Synopsis

An abnormal human believes she's talented/gifted in supernatural powers. Who can't help but use these devil powers on her close family and friends.
Location- Urban city, Halloween time
female character with a couple of friends
Struggles to maintain two personalities.

RepresentationTheory ; Laura Mulveys: Male Gaze theory

Laura Mulvey; A British feminist film theorist.

How women are represented in the media, she states that women are there to be seen and the use of cinematography portrays them as sexual objects through shot  types and movements.

1) How men look at women
2) How women look at themselves from those images
3) How women look at other women in the media





Male gaze typically focuses on;

• emphasising curves of the female body
• refering women as objects and not people
• the display of women is how men think they should be percieved
• female viewers view the content through the eyes of a man.

Male gaze describes how the audience or a viewer is put into the perspective of heterosexual male i.e. camera lingers over the curves of a womans body.
Camera uses particular movements to percieve women in an idealistic view.
The man emerges as the dominate power within the created film fantasy.

Mulvey also states that the female gaze is the same as the male gaze because women look at themsleves through the eyes of men.

I have looked at some film trailers to see if Mulveys theory was applied. Sometimes the audience watch films without noticing the portrayal of women in media.  For example in the trailer ''Sex tape''. As the trailer starts in the voice over it says '' do you remember the first time the man saw you naked?''

This matches Mulveys theory and it tells the auidence that perhaps some ladies like to see thmesleves through the eyes of men so that they feel sexy. However this also gets the female viewers interested because this is a direct question to them and therefore should feel enganged to the trailer and feel connected to the female character. This could also make certian women feel insecure as the intentions of a female to portray herself for other wowen to feel jealous. Later on the trailer we see more and more of the actress eventually fully naked and having sex.



Another trailer that meets Laura Mulveys theory is film called ''Let's be cops''. In this trailer we see ladies partying with short dresses on and 4 girls running in red bikinis with polices running behind them. This tells the audience that ladies are seen as objects for men to enjoy rather than modest women.

    How I see women now;

• beautiful
• motherly
• short tempered

Women in the past:

• housewives
• vulnerable
• uneducated
  Modern day women:

• bitchy
• classy
• dominate
• independant

Women in music videos and films:

• sexual objects
• powerful
• crazy

MACRO FEATURES IN A FILM

Macro features- 7 Frameworks for analysis;

• Representation
• Genre
• Narrative
• Themes
• Messages/values & Ideology
• Style
• Authorship

Representation, refers to the process of constructing images of different people, places and ideas in films.
Stereotypes of people;

• Gender; Men vs Women
• Social Class
• Social groups; C.H.A.V.S vs Standard
• Ethnicity- nationallity, American people = fat and stupid
• British people = snobby and posh

Message and values/ideology; refers to the way messages and values are communicating to the film audience.
Ideology; ''the way people think''
normal upbringing;

• Education
•  Media
• Law/politics
•  Career
•  Religions

Genre;
refers to the process of classyfying films as being one type or another by audiences and institutions. Generic codes and conventions are employed in the constructions of films, enabling the audience to label and categorise.

Narrative; refers to the development of a story, the roles and relationships of the characters within.
(Story+Plot= Narrative)

• Structure
• Linear/non linear
• Characters:( stereotypical stock) Characters: Protagonists, Antagonists, Villains & Princess
• Voice overs/dialogue
• flashbacks
• dream sequences
• mystery puzzle to be solved

Theme; refers to the over arching ideas to be conveyed in a film. Common films and themes, include moral dillemas;

• conflict
• racism
• love
• betrayal
• redemption

Style; refers to the employment of techniques in film production;

• lighting
• props
• set design

Authorship; This refers to different conceptualisations of authorship - this can be applied to directors, producers, cinematographers, sound designer ans stars together with the influence of different types of films, companies and production studios.

The Conjuring film trailer analysis

I am going to analyse a horror trailer; “The Conjuring” by James Wan.  This film has been successful in the box office.

In the conjuring as the trailer starts conventionally as it starts with the distribution and the production company’s logo.  This means that this film has a mass audience as Warner is part of the big 3 major label. This also means that film will highly budgeted compare to independent films. And that it will contain more variety of props, characters, locations and so on to create verisimilitude so that the audience feel more appealed to the film.

