This is my mood Board. It consists of images found online and from magazines that I associate with horror and in particular the horror trailer my group will be producing. I have included many close-up images of faces, as close-up shots are often used in horror films to portray key emotions such as fear and pain. I have also selected the words jealous and wrecked as I associate these words with love and obsession, which is the main focus of our storyline. There is also a picture of the woods and some images from the tv drama 'Skins' - the episode when the group of teens go on a camping trip. These images directly relate to our storyline/trailer. The clothing featured in some of the images is also relevant as it is similar to the clothing we are looking to dress our characters in - the leather jacket in particular.
Originally my group were looking to produce a music video and had chosen the song Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. Our video was going to focus on a young couple in love so that the song lyrics would closely link. We were hoping to include many scenarios people often associate with teenagers in love. However, in the early stages of planning we were struggling to find actors that were prepared to play the 'loved-up' teenagers and so decided to change our ideas completely and aim to produce a horror film trailer instead. We decided to keep the theme of 'teenage love' but instead produce a twisted dark adaptation of your typical teenage love story. Following this decision we decided that the storyline of our trailer would be about a teenage boy's obsession with his first love.
As the trailer begins the soundtrack quickly and quietly builds before an abrupt crash as the first shot appears. For the next few shots the music is almost non-existant whilst dialogue from the film can be heard. The dialogue helps 'set the scene' somewhat, the use of the words 'mental hospital' immediately indicate that the film is likely to be a horror. This dialogue is then followed by a crash in sound that seems to resemble the sound of a person screaming - again indicating that the film is of the genre horror. This sound is accompained by a short, fast sequence of disturbing shots. The music then quietens and more dialogue (this time diegetic) that links in with the previous is heard. There is then another brief sound crash as the shot changes and more dialogue begins. Following this is another short, fast sequence of shots, again with a sound crash that resembles screaming. A conversation between characters is then played out where only the dialogue (no additional soundtrack) is audible. A very faint increase in sound is then heard as the main character hands his gun over. This suggest the action is significant, the character has handed over his 'control'. Diegetic sound is then heard as the music begins to increase in intensity. There is then a sound crash when the Director's name appears and the tempo of the music increases as the rising action begins. The dialogue educates the viewer on what the film will be about, unfolding the mysteries and inticing the audience. Between 0:42 and 1:05 the initial mysteries around the disapearance of the patient unfold. There is mostly dialogue and diegetic sound during this period. There is a faint soundtrack running in the background that remains relative with a few crashes in sound, most of which are in sync with the action on screen. There is then an 'unusual' sound as the rising actions continues to increase followed by the discovery of other, more complicated mysteries. The intensity builds and builds as the storyline appears to become more and more complicated. This build is shown through the use of both sound and editing. There are many crashes in sound that fit with the editing of the sequences, and much diegetic sound and dialogue is also heard. The trailer then reaches its climax at 2:04, followed by the falling action. The next and final sequence of shots (the falling action) builds as the music increases in pace and volume. There is then a final crash as an extreme long shot of the Island flashes on the screen. This shot then transforms into the title of the film - 'Shutter Island'. To end there is a final piece of dialogue - 'you will never leave this island' - before a dramatic crash in sound as the names of the cast and crew are shown.
I found analysing the sound/music used in this trailer very useful. The music changed dramatically in tempo and volume many times throughout which was interesting to see. Each piece of music that was used helped to create an eerie atmosphere and build tension. The many crashes in sound had been purposely synchronized with the on screen action which is something I would like to attempt to do when producing our trailer. Also, this trailer included a lot of dialogue and diegetic sound which is something I will take into account.
The first trailer I have chosen to look at is for the film 'Valentine'. The film is about a man who got teased and rejected by a group of school girls when he was a teenager. The hurt he experienced from this has resulted in him seeking revenge several years later. There are clear links between this storyline and the storyline of our horror trailer, as ours also involves rejection that leads to violent revenge. At the beginning of the trailer it is unclear what genre the film belongs to, as the young woman laying blissfully on the grass seems content. The next sequence of shots are in black and white and show a flashback of the boy at a Valentines dance as he gets shamefully turned down by a group of girls. The dialogue, 'will you dance with me?', is repeated as if it were an echo - this emphasises its importance, also signifying how prominant this memory must be. The comentry throughout this sequence is what first suggests to the viewer that the boy may be seeking revenge due to this event. There are then three shots of the girls (the ones that rejected/tormented the boy) as grown women, wondering what ever happened to the boy that they treated so badly. Following this there is a crash in music and a montage of action shots (the falling action), many showing fear and violence. There are also three captions that appear, all of which reinforce the theme/story. There are shots of the girls running and screaming in panic during this montage and we are planning to include similar scenes in our own production piece.
