Film Poster Analysis. Insidious

When looking at horror film posters, I can see that just like horror film trailers, they all use the same codes and conventions to make their poster stand out and fit in with their genre. All posters have a main image which will represent the main story line, for example in this Insidious poster the main image is off the main character.

 

·         The first feature I notice on this advert is the main image. We have a picture of the boy (who is the main character) and behind him is his house. This tells us straight away that this film is about this boy and will have something to do with the scary looking house behind him. The house and the boy both have a dark colour to them which makes the poster fit in with the genre horror.

·         There are many different types of horror films like Religious Horror, comedy horror,  Serial Killer, Ghost Stories and Monster Movies.  By this poster were not sure what the type of horror film it is but we do know it’s not comedy horror.

·         The text on this poster is all in white large font apart from the two letters in the title (S and I) which are the colour red. In horror films red always represents danger or blood which fits in with the films genre. The title on this poster has been positioned vernicle and other test has been placed in a smaller font around it.  The other text around the title has important information like the release date and the film makers. And lastly underneath the title there is a tag line which says “it’s not the house that’s haunted” this makes the audience question what is scary about this film.

·         The colours used in this poster are all darker colours apart from the bit of red in the title and the red on the little boy’s shirt. The colour red fits in with the horror genre because people relate the colour red as danger or blood.
 

Film Poster Analysis/ The Conjuring

·       When I first looked at this poster the first thing I noticed was the scary looking tree (with no leaves which makes it look more scary) and the noose rope which is hanging down from the tree. This straight away tells me that this is a horror film.

·       Next I noticed the title was in a serif font which matches the genre because it’s sharp and pointy. If the font was more girly and round it wouldn’t fit in with the genre.

·       Just like the Insidious poster, this poster also tells us the makers of this film. They add this so if we have liked a film the makers have previously done, it will persuade us to go see another film they have made. 

·       The colours used in this poster are just like the other poster, mainly dark. They have also used a mist effect on the yard to make this “garden” look more mysterious.

·       Because the main image is a tree, this doesn’t really give us any clues to whom or what the villain is. But the noose rope does tell us that someone might be killed by being hanged in this garden. There also is a shadow which looks like a small child below the tree which is there to look like the shadow of the person who has been hung of the tree. But they have tricked the audience by only showing the shadow and not show us the real image, this makes the audience question what or who has been killed and why.  

·       The most text on this poster is the film information at the bottom of the page. This will tell us the film makers and actors. There is also the release date at the bottom of the page.

 

Target Aurdience Survey

http://surveymonkey.com/s/PJPBJST

This is a survey which I have created and put it up on socail networking sites. This will give us some research about what people like with horror movies and giving us some help to make our trailer fit with what our target audience like/enjoy.

Horror film Analysis of "Insidious"

In this work I will be writing a review on the horror film ‘Insidious’, Trailer and comparing it with another trailer which my partner has evaluated. Horror film trailers always have the same layout; they start by telling the story. Then they show the main scary parts of the film, then the clips speed up and the music gets louder and then it goes silent. Then just as you think the trailer has finished, they end with a massive scare. While watching the ‘insidious’ trailer I could see that they had used the same layout and had kept the same codes and conventions of a horror film. At the start of the trailer it starts with the typical scary music, which is mysterious and starts to build tension. Then we are introduced to a main character and straight after the name of the film appears.

Then like many films we are told that the film is made by the same makers as some other popular similar films. In this case we are told “By the makers of Paranormal Activity and Saw”. This is shown so that people know what kind of standards it is, and if they have seen the example films they will know if they like the film makers or not. For example if a film is created by a director which the public likes they will go and see another film made by them because they like their movies. Next more of the story line is set as we go to a happy period and clips of this happy normal family moving into their new home. Then some more mysterious music starts and the words “Insidious is” pops up onto the screen with a red background and black text. These colours have been chosen to match the movie genre, for example the colour red can simple blood which relates to horror.

Then more of the story line is set when we find out that the child is in a coma. More creepy music starts. Then get dialogue from the mother who says “He’ not in a coma, they don’t know what to call it”. This starts to add mystery to the story as we all think that something not normal has happened to the child. Next in the advert is when all the main scary clips start to happen, this includes clips of a rocking horse rocking by itself. A shadow in the corner of her son’s room and lots of load screaming sounds to make you jump. I also noticed that they had used use of repetition by repeating the text “insidious is” throughout the trailer; this is done for effect and also to get the audience thinking ‘what is insidious?’ At the end of this trailer the clips are extremely fast and the music is getting faster and loader to build tension. Then just like most horror films it goes dead silent and ends with a big scream to scare the audience.

Horror film Analysis of "The Conjuring"

This horror film is very similar to the Insidious trailer in which they use the common codes and conventions of a horror film trailer. To start off this trailer we are shown the two film companies/makers which made the film. This is joined by some scary tension music in background which immediately tells us this film genre is horror. Then just like most horror film trailers, at the start we are given the story line and we are introduced to the main characters. Who in this film are called “Ed and Loraine Warren”. Then some happy/guitar music starts to play as we are told this is “biased on the true story of the Warrens”. Then just like the Insidious trailer and all horror film trailers, we get the part of the trailer where we are shown loads of fast clips of the scariest parts of the film. These clips are joined by fast scary music which usually has screaming sounds involved, to scare the audience.

