FINAL TRAILER

Website Deconstructions

Poster Deconstructions

Storyboarding - Our Reviewed Version

Props and Costumes

We kept our props simple but significant to our genre. We used a knife in one scene, which is highly symbolic of horror films thanks to 'Psycho' and slashers like 'Scream'. Knives signify death, murder and danger within horror, therefore perfect for the intensity we wanted. The use of the knife in our trailer indicates that our antagonist has pushed our characters to the edge, forcing them to want to protect themselves from this supernatural being.

We also used a Ouija board, another highly symbolic prop within the horror genre. It signifies the danger of messing with the unknown and supernatural, often ending in death as seen in 'Paranormal Activity'. We used the Ouija board as a way to give reason for our characters going to the woods, and thus emphasises the stereotype of teenagers in horrors often causing chaos when they decide to mess with the unknown.

The costuming for our characters were dark clothes, coats and boots. They helped to identify our characters as being sturdy and resourceful, but also put emphasis on the horror trope of teenagers willingly chasing after danger. We chose for our female character to not wear anything that would sway her towards being sexualised or
considered to be virginal, as we felt that this was not in essence of what our trailer was about. As Shira Chess says, "It is important to note that few of the retellings identify exactly what kind of monster the Slender Man might be, and what his specific intentions are - these points all remain mysteriously and usefully vague." Therefore, it creates more fear with the lack of knowledge of what our antagonist preys on, and so by using simple, plain clothing we emphasise that you could be anyone or no-one and he may still attack.

Editing Process

Filming For Our Trailer

Filming for our trailer proved an interesting task. We had to circulate through multiple different actors in order to be able to film whenever necessary and get the right look for what we wanted. Our filming occurred mainly in the evening to get the dusky effects and the darkness of night, which is similar to the game, but of course it is much harder to film in the dark. Therefore we bought some outside LED lights in cool white to help light up what we needed to and keep the cold, isolated feel. Filming in winter was also a big bonus for us, as the decay and blandness of everything added to the feeling of isolation and fear. However, we also had to bear in mind that in winter there is a lot of wind, and so we used a RHODE video microphone to help combat some of the feedback from this. We experimented with a variety of different angles and shot types, adjusting the ISO to create certain colours and effects with the lighting. We also learnt new skills while filming, such as using a tripod when filming a running shot to help counter some of the shakiness of the camera and get the desired height. We also learnt the different effects created with manual and automatic focus, and used manual focus predominantly to get the crispness we desired.

Feedback From Trailer 1.0

We got quite a lot of feedback from our audience in relation to our first trailer. The game footage clearly confused some people, one person stating it to be "Call of Duty" rather than from the Slenderman game. Therefore, we decided to cut the majority of the game footage and just leave a snippet of it in at the start and end. The sound was also rather mismatched, and many people commented that it was "confusing" or "not relevant", so we went back and decided to follow along the path of "Sinister" more and have sound effects rather than music. What stood out most for us was the apparent lack of tension and fear built up, feedback telling us "it wasn't that scary - more jumps!" or that the speed was "too slow". We decided to add more semantic signifiers of the horror genre, like the Ouija board and the knife, as well as cutting out shots and shortening them to increase pace and tension.

Health and Saftey

The genre of horror usually means that there is lots of running and stunts. To build tension and pace in our trailer, we had to involve numerous running shots. In winter weather, when the ground is wet and muddy, running provides a health hazard. Therefore our actors were equipped with boots and were prepared for any falls they may experience. It also helped that our main actors were all over the age of 18, thus meaning we did not hold responsibility over their welfare. Another health risk we dealt with was the hanging body. We had Charlie climb into a tree and sit on a branch so we could film his legs, meaning that there was the risk the branch beneath him could snap. We made sure that the branch we selected was sturdy and that Charlie was still able to jump down safely if the branch were to break while still creating the illusion of a dead body.

One health risk that sat high in register was when our actors handled a large knife. We made sure to stay alert during these scenes and ensured the knife was in a safe place between shots, and also made sure that handling the knife was done safely.

