What is the purpose of a teaser trailer?

The purpose of a teaser trailer is to give an audience a quick glimpse into the film, they usually last around 30 seconds. They are aimed at attracting an audience and generating hype around the film and to see the audiences reaction towards the film will be and from this they can determine the films success. They usually consist of jump cuts and quick edits between the film scenes, letting the audience see some of the action and story. The trailers are often shown during a commercial break on the TV as this means a lot of people will view it. The benefits of people discussing the film in advance is that, it generates interest around the film, it also attracts media attention as, magazines, websites newspapers etc. recognise people are interested in something and do features on this, to make them buy there product.

However, some teaser trailers do not contain material from the film as they are released well in advance and so often just show the film title and release date, an example of this is the 'Davinci Code'.

I also did some research into Horror teaser trailers as this is my chosen genre to base my coursework on.
As i viewed horror trailers, all that i watched stick to Toderov's theory, however some like "Orphan" left out an ending equilibrium - this makes people want to go and see it to find out the ending. Also the use of provocative language from the narrator e.g. "you'll never guess her secret" draws people in and makes them want to go and watch it.

The audience are in constant wait of something scary about to happen, however they don't know when this will happen and so this adds to the tension, and to the "scare" factor. People watch films in order to be scared. The action doesn't happen straight away - its delayed until around 1 minute into the trailer. Some of the main story line is established before the audience is "shocked". In sequels e.g. "S.Darko" and "Ghostbusters" the same piece of music is used so people can relate back to the original.

The trailers i watched lasted around 1 to 2 minutes.
In my opinion the more effective trailers did not use a voice over; they just have a recognisable song/tune played over the top of them. Although with the use of a voice over it can help people to understand the film a bit better. Words appearing across the screen also seemed to be an effective technique.

All of the trailers have quick edits, more towards the end to release the built up tension, the pace of the music also quickens and all edits are in time with the music, the music builds up to a crescendo at the end.

Research into the Horror Genre - Looking at the marketing of Cloverfield

Cloverfield

As part of my research into the horror genre, I evaluated the film trailer for 'Cloverfield' in order to look at the marketing aspects of the trailer.

Genre: Mystery/Sci-Fi/Thriller
Release Date:1st February 2008 (UK)
18th January 2008 (USA)
23rd January 2008 (France)
Certification:15 (UK)
PG 13 (USA)
Director:Matt Reeves
Writer:Drew Goddard
Actors:Lizzy Caplin, Jessica Lucas, TJ Miller
Institution:Paramount, Bad Robot
Marketing and Promotion:Website, Trailer, Posters

Conventions of Facebook/MySpace

• Display photographs


• User information - friends, general public, advertising
  
• Privacy Settings


• Free for users


• Instant messaging


• Global Community


• Isolating activity


• Elements of blogging


• Games

Cloverfield and Myspace

Before a film is release a company normally sets up a myspace or facebook page for the characters of the film. People then log onto these profiles under the impression that they are real people. this generates publicity and hype for the film as people like and associate themselves with the characters.

Film Poster

This is the film poster for the spoof film "Shaun of the Dead". The title of the film is directly in the middle, in bold white lettering, it can be clearly seen and so this is good for promotion and advertising.

The pun at the top of the poster relates to the picture, and shows that through the use of a pun the film is in fact a spoof. The colour scheme of red and black is still typically associated with horror, however the white is not, and so this challenges the normal conventions of a horror poster.

The poster still includes all of the normal conventions like, the credits at the bottom, informing people about who is/was involved. Also underneath the title, in smaller writing is a tag line advertising the film as "a romantic comedy with zombies", this will broaden the audience, as more people may be attracted by the "romantic" element advertised; particularly woman who may not normally go and see a horror film.

After reviewing some film posters, I recognised that the majority of posters contain 10 major components these being:

1.Classification - this is there to tell the audience whether the film is suitable for them to watch. The rating will be done according to the BBFC guidelines.

