Film Poster Analysis

Codes and Conventions of the Horror Genre

Stereotypically, most horror films, like all films, follow a certain set of conventions throughout the genre, tailored for that genre in particular. For the horror genre, the main conventions are these:

• Low key lighting, giving a darker effect overall and enhancing things such as shadows
• Isolated locations for settings, this adds hugely to tension due to isolation of characters
• A female victim, this could be for sexual objectification or also to stick with stereotypes. It is unlikely that men would be seen as the main victims.
• A disruption of normality, creating a surreal look and unnerving the watcher as a result of this as it manipulates the concept of reality.
• Sub-plot of a male and female relationship to create another subject in the film. This is, more often than not, created mainly for female audiences, and also adds nicely to give more of a filling to the storyline to give more depth. 
• Defeat of monster of resolving of matter, this can help sculpt the film to create a happier ending after the whole ordeal of the issues going on during the film, usually created so the audience isn't left unhappy or unsatisfied with the film, and helps to still make the film some form of an enjoyable industry.

Although these conventions are used by many directors and creators, these conventions are often bypassed by others in the same position. From looking at this, I believe that I may break a lot of these conventions, and create something much different, which is a huge reason as to why I believe my trailer fits a more contemporary style so much more. 

Here is a very helpful source that I looked at for research:

Horror genre:codes and conventions from jwright61

Mise-En-Scene Idea #1 (Annie)

I finally have an outfit idea for the last character in my trailer. This girl is middle class, around the age of 14, and is interested in striking colours and teddy bears. She is relatively unstable mentally, and focuses mostly on fighting and hurting people, which gives a relatively discomforting aura to her, due to her age. This costume idea looks best as it is the most suitable, and shows that perhaps she is someone who is very in your face and full on, due to what she is wearing. I found this make-up and hair tutorial for a character also called Annie, from League of Legends this time, and I believe that this gives a strong understanding of the look I will try to create for this character.
-Disclaimer- My character name originated from the sole reason that my little sister is called Annie. The names are not similar due to the League Of Legends character. 
Here is another outfit idea that I have found very helpful, an outfit tutorial based on the Little Sister character, from my favourite video game, Bioshock.

Audience Theory in Relation to My Trailer

I believe that my trailer would be more relatable to those who are in favour of challenges to society. Researching into other products such as video games and films, as well as their target audiences has helped me to realise that in fact, many of these people want the same thing. Although, like B+K's audience uses and gratifications theory, many of these people may use my trailer and overall product for different reasons, I believe that it all comes down to one thing that my target audience will use this for, and that's escapism.

My product isn't supposed to be informative, and because of the storyline and concept, it's not necessarily relatable either. I believe that the main use for my trailer would genuinely be for escapism. I researched Blizzard games, and found that the majority of the audience use this as escapism too. I believe that this would be the same for my trailer due to the similar concepts and nature of both products. I also believe that this trailer would not be very suitable to those who believe strongly in capitalism being the way to go, as my trailer focuses heavily on the fall of the government and system, rendering any form of capitalism that once existed, useless. Overall, I believe that my trailer relates heavily to marxism for this reason. Thus a marxist reading of my trailer would see it as a challenge to society.

Trailer Script

BLACK SCREEN
CERTIFICATION
BLACK SCREEN
Text appears gradually, showing the quote "It is difficulties that show what men are". - Epictetus.
Fade back to black
BLACK SCREEN
Cut to a Master Shot, panning as a long shot

DESERTED AREA NUMBER 1
The 3 main characters are stood in a noble stance as the camera pans across from left to right.
Fade back to black
BLACK SCREEN
Text appears gradually, showing the quote "Some woman pick men to marry; others pick them to pieces." - Mae West.
Cut to a close up of Annie

DESERTED AREA NUMBER 2 (WOODLANDS)
Close up of puddle, droplets drip, creating a small splash in the puddle each time.
Rack focusing from the back of Annie to the woodlands
Panning of woodlands
Low angle shot of woodlands (trees)
Final establishing shot of woodlands with Annie in background (Here I have used the 5 shot rule)
High angle of muddy shoes before cut to clean shoes
Close up shot of her clothing, before cut to prettier, girlier clothes
Close up of anger in facial expressions, before cut to happier facial expressions
(Flashback shots of her in comparison to present)
Tracking as Annie runs
Fade back to black
BLACK SCREEN
Cut to a Master Shot, panning as a long shot (Contin).

