Film magazine analysis

Hellboy

Skyfall

film poster analysis

I am Legend    

 

world war z

 

 Shaun of the dead

Synergy in marketing

When it comes to synergy in the marketing of a film, it plays a major role as it links all different aspects together. For instance won a poster for the film there is nothing that hasn't been shown already in the trailer for the film. Also once you see the poster you automatically want to find out more about the film so you go and watch the trailer. Also these aspects are seen in different media therefore they can be seen almost everywhere such as on the internet through YouTube or IMDB. Whereas posters can be seen in public places such HMV or supermarkets. This means that the marketing campaign can be seen by as many people as possible so more people know about the film. The film may also be used as magazine covers, this meaning that people who regularly buy magazines will now see/read about the film. It may also catch peoples attention if they have not seen anything about the film before. So they exploit different media types to promote the film in any way possible.

Through synergy the film company can get its name out there as on every poster/cover/trailer is their logo and name. this means that they become well known and if the film is good then people are more likely to go and see other films produced by that company. this therefore shows how the use of synergy in marketing is partly for self promotion so the can get their name out there. also from looking at other marketing schemes such as World War Z and saw which made out of the ordinary marketing schemes such as viral videos and phone calls that brought the film plot into real life.
 

Marketing campaign for world war z

My chosen genre is horror but mainly focusing on a horror that includes zombies, for this I have looked at numerous marketing campaigns for many zombie movies such as Shaun of the dead and 28 days later. However these are not very recent so I decided to analyse the most recent zombie movie world war z, a movie that involves a blood lust zombie outbreak that devastates the entire world.

Through the marketing of world war z numerous trailer were released, however the main marketing scheme used by paramount pictures to prompt the film was with the use of a viral video that talked about a Pandemic called 'crisis zero'. This video includes an actor talking about a global pandemic that has been sweeping Indonesia, this is treated very seriously and is made to look like a real event that is happening now. This was released about a month before the release of the film, this was done to build up the excitement of zombie fans across the world as it made people think that it was real and made them almost have a connection to the audience as the y may think what if this did happen.

Also throughout the video the word 'zombie' is not used this sort of makes a distant connection to the actual film as it makes it seem more realistic with it being some sort of infection rather than the dead coming back to life. This creates publicity as it is something different from a marketing campaign. It may also have created a chain of videos with peoples reaction to the story and it may have been used in every day life, for instance household pranks. This gets the film into the household and in turn will subconsciously make people want to go and see the full movie as they have become involved with the film.

This is something that I would like to consider doing when making my film trailer as I could use it for a film magazine article, a news article etc.

 

 

 

World War z film trailer analysis

For my A level media film trailer i have chosen the genre officially the sub genre of a zombie/infection apocalypse. To complete my research I have looked at numerous films branching from the light comedy, Shaun of the dead to the more serious film of 28 days later and the sequel of 28 weeks later. However the most recent zombie horror to hit the box office, World War Z. This is a film that I will base my film off as it focuses more on the survival /cure element of a zombie movie.

World war z is the latest zombie/infected apocalypse film to hit cinemas. With its director marc Forster and big name brad pit the film achieved a 7.2 rating on the film website IMDB. This film had a $125 million budget.

Throughout the trailer the number of edits increases as at the start the number of cuts is very low with the people being very calm. However when something starts to go wrong the number of jump cuts increase dramatically, this is used to make the characters look like they are in danger and that a lot is going on at this particular time. They have also been used in parts that show the severity of the disaster such as when he says about it affecting the entire world, at this point it jumps through different images of maps from different countries. This showing how bad the situation is as it is flicking through them very fast showing how they are falling quickly to the infection. They also use some fades, for instance when it fades from a helicopter to a fleet of ships, this showing the scale of the military action regarding the infection.

