Narrative graphics - example research

 I've looked at many trailers with narrative text in the trailers for inspiration and for what is conventional and successful in horror trailers. There are certain themes I found through out. They range from 2 - 5 different narrative screens in a trailer. I think they are best when there are 3 or 4 of them. They tend be just one sentence that is broken up into different screens. I think its successful and slick when the narrative screens link to and become a sentence with text that wouldn't normally been seen as narrative, like the title of the film or the release date. 'The Babadook' and ' The Conjuring 2' are examples of this. Another theme is that in between the different narrative graphic screens, there is usually one or two clips from the actual trailer. Also, they tend to have the last screen of the narrative be the most dramatic.

There are also themes within the words used. They usually just give a very vague suggestion of what the film is about, and make sure to not give too much away. They often create questions more than answer them, for example when it says, 'discover the secret of what she wants' in the trailer for the film 'Annabelle'. Another theme is that they often address the audience, this makes it feel more direct to the viewer. Examples of this are, 'You'll never guess her secret', and 'You can't get rid of The Babadook'. 

INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS ................ The Strangers

WE ALWAYS TELL OURSELVES ................ The Strangers

THERES NOTHING TO FEAR

BUT SOMETIMES WE’RE WRONG

If it’s in a word .............. The Babadook

Or it’s in a look

You can’t get rid of

The Babadook  

FROM THE TRUE EVENTS OF ED AND LORRAINE WARREN .........................Conjuring 2

THE MOST DOCUMENTED CASE IN PARANORMAL HISTORY

ON JUNE 10^{TH         ......................... The Conjuring 2}

DISCOVER THE TRUTH

BEHIND THE EVENT

THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD

IT WAS NEVER    .................. Ouija: Origin of Evil

JUST A GAME

BEFORE THE CONJURING ....................Annabelle

THERE WAS ANNABELLE

THIS OCTOBER

DISCOVER THE SECRET

OF WHAT SHE WANTS

There’s something wrong with Esther ..................... Orphan

You’ll never guess her secret

THIS JANUARY     ........................................MAMA

THEY’VE COME HOME

BUT NOT ALONE

A MOTHER’S LOVE NEVER DIES

FEAR   ................... Woman in Black

HER

CURSE

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Title examples

Here is a large selection of fonts that I like and would be successful for the title of the film. I found them on dafont.com.

My favourites are: Crack Babies, Black Widow, Old Dreams, OLD DOG NEW TRICKS, RUDE BASIC, Plague death.

I like the one which look old, dirty and scratched. However, its important that they are clean enough to look not blend into some backgrounds to much or be hard to read.

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REC - film poster analysis

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STATIC - Poster

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THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL - poster analysis

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Timing of graphic screens

As I thought I liked the amount and timings of the graphic screens the most in the trailer of 'The Conjuring 2" the most, I thought I'd focus on the timings the most....


0:00-0:02 - 1st Ident
0:02-0:03 - 2nd Ident (then fade to black)
0:35-0:38 - black with white text saying its based on a true story (fades to the next scene)
0:47-0:49 - another narrative screen again saying its based on a true story (fades to the next scene)
1:20-1:22 - saying who its directed by (cuts in and out)
1:48-1:49 - saying when its coming out (text moves slightly closer to us then fades to next scene)
1:54-1:55 - narrative text to create tension and fear
2:06-2:07 - next part of the narrative text from the previous one
2:25-2:28 - the title of the film
2:28-2:34 - frame of the films social media advertising

However, one aspect of this trailer that was missing that I like is when you think the trailers over, as the narrative of it seems to have calmed down after the montage, but then there is one more scare, and then the real end of the trailer. This is a good way of creating more fear and messing with the minds of the audience.

One example if this is, is the trailer of the film 'The Badadook'. Here are the timings for this film...

0:22-0:23 - saying who directed the film
1:03-1:05 - Sundance award boast
1:48-1:50 - Narrative text (part 1)
1:55-1:57 - Narrative text (part 2)
2:01-2:03 - Narrative text (part 3)
2:05-2:09 - Film title
2:19-2:23 - credits

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The Others - Trailer graphics

This trailer had very little title graphics. It consist of the just the ident, title of the film and the date release + boast of it being in theatres everywhere. Each title screen is united by the solid black background in each so it has a universal look which relates each component.

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The Strangers - trailer title reserach

 
Again, each title graphic screen is very similar so they all relate. They all have very dark backgrounds and, apart from the two idents, they all have a blurry and green element in them. Giving a feeling of there being something lurking in the darkness. Im the actually title screen which says 'the strangers' on it, it has the most powerful imagery as it is the one with the most distinct image in it which is a masked figure. The image is still blurry, making it slightly abstract. This makes it not too distracting from the title. It is fitting that the most powerful and scary image is paired with the title to create the biggest impact.

