Roles in a Production company

Producer

A Film Producer creates the conditions for making movies. The Producer initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. The producer is involved throughout all phases of the film making process from development to completion of a project.

Line Producer
The Line Producer is the liaison between the Studio or Producer and the Production Manager.

Production Manager
The Production Manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling. It is the Production Manager's responsibility to make sure the filming stays on schedule and within its budget. The PM also helps manage the day-to-day budget by managing operating costs such as salaries, production costs, and everyday equipment rental costs. The PM often works under the supervision of a Line Producer and directly supervises the Production Coordinator.

Unit Manager
The Unit Manager fulfills the same role as the production manager but for secondary "unit" shooting. In some functional structures, the Unit Manager subsumes the role of the Transport Coordinator.

Production Coordinator
The Production Coordinator is the information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The PC is an integral part of film production.
Post-production Supervisor
Post-production Supervisors are responsible for the post-production process, during which they maintain clarity of information and good channels of communication between the Producer, Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, the Facilities Companies (such as film labs, CGI studios and Negative Cutters) and the Production Accountant. Although this is not a creative role, it is pivotal in ensuring that the film's post-production budget is manageable and achievable, and that all deadlines are met. Because large amounts of money are involved, and most of a film's budget is spent during production, the post-production period can often be difficult and challenging.

Production Assistant
Production Assistants, referred to as PAs, assist in the production office or in various departments with general tasks, such as assisting the First Assistant Director with set operations.

Screenwriter
The Screenwriter, or Scriptwriter, may pitch a finished script to potential Producers, or may write a script under contract to a Producer. A Writer may be involved, to varied degrees, with creative aspects of production.

Script Supervisor
Also known as the continuity person, the Script Supervisor keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process. The Script Supervisor works very closely with the Director on set.

Stunt Coordinator
Where the film requires a stunt, and involves the use of stunt performers, the Stunt Coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt, working closely with the Director.

Casting Director
The Casting Director chooses the Actors for the characters of the film. This usually involves by inviting potential Actors to read an excerpt from the script for an audition.

Director
The Director is responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of Actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack. Though the director wields a great deal of power, they are ultimately subordinate to the film's Producer or Producers. Some Directors, especially more established ones, take on many of the roles of a Producer, and the distinction between the two roles is sometimes blurred. (EXAMPLE: STEVEN SPIELBERG)

Location Manager
Oversees the Locations Department and its staff, typically reporting directly to the Production Manager and/or Assistant Director (or even Director and/or Executive Producer). Location Manager is responsible for final clearing (or guaranteeing permission to use) a location for filming and must often assist Production/Finance Dept(s) in maintaining budget management regarding actual location/permit fees as well as labor costs to production for himself and the Locations Department at large

Production Designer
Also known as the Creative Director, the Production Designer is responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film - settings, costumes, character makeup, all taken as a unit. The Production Designer works closely with the Director and the Cinematographer to achieve the look of the film

Art Director
The Art Director reports to the Production Designer, and more directly oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the Set Designers, Graphic Artists, and Illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops. The Art Director works closely with the Construction Coordinator to oversee the aesthetic and textural details of sets as they are realized.

Set Designer
The Set Designer is the Draftsman, often an Architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the Production Designer

Props Master
The Property Master is in charge of finding and managing all the props that appear in the film. The Props Maste

Costume designer
The Costume Designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors that appear on screen. They are also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes. The Costume Designer works closely with the Director to understand and interpret "character", and counsels with the Production Designer to achieve an overall tone of the film. In large productions, the Costume Designer will usually have one or more Assistant Costume Designers usually has several assistants

Make-up Artist
Make-up Artists work with makeup, hair and special effects to create the characters look for anyone appearing on screen. Their role is to manipulate an Actor's on-screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. There are also Body Makeup Artists who concentrate their abilities on the body rather than the head.

Hairdresser
The Hairdresser, or Hair Stylist, is responsible for maintaining and styling the hair of anyone appearing on screen. They work in conjunction with the Makeup Artist.

Special Effects Supervisor
The Special Effects Supervisor instructs the Special effects crew on how to design moving set elements and props that will safely break, explode, burn, collapse and implode without destroying the film set. S/he is also responsible for reproducing weather conditions and other on-camera magic.

