Empire Magazine Review Analysis

This article is from empire magazine reviewing New Moon from the twilight series.

At the top of the article there is the 'In Cinemas' logo consisting of a black and orange colour scheme, with an orange arrow inside a black box and the word 'In' is in white. This logo is used in every addition of the magazine and is vital to this specific kind of article. The black and orange colour scheme is also followed in the rest of the review. For example, all the accents in the words or the smaller titles are either in crimson or orange.

The majority of the article is taken up by a large still from the film with a caption under it. The rest of the review is in relatively small text, apart from the title of the film which is in big black letters so that it stands out. Other parts of the text that are supposed to stand out are either in red or orange.

Besides from the actual review, the article contains other features such as the 'Look Closer' box which is in a white box next to the main photo. On top of the main photo there is a red box which contains the magazine’s website in white text. At the end of the article, there is a verdict box which sums up the reviewers feelings on the film. Under this box there is the rating in stars.

I will be using this article as a template for one of my own articles on my film.

Finished Plot Idea

After all of my research and some re-adjustments to my plot, i have finally achieved my finished concept.

Inside of the warehouse, the main character will discover that as an infant he used in a cloning experiment, and consiquently he has a clone. Seeing as his clone is angry that he is simply the subject of an experiment and sub-human, he goes insane and tries to kill people involved with the project. This is why the warehouse was abandoned in such a hurry. Upon finding his double (the main character) the clone tries to kill him so that he could live a normal life. The clone stalks our main character so that he can a chance at killing him.

This is very different from my original ideas, as i have removed the idea of having a creature as the thing that is following him. Personally, i feel that this is a big improvement, as now a have a reasonable idea for wy th warehouse was abandoned in the first place. It's also makes it a lot easier to film, as it is easier to have a clone than to create some form of monster.

My Trailer Music

To make the music for my trailer, i will be using the software, Garageband. Following on from my previous analysis of i will be following the forms and conventions of trailers within the horror genre. For example, i will be using strings with a lot of echo and reverb. This will build up an element of intensity which will help contribute to the overall horror of my trailer. I will try and create dissonance (clashing of two notes) within my trailer to get a scary effect.

Trailer Music- Horror Genre

This is the trailer from the 1960 film Psycho.

The music used during this trailer is a way to build tension by getting progessively stronger and more intense. The instruments used are mainly string instruments which are played at a high frequency to give a piercing effect which could give the impression of someone screaming. This is vital in the succession of the horror element in the trailer, as it sets the atmosphere for the imagery used. The trailer is reliant on the music to create a tense atmosphere which will draw the audience in to the horror unfolding.

I will be using similar techniques in the making of my own trailer to try and capture the same intensity which makes the Psycho trailer so scary. I will be making my own music to accompany my trailer.

Improved Plot Idea's

After some extensive research on the genre of film i will be making, I have decided to make some slight changes to the original concept of my trailer. Throughout the trailer there will be less footage of the warehouse and less time spent on titles coming up through the video. The rest of the trailer will be filmed indoors far away from the original setting to give off an impression that the protagonist is being followed and can't escape from what is chasing him. This will bring more of a helpless aspect to the trailer which will appeal to the audience a lot more as they will feel as if they are in a similar position to the primary character. By having the audience feeling closer, it will increase the horror aspect of the advert.

Location- On-site Photo's

This photo is the outside of the warehouse where part of the filming will be taking place. The reason i chose this location is because it already has a slight horror factor seeing as it abandoned and isolated.

This photo was taken from inside of the warehouse. This location will be particularly effective in my trailer because it is lit solely by natural light, meaning the inside is very dark. This will add another horror aspect as the audience will be not be able to see properly and will be scared of the unknown.

This is a photo of where in the trailer we will first see the creature. The reason i chose this particular location is because it is dark and concealing. I plan to have the creature walk out of shot so that the audience are completely unaware of what it is. Having the creature at the bottom of the staircase will also distance it from the camera, giving it chance to escape the protagonist. This will give off a sense of not being able to escape from the creature, as it will still be in the house.

Techniques of Found Footage Films- Marble Hornets

This clip has been taken from the youtube series Marble Hornets. Although it is not a feature film, it uses techniques that could be very influential in the making of my own trailer.

In this clip, the primary character leans forward to reveal the 'Slenderman' in the background of the shot. The sense of accidental coverage of the creature is where the clip draws in its horror on the unsuspecting audience. By having this scene filmed casually on a low-quality camera, the realism of accidently seeing the creature in the back of the shot gives the clip a life-like feel which affects the audience more deeply, as they feel connected to the non-heroic characters.

The title at the beginning of the clip sums up the story behind the scene to give some background on what the audience are about to see. This is typical of a Found Footage trailer, because it gives the clip the edited feel so that the audience understands the context of the trailer.

In the making of my own trailer, i will be using some of the techniques used in this clip to try and capture the same form of horror. For example, during my trailer i will try and add some accidental coverage of horror bringing character.

Found Footage (Film Genre)

Found Footage is a sub-genre of the horror genre. A typical Found Footage film will be based around recovered and edited footage which was filmed by a protaganist which is now presumed dead or missing. Most of the dialogue is said from offscreen, behind the camara and will be filmed by the actors who will recite there lines as if they aren't acting. The 'shaky camara effect' is essential to the success of maintaining the films sense of realism. This type of genre is usually filmed on a hand-held camera to achieve this effect.

A list of Found Footage films include:

• Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
• The Blair Witch Project (1999)
• September Tapes (2004)
• Paranormal Activity (2007)
• Cloverfield (2008)
• The Ritual (2009)

Taking into account the kind of camera i will be using to make my trailer and the kind of surroundings i will be having to work with, i feel that the Found Footage genre would be most suited for my project. I will be using the standard forms and conventions of the genre as a guide line to my own trailer.