Poster for the Film

Another componant to my brief was to create a poster for the film.

Below I have looked at some examples of thriller film posters.

The Godfather Poster

This poster is very simplistic, this is what makes the poster so effective. It features the main chaeracter the godfather who looks very suspicious, like you do not know what to expect. He is a figure of power which you can tell from the fact he is well groomed and smart in a suit but is very unpredictable. All of the dark colours show mystery, and in all the posters they have one specific main colour. The small text at the bottom give little information about people in the film however this is not significant as the main focus is the large image of the godfather which shows he is very important.

The title of the film is in whie to contrast with the black, this makes sure that it stands out. Puppet strings and a hand are used over the word 'godfather' this is a hint to what the film is about and connotates that the godfather can have control over people and influence there actions. The font it's self is in a serif font in a large size to make sure it is clear and readable as the aim of the poster is to get thbe target audience to see the name of the film. The text is in a posh style suggesting that the godfather may not abide by the law but acts like he is very upperclass as he has so much power and control. By the godfather's head being imposed over the words it helps to make him more defined as he is looking straight into the camera lense.

The Heat Poster
The Heat poster has a signature colour to the poster which is a copol blue colour suggesting that the characters in the film could be very mysterious and suspicious, also it creates a contrast to the name of the film heat. As people may think that the poster is ment to be in hot colours however the blue is a cool andcalm colour which is opposite to the film.

There is more text on this page than the 'godfather' as there are more main characters and that, the names are what they are going to use to sell the film, as people maty find it appealing to watch if there is a certain star actor/actress in the film. Therefore in a white font which is also a cool colour, and suggest innocence the names of 'Al Pacinio' and 'Robert Dinero' are at the top of the poster like a header so it is one of the first things that is seen. The size is quite large to make sure it is clear and easily readable, the sans serif font bold so that the information cannot be missed. Also the text is above a picture of the two stars so you also have a visual on who they are.

There is also a third character so they are all featured on the poster however as he is not as well known his name is smaller, but the font is kept the same and the colour this is too keep the poster consistant, as if it was a mixture it would look like the poster was just quickly put together without any thought being put into it. The picture of the two main characters heads looking opposite ways suggests that they are against eachother, however they are on a similar level which shows they are evenly matched. The images are in blue and black which matches the theme with the bottoms faded back into the background, this makes the poster look like one. The pictures are situated near the top of the page showing that they are both may be figures of authority within and out of the law as its a crime thriller. There are also smaller men which are below the main actors suggetsing that they are not as important and of a lower status maybe working for the main men.The title of the film is situated 3/4 of the way down the poster, in a larger font size so that the name of the film stands out which people will remember. The title has a red line underneath which symbolises the heat of the film and also danger or blood. It helps make the title stand ouy which is all in capitals in a white font, so all of the text is a similar colour.

The text at the bottom of the page is in the same font as on everyother poster which is small and here it is in a darker blue to keep with the blue theme, it gives details of directors and other people and distribution companys for the film.

The Kiss of Death Poster

The kiss of death poster uses a very similar layout as the Heat poster, taking up half of the page are the main two characters faces on the same level to show that they are equal, looking straight inot the camera to show intensity. The names of these characters and another are shown below in white so that they stand out on the brown colour scheme. The surnames are In capitals and larger so that they stand out in a slightly serif font to show that they are the highlight of the film. The title of the film again is 3/4 of the way down the page in all capitals and the largest font to make sure the name of the film is easily visible and stands out. The red colour which the name is written in makes it stand out as the rest of the poster is brown and also suggests blood and danger, that something bad will happen. The image of the streets in the bottom half of the picture shows where the film is going to be set and anything can happen on the streets, this image is also in the brown colour. By the two pictures being the same colour and faded into each other it makes the poster look more professional and all one image not lots of seperate componants. The text at the bottom of the page is in white which matches the actors names however it is in a typical font for details about the production and other information and is only small so that it does not distract from the main focus of the poster the picture and the title.

