Planning- Camera angles, lighting and sound in my storyboard explained

https://soundcloud.com/user431610291/storyboard

Planning-Story board

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Planning-Plot narrative and narrative theories applied to my trailer

      

Plot narrative from jemimawright97

This is my first draft of my plot narrative, i have created this to make sure i have established my final idea for the plot of my film which helps me to know which aspects are crucial to include in my trailer. Consequently when it comes to filming my trailer, i can refer back to this so i can assure i don't miss out any crucial details. Because i have a clear and concise plot, i have been able to organize which of the narrative theories i can successfully apply to my trailer, this will add more depth and meaning and hopefully make it more interesting to watch  I am going to create a more detailed script for my trailer, which i can closely follow.

Planning-Mind map on; Sound, camera angles,Narrative and mis-en-scene

Mind Map created by jemima_wright with GoConqr

This mind map has enabled me to put all my knowledge of mise-en-scene, sound, camera angle and editing and then apply it to the thriller genre. By presenting them in this format it is easier for me to depict which elements i intend to use in particular parts of the trailer for  my shooting schedule. Through my filming and editing process, i will be able to refer back to this mind map for new inspiration and use it almost as a checklist to confirm i have incorporated as many of these items as i can to give my product more professionalism

Research-Moodboards

From analysis my survey results, i have taken into account the three most popular thriller hybrids. From this i decided to make a moldboard for each, i can gain greater knowledge on each genre and then later decide the one i wish to pursue in my final piece. 

Psychological Thriller

 

From looking at these posters, i can tell that the narrative is generally based around just one character, this is something i hoped to incorporate as although its simplistic, it can eliminate confusion and the fear of over complicating things.  There is a great use of editing of the characters face, including a cracking effects but also making them appear through shade of blue, this sets a chilling atmosphere and tells us that there is more to the character than meets the eye. I personally think that these posters are the most powerful for me as they really catch your eye and make you want to watch the film to find out why they have been presented the way they have. 

Action Thriller

It is clear that in these posters, there is more emphasis on props such as weapons, this immediately tells us what sub genre the film is. Another thing i noticed it that the posters are orientated around masculinity and the idea of the alpha male. This has put me of using this hybrid as i have already thought of narrative ideas, which all have the similarity of using a female protagonist.

Horror Thriller 

These posters nearly all highlight a lack of identity, in nearly all of the posters, either the protagonists back is turned to us or long shots are used to hide there faces. I find this extremely effective and concealed which creates an enigma, it leaves me wanting to discover who they are. The use of textured background is also effective as they disorientate us and have connotations of corruption. From doing this research i would definitely conciser using this sub genre as it definitely has a huge fear factor.

From doing this research the psychological thriller mood board and conventions enticed me the most, i believe this is because they focus more on making the audience engaged and able to delve into the protagonist mind opposed to just simply frightening them. They are able to manipulate our minds to such an extend that we are unaware of what is reality and what isn't, i find this incredibly clever. When referring to the posters they are more striking to me as they are visually misleading and make us ask yourself many questions regarding why such editing has been portrayed? does this mean something? As a whole they create a more sinister atmosphere which is exactly what i intend to do when i create my own.

Planning-Timeline of project

I have created this timeline to give me a an overview of the project, by having this i am able to tick things of as i go along and ensure that i complete tasks when they should be completed. As a result of this i can ensure that my time management is correct which will minimize stress which will hopefully make sure my tasks are not only completed in the correct timescale  but to the best of my ability as they are each given a fair amount of  care and consideration.

Planning- Target audience research

Target audience research for my thriller trailer from jemimawright97

Finding out who your target audience is, is an absolute vital part of your planning process for making a film of any genre. Firstly it is important that you research who you may be interested in the genre you hope to produce, this can be done through surveys, focus groups or even the internet. From this you can establish who your target audience is, what they want to see and consequently how your going to implement their interests in an innovative way in order to provide audience satisfaction. 

From my research i have established that my target audience is male and females over the age of 16. It is important that my trailer is suitable for a wide range of people as this will determine the movie success. Therefore  although my trailer will initiate blood and violence, i am not going to reveal all the goriness in the trailer as it would make the age restriction tighter. However with this in mind, thrillers are generally preferred by teenagers, this is because they enable themselves to get more worked up and frightened by them making them more vulnreble to the sinister side of the genre, opposed to adults whom have experienced more in their lives making them slightly more desentitised to them. They also watch them to make their level of maturity seem higher, as being 'cool' or 'brave' if they watch them, increasing there self esteem. Thriller films are generally directed at males, as they are stereo typically more aggressive and fearless, so therefore they wont be to scared to actually pay attention to the visuals, instead they gain satisfaction out of watching people hurt others. Despite this
I have  made sure that my trailer is suitable for both genders as if it only appeals to one or the other then i will lose a huge proportion of my target demographic. The ways in which i plan to satisfy both groups is to incorporate a good combination of action when referring to violence and destruction in order to please the males, however the story line contains a lot of depth and meaning, plus my main protagonist is a female showing that there are also elements for my female audience too.