Mise en scene plays an important role in showing the type of film and what is happening such as a disaster. For instance there are very large crowds of zombies this showing how it is a film about a zombie apocalypse as it has impacted a lot of people. Also it shows an image of the whole city and there is smoke everywhere this showing how there has been mass destruction caused by the zombies.in almost every scene there are guns this may suggest that there is a constant danger and that there is always a chance that you may have to use the weapon. This is something that they have done to show a zombie movie as zombies are hostile and need to be killed whenever they are attacking. Also they have enforced the point that zombies aren’t human with them climbing up a wall like ants. Also when he is running to the chopper he scene is put in slow motion, this has been done so that you see how close he was to being caught. within the trailer they Put in a scene in which they showed a counter that showed the total population loss, from the trailer this is moving extremely fast. Thus showing how bad the infection has become And to show how the  infection is a world wide disaster. Throughout the trailer the zombies are shown as sub human for instance when they Are in Afghanistan the zombies are shown as blood thirsty Monsters that hunt down the humans. However in my movie trailer i am focusing on the zombie being a more un-dead type as that is the main thing that people imagine when thinking of a zombie.

 The sound used throughout the trailer is very important as it sets the scene to see if they are in danger or safe. For instance, at the start the sound is normal with it being the sound of car horns during a traffic jam. However as things start to get strange the sounds start to get louder and more prominent, for instance when it the camera starts heading over to see the zombies it is a sort of war of the world’s music with the loud droning sounds. This has been used to show how it is building up before it gets to the people. At this point as well the sound becomes muffled when it looks at the characters as they are in shock, this resembles the feeling that a person experiences when they have a loud noise go off next to them. This is also used to when he is running to the chopper; this has been used here to show the struggle that he is going through to get to the chopper. they have also used a

The camera shots used throughout show how the situation is changing throughout the film. For instance at the start it pans down, this has been used to show how the day is normal with it showing a normal New York traffic jam. Then it uses a crane shot to show the amount of zombies that are attacking. they then use and extreme close up on the flare this shows how they are in darkness and it enforces the flare as the only source of light. As the helicopter is flying away they use and extreme long shot this shows how the whole city is getting attacked. At the end it uses a close up on brad pit this may have been used to show off the big name actor who is in the film. they have also used a graphic match in the trailer, they have linked two scenes together through the use of phone conversation. this gives the trailer some sort of chronological order which makes the trailer easier to follow.

Throughout the trailer numerous close ups are used, this is done to show extreme emotion such as fear, shock or happiness. This trailer includes many of these and they show almost every emotion through this. For instance they use close ups on the children at the start to show innocence , they use a close up on brad pit to show his fear and later on they show him holding his children in happiness. They have done this to make the film look more escorting as with the wide variety of emotions it shows that a lot happens throughout it as there are a lot of incidents that change the mood. This makes the film look action packed and makes the film look more interesting.

Another point that I picked up on while looking at the trailer was that the main title for things such as skydance are put in the point in the trailer where the action starts, this has been done to build some suspension before the audience can see what happens. they have also made the titles match with the music/sound used this makes the trailer flow more so it doesn't look like it has been split up. this may also relate to tits country of origin as in the USA many television shows have a scene before the programme starts, this may be following in the traits of American television. This may differ to UK made films as television shows normally open with the main titles. The fact that it is synced with the music makes it less noticeable as it doesn't take anything out of the trailer it just leaves suspense.

 Original Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md6Dvxdr0AQ

The wolverine trailer

The new wolverine film is the 6th addition to the x men series and a sequel in the wolverine series. This has been directed by James mangold and is scheduled to release on the 26 July (UK). The budget that they had to produce this film was exceeding £100 million and it starred well known actors such as Hugh Jackman  (wolverine) who has also starred as wolverine in previous x men, marvel films. The premise of the film is how a man was saved by the wolverine during a nuclear explosion and in the future that man wants to repay the wolverine by taking his immortality away so he can live a normal life however the story takes a twist when an enemy seeks to destroy the wolverine. this type of film is a possible idea for when I complete my film trailer, however it is unlikely due to the special effects that are needed to make the film suit the superhero film genre.