We also filmed young children for our trailer. We had the parent sign a model consent slip for us and stayed with us during the filming of the children to help explain what we needed them to do and to make sure that they were safe from harm.

Our Casting Choices

Our original casting choices consisted of two girls and two boys in order to make it equal. However, we noticed that most horror films have a primary lead actor, the "final girl" who is the one to resolve the conflict. They are often pretty, and a common trend coming through is for them to be self-assured and strong. Therefore we began to change our cast and ended up with two boys and a female protagonist. We felt that we wanted to diverge from the typical stereotype of the girl being presented in the imagery of either pure or unpure, dressing our female actor in dark colours, a thick coat and boots to indicate her strength and resourcefulness. We also had our male actors dress in dark colours and boots with sturdy jackets to further this idea. The clothing choices also help to show that our teenage characters were looking for this, as they are dressed for the muddy wilderness, and thus conforms with the typical stereotype of teenagers in horror films meddling with the unknown.

Our Social Media Platforms

For our social media platforms, we chose to use Twitter and Facebook as our outlets. Both are quite popular, and our research shows that social media now plays a large part in how companies advertise. Facebook and Twitter allow for content to be shared quickly and easily, and the comments help to give us feedback on what our target audience like.

Team Communication

To help aid our teamwork, we found our communication base in the form of Facebook Messenger. We were able to talk quickly, and upload photos and video clips for each other to view and share with ease. We were also able to get to know each other better and become more relaxed around one another, helpful in easing tensions that could form.

Age Certification

We decided to choose for our film rating to be 15. This is because the content will most likely be of a violent and dangerous nature which could upset younger viewers, and we have taken into consideration that due to our target audience and our actors' age, swearing would be present in the film. However, when it came to the trailer we had to remember that it would still be shown in a cinema or on TV where younger viewers would be present. Therefore, we made sure the trailer contained no swearing and kept the violence down, the only sign of disturbing imagery is the brief sight of a presumed dead body hanging from the tree. It proved to be an interesting experience to create all the tension and hype without going overboard on anything that could be graphic or upsetting in its nature.

Title Inspiration

The title for our trailer, 'Always Watches No Eyes' originates from one of the pages from the game of Slenderman. Although it seems a long title, we wanted to avoid something as simple and boring as a one word title and there are plenty of other films in the horror genre with long titles, such as "The House At The End Of The Street" and "A Nightmare On Elm Street". We felt that this title really highlighted our antagonist, a being that seems to always know where you are, but has no eyes to see you with.

Shot List

Creating the Website

We created our website through the free, online website building software Wix. It was easy to use and accessible to all of us, meaning it was perfect for our purpose. We created a gif sequence from our trailer title to loop at the top of the website with the tagline "HE IS COMING" to create a sense of mystery and fear. We also created a short blurb to entice the audience in that would link to our genre of horror and the game concept behind our trailer. Inspired by other websites we viewed, we included quotes about our actors to make it seem more professional and interesting. We decided to diverge from our use of the scratchy Slenderman font in order to be more clear in the presentation of information, settling on the use of Open Sans Condensed to give a crisp and clean feel. 

Brand Cohesion

Our Poster

In our poster, we used the colour scheme of our trailer; black, white and red with a blue tinge to the background to make it colder. By using the imagery of Slenderman's iconic blank face and red tie in the silhouette of the tree helps to identify to our audience what the film will be about, especially when paired with the scratchy font. We used different brushes in Adobe Photoshop to create a grungy, worn effect to create the idea of something that has been going on for a long time, and has been worn and dirtied with age. We felt that we wanted the text of the "COMING SOON" to also imitate this to create the illusion of something more ominous.

Exploring Poster Designs

For our ancillary text of the poster, we wanted something that would really drive home the genre and subject of our trailer. Therefore, we looked through the posters for some of the well known films in the horror genre.

We looked between two types of poster, cinematic and minimalistic.

                                     

 We looked at the cinematic posters for horror trailers and found that they were often simplistic. They had the typical horror colour schemes of black, white and red, and used imagery of the antagonist to create mystery and tension. We also noticed that the simplicity worked well in focusing the eye on the subject of the poster, thus creating an effectively chilling piece.














