Assignment 6: Conventions Of Film Trailers

Judy IbelgauptieneKatia Martins

Courtney BuabengNoor Naoum

‘Warm Bodies’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07s-cNFffDM

The locations used within the trailer are quite isolated and abandoned.

A long shot is used to establish the setting and show the audience there is no one around.

Within the trailer the main character R narrates what is going on and his thoughts. This is quite conventional in a comedy trailer.

Shallow focus is used to show the abandonment of the background but keep focus on the main focus of the image which is R.

The plot challenges horror conventions as the main character is a zombie and the trailer is about his perspective

Quite often the character is framed to the left or right of the frame to have some focus on the background.

R’s character is a leader as the trailer is in his perspective.

Within this frame he stands out by his clothing as he is wearing red and everyone else is wearing dull colourssuch as browns, blacks, greys etc.

Usually in comedies the main character has a companion and in ‘Warm Bodies’ it’s M/Marcus.

The costumes of the zombies are all dull colours that are dirty.Simple costumes are used to show they are still human.

The lighting used is usually either natural or white dark to make it creepy and mysterious.

Score music used correlates with the mood of the scene. For instance when they are being comical the music is light hearted and upbeat but when its more horrific the music is tense.

Close ups are used to express emotions the characters are feeling.

Shot reverse shit are commonly used in horror films to show the audience what the character is witnessing.

Close ups can also be used to show gore.

The font and style used is quite playful yet serious which is conventional of a horror comedy.

The colour red is commonly used to symbolize pain and blood.

Both horror and comedies regularly use text within trailers to help the narrative flow.

Jennifer's Body

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCSzYioSeT0

(2009)-(horror/comedy)

Audiences main concentration is on main character.

Main character is central image and clothing stands out between other characters (shows importance).

2 bestfriends stick together through a journey. (1 blonde 1 brunette)

2 girl bestfriends usually 1 smarter and 1 more popular

Brave character who has no fear and usually is the evil one that nobody suspects due to looking innocent.

A character who has a special gift or power and can do things out of the ordinary which not many people know about unless when its being used in defence or attack.

Isolated location

Bestfriends argue. victim is usually the weaker bestfriend as she either believes too much or gives in.

Simple colour palette (black and white)

Sharp simple font representing subgenre (vampire)

‘Dark Shadows’ – (2012)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIeN5Co3HDc

Character Types

The main protagonist – Often the victim or hero of the film. The undergo some sort of challenges or obstacles and add the comic events to the trailer.

The antagonist – The person who is considered the villain or ‘evil’ character who is the binary opposite of the protagonist

Group of protagonists – Cause problems for the antagonist and are often killed off before the end

Prize – Often is a girl or some sort of prize if the protagonist overcomes their challenges.

Location/Settings

Pathetic fallacy is used to bring a sense of fear and connote a negative expectation of the rest of the trailer.

There isolated/deserted places in this sub-genre with ‘dark’ history such as, forests, destroyed cities and castles.

The comical parts of the trailer are mostly set outside and in public places such as, towns and theme parks etc.

Lighting

Artificial lighting is used to establish the horror genre of ghosts, the afterlife and the supernatural world.

Low key and available lighting is used to create a sense of mystery and an eerie atmosphere.

Natural light is used for the humorous events in the trailer.

CAM SAMC

High angles are usually used to show the grandeur of the setting and the mystery. Whereas, low angled shots are used to make the character seem powerful and undefeatable.

Close –ups and establishing shots show the emotions and time allocation of the characters.

POV shots are used to show horrific events and the non- diegetic world through the main protagonists eyes.

‘Shaun Of The Dead’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfDUv3ZjH2k

The image of the hand placed on the font reinforces the idea of a horror because its portrays the fact of being chased/haunted/victim.

The black background is set to allow the main focus to be on the text.

The font style also reinforces the idea of horror because the text is in bold capital letters with scratches.

The comedy is portrayed because of the abandoned council area location. In zombie films and horrors you tend to find that the setting is usually in an abandoned area however this is challengeing the conventions of an abandoned area because there are almost 20 others supporting Shaun.

The two shot here is effective because this is when the climax builds up and creates the enigma of who will attack first so either the zombie or Shaun.

The mid shot of the television is what establishes the trailer and enables the audience to think from a serious aspect.

The diegetic sound fits in well with the fast pace editing because channels are being changed and the more they’re changed the more tense It becomes.

The main character is the main focus in terms of framing because he is positioned in the middle. This is done to clearly show his facial expression and his body language so the mid shot is to focus closely on the MES.

The enigma created in this scene is what he is planning to do or what he is thinking of because he is gazing away from the camera and the wipe transition which comes right after this shot depicts his thoughts.

Horror conventions here are challenged as Shaun shows his braver side and instead of him and his friend being the victims, he plots to attack the zombies.

The diegetic score music is set to mock the horror genre because it’s a type of sound you would find in a carousel or at a kids fair.

In the next shot the title of the film is portrayed so the same soundtrack shifts into non diegetic score music by mocking what we see on the screen. This challenges the conventions of horror because it does not allow the ending to end seriously, instead it ends with the carousel sound.