Where to research


Initially i began my research on YouTube as it is one of the biggest online video databases on the net. I began by watching several trailers from different genres and started to notice some conventions that were obvious in the majority of them... Such as:
- Voice overs
- Titles
- Key moments of film
- Staring actors
- Names directors + Producers
- Music

My Genre:
I have decided to create a trailer within the horror genre as horror movies do not require extravagant settings and special effects, something I cannot manage on a very limited budget, instead in horror films directors try to achieve a high level of verisimilitude and film in settings which the viewer can relate to such as;
- Schools
- Homes
- Work 
- Graveyards
- Wooded areas

Horror trailers consist of scenes of the characters experiencing overwhelming emotions rather than trying to convey the storyline or plot of the film.

After I decided on my genre I pondered on back to YouTube refining my searches to Horror trailers, paying specific attention to recent successful movies. 



After I got a general feel for what conventions I was looking for in horror trailers I went to IMDb to get a more detailed perspective of each convention.
- Surviving Protagonist - The trailer usually features the main character in overwhelming emotional states, questioning the abnormalities of the horror elements.
- Dark Atmosphere - The setting of the trailer usually consists of a dark and gloomy atmosphere, with bad weather and shots during the night.
- Cliché phrases - Using cliché phrases such as "Where am i?" and "Who's there?!" lets the viewer know the genre of the film, as these type of phrases are typical to horror movies.
- Authoritative figure - Like police or someone of a high status job, this denotes the sense on good vs evil. 
- Dramatic camera angles - Dramatic camera angles, such as extreme close ups, are used to accentuate the characters emotions, fear and to allocate importance to certain characters or items.  
- Interrupted action - Action that is shown on screen is often interrupted by on screen titles so to not give away too much of the story line and to make the viewer want to find out more.
- Isolated location - The location of the movie is usually in an isolated area with a distinct lack of people to create a sense of abnormality.
- Music - The music in horror trailers is usually dramatic and intense creating a dramatic build up.