is only allowed to be exceeded once a year, so in a bid to show as much footage as possible, many companies make their trailers 150 seconds long. This film fits under the genres of crime/comedy/thriller/action but judging by the trailer and in relation to the 'Save The Cat' genres, it would most likely come under 'The Fool Triumphant' as although whether the main protagonist, Daniel Lugo, is successful or not, he and his partners are clearly established as the underdogs.
Within the first 12 seconds of the trailer, the premise of the film is already established to a generous extent. This is a common feature of trailers, the idea of truly condensing things as much as possible, to feed the audience information to help build interest.
As with a lot of modern trailers, specifically for films that contain action, slow-motion is used to prolong that particular part of the scene, which allows the audience to concentrate on what is happening in that small snippet, where detail would have been missed if played at normal/expected speeds. In this trailer, it also allows for a voice-over to be given by the main character. This is a common feature seen in the codes and conventions of trailers as it immerses the audience immediately, without any out-of-character details as a distraction. The voice-over is reoccurring throughout, broken up by intermittent pieces of dialogue. This is also a common code and convention of this genre, as dialogue from key scenes in the film builds interest and understanding.
The 'turn line' of the this trailer appears around the 1:10 mark as Lugo states 'I got a plan to change that' and the music alters to intensify and build a higher pace of action, that will ultimately lead into a number of jump cuts as scenes progress. The use of jump cuts is a common occurrence for films that contain action scenes as they build tempo and within this trailer, are also used to show the passage of time as events unfold, which is not an uncommon technique for this genre.
As the main characters plan is somewhat foiled, the music alters again, with the transitions and cuts also altering to fit the beat of the song. This adds an element of fluidity as the trailer starts to near its end and more of the plot is revealed, this is a common technique for this genre as a threat to the 'underdog(s)' essentially thickens the plot as well as interest. This could be referred to as 'The Rise' of the trailer, as it acts as a finale just before the ending scenes. However, within this crescendo, there is a pause for a calmer/comedic scene to be delivered. This pause reinforces the comedic side of the film, and a pause midway through the finale is often used in 'comedy' trailers like this as it is when the audience least expects it. Similarly, 'The Button' appears in this trailer as a comedic exchange of dialogue, which references 'going camping' even after all of the destruction of the trailer beforehand.
Large Text appears in the trailer only a hand full of times, to emphasise the most important elements, such as it being based on a true story, and the name of the director, as mentioning that it's made by Michael Bay is guaranteed to sell the film to more people who are fans of his previous work. The text appears at the start and end of the trailer, which is not uncommon in trailers as informs the audience of things such as when the film is released etc.
Pain & Gain is the latest film by Michael Bay, due for release this summer. Famous for his Bad Boys and more notably Transformer series, Bay is a well known and often well-loved director who is used to far bigger-budget blockbusters. Based on true story, Pain & Gain depicts a group of bodybuilders who enter a kidnapping and extortion ring after hatching a plan against a wealthy 'crook' to obtain his assets, when the plan fails, events spiral out of control.
The Theatrical trailer has a length of two and half minutes, which is very common with trailers as that is the limit which is only allowed to be exceeded once a year, so in a bid to show as much footage as possible, many companies make their trailers 150 seconds long. This film fits under the genres of crime/comedy/thriller/action but judging by the trailer and in relation to the 'Save The Cat' genres, it would most likely come under 'The Fool Triumphant' as although whether the main protagonist, Daniel Lugo, is successful or not, he and his partners are clearly established as the underdogs.
Within the first 12 seconds of the trailer, the premise of the film is already established to a generous extent. This is a common feature of trailers, the idea of truly condensing things as much as possible, to feed the audience information to help build interest.