This trailer has many graphic screens. It includes; two idents, 'INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS' screen (this is conventional in horror films), then there are three screens which build tension and add a narrative to the trailer. It also talks about the audience through talking first person but encaging the viewer as it says 'We always'... and 'We're wrong'. This sequence builds up tension and fear before the screen with the actual title. This builds it up to give the title a more dramatic effect. After the title screen is a screen with the two lead actors names. The last screen says 'coming soon' which is a trailer convention. It also has the film's website address. It also has the two idents very small and in black and white at the bottom.

The Babadook - trailer titles

This trailer has a childish drawing style for the background in each screen (apart from the award screen). The drawings relate to the film as they are the drawing of the book that the film is about. They are both eerie and stylish. They have a vignette effect. This makes it look more eerie and also add a a stylish theatrical effect.

This trailer consists of the directors name, an Sundance award boast, then there's a three screen sequence of text which give a suggestion of what the film is about but keeping it general and vague. Then is the title of the film is the next screen. The font it much larger that the other text. This adds attention and importance to the title.The last screen consists of credits and the production companies involved.

Extras – a postmodern sitcom?

The TV show ‘Extras’ is a sitcom as it is a comedy, as it is based around the same characters, location and similar plot and ideas in each episode. It can be considered a postmodern sitcom for a few different reasons. Firstly, it is a hyperconscious test. It is a sitcom and the main character in it, writes and stars in his own sitcom. Meaning there’s a sitcom in a sitcom. The audience is made further aware of this through the writing and jokes made in the show.

It can also be considered postmodern as it is satirical as it mocks the ideas of celebrity. This fits into Guy Debord’s theories of ‘the society of the spectacle’. His ideas are about how our society is obsessed with celebrity and commodity. Also about how our obsession with theses things creates a fake reality as authentic social life has been replaced with a fake one. The main character in the show is an actor who is struggling to be respected in the acting world and wants to be an even bigger celebrity.  In one episode he meets David Bowie who makes him feel even more like an insignificant celebrity.

It is also postmodern as it is an intertextual bit of media.  It refers to other sitcoms often as the sitcom the main character writes is a very stereotypical of the genre, so it is making fun of them. It also references ‘When the Wind Blows’. In one episode they keep accidently calling the sitcom that instead of ‘When the Whistle Blows’.

 Finally it can also be considered postmodern because involves the importance of an  ‘active audience’. This means that the audience needs to understand some things of the outside world to get some of what’s going on the episodes. For example in the episode that David Bowie stars in, the audience will have to have some idea of who he is to be able to get the jokes going on.

Conjuring 2 - trailer graphics

Each graphic screen is very dark, but they all have some element of light in them. The two idents are very dark but have clouds behind them. This makes them look grand and also creates a differentiation between them and the rest of the trailer. Then all of the rest of the graphics, apart from the title at the end, are all almost completely black apart from the small element of the dusty looking light that comes from the bottom right. The text is very bright and white, contrasting with the dark background. This is aesthetically pleasing and makes it easy to read. The whiteness also makes the black looking even blacker.

The last screen is the actual film title. It gives a good effect ending on the title so it is the last thing the viewer sees so its still left in their head when the trailers over. The title is effective as it, although similar, contrasts the previous few screens. It is more grey and has the dirty look to it. There is more going on and more interesting to look at than the more plain, black screens. The contrast creates more attention and importance on the name of film. This is effective as the actual name of the film is the most important thing for the viewer to remember. The text is the same between the title and the text from other screens. This creates a universal look. However the text is much bigger with the title. This again creates a sense of importance and adds impact.

Actors - Female and Male lead

These are the two actors we are planning to use as the boyfriend and girlfriend. They are a couple in real life meaning they will probably be a more convincing couple on camera as it will be less awkward for them to act like a couple than it would be for strangers too.

We feel they are also suited actors because they both look fairly mature and would be old enough to buy a house together but still diffidently look like young adults.

The female actress is particularly well suited as she looks similar to typical final girls which our character will be.

Our male actor has a grade 8 Lamda qualification so should be able to act well for our film.

Forward Planning

• Recce
• focus group
• audience response to animatic
• actors
• content of graphics (critics award etc)
• planning of graphics - font position movement etc final cut video
• research studio 
• plan and make ident
• schedel 

Title research

I made a montage of titles in trailers of a few different horror films. I looked at fairly modern and conventional ones. There is a very clear trend in these, which is the uses of chiaroscuro. There is a lot of dark backgrounds with the title being slightly lit up (e.g, BLAIR WITCH), or reflecting light (e.g, THE EXORCIST) to make it emerge from the back.

Another theme with these titles is that they all have an imperfect look. This is done through the text or background being scratched, dirty, scratched, faded etc. This gives an old and dirty look and is conventional of horror films. It is effective as old stuff is associated as creepy. A clean look would look to innocent and and pure.