I also decided to look at the trailer for the film 'Obsessed' as the characters and storyline resemble that of our horror trailer in many ways. As well as this we are looking to name our film/trailer either 'Obsessed' or 'Obsession' which is also why this trailer seemed an appropriate choice. The woman who is 'obsessed' is initially portrayed as your average employee, and everything appears relatively ok. The main characters are all friendly with each other at the onset, however things soon take a turn. The trailer moves into a state of disequilibrium as the story unfolds and her obsession becomes apparent. This is how I believe our trailer should also be set out. Throughout the trailer the comentry says, 'beyond the mystery is a truth you'll never see coming'. I would like this to be suggested to the audience visually in our trailer.
When my group originally came up with the idea for our trailer I immediately remembered an episode of the Tv drama 'skins', where a group of teenagers went on a camping trip. When I was looking for props for filming I used this episode to gather ideas. Our characters will also be dressed in similar clothing.
After completing the detailed analysis of the 'Eden Lake' film trailer I came to the conclusion that this trailer was in many ways similar to the trailer that we are planning to produce - the locations and mise-en-scene in particular. The majority of shots in our trailer will be filmed in a remote wooded location and some, like the 'Eden Lake' trailer, will also involve a car. The mise-en-scene also fits with our trailer, as nearly everything from the lighting to the clothing worn by the characters will be similar.
The trailer begins with the production company's name/logo on the screen. The slow, melodic music is present from the start. The opening shot of the trailer is of a couple kissing, this is then followed by several shots of landscapes and the car that the couple are travelling in. Along with the dialogue it becomes aparent to the audience that the film is going to be about a 'loved-up' couple going on holiday. This is then reinforced when a caption appears in bold white font, on a black backround, reading 'OUT OF THE CITY'. This suggests that the location is going to be remote. People travelling to unknown, remote locations is often seen in horror movies and so it suggests to the viewer that the film is going to be a horror. In the next few shots a sat nav is shown to be telling the couple to turn the car around, whilst the dialogue also supports this. The shots are representative not only of the time period the film is set in but also that 'danger' lies ahead. On the surface these scenes appear to be in some way humorous however, they are infact acting as a warning of what is to come. The following caption reads 'OFF THE MAP' which again reinforces the idea that the location is remote - if anything happens, would anyone ever know? The caption fades out and there are a few shots showing the couple enjoying their trip, in what appears to be a beautiful location. There is a crash in sound and the rising action begins as the other main characters are introduced. The shots show a group of distruptive youths that the man tries to reason with. There is then another crash in sound and during the following 2 shots a question is asked that builds the viewer's suspition. The music crashes again and the shots are darker, showing that there has been a sudden shift in mood. The next shots of the couple's car answer the previous question, making it apparent that the youths will be playing a main role in the film. There is then a sequence of shots, each shot repeated in a red and black outline effect. These repeated shots that have been edited using a particular effect are flashed on the screen with each crash of the music. The shots become shorter, as the tempo increases and the music hightens as the trailer reaches its climax. The music stops abrubtly and a new sequences begins where diegetic dialogue is the main focus. There is then a crash in sound as a caption that reads 'THIS YEAR' appears on the screen - this caption and the ones to follow are in orange font, opposed to the previous that were in white font. This shows how the storyline has taken a very different, much darker turn. The pace picks up and a montage of a variety of different actions shots follows. The shots all present situations typical of a horror film; running, screaming, fire, pain. Two captions also appear at regular intervals, breaking up the sequence. The captions read, 'GET AWAY' and 'FROM IT ALL'. 'Get away from it all' is something that is often said in a positive sense by people when they are planning to take a holiday. In this trailer it would appear that it is used to portray an element of irony. During the montage the music has a fast tempo before finally fading as the screen turn black and the film title, 'EDEN LAKE' appears in the centre. The title is in the exact same bold, orange font as the previous three captions (helping the trailer to flow), and slowly increases in size. The title is also reflected in the black background, as it would in water, which links in with the lake setting. Finally, there is a very short sequence of shots in a different location. The music hightens for the final time, followed by a sound crash as a quote from a film magazine appears.
