Produce a trailer for a new film of between one and two minutes duration
A2 Media Studies coursework - Critical Evaluation
Brief:
The task set is to produce a trailer for a new film of between one and two minutes duration. The trailer should clearly conform to or subvert established forms and conventions to make meaning. The product should target a specific audience and should clearly demonstrate the practical use of technical skills and careful planning and show how these contributed to the final production. The accompanying log should also document and give evidence regarding each individual's contribution to the final product. The planning should clearly detail all stages of production such as organisation of time and equipment. It should also show how these measures enabled the production to progress. The final product should be a competent piece of work showing all stages of production and the technical skills and techniques involved in its production.
Introduction:
Last year's AS production brief was considerably different to that of this year's A2. The obvious reason for this is that the AS production was print-based, whereas this years is Audio-Visual. Whilst both adhere to certain forms and conventions within the media, these forms and conventions are completely different in either production, and so they are not directly comparable in any way. It is also apparent that the A2 level production encourages critical analysis of the coursework, as both a standalone production and in the context of other media productions, and so offers a greater degree of flexibility in terms of evaluating ones own work. I am pleased that I was able to work in a time based medium such as film for the A2 production, as I find that these kind of productions do indeed stand up to a more diverse range of critical analysis, through theoretical frameworks such as genre, representation, ideology, institutions etc. Finally, it is most helpful that we have been able to use a more flexible medium of production this year. Through the use of film we have a greater opportunity to apply these theoretical frameworks to our own productions, by way of both the methods of production and the subsequent critical analysis. This presents a much more concise way of understanding and interpreting a production, and is much improved on last years specified AS brief of rigid adherence to codes and conventions. With this new brief as a guideline, I can aim to achieve a much more significant piece of work than last years AS brief allowed.
This log consists of three parts (not including this introduction), all of which examine the ways in which the production has progressed, and how it stands up to critical analysis as a finished production. Part One details the planning and research involved, as well as recounting the pre-production procedures that the group undertook to organise the production efficiently. Part Two analyses the trailer as a standalone product, in terms of the technical decisions that were made during and post-production, and how these decisions affected the overall effectiveness of the trailer. This part addresses the theoretical frameworks that can be applied to a contemporary production such as ours, drawing from the film and genre theory present within the A2 course. Part Three is the final part of the evaluation, and critically analyses the production within the context of similar products originating from the institution that we aimed to emulate. This final part makes use of both my own analysis and audience reaction derived from a post-screening questionnaire, so as to try and measure the productions' success as genuine institutionally produced trailer. This final section also includes a conclusion, essentially my final evaluation of our production in the light of the collective results gained from both audience reception and critical analysis. Lastly there is an Appendix of the Critical Evaluation that contains all of the relevant evidence of planning. This consists of all of the basic pre-production materials, such as the storyboard and design plans, created during the group planning sessions early in the academic term. The appendix also contains the collective results of our screening questionnaires, as well as samples of the two questionnaires themselves.
Part One - Planning and Research:
Upon receiving the assignment, the members of the class split into mutually agreed groups. I was the fourth member of a group also consisting of class members Danny Wickenden, Chris Butler and Craig Wigan. We quickly began to plan our production by deciding which of the suggested briefs we would choose, the subject matter, and equipment limitations and how to work around them and the amount of time that was available for the production. Initially we had a number of ideas regarding the content of our production, while the format itself was originally a short film in its entirety. With this decided we could begin to organise our time efficiently and divide the remaining weeks into planning, filming and editing/post-production stages. It was while we were at this early planning stage that, even though we had a number of ideas for filming, none of them were particularly suitable for the five-minute short film format on which we had initially decided. In response to this we re-evaluated the time that it would take to adapt our idea, so that it would be viable for the five-minute format, and decided that it was not practical with respect to the planning time we had left. We then decided to take one of the unused ideas for our short film, and instead adapt it to trailer format for a new film. This trailer format turned out to be far more practical than our initial idea, and so we finalised our treatment and began to plan the other factors of production.
We also needed to decide the target audience for the production as well as the genre/conventions to which we would conform. The target audience is particularly specific for this type of genre (the horror/thriller), due to the fast paced editing/storyline, the high action content and the male driven narrative. We decided to aim the production at 18-25 year old males, as we felt that this would be the most receptive market to this production. The forms and conventions were effectively decided for us, due to the tightly structured plot that we decided on and the crossover between two ...