DESERTED AREA NUMBER 1
The 3 main characters are still stood proudly, as the camera pans from left to right.
Fade back to black
BLACK SCREEN
Cut to a close up of Tess

DESERTED AREA NUMBER 3 (METAL FENCES)
Close up of fencing
Rack focusing from the back of Tess to the metal fencing
Medium close up of fencing
Panning of fencing, going upwards
Final establishing shot of fencing with Tess in background (here I have used the 5 shot rule)
Close up of shoes, before cut to cleaner shoes
Close up of her clothing, before cut to other clothes
Close up of worry in facial expressions, before cut to happier facial expressions
(Flashback shots of her in comparison to present)
Rack movement, over the shoulder shot of Tess to Martha in background
Fade back to black
BLACK SCREEN
Cut to a Master Shot, panning as a long shot (Contin).

DESERTED AREA NUMBER 4 (Wreckage)
Close up of rubble
Panning of area
Close up of blood on floor
Low angle of wreckage
Establishing shot of area, with Martha in background (5 shot rule)
Close up of shoes, before cut to worn shoes
Panning of clothing, before cutting in areas to other clothing
Close up of face, before and after
Fade to black
BLACK SCREEN
Cut to a Master Shot, panning as a long shot (Contin).
Cut to Medium shot of 3 characters
Fade to black
BLACK SCREEN
Film title and release date appears gradually
Fade to black
BLACK SCREEN

DESERTED AREA NUMBER 5 (???)
Cut to a close up of agressive man.
Fade to black
BLACK SCREEN

Prop Creation and Research

After browsing the internet multiple times, I have found three very helpful sources in order to help me in my prop creation for Annie and Martha.

Questionnaire

Can you please read this questionnaire and answer honestly? Thank you for your time.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BY9FFZ6

Film Funding and Structure

I believe that my film would be funded by some form of Kickstarter page. For instance, I create a trailer or use the money I have saved personally with other people who are interested in producing this, and then have something to show and post online. This will then attract online audiences, and they can donate to help fund the film. I believe that this is the way it would be done, as my film company is likely to be independent and relatively new. Many directors gain funding through this and social media, which is the route I would also take, and by having a kickstarter, you can also give back to people who put their money in, to really bring those stakeholders into the production on a personal level, making them more interested in the film and it's production, and creating a relatively loyal audience, which may often share and post about the film and it's development, which works as free advertising, and also gives the opportunity for other people to take an interest and help fund the film. I believe that this would work tremendously, as the structure of my film company is likely to be relatively unprofessional. I believe that the company would be more personal, and perhaps start out as good friends or a team of people who share an interest and have a more personal connection to eachother, perhaps friends or family, and start out creating films as it is a personal hobby, but they are able to barely get by buy creating these films as full time jobs. Often things are posted on YouTube, for instance, creating props or costumes etc, and they get a lot of their profits from the monetization of these videos. I believe this would be the best idea, and that it would suit my film trailer and give a matching look to what the creative team behind this could be like in a realistic world.

Audience Uses and Gratifications Theory

This theory does not treat the audience as one unit, but proposes that each person is individual and have different motives for consuming a text. They are an active audience who can work as a unit, but use texts in different ways and for different purposes, and are gratified by these texts in very different ways.
Bulmer and Katz identified the following uses and gratifications:
Escapism - Escape from everyday life.
Personal Relationships - Emotionally engaging with certain characters or storylines in a text.
Personal Identity - Relating to issues and values that are conveyed through texts
Informative - Getting information, perhaps through news or weather stations.