As with a lot of modern trailers, specifically for films that contain action, slow-motion is used to prolong that particular part of the scene, which allows the audience to concentrate on what is happening in that small snippet, where detail would have been missed if played at normal/expected speeds. In this trailer, it also allows for a voice-over to be given by the main character. This is a common feature seen in the codes and conventions of trailers as it immerses the audience immediately, without any out-of-character details as a distraction. The voice-over is reoccurring throughout, broken up by intermittent pieces of dialogue. This is also a common code and convention of this genre, as dialogue from key scenes in the film builds interest and understanding.
The 'turn line' of the this trailer appears around the 1:10 mark as Lugo states 'I got a plan to change that' and the music alters to intensify and build a higher pace of action, that will ultimately lead into a number of jump cuts as scenes progress. The use of jump cuts is a common occurrence for films that contain action scenes as they build tempo and within this trailer, are also used to show the passage of time as events unfold, which is not an uncommon technique for this genre.
As the main characters plan is somewhat foiled, the music alters again, with the transitions and cuts also altering to fit the beat of the song. This adds an element of fluidity as the trailer starts to near its end and more of the plot is revealed, this is a common technique for this genre as a threat to the 'underdog(s)' essentially thickens the plot as well as interest. This could be referred to as 'The Rise' of the trailer, as it acts as a finale just before the ending scenes. However, within this crescendo, there is a pause for a calmer/comedic scene to be delivered. This pause reinforces the comedic side of the film, and a pause midway through the finale is often used in 'comedy' trailers like this as it is when the audience least expects it. Similarly, 'The Button' appears in this trailer as a comedic exchange of dialogue, which references 'going camping' even after all of the destruction of the trailer beforehand.
Large Text appears in the trailer only a hand full of times, to emphasise the most important elements, such as it being based on a true story, and the name of the director, as mentioning that it's made by Michael Bay is guaranteed to sell the film to more people who are fans of his previous work. The text appears at the start and end of the trailer, which is not uncommon in trailers as informs the audience of things such as when the film is released etc.
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Hollywood films: Main genres (Save The Cat)
Monster in the house: This type of film consists of some sort of 'monster', normally of supernatural origin, that the characters in the film must escape from to find safety/ peace. Their lives are normally threatened, and thus to survive, they must kill the creature or escape from it throughout the film. The 'monster' is usually provoked by the human characters at some point, which ultimately leads to the events of the film. there are many examples of this genre, such as the Alien series and the Exorcist, but a more contemporary examples could be Insidious and Paranormal Activity.
Golden Fleece: This particular genre is named after the iconic tale of Jason and the Argonauts, significantly visualized in the 1963 film. The plot for these films revolves around a hero going on a journey/quest to achieve a goal/retrieve an item. This often leaves it open for character development and for them to 'discover themselves' while away on their quest. A notable series of this genre is Star Wars, but a more recent blockbuster would be The Hobbit: an Unexpected journey.
Out of the bottle: This genre follows a main character who is experiencing unordinary occurrences, sometimes those of 'magical' origin. The film takes the audience through the characters process of trying to understand said happenings, usually resulting in the main character coming to some sort of realisation about a good moral, which is the message of the film. Famous films of this genre are Bruce/ Evan Almighty and even Yes Man.
Dude with a problem: These films depict an an average man who finds himself in an extreme/unusual situation. This can include fighting a human or natural threat, in order to save the lives of innocent people. In most instances, the main character has to make some sort of self-sacrifice or change their ways somewhat in order to complete their task. Classic examples of this genre would be Die Hard and Speed, with the Taken Franchise being a more recent example.
Rites of passage: The premise to most of these films is that the main character is faced with some sort of life problem, like old-age or a loss in the family etc for which they must overcome to acheive a bigger goal, which is usually happiness. The character's experiences throughout the film are often relatable which makes the film more entertaining for the audience as they can often empathise with the character directly. These films are often comedies, however some have taken a more serious tone. Films of the genre include American Pie franchise.
Buddy Love: These films normally focus on a pair of characters and the things that they experience with each other. This normally strains their relationship but makes it stronger in the end. This is not always applied to 'buddies' as it can be applied to relationships, even those with animals, such as Free Willy. A modern example could be Paul, or Ted.
