Character Profiles

Three sisters.

Sophia - She is very kind and intelligent. She is hurt by Lucinda's death and seeks the truth and revenge.

Lucinda - She is very sweet and innocent and crosses through the wrong path with her sister Ella.

Ella - She is not shown in the trailer predominately in order to not give the story line away. She is a troubled being and has a very deep jealous and evil side.

Time Management

I will have my Practice trailer, short film and shot types completed, edited and uploaded by 20/11/13.

Target Audience

AGE: The age range is 12-25. It appeals to the age range due to the 12 rating. The film will not contain swearing, sexual scenes, gore or strong violence. However it is a psychological thriller so an audience younger than 12 would find it difficult to understand.

GENDER: The target audience is males and females but predominately females this is due to the strong female lead.

OCCUPATION: The film will contain characters around the ages of 15-17 so similar type jobs can be related too.

STORY/THEME: The film and the trailer will contain tense scenes for the thriller elements. The storyline is about a group of sisters and friends therefore many people can relate.

PRICE: Normal film price at the cinema. Includes student discount to attract teenagers who are part of the target audience.

LAYOUT: The layout of the film trailer is that it will begin with long clips which establish the setting and characters, then the tension builds and turns to fast paced clips to create thrilling atmosphere.

COLOUR: Dark colours to reflect ghost genre; black, grey, maroon, brown, deep purple and blue.

GENRE: Includes ghosts and thrilling elements which will appeal to my target audience.

ADVERTISEMENT: Advertised on social networking sites as that is very popular too teenagers and young adults. Advertisement through the film poster and the website. Teenagers are active users of the internet and it can also reach a wide range of people from different ages, cultures and backgrounds.

Uses and Gratifications - Blumler and Katz, 1974.

My horror film will give the target audience Diversion as when they are watching the film they will try and piece together the mystery and work out what is happening before it happens, this is a sense of escapism to the real world and a release of emotional pressure.

My film and film trailer can form Personal Relationships as the target audience can use this to form a discussion about the film to other people interested in the same things and the same genre.

My target audience can form a Personal Identity with my characters as they can compare their own life to them and empathise with them. They can also empathise with their personal problems and their perspective of things. For example the theme of suicide in my film, some people will be able to relate to this. One of my characters is learning to get over the death of her sister, this is also something some people will be able to relate to, even if it is death of a loved one.

Pitch Feedback

This is the feedback I got from my teacher when I presented my pitch...

• Film Trailer - Thriller/Horror. Green band trailer which is suitable for the target audience. More supernatural elements rather than gore. Whilst editing, use jumps to frighten audience.
• Setting - Sticking to horror connotations: haunted house.
• Colour - Conventions of my chosen genre: dark, moody colours.
• Characters - features children/teenagers, sticking to this convention by using teenagers. This is also because teenagers are who will be available to act in my film trailer when I come to film.
• Horror Trailer - Conventions of a horror trailer: Show build up of the story in the first half then add in the horror elements. Advertising to book audience. Use slow to normal editing paces for the beginning before the build up to the fast paced tension for the horror elements. The same applies for the soundtrack.

This is what I need to develop on...

• Develop ideas/deconstructions for poster/advertising
• Develop story: what/who is the ghost/spirit.

This is the positive feedback I got from my classmates...

1. I like the idea of the old fashioned theme and the no gore element.
2. Good understanding of horror trailer conventions and I like the possible 1940's setting.
3. I like the idea of the genre and the subtle poster.
4. Thoroughly thought about the horror aspect and the different elements of the trailer. Good detail about setting but think about costume. 

Pitch

Flat Plans

Initial Flat Plans

• Film magazine front cover

Rationale

I have made my layout professional and followed a generic style for a magazine front cover. I have included all the necessary information for a magazine front cover. The main image is central because this is the focus point of the magazine. I will use a three shade colour scheme as this is used a lot and is the most appealing to the eye. I will use one cast member on the front cover to avoid the cover looking overcrowded. I will use a medium shot as this is used nearly all of the time on a magazine front cover.

• Film Poster

Rationale

I have included most of the necessary information at the bottom, rather small. This is because the main image is the films main focus and main enticement to the target audience.

I will use a scary and ghostly font for the film title and a simple font for the rest of the information in order for the film title to be the main focus point. This will also help the audience remember the name of the film. I will use generic horror genre colours like black and red. I will use a three shade colour scheme as this is generic and most attractive. I will use a close up shot as this is usually used for a horror film poster. This is because it is an uncomfortable angle and shows expression clearly.

Generic Conventions

Generic Conventions of Horror/Ghost story themes

• Unknown actor/actress - This is to avoid audience disappointment if the main protagonist dies.
• Usually one haunted setting.
• A ghost or demon of some sort.
• A known director or producer and this entices the audience to go and see the film if a past horror film was good which was directed or/and produced by the same people.
• Themes of love, family, mystery, murder and/or alienation integrated into the story line.
• One of the main protagonist's dies.
• Follows Todorov's theory of narrative with a equilibrium then a disruption or a new equilibrium.
• Female victim. 
• Dark lighting.

 In my film I have chosen to follow all of these generic conventions in order to satisfy the target audience's needs and to keep the same recurring audience which creates a successful film.