Production PitchBy James Evans

InstitutionI have chosen the institution of paramount pictures because it is a very successful company in producing films similar to the one that I will produce the trailer of. For example, paramount pictures produced films such as Paranormal Activity, Friday the 13th and Disturbia. These all are of a horror genre which relates to my film trailer

Paramount are a subsidiary of Viacom which is a major conglomerate and a parent company. It owns many other companies such as paramount animation and MTV films. Therefore this allows the use of synergy across the companies to promote the films and make them more effective.

Conventions of genre

There are many conventions of the horror genre that I found out such as low key lighting, blood, weapon props and isolated settings. My horror film concept relates to many of these and similar conventions for example I will use:

A isolated old house setting which creates a scarier atmosphere

Low key lighting to show darkness and to create a scarier atmosphere

Weapon props to show possession by a demon/ghost

Blood to show danger and harm to the characters

Everyday teenagers to relate to the target audience and show that the event could happen to the audience which creates a scare factor.

Failing and breaking of technology to show that a spirit is present

Montage of fast take scenes in my trailer to show action and create dramatic effect for the audience

Dramatic non-diegetic music that helps to create tension and action

Close-ups to show fear and emotion

Handheld camera to give the story and more realistic and scary approach.

Conventions of formI will use many of the successful conventions of the form of a film trailer in my horror trailer concept to make it conventional for a trailer such as:

Long takes at the beginning of the trailer to build up tension

Voice overs to help describe the storyline and nature of the film

A fast-paced editing montage nearing the end of the trailer to build up excitement and action for my film trailer

Key events in the story without revealing too much information about the film

High/Low angle Establishing shots to show scene of the film to set the same

Titles which reveal the story

Non-diegetic music which builds up to create tensions and action in the trailer.

Target audienceThe target audience for a horror film is primarily 16-20 year olds which makes the main age group as teenagers. This is why I am using teenagers as the main characters in my production to involve them and relate them to the audience.

I will make my horror film trailer appeal to both genders as my target audience was shown by my questionnaire to be 50% male and 50% female.

The interests that my target audience have are watching TV, listening to music and going out. I will try to incorporate these interests into my horror film to appeal to the target audience and involve them in the film.

Because I have a wide target audience, I will be able to use a variety of different aspects to appeal to them.

Ideas for production workThe idea I have decided to use for my storyline is that a group of teenagers are friends and live their daily lives together at a local school. One friend begins to talk about how they believe their house is haunted and how strange things are happening when they are on their own. The friends do not believe them and lightly mock them about it. The friend whose house is haunted decides they have had enough and invite the friends round for a weekend so they can see for themselves. The friends start noticing unusual paranormal things happening such as pictures falling over and technology failing and begin to get suspicious. They start to research the house on the internet and find out that the previous owners went missing and how it’s a very old house and that it contained a mass murder. This scares the teenagers and they begin to become concerned. They all do not show up at the start of the next week.

I have many ideas for the mise-en-scene, sound, camerawork and editing which would result in the film trailer being very conventional and appealing for the target audience. For example, the settings would be a school to involve them with the target audience and isolated house to show isolation and loneliness which creates a scare factor for the audience. The costumes would be normal and everyday to show an everyday scenario and everyday characters. The lighting I would use would be low key to show darkness and also create scare factor. I could also use a variety of different sounds such as a build up of non-diegetic music to increase tension and whispering and screaming to create a scarier atmosphere.

How my production will use/challenge conventions

My production will use a variety of conventions to make it a successful horror film trailer. The setting of the house will be conventional because it will be an everyday house and this helps to involve the audience with the storyline which suggests the event may happen to them which creates a scare factor. The use of dialogue by the characters will also be conventional because they will talk about strange things happening and danger which relates to the psychological sub-genre. The use of non-diegetic sound will build up as the trailer moves along to create tension and also to capture the audiences attention for longer and hopefully scaring them which is also very conventional. The use of fast paced editing and short cuts will be used in my trailer to help build up action and tell the audience that something very sudden will happen which is very conventional and appealing for the target audience. The low key lighting will be used in my horror film trailer because it is very conventional and portrays the theme of darkness and isolation. It also shows that the viewer does not know what will happen in the darkness which creates suspense and keeps their interest.

How my production will appeal to my target audience

My product will appeal to my target audience because I have taken in all my feedback and considered many conventional and appealing aspects that the target audience would be able to relate to. I will also include many suggestions and improvements made to my production so my trailer is the most effective for the audience.

From previous feedback, my target audience agreed that they like scary aspects, isolated scenes, blood, suspense, tension and death and when they don’t know what will happen in the trailer. I will try to incorporate these aspects in my trailer to directly appeal to my audience.

These aspects will make my production very conventional and appealing as they were chosen by my target audience as what they wanted to see in a horror film.