Storyboard

Target Audience Pearl and Dean (Paranormal Activity)

We also done research on the BBFC looking at cases on films that caused an outrage and looking at the classification ratings so that we knew what to classify our film under. We decided to classify it a 15 as we felt that our trailer being a horror would show some strong violence and language, and aggression that would not be suitable for under 15's.We also decided to classify it a 15 so that we could attract a bigger audience for if we classified it an 18 and had stronger scenes others that were younger would not be able to see it therefore downloads and copyright may become a problem in this case. 

The above screen shot is from the Pearl and Dean website this helps us to identify when creating our poster and trailer what audience we are trying to target. It shows what age, gender and class might watch a horror alike what we are planning to make. On looking at this it shows that 55% of 15-24 watch horrors therefore when it comes to classifying my horror trailer I feel that a 15 certificate would be the best, as then we can apply to a wider range. It shows also that more women than men by 2% watch this. 51& of women enjoys this sort of horror than men. This I feel is good for I know that we are attracting both sexes and that they will not be thrown away from a horror just because maybe its all women or men. Lastly it shows that the class that mostly targeted is C1, this shows that lower middle class workers are attracted to this sort of horror the most. These are small business owners, managers and supervisors, however they do attract a much wider range of class to therefore we will be targeting skilled workers as well.

Target Audience Pearl and Dean (Saw 1 )

The Pearl and Dean website allows us to see the target audience, which Saw is trying to attract. Through using categories of age, gender and class shows us a wider range of a target audience in that their are alternating factors to who the film is aiming to attract, it is not just one or the other but all three go into account. The age group shows that the majority of the viewers are 15-24 (60%). This fits in the certificate of the film being a 15, and that why the ages below show 0%. The target age group has been set at teenagers and young adults due to their young impressionable minds on the films, they are less likely to be disturbed by the film or find it offensive. The target gender is male being at 67%, this is because men are typically more attracted to horrors. Even though in our trailer it may attract females because of the all girl cast, because of the male attraction to horrors, our idea will be successful in that both genders will be attracted to the film by the trailer. According to demographics on the Pearl and Dean website class C1 make up the majority of the audience followed by DE, with the percentage of 42% and 30%.

Target audience Pearl and Dean (Drag me to Hell)

The above screenshot from the Pearl and Dean website will help us when targeting an audience. This is because it shows what type of people and ages may watch horror films. Firstly when looking at the age groups it shows that the majority of 57% that watch horrors like this are 15-24. Taking this into consideration when coming to planning and creating our own horror, we would make sure that we give it maybe a 15 rating so that it also appeals to this age segment. Horrors in general target a small percentage more of men to women, as shown above women that watch this is 41% although men are 59%. This is helpful as when coming to our trailer we know that we need to use both male and female roles to attract both sexes, it also shows that men are not thrown of watching a horror even if the main character is a woman. It also explores that the class that watch Horrors are generally DE and C2. This means that mostly semi-skilled to skilled manual workers watch Horrors. However a proportion from each class segment do watch it so we would be targeting all. This may effect our choice of location of where to film as some Horrors such as One missed call, are in wealthy areas with big houses. However others are in streets and maybe don’t even show houses and everyday living. This will help us with ours as I feel a everyday middle class will attract the majority of these classes and will shock an audience more.

Final Idea

Our final idea is that there is a boy, five years previously that really wants this girl, Imogen. However, this cannot be and she tells him this. This makes him even more obsessive about her, and he starts to stalk her and take pictures of her. It is not till five years after that he finally accepts she will never be his therefore he decides that she should die instead. He creates a fake reunion inviting imogen and her friends back to school little do they know it will be filled with horrors as he is out to kill them all and wreck havoc in Imogen's life before killing her.

Planning of our Trailer Presentation & Initial Horror Ideas

The difference between a Teaser and a Theatrical trailer?

What is a Horror Trailer and Audience Feedback

We organised our trailer based on the results of the questionnaires. We handed out 10 questionnaires to a range of people in a shopping centre. The gender results balanced at 5-5 and the ages ranged from 12-45. When asked the question what is your preferred type of Horror? The results came back mainly Gore and Psychological, so we decided as a group to balance our horror between these two genres, using a stalker who has an obsession and will contain gore as the film goes on.

This question was followed by what information would you like to see in a horror trailer? The results came back at a majority of Film Name followed by Release Date so we will include these in our trailer. Another question used was what conventions would you like included in a trailer? The majority answer was tag line so we have decided this will be our main convention in our trailer, to use a significant tag line.

