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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.

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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.

Target audience

Targetting audiences by genre

Horror
https://thedissolve.com/features/the-conversation/240-what-still-scares-us-in-horror-movies/ In this blog, Film critic Noel Murray states 'in a way it is a relief when the killer comes barging in because at least then, the killer has a form' which reveals how it is the pure ambiguity and sense of not knowing that generates fear amongst audiences and even film critics which would therefore thrill fans of the horror genre. Therefore it is vital to keep the antagonist(s) as ambiguous as possible if there is going to be any element of horror in my trailer.

This justifies using conventions such as slow paced editing towards the climax and subtle sound effects or even silence as these help conjure a tense atmosphere so that any fear from the audience towards the ambiguous antagonist is maximised.

This is the sole aim in most horror trailers for example 'Jessabelle', particularly from 2:11 onwards;  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZARPPQqU6w

Action
Fans of this genre are clearly entertained by exciting action scenes and so one of the ways they can be targetted through trailers is sound and editing synchronization. This convention forms the perfect all round audio and visual package for audience pleasure so they can get a taste of the thrilling action they can expect to see from the full film. Blockbusters like X-Men make full use of this
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6acRHWnfZAE

If i do a horror or action trailer, utilizing these conventions and features, with thrills, suspense and ambiguity  i will be targetting fans of both genres and enticing them to see
the full film.

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Genre crossovers

After identifying the main genres of film through research and analysis of conventions found commonly within those genres, i am switching my focus onto how these genres can cross over.

Many films within the action genre have elements of comedy and a few films within the comedy genre are action orientated. An example of the latter is 'The world's end', which is roughly 50% action and 50% comedy as it features hand to hand combat, explosions and fast paced car scenes but also has bizarre drunken antics and goofy characters. Starring actor Simon Pegg stated himself;
 "People think we choose the genre first every time, and it's not true. We find the stories first." 
which reveals how a lot of the time, genre crossovers were not intentionally selected and instead occur naturally, thus proving that it is not essential to select a specific genre when making a film and its trailer.

This is evident in other action-comedy cross-overs which can be identified through conventions in film trailers, ones i have researched and analysed in my previous blogs about genres.

For example in the trailer for 'Attack the block',  at 0:48 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD0gm7dHKKc fast paced editing and intense fast paced music when the protagonists are gearing up is suddenly cut to emphasize a funny line of dialogue from a side character.
This break in action catches the audience off guard and serves a humorous reminder that this film isnt entirley serious but still offers an even mixture of intense action and funny comedy.

 However at 1:49 is the climactic shot that was built up to through fast paced editing and fast paced music, a convention found commonly in the action genre. These are just two examples of conventions which are specific to their genre but can both indicate a genre cross-over within a film trailer.

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Genre identification through convention analysis

Horror

This genre of film normally have a lot of dark shots with ambigious settings and characters within their trailers. The conventional jumpscares are normally used as well to briefly excite and thrill audiences as to lure them to the full feature.

One of the most common conventions within horror trailers is slow paced editing. In contrast to action or dramas, slow paced editing is used instead of fast paced editing to build suspense and tension towards a climax.

This climax is more often than not a jump scare
for example at 1:32  in 'the woman in black' trailer https://youtu.be/dPYMUnJGURI there is slow paced editing and almost utter silence in the build up to the climax as the main protagonist encounters the ambiguous antagonist in jump scare fashion, thrilling and horrifying the viewers after leaving them in suspense during the build up.

Another common convention is the use of sound effects. Many horror trailers are very sound-driven, rather than action or dialogue-driven because it helps contribute towards a tense atmosphere.