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We also needed to decide the target audience for the production as well as the genre/conventions to which we would conform. The target audience is particularly specific for this type of genre (the horror/thriller), due to the fast paced editing/storyline, the high action content and the male driven narrative. We decided to aim the production at 18-25 year old males, as we felt that this would be the most receptive market to this production. The forms and conventions were effectively decided for us, due to the tightly structured plot that we decided on and the crossover between two suspenseful and fast paced genres, the thriller and the horror film.
Having decided the format and plot treatment for our production, we still needed to organise our time, budget, equipment, locations, actors and props. The time element was fairly straightforward, we organised our remaining production time of six weeks as follows: -
Week 1 - Research, Location scouting, Casting, Storyboarding, Script
Week 2 - Extended research, Storyboarding, Script
Week 3 - Principal photography (establishing shots), Main filming
Week 4 - Extended filming, Logging, Initial editing
Week 5 - Editing, Post-production work (dialogue recording etc)
Week 6 - Final editing, Credit design, Dub to VHS
Our budget and equipment were available through the college, and with no actors fees, negligible transport costs and all of the editing/post-production facilities available on site the budget was certainly manageable. The equipment available to us was adequate, with easily accessible Mini-DV cameras and the editing suites bookable in advance. All that was needed was to decide on locations, actors and props. We storyboarded a total of five different locations, four of which were on campus, within the first week of planning. We decided on actors at the same time and props were available in situe due to the careful planning of location.
Finally all that remained was to produce our final storyboard and script, and compile our research into the critical evaluation, before we could begin principal photography.
Research:
To begin our research we had to decide how best to appeal to our specific target audience of 18-25 year old males. We decided that the best way to do this would be to hold a screening of 4 trailers of similar films that conformed to the same conventions and genre as our production. The films that we chose were Seven, Sleepers, 8mm and The Hole. All of these films were perfect examples of the genre to which we were trying to conform. They all share similar elements between them, such as; violent and disturbing deaths, fast paced narrative, dark, claustrophobic atmospheres and representations of disturbed and psychologically damaged individuals. We screened these trailers to a similar cross-section of our target audience and received feedback on the trailers through questionnaires we had devised to highlight the appealing factors of the genre. Our research showed that most of the people involved did watch films of this particular genre frequently, and that it was always obvious exactly which type of genre that the trailers were advertising. The results also highlighted the effectiveness of the music used in the trailers and in fact that all four of the trailers were very tightly constructed and followed a strict set of conventions. This shows that this particular genre is very sophisticated in its style, pace and the way in which it satisfies audience expectations.
Of all the trailers shown, Seven was the most popular, and this is not surprising as Seven was the benchmark for our selection of trailers. This is because Seven is one of the most sophisticated and stylised examples of the horror/thriller genre yet released. The way in which the film plays on audience expectation, while still conforming to all of the strictly regimented forms and conventions available for this genre is masterful. The film refines and tightens the genres forms and conventions flawlessly, so as to provide a benchmark by which to guide and shape other productions of a similar nature. The trailer is equally impressive, with smooth, fast paced editing that perfectly conveys the particularly dark and gritty nature of the film. It provides just enough character information to interest the viewer (two different cops - one rookie, one veteran) without demystifying them, and shows the race against time to stop the murders. As the pace of the music builds up to a climax, it pauses just before the very last beat to deliver two imposing lines;
"Have you ever seen anything like this?"
"No."
This is the very definition of swift editing.
The other three films and their respective trailers are all very similar thematically and all follow closely the conventions laid down in the Seven trailer. Because these films had sharp, subtly different trailers, all of which closely followed their own interpretations of the forms and conventions of the genre, we decided that these four were the best mix for a research screening. The questionnaire feedback was particularly helpful and did help us to identify the different forms and conventions of the genre. It also gave us a good idea of exactly what was required to make a good trailer within the genre we had chosen.
Part Two - Production Analysis:
Upon completion of shooting the footage, we booked a digital editing suite and captured it immediately. We then proceeded to edit our footage using the digital equipment available to us, namely Adobe Premiere 5.1, to construct the trailer in line with the codes and conventions of the horror/thriller genre as already laid out. From careful analysis of our subject trailers, and from questionnaire feedback, we established that the most influential element governing the impact of the trailer was in fact the editing process itself. The reason for this is that the editing process gives the producer the freedom to introduce characters (shot with voiceover), regulate the pace (faster and faster cuts) and manipulate the entire impact of the one piece of work in post-production. To take advantage of this we dedicated more than half of our production schedule to this intricate process, more than double the time allotted for shooting.
We carefully studied the way in which the characters are introduced, the pace is controlled, the music/sound effects are constructed and, most importantly, how the climax at the end is achieved. On this information we began to edit our footage with many jumps between shots and quick, loud sound effects to emphasise the action. Seven was again the benchmark for the production process, with 8mm playing a less significant role in production.