Censorship and Legal Responsibilities

As my film trailer is aged 17+, censorship will play a huge part in this. Censorship is already a hugely debated subject in media, and most of us have an opinion on what people should or shouldn't see on TV screens, meaning we all have some form of input on this subject. Governments play a role in regulating this by having censorship in the first place, so that there isn't anything NSFW or inappropriate for audiences that it may not be suitable for. Compared to countries such as China and Korea, places like UK and USA have far less strict regulation and censorship rules put in place, although there are still cases of films being banned or having only edited versions made available to the public, for instance, 'A Serbian Film'. Because of examples such as this, age certificates exist for films, video games and even websites. There is also the fact that some companies could edit out certain scenes in order to achieve a younger age certificate, so that they can then have a larger audience and more profit as a result.

Star Theory

Chris Rojek identified three types of celebrities in the modern media:
-Ascribed Celebrity - Those born into or inheriting celebrity status, such as members of the royal family or children of those who are already very famous.
-Achieved Celebrity - Those who become celebrities for significant achievements such as charitable actions.
Attributed Celebrity - Those who become celebrities through inheritance nor achievement. Their celebrity status is media generated, for example reality TV stars, such as Katie Price.

Richard Dyer argued that starts conform to dominant ideologies of their time, such as wages as attitudes, and recognised three ways in which a star's image may be interpreted on screen:
- Selective use - Some aspects of a star's personality are conveyed through the character they play.
- Perfect fit - The character the star plays fits perfectly with the star's personality (almost like they are playing as themselves)
- Problematic fit - When a star and their character appear to contradict each other (For example, Tom Hanks playing a villain).

Media Language

Mise en Scene:
- Lighting, props, costume, make-up, location and performance. All are very important in creating the best settings and layout for the film.

Camera Still:
- Close Up (CU), Medium CU, Medium Shot, Long Shot, Wide Shot, Over-the-shoulder Shot, Two Shot, Low Angle Shot, High Angle Shot, POV Shot, Cutaway Shot, Aerial Shot, Dutch Angle.

Camera Movement:
-Camera Panning, Zooming In, Zooming Out, Tilting, Tracking, Rack Focusing/Pulling Focus, Hand-Held.

Editing:
-Cut, Fade to Black/White, Dissolve, Jump Cut, Flashback, Continuity Editing, Master Shot, Match Cut, Shot-Reverse Shot, Montage.

Sound:
-Diegetic Sound, Non-Diegetic Sound, Overlapping Sound, Ambient Sound, Volume/Sound Mixing, Musical Scores.

Print Media:
-Layout, Masthead, Headline, Strapline, Splash/Lead, Cover Story, Cover Line, Exclusive, Copy, Serif Font, Sans-Serif Font, Anchorage, Lure, Framing.

E-Media:
-Web 2.0, Banner, Widget, Blogosphere, Podcast, Vodcast, Wiki, Strings, Long Tail, Avatar, User Generated Content, Digitalisation, RSS Feed.

USPs and Creativity

After thinking about my trailer and style of film, I have had some ideas as to what will make my trailer creative in a different way, and make it more unique. For instance, I shall be creating outfits and weapons myself. For example, swords and other weapons shall be created using materials at home, as this is something I do as a hobby that I could combine with what I am going to do for this film. I believe that this will work well, as this is a very unique style similar to the video games of League of Legends, World of Warcraft and Tome for example. I also believe that this would work well as I don't think that anybody would have the determination to create these kinds of props, which would be brilliant to use for the trailer, almost putting it into it's own category. Overall, I believe that using similar styles from things like LoL and WoW would be great, as it's something that not a lot of people would think of doing, and not a lot of people would connect together or have the determination to recreate, but due to me doing this in my spare time already, I believe that this is more realistic for me to recreate.

Mise-en-scene Idea #1 (Tess)

I also have an outfit idea for a character in my trailer. This woman is higher class, around the age of 50 and is interested in more earthy, boho looks. This outfit looks best as it is well suited to the character, and shows that perhaps she is more gentle as a character in comparison to others due to her attire. Also, due to her occupation, she often dresses in a slightly more presentable manner, meaning that this look also works best for her for this reason. I have found an OOTD video on YouTube that I believe gives a good understanding of the look I am trying to achieve for this character.

