Red Riding Hood Trailer

My group members and I chose the fairy-tale little red riding hood this was because we could be able to develop it in our own ways. All throughout the production of red riding hood, codes and conventions had to be followed in many ways as it helps to identify the trailer as a trailer rather than a “media project” for instance the use of codes and conventions such as inter titles, tag lines, tension building techniques and the codes and conventions of our chosen genre. I have to say however, that for the reason of product identification much conventions were abided by. However, as mentioned earlier we, in some ways tried to develop some of these conventions; this is exercised through the narration and structure of our trailer.

Before my group members and I concluded on the structure of our trailer, we all agreed to study some thriller trailers, which would give us an insight on the professional techniques used to engage with the audience as well as how the genre is viewed to the audience.I particularly studied thriller trailers such as:

Don’t be afraid of the darkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMm8WpTTzHY

Insidious http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1YbOMDI59k

The roommatehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mUDIohiK2I

Some similarities in codes and conventions followed by the trailers above:• Dark lightning • Escalating tension and music tempo• The use of inter trailers and tag lines• Use of sound effects to increase tension• The use of scary voices used as voice overs creating “scare” appropriate for the

genre• The use of slow and creepy music to heighten anticipation • The use of slow motion to again, heighten anitcipation

Chosen codes and conventions: Dark lightning:

Due to the fact that we were unable to film I n the dark as the camera was unable to pick anything up due to the lightning. We a;; as a group decided to add some special effects during editing. While editing I came across cross hatch. This special effects allowed me to protray the genre of the trailer to the audience, just like the trailers shown in the previous side did. The use of this code and convention immediately allowed the trailer to be much more professional as allowing to some extent some proffered reading and this is a reason why we chose to follow this convention.

Intensify: 0.23Sepia amount: 0.32

Effect of adding cross hatch

As seen above, cross hatch allowed me to produce a certain kind of “scare” or thrill produced in professional thriller trailer. By using this effects, I abided to the codes and conventions of thrillers concerning lighting . However, I had to be very clear cut as this could move from being a thriller to being a horror. So for this reason I had to be very careful with the amount of cross hatch I added to my rushes.

Don’t be afraid of the dark

Red ridding hood

However, I found that thrillers such as the roommate starts off with high key lightening and ends with low key lightning as it helps to show the disrupt in the equilibrium. (this in some ways follows Todorov ‘s theory despite the fact that it a trailer ) I also found that thrillers whereby there has been a disrupt to the equilibrium tend to start off in such ways. However, this is where through the editing of lighting I show some sort of disconnect with the usage of thriller codes and conventions. I wanted to maintain a certain feel or atmosphere all throughout the sequence of the trailer. This was because it would help to create some sort of preferred reading by the audience as they begin to think that there has always been a disrupt in the equilibrium in red riding hood fairy-tale. This allows us (the production team) to almost have power over the original fairy-tale.

Maintaining the same amount of lightning all throughout the trailer.

Escalating tensionThrough research I found that trailers either ascending or descending. That is, start off slowly end fast, or start fast end slowly. We found that most thrillers started off ascending. For this reason we chose to start of ascending as it would help to build up the tension rather than just “giving” the tempo immediately as this would subsequently result to the audience watching the full movie as it may have left a “mark” on them.

The use of “retime” allowed me to escalate tension as well as anticipation just as professional thriller trailers do. However, I had to use this appropriately for this is have or make an impact on the target audience.

This was accompanied with the use of straight cuts which allowed to fast pace of the trailer (at certain points) to flow

Escalating tension through editing: the roommate

Escalating tension through editing: red riding hood

As viewed on the right hand side, the shots start off much longer than it ends showing the use of straight cut and shorter clips (just as the roommate does ) I have chosen to follow this convention (of trailers in general) as it is an advertising technique used to almost leer audiences in due to the “desirable” tension which they may receive

Narrative Red riding hood trailer does not follow theories such as Todorov’s. this may be due to the fact that this is in fact a trailer and the some parts of the film are kept secret from the audience. However, I would say that due to the structure of the trailer it does follow some stages of Todorov’s theory; stages after the equilibrium. This trailer starts off at the disrupt of the equilibrium. Immediately captivating the audience. The trailer was structure as so because this is a very familiar fairy-tale and we assume our target audience (15- 25 year old) would still be familiar with the original storyline.