Another theme is the font used. Most of these, ( e.g. SINISTER 2 and THE BOY). They are similar to the 'Times New Roman' font, but are variations of it just similar. Its a good font as it is clear to read and also is a old traditional font so goes well with the old stlying. An old looking font, like Old English, is old and tradtional looking but is too complecated so would be difficult to read. Another theme within text is that all the text is in capital letters in every one of these examples. The words are all very large, except sometimes, smaller, less significant words such as 'The' and 'In' are ofthen in smaller font that the rest. Also, with the two films in this moodboard which are sequals, the '2' signaling its a sequal are very big and behind the text.

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Graphics research - The Borgias

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Graphics research - The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Empire

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Graphics research - 'Trapped'

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Finalising Narratives

House

Couple are having a night in away from parents so they are home alone, things start to get scary and strange as they start to realise they are not alone. They are trying to keep all the lights on, but the figure keeps turning them off.

- First act is building up their relationship and showing the story i.e shots of them cooking dinner

- Opening scenes of stability and home comfort can be cut with narrative graphics

- Shot of them entering from garden, guy locking door behind him and we see a figure in the garden as the light goes out

- long shots of happy household (soon to be broken) intercut with narrative graphics

- As soon as they leave garden they hear a noise and find the door open

-relock the door and has a look around the house

-shot of him peering into a dark room, in the darkness can vaguely see the figure

-same shot but different room, he turns the light on and the figure disappears

- couple talk to each other and vow to stick together, keep all the lights on

- cut with a narrative graphic to shots of them running/ screaming, alone

- start montage of them

-running around house finding blood smear

-open a door to see the figure standing there

-shot from the street of the house, of the power going out

act 1

    
stop motion carving into tree for ident

slow motion leaves blowing

panning across empty street to show house with a sold sign

Moving in to the house, walk past neighbours who are ‘conspiring’, don’t answer their greeting "hello neighbour!", couple look to each other and shrug fade to black (gust of wind)

shot from inside dark house of door opening, pushing old newspapers and letters out the way and letting in light fade to black

follow them as they walk in over shoulder like children of men, "its a nice place you know, cant see why it went so cheap, (Sound bridge to view of house from street) neighbours a bit weird but im sure they'll warm up to us, (shot of house including road, see figure starts to congregate staring at house).

Checks the phone line to dial tone, "Come on did you even set up the phone line!?, eurghh i'll just watch tv" (over shoulder of her watching tv) (screen on showing Static.Welcome to the street... Static Neighbour) this introduces the style of narrative graphics, static and then text.
Timelapse of the sky turning to evening/night
Voiceover "Somethings not right, I don't know whether its the house this street or or you but I don't feel good here"

See shadow playing across the curtain/blinds from outside

dark figure in the garden over the shoulder as they close the back door
watching through trees
Standing over the couple sleeping, hand held cam
Dog barking, wont follow orders "Hey whats wrong!?"

silence and fade before second act and 3^rd act Montage sequence

peaking out window – drawing curtain. Same shot later of them looking out but red blood smears and warnings and whatnot are on the glass, but not in view of character.
Character with figure behind them, they don't know just we!
tilted shot - Spooky staircase
messing with the lights and radios, tv even in the house
Lots of narrative graphics but into montage
***** "I love it!"
****** "No more sweet for dreams for  me"
"Scarred for life"
"Brave enough to watch this masterpiece"

someone in the street/ then no one in the street - car drives past they disappear

peaking around the corridor and seeing nothing
Tv going crazy, mad sounds and vision
Girl carrying thing and gets scared so drops it, loud crash!
Steps in glass later?
grabbing knife to defend, walking scared
running and falling
trying to climb spikey fence, leaves it bloody inc hands
shaking the bars SCREAMING

Running through the forest
Axe through door (above head)
finding blood, clench wound, look at hands, shaking

dragging body along the floor

same shot of the front door but slamming open

shot from the street of the house, of the power going out

Location - outside

Location

Our horror film is majoritavly set inside the house however there are some outside locations we can use:

Top left and bottom Right:

This is the proposed house to be used in our film, as you can see it is a large and very aesthetically pleasing house, it also has a semi gothic feel which is good for horror. The front of the house has large windows enabling us to shoot curtain scenes easily and also play with the indoor lighting. The street that it is on is a quiet and wide road, this means that we can shoot the house from across the street but still have the house in frame, it is also good for the street scenes and the other houses having front gardens enables us to place the neighbours.

Top right and bottom left:

This area is an abandoned industrial scaffolding site that was used for storage, we can use this wide open space for shooting some of the montage scenes, it has an industrial feel and looks run down and unsafe, the bars and gates are especially ominous

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