As the trailer began it went directly to the story without an introduction or a voice over about the narrative or characters.  In the mise-en-scene the investigator was in the cellar with only one light shining on him when his surroundings was just dark and other props such as headphones, microphone and a technology for spiritual presence. This could suggest to the audience that this is serious and a true narrative, this also gets the audience’s attention as they’ll try to stay prepared and excited for what might come ahead to see if anything makes them jump or not. In the cinematography the camera was a close up on the investigator to express his brave and serious facial expressions. This camera angle is also used to introduce the main characters from the film. There was no sound at that time just dialogue; this could be to get audiences deep attention without putting any sound track at the back.  Also in the mise-en-scene the makeup and costume was brown, plain and vintage this implies to the audience that this film is based in the 60’s. This will get the audience more interested as history horror is much scarier and serious than modern horror.  This scene is stereotypically representing a male to be brave and fearless. The way Ed is also taking lead suggests to the audience how females can be weak and vulnerable to take lead. However this shot could also suggest how Lorraine trusts her husband to take lead and how well they work together as a group.

It then cuts to when the investigator is doing his final search and in the cinematography there’s a long shot but the camera is hand held to create a documentary feeling and a sense of reality for the audience to create more suspense. When the investigator’s heading out the cellar in the sound element there’s asynchronous sound of the doll laughing and the piano playing, this makes the audience feel excited as they don’t know where the laugh came from, but they know that doll is going to be essential in the narrative.

The two main investigators are next seen in a lecture room introducing themselves to the audience. Ironically females didn’t have many rights to do what they enjoy but because Loraine has a talent that she can’t ignore. Although in America women’s rights was finally considered and equality justice happened in 1972 this film was based in 1971 this tells the audience that women were respected in some cases.

In the cinematography there’s an establishing shot of the Parren house in a dark location. This shot gives the audience an overview of the location and how lonely their house is which foreshadows in the narrative as this connotes terror and supernatural presence. In the mise-en-scene the lighting is dark and has smoke coming out with tree’s that look empty, this implies that this story is set in the wintertime perhaps.  We know that this targets a certain audience because stereotypically younger generations aren’t aware of super naturals and what they’re capable of.  Younger generation also enjoy colour, it lightens up their mood and actually enjoy it whether if it’s cartoon or real visual image. Therefore the audience for this film would be 15+. This shot also helps the audience to identify what genre it is because all horror films conventionally have dark locations.  

In the sound element there was diegetic sound of screams and glass frames shattering, this connotes that something horrific has happened and the glass breaking could imply to the audience how their dreams of living in this house is about to shatter. To make this scene more shocking and scary the editing was very fast, this matches the reaction time of the characters and could suggest how uncontrollable these supernatural occurrence are. Half way through the trailer in the editing there was an eye line match of what Lorraine is seeing behind Ed this makes the audience feel part of Lorraine’s gifted visual imagery as they can see what Ed can’t see. This will also excite the audience because it’s different and rare in life.

  

In the cinematography there was over shoulder and an eye line match in the editing. This suggests to the audience that they’re having a n important discussion. The over shoulder is also representing women positively as she’s sharing a moment with the little girl. This connotes that women are friendly and Lorraine is a mother figure to the children by protecting them from the supernatural presence.

In the mise-en-scene there were 3 locations but in one location such as the house; incidents were taking place in different rooms.  This makes the narrative interesting and conventionally different locations have to be used to tell the audience that in real life supernatural occurrences happens anywhere…

This narrative follows Kate Domaille’s 2001 Theory, as she believes there are 8 narratives and this trailer falls in to Circe category because this film is about victims and innocence.  Overall the structure of the trailer follows Todorov’s theory as it the trailer starts all calm and then suddenly the disequilibrium happens. However the ending doesn’t show as that will persuade the audience to see the full film at cinemas.  

Research

Questionnaire for a Horror Film Trailer

1.     How old are you?

  15-17       18-20          21-25 +        32+

2.  What is your favourite genre?

3.   Is Horror your type of film?.... If so why?

4.  Who is your favourite actor/actress?


5. Where do you watch film trailers?

YouTube    T.V     Social Media  Other

6.  What would you like to see in a horror film?

 7.  What don’t you like to see?

8.   Which horror film have you watched recently, and what did you like about it?

9.   If you had to produce a horror film, what would the film be about?

Thank you for your time.

I chose to ask about age between 15 and 32+, because the appropriate age for a horror film is 15 and over. I also gave an option of  32+ because I wanted to gain more knowledge of how middle aged/older audience see horror films, so that I could meet both young and elder expectations in my film trailer. 

I wanted to know who's their favourite actor/actress so that I can get an actor that looks similar to a professional actor according to the popular answers I receive.  These answers are bound to be names of a good looking actor/actress therefore if I have a good looking actor too, it's more likely going to appeal to the audience. 

I also wanted to know what the audience likes and dislikes and what they'd like to see so that I know whats expected in my trailer. This will make the audience happy and benefit me in understanding the audience and their needs.

