Drafting and planning

After this research https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=6311927684124881852;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=2;src=postname i felt it would be a good idea to draft out what stages my trailer would be separated out into and what sound/ music i will use to do this.

1. At the very start of my trailer i wont include any music a part from possibly some tense background music to set the tone for quite a dark and serious drama film.

 I think its important to do this in the first section as music usually determines the audiences expectations of the film's content, but by using none, it leaves them open to what comes next, the granddad's death, therefore making it more dramatic

2. In the second part which is still really at the beginning of the trailer, i think i will keep the basis of this edit which includes the 'deep pang' sound effect which continues the serious tone and helps build to a mini-climax for the granddad's death https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6eL739yOg

3. In the third part, the intermediate which includes the argument scene, ghostly parents scene and potentially a car scene, i plan to use the 15 second limit of copyrighted music 'The Way' by Zack Hemsey as i feel it will match the shots well, generating a dramatic and sorrowful atmosphere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN2Xs-MvxLw

4. for the fourth and final part of my trailer, the climactic ending, i am content on using multiple sound effects to generate excitement and suspense, this includes 'Rise' sound effects which build up to a point, perfect for the ending of a trailer. I edited an example on my you tube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoc03MbvDDk although a 'Rise' sound effect is not used and the final shots will be re-mastered or re-shot

Drafting and planning

 Here is a minute of practise editing in which i think i make effective use of editing and sound conjunction researched in this blog post https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=6311927684124881852;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=1;src=postname

This is because the slow subtle piano notes at the start match the slow pace of the editing allowing me to set a calming, saddening but also quite eerie tone for the beginning of the trailer to present the drama genre straight away.

However i change the tone to something darker and more serious to present the horror part of the genre through the combination of deep and intensified music (sound), a slightly faster editing pace (editing) and dark lighting and the knife prop(mise-en-scene). This also sets an appropriate atmosphere for my film's themes of death and evil.

Using editing, sound and even mise-en-scene in such conjunctions means i can separate even small edits such as this to add structure and development to my trailer, as the different themes get presented in different distinct stages.

Although i could never use this due to copyright reasons i think its a fair reflection of how i want to structure a typical drama film trailer.

Research into similar products

Editing and sound in conjunction

Both of the above media language elements can be crafted together in order to generate an atmosphere or convey messages to the audience. For example, the trailer for this drama film is separated in order to create different atmospheres.

 At the start, up until 0:33, there is upbeat music aided by consistent slow paced editing, conveying a positive, calm and happy atmosphere. However the tone of the trailer changes to something more serious and saddening with low key piano music and fast paced editing which conveys the range of emotions and themes in the film, both happiness and sadness.

The pace of the editing then increases in sync with the music which becomes orchestral and intensifies up until the highest note in order to convey the drama in the climax made obvious through the dark lighting, the gun prop and gun sound effect and the cut to black.

 The conjunction of mise-en-scene, editing and sound here conveys the other themes in the film like evil, death and conflict, the most intriguing features saved until the climax in order to capture the audiences interest as effectively as possible.

I am most definitely planning on using such conjunctions between sound, editing and even mise-en-scene in order to separate my trailer out into stages and effectiverly convey the themes at diffreent points. For example, family and death at the beginning and evil and horror at the end

Drafting and planning

This will have suspenseful music over it in the final trailer as the sound effect alone is monotonous and doesnt conjure as much excitement and anticipation as the climax of a trailer should, especially as a drama.

There will also be more shots so the climax build up will be dragged out longer, allowing the editing pace to slowly increase slowly rather than quickly in order to build more suspense for my audience

However i like the lighting, especially the red as it connotes danger and the contrasting coloured costume, the white of the protagonist and black of the antagonist suggesting good vs bad, pure vs evil

I discovered ho to build to a climax thanks to this research https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=7431173459562194411;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=14;src=postname

Drafting and planning

Here are two of the same shots but one has curtains open with the parent's hoods up and the other with the curtain drawn with the hoods down.

I feel the curtains shut adds to the ghostly nature of the scene however the other shot could be argued to be more clear and the use of the hoods helps conceal them just as much as the grey veil of the curtains.