Cinematographer
The term Cinematographer has been a point of contention for some time now. It is usually synonymous with Director of Photography, though some professionals insist this only applies when the Director of Photography and Camera Operator are the same person.

Director of Photography
The Director of Photography, DoP or DP, is the chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. The DoP makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the Director tells the DoP how they want a shot to look, and the DoP chooses the correct aperture, filter, and lighting to achieve the desired effect as per the Directors requirements.

Camera Operator
The Camera Operator uses the camera at the direction of the Cinematographer, Director of Photography, or the film Director to capture the scenes on film. Generally, a Cinematographer or Director of Photography does not operate the camera, but sometimes these jobs may be combined.

First Assistant Camera
The First Assistant Camera, 1st AC or Focus Puller, is responsible for keeping the camera in focus as it is shooting, as well as building the camera at the beginning of the day and taking it apart at the end. They also thread the film when a new magazine is loaded.

Second Assistant Camera
The Second Assistant Camera, 2nd AC or Clapper/Loader, operates the clapperboard at the beginning of each take and loads the raw film stock into the camera magazines between takes, if there is no additional specifically designated Film Loader. The 2nd AC is also in charge of overseeing the meticulously kept notebooks that record when the film stock is received, used, and sent to the lab for processing. Additionally, the 2nd AC oversees organization of camera equipment and transport of the equipment from one shooting location to another.

Digital Imaging Technician
On digital photography productions the Digital Imaging Technician, or DIT, is responsible for the coordination of the internal workings of the digital camera. Under the direction of the Cinematographer or Director of Photography, the DIT will make adjustments to the multitude of variables available in most professional digital cameras to creatively or technically manipulate the resulting image. It may also be the responsibility of the DIT to archive and manage the digital data, create compressed dailies from raw footage and prepare all digital images for post-production

Production Sound Mixer
The Production Sound Mixer is head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming. This involves the choice and deployment of microphones, operation of a sound recording device, and sometimes the mixing of audio signals in real time.

Boom Operator
The Boom Operator is an assistant to the Production Sound Mixer, responsible for microphone placement and movement during filming. The Boom Operator uses a boom pole, a long pole made of light aluminum or carbon fiber that allows precise positioning of the microphone above or below the Actors, just out of the camera's frame. The Boom Operator may also place radio microphones and hidden set microphones. In France, the Boom Operator is called the Perchman.

Utility Sound Technician
The utility Sound Technician has a dynamic role in the Sound Department, most typically pulling cables, but often acting as an additional Boom Operator or Mixer when required by complex filming circumstances. Not all films employ a Utility Sound Technician, but the increasing complexities of location sound recording in modern film have made the job more prevalent. This role is sometimes credited as Cable Puller or Python Wrangler

Key grip
The Key Grip is the chief Grip on a set, and is the head of the Set Operations Department. The Key Grip works with the Director of Photography to help set up the set and to achieve correct lighting and blocking.

Best boy (Grip)
The Best Boy is chief assistant to the Key Grip. They are also responsible for organizing the grip truck throughout the day.

Dolly grip
The Grip in charge of operating the camera dollies and camera cranes is called the Dolly Grip. They place, level, and move the dolly track, then push and pull the dolly, and usually a Camera Operator and Camera Assistant as riders.

Grips
Grips report to the Key Grip and are responsible for lifting heavy things and setting rigging points for lights

Gaffer
The gaffer is the head of the Electrical Department, responsible for the design and execution of the electrical distribution and lighting plan for a production. Sometimes the Gaffer is credited as Chief Lighting Technician.

Best boy (Electrical)
The Best Boy is the chief assistant to the Gaffer. He or she is not usually on set, but dealing with the electric truck, rentals, manpower, and other logistics.

Lighting Technician
Lighting Technicians are involved with setting up and controlling lighting equipment.

Film Editor
The Film Editor is the person who assembles the various shots into a coherent film, with the help of the Director. There are usually several Assistant Editors

Visual Effects Creative Director
VFX Creative Directors are very much like Production Designers, except they direct and supervise the creative side of the film's visual effects. The position is particularly in demand for films with massive amounts of computer generated imagery and scenes.

Visual Effects Supervisor
The Visual Effects Supervisor is in charge of the VFX crew, working with production and the film's Director to achieve the desired in-camera optical effects of the film.

Sound Designer
The Sound Designer, or Supervising Sound Editor, is in charge of the post-production sound of a movie. Sometimes this may involve great creative license, and other times it may simply mean working with the Director and Editor to balance the sound to their liking.

Dialogue Editor
The Dialogue Editor is responsible for assembling and editing all the dialog in the soundtrack.

Sound Editor
The Sound Editor is responsible for assembling and editing all the sound effects in the soundtrack.

Re-recording Mixer
The Re-recording Mixer balances all of the sounds prepared by the dialogue, music and effects editors, and finalizes the films audio track.

Music Supervisor
The Music Supervisor, or Music Director, works with the Composer, Mixers and Editors to create and integrate the film's music. In Hollywood a Music Supervisor's primary responsibility is to act as liaison between the film production and the recording industry, negotiating the use rights for all source music used in a film.

Composer
The Composer is responsible for writing the musical score for a film.

Foley Artist
The Foley Artist is the person who creates many of the ambient or routine sound effects for a film.

Empire magazine poster on website

Certificate research

BBFC - THE BRITISH BOARD OF FILM CERTIFICATION

• set up in 1912 by the film industry
• built to structure the certificate ratings of films
• films for theatrical release are seen by two examiners using the published guidlines to make a decision
• Dvd's are normally seen by one examiner when viewing the dvd version of a film that was released in cinema
• Examiners look into whether the film contains; discrimination, sex, drug use, violence, sexual violence, horror, nudity, language etc. They consider the context and message of the film, the impact it might have on audience members who view the film.  U certificate is suitable for all ages.
• A film rated U should be suitable for ages four and up as it is unpredictable to know what might upset a young audience. They should include a moral situation and a happy ending, with characters that make the audience laugh.

PG certificate is suitable for most audience members however some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.  A PG film should be suitable for a child age 8 and over without an adult present however parents are advised to give consent to let their child watch the film without parental guidance. Mild scary elements are traditionally included to unsettle the children's nerves as they enjoy the excitement of scary sequences, those who don't are not effected badly from the experience. Classification elements such as the lenght and frequency of scary contents as they don't want it to be too overwhelming for a young audience.

The same criteria is used to classify the rating of a 12 or 12A, the difference is whether the film has scenes that may upset or disturb children under the age of 12 such as language an violence. However the 12 catergory is only used when a child wants to rent the movie, as no one under 12 may buy or rent a movie that is rated 12.

12A - The 12A catergory only exists for cinema as nobody under 12 is allowed to watch the film unless they are accompanied by an adult, although these films are not recommened for anyone under 12 due to the content such as violence and possible swearing. Classification details include elements like crime, violence if weapons such as knives are easily accessible, anti-social behaviour if anyone is being bullied for their race or age etc. If a film contains dangerous aspects which young children are likely to copy for example hanging or self harm the film may be restricted to cutting that out if the film is not considered to be a higher rating like a 15. This means that children aged 12 or possibly younger will watch the cut version of the film, however when the film is released on dvd the uncut and cut version will be available to buy.


           

 

15 -  Suitable for people aged 15 years and over.  No one under the age of 15 should watch the film in cinema, rent or buy the film when it is released. For a certificate rating 15 you do not get accompanied by an adult if you are under the age. Classification for a 15 depends on whether there is sexual content such as nudity, the language use is it frequent and how much violence occurs are there gory deaths or mild scenes where someone gets shot. Horror films are usually rated 15 or 18 as they contain more violent behaviour, scary scenes and possible gore from the deaths, they can be psychological making it unsuiatble for a younger audience as it may give them nightmares.

 

18 - No one under the age of 18 can view the film, rent or buy it once released. Older audiences for 18's are horror fans or people who love violent wars and chases. People aged 18 and older love to be frightened and scared. The rating certificate is used to protect younger children from seeing things that may cause them distress or make them feel upset and vulnerable.

 

 

 

R18 -  Films that are rated R18 can only be shown in specific cinema's that are licensed for the content that will be shown. They can only be supplied in licensed sex shops and to nobody under the age of 18. This rating is a special and legally restricted classification. This rating is mainly used to show adult sex or fetish material between adults. Natural nudity with no sexual content can be shown at lower rating levels however this is because it is of low key, not frequent and is barely shown. R18 versions show a lot more nudity at a frequent and strong level with the sexual content visible this is why films with this content are of this rating.

 

Film title	Film rating and a synopsis
HUGO	U –An orphan goes on a mystery involving his late father and a robot.
The Incredible’s	PG – A family who have powers such as ability to run fast and disappear.
Sherlock Holmes	12 - quest to solve a string of mysterious and brutal murders, Sherlock Holmes and his trusted ally Watson plunge into a world of dark arts
Safe	15 - A suicidal New Jersey cage fighter protects a young Chinese math prodigy from Triads, Russian gangsters, and corrupt cops in this action thriller.
The cabin in the woods	15 - A twisted and unusual take on the familiar ‘cabin in the woods’
The Shining	18 – A family heads to an isolated for the winter where an evil spirit influences the father into violent behaviour, psychic son starts to see forebodings from the past.
Disclosure	R18 - A computer specialist is sued for sexual harassment by a former lover turned boss who initiated the act forcefully, which threatens both his career and his personal life.

 

 

Audience research

 

Prezi - Mood board

http://prezi.com/bfvvwgto4n_5/mood-board/

• The mood boards we have created have helped us to create ideas for our trailer by using different techniques and aspects from the films we have analysed.
• Kellie is going to look at more horror movie trailers to help us build our understanding of what a horror trailer should include and look like.
• I will be taking photo's of possible actors and getting them to fill in a questionaire

Prei - mood board ideas

http://prezi.com/zbxpezu0xalo/trailer-mood-board/

Lionsgate

 

Industry	Motion pictures, television programming, home video, family entertainment, Video on demand, digital distribution, music, & music publishing
Founded	July 3, 1997 (July 3, 1997) (Vancouver, British Columbia as Lions Gate Films)
Founder(s)	Frank Giustra
Headquarters	Santa Monica, California, United States
Area served	North America United Kingdom France Australasia
Key people	Jon Feltheimer (Co-Chairman and CEO) Michael Burns (Vice chairman) Steve Beeks (President)
Revenue	US$1.584 billion (FY 2011)
Operating income	US$62.5 million (FY 2011)
Employees	486
Website	www.lionsgate.com

Lionsgate horror movies: 1) ALL THE SAW MOVIES  2) Open water - (2003) about two scuba divers who accidentally get stranded in open water which is infested by sharks, based on a true story. 3) Switchblade romance ~ originally called High tension (Haute) - (2004) Two college friends, Marie and Alexa are spending a vacation at Alexa's parent's home when a creepy and mysterious killer intrudes on their quiet getaway. They encounter loads of trouble (and blood).

 

Horror cliche's

1) You never: Answer the phone

- The phone is a clissic way of communicating with the killer.

Seen in: One missed call, Scream.

2) Creepy music

Seen in: Jaws, Halloween.

 

3) Someone has a nightmare

Seen in: Nightmare on Elm street, Friday the 13th.

 

4) The mirror - showing the killer

Seen in:  Shaun of the dead, Possession.

5) Haunted/ dingy places

Seen in: The Decent, Amityville

 

6) Evil killers sometimes children

 

 

Seen in: The Orphan, Halloween

 

7) Moments that make you jump

 

Seen in: The Descent, House of a 1000 corpses

 

8) Isolations - When people are left alone

 

 

Seen in: The Descent, Saw

 

9) Anticipating moments what will the killer do

 

 

Seen in: The Strangers, Devils rejects

 

 

10) Killings are brutal if the taget audience is 18+ if the film is aimed at 15+ then the killings are less gruesome but still effective.

