Welcome to my website! Tish Nightingale 6162

My name is Tish Nightingale, and I am currently working on my A2 Media Product.

During the next few months I will be completing a film trailer, with a duration of 1 minute. The trailer will be based on a thriller genre, with jumpy shots and intense cliffhangers. I have never really liked the idea of weapons or fighting to be included in my film trailer, however these codes are very specific to the thriller genre. Due to this I will plan my trailer to have the codes and conventions of previous thriller trailers that do not involve weapons or fighting.

So far I have recalled from a number of trailers that the music in the background creates a huge impact on the viewer and helps set the genre into a certain category. For example, comedy would have a very quirky and exciting song in the background, usually with lyrics, whereas horrors usually have instrumental music that gives an eerie atmosphere and frightens the viewer.

The ideas I have gained so far have been influenced after I watched the film Taken, and watched the trailer for the film Taken 2. This gave me an idea of what sort of storyline I want for my trailer, a missing person, specifically a young child missing being searched for by a family member. However, I don’t want my thriller to involve weapons. This is quite a challenge. There will probaly be a hostage element to the narrative.

For the beginning of my trailer, I like the idea of editing a film to make it look like an old home-made video of the child and their family when they were younger and happier. Then I want to have them in the present when situations become bad and the young one goes missing.

In addition to the trailer I will be producing a corresponding poster and feature on a magazine front cover.

Analysis of existing magazine covers

The cover of this magazine exerts the codes and conventions typical for any thriller movie magazine cover. The colours are very bold and eye-catching due to the contrast of the blue, red and white, this allows the cover to invite the audience in as it enhances the excitement and thrill of the movie advertised. The main focus of the cover is the primary photograph of the well known actor Daniel Craig who is very famous for the most recent James Bond film. This will interest the audience because it is aimed at film lovers, specifically in the thriller genre. The actor is holding a black gun which connotes the genre highly, as thrillers are expected to have weapons and fighting involved. Having a main focus on a magazine cover is essential as it helps sell the copy to the correct audience and give those targetted exactly what they want and are looking for.

The layout of the cover is very packed and 'in your face'. The titles are extremely bold and the images are colourful and contrasting against the background and main focus. They are easily seen and so therefore not subconsciously avoided or forgotten. These images show what is included in the issue allowing the audience to know straight away whether the magazine will relate to their interests or not. Every film shown on the cover comes from the same genre, giving this magazine a specific target audience and purpose. The font of all the titles are in the same style and noticing they are all capitalised gives off a shouting effect giving the cover excitment and interest.

Overall, this cover has all the typical codes and conventions of a thriller movie so it can interest the same audience the film would be trying to target.

This magazine cover would attract the correct target audience instantly through the obvious codes of it being about movies in the thriller genre. The main focus has been made out to be the actor on the front, however the whole layout has been made to look like a layered effect, showing the gun as the top layer. This shows how typical the movie is to being a thriller and exerts power and interest over the audience because the prop jumps out of the cover.

The font size varies throughout the whole cover showing extremely large and bold titles 'Total Film', 'The Sci-fi Issue' and 'Looper'. These titles are 'in your face' and are made to be the first thing the audience will read when looking at this issue.

The colours of the cover vary widely from yellow to blue and red, this gives it a big contrast so it all stands out, but in different ways and with different techniques. For example, the posters in the yellow box have been boldened by the contrast between the yellow and the blue, so it stands out above anything else. However, the image and titles at the top have been made extremely large on the cover and become the main focus of the cover because of this.

The actor on the front is extremely well known which would help to sell this issue. Bruce Willis has always been well known for his action movies and so this would help sell the magazine to the correct audience and keep there attention when reading the issue.

Overall, the cover exerts every code and convention of any typical thriller movie, this is done through the colour codes, dress codes and written codes. For example, the colour codes on the image in the centre are very dark and dull, giving off a struggle and violence, the dress codes are very boring and dirty showing an act of killing and a quest, and finally the written codes give off the thriller feel, e.g. 'this generation matrix?' and 'The Wolverine & The Last Stand.' These show past thriller films which could relate to anything written on the inside of this issue.

Analysis of existing movie posters

This movie poster for the film 'Shutter Island' has all the typical codes and conventions for any thriller movie poster. The first thing I noticed which makes that statement true are the dark colours, showing a side of mysterious and cruelty, this can give off a thrilling edgy feel to it attracting an audience which enjoys watching those films of the thriller genre. The title of the movie has been made to contrast against the dark colours on the main image, as it has been made to be white which contrasts highly against dark blues and blacks. This helps it stand out against anything else making it easier to read and eye-catching.