But overall i will be pleased to use either shot in my final piece as it adds to the dark, atmosphere

Drafting and planning

These are a few shots from the back garden of the protagonist' home to help set the scene. The close up of the rain drops suddenly dripping and then cutting to black suggests something has disturbed the peace, foreshadowing that something can quickly go wrong and there will be an absence like the absence of the rain drops.
The zoom in shot of the the two empty chairs that comes after immediately suggests this as though there is something missing, setting quite an eerie scene
The pan up to the large trees is also quite daunting

Research into similar products

My film is most definitely an independent British film and so i started to research into what Uk distributors would be likely to distribute my film
https://stephenfollows.com/who-dominates-uk-film-distribution/
according to this article, StudioCanal distributes 37% of independent UK films, more than any other independent distributor (see right)

StudioCanal http://www.studiocanal.co.uk/ as well as a host of British independent films, they have also distributed films like Paddington, Macbeth and Legend which are all based upon some form of British culture and therefore appeal to a British audience like my own film.

A different type of film distributor i could consider using is BBC films http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms. Unlike StudioCanal however, they distribute a lot less films and are therefore quite selective, so its less likely they'd distribute my film. Despite all of their films being British and heavily based on British culture, they are all quite light-hearted and wouldn't feature anything as serious as my film because of its focus on death and
conflict

Therefore i think because of StudioCanal's statistics, their history with both independent and major british films as well as the unlikelihood of bbc films and major distributors selecting my film, i think studiocanal would be the best institution for the distribution of my film

Drafting and planning

This is another edit of some raw footage which features two of the sound effects from this blog post <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mm6eL739yOg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>.

Although a few more shots would occur before this in the real trailer, i feel this is a good representation of the atmosphere i want to create at the start of my trailer, something thats eerie, serious and of course, dramatic.

This helps me portray my genre well straight form the off and helps build tension amongst my target audience, who, as mature adults, would become intrigued by such a mysterious opening and would continue watching the trailer and then the film, to satisfy their curiosity.

By using editing techniques learnt through this research https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=3926650306597559060;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=38;src=postname i was able to use fades and cut to blacks effectively with the sound effects to build suspense without having to use copyrighted music.

 By using sound and editing, it allowed me to convey messages without dialogue which would someone explain what's happening, instead the audience figures it out for themselves

For example, the fast paced editing conveys the idea that the protagonist is in a rush i.e. there is something wrong meanwhile the dramatic pangs suggest danger and the metallic climax that's built up implies something even more serious, death - the death of the granddad.

Drafting and planning

Here are some of the types of sound effects i am planning on using in my trailer to give it a a serious tone to convey the drama in my film.

 These sounds in particular help build tension and suspense, often used in real trailers in the transition of each shot to continuously build anticipation, usually towards a loud dramatic climax like the second one down 'metal climax'. This came to my attention through my research:

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=8714572050533685124;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=7;src=postname.

 I think it will be a good way to cohesively bind my shots together and create tension and drama at the same time to give my trailer a better atmosphere and to target a more mature audience.

Organisation

I have organised a shooting session for this weekend which features the encounter of the antagonist and protagonist.

• It will happen at my house where all of the objects in my hall will be removed to set a realistic setting almost like a corridor

• I will be using my Nikon camera free hand style for tracking and close ups as well as a tri pod for some stationary mid shots in the hall

• As i will be in most of the shots i will have the camera automatically record on the tri pod but have my sister to record the free hand tracking shots and close ups.

• The antagonist will be in dark clothing with his face either concealed through dark lighting or void in shots completely

• The protagonist however will be in a suit/ shirt because this scene will take place at the climax of my trailer and so i wanted to give him a more serious and mature look, whilst also provoking the question amongst my audience why was he in the suit in the first place.

• Lighting will be scarce so it will be dark to suit the serious mood of the scene however i also have a strip of small red lights readily available for the background to add an ominous red tinge to the scene to connote danger and add to the atmosphere of the scene

• Props will consist of the knife mentioned in previous blogs and possibly a hat for the antagonist to conceal him

Drafting and planning

This is some more raw footage which features the two props described in this blog: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=2279293500394794311;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=4;src=postname
Both are move-in close ups which helps emphasize their importance in the trailer

The first video features two of the same shot with the knives but with different lighting, the first is more clear and visible but the second is more dark and ominous so im leaning towards the second shot at the moment so it fits the atmosphere of my trailer.