As mentioned earlier in this presentation, this media product in some ways develop some conventions such as narration. I say this because the fairy-tale itself is developed. For instance, changing the wolf to a witch. Although this may not seem as a big development. We almost threatened the structure of a “fairy-tale” which is stereotypically much more subtle when using characters much as this. however because this product is targeted at older individuals we created more tension and spook to this character.

Having said this, although we abided by the codes and conventions of thriller trailers (in some ways) we did not completely abide by the codes and conventions of fairy tales.

A much more darker and intensified representation of the antagonist compared to the original representation of antagonists in fairy tales

Fonts Through thorough research I found that CREEPY FONTS or STANDARD FONTS

were used when used to advertise thrillers or even horrors. This helps with genre identification for the audience subsequently leading (to some extent) to fear and anticipation.

For this reason CHILLER was used during taglines and inter titles.

For instance insidious is a great example for this point as it uses these two types of fonts which I have mentioned. However, unlike insidious which used both types of fonts to help the audience distinguish between the tag lines and the inter titles, I decided to only use one type of fonts rather than both. This is because again, I wanted the trailer to be systematic in this way. I did not want to use more than one font. As it could at times create a sense of disorganisations

Creepy font STANDARD FONT

Fonts available to me, however, I decided to only choose

chiller

By also using the colour red I a gain excising some usage of the codes and conventions of my chosen genre. This use of such a dark and connotative colour as well as the font used simultaneously combined helps to create a mood and tension which is found in the rest of the trailer

Ancillary tasks magazine front cover.

While planning my magazine front cover I was very adamant as to not overload my front cover with challenging codes and conventions as this would subsequently make my magazine front cover to not look like a front cover. For this reason, I decided to ensure that the basic codes and conventions such as the barcode, mast head, cover lines and issue numbers are all intact, then, if

there is room for challenging the codes and conventions then they would be included.

Model which I used in constructing my magazine front cover.

Barcode

Mast head Selling line

Coverlines

This magazine fails to abide by the conventional structure of magazine cover lines

(Conventional)

Barcode

Cover lines: Unlike my style model (on the previous page) I wanted to stick to the conventional cover line structure of most magazine, I decided not to challenge this conventional because it would in some ways make my magazine look less like a magazine and more like a poster.

Issue number

Challenging conventions

Throughout the production of my magazine front cover I wanted a mast head which can stand out; one with deeper meaning than just “a word” for this reason I decided to make my magazine name “STRIP EDIT ”

I challenged the norms and conventions of magazine front covers by using the rotate tool and rotating “EDIT” 90oC clockwise . Rather than having STRIP EDIT as one word it is made to appear as two words conveying a sense of moving images as well as cinema. Below are a series of film magzines, this helps to show the convention of the structure of a mast head. however, I have challenged this convention

STRIP

ED

IT

In both my ancillary tasks I ensured that the company name is constantly viewed to the audience for future inventors and partnerships. For instance. On my magazine cover I ensure the company name (KEM Production)is viewed to the audience. This helps to advertise the company name as well as their marvellous work (Red Riding Hood)

I classify this as unconventional because although out my AS and A2 magazine constructions I have not come across despite my researches into magazine front coves. as not many magazines do this.

ABIDING BY CODES AND CONVETIONS

Rather than just using a selling line like most magazines do, I decided follow the format or structure of my style model. However, I had to merge this with my product appropriately. For instance, the use of black and white in Empire is due to the main colours of the main cover line. For this reason which made the page look much more presentable and organised.

For the reason mentioned above my media product follows the same format:

EMPIRE :

Just as Empire highlights exactly what the particular issue is; my magazine however is a new an upcoming magazine, so for this reason I decided to highlight exactly what my magazine “FILM MAGAZINE” This allows the magazine to continuously make its stand on the magazine market. However, having said this, this is not unconventional as most upcoming magazines tend to do this because it is one of the ways to ensure the magazine industry knows what you are. For instance Empire Is able to state “the crime issue” as it is already a well known film magazine which covers all areas of film; crime, thriller etc. STRIP EDIT however, is a new magazine which is not exactly popular, so having a selling line such as the one used by Empire would only make my magazine look or appears as a Crime magazine rather than a film magazine which covers all areas of film.