Whydunit: Some films of this genre go against the grain for most and focus on the villain, and why they committed their act/ crime etc. They try to explain the character that is rarely explained in true depth, and so this time, the audience get to learn of what it is like to be in the mind of the villain. A classic example of this would be The Silence of the Lambs. Films of this genre can also focus on more common occurrences like murder etc where the 'good guy' police officers have to try and solve the case.
The Fool Triumphant: This genre focus' on the underdog who appears to have no chance of succeeding at their life goals etc. As the film goes on, the audience can watch as they see the character expand and grow as a person, ultimately reaching ever closer to success. An example of this could be Django Unchained.
Institutionalised: This genre revolves around a group of characters who belong to a certain institution within society. These films are normally used to reflect said institutions in a certain light, be that positive or negative. Very famous films of this genre include One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and The Shawshank Redemption.
Superhero: This genre places an unusual person, a superhero, in a usual, everyday world that can be related to immediately by the audience. The character has to try and explain themselves but are usually misunderstood or even underestimated. Iconic films belonging to the genre would be the multiple Batman variations, but more recently, The Wolverine, a sequel to the spin-off of the famed X-Men series.
Golden Fleece: This particular genre is named after the iconic tale of Jason and the Argonauts, significantly visualized in the 1963 film. The plot for these films revolves around a hero going on a journey/quest to achieve a goal/retrieve an item. This often leaves it open for character development and for them to 'discover themselves' while away on their quest. A notable series of this genre is Star Wars, but a more recent blockbuster would be The Hobbit: an Unexpected journey.
Out of the bottle: This genre follows a main character who is experiencing unordinary occurrences, sometimes those of 'magical' origin. The film takes the audience through the characters process of trying to understand said happenings, usually resulting in the main character coming to some sort of realisation about a good moral, which is the message of the film. Famous films of this genre are Bruce/ Evan Almighty and even Yes Man.
Dude with a problem: These films depict an an average man who finds himself in an extreme/unusual situation. This can include fighting a human or natural threat, in order to save the lives of innocent people. In most instances, the main character has to make some sort of self-sacrifice or change their ways somewhat in order to complete their task. Classic examples of this genre would be Die Hard and Speed, with the Taken Franchise being a more recent example.
Rites of passage: The premise to most of these films is that the main character is faced with some sort of life problem, like old-age or a loss in the family etc for which they must overcome to acheive a bigger goal, which is usually happiness. The character's experiences throughout the film are often relatable which makes the film more entertaining for the audience as they can often empathise with the character directly. These films are often comedies, however some have taken a more serious tone. Films of the genre include American Pie franchise.
Buddy Love: These films normally focus on a pair of characters and the things that they experience with each other. This normally strains their relationship but makes it stronger in the end. This is not always applied to 'buddies' as it can be applied to relationships, even those with animals, such as Free Willy. A modern example could be Paul, or Ted.
Whydunit: Some films of this genre go against the grain for most and focus on the villain, and why they committed their act/ crime etc. They try to explain the character that is rarely explained in true depth, and so this time, the audience get to learn of what it is like to be in the mind of the villain. A classic example of this would be The Silence of the Lambs. Films of this genre can also focus on more common occurrences like murder etc where the 'good guy' police officers have to try and solve the case.
The Fool Triumphant: This genre focus' on the underdog who appears to have no chance of succeeding at their life goals etc. As the film goes on, the audience can watch as they see the character expand and grow as a person, ultimately reaching ever closer to success. An example of this could be Django Unchained.
Institutionalised: This genre revolves around a group of characters who belong to a certain institution within society. These films are normally used to reflect said institutions in a certain light, be that positive or negative. Very famous films of this genre include One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and The Shawshank Redemption.