Mise-en-scene Idea #1 (Martha)

As one of my characters (the teenage female, with a need to get revenge on the male population) is going to be somewhat powerful, and aggressive towards males, I have decided to go with an avant-garde and warrior look combined. This should fit nicely with the character that I have developed, and by having this experimental style, I am really enhancing the femininity in this character, without making her look too in touch with her feminine side, so that she can still pass as a brave fighter. I have looked into many different designs and ideas, and have found that a steam-punk style could work best, so I am going to use a pair of steam-punk goggles for my character. Also, for practicality, considering this character is someone who fights often, I am going to go for an updo in regards to her hair (multiple buns). This is inspired slightly by Vivienne Westwood (Paris Fashion Week, Spring 2012). Also, for her makeup, I am also going with the makeup paired with these hairstyles, from Paris Fashion Week. Of course, I shall have my own twist on this, almost as a response to the work created. The character shall also wear a crop top, with a sleeveless denim jacket on top. I think this brings a form of sexual objectification, but still makes the character look powerful, which could be very enticing for the male audience. The character will also wear some form of combat trousers, and boots (Doc Martins), as I believe that this is what would suit the character in particular. I have researched mostly into the hair and make-up for this character, and have left a source here to help explain the look I am going for. It is rather abstract and contemporary, and I believe that this is why it fits accordingly with the look I am trying to create, for not only the character, but for the film itself.
Here is another YouTuber that I thought would be very helpful.

Fonts

The font that I am going to use for the majority of the trailer will be the Data Control Font, created by Vic Fieger. (http://www.1001freefonts.com/data_control.font)
I believe that this would be interesting, as it gives a slightly more sci-fi effect overall, which was what I wanted to try and tie in with the somewhat horror genre that I have chosen for my film. I also believe that this creates a more professional look as it isn't handwritten or swirling around in all directions, meaning that is also well-fitted to the film trailer I aim to create. I also believe that having this font would work best as it is usually used against a black screen, meaning that editing on this low of a budget can be done with ease, and it is something I can create realistically. I hope to use the colour green, as this is the colour usually associated with this form of writing, meaning that I am not creating this to be too different so that the theme becomes unrecognisable. Having this font in this colour can create a slight hint as to what to expect during the film after watching the trailer.

For my title, I then hope to use the font 'Insomnia' by Jens R. Ziehn (http://www.1001freefonts.com/insomnia.font). I believe that this font works well as it is a form of block text, meaning that it is easier to read and understand, and so it is also more eye-catching and noticeable as a result. Also, I believe that this font is striking due to how bold it is, and the fact that it is somewhat broken in some ways, due to parts of the letters being pulled apart slightly. I believe that if I used something like handwritten fonts or fonts that are stereotypically girly for example, then it would make the trailer look less professional, and would confuse the audience, meaning that they wouldn't understand what genre it is as much. I would use this font in either black or white, as these are the most striking. Overall, I believe that these fonts are perfect for my trailer, and I am very happy with them.

Film Name

The film name I have decided to use is The Abellona Touch. I asked many people in my class and online, and this was what was preferred overall. This is kind of interesting, as Abellona is usually just referred to as everyone, man and woman, the whole population. However, having (Wo)Mankind means that there could be a split between man and woman, creating a rather intense atmosphere from the get go. I believe that this would work best, as it is ultimately the best I felt that I could come up with, and it is somewhat corny without being too much so, that you understand almost instantly that this could be somewhat related to genders, or men and women, and that was the effect I wanted to create.

Film Release Date

I have given much thought into when my film will be released, and I believe that the best time for it to be released is Valentine's Day, as it's very ironic due to the film being based around a war of the sexes, put bluntly. This would be interesting as couples may then feel more obliged to go and watch it, as the rivalry between the two genders may come across as rather thrilling to get involved in as a couple, and also the fact that this film is some form of horror with a hint of action could really help, as males can stereotypically thrive on scopophilia, and getting females to watch these kinds of films that means they can cower behind the male and ultimately cause him to feel a sense of power. Also, during Valentine's Day, there are often multiple romantic films, or romantic comedies released, meaning that having my film released during this time will make a great contrast, meaning there is an option for people that don't like romantic films if they decide to go to the cinema around this time. Overall, I believe that this would definitely be the best time, as it's a holiday, and an important day to people because of this, meaning many people will want to spend that time doing something different, and this could cause more people to come to the cinema on this day. This would increase profits and popularity significantly as a result of this.