Whilst researching my target audience i have been able to find out what elements they like and believe are vital in creating a successful thriller film. When referring to sound i have found that most people view it as being on of the most fundamental parts of thriller film in order to create tension and suspense, though also to emphasis the action taking place, from this i can depict that i need to include a combination of fast paced dramatic music to scare the audience though also slow high pitched music to prepare the audience for the action. My research has also told me that fast paced editing looks powerful in a trailer as it alludes to complexity in my narrative, opposed to the trailer simply conveying a straightforward plot. With this in mind i am going to assure to integrate this technique in my trailer to make sure that my audience aren't being told a story, instead they are going to presented with a wide range of fragmented shots which will disorientate them. My target demographic evidently also thrive on watching thriller films that have a high sense of realism, i can take this on board and create it through a number of methods. Firstly i need to verify that my location is appropriate for my narrative, this will then make it seem more believable. I accept that if i use locations which my audience are likely to see on an everyday basis it will be more frightening for them to watch as they are more inclined  to envisage the corruption happening to them. Another element which will definitely add to the realism in the costume and makeup as if they are constructed in an unprofessional way it could ruin my whole trailer. I am going to resolve this issue by using a make up artist to create cuts and wounds to make appear more life like, this could hit a nerve and make the audience feel more uncomfortable and unnerved. On the other hand in scenes where my protagonist is characteristic to be a 'normal' person, i need to ensure that her costume and hair and makeup are not over exaggerated so the audience can relate to her. Finally to confirm that my trailer seems realistic is to guarantee my story line isn't to over the top, filled with loads of blood, gore and scenarios which are highly unlikely to occur in the outside world. Consequently i am going to research true stories which could act as a basis for my story line.

Planning-Initial Idea

 I haven't yet thought of the narrative for my trailer though i have written down many different ideas, so my next task is piecing the ideas together to create one final plan. I am going to create a brain storm of camera angles, mis-ens-sene, editing, narratives and sounds in order to show to my thought processes. Here are a few ideas i have depicted from my research.

I have spent a long time watching a variety of thriller trailers in order to come to conclusion of the sub genre i intend to combine, i have decided on psychological. The reason behind this is because i believe the trailers are the most captivating, they leave you wanting more. It gives you more scope to focus more on shot types and narrative than having to focus on purely blood and gore.  I also like the cool editing which is incorporated into the trailers as they are disorientating and disturbing. I specifically like flash cutting, this allows you to randomly insert an image irrelevant to the scene or even narrative, this is so beneficial when trying to confuse or disturb the audience. s  I have listened to different sound tracks tat i believe would be the most effective and after a lot of deliberating i have decided to use more than one, from my own research i personally find slower, peaceful music more eerie as it contrast the genre so much it leave you confused and creeper out. However i think there needs to be a perfect balance, so when action is occurring the soundtrack needs to be louder and more powerful with a clear beat. I have also looked at a variety of camera angles which i believe are especially effective in psychological thriller trailers. Point of view shots are extremely striking as you are seeing things from the protagonists mind, this is a key element of the sub genre as their mind is usually far from stable so its is important to really give the audience a feel of that. Extreme closeups are also effective as you can focus on random parts of the body to confuse the audience and also make them question the importance of the shots, are they relevant to the narrative? or are they simply their to mislead you and plant a seed. Closeup shots of protagonists face are crucial in order to give the audience an idea of how there feeling, this can really provoke emotions out of the audience to, for example; If a female character was being tortured and extreme closeup of her eyes watering, her face dripping with sweat and her teeth grinding on each other, to see this in detail would almost make you feel her pain. When i have a clear i dead of what i want to do for my trailer, it will be easier to establish what mis-en-scene i want to include, though from my research i have discovered to stay away from bright colors and use dark tones of greys and black as they are more sinister.

Research-Analysis survey results

I decided to create a survey monkey in order to find out what people like to see in thriller films. This would give me a clear view as to what i should include in my trailer and what is unnecessary and therefore should leave out. The survey would also help me discover my target demographic, this is helpful as then i have a clear view as to who my audiences are and therefore what they want to see. I think audience feedback is extremely important within media as you need to make sure that your satisfying your consumers and not just yourself. Survey monkey was an  extremely helpful resource as it was easy to use and the results are laid out in a clear, concise way, ready for me to analyze. 

Question One

From these results i can depict that my target audiences age ranges between 16 and 20, as a result of this i will ensure that my final product is not only suitable for these ages however the content will also have to be engaging for them to. Consequently my storyline can be complex, and i will be able to use more graphic scenes.

Question Two

These results tell me that my results are mainly from a female perspective, therefore i will have to ensure my final product will suit both genders. This is important as females usually prefer the more psychological aspects of thrillers whereby males are more commonly interested in action, blood and gore, therefore i will ensure to use elements of both in my trailer.