The Dark Blue Poster

The Dark Blue poster is only slightly different from the previous two posters, as I can see a pattern between the posers.This poster is landscape this make it look different and more individual from the other posters, whikst being similar enough so that the poster can be easily read and stands out to appeal to its target audience. The main colour scheme is a orangy brown and black. This contrasts with the name of the film being dark blue as the colour is not what you would expect. There are again two maiin characters featured on the poster in a similar colour to the background so thatthe picture looks professional and not disjointed. They take up about 3/4 of the page but are situated on the right leaving the left clear. As they re the main characters and also famous hey are used to entice people into wanting to watch the film, du to the staring actors, therefore only head shots are used. The text is in white 3/4 down the page like all of the others, this stands out on the dark brown/ black bottom, therefore it will stand out. It is very large so it can be easily read and in capitals, the font is sans serif with scratches through the top and bottom, suggesting that nothing is perfect. In a red they have placed tag lines for the film situated on the left above the title and also below these goive quated lines from the film, and a tag line to give a clue to what the film includes for the audience to interpret.

The Taking of Pelham 123 Poster#

The taking of pelham 123 poster is portrait like the majority of the previous posters, however the colour scheme is not stricly one it still has the dark elwement of black but focuses on blue and gold for the images of the main characters faces, this represents that they are on different sides and looking towards eachother thatb they could be enemies. The pictures are faded into the poster to make it look prodfessional and like one, they take up half of the page agauin to be a big focus so they target audience can easily see the stars in the film. There names are in between them at the neck in relation to the image, the surnames are in capitals in a size around 18 in bold so that they also stand out in white on the black background.

A variation in this poster is that the title of the film is half way up the page so another image is at the bottom. The text to inform the audience of the title of the film is in white to again stand out on the black. A simple sans serif font in bold capitals, this makes it clear and easy to read from a distance and easily. They have however put speed marks off the number and Pelham, this shows speed and relates to the train that is in the film. Below the title is a picture of the train in a tunnel and a silhouett of where the film is set, the rest of the picture mirrors the colours used for the main actors. This is good as it helps to give a hint of what is in the film. At the bottom of the poster it features all information about the director and distribution companies in the same text as all of the other posters in a gold colour which is not easy to read. On this occasion this is probably better so that it does not distract from the main pictures and title of the film.

Final Choice of Location and Pictures

I have decided that my teaser trailer is going to be set in the field out the back of my house as this is an easily accessible location. Also some of the clips will be filmed indoors. Images of my chosen location are shown below.






















As you can see from the pictures I am mainly going to use the bridge, as you can get many shots from different angles. I will also use the house as in the dark, when a house light is turned on you can see what is happening in the picture as shown above. The sign is also significant as it shows that there are many directions that could be taken. The forest also shows a typical thriller location, the house is also a contrast. The house is bright and happy whereas the forset is dark and dull.

Locations for my Thriller

Locations

There are many different places a thriller can be set and as my main character is a cyber criminal who then meets with people rapes and then murders them some location will be more suitable than others.

I beleive that in an open field would be effective near a house in a corner. This would be mysterious as it is not on top of the house and place he may have sat at the computer and having a conversation with a young vunerable girl.

Another possible location could be the place that they meet up to place in the teaser trailer such as a bus stop, which then leads them down an alley in which anything can happen.

Down an alley would be a sterotypical location as it is a hidden location late at night in which most people will not go to, also a young girl may look vunerable and inoccent down a side street meeting up with an older man.

When selecting a location for my thriller film I have to be very aware of what is accesible, around me and what i can succesfully film. For example a field would be very easy as I am surrounded by them. Also a bus stop would not look as effective for my thriller as it is only a teaser trailer and also to get to the style of stop I would desire I would have to travel a long way. An alley however would also look very effective and I think that a combination of the two would work well as all all a teaser trailer does is provide the audience with hints.

