Screen shot one: Title
The title of the film is a stereotypical convention every film needs. I decided to name my film 'Unhinged' due to it meaning on edge which is a stereotypical feeling of a thriller type genre film. The title is short and snappy which will make it easier for the audience to remember. This title is similar to other horror and thriller films such as 'Unfriended' and 'Sinister'. These titles contains one word.
This title can be viewed on the trailer towards the end. This is a stereotypical place to view the title due to the audience being more likely to remember it if it was the last thing viewed. This is similar to other trailers such as 'Intruders' and 'The Loft' The title is also the same on the poster and magazine cover I created due to the fact this is also a stereotypical convention. The title on posters are bold and usually located in the centre of the page. Having the same title is effective and stereotypical due to the audience being able to easily recognise it. I kept the font for the title white so it contrasts against the black background and there is a red outline glow to connote blood. This is similar to The Last House on the Left. My research showed me that white and red were the most common colours used for a thriller and horror title.
Screen shot two: Transitions
I used many stereotypical and counter typical effects and transitions during my trailer. I challenged the form of transitions through the use of a fade to white. This can be seen on the close up of Ryan's eyes. In film trailers, a fade to black is more commonly used. The fade of white in my trailer connotes a flashback and memory which is relatable to the film. This is not usually seen in other thriller films. However, I also used stereotypical transitions such as a fade to black. The fade to black can be seen during the black and white shot reverse shot. The fade to black is stereotypical due to adding more excitement for the audience by holding a slightly long pause for the next shot. I also added a zoom into a shot reverse shot. This is stereotypical as it draws attention to the characters and brings more tension for the audience.
Another editing technique I used was the black and white filter which connotes a memory which is viewed as stereotypical for thrillers. This filter has been used on the shot-reverse-shot conversation as well as the low angle of Glen. I thought a black and white filter would make our trailer unique due to it not being a stereotypical convention.
Screen shot three: Props
We used many props such as a knife which can be seen in the mid shot as well as pills which can also be seen in the mid shot in the bathroom setting. The use of these props are effective because of the connotation of violence and drug usage which is associated in the thriller genre. These props can be seen in many thriller films such as the 2003 film 'The Hunted'. We decided to include these props due to them being appropriate for our aimed demographic. 'SAW' is a film example where they use extreme props such as a head cage and the use of needles. However, as a small production company, we could not provide anything this extreme. Also, our film does not have the intention to 'gross out' the viewers in the same way 'SAW' does.
Screen shot four: Low Key Lighting
Another film trailer convention is low key lighting. Low key lighting can be seen in the scene which is set in the bedroom of Ryan having a breakdown. This ranges from many shots such as a long-shot, mid shot, birds eye view and a close up of the knife. This is also included with fast paced cuts which is a stereotypical convention for this part of the trailer. The low key lighting connotes emotional distress of feeling depressed, lonely and danger. These feelings are all stereotypical for a character to feel in the thriller genre. This low key lighting is effective because it leaves an enigma for the audience, stating something bad is going to happen. This convention is seen in almost every thriller trailer such as 'The Boy', '1408' and 'Sinister'.
My research has shown that dark backgrounds are used on thriller posters and magazines. I used a black background on both of the texts. However, in this case I have used a black background on the intertitles to keep the same colour scheme for my other texts. The black background contrasts with the white font with the red back shadow. This is also a stereotypical convention for film trailers. The dark background is plain because the main focus is on the written text. This can be seen in other film trailers such as 'Intruders' and 'Good People'.
Screen shot six: Characters
The characters during my trailer are mixed ages with different characteristics. Ryan for example is young which suggests this character is more likely to relate to the demographic more than the other characters. During the film itself, there are flashbacks which involve a little boy, who plays Ryan when he was younger. This character is stereotypical due to young people being lazy, but he is also going through psychological pain which can be seen as a countertype for his character. The mother in the trailer is weak, vulnerable and scared. This is stereotypical. Women tend to be the weak characters in the thriller genre. This can be seen in The Last House on the Left and 'The Boy'.
The psychiatrist can be seen as counter typical because in reality they are viewed as good people willing to help out with other peoples problems. However, the trailer does not give too much away about his character which suggests he may not be as good as he is made out to be. On the other hand, Dr.Phillips can be seen as a stereotypical character in a thriller due to other films portraying this. A film example is The Human Centipede. The doctor in this is an antagonist.
Screen shot seven: Masthead
A masthead is a stereotypical convention for a magazine. I decided to locate this at the top of the magazine due to my research showing me that is the stereotypical place. I kept it big and bold due to the fact that the audience will know the name of the magazine and know what types of magazines this brand uses. I decided to call the masthead as Topliner films. This is due to the fact topliner connotes star, power and that is a good advertising technique, to show the audience that this magazine is better than its competitors.
Screen shot eight: Reviews
Reviews are also a stereotypical convention for a poster. This makes the audience feel intrigued to want to watch the film due to reviews showing it contains a great narrative and it is the best film in that genre. These reviews are also relatable to cinema 'buffs'. Cinema buffs will watch films through the use of reviews. Reviews are stereotypically located on all three texts such as magazine, trailer and poster. However, I only included reviews on the poster and magazine. The magazine is a quote. This fits in and is stereotypical through the context involved. Magazines contain more information than a poster. The poster has two reviews with a star rating. This is stereotypical and can be seen on other thriller posters such as 'The Guest'. These reviews are seen at the top of the poster which is where I placed my reviews.
Screen shot nine: Images used
The images used are also stereotypical. This is because I have the use of an extreme close-up and two mid-shots. These mid-shots are still shots which is stereotypical for posters. The characters pose is a serious facial expression which is also stereotypical for a thriller. The two mid-shots have been enlarged and placed half way down on the page. The images are the main focus point on the poster and I have made them contrast against the black background by adding an outer glow effect using Adobe Photoshop.
Screen shot ten: Institutional Information
The institutional information can be viewed on all three of my texts. This is stereotypical to have the release date and production company on the end of the trailer due to it being vital information for the audience. The release date is also shown on the poster. This is stereotypical and can be seen on a range of film posters such as 'Dorian Gray'. The release date on my poster is located under the billing block. The date is slightly bigger than the billing block due to the date being more important. This is a stereotypical convention due to it still being easily recognisable for the audience without interfering with the main focus of the poster. My magazine is also stereotypical due to the issue number and website being used. This is a small print located under the masthead. This is stereotypical and shows the audience the magazine is reliable. This is similar to the 'Jupiter's Ascending' magazine cover.
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