2. Main Image - often a still from the film or a picture of the characters.

3. Title - the title of the film is often at the top of the poster. This is how the audience identify the film

4. Logo - sometimes appears, not always though as often it makes the poster look too crowded.

5. Tag line - entices the audience in as it often sets an enigma.

6. Release date - lets the audience know when they can see the film

7. Names of cast - happens more often with a film that has 'big names' e.g. Tom Cruise, as they are globally recognised and bring a massive fan base with them.

8. Reviews - reference from critics, often a star rating

9. Names of producers - often at the bottom of the poster

10. Previous films by the producer - there best films are often referred to and so if people liked that film then they might like the new one.

Questionnaire

As part of our planning and research we devised a semi- structured questionnaire asking 20 people between the ages of 15 and 18 as this will be the audience I intend on targeting their opinions on film genres and teaser trailers. We did this in order to find out our target audience and use this questionnaire to help guide our coursework projects in order to cater for that audience.

1.What is your sex? (this is important as it may have an influence or show a link between answers)

2. How old are you? ( Also can have an important influence on any answer given)

3.What are your favourite film genres? ( We need to know this, to see which genre's are most popular overall)

4. Why do these genres attract you ? ( knowing this we will know what to include in our trailer)

5. What do you consider when choosing a film? ( It is important to know this so that i can include their points in my products and attract an audience)

6. What is your favourite film?

7. What promotional methods attract you to a film and why? (This will help me with production)

8. Do you find trailers helpful when deciding on a film?

9. What is your preferred method of watching a film?

10. Why do you tend to watch films?

Results

* 4 out the 8 woman asked said there favourite genre was horror, alongside romance.

* 10 out of the 12 men asked favoured horror and the 2 that did not favoured action.

* When it came to why people watch films, the most popular answers were, to entertain them, to scare them, to make them laugh and cry.

*Everyone said trailers were useful when making a decision

* The most common promotional method listed was, a poster in a magazine or on a billboard

Why people watch horror films

To over come fears = people watch horror films in order to face there fears. I.e. they might watch a vampire film because they have a phobia of vampires which they want to overcome, and by watching a film on them this is how they do that.

Socialising = just like any film, people enjoy watching films together as part of socialising and being with their friends.

Adrenaline rush = horror films, scare people which releases endorphins like adrenaline, as humans we like the way this makes us feel and so by watching horror films this can happen more often.

Exploration of a taboo subject = in horror films, themes and issues that are "wrong" e.g. murder, rape, torture are explored, and in normal life situations they are not, so people watch them because they normally don't get a chance and in horror films they are "acceptable" in some kind of way. Toolbox Murders and Saw are examples of the exploration of a taboo subject.

Intrigue = after seeing an advert for a horror film, or a trailer, this usually intrigues people to watch the film, this is especially the case with horror films as people enjoy being scared.

Escapism = as horror films are not real and are usually highly exaggerated, it gives people the opportunity to escape from there real lives and experience something very different. Stardust is an example of a film that can be used for escapism.

Codes and Conventions of a Horror Film

Their are a number of codes and conventions that appear in a horror film.


Setting - generally a horror film can be set in any location. However there is a theme that runs through the setting, usually they are dark, isolated places where people would not necessarily choose to go/be, as this gives off the scary, "horror" feel of a film. In trailers i have watched examples of settings are: woods, big, old mansions and "normal" civilian houses set at night.


Props - props that are used in a horror film are: weapons, that are used to commit the crimes i.e. knifes, guns, crucifixes. Fake blood is used to show the injuries sustained by the victims and the extent of the crime. Heavy make-up i.e. face paints can be used to hide the identity of the villain an example of this is the Joker in Batman. Masks can also be used to do this.


Colours - The typical colours used in a horror film are red and black. Red is often associated with blood, death and love and black is associated with mystery, darkness, death, all of these are main themes of a horror film. These are used through, clothes of characters (usually the villain is in black or red), the setting usually contains these colours and the props.
This is a screen shot from the exorcist showing the traditional colours used in a horror film scene. Red and Black are the most dominant, and shadows are used to create a horror atmosphere.