Question Three

I think this question was vital in providing me with information for my ancillary task. Although the results varied, the most common answer was the internet. In a day and age where our lives revolve around the internet, these results were not surprising, however i need to make sure i am current when advertising my trailer. As a result of this i will take it on board and i will try and incorporate the web when promoting my trailer in order to gain consumers.

Question Four

This question was extremely useful as it gave me an insight into why people watch trailers, from these results i am able to establish the purpose of my trailer which is helpful when i come to chose what to include in my trailer. Therefore i will ensure that i don't reveal to much of the story line and  instead just use footage of the best bits as this is more likely to attempt my consumers to watch the movie.

Question Five

I asked this question to see how popular the genre thriller is, if i had of received a great amount of responses opposing to the genre, then i would have been more inclined to rethink my genre and then proceed to change it. However the majority of my respondents  in fact do like the genre which gives me confidence as my trailer will be suitable for them. I decided to insert a box where the respondents could explain why they like the genre in order to give me an idea about what elements would be beneficial in my final product.

These are 6 of the responses, they tell me that i need to make sure my trailer not predictable and therefore exiting, i can do this by creating suspense by the use of various elements such as; music, fast paced editing and not being to self explanatory. The main thing i got from this particular question was to make sure that i don't just use lots of blood and violence as my target demographic prefer mystery and having to think.

Question Six

I decided to ask my respondents to rank what features are the most important to them, this is helpful when i come to creating my trailer as it tells me which elements are the most vital and which ones are not so crucial. The results showed me that the most important aspect is tension and suspense, this tells me that i need to make sure my trailer is mysterious and doesn't reveal to much. Other features which were ranked highly were; shots that make you jump, fast paced editing and tense music. I will take on board these results and ensure to use them in my trailer. Elements that my respondents didn't deem as being that important were; low key lighting, creepy sound effects and use of props, consequently i will still involve these conventions into my trailer however i will not put to much emphasis on them.

Question Seven;

 

  

Every trailer reveals information to their audiences through different ways, thriller films usually use text or diegetic narration, i wanted to find out which one my audience would create more suspense so my final product meets their needs. The results showed that they believe diegetic narration is the most beneficial, i will take this on board and include it within my trailer whilst still making sure that it looks professional. 

Question Eight; 

As hybrids are extremely common in this day and age, i wanted to know what hybrid my respondents found the most complimentary with the thriller genre. The results were far from close. It is clear that psychological thrillers are the most thrilling for my audience, this has given me a better idea as to what structure i wish to follow in my trailer. If i were to do a psychological thriller i would have to research various movies and conventions in order to make sure that i fulfill the expectations. I personally agree with these results, as both genres are about making you think and leaving a mark, however combined with a thriller the outcome will be more sinister.

Question Nine;

The opening shot to any trailer is by far the most important shot, it instantly makes the audience decide whether they want to continue to watch or simply turn it of. I think in especially the thriller genre, the opening has to be extremely engaging. The results show that viewers prefer the opening to be filled with mystery opposed to going straight in with jumpy scenes of death and danger. Therefore i have decided that my trailer will initially be quite calm and slowly become more scary, this will reel the audience in and engage them .

Question Ten;

I asked this question as i can tell what my audience has previously watched and why the liked it, from this i can gain new ideas and develop preexistence ones. From this question i found out that my respondents like plot twists and suspense. Therefore i will move away from predictability and ensure my trailer is captivating, tense with slight elements of blood and gore.

In conclusion, this survey has really helped me develop ideas and  understand what consumers really want from a thriller films. I will make sure i really use the results in order improve my trailer and ensure my audience are getting what they want and not just what i think will look good. From doing this survey, my original plan has definitely changed for the better.

Research-survey about thriller trailers

Create your own user feedback survey

Research-Marketing and distribution

    

This research has enabled me to find out more about why distribution is so important, without it a movie would not reach such a mass audience. From this i can depict which company i believe is suited to distributing my trailer when relating the films they have previously distributed. Consequently i have decided that Warner Bros would be the most efficient as they have a track record of dispersing some of the most influential and successful thriller films, as a result of this my trailer would hold a higher reputation as fans would have already made the association between the company and its quality of that genre. I have also  discovered the different marketing methods which are commonly used in advertising a film, from this i have not only decided those which will be most effective for my target demographic but also i can widen my spectrum in incorporating multi media platforms so therefore my product will seem more professional and upmarket. 

Research-A woman in black trailer analysis

                         
The woman in black trailer although being quite mild is actually very frightening to watch. Although being a Gothic thriller, which is something i have now decided i am going to rule out, due to it not really fitting in the narrative i have in mind, there are definitely some aspects which have really helped me in discovering and finalizing my plan. The music is a crucial element of the trailer and really adds to the tension, i intend to use a similar style in my trailer as it is really complementary with the pace of the trailer. The trailer is also somewhat simplistic, this actually is very visually effective as not to much is going on in one scene, this allows us to really focus on what is trying to be portrayed. I also like the use of photographs in the trailer as it adds more depth and creates enigmas, i hope to also incorporate this in my trailer as it will allude to so much more than just the narrative being presented in the trailer.