However, we felt ourselves drawn to even more simplistic and minimalist design, as seen with the poster of 'The Babadook'. It creates mystery, making a possible viewer more interested in watching the film. We decided to follow this idea with our concept, keeping it simple and using the significant imagery of Slenderman to identify our film topic.

Storyboarding - Our Original Idea

Storyboarding is one of the essential parts in developing and creating a film. To us, this was incredibly important as one of the conventions of horror films is to be fast paced and intense. We also want our piece to be aesthetically interesting, with one of our unique selling points being unusual shot angles. The structure of this is something we hope to follow closely but we are prepared to be lenient and make changes that may occur due to limitations, new ideas or changes that are unavoidable. 

Experimenting with Sound

For the music of our trailer, we chose to create a soundtrack rather than try to find something copyright free. We looked at different pieces of film music from horrors:

What makes this soundtrack ideal for a horror film is that it plays on the link between music boxes and children. With the discordant music, it makes for a chilling piece. As the bass line comes in, the music picks up pace and creates the sense of a chase. The rising intonation in areas builds further tension and prepares the audience for something to happen.

As one of the most memorable pieces of film music, Jaws certainly builds tension. The use of low strings that pick up speed and the addition multiple layers creates a sense of something large and ominous approaching closer and closer to cause danger.

Another legendary piece of music, what makes the theme from Psycho so effective is the use of jarring, high-pitched strings. It is simple but creates an unnerving atmosphere and a fast, dramatic pace.

The theme from Halloween uses a simple, repetitive piano tune throughout with heavy bass and what sounds like a shaker to create a fast speed and dissonant melodies. If anything, the shaker sounds almost like a clock ticking, and some may feel therefore that it imitates a concept of time running out.






However, what was also noticeable was the lack of music in trailers.Instead, they employ the use of diegetic sound, single bass chords and sound effects to build the tension and set the pace. They are often timed to enter with cuts between scenes or moments where something dramatic occurs. Good examples of these effects can be seen in the trailers for The Forest, The Pyramid, and Paranormal Activity The Ghost Dimension:

Our Trailer - First Version

Our Company Logo

 
    For our company logo, we wanted something that would reflect our genre and company. We chose 'Trespass' to create a sense of venturing into the unknown and dangerous, thus reflecting our genre of horror. We felt that our logo should reflect this idea of trespassing, and so we experimented with the linked image of barbed wire. Again, imagery-wise, it brings up images of danger and violence. We eventually settled on the company name being wrapped up in barbed wire. We chose a monochromatic colour scheme of black and grey to imitate metal, and by keeping it neutral it keeps it harsh and chilling.

Promoting Through Social Media

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Our Equipment

The camera we used for filming was a Panasonic Lumix GH2 with a 14-140mm lens. The camera is designed for filming long sessions in high quality, and the lens has a silent focus. However, while filming we discovered that automatic focus caused the camera to blur mid shot, and so we used the manual focus instead. This meant that every time we were about to film, we had to refocus.

We were left with crisp clips with high quality sound and could edit easily.

We used a Koenig KN-Tripod19 to steady the camera. It was lightweight, perfect for carrying through the forest, and had a spirit level so we could make sure that the shots were level and the camera was straight. It had a panning handle, making it easy to move the camera. We also used the tripod to help counterbalance some of the shaking that would have occurred during the filming of the running shots.









For the lighting, we used simple LED lights with a cool white colour as it helped to set the mood. Each light had 5 hours of battery and were rechargeable, as well as being designed to combat all weather. This made them perfect for filming and meant that any weather we faced would not have any effect.





As the lights were so strong, we used pieces of chiffon in various colours that would work with our genre. We felt that shades of blue with the coolness of the lights would create a chilling atmosphere and emphasise what the weather may be like. It also helped add mood lighting into scenes, such as in the party.





We used a RØDE VideoMic Directional On-Camera Microphone to improve sound quality when shooting. It also helped cut down wind noise, meaning that once again weather was not a problem.