Mis-en- Scene for my Teaser Trailer

Character/ Costume

In my Teaser Trailer, Magazine Front Cover and Poster it will feature two main characters. One of the characters is a young female girl. From the examples of thrillers I have looked at the girl is usually the innocent one. Therefore I have chosen for nay to wear light colors to show her innocence and vunerability. The images below show this.

After I have looked other examples the men are always very suspicious and menacing. Therefore Alex is in dark clothes and looks menacing like all of his actions are unpredictable. His costume consists of dark clothes, this is more mysterious to connotate a shady character.

Make-up

My main female character will just be wearing natural everyday makeup, as the trailer shows her in everyday life and therefore she should look natural, this makes the film look more realistic. The image shows how the actors makeup will look in the film.

Lighting

The choice of lighting is very important as I will be filming many different shots. In the house i will use the normal lights in the house, as they will be brighter shots, showing that everything is ok and calm. The shots outside because it is dusk I will use a powerful torch to help enhance shadows in shots and there clarity.

Sound

I have not yet decided what sound I am going to use so I will blog this separately later. However I do know that from the examples I have looked at I need to have a non- diagetic soundtrack which creates a tense atmosphere in anticipation for the whole film not just the teaser trailer.

A Storyline and Characters

Even though a teaser trailer does not revolve around a stricit storyline I will need to have a rough idea of where the film would go before creating my trailer to add in hints and to pursuade my target audience to want to watch the film.

Main Characters:

As the film usually revolves around criminals rather than the police there are many types of characters I could use.

One could be a cyber criminal, this would be someone who commits a crime online for example posing to be someone else when chatting to young girls, as a girl is seen as more vunerable. But the face and complete body of a person does not have to be shown, or it could be without a view of the face, to add mystery to the Thriller.

Another type of criminal character which could be the main character in my trailer could be a robber and you could see them entering the house and example of a shot could be shown below.

A third criminal character could be a rapist. These are very common and a regular occurance which would easily grab the attention of an audience,as it would be a gripping factor for a crime thriller.

Out of all of these characters I think that the teaser trailer and the film will be based around a cyber criminal who meets a woman over the internet, they decide to meet up and then he choses to rape her. This is only very brief and the film would go a lot more in depth but as it is only a teaser trailer I only need a basic idea. Also by picking to do a thriller I can gain ideas from AS and already have more knowlage about the thriller genre.

Target Audience

Target Audience is very important as it is important to know who the film is aimed at.

Definition: Defining a target audience refers to the group of people at which a film is desired for viewing, this can have a big impact on the promotion and distribution of a film.

For a thriller film the desired target audience would be of people 18 or over as an age limit. However it would also intrest people aged 16 and 17. Due to the example of thrillers I have watched they are rated 18. This is also due to the storyline's in the film and that they would not be appropriate for people of a younger age.

I am for my teaser trailer to be distributed virally as this is a cheaper method for a small Art House film. Also as the paradigm of the time suggests people are spending more and more time online therefore this is the best location for the teaser trailer to be viewed. Word of mouth will also help to advertise the trailer. This would therefore minimize the promotional costs.

Ideas For My Own Teaser Trailer

For my crime thriller I have many ideas:

I thought that I could have a clock counting down which shows the time scale of the clip, which will also give a hint that time is a constant issue in the film and it is an added pressure, and as it is in a teaser trailer could count down the length of time the trailer lasts. However there are many types of clock which would all add a different affect to the thriller in which I must find which fits best and can countdown.

This clock is very classic and maybe best used for a school scenareo as the time counts down throughout the day, however in a crime thriller this would not be best suited as a school is not a typical location.

Also I do not have to have the clock counting down all the way through the teaser trailer on screen I can just have a soundtrack and then feature the last 5 seconds at the end on the trailer of the clock.

For this to relate to the film a countdown on an i-pod or phone may be effective as it is modern technology and could relate to my crime thriller if it is feature with a victim or even placed or held by the criminal as they are the main focus of the clip. Two examples of this are shown below:

Also if I use a clock in my teaser trailer it will build up pressue of what is going to happen and it provides a hint that in the film there will be a race against time.