Target Audience Profile

Name: Dan
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Ethnicity: White British
Political Bias: None, open minded however
Region: Manchester
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Any Children?: No
Current Film Favourites: Rope, A Clockwork Orange, Tokyo Gore Police, Miss Zombie etc.
Media Use: Mostly the internet, smart phone, custom-built computer, many gaming consoles, doesn't watch much television, although a huge film fanatic, however most watching is done through Netflix and online film sites. Does most reading online or through e-readers. Spends far too much time online, often 8 to 12 hours a day.
Occupation: Assistant in retail. Part time job, and still lives with family. Currently a student in college, and will more than likely go off to an average university, due to his relatively high intelligence and attention being used mostly for his online hobbies.
Hobbies: Arthouse films, gaming, comic books, animation, spending time on 4chan and Reddit etc.
Lifestyle: Lives with parents who cook and clean for him mostly. Has an allowance and a very low income and these tend to go towards leisure, such as video games, video game accessories or subscriptions to various online sites, such as Netflix and Blizzard.

Product Treatment

The trailer will begin with darkness, as a song* plays in the background, pianissimo at first. The quote "It is difficulties that show what men are" - Epictetus will appear gradually, before fading away again. The darkness will then gradually change to a master shot of the three main characters, before fading back to black again. The quote "Some women pick men to marry; others pick them to pieces" - Mae West will appear gradually, and the screen will then fade from black to the sight of leaves, and shots of a forest with lower key lighting (still looking natural) to give a rather melancholy, yet unnerving feel overall. There will be a young girl, Annie, one of three main characters, who is wondering around, and there will be over the shoulder shots and close ups of rather subtle things such as her muddy shoes as she wonders the forest. (flashbacks). There will also be shots of the sky at this point, showing a sense of entrapment as the girl is lost in such an unfamiliar, discomforting area. There is then another master shot continued.
As the song gets to the second verse, the setting then changes to what looks like an abandoned warehouse perimeter. There is merely concrete and metal fences, as Tess looks through them nervously. We see shots of the area (5 shot rule) and close ups of her, and you can see how nervous she is here (flashbacks). There is then another master shot, before we see what looks like an abandoned wreckage of an area. There is nothing but rubble and what was left over of factories before the virus broke out, and there are a variety of shots to pan out the scene so that the viewer is able to gain more knowledge of the setting. We see shots of the wreckage and blood on the ground surrounding her to create a more atmospheric scene overall. At this point we hear movement as Martha is walking around the area to find supplies. The music then comes to a crescendo, as Martha is too interested in the area to notice that an infected man appears behind her at this point. Martha notices, turns around, and we see a close up of her smile. (close ups, flashbacks). The music is at its loudest here. We see shots of the women running, and the waist down of each character here.

We then see the Tess fumbling around again. She seems to be trying to find her way somewhere, and shows deep concern through her facial expressions, there is a rack focusing from her to an over the shoulder shot of Martha.

Things turn black, a bang against metal fences is heard, and there is a worms eye view of birds flying away from trees. Annie is seen lying on the ground, and opens her eyes in panic. A shadow hangs over her as she lies there, and then there is a worms eye view of a shadow standing over her. The song ends here, and there is an intense sound in the background as things fade to black, as we hear a woman shout "Leave her alone!" Finally there is another master shot of the three, before it fades to black. Then there is a cut of Martha with her sword in the air, as she screams, almost like a warcry.

*The song is In The Pines, an old Folklore song, made famous by Nirvana and also used as a credit song from the episode 'A House Divided' by the TellTale Games' famous 'The Walking Dead'.

