Audience 'film title' research

After discussing various ideas for our film title for our trailer, as said we came up with 'Necromantic', 'Ouija', 'The Impetuous Phantom', 'The Unknown' and 'Nebulous', as these titles all have paranormal, freaky and dark conventions.

From this, as we were indecisive upon our choice, we decided to complete some audience research. This consisted of making slips featuring our film titles, on top of producing columns that featured both 'yes' and 'no' options. We clearly stated on the slip that we wanted the sample to only select one title, as this would produce unreliable results. The slip below is what we produced for our audience research:

Through this, we asked 9 individuals to complete our slips, to who all fell within our demographics. Most of these individuals were 16, 17 and 18 years old, varying through both genders. From this, we produced a pie chart to reflect our results visually, with the titles percentage of being selected:

Therefore, as the chart above shows, 'Ouija' received 50%; 'Necromantic' and 'Nebulous' both 20%' 'The Impetuous Phantom' got 10% whilst 'The Unknown' received no votes. Therefore, the results do in fact vary, but 'Ouija' received half of the vote and moreover the highest percentage, so therefore this will be the title of our film.

To do!

Today in class, we discussed a plan that we will aim to follow in linear order to follow a correct to do list in order to be responsible with our work. Here is what we aim to follow from our next lesson:

1. Make a video based on the graph's we have produced that show our audience research results
2. Make slips featuring the film title's we have considered, which we will hand out to our target audience to decide upon what we will call the film in our trailer
3. We will focus more on our trailer at this time rather than our ancillary products. Therefore, we will begin to consider props, costume, location and who will bring what during filming and depending on the shots
4. We will design costumes for our shooting
5. We will consider weather conditions if this is accessible during this period
6. We will decide on the dates of filming, and from here record a shooting schedule
7. Before shooting, we will search music on http://www.freesound.org/ for various non-diegetic tones that we feel will fit on our trailer. On top of this, we will develop further with the distorted sounds we've previously recorded. We will work on these further though, deciding on one particular sound that we can use at the start of our trailer
8. From this, we will discuss initial ideas for our ancillary products. This will help towards developing our ideas later on when we focus on these later
9. We will then film our trailer
10. Following this, we will edit our film
11. We will produce a blog/video on our feelings towards our accomplished trailer and how we feel we have achieved horror conventions and our previous research
12. We will then focus on our poster, pitching ideas until we produce it. The previous initial ideas may involve taking pictures during filming which we can include in our poster. We may do some in-depth research on posters
13. We will make the poster
14. We will discuss how we achieved poster conventions
15. We will then do magazine research
16. Produce magazine
17. Answer questions on how we have achieved magazine conventions
18. We will then test all of our product upon our target audience and how successful they are
19. We will then complete the evaluation, on top of how our products interlink

Results of audience research

We attempted to present these results through a PowerPoint programme from http://prezi.com/sja9im4j4pgg/edit/ although this wasn't successful as the document could not be uploaded. However, we produced these pie charts to reveal our results that we filmed previously through a flip cam camera:

Audience Research

Here is a video representing our audience research questions with answers. They answer various questions towards horror trailers and if trailers are essential in advertising. On top of this, we have asked students at our school who range from 16-18 years old, therefore accomplishing our demographics:

Storyboard

Now that we have produced various initial ideas, we have now transferred these ideas into a visual form, as well as stating detailed areas e.g. the timing/editing of the shot. Here is a video presenting my storyboard as well as giving information about each shot:

Possible film titles

In yesterday's lesson we discussed various movie titles that we could present within our trailer, as the film that we are advertising. We wanted this title to combine with the horror genre as well as the plot we have planned for our film. Therefore, we discussed various ideas but summed these to a minimum of five ideas. We did this so we have less difficulty whilst deciding the finale title, on top of this being slightly simpler in relation to presenting these ideas to an audience.

We therefore compared our titles to words that related to dark, ghostly, chilling, paranormal or objects within our film.
From this, as a group we have thought of film title ideas, although we will allow an audience of those aged 18-25 years old (of both genders) to select the ideas. We may present this in a short, open questionnaire on a slip, which we will present to our target audience.
The ideas we produced for our film title are:

1. The Unknown


2. Necromantic


3. Nebulous


4. The Impetuous Phantom


5. Ouija
   
   

Questions for audience research

These are the horror trailer questions we have prepared for our questionnaire, to which we are conducting tomorrow:

1. How high would you rate horror films out of ten?


2. If you were to watch a horror film, which would be your preference?

• Slasher


• Paranormal


• Recluse


• Murder


• Kidnapping


• Monster

3. Do you horror films usually scare you?

4. How often do you watch horror films?

• Weekly


• Fortnightly


• Monthly


• Less than monthly


• Never

5. What was the last horror film you saw?

6. If you liked this film, why?

7. How did you find out about this film?

• Trailer


• Poster


• Review


• Internet


• Friend


• Don't know

8. Do you think trailers are essential in advertising a film?

Problems

We are currently having difficulty with our audience research at this moment in time. Although we planned the audience questions about a week ago, at the end of last week we went and found people who fit within our demographic target audience; therefore between 18-25 years old approximately. From this, we interviewed six people and asked them the planned questions on Jess' mobile phone. However, due to technical faults, the video's won't upload into the IMovie player on the Mac, therefore making it impossible to upload, edit and present the planned video onto our blogs.

Therefore, we are going to re-film our audience research filming tomorrow lesson, as well as hopefully editing it within the lesson. This will highlight a representation of our audience's opinions towards both horror films and trailers.

Influencial films

As horror films have numerous possibilities with their plots, we may develop our ideas further from influence from other films. However, during discussions, we acknowledged films that we had previously seen and how these ideas were used. From this, some of our ideas are influenced from previous horror films, although to avoid copyright. we will establish our own unique narrative and imagery through our trailer.

'TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE' (1974):

• I watched this film when I was younger, and the finale image of the bloody pulped female at the end running for her life sticks out in my mind. She is running away from 'Leatherface', the bizarre, chaotic individual who kidnaps his frail victims by murdering them, torturing them and even using their skin to make a face mask to block out his distorted features. The trailer below advertises the film, clearly establishing how he harms his victims and batters them. The girl screaming towards the end of the trailer clearly highlights the torment the victims feel. Therefore, although not featured within the trailer, our opening establishing shot can be compared to the finale shot of the film, where the helpless, bloody girl runs away from a villain. We do not reveal the dominant character, however, on top of the girl not being saved. We also completely parallel where the shot is shown
  
  http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi183828761/

'PARANORMAL ACTIVITY' (2007)

• This is an obvious influence due to our sub-genre following the 'paranormal' subtext. After selecting this genre together, we discussed the obvious connection of 'Paranormal Activity', and I would say that this film is the main striving point for our overall plot. Our plot also follows a girl being slowly tormented by a demon/poltergeist, with being unaware of how to escape and therefore the haunting occurrences progress rapidly throughout the narrative. However, our plot differs due to the girl provoking a spirit through the use of a Ouija board, on top of a friend being informed of the problem. The girl is also a teenager in our narrative, and openly challenges the poltergeist, in comparison to the haunted female avoiding the spirit within 'Paranormal Activity'.
• We also decided upon using a Ouija board in our film, as reflected within the 2007 feature
• Another link may be found through the bruising/markings found on the individuals within the film, likewise to the scratch marks and being sick with blood featured within ours
• The use of a door closing on its own complements the use of the door moving slightly ajar - as well as later on slamming later on within the film - likewise to ours
• The use of the girls voice becoming possessed is also similar within this film
• The films widely differ, however, as 'Paranormal Activity', as this is presented in a more natural environment through the use of typical camera equipment in comparison to those usually used within films.

I could not find a teaser trailer for the film, but below highlights similarities between both narratives.
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1718617881/

'THE AMITYVILLE HORROR' (1979):

• Similarities are also featured between these films. The use windows reflects our piece, with the use of the flies consuming a window on top of the glowing red eyes hovering behind an individual is similar to ours; the female in ours will look from a window with something moving behind her.
• Added to this, the use of a priest is significant, as this priest is clearly possessed in a disturbing way, likewise to ours.
• We are discussing using disturbing music, likewise to the 'slasher' effect used within this. The trailer for the film can be viewed below, highlighting the police and the 'window' shots:

http://matttrailer.com/the_amityville_horror_1979

'THE RING': (2002)

• This film can be compared to our film, as Samara - the fragile loner girl - could arguably be compared to our possessed character
• On top of this, the use of Samara's mother being shot in an establishing shot is likewise to ours where we will show the teenage character falling off a 'cliff' - although we will use a high hill and produce this illusion

These can be reflected within the trailer for the film:

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1593377049/


'HARRY POTTER':

• One of the 'Harry Potter' films include Harry being tortured with indents/scratches within his arm. These appear like ink, and are blood-like, which is similar to the scratches we are going to include within our trailer. Although this is not a horror film, some individuals may find this clip disturbing, complimenting an ideal use for the effect
  

'THE SHINING' (1980):

• I discussed the idea of using a single shot for our entire trailer, which could be graphic and significant in advertising a horror film. However, this was turned down by my group is realisation this may lose us marks. I got inspiration for this idea, however, from this phenomenal trailer for Stanley Kubrick's film
• However, from analysing this, our group thought the music was quite ideal, which relates to our recording of sounds. We want them to be likewise to those featured within 'The Shining' trailer, as they are distorted, muffled but have a screechy, echo-like feel. Therefore, as reflected with our sound experimenting, we aim to make our soundtrack likewise to this.
• Added to this, the shot where we will show the protagonist's friend as bloody and then a jump cut to normal is also similar, as featured within the film where the haunting twins of the hotel are repeatedly shot

Here is the trailer representing this:

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1660224281/

Target audience

We have decided to aim our trailer for those within the ages of 18 to approximately 25. These demographics are ideal due to our trailer being of the horror genre, which is conventionally scary and therefore may be disturbing for those under the age of 12
From this, we discussed the idea of the certification being for those aged 15, therefore widening our audience mass, although some areas of the trailer/film (if it was realistically to be produced) may also be quite horrific, due to the realistic plot and filming, on top of aspects we are including in our trailer e.g. graphic blood and exorcism. Therefore, we feel 'Cert 18' is the most ideal option.
Also, we have considered approximately 25 for the maximum age through our target audience due to this type of film appealing more to a younger generation. Whilst too scary for some, those who reach this age are now legally allowed to watch graphic horror films, which therefore complements their extended interest. From this, those of an elder generation e.g. 30-40, may be less interested in films and watch more conventional, mainstream movies e.g. action films. From this, those aged approximately 50+ may find horror films disrespectful or uninteresting, due to possibly find them exaggerated, tacky or more in fact too immature for their generation. Therefore we feel that certifying our film as an 18 would be realistic.

We are previously conducting audience research through interviews consisting of eight questions that relate to the horror genre and trailers. We are having difficulty with uploading the completed videos at this time, but this problem should be sorted soon.

Experimenting with sound

As reflected within the previous video, we have discussed using non-diegetic, horror-like sounds during the first establishing shot of our trailer. We may continue these sounds throughout the teaser, but we have not discussed this just yet
Within class, we experimented with various sounds we could include to represent a distorted, freaky sound. At first we considered using www.freesound.org likewise to last year, but after some research we found it difficult to select particular sounds e.g. a moan would seem exaggerated and we would have to upload various other sounds to fit alongside this well. Therefore, we suggested making our own sound. At first we felt Garage Band - a programme on our schools AppleMac's - may be ideal, as we could produce our own distinctive sounds. However, finding this difficult, we thought of a simple idea; to record our own voices but edit these strangely.
Therefore, we practised this technique on the Apple Mac's. We firstly recorded ourselves talking/making strange noises/hitting objects around us, etc... and then adding edits such as reversing these sounds, fast-pacing them, speeding them up, etc... The first two sounds on the video below represent this. However, after some practise, we found it more suitable for our initial ideas to simply press record and reflect the natural sounds around us. As we were in a classroom environment, typical sounds such as people coughing and chairs being moved could be heard, although they seem echoed/groan on the recording; which was our main aim.

The video below represents all of the sounds as explained above:

Trailer ideas

In class, we have been discussing various ideas with what we could include within our horror trailer. As we have chosen the paranormal genre, we have aimed to make our ideas relevant to the conventions of this e.g. ghosts, poltergeists, strange occurrences, unexplained events, etc... Therefore, we concluded with various ideas which we will soon include within a storyboard. Although we are not totally sure if we will express all of these initial ideas, we are focusing on filming all of them as possibilities for our trailer. Below is a video with us explaining our ideas:

Possible sub-genres

With discussion, we focused on various different elements of horror that we could include within our trailer. This included:

• Slasher


• Paranormal


• Recluse


• Murderer


• Kidnapping


• Monster/aliens
  

From this, we evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of these sub-genres, deciding upon the following:

We considered each sub-genre thoroughly, with their pro's and con's. However, we preferred the paranormal theme most of all, as we felt this had the most possibilities to achieve within our limits. Although we noticed some effects and ideas may be out of our range, we can overcome this with the editing tools on the Apple Mac's. We can also use a wide range of possibilities, such as not needing to use effects all the time, but the use of costume being helpful for example. Therefore, we are going to focus upon paranormal and conventions that can follow this sub-genre, aiming to achieve a unique trailer to advertise a film.