Meanwhile the second video is well lit however i think straight cutting to a close up of the picture would be ideal because its not completely clear what is in the picture that is of importance, the red mark.
This shot occurs after the first part of the trailer when the protagonist finds his granddad, as it ominously hints at a murder

Organisation

The monthly blog trackers such as this one have helped me organise my blogging as it highlights my areas of strengths and weaknesses quantify-ably, allowing me to target specific areas to work on in order to achieve a more balanced blog.

Although i would like the amount of blogs in general to be higher i am pleased with the balance of my blogs and feel as though  quantiuty will come in time if i continue to work at this rate.

I am very pleased with the amount of target audience blogs as i am joint highest with 9 and i feel this is as a result of qualitative research, social media, video interviews etc. are all new and effective ways to target an audience and feel as though i have utilized them well so far

To improve drafting and organisation, i think continuing to film and upload raw footage and maybe roughly edited footage would be a good way to raise this number and highlight the development of my coursework and this will definitely be the target for the coming weeks

Target audience

Organisation

Props


I will be using two main props for my trailer which will feature in multiple shots and have some bearing on the plot.

The first is an old black and white school photograph in an old wooden frame with one of the student's heads marked with a red 'X'. This is first seen in the hands of the dead granddad and the he is the boy with the red X, suggesting that it was a murder and his death had been pre-determined by someone linked with the protagonist's family and their had been prior history between them.

It will then be seen in two close up shots shortly after in the hands of the protagonist representing his realisation that there is something more behind the death of his family members, which leads to his suspicion of a killer and potentially his insanity.

The second is more basic, a large silver kitchen knife which the protagonist arms himself with in his first confrontation with the antagonist which occurs at the climax of my trailer. I will first be seen in a close up however it will be held during multiple shots when the protagonist approaches the antagonist in his home

Research into similar products

I like the use of sound in the trailer for the drama 'Suffragette' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=056FI2Pq9RY

This is because it uses loud but brief sound effects to climax a moment of action or key significance to the film and end with the 'cut to black' editing convention. These occur at the start of the trailer to act as 'mini-climaxes' which helps set a serious and consistent tone throughout but also brings about cohesiveness by combining well with the final climax at the end of the trailer.

I could also use sound effects in a similar manner to try and separate the stages of my trailer by creating 'mini climaxes'. For example i could build up to a mini-climax through fast paced editing and then use an intense sound effect when the protagonist sees his dead granddad, to signify the importance and the drama of the moment in the film

Drafting and planning

Here is some raw footage i recorded which is from a scene that will occur about half way through my trailer.
I practised editing this footage together, using fairly average editing pace but overlapping the last line of dialogue with a different shot.

 Although i may use music during this section of my final trailer i still think it conveys a sense of drama/ conflict between the two characters, the protagonist and the Auntie The first shot can be either be a pan or a mid shot but both help present the Auntie character well an set the scene for the argument.

 A glass of red wine is also fitted into the shot to possibly connote that she will be of danger to him, a secondary antagonist possibly, although this is only a small prop attempting to create a sense of realism and atmosphere in the scene.

 Subsequent shots include an over the shoulder shot, a mid shot of the protagonist and a close up of the auntie which helps create variation in a brief space of time, something which is achieved well in normal theatrical trailers

Organisation

This is the hardware and practical equipment i will be using whilst shooting footage for my trailer.

This consists of:

•  A basic Tri-pod which is small but ideal for transportation and can extend to twice its size

• A Lumix camera , which is light and pocket size but still records in HD. This i have been using and will continue to use for shots which take place in distant location because of how its easy and convenient to transport and carry around

• A Nikon camera, which is much bigger and bulkier, more for shots around the home. It records in the same quality but has better zooming mechanics, picks up light better, ideal for darker shots as well as a second look-through screen for live viewing of the footage.