I chose to analyse this trailer because there are many ways in which it is similar to the horror trailer my group are aiming to produce. The storyline of our trailer involves a camping trip to the woods, the 'Eden Lake' trailer also features a camping trip and so it seemed an appropriate and relevant choice. Another similarity is the locations that have been used. The 'Eden Lake' trailer is set in a dark, remote woods - as is our film trailer. There are also shots of the characters travelling by car to their destination, which is something we are also planning to include. As well as this I have also developed new ideas based on what I have seen in this trailer. For example, we would also like to include a shot symbolic of danger like the one in the trailer of the sat nav telling the couple to 'turn around'. Also, we are planning to include captions and a montage of action shots and so seeing how this has been done in this trailer has been benefitial.
There is eery background music, typical of a horror, from the start of the trailer. To begin with the production company's name/logo appears on the screen. This then fades out and the shots begin to show. Four shots flash up on the screen to the timing of the music - a shot appearing each time a piano key is pressed. These shots 'set the scene', giving the audience an initial insight into what type of film the trailer is promoting. A small caption that reads, 'WHAT HAPPENS' is then shown in the centre on a blue/grey errie background. The background fits with the overall mood and colourscheme of the trailer so far. The caption fades out and two more shots fade on and off of the screen followed by another caption of the same style. This again fades out and one more shot appears followed by the final caption that completes the question - 'WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MAKE BELIEVE BELIEVES IT'S REAL?' The question helps to add mystery and intrigue the audience. The music now becomes 'darker' as the caption fades into the next shot. It is much quieter to begin with and gradually builds ending in a crash as the creature suddenly turns to face the camera. This is the climax of the trailer, where it becomes more apparent that the film is a horror. The screen then turns black and the music is almost nonexistant as the directors name appears on the screen in a style similar to that of the previous captions. This similarity helps to give the trailer a sense of flow. Following this the falling action begins, the music increases in volume and tempo as short shots, quickly cut together, appear. There is then a brief fade before the tempo increases further. The final shot, of the girl entering the tree remains on the screen slightly longer than the others, before fading into the film title as it appears. The music gently fades away and finally a quote, website and star rating are shown. The film title and final captions are again in the same style as the first, helping the trailer to flow and keep its theme throughout.
As my group have chosen to do a horror trailer, analysing the trailer for Pan's Labrinth has been beneficial. The trailer effectively draws the audience in, adding mystery and building tension throughout. No dialogue has been used as is with many horror trailers yet it is still relatively clear to the audience what the film is about. The choice of music and captions seem to be essential to the success of this trailer. I am hoping that when it comes to producing our trailer we will include captions of our own and set out the trailer in the same, conventional way - rising action, climax, falling action.
The music video above by Ok Go appears to have been filmed in one long, continuous, un-broken shot, much like the famous sequence from good fellas. However, this is not the case, infact clever special effects have been used to edit the video, making it appear seemless and as though the shot is continuous, when actually the video is made up of several shots. The plain, dull warehouse is the only location used, however the sequence of connected tricks which is clearly the focus of the video bring the simple location to life. The band members all feature in the video and act as catalysts in the sequence of connected tricks. The sequence ends with the four band members being covered in paint, drawing the focus back to them. The whole set up of the video resembles the well known game 'mouse trap'.
Ok Go often produce music videos that involve just one location and are filmed in one continuous shot. The videos for their songs, 'Here we go again' and 'White knuckle' are just some examples. Again, in these videos the main (and only) characters are the four band members. The videos are all relatively simple and cheap to produce, yet due to their originality they are highly memorable, which is key as essentially a music video is used to promote the band.
I love Ok Go's unique and interesting music videos, however as my groups production will involve creating a horror trailer, we will not be using their videos as inspiration for this project.
Story: The video has a clear narrative, which is unusual for the type of music. There is also a unexpected twist at the end of the video which helps to make it more memorable.