Superhero: This genre places an unusual person, a superhero, in a usual, everyday world that can be related to immediately by the audience. The character has to try and explain themselves but are usually misunderstood or even underestimated. Iconic films belonging to the genre would be the multiple Batman variations, but more recently, The Wolverine, a sequel to the spin-off of the famed X-Men series.
Monday, 10 June 2013
Film Trailer Questionnaire
As a part of my research and planning, I created a brief questionnaire to help me sculpt idea for my final products. I can use the responses to gather an idea of what elements to include and perfect.
Below is the link to the form, please take a minute to fill it out if you can, thanks.
Trailer Terminology
Trailer: A composition of several clips from a film, often from key scenes, but that are not fully explained to entise the viewer to want to find out more. Trailers use a number of elements, such as music and jump cuts to emphasise and draw more attention to the footage being shown. They can be in the form of shorter, teaser trailers that reveals very little, normally about 30 seconds. Through to an extra-long featurette that is often more like a full scene from the production.
Plot summary: This sums up the story of the film, usually in around 3 stage structure. The premise will be shown, followed by a further explanation of the plot, which then usually ends in a climax that often incorporates notable scores of music to emphasise the events shown.
Voice-over: This technique is used when explanation is needed or to briefly set up the premise to the film. This helps the audience to expand their understanding of the plot.
Music: The music used in a trailer very rarely originates or appears from the film itself. It helps to set the tone of the trailer and indeed the film. Often, recognisible peices of existing music are used, called 'library music' but there are occassions where the peice is written specifically for the trailer. There are also examples of songs used that sound similar to the original but are too expensive to license.
Cast, crew and studio information: A cast run is a common feature of trailers, this is where the names of the stars appearing in the film are mentioned. Also, if the director/executive producer is well known or has made a blockbuster recently, they are often mentioned too. As well as this information, there is usually a billing block at the end of the trailer which is a list of top billing/ most important cast and crew. Since the seventies, studio production logos have featured at the beginning of most trailers, these are often accompanied by the logo of the distributing company too.
Technical elements: The sound mix to many trailers are presented in Dolby Digital, or other forms of multichannel sound mix. This has helped sound effects and music, that are often enhanced by stereophonic sound a main focus point of contemporary trailers. Trailers are usually presented in the same format as the final production, this includes 35mm film or a digital format. Internet capability has allowed trailers to be shown in resolutions up to and including 1080p.
Plot summary: This sums up the story of the film, usually in around 3 stage structure. The premise will be shown, followed by a further explanation of the plot, which then usually ends in a climax that often incorporates notable scores of music to emphasise the events shown.
Voice-over: This technique is used when explanation is needed or to briefly set up the premise to the film. This helps the audience to expand their understanding of the plot.
Music: The music used in a trailer very rarely originates or appears from the film itself. It helps to set the tone of the trailer and indeed the film. Often, recognisible peices of existing music are used, called 'library music' but there are occassions where the peice is written specifically for the trailer. There are also examples of songs used that sound similar to the original but are too expensive to license.
Cast, crew and studio information: A cast run is a common feature of trailers, this is where the names of the stars appearing in the film are mentioned. Also, if the director/executive producer is well known or has made a blockbuster recently, they are often mentioned too. As well as this information, there is usually a billing block at the end of the trailer which is a list of top billing/ most important cast and crew. Since the seventies, studio production logos have featured at the beginning of most trailers, these are often accompanied by the logo of the distributing company too.
Technical elements: The sound mix to many trailers are presented in Dolby Digital, or other forms of multichannel sound mix. This has helped sound effects and music, that are often enhanced by stereophonic sound a main focus point of contemporary trailers. Trailers are usually presented in the same format as the final production, this includes 35mm film or a digital format. Internet capability has allowed trailers to be shown in resolutions up to and including 1080p.
A2 Coursework Brief
For my A2 coursework I shall create a film trailer, accompanied by a film poster and magazine front cover, both advertising the production. I will be using this blog to document my research & planning, as well as my final products and the evaluations for each.
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