Evaluation Question 1

Evaluation Question 1

Below are the 3 trailers that we analyzed to discover more about the codes and conventions of horror trailers and what makes them stereotypical.

Halloween 1978 Trailer 

 

Babadook Trailer

 

The Strangers Trailer

  Below is my groups horror trailer for Mr Creek.

Mr Creek Trailer

 

Evaluation Question 2

Below is my YouTube video for my evaluation question 2. Please watch the video to see how effective I think my own ancillary products are conventional and good advertising products.

Evaluation Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

When marketing a film before release, it is important to gather audience feedback before and during production so that any mistakes or parts of the final product that aren’t liked too much by the target audience can be changed to make the final product that much more appealing to the target audience. It is important to gather audience feedback during the initial idea phase of a media product, so that you can then find out what people in general think about your product. It is important when coming up with the media package to consider what your target audience is going to be as you can begin to adjust your idea towards the liking's of your target audience. When looking at what target audience you want your media product to have it is important to think about the demographics of that target audience. The demographics for target audiences will include things such as gender, age, religion, class, hobbies and interests. Certain genres of films will target themselves more towards one specific set of demographics, such as animation films being aimed towards children and horror films towards the young adults. 
An example of two film trailers which are aimed at two completely different demographics. The first is for the film Home, which was targeted at kids and the second trailer is for the film Steve Jobs which was aimed at adults.

Trailer for Home

 

Trailer for Steve Jobs

 

When producing an advertisement campaign for a media product, it is important to gather feedback as it can improve your products before the advertisement products are released fully so that they are efficient as possible. Advertisement campaigns will include promotions, advertising and publicity so that the most efficient and effective campaigns for attracting the attention of the target audience can be achieved. Promotion is the partnership with other companies and production to help promote the film with the change of gaining something special form the promotional offer. This generally includes competitions to get tickets to see the film early. Advertising is the use of media products to attract attention to the film. These products will be mainly focused on the target audience, but will often overlay to attract the attention of the secondary audience. The majority of film advertising takes place before the release of the film to build up the hype for the film and can start as early as a year before initial release. Once the product has been released the advertising products will be adapted to attract further attention and some of the products may even be adapted for the DVD advertisement. Publicity is specialist advertising that uses actors and directors directly from the product in things such as TV interviews and editorial coverage and these can often seem more persuasive than pre-paid advertising.

An example of a film that did loads of market research and publicity is The Woman in Black, which was aimed at teenagers and young adults. This was done by use of various advertisement products such as posters and trailers that had been designed to attract the target audience. Publicity was also a key part of the marketing plan for The Woman in Black as Daniel Radcliffe conducted many TV interviews to attract the attention of the target audience which had many similarities to the Harry Potter series which Daniel Radcliffe is most known for.
Below is one of the many interviews that Daniel Radcliffe did as part of the publicity for The Woman in Black

During the pre-production for our trailer, we decided that our target audience would be teenagers and young adults of both genders. Within these demographics, we decided to primarily target our idea towards the mainstream, and then our secondary audience would be those who did not fit within the mainstream audience. With our target audience, we were interested in finding out who watched horror films, if they like them and what they like about them. With this we were able to find out what codes and conventions of the horror genre we should include within our own product. To conduct this research we conducted an online survey on SurveyMonkey to find out in detail what our target audience thought of the horror genre. In addition to this, we went our around the college to hand out physical questionnaires as the people within the college fit well into our primary target audience. 
An example question from our Survey Monkey questionnaire regarding our trailer idea.

 

Once we had an unrefined trailer made, we did class showings so that we could gather feedback on our trailer, which was close to being finished. The people within the class also fit within our target audience, which allowed us to gain reliable feedback on the trailer before we finished it. Feedback for our trailer was collected through the class screening that was conducted and the video in which the feedback was given can be seen in the embedded video above. In addition to this, the trailer draft was published on YouTube publicly which means that anyone can watch it and if they want too can provide feedback in the comments.

Below, are parts of the draft trailer compared to the same part in the final trailer once improvements had been made. In addition, the construction of my magazine and poster can be seen down below in the two Flipsnack documents.

   

Poster and Magazine Feedback

 For my magazine and poster feedback I have asked people from my target audience to critique my work in order to find out what they think is good and bad about my work. For Mr Creek, the target audience is teenagers and young adults who enjoy horror films and who are people are a quite active in going to the cinema to see horror films. For the feedback I asked 5 people from the target audience about my work and they provided the constructive feedback which can be seen below.

When looking at this constructive feedback, I have learned that I need to change some of the smaller conventions on my magazine cover such as the sticker and and sub title and on my poster I need to change the colours which are used on the title as it is to similar to the background image colour and makes reading the title and sub title harder.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I have found that the feedback gathered from the questionnaire, draft trailer screening and the magazine and poster critique to have been very useful at finding out what people from my products target audience like about Mr Creek as an idea and trailer and what they then think about the advertising products for the film. An example of a piece of research and feedback that was useful, was the questionnaire question that is showed above and it provided us the information that our target audience especially like being scared during horror films from the jump scares. From this feedback my group decided to add a couple of jump scares into the trailer so that we could efficiently convey to our target audience that our trailer is scary and includes plenty of jump scares which our target audience like.