I asked the audience where they watch film trailers so that I know which place is popular to promote my trailer onto.

I am thinking of my overall narrative to be about halloween and fancy dress up. It will have one Doll which is my main character, she is the antagonist which will eventually die. The protagonsits/victims will be her friends who she also attacks later on in the narrative. At first I will introduce her, editing will be slow and the camera will focus on the her features and actions. Doll would be mixing the portion in the forest just by herself. She considers whitchy elements to be her gift and therefore doesn't get to use it unless it's halloween. Halloween is here and this gives her the chance to dress her way, she gets to be herself and later joins her friends to go trick or treating. They all come across as an unwanted body, they think it's been put there because it's halloween, the doll appears from the back creeping over someones shoulder and says ''it's only me'' and then attacks her friends.

I wan to name the trailer ''glamorous doll' simply because she'll look sweet and no one in the narrative will judge her they'll just think she's playing dress up too when really its her real identity. 

Sound Analysis

Sound analysis The Conjouring official trailer 2013

On 00:00:26 seconds there's diagetic sound of a characters dialogue ''I get my own room''
On 00:00:28 Mother; ''oh really?'' diegetic dialogue sound
On 00:00:29 the girls talk at once
On 00:00:31 sound track starts and ends on 00:00:55 seconds and meanwhile dialogue starts at 00:00:33 seconds of the little girl ''1, 2, 3 , 4'' and mother starts her dialogue '' 9, 10... first clap''
On 00:00:42 seconds the girl claps diegetic sound
On 00:00: 55 wardrobe door opens
On 00:01:00 mothers dialogue starts again ''clap''
On 00:01:02 non diegetic suspense background music starts
On 00:01:06 mothers dialogue ''i'm going to getcha''
suspense music carries on but gets louder and the mother says ''I can hear you breathing'' on 00:01:09 seconds
On 00:01:14 the little girl says her dialogue '' you took your blind fold off. I win I was in Christine's and Nancy's room and ends on 00:01: 18 seconds background music continues and the diegteic sound of hangers rattling is also heard.
On 00:01:20 seconds Another sound track begins with the subtitle ''Based on a true story''
On 00:01:22 seconds there's diegetic sound of the birds
On 00;01:25 seconds asynchronous sound of a bang is heard
On 00:01:29 seconds Mothers dialogue ''girls it's way past your bed time'' the background music is still continuing
On 00:01:38 seconds asynchronous sound of glass breaking is heard
On 00:01:45 seconds new background music starts aling with the subtitle '' From the director of Saw and Insidious''
On 00:01:48 seconds no diegetic suspense background sound track is heard and the mothers deigetic dialogue starts on 00:01:52 seconds ''who is that??'' suspense music is continued and on 00:01:58 seconds asynchronous sound of the door squicks open
00:02:09 seconds sound effect and the on 00:02:13 seconds diegetic sound of the light switch is turned on
On 00:02:20 seconds diegetic sound of footsteps and dialogue is heard ''whoever's in there i'm going to lock you in now'' On 00:02:22 seconds exaggerated sound of the door slamming
00:02:23 seconds diegetic sounds of scream and light bulb smashing
00:02: 24 seconds asynchronous sound of door banging and diegtic dialogue ''help! help! help! everybody help!
On 00:02:30 seconds perspective sound of the match box being lit
On 00:02:40 seconds diegetic sound of clapping and scream and echo's till 00:02:44 seconds
it then finishes off with a soft background tune from a toy and the title and date.

Breif idea on my film trailer

Definition of a horror film;

Horror film’s purpose is to create a negative, emotional and fearful reaction from the audience. Horror film often put reality on the screen by using nightmares, hidden fears, supernatural, evil force, zombies and other negative characteristics. The first horror movie was produced in 1890 and as the film industry being revolutionised the films are still produced with modern technology, ideas and locations, this led the films having an age certificate because horror can get quite disturbing.

I have looked at proffesional film trailers and I noticed that the conventions and codes are almost the same but in different genres. For example in an action film there would be small clips of action taking place in different locations, extremely fast edit featiring all the main characters. In a horror film it would be the same but a slower edit, dark locations, close ups of all the main characters and voice over of the narrarive.  I'm thinking of doing a horror trailer and I 'd like to adapt all the conventions such as voioverovers, subtitles pictures, short clips, dark locations and a breif narrative. I personally don't like boring perfomances, and boring locations, since winters coming up this would be a right time for me to film as it gets dark quickly and I could also use halloween props and costume.  I would also use drama students from college if possible.

Locations

• Book out College theatre and use the black curtains and spooky props around.
• Graveyards
• Humberside Forest