The actor displayed at the top is a very well known actor who has been made to look as if he is hiding in the shadows and darkness. This gives his character the mysterious feel which allows the audience to believe that this thriller will most likely have a sub-genre of a sci-fi mystery without watching it. This is a very powerful technique done by editors as it enhances the excitement of the audience before they watch it. It almost helps persuade the audience to watch the film before even telling them what it's about.

The red writing at the base of the poster shows a quote given by a news team which enhances the audiences thought on how the film is going to suit there interest. The colour coding of red denotes blood which could give off the idea that there may be some gore and violence involved in this movie.

Overall, the whole layout has been secured to relate to a thriller genre, through all the codes, the actors and the technique of 'forcing' the audience to watch there film.

The codes and conventions of a thriller genre are portrayed through the movies poster to enhance the audience’s knowledge on what this particular movie is going to be about. It is the colour scheme in this film poster that may have an element of horror included in it, and also something to do with death. The red writing connotes blood, adding to the idea that it may be to do with crime, or a murder.

The layout is bold and the main focus of the poster is to make the women character, as she is the largest object on the front, standout. The poster also states who the films creators are through showing what other films they have produced. In the case of this film, the creators have also produced some of the Saw films. These sequels are well known worldwide and have been given a very high rating in the movie market. This is a unique selling point to have written on the poster as it persuades the audience into watching it. The idea is that if you liked the Saw films, then you will like this film.

This thriller movie poster holds the codes and conventions of this particular genre, through colour, layout, emotion, font and design. The colour scheme is dark black with greys and whites to show the images and words and make them bolder on the poster. This colouring enhances the idea of a thriller as it is very mysterious and intriguing. The male actor has been shown under a pattern of rectangles which could be to represent a machine or computer based design, enhancing the sci-fi sub-genre that this movie may have.

The actor on the poster is holding a gun, which highlights the genre and relates to violence and excitement that of which is usually inclusive in a typical thriller movie. The emotions on the males face shows, anger, determinism and concentration, which allows the audience to understand how this man may be feeling, giving them an idea of the mood and tone this film is going to give off.

Analysis of existing trailers (screen shots)

This trailer for the film Abduction has the codes and conventions of a thriller movie. Specifically this scene in the trailer, which includes a massive explosion, this is because it is known as the sort of thing to happen in thriller genres. The editing effects can produce a realistic explosion of buildings etc. which is unlikely to be done in a film of a different genre.

This close up shot of an actors finger on the trigger of a gun is supposed to relieve tension on the audience which shows the genre of this film easily as being a thriller. The low key lighting shows a dark atmosphere and draws the audiences attention in to the trailer. The trailer is advertising the film 'The Bourne Legacy', which is a very well known film as it has many sequels just like James Bond had, this can allow the trailer to be less specific on the genre of the film because the audience would pragmatically understand the genre when referring and thinking back to the past films.

Title of production : The Owner

Main thoughts of how I want my trailer to be like when completed - first draft of ideas and chronological shots.

• Homemade videos at beginning
• Serious moment between man and women - gives off an understanding of the characters allowing the audience to be introduced to main characters
• Night time - house becomes dark etc. House is raided - women survives but man is killed whilst defending everyone (accidentle kill - bad guys didn't want to kill him) The child is, however, taken purposely by these men.
• Women runs out of house crying and yelping - run down street and collapses in fits of shock, scare and sadness.
• Phone call - shaking and answering without saying hello - "she is safe, its not like you own her anyway." Scream "Who are you?"
• Runs hysterically
• "Help me find her!" (male helper being spoken to by women)
• Banging on door frantically (over voice of women saying the name of the place) e.g. The Red Door
• "Give me her back" (hysteric screaming and struggle to get out of grasp of unknown male)
• Beach shot - comfort by man helping her - blanket around them. Head falls on shoulder in slow motion.
• Corridor shot - speaking to homeless looking man in dark "it's my daughter, she has been through here hasn't she? Where did you get this?" (Talking about the bracelet)
• "Where did you get it?" - as fades and quick shots - Womens face and males in background (over-shoulder shot from homeless man), Childs face - unhappy looking/ confused, BLACKOUT.
•  Fade in - "so she isn't your daughter? Who are you?"
• "I am her godmother, her real mum died when Laya was just 1. Toby didn't know anything. He had an accident which caused him to lose his memory. I lied to him."
• Bad guys - "don't let her near this street. Keep her as far away as possible. This is what Toby would have wanted if he know."
• Childs face - smile and speaks. Bad guy picks her up "She won't ever get you again, don't worry."
• Running women "I need her back!"
• Fight with man helping "Get off me!"
• "I HEAR HER! I HEAR HER!"