Later on we then have text which pops up to excite the audience. For example in this trailer, we have: • “It’s not a haunting” • “It’s not a possession” • “But the truth” • “Will consume you” These are all used to scare the audience, and to leave the audience wanting more. Next we are told that it’s the same director as the films ‘Saw’ and ‘Insidious’ which is important for the audience to know because if they have seen and liked them films, it will interest them to go and watch it because they have liked the other films he/she has directed. Then more scary footage is shown and we get up to the stage of the trailer where it speeds up and the music gets louder to build up to a massive scare. Which then doesn’t come, the music goes quiet and the title and date release is shown. Then just like most horror film trailers, just when you think it’s over there is a big scare at the end. In conclusion these two trailers both use the key codes and conventions of a horror film trailer which makes them similar even though there two different films.

 

Horror Trailer Analysis - Scream

Scream is a very opposite type of horror movie to Paranormal Activity, throughout the trailer there was a voice over, telling you different parts of the story but within this trailer it didn’t give you the full plot it just gave teasers throughout the clips with the voice over telling you what’s happening or what is about to happen. Although you would think in a stereo typical horror trailer, they start with the good life and everything is normal but the difference between that and the scream trailer is that as soon as the trailer starts the horror kicks in with a mysterious voice which the is used as the voice over throughout of the horror movie showing that it’s the villain telling the story and not the victim like a stereo typical horror trailer would usually do.

From the trailer we see the characters that we expect to see the young blonde pretty girl who usually plays the victim that needs saving also the killer who will look scary or in a mask of some sort to scare you. From this trailer by showing us who the actually demon is, is very different to paranormal activity because there is no villain therefore showing you the different types of horror movies. The trailer imminently highlights who the main character will probably be based on by the first clip, being about and around her also putting the suspense on the audience why this creepy voice has rung her at this time of night. Also showing how deserted and alone she is because she is I this massive house on her own in the middle of nowhere, setting the séance within the trailer.

The stereo typical horror movie trailer kicks in after the scène has been set by one line said by the voice on the phone “because I want to know who I’m looking at”. As soon as the line is said showing how the transition changes to the main plot of the story where the scary clips are added. By these been added it brings the audience in because they want to know what is going to happen at the end, building up the tension giving them the feeling that they would like to watch the movie. The difference between this trailer to paranormal activity is that the paranormal trailer follow the codes and conventions of a horror trailer starting with normal house life usually with a family or someone on their own in a house, then switching to clips of the scare throughout the film ending with the big scare at the end. But on scream there are just clips of quotes throughout the movie at the end of the trailer showing the difference between the types of movies because they did not end with how we expect showing the difference between the two trailers. Making us and the audience think that they are two totally different films.

Horror Movie Analysis – Paranormal Activity 4 Trailer

Horror trailers are structured in the same style, starting with the story line everything normal, something changes within the lives of the victim, moving onto the scary moments giving parts away usually showing the best bits which they will use to attract the audience. Towards the end of the trailer comes the big scare which finishes the trailer off, summing the movie trailer up giving the audience a taste of what to expect within the trailer. Between the clips at the start of the paranormal activity trailer cut away are used but they are not used within the same way as we know them a clean cut away.

There has been an added effect which has been incorporated within the cutaway (white noise). This gives the audience of some effect which links into the title ‘paranormal activity’ giving the first sneak preview, already starting to make the audience weary about what is happening. The noise starting to also build up the tension using loud screams to make the audience jump as soon as the trailer begins this also gives us the idea that the trailer is about to get worse as the tension has already started to build and its only just began. The trailer then switches back to day time where everything is back to normal, showing clips building up the story by using one line dialog from the film showing us what the story is based on and what the plot of the story is. This gives the audience the basics of the storyline also this gets the audience thinking about what could happen throughout the rest of the movie, showing them when they see more of the trailer because it may not be what they expected.

By using different dialog from throughout the movie it is then showing different scenes and conversation between a short periods of time using contain containing 30-40 seconds. Breaking the trailer up, text has been inserted which is on a black background with very plain white writing almost in a typewriter font which you may think the which also adds to the plot giving more of an inside to what the movie is going to be about. By doing this it makes the audience piece all the information which they have given together creating the horror movie which they want to watch. Loud noise are used throughout the trailer to give the target audience a fright, by only using them at certain parts it builds the suspense making the audience feel nervous and on edge as they do not know what to expect next. To build up the tension between the trailers after watching a happy part of a normal trailer the scary tension building parts start.

Finishing the horror movie with a big build up to the end scare but using little scary clips which start very weak but then building up the tension throughout when the clips start the trailer is using the codes and conventions of a stereo typical horror movie. Ending with the big scare towards the end which maybe gives you a clue of the demon or what happens to the victim. Showing on the end of this trailer which is showing who the demon is and that something is going to finish with a big scare at the end showing the viewers that it’s going to be a stereo typical paranormal activity film, with a demon and also it have control and has processed the human.

Identify Genre and Target Audience

Identify Genre and Target Audience

Narative Overview

Narative Overview

Final Film Ideas

Our Ideas