The best way to begin an analysis of one's own production is to examine it objectively and compare it to other similar productions of a professional nature. In this case the best examples are indeed those that were originally chosen for our test screening; Seven, The Hole, Sleepers and 8mm. The production can then be analysed from a number of different theoretical perspectives, namely; which genre it can be classified as, its target audience, the representation of the film's characters, the way in which the production satisfies the expectations of a sophisticated and genre-cognitive audience, the ideology that the film conforms to and the institutions involved in the production of the film. If I again take Seven, the benchmark film for our trailer (and indeed the genre), and compare it to Snuff, I can determine whether or not our production has portrayed the above factors in a similar way, and so gauge its success. I will also draw upon information derived from questionnaires completed by media students after a screening of the final production. This will help me determine exactly how successful the trailer has been, in terms of both popular reception and critical analysis, and so will help me understand the way in which a genre film can appeal to its audience in a number of ways, within the context of similar media productions in contemporary society.
Seven is instantly recognisable as a film that contains a number of elements from three major genres - the Horror, Crime, and Thriller categories. It is effectively, then, a genre crossover, incorporating various elements of darker cinema to portray a violent and unsettling image of a corrupt society, in which that very societies' lethargy and apathy inhibits any progress towards a better way of life. It is important to realise that the choice of genre in fact decided many of our options for us. For example, by choosing the Horror-Crime-Thriller category, we had already determined our target audience, character representation, content etc. This is a good indication of just how important a production factor that genre, and the forms and conventions that have developed within it, is. The target audience, then, is already determined by the genre of the film, and can be classified as the 18-25 year old male. The characters within the film (as a direct result of the conventions of the genre and their appeal to the target audience) are also male. They are hard-bitten, intelligent and powerful figures - a character only applicable to a male protagonist within mainstream Hollywood cinema. Any audience for Seven will know what type of film to expect before it actually starts. This is because it is unrealistic to assume that the audience would part with money to see the film unless they had a reasonable idea of what they were going to see. This knowledge is usually obtained from a previous viewing of the trailer or word of mouth (again suggesting a sophisticated knowledge of genre). Hence the audience for a film will know what genre the film can be categorised as and will ultimately know what to expect. It is this fulfilment of audience expectation (or lack of) that dictates the audience's enjoyment of the film. Genre can be seen as a simplified categorisation of the world in which we live, essentially to make a narrative easier to accept within a chosen context. Hence Seven is seen as dealing with crime and the psychology of its protagonists, rather than anything extraneous to the storyline, such as Brad Pitt's relationship with his wife etc. This suggests that Seven fulfils the expectations of its audience by conforming to codes and conventions of Hollywood cinema, whilst still adding a new and exciting twist to its storyline. The film is obviously not conforming to the dominant ideology of contemporary society. It seems that the film condemns apathy and ignorance through its main protagonists (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman), but in fact shows that any attempt to cleanse the corrupt society is futile, and will only lead to more death and violence. It is clear then that the film's gaze is male, but ultimately still impotent against the inherent shortcomings of society. It is perhaps surprising then, that Hollywood has produced such a dark and brooding film. Michael Medved, in his book Hollywood versus America, argues that this is the current trend of production, and that Hollywood is sinking into a mire of darker and more pessimistic films each year. This could also be seen as a belated continuation of the film noir cycle, a genre that was very successful, both commercially and critically, in the late 1940's. Whatever the argument, it is clear that the genre has produced some technically and creatively impressive films, and with this genre now bridging the Satire - Post-Modern phase of the genre cycle, we felt it would be interesting to produce a film of this type.
Part Three - Critical Analysis
If one is to subject Snuff to the same kind of analysis, then it is important to realise the ways in which it is similar to Seven. Throughout all stages of production, we were aware that we must choose a benchmark genre trailer on which to base our own. To this end, we emulated the techniques and construction method of Seven, but not the trailer itself. As a result, our production could indeed be considered an hommage to Seven, rather than an attempt to duplicate it. Snuff contains various 'nods and winks' towards Seven, and although styled on the kind of film Seven portrays, it is structurally quite dissimilar. For example, rather than composing an original score, we alternatively used a commercial 'drum and bass' score, which proved to be very effective at maintaining the pace of the trailer. We felt that the cinematography and pace of the trailer were evocative enough of the other screen-tested trailers to instantly identify the films genre, leaving us more room for manipulating the forms and conventions to make the film particularly appealing. We also decided to use less dialogue and fewer inter-titles than the Seven trailer, as we felt that the film would benefit from faster editing and visual images, rather than text or dialogue. On reflection, it seems that the trailer would have benefited from more text, but as it stands it is still very effective.
