The teaser trailer that I have created is based on a modern day snow white fairy tale but with a horror genre based modern twist. As my film distributor is Focus Features I have placed that as my opening shot of the trailer. I also had intensions to place the momentum pictures logo (afterwards as they are the UK distributor) but there were technical difficulties with trying to get the right size of the image.
As I started earlier, my film is based on snow white so when I filmed my trailer, one of the props I used was fake blood on a red apple. I decided by putting this at the start of my teaser trailer as it will quickly establish to the viewers that it is a horror trailer due to the blood, plus I added a ‘bleach bypass’ effect onto the clip so it made the shot of the apple look more dark and chilling.
As well as this happening there is backing music to the which starts from the very beginning of the trailer and lasts for 20 seconds. It is called ’Rio Vista’ which I downloaded from freeplay music. It consists of strings and piano instruments which weave a contemplative melody, slowly turning and eventually closing with a slight hint of better days to come. This fits in well for the first part of my teaser trailer as it is slow but dramatic. It sets the placing of the trailer and allows the views to take in the innocence because the music allow them to suspect a downfall change.
When I looked at the trailer of another film (Snow White: A Tale of Terror). It was shown in the near start, black screens with text then a shot from the film then a black screen with different text and so on. They did this so they can put it across to the audience and get them in the right frame of mind set. It was more effective then having a voice over as the font that they used was quite like old fashion fairy tale writing. So using this technique is what I did. I added text on black screens between high angel shots of the main girl walking through a car park. From the way the girl is acting it seems as if someone is watching her. Perhaps the audience would feel its them because of the way the camera is angled.
The first set of text is ‘If you’ve ever dreamed’ in a Trajan pro white font, size 43. I chose this because it felt a bit fairy tale like but a bit modernised, plus it fits well when I used the font for my promotional poster and magazine cover. The second screen of text is in the same way but reads ‘of living happily ever after. By now, most of the viewers would know where the next sentence is leading. They will probably have a suspicion that it is based on a fairytale. This is good because they know basic information but they do not know the full details. It conveys what a teaser trailer is supposed to do. Plus it also teases them at this point because they don’t know the rest of the sentence, so want to find out.
There is another screen of text before the sentence ends which reads ‘then dream…’ the dot, dot, dot leaves for a dramatic pause which creates suspicion for the audience. This is where another piece of music starts to play for 5.1 second. It is called ’designer synth’ which I retrieved from the imovie sound effects. It plays through the last clip of the girl walking through the car park and then onto the last bit of text (for the time being) which reads ’again’. There is also a thunder clap sound effect from the life sound effects which lasts for 4.2 seconds.
After that the next shot is of three people in white masks with their hoods up. This is where the ’deep noise’ sound comes in (34 seconds). I downloaded this from Royalty free music which was made by Kevin Maclead. ‘Deep Noise’ is a strong, deep wind howling sound effect. I have used this mostly straight through the rest of the trailer along with ’The House of Leave’ (39 seconds) also by Kevin Maclead from Royalty free music. The instruments used are violins, synth, percussions and the harp. It is sort of a simple heart refrain that plays with a child’s melody, but is torn apart by discordant screeching noises, thumps, growls, and technical noises. It is dark and eerie as well as unnerving.
The mid shot is off the masked hooded people (MHP) standing in the middle of the woods and the camera is slightly panning to the left. It then cuts to the close up panning shot of the girl from earlier. She is meant to be frightened as she searches around her. The next following shots are taken in turns from the girl and the MHP. This is another idea I got from the trailer I looked at. They did this between the stepmother and snow white (looking between good and evil). The audience would see innocence then malevolence, etc which will lead them to suspect that there is a strong link between the two as they are both in the same woods, so the MHP might catch up with her soon.
In one of these shots, there is a mid shot of the MHP slowly walking (a convention of horror - villains walk slowly) towards the camera- which is the viewers. When you watch it, it makes you feel there coming towards you- the audience. One particular shot that I think stands out the most is the low angle shot of one of the MHP is up in the tree. It adds to the creepy effect of the horror trailer and it looks like its looking and waiting at the viewers ready to attack.
After that I added 3 seconds of a red ribbon tangled in a tree. The colour signifies blood and danger, while the ribbon itself signifies youth and innocence which relates to the victim girl. Being tangled in the tree represents the girl being in danger an unable to escape. Ironically the next shot is of the girl running frightenly through trees and branches. When I edited this clip I slowed down the speed of it so it gives more suspense and intensity as it comes across, to the viewers, as if she is running out of time. Quickly soon after there is a close up of the bloodied apple. I placed that there as a reminder of its significance.
As we see her running again and then towards us. Again I used the slow motion edit on the clip so when she turns towards the camera we get the full effect of her looking shocked. Before we see what she is looking at, there is a quick shaky panning shot of the bloodied apple. It is there because it is a kind of horrifying image in her head and as the viewers are to be in her mind set. We then get an over the shoulder shot from the girl and we see that she has collided with the MHP. The tall middle one places her left hand on the girls shoulder. As the hand is placed on the shoulder I added a 'dreadful short swoosh' sound effect to it as comes across as abrupt and overpowering (like the MHP).
There is one more shot of the apple. This time it is a high angle shot but more slower and steadier. This represents that (from the villains point of view) that there isn't need to panic as their job is in process (as the bloodied apple represents them). But from the victims point of view we see there is need to panic but is unable to because the villain is in control.
I added more text after that shot. It is the same format as before but this time it reads ' Fairytale'. It has 'dreadful short woosh' and 'thunder roll' sound effect. This adds to the effect that it's making a statement. The next two words of text are in the same format but reads 'Becomes' and 'Nightmare'. They both contain the same sound effects as 'Fairytale' and they also make a dramatic statement. Between these shots there is a continuation from where the MHP took hold of the girl. Its shot from the right of the MHP and now the rest have joined in to restrain the girl. The other shot is a close up of what seems to be the girls hand struggling as one of the MHP has and continuing to cut her wrist.
After the 'Nightmare ' there is a zoomed close up of a blood hand print on a tree. 'The House of Leaves' and 'Deep Noise' have ended as the film title comes up using the same format as the previous text 'Victoria Lake'. The audience can now identify who the girl is. There is also a 'thunder roll' as the title is played. After that there is a mid shot of the girl tied up by the wrists in the corner. I edited her screams by reversing her shot as it gave a more eiere chilling effect.
Another black screen has the same text format which reads 'Coming Soon' has also the same sound effect ' thunder roll' but this time it carries on to the final clip which is a close up of the MHP tilting there heads to the left. I used the 'Bleach Bypass' effect and slow motion on this shot so it is more contrasting and a darker heavier effect.
The teaser trailer ends with a black screen and a sound effect of 1.6 seconds of 'synth zap impact' from the ilife sound effects.