For example in the trailer for the film 'The Hallow' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU1StZXrExs in the opening 40 seconds there is a subtle growl, the creaking of a hatch and the distant bark of a dog. These Subtle yet eerie sound effects adds to the ambiguity and suspense of the trailer and adds emphasis to the small glimpses of the antagonist (see right)

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Genre identification through convention analysis

Comedy

This genre of film usually has light-hearted trailers so it can set the tone for a fun and humorous movie. Although other film genres may have elements of comedy like action and dramas these will rarely occur within the trailer as they aim to maintain it as serious and action-packed as possible.

One of the most common conventions that can be found within this genre is upbeat music editing. In many comedy trailers there is upbeat music to set a light hearted and humorous tone but this music can suddenly stop to emphasize a funny moment or line of dialogue. This is not only humorous but it helps set up characters, for example at 0:52 in the 'Daddy's home' trailer,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sgpwTBnuLo  the upbeat music is suddenly cut to emphasize the humour and nature of the step-dad's character (will Ferrell) as he takes a clear insult as a compliment.

Another convention is the alternate use of a climax. Climaxes in actions or dramas are used to visually stun the viewers with great action packed, gripping shots. However in comedies, climaxes can be used to do just the opposite. fast paced editing and tense music is used in the exact same manner but is used to set up an intentional flop for comedic effect, an anti-climax.

For example in the trailer 'Spy' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAqxH0IAPQI  at 1:44 a climax is built up with fast paced editing and increasing music/ FX only for the main protagonist to fall off her motorbike in slapstick fashion. This is done for comedic effect as the build up made it look as though the climax was going to be epic, like in an action film, when actually the main protagonist fails at the most clinical moment which is done intentionally to emphasize the character's, and indeed the whole film's, humorous nature.

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Genre identification through convention analysis

Drama

This genre can sometimes overlap with the action/ adventure genre but it still has some unique conventions within trailers.

For example, dramas usually have more dialogue driven trailers. This is different to action/ adventure as those trailers are more likely to let the action do the talking but drama focus more on character development.

However a more specific convention that is used in drama trailers is overlapping dialogue. Dialogue could continue or start during different clips/ shots, either because the shots link to what is being said or just to keep the trailer fresh and flowing whilst the character speaks. This helps set up the characters and show different shots at the same time.

This is used frequently in the 'Steve Jobs' trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEr6K1bwIVsparticularly at 0:45, which is when the dialogue starts but we don't actually see the characters speaking until 0:48

Another convention used mostly in drama trailers is the variation in editing pace. To convey the sense of drama and suspense in such a film the trailers are normally very fast paced however this can suddenly be broken at some point in the trailer for effect. The pace is usually broken or at least slowed down to introduce a key character or emphasize a key line of dialogue which impacts on the protagonist and the plot.

This convention is used in the same trailer for steve jobs where a cut to black at 1:14 (see right) breaks the fast paced editing and immediately after, a shot of someone close to the main protagonist is introduced. This helps introduce a key character and emphasize one of the major problems faced by the main protagonist in the film, his family.

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Genre identification through convention analysis

Action/Adventure

Film trailers for this genre have many typical conventions as it is one of the most popular genres of films and many of the biggest blockbusters fall under it and so many of them use the same conventions.

One of the most common is fast paced editing. This convention helps demonstrate the action-packed nature of the film whilst maintaining the interest of the audience by overwhelming them with multiple different shots which might give them a taste of the action scenes, characters, settings and plot details they can expect to see. Another convention  directly links with this as the volume of music synchronizes with the pace of the editing because it intensifies at appropriate times which further emphasizes the intensity of the film.

Another common convention is the effective use of a climax.  As an action/ adventure film trailer comes to a close, the previous 2 conventions excels to a climatic point which heightens viewer interest as it often supplies them with a key action scene from the movie or key line of dialogue, for example 'Pacific Rim's' intense climactic scene at 2:10 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5guMumPFBag

The climax could also be a cliff hanger which helps end the trailer in an unsatisfying manner so that the audience go to watch the film in order to discover what happens in the film and become satisfied, for example 'Terminator Genyisys' climactic shot at 2:17
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62E4FJTwSuc