narrative structure

The narrative of a film is the plot in its five basic stages, exposition development, complication, climax and resolution. Using this format when creating our trailer will help to create continuity.

As we are creating a film trailer, are exposition is brief and only shows short clips of the Narrative structure, giving the basic idea of the plot. Whilst enticing viewers but not giving away the whole story.

Firstly we combined the exposition and development due to a limited time frame for our trailer, introducing are characters and setting in just one clip of them loading the car which develops onto a close up of a text showing a message about an illegal rave that night, not giving away to much information but a basic theory, for viewers to go on. The clips are neutral (a day to day stetting for the characters), this is created through natural lighting and mise-en-scene, for example everyday clothing, without any raised tones or unusual topics of speech, and day-to-day music.

As we are filming the trailer we have held back much of the development information, for example through representation of characters and there impact. As well as any characters conflicting with main character, as well as clues that something may disrupt the calm, or add to the upcoming complication.

The clip of two of the characters briefly insinuates the complication, affecting the lives of the characters but does not show if it is the main antagonist. However we have shown this as disruptive for the characters, using tone, language, body language and expression, as well as complimenting music. As we are producing only the trailer we do not show how the main character responds to the complication, only how they react. We have not shown this scene parallel to any others as the complication is not caused by anyone, but is the cause of the following events.

Dramatic tension is important to show in our trailer, without showing too much of the climax, we do not want to show the answers to the narrative story. However we do insinuate the presence of a killer through the filming of trap a small house and camera angles from the view of what could be the antagonist. We use still images to create psychologically disturbance and confusion.  Dramatic tension is at its height and we uncover the mystery of the story or have our questions about the film’s story answered.

As we are creating a trailer we do not want to include the resolution (ending of the film) re-establishing equilibrium and restoring the calm, but want to leave a cliff-hanger.  Normally the film would be left in a new calm instead of the chaos and drama that has existed throughout, this would be shown by music and mise-en-scene, associated with peace and safety.

Genres

There are many different genres we could of chose from, but we have decided to that a horror/thriller would be the best genre for us to use. Here are my thoughts on our chosen genres.

Thriller - This is one of our favorites this is because we personally think we would easily be able to connect with a mass audience around our own age when we create this trailer. We would be able to use the typical mise en scene and narrative but with our own twist and personality. We would be able to reach out to the modern audience which watch thrillers and with what is available to us we think we have the right base to create a great thriller trailer.

Horror - The horror genre is also a ideal genre for us to use in our trailer. This is because over the last year we have been taught many different camera angles and the use of computer editing. We would be able to use our own personal skills to be able to create great camera angles whilst filming and then use our editing skills to mix up the filming to create intense tension and atmosphere so the mass audience will be caught up in our trailer hopefully creating a big audience group.

Why we chose not to use they other genres.

Comedy - We chose not use this genre because we thought it would be increasingly difficult for amateur film producers, to write and create a comedy script. We would not be able to use the use of our editing skills to create tension and it will limit our creativity and we personally don't think we would be able to reach the top marks.

Sci-Fi - Sci-Fi would be rather difficult for a us. There are a few reasons, the main one would be that we do not have they technology or facilities to create such a genre, we are not trained in the use of csi (computer imagery), therefor we would not be able to create suitable images. Also I am more of a action/thriller producer therefor I personally would not know what a Sci-Fi enthusiast would be looking for in a Sci-Fi trailer, we would not be able to create they right mood which a enthusiast would be looking for in a trailer. 

Rom-com - A romantic comedy would also be very difficult to create. This is because it is one of those film which you can easily get wrong. I think it is another film which an amateur would struggle to create. I also think it would limit our editing skills which we have been taught over the year, as we want to be achieving those higher marks.

Action - I do like this genre. I think it would be easy to create a trailer with an action genre. So I have no real faults with this genre. As I have a connection with this genre I think we will able to integrate features from an action into our thriller/horror such as the use of many different camera angles and they use of using our editing skills to create tension and a high tempo atmosphere.

Setting

Our trailer is going to be filmed in several locations which are going to be relative to the plot and  the story line. This will hopefully tease those watching the trailer by giving information about the narrative but not giving away the key details, other than the victim and locations. It is important that you don’t give away the narrative and the villain as it will ruin the mystery of the film and will not attract as many views.

The three locations we will be using are, the victims house to create narrative. We fill introduce the victim in the location of his town and there will be a forest where there will be a chase were we introduce the villain and a insight of what the trailers plot.  

Music

We will be using music to help produce the tempo, to create an atmosphere and to concrete the narrative. The music will be created on a program called Garage Band which is on a IMac. We will make the music dark and fast to create the tempo and atmosphere, and most likely create a beat which represents the heart which will be slow like a person heart rate to begin with and at times in the trailer where we wish to up the tempo we will increase this beat as it may subconsciously increase they audiences heart rate and get adrenaline flowing.

Characters

There will be two actors in our trailer, character 1 will be playing the victim and character 2 will be playing the villain.   

Character 1 - Character one will be White british, with brown eyes and brown hair. Smartly dressed as we want the character to look well educated with a job which endures there education and dress style.  

Character 2 - Character two is a well tanned British. With a scruffy, intimidating look to back up there increasing psychotic back ground. We want this character to look mysterious so that the audience will not know who he is to easily.