 

 

During the trailer The main edits that I can see are fade transitions and jump cuts. The fade transitions have been used to slow down the trailer so it seems more dramatic. This has been used in conjunction with jump cuts, this has been used so that clips front he same scene are recognisable as after a few clips it fades into another clip. This makes the trailer have a brief storyline and it gives a chronological Image of the events that will unfold throughout the full length film. Also at points in the trailer they have used transitions between 2 clips as they fade from one to another, this slows down the trailer as they are usually used when the trailer starts to get a bit more hectic this keeps the audiences attention as it slows the whole trailer making it easier to follow therefore keeping them interested. This also gives off the sense that the whole film is action packed as this is used numerous times through the trailer, also giving the impression that the film is exciting throughout and it does not get worse as it progresses.

 

 

I will now  talk about the sound used through the trailer, at the start there is a voice over used that sounds like an older man describing the wolverine and the troubles that he faces, this is accompanied by an in indirect, quiet piece of background music that is very low pitched this makes sure that the voice over is the key feature to listen to. It then slows down to almost no sound in the trailer when it shows the first sign of danger. It then transfers to voices from the clip itself but not to much and it uses voice from clips not shown as the voiceover. Such as it says 'I've been looking for you for over a year'. The music used form here sounds very cultural which relates to the setting as it sounds like traditional drums. The music then however starts to get more prominent like it is building up to something then eight the clips the wolverine is shot showing how the action has now begun. Front his point in the clip sound becomes a key aspect as It emphasises such things like the wolverines metal claws and him being beaten by bats this makes the audience feel he pain that Logan is feeling at this point. It also makes smaller sounds seem bigger such as the motorbikes which gives a sense that its very fast paced. Also the sound has been matched by the music playing, such as when he slices the electrical box. The fight scene also follows this as it makes the key sound the sword and and his claws hitting, again making the audience feel the action. The end of the trailer then slows down again as the voiceover returns, this also follows the 3 acts of a trailer as it resolves the situation through what the voice over says.
 

 

Miss an scene is used heavily through this trailer , the main reason to establish the setting  of the film as they have used traditional Chinese/Japanese architecture. They have also matched the setting through the props such as the samurai swords used during the fight scene at the end of the trailer. They have also made sure to show the main city as well with the large buildings that are especially noticeable in this part of the world. Clean, mirror like cars have been used as well to show the wealthiness of the character who has been looking for Logan. they have also used ancient/older Japanese weapons, this sets the scene of the film as it is mainly based in japan due to the story. this is very important when making a film trailer as props are the main background for many scenes so if they do not link together the film will become confusing and hard to follow.

 

 

Through the trailer numerous camera shots have been used for instance at the start they used a panning shot which makes it look like the wolverine is being watched, so it acts like a POV shot. Then while in the bar the camera focuses on the gun in the mans hand to clearly point out the danger in the clip. It then uses another POV shot to show the mans view of the explosion and then it gives a close up of Logan as the blast goes over them this is used to show the pain that he is feeling at this time. An establishing shot is then used to show the big city and the enormity of the setting. As they get out of the car a two shot is used to show the emotion of the two characters and Logan looks suspicious of the girl as she gets out of the car. A shot that I see as extremely important is after the wolverine gets shot as it has been blurred and its a close up, this is important to the story as it is the first time that he has been actually permanently injured so it shows his confusion as he experiences something he's never felt before. Another close up is used as he jumps on the train this has been used to show the anger that he is feeling towards the people that have done this to him.

 

 

The history of trailers

Through the years film trailers have changed in different aspect. They have changed in many ways due to the technological advancements in recent years and the shift in the audience for modern films. The way in which the trailers presented has a also changed as they have transitioned from a more promotional trailer that focuses on 'bigging up' the film, to a more theatrical trailer that makes the film look real as if the audience is involved in the movie.