• A light transportable and flexible lamp ideal for providing light in closed environments like shots in the home and has multiple brightness levels to tailor each shot

Research into similar products

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2GsZRTW6XE The trailer for the drama film concussion uses fade to black, especially building up to climactic/ important moments which builds up tension towards something serious and meaningful in the trailer like a character which is climaxed by cut to black, which emphasises the drama surrounding that character or event.

I was thinking of just using straight cuts through most of my trailer and cut to black to cap a scene and emphasise its drama although i definitely want to use fade to black towards my trailer's climax to add an extra level of seriousness especially as the pace of the editing quickens which happens at the end of most trailers to evoke excitement from the audience, for example the star wars tv trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6OapTkx7R4

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Drafting and planning

I listed all the shots i plan to use in order after referencing back to my storyboards. There are 23 shots in total but i'll try and record more than needed in case i want to add in  more shots.

There is an equal amount of close and mid shots which i think is a good even mix as well as a variety of other shots to keep my trailer fresh and interesting.

 I especially hope to achieve a variety in the build up to the climax which will try and build suspense and summarise the content of my trailer so i think a variety is important. I think is evident in the last shots of my list.

Research into similar products

film titles

Quite a few drama films use short and if anything, basic title names but they are still quite effective.
For example 'truth' is a drama film where the title summaries the main underlying theme throughout the trailer and indeed the film itself (give evidence from trailer here)

Meanwhile the drama film 'burnt' also has a short and basic title which relates to the main theme of cooking food. However it is quite a sharp adjective which could act as a metaphor for the 'burnt' feelings of the main protagonist and his fiery aggressive emotions which the title helps represent as it connotes fire and passion, emphasizing the drama surrounding the protagonist and the lives of chefs in general

film title ideas:

• Curtains
• The Inquisition

Both of these names are short and help symbolize death however 'the inqusition' suggests a longer more drawn out process (of the murders) . Both of these names like truth and burnt, help symbolize one of the main running themes thorughout the trailer whilst also being unique and easy to remember. I will seek my final choice through my target audience, gaining the opinion of both my teenage and adult demographic and seeing if both of those would share a similar preference of film title

Target audience

I took to Twitter to try and better target part of my audience through my trailer, asking my followers most of whom are aged 16+ about what they would expect to see in a drama trailer and which of the two titles i came up with they preferred.


3 out of 4 favoured 'the inquisition' because to them, it sounded more attractive but also has relevance as all of them saw my presentation and can see that there is a murderer who, in a long drawn out process poses questions or should i say major threats, to the protagonist's family members one by one, so its like a metaphor for multiple attacks and murders.




Meanwhile, a climax, voice overs and some character development among other things were pointed about by a few in this demographic as what theydexpect to see which is good because i was planning to use all of these elements, especially after my research. This confirms to me that partially targeting a teenage demographic would be a good move because all of them seem to be open to the drama genre and have appropriate expectations

Organisation

Costume

after researching into how costume is used effectively as a convention in drama trailers https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=5996287915998270189;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=4;src=postname
i have decided upon casual clothing such as this to represent the normality of the main protagonist and how he is just a part of everyday life when he experienced these events, emphasizing its drama and realism. However the colours are not bright and is instead quite a dark red possibly connoting blood, family blood thats running through his veins which makes him a target.

Meanwhile it also helps create a contrast with the dark, black and more serious costume of the antagonist, connoting danger and death
However as i also found out in my research a change of costume can go a long way in symbolising development and change within a character and so, later in the trailer i my inlcude shots form a scene where the protagonist is in a suit after a formal event, symbolising his new maturity whilst also showing he is taking matters with the killer into his own hands by being more serious and formal, like he means business

Target audience

Focus group feedback

In our last media lesson we presented a brief pitch of our projects and each received feedback from the other members of the focus group

It was helpful as it allowed me to take on board the views of the teenage demographic who alongside the adult demographics complete the target audience for my trailer. 

• Everyone was intrigued and interested with my plot line and its themes like family and death as well as features like character development

• There was also appraisal for my storyboards for containing a range of shot types

• However some feedback i got on this was that i should clarify in my shot listing exactly what shot it is, and how im going to achieve it, for example the shot of me through the second floor window of ,my house. Ideally i would like this to be a close up, but this feedback has helped me realise ill have to consider a long shot as well.