Evaluation Question 4

Below is my evaluation question 4 answer in the form of a YouTube video. Please watch the video to find out how I used new media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages of the Mr Creek trailer and ancillary products.

Mr Creek Final Movie Poster

Final Magazine Front Cover

Mr Creek Final Trailer

Below is the final trailer for Mr Creek. Please watch the trailer.
 

Mr Creek Trailer Draft

Poster Feedback Improvements and Comparison

Magazine Feedback Improvements and Comparison

Magazine Cover and Poster Feedback

Phobia Magazine Mr Creek Edition Before Feedback

Mr Creek Poster Before Feedback

Poster and Magazine Drafts

These are the drafts for the Mr Creek magazine cover and poster that will be my ancillary products.

Mr Creek Trailer Shot List

Horror Villain Mood Board

This mood board consists of horror film villains that inspired the villain in my own horror trailer. The use of the mask was liked as it creates a sense of mystery and can make the character more visually scary and horrific. Most of the characters here have blades weapons which they use to kill the victims in the films and while a weapon would be needed for the villain, it was decided that we would not see it in the trailer to further create the sense of mystery for the audience as they question what the villain will use to try and kill the androgynous hero of the film. The costumes of the characters vary hugely and seem to be themed around the personality of the villain and how they kill their victims. This therefore meant that out costume idea was very flexible and could then be easy to design and make for our character. In the end it was decided that the costume would be everyday clothing that is stereo-typical male.

Mr Creek Script

This is the completed script for the Mr Creek trailer. The only dialogue that is spoken in the trailer is a voice over phone call which is made from Sam to his girlfriend who is not able to make it to the holiday home till Friday which leaves Sam at the holiday home alone for 4 days.

Production Schedule

Storyboards for the trailer

These are the storyboards for our trailers, and informs us on the duration of shot, camera angle, camera movement, mise en scene, lighting, dialogue and the music within the scene. In addition to this, the storyboards will be very useful in visualizing what our scenes look like.

Budgeting our Film Trailer.

This is the budgeting form that has been completed,so that we can work out the average cost of the production of our film trailer. This form shows the details about the journeys that will be made by the cast and crew, so that we can film and the average cost of this has been calculated, but is not exact due to the bus ticket prices varying per member of the group and the prices not being published online. In addition to this, the costs of the props and costumes have been added, and these prices are approximate due to the items already being purchased and in possession of our group.

Recce Scouting Forms

These are the recce scouting forms that were completed so that we can assess and scout out the area that we might be filming at, and these forms provide us with contact details, availability and the address of the location.

3 Horror Trailers for Inspiration

These are the three trailers that relate closely to our Mr Creek trailer. The first trailer that I chose was the 2008 film, The Strangers. The way in which this film relates to our trailer is that in both films families are on vacation/holiday, when a disruption occurs. The second trailer is the 1978 film, Halloween. IN this film Michael Myers seeks revenge on his sister, who he kills and later targets another female who is similar to his sister. This film relates to Mr Creek as there is a sense of revenge in both trailers/films, as Mr Creek wants revenge on a successful author, as he was a failed one. Finally, the last film trailer is the 2014 film, The Babadook. This film uses the same disruption method as our trailer, as there are notes and children books found throughout the house in both trailers, which leads to the unveiling of the villain/monster.

Props and Costume

Talent Release Form

Location Release Form

Risk Assessment

This is the risk assessment that had to be filled out by our group, so that we could see what risks there would be whilst filming, and how we could make the filming locations safer to cast and crew. This risk assessment will have to be signed by the person who assesses the area and takes the necessary precautions so that the area can be made safe. On the form, it has been explained how the area will be made safe, and what extra precautions will be taken. There is also space on the form for the teacher to sign the form and to show that we have taken the necessary steps to make filming safer for everyone involved.

Mr Creek Horror Trailer Group Idea

Horror Trailer Individual Idea

How Research has Impacted our Ideas

Questionnaire Results Analysis

The History Of Horror

Roots in Classic Literature

During the 19^th Century, there was a huge interest in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, electricity and metallurgy and large developments in these sectors; this caused the 19^th Century to be the groundwork for the technological advances in the 20^th Century. During the 19^th Century, the Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain and later spread to continental Europe, North America and Japan. Whilst this was happening in the Victorian Era, there was the widespread employment of children in factories and mines, as well as strict social norms regarding both modesty and gender roles.

The 19^th Century was when the Gothic tradition turned into the genre that is now known modernly as the horror genre. During the 19^th Century, horror books and stories such as Frankenstein (Mary Shelly 1818), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Louis Stevenson (1886) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula in 1897.

The Silent Era

Silent films are ones in which there are no synchronized recorded sound, and this includes spoken dialogue. In silent film, the acting had to be changed so that it was extremely expressive and if any dialogue was needed then it was done through the use of title cards. This era started in 1894 and ended in 1920 when audio became available.