Sound -

• diegetic = this is always used, examples of this are general speech or stereotypically in a horror film screaming.
• non diegetic = this is added post production, it is normally sounds that cant be made naturally during filming and need to be technologically enhanced. i.e. a strong heartbeat
• sound effects = sounds that cant be made naturally as they are invented. E.g. a wolf howling
• sound bridge = music or a sound that links two scenes together
• voice over = generally a narrator speaking over and through the trailer, are very popular in all kinds of trailers, especially used in American made films. A voice over explains the narrative further and adds to the whole ambiance of the trailer.

Camera -

• establishing shot = at the beginning of a scene, it sets the scene and if used at the beginning of the trailer shows the equilibrium.
• close up = this shows detail of a person, this is very important in a horror film/trailer as it shows the victims face and emotions normally when they are being killed, so this allows an audience to feel close to them. Also used when a villain is found as the close up reveals there identity.
• mid-shot = this shows general action and is the main shot used most of the time throughout a trailer
• long-shot = this shows setting and surroundings which allows an audience to feel more involved.
• POV = would mainly show the victims point of view, as the audience would mostly put themselves in their position, not that of the villain.

Themes and Narrative structure

The themes of a horror film normally include:

- death

- murder

- mind games

- torture

- supernatural goings on (ghosts/curses/zombies)

Representations of Characters

Villain - cunning, clever, strange, troubled, twisted, in control, ecentric, crazy and holds on human compassion or remorse. In a trailer of 'Batman' that I analysed the villain was the majority of these characteristics and was easily recognisable because of this.

Victim - helpless, stereotypically an attractive female, attracts danger, weak and scared

BBFC - British Board of Film Classification

The BBFC are the organisation legally responsible for classifying films in the United Kingdom. They are a private company being funded through gaining a fee, for assessing a films classification. They are not government funded.


The BBFC classify different types of films into categories depending on their suitability for an audience. We will have to take this into account. The context of the BBFC is British specific and so only applies to British films, the films are classified post-production. The significance of this is that they can assess the completed film, as if they assessed it pre/during production and it was approved, changes may occur during the production which could make it move from one band to another.
Below I have summarised the different categories and once our trailer is made we will be able to apply the appropriate rating depending on whether the film meets the criteria of a rating.

U (Universal) - suitable for everyone, ages 4 and over, positive moral framework and should offer counterbalanced arguments to issues like, violence and threat of horror.
- Natural nudity allowed
- No discrimination
- No reference to illegal drugs or misuse of drugs
- Mild horror sequences
- Very mild bad language
- Mild sexual behaviour i.e. kissing
- Treatment of problematic themes must be sensitive
- Mild violence only Examples of Universal films are: 'Ice Age' and ' Fantastic Mr Fox'

PG (Parental Guidance) - general viewing, some scenes unsuitable for younger children.
- Discriminating language is unacceptable
- Reference to drugs must be innocuous or must carry an anti drug message
- Frightening sequences shouldn't be prolonged
- No dangerous behaviour children are going to imitate
- Mild bad language only
- Natural nudity
- Sexual activity can be implied
- Moderate violence
Examples of PG rated films are: 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and ' The Chronicles Of Narnia'

12/12A

Both include the same content, 12 is used for the buying and rental of a video work and no one under 12 can purchase it. A 12A is used at a cinema and people under 12 can only watch it unless accompanied by an adult.
- Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be endorsed by the work as a whole
- Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not beglamorised or give instructional detail.
- Moderate physical or psychological threat is permitted provided they are not frequent
- Dangerous behavior should not dwell on detail which could be copied
- Moderate language is allowed, strong language must be infrequent
- Nudity is allowed, but if in a sexual context it must be brief anddiscreet
- Sexual activity is allowed but must be brief and discreet, sexual references must be suitable for young teenagers
- Mature themes are acceptable but must be suitable for young teenagers
- Moderate violence is allowed but must not dwell on detail, no emphasis on injury or blood but can show occasional gory moments are permitted

Examples of 12/12A rated films are: 'The Wedding Date' and 'Tomb Raider'

15 Suitable for 15 years and over
- The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behavior
- Drug taking is allowed but must not promote or encourage it
- Strong threat and menace are permitted sadistic or sexualised
- Dangerous behaviour should not dwell on detail that could be copied
- There may be frequent use of strong language
- Nudity is allowed in a sexual content but without strong detail, there are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context
- Sexual detail may be portrayed without strong detail, there may be strong use of verbal references to sexual behaviour
- No theme is prohibited, but must be suitable for 15 year old
- Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of injury or pain

Examples of 15 rated films are: 'Mr and Mrs Smith' and 'Daredevil'.