It is perhaps fair to say that the audience could give a much better interpretation of the production than I could, and so it is important to show the results gained after a screening of Snuff in the Critical Evaluation. The most important factor in the questionnaire was whether or not the films' genre was immediately identifiable. To find this out we asked which genre the viewer felt the film belonged to, but rather than suggesting answers, we left the question open. Most of the fifteen questioned identified the film as a genre crossover, the most prominent answers being 'Horror-Thriller' and 'Crime-Thriller', which is exactly as we had intended it to appear. It was also clear that, although many people said that they do not generally enjoy this genre of film, that they found the pace, structure, music and voiceover all very effective in conveying the storyline of the film. The questionnaires also indicated that Snuff stood up well against other trailers, like that of Seven, and that it was equally successful at conforming to the codes and conventions of the genre, whilst still being original and entertaining within the context of the Horror-Crime-Thriller genre. This screening helped us to view our production much more objectively, and to analyse it in context with other media products to ascertain exactly how successful it was.
Much of our trailer is essentially very similar in construction to Seven. It is important to state that this trailer had a large influence on our own, and that many of the techniques present within the Seven trailer have been used in the production of Snuff. However, I feel that this was the result of these techniques being ideally suited to the purpose of trailer production, and as a result our production can be seen as emulating the industries' methods of trailer production, rather than the products themselves. Although our trailer did indeed 'borrow' methods and techniques used within the production of trailers for this genre, we effectively only used them as tools with which to create the final production, and so I feel that our trailer is still a highly effective and original piece of work - although it is indeed based on contemporary professional productions.
A very important aspect of this production was to emulate the production processes of a major production studio as accurately as possible. This meant the use of a number of film-making techniques, throughout all stages of production. Planning was an important factor if we were to use our time and equipment efficiently - and so we wrote treatments, drafted storyboards, set shooting/post-production schedules and made sure that plenty of time was available for each part of production. During the early planning stages it was particularly important that we worked well as a group, and during the allotted class-time we made good use of the opportunity to discuss and plan, in detail, all of the factors described in the Planning section above. We found that these intensive planning sessions certainly paid off, as we were able to follow the storyboard very closely with only a few major additions/alterations. It is important to note that the alterations that were made were actually unplanned, spontaneous decisions, and that we were able to seamlessly blend in any unplanned additions to enhance the structure of the production. An example of this would be the final shot of the car headlights 'blinding' the camera. We originally planned to cut straight from action shots to this slow-motion finishing shot, but during post-production we took some of the main characters' introductory scenes and placed them before the final 'car' shot, also in slow motion. We then added a voiceover to the character shots describing their 'Oscar nominated' and 'BAFTA award winning' performances, to try and give it a final Hollywood 'touch'. This proved much more effective, as not only did it keep the trailer objective (and so more professional) through the use of the voiceover, but it also enhanced the impact of the final shot.
Conclusion:
Snuff has, by way of both audience reaction and critical analysis, seemingly achieved the criteria laid out in the brief very effectively. The running time of 1'. 48" proved to be an ideal length, giving away just enough to tantalise the audience, whilst still remaining fairly ambiguous so as to encourage an audience in any way receptive to this kind of genre (e.g. males 18-25) to come and see the film. We realised that it was very important that we had a clear target audience in mind throughout production, if we were to successfully emulate a Hollywood studio style of production. We knew that, as much as we would like to, we could not simply rely on a good-looking but empty trailer. Instead we created a trailer that, although not strictly adhering to all of the codes and conventions of contemporary Hollywood cinema, followed more than enough of them to create a structured and effective piece of work. I am very pleased with the final production, but the production was only a success because of the careful planning that was involved in the early stages, a vast improvement on last years AS production. I found it particularly enjoyable to be involved as part of a group. Although there were various degrees of input from each individual member, I felt that on the whole we planned efficiently and effectively, and that equal opportunities were available to everyone. I also found that, although not intentional, we all fell into our own roles throughout production and everyone got the chance to contribute to the production as they saw fit. Finally, I feel that the trailer has benefited considerably from the vast amount of theoretical study throughout the A2 course, in particular the genre theory module. It is because of this in depth analysis of genre that we were able to stay on course throughout the production, and produce an effective and professional feeling trailer that we feel may have added just a little bit extra to the Horror-Crime-Thriller genre.
JP Adamson