One of the most noticeable trailers is snow white 1937, this was the first animated film and was created by Walt Disney. The trailer consisted of still frame work and no motion picture this did not give much away front the full feature. This was probably due to the lack of technology at this time. Also this trailer was a commentary from Walt Disney himself who was explaining characters and their role in the film. This different to the present day as now trailers are most commonly narrated or even a voice over by one of the characters  themselves such as in man of steel or iron man 3. Also in this trailer there is a big emphasis on the amount of text used throughout, this is very large text that usually fills the vast majority of the screen, this shows a change in trailer manufacture as during the time of this trailer there were no special effects to catch the eye of the audience so the use of large text was a popular technique. Whereas in the present day the text is rarely used in trailers as they have new special effects such as CGI which draws in the audience. The voice over also in this trailer was very loud and bold this was to make the movie look big and better.

 

Another recognisable trailer for its time was psycho which was produced in1960. This trailer is recognisable as it lasted over 6 minutes, this is very unusual as the average trailer length is limited to 2 minutes 30 seconds for a feature trailer. This was the one exception that was allowed to exceed this. This trailer consisted of a tour around the setting of the film, in which it told the premise of the film. This was presented in black and white due to the gore that was involved in the film, this is very unlikely to happen in the present day. The text that was used through out this film was smaller than in previous years this is due to the fact that it now has motion picture to attract the audience and not just the large text. This trailer did not have a main voice over as it had a presenter I'm the form of the directors talking about the events as if  they were real. This exact style of voice over was not completely carried on however voice over are usually done as if its real however it is done by a character on the film.
 

 

In my view star wars: a new hope (1977) was a big leap forward in trailers a s they now had technology to use even though it was not particularly advanced. For instance it was the first time that special effects were used in a major role. This trailer however still used old techniques to attract the audience as it still used large text to promote the film.this also created the excitement behind such films as thus film in my view kicked of the whole sci-fi film industry as it rallied a very large following when it was produced, this as well as the extremely popular star trek series. 

Forest gump was produced in 1994 and this showed a giant leap forward in film trailers this was due to the new technology with the capability of creating a setting that looks real such as a war zone. this also showed how trailers no longer needed the help of a voice over or large text to promote itself it could now exploit the new technology to create a new era of film trailer promotion through the likes of special effects.

A more modern day trailer of iron man 3 made in 2013 is very different to earlier trailers. For instance throughout the trailer a different style voice over is used, this is because the voice over in iron man is a more theatrical and dramatic style which is voiced by the character in the film. This has changed as in previous trailers a voice over was used to promote the film through a bold voice, whereas now it is used to give a sense of the story. Also in this trailer the pace of the trailer changes as it progresses as it starts off allow then turns into a montage of clips, this shows a leap from previous trailers as they all stay at the same pace throughout. Also the sound fx and cgi in the trailer are now the main focus with the advancement in technology.



In conclusion i think film trailers have changed dramatically due to the advancements in technology, i can support this as in the early days of film trailers bold voice overs were used to promote the film and make it look better. Whereas now with the advancement in technology has allowed film producers to exploit new ideas that are capable of becoming reality.

Codes and conventions of a horror trailer

One code and convention of a horror trailer is that it uses jump cuts  too transition between shots this makes the trailer edgy and to make people jump if something scary comes up.

Secondly they are more successful if they do not give anything away about what the demon/monster is. This makes the person want to watch the full feature  as they want to find out more. This also makes it look scarier as it makes the audience feel edgy of what the monster is.

Low key lighting and faded camera shots as this makes the trailer look dark and mysterious which creates a spooky atmosphere. I would also expect the trailer to show the darker parts of the film such as at night or when the character enters a dark place.

The setting of the trailer also has to be in a creepy or perfect place that may be prone to paranormal activity. I would expect the setting to be very creepy and have a weary feeling about the place to set the scene.

Another convention is for the trailer to feature some sort of scary or irritating music that gets effects you and makes you feel on edge and that something is going to happen.

In terms of mise en scene I would say that there would be some sort of object or place in which the demon/monster came from and this would play a a major roll in the film/trailer and be in many scenes. For instance in the trailer of the film the possession an old black box is used and this is a key feature in the entire trailer, however it does not give anything away about what the actual demon/monster is.

The text used throughout the film is also presented in a spooky fashion. For instance it may be presented as a blood splatter or been carved into a wall etc by finger nails.


Here is an example of a horror trailer insidious: