Slasher Films

Slasher films tom

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Cloverfield Teaser Trailer

This test card adds to the 'amateur' feel of the whole trailer. It makes you feel that you're not actually watching a film but more like video from government records, especially as part of the test card says 'U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE' which adds to the realism and secrecy. This would be a good technique in our trailer as we want our audience to believe they are watching real footage so we had the idea of adding text like this before the footage begins. This is always a simple yet clever way of showing where the film is set (U.S)



The interference and breaking up of the picture gives the impression once again that this is real footage which makes the audience believe this all really happened. The cracking sound also adds to the realism as it shows the film isn't perfect and was filmed exactly as the horror was unfolding. We will use techniques like this to convince the viewer all this is real, this adds to the tense atmosphere and to convince them even more the horror is real.

No sound is played throughout the trailer except from the cracking and brief muffled voices you can hear but you can barely make these out. The only main 'loud' bit of sound is a loud scream-like noise when the figure suddenly appears, this teases the audience with what ths figure might be and that it will be a jumpy film! Using sound to make the audience jump is clever and is something our group will consider using, we think less is more and so small sudden bits of jumpy sound will add to the horror and realism of our trailer.

Quarantine Teaser Trailer

The night vision in this shot is effective as it helps create suspense and anticipation as the characters are seeing barely anything at all so the audience is really connected to them as the audience also aren't seeing much so they feel more part of the action.

This shot shows a live reporter deep in the heart of the action, almost keeping a video diary of events. I think this would be a successful technique to use as it makes the action feel more true.
The TV interference also makes the video seem more like real footage and I think this is important in helping the viewer really connect to the story and characters.

The night vision on this shot works very effectively as all you can see is the main character. You can't see her surroundings and neither can she so you really feel her pain and suffering as the action unfolds for both her and the viewer. This is something our group will consider doing to add supsense and horror to our trailer. The low angle shot is effective as it puts you right in the action with the character, the camera is level with her eyes so you can really connect and feel for her. These types of shots would be effective in our trailer as we don't have many horror props or blood and gore so we need clever techniques to help the audience feel fear. The silence in this part of the clip helps in creating fear, the sudden scream as she is dragged away is jumpy which would make the audience scared. This is another technique we could use in our trailer to add to the fear we want to create.

Questionnaire Results

After completing this audience research our group has discovered that:

- Trailers influence the audience more

- Gore is the most preferred type of horror

- The storyline would encourage the audience to see a horror film the most

- A horror film is usually only watched yearly at the cinema

- Jumpy scenes scare the audience the most

- Saw and Paranormal Activity are the most favoured horror films

The Final Summary

The Final
USA 2010
Director: Joey Stewart
Certificate: 18
92mins 36secs

Summary
Set in an American high school, the film follows the story of a bullied group of individuals: Dane, Ravi, Emily, Andy and Jack. They decide to take revenge and so secretly invite their tormentors to a fancy dress party at a farmhouse. At the party they then spike the punch which will knock out the guests. When the guests awaken they are chained up and staring in the face of the group they once bullied, these are wearing sinister costume complete with creepy masks. This group then announce everyone will be tortured and traumatised. One boy is shot with a cattle gun, another set loose only to be fatally hunted down. Dane fatally stabs Ravi after he helps someone called Kurtis escape. Kurtis finds a cop whom the conspirators kill along with a neighbour. The ending is an unexpected one, with Kurtis finally calling the police and then confronts the torturers himself. In the final stand off Dane is killed by Emily and Kurtis is injured. As the police arrive Jack kills Emily and then himself.

This film, although fiction, picks up on the viewers fears about modern day society particularly in America. Things can sometimes be taken this far such as the Columbine High School massacre in 1999.

Film Distribution

Film Distributers brings film into the movie market place. It's market is a fast moving and highly competitive one.

Smaller in dependant distribution companies such as Lionsgate, Metrodome, Momentum struggle to gain control of films, they attend film festivals and bid to buy films there. Whereas the large companies such as Warner, Sony, 21st Century Fox receive the film straight from the production company.

Once the distributor has control of the film they have to decide its USP.

They have to be VERY clear about their target audience, the 15-24 age group is the largest audience for films. After all the larger the audience, the larger profit they stand of making.

They then have to decide when to release the film, the date is crucial whether it be the school holidays, Christmas, Halloween.

A budget is very important, companies have to stretch their marketing budget as far as it will go.

ADVERTISING

What are the best media formats to use?

- Newspaper (what one? page number?)

- TV Slots (what time? in between what program? what channel?)

A films marketing campaign must be completely unique from any others.

This will consist of:

- Trailers

- Posters

- Internet virals

- Mobile applications

- Radio adverts

- TV adverts

Some companies may also decide to pay a TV or radio channel to dedicate a day or even week to their film, with actor interviews and special competitions.

The first element of a marketing campaign is usually the poster, this is followed by a teaser trailer and then the full trailer which is vital to selling the film.

Gender Representation In Horror Films

This is Laurie from Halloween. As the final girl, she survived the killer's slaughter as she is shown to have masculine traits and boyish appearances. She was never seen performing any sexual acts and was always decently dressed in her big manly shirt and jeans.

Hostel Trailer