18 - The BBFC, will not override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Except for the following conditions.
- Where material is in breach of the criminal law
- Where material or treatment appears to risk harm to individuals of through their behavior to society
- Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context

Examples of 18 rated films are: 'Gangs of New York' and 'Green Street'.

Triangle of dependency

The triangle of dependency suggests that institution, text and audience all interlinked and influence each other in a certain way.

So: The audience influence the text as it is written for them and so it includes what they want to consume and the text influences the audience as it attracts certain viewers.

The institution influences the audience as if things change in a society they need to change to adapt to these.

Finally the institution changes there text to keep up and cater for audience wants and needs.

It is important to meet the audience's expectations when making a film/trailer, as they are the reason people make films, in order to entertain them and make them want to watch the film. People do not make films for themselves they make them for an audience who will enjoy them and will go and watch them.

Audience Research

Before creating our teaser trailer, we will have to undertake audience research. I do will do this in order to gain audience opinions as they are the main reason we are making their trailer and so by gaining there opinions we can give them what they want to see.
I therefore came up with primary (interview, questionnaire and focus group) and secondary types ( newspapers and books) of research methods that i may need to consider to find out what an audience looks for in a trailer and wants to get out of a trailer.

These are the types of data I will be using during my research:

Primary data = data that has not been manipulated in any kind of way.

Secondary data = information that was already been assembled and gathered from other sources

Qualitative data = numerical data including quantity's, percentages and statistics.

Quantitative data = non numeric information such as, conversation, text, audio or video
Primary = Interviews, questionnaires, surveys and discussion groups.
Secondary = books, Internet, look at other peoples work and analyse newspaper articles.

In my opinion i think questionnaires are one of the better ways of gathering information as you can get qualitative and quantitative information that can be detailed with the appropriate use of open and closed questions.

The different types of information collected from a questionnaire

I have chosen to use the between method of collecting data, as this will give me both numerical and opinionated data thus allowing for more rounded research, I can then give people hopefully more of what they want as my research and information collected will be more detailed.

Ethics in research

In doing our research there are a ethical issues that need to be addressed:
-Does our genre conform to the "norm"
- Permission, from parents if children under 16 will be in our trailer, also permissions for our location; music;actors and from the law.
- Health and Safety
-BBFC
- Cultural reception, within the film and the process.

Each of these elements can be addressed and contended with easily.
Conforming to the norm can be addressed by doing comprehensive research into the genre, to establish what the 'norm' is and then work from there sticking to the normal conventions of the genre.
Permission can be addressed by contacting everyone involved and gaining written permission from them.
Health and Safety can be contended with by making sure and "stunts" we do or places we use are within health and safety guidelines and peoples well fare is not put at any kind of risk.
BBFC can be addressed by us classifying our film appropriately according to the guidelines set by the BBFC.

Not only do Ethical factors play a part in our research but when it comes to actually filming our trailer, external factors will also have to be contended with, for example:
- Time of day and year
- Weather
- Setting availability and accessibility
- Technological issues i.e. problems with software and cost of technology



External factors can be contended with easily if appropriate planning is undertaken and executed.

Film Trailer

Our task is to produce a main task and ancillary tasks, to include a teaser trailer, as well as a website and a film poster for any genre of film. My group consists of 3 students, Rebecca Martin. Charlotte Moorby and myself , we have decided that our teaser trailer will be in the horror genre. We decided that working in a group would be most effective, working independently would mean an awful lot of hard work, also we can bring all of our individual ideas together in order to create a better product.