Finally we ended our questionnaire with the question in a horror film, do you like to see a main character and a villain or a group of characters? The results came in with a group of characters at the most popular, therefore in our film we have decided although there will be a villain and a main girl, the horror will mainly be based around a group of characters, the group of friends attending the reunion.

For a lot of our research and planning for our trailer we used Pearl & Dean to establish what our audiences wanted to see, and what kind of audiences we will be aiming our trailer to.

Analysis of Drag me to Hell Poster

Analysis of Saw 1 Poster

Analysis of Paranormal Activity Poster

Analysis of Saw 1

Camera shots and angels

A mixture of mid shots with faded light to show a disorientated view. A rising tilt shot is used to show the lights being turned on it builds up suspense to the viewers to what it is they are about to see. Close up shots were used to show to the facial expressions and reactions of the characters at a fast pace which builds up the tension and suspense for the viewers. Low angle shot of character smashing something, this gives him a sense of power and control showing his violent side in a superior way that the viewers are looking up to him.

Sound

Exaggerated diegetic sound of camera taking pictures it is much louder than the noise would be in real life and gives the viewers a sense someone is being watched. A eerie, clowns laugh is heard in the background as a person shouts “Who is that?” this leaves the viewers in suspense to what is happening. A non-diegetic sound of a heart beat echoing in the background this builds up the tension for the viewers as it is becoming more intense. Their is a dialogue heard from a lone speaker in a deep, disturbing voice the audience can hear from this that he is identified as the antagonist. Brief sets of dialogue is used in the trailer to give an outline of the plot and so the audience can analyze the characters.

Editing

The speed of the trailer starts of slow and with the effect of dark surroundings builds up to the plot of the film. As the trailer progresses, the pace of the trailer increases as shots become faster. This has been used to create suspense for the viewers and to grab their attention. The editing shows the focus on various characters mostly the victims to show the films genre being a horror.

Mise en scene

In the beginning of the sequence we see a man taking pictures, where there is a prominent flash beings shown, this gives the affect that something is being investigated or watched. We see the antagonist in the voice and body or a doll, this gives the mysterious effect of who truly is the killer in the film, his voice is deep and gives a disturbing feel, even though he is a doll he is portrayed an eerie. Newspaper articles pinned to a wall are shown, of the publicity of the killer, that his crimes are known but his identity is hidden. The victims are shown enclosed in a dirty bathroom sweaty and beaten up showing them in a vulnerable and threatening state. A clock is shown, with the hands moving at a fast pace show this shows the effect that time is running out for the victims.

At what point in the trailer are we told the name of the film? Why is this?

The film title ‘Saw’ is not shown until the very end of the film, this is so the audience has to see the whole trailer before knowing what the actual film is. This is so the audience is drawn in to teaser trailer, it makes them want to see the film and when they see the title at the end it gives it significance and imprints into the minds of the viewers.

Why are we told who is starring in the film?

This is so fans of the actors who are starring know that they will be in the film. A percentage of viewers will only be going to see the film just because their favourite actors are appearing. A-list Hollywood actors create more a buzz in trailers as they have more fans, the more fans of the actors means more people will want to see the film. As audiences associate good actors with good films.

How is this information given to us? Why?

However in Saw we are not actually shown the names of the actors who are appearing in the film. We are show “Twisted production” the production company though. This is so the audience can associate the well known production company who mainly produce horror and teaser films with the film.

What type of action from the film do we see?

In the trailer we firstly see a man (Adam) taking pictures in what appears to be a crime scene, where we then hear something approach him, as he is aware that someone is there. Lights then turn on where we can see adam as well as another man (Dr.Gordon) in a large locker room/ bathroom both chained up. A television screen is then shown where we see a puppet disguising a mans voice “Hello Adam, Dr. Gordon” He knows who they are and he is the reason they are there. A montage of newspaper clippings showing that the killer is famous and is being hunted by police. A flashback to one of his previous murders is shown, as a man tries to escape through barbed wire. Back in the locker room/bathroom the two men try and saw through the chains, but soon realise the saws are for their feet. Another flashback is shown of Dr.Gordon in a car park to when he was abducted.

What clues does the music give us as to what type of film the trailer is advertising?