• Another idea suggested was that in the same scene i could add a flashback when the protagonist sees the ghostly figures of his parents in the road, or use visual effects to add a sense of the supernatural so i can clarify that they aren't really there and that he is envisaging this as part of his emotional development. Therefore this would also help me target the teenage demographic because this piece of feedback which was put forward by quite a few suggests they would be more entertained if i included a slight technical twist in my presentation of this scene in the trailer.

• Meanwhile i was also queried about where dialogue would be heard in my trailer and although i was planning on using narration, i have yet to specify where. Therefore i think i should include a small preliminary part to my trailer before the part i labelled 'the beginning' which features a brief line of dialogue or a monologue from the protagonist which will help set the scene, introduce the protagonist and give my audience an insight into his thoughts and feelings. In the intermediate part i will also use dialogue, particularly from other characters like the sister and auntie and use a one loner from the antagonist for the climax of the trailer.

Drafting and planning

This is the storyboard for the final part of my trailer. After researching into film trailers and how they try and build to climax to heighten viewer intrigue: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=8472324681389611960;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=23;src=postname I also hope to achieve a climax through conventions like fast paced editing, suspenseful music and an intense sound effect every time the shot switches. at the climax it will cut to black and one line of dialogue from the antagonist will be heard, leading to the most climactic shot of the protagonist lunging at the antagonist in anger.

Each shot will be very brief and will not follow a chronological order as an attempt to bring about variation but they will hint or directly show action or points of particular intrigue, for example the implications of a close up of a knife (shot 2)

Target audience

Trailer ratings

The main movie trailer ratings that appear at the start of the trailer are 'PG 13', '15', 'Restricted 17', 'Restricted' and 'Approved for all audiences'.

However almost all of the drama trailers i have researched fall under the last one, or restricted 17.
The trailers for 'Steve Jobs' and 'Burnt' are both appropriate for all audiences because they don't necessarily target a specific demographic, which is represented in their choice to include no bad language, violence, or sexual imagery.

This is because their drama is focused around non-demographic specific themes and events, Steve Jobs is about the life work of a genius whom every demographic should see and burnt focuses on the rise of a chef, the career path many adults or children alike may aspire to take.

On the other hand trailers for 'Black Mass', 'Trumbo' and the drama 'Truth' are all restricted 17, due to 'bad language', 'brutal violence' (black mass) and 'sexual references' (Trumbo). This is a clear indication of these film's attempt's to target a more mature demographic who are more suitable for the trailer's and the film's serious adult themes, like crime, politics and imprisonment and therefore bad language, violence etc. is expected and indeed necessary.

For my own film and trailer, after taking into consideration my survey response https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=669829615124443816;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=2;src=postname i think it would be appropriate to target mainly an adult demographic but being as though many of the teenage demographic can enjoy dramas and appreciate/ handle its themes i must also try and target them as well.

As for the actual content of my trailer and what would be in the film, there would only be limited bad language, which would occur in the arguments but would be no drugs or sexual imagery. However there will be violence between the protagonist and antagonist, (although limited in the trailer) and the scene with the granddad's death could be perceived as 'disturbing'.

When taking into account my research, my prior attempts at targeting an audience and content of my film/ trailer, i think restricted 17 would be necessary, so i can predominantly target adult demographics but also some of the teenage demographics as well.

Research into similar products

Mise-en-scene

Costume

The main protagonist usually wears wears generic, casual clothing, which in dramas is often used to signify the fact that the protagonist is just a normal person within everyday life, setting a more realistic scene and attempting to explore real life themes and events.

Meanwhile the antagonist usually wears dark, ambiguous clothing to try and not only conceal him, which exploits the fear of the unknown but also to highlight him as dangerous, This is because dark colours like black have connotations of death. This is evident in the trailer for the drama 'Captive' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IKJFYegRJk
which tries to contrast the protagonist and antagonist with generic vs dark clothing. I really want to replicate this for my trailer so i can develop distinct lines of contrast and conflict between my protagonist and antagonist

However in the same trailer, the antagonist transforms into a secondary protagonist, and as a result he is seen wearing light coloured clothes. This represents his character development as well as real life themes such as redemption.