Crime Thriller's

Some Examples of Crime Thrillers

Heat Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbBLJ1WGwQ

• Features the main stars names to make it more appealing to the target audience


• Short fast cuts


• One main character in most of trailer


• Uses both music and a voice over giving outline of film speech in an exciting innovitive way


• Text on screen shows also name of film fades in to add smooth to most of the hard cuts and make sure that people notice the name of the clip


• Main actor figure is usually male as they are seen as more demanding and authorative also more likley to cause trouble

The Godfather Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf16Vc3iZjE

The Godfather Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJr92K_hKl0&feature=related

Initial Ideas

Themes
· Thriller
· Comedy
· Romance
· Action
· Crime
· Horror

There are many different themes which I can base the trailer around. I do not like the idea of a comedy as these are very hard to film and making it funny is very hard, also to get peopole to act how you want would be difficult.
A romance would be very effective however this genre does not interest me therefore I would not be as motivated to complete a trailer, also i do not think by using a romance I could use such a range of shots and camera movements.
An action tweaser trailer would also be very hard due to the resources available and all of the action films usually have very large budgets and lots of special effects, this is also similar with a horror as they use a lot of make up and effects.

Therefore the theme/genre I would like for my film would be Thriller, because from AS we have some experience and knowlage from the thriller genre. Also over the year my skills would have improved and I will understand what shots look good and which are not so effective. So hopefully I will be able to create a teaser trailer which looks more proffesional and meets the brief.
Also in a thriller there are many abstract theories and concepts for example some of the different types of thrillers are shown below.

Action Thriller- Usually a race against time, with lots of violence and special effects such as explosions.

Crime Thriller- Suspensful account of a crime, focusing on the criminal centre topics are usually murder or robbery.

Psychological Thriller- It revolves around the conflict between main characters, which is mental and emotional rather than physical.

Although on the small scale in which I am creating my thriller teaser trailer, I like the idea of a thriller counting down in time like it is a race against the clock until something bad happens, therefore the main feature of the trailer could be the clock counting down as it is only a hint to what happens in the film. I am drawn to the idea of a Crime Thriller as this is what intrests me the most, also it would be easy to film near to me and would be convineant. I would therefore like to combine the clock from an action thriller and the crime scenareo in a teaser trailer.

A2 G324: Advanced Media Portfolio

My Selected Brief: A promotion package for a new film to include a teaser trailer together with a film magazine front cover, featuring the film and a poster for the film.

Definition of a Teaser Trailer-
Is used to advertise a film for release later on in a year, and is only short lasting approximately 30 seconds to a minuet.

I have chosen this brief as it intrested me out of all the brief's, and I thought that it would enable me to use the best skills I have and use all different techniques. Also the subliminary tasks were also the most interesting as i did not have any desire to do a website so a poster and a magazine front cover were my prefered choice.

Information about a Teaser Trailer and what it is to include-
· Must grab the audience’s attention and get them excited about the film by using clips and images from the film as a hint.
· As they are released in advance it helps to build anticipation for the film and make more people want to view the film when it hits the cinema in the opening weekend.
· Can be distributed in different ways such as virally online and on TV
· They only contain a little amount of footage from the film.
· They are often made before a film has finished being produced so the scenes may not actually be in the finished movie.

Examples of Teaser Trailers-
· Star Wars VIII A New Saga Begins- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlTyTcv__08&feature=fvst

· The teaser trailer shows the iconic well known characters
· Nothing about the story is given away
· A large mixture of short shots
· Production Company seen
· Name of film and when released should be mentioned

· Transformers- http://www.youtube.com/watchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ItK90yvA44h?v=

· Uses a larger ratio of text than the previous clip which also gives clues to the storyline and what film the trailer is advertising
· Name of film is always mentioned at the end of the trailer

· Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md83SeFG9VQ

· Uses more footage than others
· Only shows very short clips and then cuts to a different part to give clues to what is in the film
· Uses key important main characters