There is no direct music in the trailer however there are sounds similar to wind and thunder that is quite eerie. This helps advertise the trailer as it fits in with the genre of horror, the music matches the actions shown. The short sounds of knife slashing and loud bangs suit the shots as the quick framed shots matches the the blunt noises heard in the background.

Does the trailer come with a voice over and if so, what can you tell about the voice being used?

In the trailer there is no voice over however we do hear some of the characters talking more significantly then others. Such as the antagonist his voice is played over the actions of the Adam and Dr. Gordon and through various scenes in the trailer without actually seeing him. This is also done with the crime scene investigators there voices are played over various scenes such as the montage of newspaper headings.

How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film? Why is this?

Because the trailer has to include the best bits of the film the trailer must be fast pace this is so it can include all of these parts within a short amount of time. The pace if faster then the actual film itself because the trailer must try and attract the viewers to the general point of the film however the film obviously explores the point of the film at a longer pace. The trailer is also at a fast pace to build up the suspense for the audience so that it leaves a more dramatic and intense reaction on to them.

Does the speed alter through the trailer or does it stay the same?

At the beginning of the trailer the pace is quite slow and slower pace shots are shown so that the story starts to develop, without giving to much away to the plot. However the speed starts to build up as more horrific shots of torture are shown. This builds up the tension for the audience who find the fast action shots exciting and they then want to go and see the film.

What information are we given about the film?

In the trailer we are given the production companies names: Lions Gate films and Twister pictures around thirty seconds into the trailer. We are also given the release date “In theatres Fall 2004” right at the end of the trailer.

What type of audience is the trailer aimed at? How can you tell?

The trailer is targeting mostly men aged between 15-24. This is because the main characters are male which fits into the stereotype, the film is disturbing gruesome, which show most popular to men at the age. The IMDB website shows me that the film tried to target 15-24, mostly males.

Analysis of Paranormal Activity

We are given the name of the film at the very beginning of the trailer when we are shown the first audience to view ‘Paranormal Activity’. We are given the name again half way though the trailer when referring to a review. However the title
The names of the actors ‘starring’ in the film are not given. They are not high profile actors, instead the ‘names’ are given in the trailer when they speak to each other in the footage.
However this gives the desired effect because the film started a controversy as to whether it was real footage or a staged film. So having high profile actors in the film would decrease the level of fear.
Katy’s boyfriend gives her name when introducing her to the handheld camera at the beginning of the trailer. The way we are given this information is through them communicating within the footage. We are not given the male protagonist’s name in the trailer. In the film we are shown snippets of the paranormal activity, including the male protagonist getting thrown at the camera.
We are shown a door getting violently slammed and Katy violently rocking back and forth. There is more violence in the trailer as opposed to action.
There is no music in the trailer, instead computerised non-diegetic sounds are used to give a real life effect, the sound is similar to thunder and strong winds, this gives the trailer more fear impact because these are the sort of sounds that are normal to hear yet scary. There is sudden noises used to evoke fear. Silence is used which is the most fearful sound of them all because the audience doesn’t know what to expect. There is also a thumping sound at the beginning of the trailer. This resembles a heart beating, how people usually feel before viewing a horror film.
There is no voice over used, instead there is writing used to get us to read instead of being told. Voice overs are often used in high profile films, again this film is made to look like real life footage, therefore a voice over would give a typical film effect. Also the male protagonist does most of the talking which tells us what a voice over would anyway.
The male protagonist is chosen as the main voice use throughout the trailer, I think they chose the actor in the film because it gives a sense of reality. Where the only voice overs they have in the trailer are the two protagonists it makes the audience believe the film is genuine footage.
The trailer begins very slow pace and as the trailer progresses the pace fastens as it picks a lot of the main action from the film. They do this to give the audience too much to take in at once and therefore want to see the film because it appears to be full of action. However when watching a clip from the film it will be very slow pace gradually building the action to the middle/end of the film compared to the trailer.
The speed alters throughout the trailer, it begins slow pace with little or no action and progresses to fast pace with lots of action
The trailer tells the audience that the young couple are haunted by something and are trying to capture it on camera for proof that they are actually being haunted. They do not know what it is what is haunting them but they know it is a threat. We know that the male protagonist tries to play games with it (Camera footage, Ouija board) therefore inviting it in.
This information is given to the audience consistently throughout the trailer as the male protagonist is using a handheld camera and bringing us along his journey with him.
From looking at the Pearl & Dean Website I can see that the target audience consists mainly of the 15-24 age range. Females are more likely to watch the film at 51% over 49% of males.