Background Music

The background music I am going to be using for my trailer is an American Folklore song known as 'In The Pines', 'Black Girl', or 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night'. For copyright reasons, it will be a cover version performed by a good friend of mine, and yours truly. The song 'In The Pines' has a lot of backstory and theories behind it (it was created in the 1800's, there's been more than enough time for stories to speculate), and it is even part of the subgenre 'murder ballad' (a song that is about a murder, whether it is leading up to, the murder itself, or the aftermath). I heard this song by listening to Nirvana's MTV Unplugged In New York live set, and then looked into the song in a little more detail, finding that it was used in the 'A House Divided' episode of the video game series 'The Walking Dead'. The lyrics in the video game version are different, and the lyrics have changed a lot over time. The lyrics to In The Pines used to go like this:

'Black girl black girl, don't lie to me
Where did you stay last night?
I stayed in the pines, where the sun never shines,
And shivered when the cold wind blows.'

However, the version I am using is longer, and goes as follows:

'Little girl, little girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines in the pines, where the sun never shines
We'll shiver the whole night through

My daddy was a railroad man
Killed a mile and a half from here
His head was found in the driver's wheel
His body was never found

In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
We'll shiver the whole night through

You've caused me to weep,
You've caused me to mourn,
Caused me to lose my home

Little girl, little girl
Where'd you sleep last night
Not even your mother knows
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
We'll shiver when the cold winds blow.'

So I will be using this song, and putting my own twist on it to make it slightly different and individual. I don't want to slow the song down however, otherwise the trailer may be too long, and I need to make sure that I don't focus too much on the music itself, otherwise it may come across as more of a music video in comparison to a movie trailer.

Key Terms

Zeitgeist - The spirit of 'now', what's trending, what's popular.
Parody - To copy something in a mocking, or comedic way.
Pastiche - Where you copy and mix styles together.
Homage - To pay tribute, or to credit something.
Bricolage - Combining things to create something new.

-Watching Thunderbirds, Trapped in the Sky, Extras and Team America-

Female Representation & Genre Research

50 keels ploughed the deep.
Keels - Synedoche (Part represents whole).
Ploughed - Metaphor
The Deep - Metanym (Name attribute for the thing itself).

"Only by metanymy do I exist as a possibility for men." - Lucy Irigary (1932)

Comedy:
Parody
Rom-Com
Stoner
Comedy-Horror
Grossout
Slapstick

Horror:
Ghost
Slasher
Melt
Torture Porn
Psychological
Occult
Monsters
Survival
Gore
Shock
Cannibal
Docu-Horror
Aliens
Zombies
Possession/Exorcism

Five Barthe's Narrative Codes, and Looking Into Terms.

Mort de 'auteur - Death of Author
Binary Opposition - Hot or cold, day or night
Dominant Ideology - Principal views in a given society
Scopophilia - Pleasure devised from viewing

Five Barthes' Narrative Codes - The 5 Codes

Barthes concluded that any one of the 5 codes can be woven into any text and they are integral to interpreting them.

The Hermaneutic or Enigma Code (HER)
The Action or Proairetic Code (ACT)
The Semanatic Code (SEM)
The Symbolic Code (SYM)
The Referential or Culture Code (REF)

(HER) - For example, "Reservoir Dogs" by Quentin Tarantino

Snares: When the truth is purposely avoided.
Equivications: Technique used to give the viewer patial or incomplete answers as to how the text would end.
The mysterious element of the text to be showed by audience and then eventually for them.
The ambiguity of this code draws the audience in.

- Refers to any part of the story unexplained. -

(ACT) - For example, "Rope" by Alfred Hitchcock

Action and suspense used traditionally for escapism.

(SEM) - For example, "Rope" by Alfred Hitchcock

Connote an extra maening, usualyl done through props and dialogue.

(SYM) - For example, "Rope" by Alfred Hitchock

Very similar to the SEM code.
Symbolic code used to convey meaning through symbolism.

(REF) For example, "Pulp Fiction" by Quentin Tarantino

This refers to the part of the story that tends to point out our shared knowledge.

Male Gaze

The determined male gaze projects itself onto the female figure which is styled accordingly. - Laura Mulvey.

It's all about her (scopophilia), and their reactions to looking at her.