I could also use this in a slightly different way by having the protagonist wear darker colours after the death of the granddad or the ghostly scene where he envisages his parents https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=8572036683474600818;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=3;src=postname  which could  represent his development as he becomes angrier and more emotional, lmost turning to the darker side within him.

Target audience

Survey monkey

I have used survey on survey monkey to try and target my audience for a drama trailer better.

After collecting 26 results the most initial result that is pleasing is that the drama genre is one of the most popular genres across all the age groups.
However after analysing the individual responses i found that from those who favoured the drama genre, 3 were aged 31-50, 3 were aged 15-19 and 2 were aged 20-30. This tells me that the majority of my target audience will be adults but i should still try to target the younger demographic's as well

meanwhile it appears that all demographic's are favourable towards character development as 6 of those who favoured it were 31-50, 4 were 15-19 and 3 were 20-30, again showing how my target audience should predominantly be of the adult demographic but should still be appealing and appropriate for the teenage demographic, so ill have to consider things like trailer ratings, the level of action, language and the appearance of the characters so that they'll fit both an adult and teenage target audience.

Meanwhile only 2 respondents were aged 51+ but both were not interested in character development and did not favour the drama genre and so i think my trailer would not appeal all too much to an older demographic and should be capped at adults

Organisation

Film shooting
With October half term approaching I feel it would be an excellent opportunity for shooting some footage for my trailer.

• I have already gathered hardware equipment, my own camera and tri-pod for the filming. I am planning on using an even amount of both still and hand held camera shots so the tri-pod will be required for each shooting location.

• I have already gained permission from each of the current cast members to feature in my trailer and are all prepared to travel to the necessary locations I wish to film at, which are all with in a close proximity, so travel is not an issue.

• The 'granddad's house' location will be prime for the half term break, and is at a convenient 15 minute walk away, and I will use my dad, who is familiar with the functions of the camera, to film the shots which will consist of just me, a part from the climactic shot.

• I am also organising some shooting in a car which my dad is also prepared to film for me and my mom, who will be playing the auntie, is happy with driving the car.

• Meanwhile I have also organised for one of the nights in the break to be used for filming a couple of shots in the woods, probably in one of the week days when my dad is off work.

• Not too many props will need to be organised as it is a drama based on normal everyday life. However an old photo which hints at the origin of the killer and connection with the granddad as well as a large knife for the climactic appearance of the killer have both been gathered although they can be shot individually at a later date if necessary

Drafting and planning

This is my second story for the 'middle' part of my trailer. It will feature a variety of different shots in different locations with more characters, including the auntie and sister.

This part will help build tension up to the final or end part of the trailer where the killer becomes more prominent.
It does so by building the main protagonist's character as he battles his emotions following the death of his grandad, hotly arguing wih his auntie, seeing ghostly illusions of his parents and strongly suspecting a killer, whom he believes is following him, for example the 5th shot in the car.

Meanwhile the 3rd and 4th shot is a ghostly envisaging of the parents which gives further insight into the mind set of the protagonist and how his emotions are starting to take over

Research into similar products

Camerawork

I like how the back to back use of tracking in the trailer for the drama 'burnt' as it gives the audience a sense that they are on a journey with the main protagonist who is in search of something. I think the same effect could be achieved in my trailer when the protagonist is searching the house of his granddad., as it could build suspense and give a sense of adventure

meanwhile i also like the close up used in the trailer for the drama 'captive' because it gives audiences an insight into the emotions of the main protagonist which helps form some  attachment between the audience and the character.

Using a close up would not only help me achieve a variety of shot types in my trailer but will also give my audience an insight into the emotions of the main protagonist as the trailer progesses

Drafting and planning

  This drafted storyboard features the beginning part of my trailer. To describe it briefly the main protagonist is discovering the death of his granddad at his granddad's house, which comes after the tragic unseen death of his parents, leaving very few important figures in his life, however suspicion of the way he died leads him to believe the death is not natural, setting the ball in motion for the middle part of the trailer.