 

FINAL DESTINATION 15+ THEY GET CRUSHED BY CONRETE

 

WOLF CREEK 18+ SHE GETS STABBED IN THE BACK - HEAD ON A STICK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horror movies based on true events

1) The Exorcist - William Friedkin

The Exorcist was claimed to be based on true events the film consisting of a 13 year old girl Regan who has a seizure and then begins to show signs of possession may be the work of a demon. Her family result in trying to get the demon out of her by performing an exorcism where two priests attempt to save her.

The true event that the Exorcist is meant to be based on: Roland Doe a 12 year old boy attempts to contact his late aunt by using a ouija board, soon after paranormal activity begins to occur in his house unexplained noises. He was taken to a mental institution where a group of priests began to perform rituals attempting to bring out the inner demon from the boy.



2)   The Hills Have Eyes - Wes Cavern

 

 

The Carter family are on vacation when they fall victim to a trap where their vehicle crases. The father, Bob, heads to a nearby gas station in search of help where he learns of the deranged clan of cannibals living in the nearby hills. The hill people  capture Bob, set fire to the vehicle and take an infant hostage including many other torture acts such as rape and pet- eating.

 

The true event: inspired by the story of Sawney Bean, a Scotsman from the 15th or 16th century. Bean was the son of ditch digger who did not want to follow in his father's foot steps, he ran away with a girl and holed up in a cave by the sea. None of the cave dwellers worked, they had to make due with ambushing travelers on the road, stealing from them then killing and eating the corpses. Bean and his wife had many children and grand-children all through incest since they never left their cave unless attacking victims. They reportedly murdered and ate more than 1000 people before they were finally caught. Their punishment was that the men were sentenced to death by blood loss after having their hands, feet and genitals cut off. The women were forced to watch before they were all burned alive.

 

 

3)  Jaws - Steven Spielberg

As families go on vacation at Amity Island in New England, a great white shark begins killing and eating tourists. Rather than losing out on the proceeds from the busy July 4th weekend of tourism, the mayor refuses to close the beach and the attacks continue. A group of people including the town police chief, a marine biologist and a shark hunter spend night and day hunting this huge shark before it claims additional victims.

 

The true events: He got the story idea from incidents that happened during the summer of 1916 along the Jersey Shore. During that summer, 5 people were attacked while swimming off the coast. 4 of the 5 died from their injuries. No one is sure if it was a great white shark however they were considered as man- eating machines.

 

 

4) The Haunting In Connecticut - Peter Cornwell

 

 

 

The Campbell family moves into a home in Connecticut, to look after and care for their son who has cancer, the son starts to experience hallucinations which throughout the film begin to appear for all family members. The family learn  that the home they live in was formerly used as a mortuary. The supernatural events continue in the home and intensify, turning violent.

 

 The treu events: In the 1980s, the Parker family moved into a home in Southington, Connecticut, in order to be close to the University of Connecticut where their son was undergoing cancer treatment. Unknown to the family, that the building was formerly a funeral home, something they discovered after finding embalming equipment in the basement.

The family reported strange events in the home such as sights and sounds of ghosts. An investigation later revealed the former morticians were involved in necrophilia.

 

 

 

 

 

Paramount pictures

 

Paramount are not normally known for there horror movie films however this October they are releasing yet another Paranormal activity it is not really a horror but more of a psychological thriller for the audience. The story for Paranormal activity 4 is that Katie who 5 years ago killed her boyfriend, sister and husband and took the baby Hunter who in this film is called Robbie. The film focuses on Alice and her mum who begin to experience some weird encounters and events just after their new neighbours Katie and Robbie move in.

 

Paramounts first film was a french silent film based on the love affair between Elizabeth I of England and the Earl of Essex the film was called 'Les Amours de la reine Elisabeth'. It was released in 1912 directed by Louis Mercanton and Henri Desfontaines.

 

• Horror/Drama/Sci-fi ~ Dr Jekyll and Mr.Hyde (1931)

Silent movie of a man called Dr Jekyll who belives that everyone has a good and an evil side to them after taking a potion his personality becomes split between good and evil creating horrible consequences.