On the left, is an already known magazine which yet publicises itself to its target audience “the worlds first global movie magazine” informs audience who may not already be aware of it that it is a global film magazine.

I also notice that my style model included two images of two characters of the film American Gangster. These two characters are very strong character, the use of these strong characters helps to convey a message of the film itself to the audience. For this reason I decided to choose one strong character (the huntsman) and one “Venerable” character (Little red riding hood ) rather than two strong characters such as the huntsman and the witch. I did not want to follow this aspect of my style model because I wanted to follow the codes and conventions of a fairy-tale whereby the male saves the female. However, this is not the storyline we intended. I did (just like Empire) to create a preferred reading. However, my real product (the trailer ) does not in fact follow this convention.

Vunerablecharacter

Strong charcter

Both strong characters

Website

Through research I found that the most important characters in the film are advertised on the homepage of the website. Well, in my case (red riding hood)the main characters are red riding hood, the huntsman and the wolf(in this case; the witch) However, I did not want to include the witch on the front cover. I only wanted the huntsman and red riding hood on the homepage; this helped to create some sort of preferred reading and even optional reading as the audience begin to think the “battle” is between the huntsman and red riding hood. I also wanted to create a sense of the “protagonist always prevails” this would help to relate to the fact that this is still a fairy-tale; where good is always better than evil. However, I found that most fairytale remakes always include the antagonist on the front cover, to create an even view of the characters.

All major characters of the fairytaleare included. However this gives a lot of the storyline away. So for this reason the use of colours and costume is used to confuse the audience. For instance red and black connot evil however, that wuld mean that red riding hood and the character in red are the antagonists which creates a sense of confusion subsequently, the sudience would want to watch the full film to find out the real storyline rather than using their optional reading method from the website

Just like red riding hood on the previous page, I have also decided to use colours and costume to create a sense of confusion. The use of dark colours (red and dark blue) allows the audience to think that in fact these character may be the antagonist (in some ways) this companied with the fact that the witch has not been included on the page heightens this confusion as it then looks as though the battle is between the huntsman and red riding hood.

Use of dark coloured costumes to create a preferred reading method as well as an optional reading method. This also relates to the fact that this is in fact a thriller.

When creating my index page for my trailer, I had to be very carful with the amount of challenges of codes and coventions I wanted to include on the page. This is because the page may begin to devaiate from its purpose. For instance Enter Page sites always have an Enter Page link which ensure that the audience want to know about the film/trailer. So for this reason it needed some common adverts and promotions such as credit quotes, star ratings and futher promotions such as the use of socal networking sites as these act as reviews on good the film is.

Main image-main character

Enter site link

Awards and nominations

Social networking site links

Credit quotes

Main image-main character

Social networking sites

Enter Site Link

I decided to follow this model when constructing my website index page. And I believer that the page looks like so because of my compliance to codes and conventions. However, I still wanted to challenge a convention that that is the use of credits on the enter site page. I did to for further advertisement for the production team. This (in some ways) made my enter site look much more professional. This also paves way for audience choice. I say this because it allows the audience to know the production crew without having to go into the homepage.

Credit quotes from an already known film magazine: Empire and a new film maagzine; STRIP EDIT. And Star ratings

Credits: unconventional

During my research on website structures and conventions, I found that “policies” “term use” and “legal” links were provided at the bottom of the page. I decided to again, follow this convention as it is a systematic convention followed by most film websites. I also found that these links are provided throughout the website; that is, on the enter site page, the homepage, video page, gallery etc. however, this is where I challenge this convention. I decided to avoid placing these links on my home page. This was for two reasons • I had no space for it • My homepage included much social networking sites which would show these exact links and

information. For this reason I decided to divided to challenge this convention. Below are some real film websites which follow this same convention.

Snow white and the huntsman: Red riding hood:

Salt: SkyFall:

My trailer; Red Riding Hood.

Use of standard website dimensions

When creating my website pages I also had to ensure that the page dimension were of standard usage. For this reason I did some research on standard website dimensions and found that most standard websites were 800x600. This was the measurements for my website page.I followed this convention to again ensure my product is identified as I intended rather than another media product all together . For instance using the dimensions of a poster for my website, would only make my product to be identified as another product; a poster. So by sticking to the conventions I am directly avoiding this problem