I imagine that the editing would be quick as it builds suspense up to the shot of the body which is also very briefly seen and it will then cut to black

Organisation

 I have selected a number of potential locations for my film trailer, all of which are local and easy to places for shooting, these include:

My house - this is where 'everyday life' shots will happen, which will help set the scene but would also be perfect for any dialogue i.e. arguments between the protagonist and family members like the auntie. I may also use it for one of the killer's appearances, which might help set a dark ambiguous setting towards the end of the trailer.


The woods - This would only be for a one or two shots maximum, but would be a prime location for tense, gritty shots when the killer is maybe in pursuit towards the end of the trailer.


My school - Again this would be used for a limited amount of shots but might help set an 'everyday life' setting for the main protagonist at the start of the trailer


My granddad's house - I imagine a scene where the protagonist discovers the death of his granddad, which wasn't as accidental as it may appear


A basic road - Where I imagine a few shots from a low key 'car chase' but also a quick, intense shot of an attack on the protagonists sister from the killer up against a lamppost

Target audience

As researched in this blog post about drama trailers, https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=123303529765925164;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=11;src=postname it is evident that drama films and their trailers often rely and focus on in-depth development of realistic characters and realistic themes, which i aim to do in my trailer, with themes such as family and death.

As a result, it is safe to assume at this early stage that my target audience would be of a slightly older demographic than most, predominately adults but also older teenagers. This is because it would take a mature audience to understand and enjoy the mature themes and characters in my drama trailer. For example the 'Steve jobs' trailer has mature themes of work and family, which often clash and would therefore suit an older demographic who would appreciate these themes.

Being as the trailer will be shot in Britain and the cast are all British my target audience would also be predominately British as they would understand some of the colloquial language and any British values in my trailer.

My target audience will not be gender specific as my trailer will have an even mix of both male and female characters however i am considering using horror elements towards the end of my trailer which might target a male audience as males stereo-typically enjoy more action and horror in films than females do. However as my trailer will still be predominately a drama, it would still attract females who stereo-typically enjoy drama and family values in films.

In terms of ethnicity, my trailer may automatically become orientated towards the white ethnic group due to the cast currently being all white and will therefore contain drama surrounding a white family and a white protagonist, which people of maybe an Asian or Black  ethnic group wont be able to relate to as much.

Research into similar products

Sound

This is one of the 4 key elements of media language used to shape meaning in drama trailers or to have a direct effect on the target audience.

I like the use of sound in this drama trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1G5E5Eo1wo
which has fast paced non-diegetic whisking sound effects in the background to build tension throughout the trailer. I like it because its climatized by action (see left) where the sound effects stop to emphasise the drama of the scene.

 I could use this use of silence, possibly after fast paced sound effects and/or music to emphasize drama in one of my scenes, possibly if my protagonist gets into a heated argument, with say his auntie, which could emphasize the conflict between the characters or just the level of drama in my film on the whole.

Almost all drama trailers are dialogue driven and often overlap or even sync with music, for example the trailer for trumbo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HnZq6ZiieM I like the combination of music and dialogue as the music builds suspense and adds drama to the statements and arguments taking place at the same time.

Tone can also be changed in a trailer through music, it might start off subtle and slow, easing viewers in before upping the ante with loud fast paced, intense music, ending the trailer on a more serious and thrilling note. I could use this in my trailer as my protagonist grows suspicious of a killer as the trailer progresses and he could encounter him at the end, so i could use this change of music or sound effects to set a more serious tone and to
climax the drama of this moment.

Organisation

Casting and Characters

I have a good idea about what sort of characters i want to construct in my film trailer. As my film will be a drama this will be extra important, as dramas often rely on their character development to create a good trailer and a good film, which i looked at in my drama trailer research https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=123303529765925164;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=9;src=postname

Protagonist - me. This is purely because i am the only one with the knowledge of how i want my trailer to play out and so i think i will be the best fit for the main role. However i also think i am the appropriate age for the protagonist, who is someone who is forced to grow up and deal with serious life issues and dangers.

Antagonist - Michael. Despite the fact that my antagonist, the killer, will be largely ambiguous in the trailer i feel my dad will play the role well purely because of his height and build (6ft2).