Overall Rating

2.604

Average Critic Score

3.002

5,992 of 192,059 Movie All Time

89 of 20,605 1920s

6 of 2,726 1920

2,762 of 38,950 Drama All Time

42 of 3,696 - Drama of 1920s

3 of 546 - Drama of 1920

616 of 5,076 Horror All Time           

9 of 61 - Horror of 1920s

3 of 18 - Horror of 1920

462 of 3,050 Sci-Fi All Time 

 

 

•  Death wish - A crime/ thriller about a man who becomes a vigilante after his wife is murdered and his daughter is sexually abused my a group of muggers. The film was a commercial success, however the film was disliked by many critics as they frowned upon the use of unlimited punishment to criminals.
  

Industry	Film
Founded	May 8, 1912 (1912-05-08) (as Famous Players Film Company) May 8, 1914 (1914-05-08) (as Paramount Pictures)
Founder(s)	Adolph Zukor Jesse L. Lasky
Headquarters	Hollywood, California United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Brad Grey (Chairman and CEO) Rob Moore (Vice Chairman) Frederick D. Huntsberry (COO)
Products	Motion pictures
Revenue	$1.2 billion (2011)
Operating income	$300 million (2011)
Divisions	Current: Paramount Home Entertainment Insurge Pictures Paramount Famous Productions Paramount Vantage Former: Paramount Television Group Paramount Parks Paramount Stations Group DreamWorks UPN television network
Website	paramount.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Strangers" Trailer (Better Lock Your Doors!)

Genre: Horror / Thriller - You can tell that The Strangers is a horror/thriller from the trailer as the strangers are wearing masks and from the beginning you have the swing making the eeary squeking sound of it moving. You hear a knock at the door and they both look not noticing anyone creating suspense. The audience see a long shot of the character in the kitchen looking across the room and in the background the mask character is in the doorway just looking at her making the audience anticipate that they are no longer safe. The woman goes into a room and the window just says hello suggesting to the audience that the characters want to make her fear them but in a subtle way so not threatening her they want to make her on edge.

Narrative: The Strangerrs is a terrifying suspense thriller about a couple whose remote getaway after their marriage becomes a place of terror when masked strangers invade. The confrontation forces Kristen and James to go far beyond what they thought themselves capable of if they hope to survive. From the scene where she is in the kitchen and you see the guy in the mask staring at her in the doorway, the trailer becomes a waiting game of suspense for the audience as you already know they can get in whenever they want shown through the use of Kristen and James locking the doors and the strangers in the house however it is just a question of when they will make their move. The trailer shows them panicking and trying to escape the strangers the last clip shows them trapped by the three strangers leaving the audience to wonder if they manage to escape or die.

USP: The unique selling point for this trailer is that it is based on a true story, although a lot of horror movies state that they are based on true stories it is still a USP for the fact that it is based on different events to the other horror movies therefore the plot is all about a specific event that no other horrors have covered yet.

Target audience:

This is because although it is a horror/thriller and their are jumps and most likely deaths although the trailer leaves that as an enigma as you don't see anyone actually getting attacked. It is not for anyone under the age of 15 because of the story line and the people in masks invading a home would make people younger have nightmares. It is a 15 due to the content it is not too scary with gruesome deaths but it is just suitable for the audience in a psychological way that they anticipate events.




Pace of trailer: The pace of the trailer is slow to start with showing the couple in the house having a peacful and romantic moment, it is still slow when you start to see the strangers appear one by one in different ways for example the man in the house with her, then a woman standing in a gap by a metal door, the last stranger you see is one standing in the road but they are too far away to see their face. The pace speeds up when the axe goes through the door this builds the atmpsohere and the chance of survival for them slowly disappears as they realise what they are up against. You see more clips of the strangers occuring with like a snap shot sound as each one appears. The fast pace action shows the couple fighting for their life as they are trying to escape and the strangers attacking them in different ways for example with an axe and a car. By having the trailer from a slow pace to a fast pace the audience has built up tension and anticipation waiting for the trailer to pick up pace and show some action that occurs in the film.

Music: The music for the trailer adds to the atmposhere of something strange that is coming and that they have no idea what they are up against. The sound of the swing moving and making the creaking noise makes me shiver as it sounds eeary and makes me anticipate danger, especially when she looks and no one is there. When the first stranger appears in the house there is no music adding more tension as you wonder what is going to follow and it makes the shot more significant highlghting the strangers that have appeared and you don't know why. The middle part of the trailer is built on non diegetic sound effects where just the audience can hear it and the characters can't although near the end of the trailer when the pace builds up you hear diegetic sound of a record playing melancholy music which juxtaposes what the characters are feeling as they are scared for their lives.