Silent films had a very large impact, as they appealed to mass audiences of the illiterate working-class. It was during the 1920’s when silent films became more of a middle class pastime as these films began to be based upon books. After the Second World War, the USA began patenting the technology for filmmaking as Italy and France were heavily damaged during the Second World War. Actors were expected to perform their own stunts, and studios would save money by getting willing actors to be in the story rather than hiring an actor and a stunt double.

The most famous silent actor Charlie Chaplin.

Monsters and Mad Scientists

The 1930’s was the re-birth of the horror films, and this lead to many horror films being made from books that were written during the 19^th Century. These films included, King Kong, Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy. With the addition of sound being recent and new, this added a large fear factor to the films as much and tension was a lot easier to add to the film. Scientists in these horror films were given a bad reputation as they were often thought to be insane or power hungry. This lead to real scientists having problems and scientists within plots were often laughed at.

Finally, the 1930’s were the era of The Great Depression and this lead to horror films being extremely popular due to the escapism factor of horror films.

 

The Primal Animal Within

During the 1940’s the horror genre had been banned in Great Britain, and this led to America taking over the horror genre. The Second World War affected the horror genre and led to the ideas of primal animals and creatures being the villains in horror films. It was during this time that wolves became a key icon of the horror genre, and this was due to Nazis being referred by Hitler himself as wolves. Films such as The Wolf Man and Cat People (1942), were made in America.

 

Mutant Creatures and Alien Invaders

During the 1950’s mutant movies came into the horror genre and quickly became a very popular horror sub-genre. The most iconic monster movie of the 1950’s is Godzilla. In addition to this, Alien movies also came a big success with the idea of unknown life and other life sustaining planets.

Atomic bomb testing occurred heavily and is thought to be what caused the ideas of mutants and monsters, as being exposed to heavy amounts of radiation often created these beings and this caused some fear with people, as they were learning the affects of nuclear weapon and bomb testing.

This was later followed by the fear of the unknown that was created by NASA and this was due to people becoming more scientifically aware of things around themselves and an increasing interest in the sciences. Films that played with the space genre were able to have so man interpretations and variations as no one really knowing much about space.

Ghosts, Zombies, Satanism and your Family (1960’s – 1970’s)

Key horror films during the these two decades included Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock 1960), The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock 1963), The Night of the Living Dead (George A Romero 1968), Rosemary’s Baby (Roman Polanski 1968) and Taste the Blood of the Dracula (Peter Sasdy 1970). Key events that took part during the 1960’s included the US presidency of JFK in 1960, proposal of the moon program in 1961, JFK’s assassination in 1963, Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Vietnam War 1955-1975.

During the 1970’s there were more major events that caused people to become fearful of people around them and not knowing who to trust. This includes Serial Killer Ted Bundy and Charles Manson and his conspiracy to attack people within their own homes and this led to several people being killed in their own homes. This later led onto films being made about things occurring around the everyday household lifestyle.

Hammer House Productions

Hammer House Productions, is a film company that made many horror films during the mid 1950’s – 1970’s. It was during this time that they dominated the UK horror film production and had their films going worldwide. After having to declare bankruptcy in the mid 90’s Hammer Films came back to help produce The Women In Black and Let Me In.

Slasher Films

Slasher is a sub genre of American horror films, which typically involve;

·      A violent psychopath who murders several people.

·      Murder

Alfred Hitchcock is the most known horror/slasher film, which films such as Psycho, which was an early influential slasher film. In addition to Alfred Hitchcock, there is film director John Carpenter who directed, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream. Key slasher films in the 80’s includes Friday the 13^th (1980), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Slumber Party Massacre (1982), The Prowler (1980), Maniac (1980), The Shining (1981) and Halloween (1981). It is common for slasher films to be based around a specific calendar date, as they can then market around that date, and with most calendar day events being well known, this can then help to make the film more appealing.

 

Video Nasties

Video Nasties include A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Evil Dead, I Spit on your Grave, Zombie Flash Eaters, Nightmares in a Damaged Brain and The Last House on the Left. The thing that makes video nasties so bad, is that the commonly include mutilations of bodies cannibalism, gang rape. 30 years ago, a new law was put in place, where a film had to be classified in order to be released.

With the advanced that technology the software allowed for fake scenes and animation to be made and this meant that scarier things could then be put into films.

Self Referential Horror Films

These are horror films that are aware of them. By this we mean that they involve the use of horror parodies and are aware of the codes and conventions that are stereotypical of the horror genre. The 1990’s were all about people finding themselves and getting their own personal self-awareness. This led to the rise of teenagers being in horror films.

Gorenography

Gorenography are torture films that are often described as being ‘torture porn’. These films include Hostel, Wolf Creek, The Devil’s Reject and Saw. These films were often made to have recognizable props and settings, so that once the audience left the cinema, they were then able to recognize settings and feel more scared at home ect.