I imagined the antagonist to be a stereotypical male adult, but of course more fearsome when concealed and so i think many could have fit the role but chose my dad out of shooting convenience.

Protagonist's sister - Olivia. As my actual sister i think she can automatically play the role well, supplementing the main protagonist's emotions as though they were my own.

She is some 5 years older than the me and so i think she'll play the more sophisticated and supporting role i imagine the sister in the trailer will towards the protagonist.

Protagonist's Auntie - Victoria. This is because i feel my mom has the personal qualities to play this character well. Following the death of the protagonist's parents, the Auntie had no choice but to care for their children but was never kind-hearted or enthusiastic towards her new role.

Therefore i feel my mom's temperament and ability to convey a range of emotions as any parent could, will help her play a role of a character acting as a barrier between the protagonist and his life choices as he seeks the truth behind his parent's death, something the auntie got over quickly... too quickly. 

This will hopefully be my main cast for my trailer although additional sub-characters are a certainty and so after i start drafting storyboards and after more research, i will have a greater understanding of what other characters i want to include and who i want to cast them as.

Drafting and planning

Genre

I have decided to choose the drama film genre for my trailer. This is because after researching into the main film genres, drama appears not only the most realistically achievable but also because i like the combination of dialogue and action to convey the plot and appeal to what would be a broad audience.
I also like how the drama genre is open to many conventions and can combine very easily with other genres such as action (black mass) https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=57724324311725499;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=2;src=postname

but also horror (knock knock) https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3664132413503481447#editor/target=post;postID=620928611812247011;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=1;src=postname

Although primarily a drama, i may wish to include elements of the the horror genre and so depending on the balance of the trailer's content it amy become a full genre cross-over

Plot

I have drafted a synopsis for my film, and will after some research, decide upon a title for my film. However for the time being the rough outline of the film plot is as follows:

An ordinary teenage boy, not soon after the tragic death of his parents, must suffer more losses before growing suspicion of a killer that leads him to believe that his parent's death was not accidental or of coincidence.  However in overcoming obstacles and fighting his emotions he must discover the truth quickly before he is next to be taken by an unknown force striving to thwart his family name.

Research into similar products

Genre crossovers

Drama-horror could be another genre cross over i could use, which would usually include the character development of an ordinary protagonist facing everyday problems but we become aware of an antagonist haunting or simply out to kill the protagonist.

An example could be the trailer for 'knock knock'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptvEQSlg0BY
The trailer starts with an ordinary protagonist with a typical family(see right) but soon encounters a moral issue which are the basis for many drama films, in this one it appears to be cheating.

This is further set up to be a drama with the fact that the first part is entirely dialogue driven and the main protagonists character is developed so that the audience are interested in how he deals with the moral issue.

However at 1:34, the genre twists and becomes completely horror which can be identified through some typical horror conventions, slow paced editing eventually leading up to a jumpscare as well as low key lighting (see left).

The main protagonist appears to become a hostage in his own home, trapped and being hunted by the antagonists who, unlike in other horrors, are revealed.This cross-over is effective as we now see a developed character having to deal with horror elements as a consequence of his moral decision.

Research into similar products/ target audience

Genre crossovers

Another one of the main genre crossovers, could be action-drama which often combines dialogue and character development with intense action scenes and exotic settings.

An example could be the trailer for Black Mass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWsbqshD5TE.
Its evident that this is a drama as most of the trailer is dialogue driven and heavily focused on the main character.
This gives audiences an insight into the mind set of the character who appears very serious and edgy, which might entice audiences to see the film so they can see how his character develops and what he gets up to.

However its also evident that this is part action as the film builds to a climax in which there are multiple action shots, particularly 1:04, 1:21 and 1:38.
This combines well because it supports the dialogue and character development in the first part of the trailer by providing evidence that there will be action as a consequence of the main character and his mind set.



Meanwhile the climax itself is a convention used effectively because right after it there is a shot of the main character laughing which contrasts sharply to the serious climax of the main character killing someone, further suggesting the main character is a loose cannon with a disturbed mind set which would intrigue audiences to see how his character plays out in the film.

This trailer shows both the effectiveness of an action-drama crossover but also how character development supported by action scenes can target fans of both genres.