Poster analysis for The Strangers

 

This poster is advertising the film The Strangers which is a horror/ thriller about a married couple whose romantic getaway becomes invaded by masked strangers. The poster uses many different conventions that make it appealing to audience members however there are some elements that don't follow the normal horror conventions. The poster is adevertising the film in many ways as it shows the characters in the film, a location and an event that may occur.

• Genre indicators
• Target audience
• Unique selling point
• Conventions
• Layout
• Font type/size
• Enigma's

Genre indicators for The strangers is that the setting for the poster looks like a normal front room with the women looking straight, the lighting is natural in the middle of the poster to show the setting, however the lighting is dark and eeary in the doorway where the masked person is standing indicating that he is looking at the woman and maybe getting ready to make a move and kill her. This shows the audience that it is a horror from the use of the dark lighting making the audience anticipate something evil and the mask on the character shows mystery as you wonder why he is wearing the mask for example why doesn't he want anyone to see his face?.

 

The target audience for this film is a 15 this is shown in the poster through the use of the normal setting and the random stranger with a mask in the doorway. You can tell that it is not an 18 due to the cotent on the poster it does not show any blood or hint that any deaths in the film will be gruesome.

 

USP: The unique selling point on the poster is the font choice for the title as it makes the audience aware that the film may contain scary aspects. Another unique selling point is the man as the audience want to know who he is, why he is wearing a mask, what he is doing in the house and if there are anymore of them. A unique selling point for me is whether it is based on true events this makes me want to watch the film as it adds more tension and builds an eeary atmosphere.

 

Conventions: Most horror posters go for the classic red font on a black background, the red symbolising blood and the black symbolising death. However this poster does not use this convention which makes it unique as the audience are not just seeing the same two colours all the time. Although this could be a negative aspect as the audience assume red and black colours with horror so by not using these colours they may be unaware that the film is a horror. On horror posters the title is usually at the bottom which is exactly what this poster has done following the normal convention if the title was at the top of the poster it would not attract the audience into watching the film as it doesn't fit the conventions. The poster would normally contain the release date which is crucial for audience members as they want to know when the movie is being released however this poster does not have this information therefore the audience are unaware of when they can go see the film and might forget about watching it.

 

Layout/ font size: The layout of the poster is important as each individual aspect is being used to attract and gain the attention of the audience if something doesn't look right on the poster it may make the audience think twice before wanting to see it. The classic layout is to have the tagline at the top of the poster in a little font but big enough to read this stands out to the audience when they are looking at the poster. There is normally a gap between the tagline and the title this is where the main picture is placed to show the audience any main characters and the setting for a particular scene this picture is a main focus on this poster as it should make people look at it and want to know more this is why it should reveal some information about the film but leave enigma's for them to watch it and find out. The title of the film should be placed near the bottom in a big font with it's own colour choice that stands out from the rest of the poster this highlights the film as it normally reveals a hint as to what the film is about for example 'The Strangers' this gives the audience an indication that people may appear and they are litterally strangers no one knows who they are or what they want. Any special actors that appear in the film are usually above the title in a small font but enough to give them notice on the poster so that audience members see them and go 'oh there in it i have to go see this'. When a film has been inspired by true events they place this caption below the title where they know it will catch people's eye therefore intriguing them to watch the film. If a poster had a release date it would be right at the bottom of the poster for people to read however this one doesn't so it is leaving out important information for the audience.   

 

Enigma's: This poster leaves loads of enigma's for the audience just form the two characters they want to know who the strange character is in the back in low lighting, what does he want with this female character, why is he wearing a mask. They also want to know more about the woman such as why is this man trying to get her, is she alone in the house with this person. The setting leaves some enigma's as well because it is just a normal house is this where the main action happens in this room or is this just where you see the characters and then the story happens somewhere else maybe in the house or outside. The poster for me reveals hardly any information other than the two characters that you can't really tell much about other than the man in the mask is stalking her.