Setting: There are several different locations used, including clubs, bars and the character's appartment. These locations fit the genre of music and appeal to the target audience, who probably visit similar places and can relate to the content of the video in some way.
Character: Like many dance music videos the band do not appear feature in the video. The storyline however seems like something the band would and has experienced. Throughout the audience are made to think that the main character is male, however it is revealed at the end of the video that the main character is in fact a woman.
Costume: The colthing worn by the characters is what you would expect people in nightclubs and bars to wear, which fits the genre, helping to attract the target audience. Also, many of the woman are dressed in sexy, sometimes even erotic, clothing which will appeal to many of the male members of the audience.
Lyrics: There are very few lyrics which is generally expected of dance music. The few lyrics that there are do have a slight link to the narrative.
Special effects: As the entire video is done from the main character's perspective, using point of view shots, some effects have been used to show that the character is drunk.
Camera angles: Point of view shots are used throughout. This helps to hide the main character's identity, allowing for the surprising twist at the end. It also helps to make the video fast and dynamic, fitting the genre of music.
Story: The story is kept simple so that there is more focus on the fact that the band are appearing in an episode of 'Happy Days'.
Setting: There is only one location used - 'Happy Days, Arnold's'. The location and set-up reflect the simple storyline, whilst also making the video simple to produce. Also, from a technical point of view having just one location makes it easier to combine the old and new footage.
Characters: The band feature in the video and are clearly the focus, which is what the audience expect. Stars from 'Happy Days' also feature in the video, along with fans. The people dancing whilst listening to the band are representative of the band's fans.
Costume: Everyone in the video is wearing old, 70's style clothing. This style of clothing is representative of the time period that 'Happy Days' was broadcast during.
Lyrics: The lyrics do not have any relation to the video, however this doesn't matter as the 'Happy Days' episode is selling the band.
Special effects: The old footage of the 'Happy Days' episode and the new footage of the band have been skillfully combined, so that the band appear as though they are actually featuring in an episode of 'Happy Days'.
Camera angles: Wide-shots are used to show the band as a unit and the crowd. Close-ups are used to show members of the band and famous 'Happy Days' characters individually.
Story: This video has a clear narrative that is told in reverse. This helps interest the viewer as the song has a relatively slow tempo. Also, Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, is the main focus of the video which will appeal to Coldplay fans.
Setting: The whole video is set outdoors in several different locations, including a highstreet, basketball court, woods and train station. These locations fit the story that is being told, whilst also helping to interest the viewer.
Characters: Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, is the main character. He is very well recognised as being the frontman of Coldplay and so helps to sell the song. The other vital character is Chris Martin's character's girlfriend. The love story between the 2 characters featured in the video will appeal to the majority of the band's audience.
Costume: The clothing worn by the characters in the video is plain and dull, which fits the slow tempo song well. Dressing the characters in ordinary, everyday clothing also helps the audience (average, working class members of the public) to relate.
Lyrics: The lyrics are meaningful and emotive, much like the story being told in the video.
Special effects: The entire video is played in reverse, whilst Chris Martin sings the song. This must have been extremely hard to film as Chris would have had to learn and sing the song backwards during filming, so that the song would play as normal once the video was put into reverse. Telling the story in reverse is unique and interesting and so helps to maintain the viewer's attention throughout the song.
Camera angles: There are many mid-shots and close-ups used. The close-ups are vital as the song and video are emotive, and close-ups help to portray this. The editing throughout is slow to fit the slow tempo.
Arcade fire have converged a normal music video with the internet/web 2.0. To access the video the viewer must visit www.thewildernessdowntown.com and type in the postcode of their childhood address. The song, 'We used to wait' by Arcade fire, is about childhood and the video intends to give the viewer the opportunity to virtualy revisit their childhood home. During the song several windows pop up on the screen containing different footage. The fixed music video footage is of a person running down a street in the darkness - throughout there is always a window playing this. A mixture of long-shots, mid-shots and extreme close-ups are used when tracking the runner. The footage in the other windows is taken from Google maps and Google street view, and varies depending on the postcode entered. Each box pops up to the beat of the music. Towards the end of the song a window opens that allows the user to write a postcard to their younger selves in a tree branch style font.
