Homework: my storyboard for my trailer

Selected scenes for my film's trailer

Scene 1:
In the car discussing the myth - introduces characters and reveals some of plot to the audience.


Scene 2:
Characters getting equpiment for caving and meeting guide - establishes setting (caves, mountains), and establishes relationships.

Scene 3:
Exploring the cave - establishes characters and setting. 


Scene 4:
Close-ups of characters' reactions to the monster. 


Scene 5:
Them running away from the monster, creates fear and enigma.

Scene 6:
Romantic scene between Lizzie and Lukas of them alone - builds on their relationship which has been hinted at throughout trailer.


Scene 7:
One of the characters (Moroccan girl) are dragged under the water.

Homework: analysing how POTC appeals to the audience

The Pirates of The Caribbean has a wide audience appeal, due to the many different factors, such as comedy, romance and being a swashbuckler. The core audience is both males and females between the ages of 18-30. The trailer includes funny one-liners, to widen the appeal and establish the film as funny. There is an obvious appeal to men, with action and swordfighting, and an appeal to women with the comedy and the use of famous actors and actresses. 

The film can also fulfill the 'four needs':

Entertainment and diversion: the comedy and action scenes provide the audience with entertainment, and the exciting, fast scenes allow them to be absorbed in the trailer, as escape from their own life.

Surveillance and information: the audience can watch scenes from a setting and era in which they aren't in and may be curious.

Personal identity: the audience may identify with some of the characters, for example the humour from Jack Sparrow, or the independence of Penelope Cruz's character.

Personal relationships: the audience can create relationships with the characters, as many of the characters are unique and have strong attributes to which the audience can relate to. The film is also part of a huge franchise, so the audience may already have a relationship with some of the characters.

Homework: storyboard for my opening sequence

Shot List

1. Lionsgate title

2. Pathe title

3. Celador title

4. crane shot over mountains

5. ES of side of mountains, zoom in to characters climbing

6. CU of hand attaching caribeener

7. CU of foot stepping on a ledge

8. POV shot looking down. Look up and film title is on rock

9. MS of Darren climbing

10. LS of Darren and Lukas climbing

11. MCU of three characters - Darren closest, other characters in background

12. MCU of Lizzie leaning on rock

13. MS of Lizzie leaning on rock - Lukas puts his hand on hers

14. MUc and POV of Lukas

15. LS up the path to reveal the characters

16. MLs of Darren throwing backpack into car

17. MLs of Lizzie leaning against tree, Lukas comes over

18. MCU of Lukas talking to Lizzie

19. OTS of Lizzie

20. LS of Lizzie and Lukas talking, Darren runs over

21. MLS of Lizzie and Darren walking back to the car, she turns around and smiles

22. MCU of Lukas smiling slightly

23. MLS of Lizzie turnign back around

24. CU of Lukas looking sad and walking out of shot.

Homework: Film marketing research: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
This is an incredibly well-known film, all around the world, and is part of a huge franchise. The budget for the film was $250 million. It made $125 million in the opening weekend, and grossed $946 million worldwide. 


The Deathly Hallows marketing was quite amazing, with many different media platforms used to attract audiences of all different ages.  The campaign consisted of teaser posters, main posters, trailers, TV spots, websites and many interactive games. Most of the platforms of the campaign emphasise the darker, more sophisticated elements to the film, with a lot of dark colours and shadows used. The famous battle is also played up, intensifying the concept of good vs evil. These darker representations attracted an older age group, especially as the characters are now older too, with 25% of the audience in the 18-34 year old demographic (in North America). This is compared to the much lower 10% of people in the same age group for the first film. 


Posters
The first teaser poster for The Deathly Hallows sets the tone for the film: it gives the first insight into the dark, evil side of the books.

The famous Hogwarts is on fire, and the setting is dark, murky and set high up on a cliff, surroudned by water. The taglien is imply the sinister "it all ends here". In the posters, the logo of Harry Potter has been shortened simply to HP7, as the film is so well-known and the settings and cahracters are instantly recognisable, so this just adds to the more sophisticated advertising. All of the posters show the characters to be determined and alert, with the first one saying "nowhere is safe", the second and third saying "the hunt begins". 




Trailers 
The first teaser trailer was aired during the 2010 MTV Awards. The story is still ambiguous, there are shots of conflict and danger, but nto much is given away, so this continues the expectations set up by the mysterious, obscure posters. The main trailer continues this spooky theme, and the vastness of the franchise is exaggerated, with captions such as "The finale of the worldwide phenomenon" and "The motion picture event of a generation".

Website

When you open the website, the trailer for the film plays immediately, creating synergy within the campaign and allowing the audience to watch the trailer if they haven't already. When this finishes, the site is simply a picture of the 3 main characters running eagerly and alertly, with similar representations as the poster and trailer - dark blues and blacks, worried expressions, connotations of danger and fear. Under the 'menu' tab, the site offers many interactive pages, such as "downloads", "soundtrack", "shop" and "Harry Potter: The Quest", as well as informative pages like "about the movie" and "gallery". There is also an "iPhone app", continuing the marketing towards an age group of 18-35 years-old. It is also linked to both Facebook and Twitter, appealing to this young adult demographic, and encouraging viral marketing. 

Other products
There are, of course, the previous books and films (on DVD) and the soundtrack available to download and buy. There is also merchandise such as figurines, posters, toy wands and costumes. There are also collectable items available, such as exclusive models and sculptures. There is even Harry Potter homeware available, like mugs and book ends.
J.K. Rowling released a spin-off book in 2007, named "The Tales of Beedle the Bard", which has been handwritten and illustrated by her herself. Only 7 copies were made, and only one put up for sale, making this extremely sought-after.  


My opinion
I think this marketing campaign was amazing - the number of people it managed to reach and appeal to - it is the highest grossing Harry Potter film of them all. The synergy within the campaign is well thought-out and creates an urgent, mysterious atmosphere, and encourages the audience to see this must-see film. 
 

Homework: Moodboard to represent men and women in A-A films

 

In action-adventure films, men are stereotypically represented as brave, confident, attractive, intelligent; the attributes of a stereotypical hero, as typically, men are the heroes. Women are stereptypically portrayed as incredibly feminine; helpless and in distress, for the hero to save them; typically the princess in an A-A film. In the top half of my moodboard, I have shown the typical representations of men and women; men on a blue background, women on a pink background - the stereotypical colours for men and women. I have also incorporated pictures of well-known characters with these typical characteristics, and symbolic pictures.

However, an increasing number of A-A films are representing characters oppositely; they are breaking the expectations. Men are sometimes represented as geeky, weak and shy; attributes you wouldn't associate with a hero. Women are also sometimes represented oppositely to the norm; confident, strong, clever. Again, I have used colours which represent these characteristics, so for both men and women I used more gender nuetral colours, green and yellow. I was also inspired by Kick-ass for the green foe men (hero wears green) and by Kill Bill for the yellow - the well known yellow outfit that The Bride wears. Women, usually when the heroine, but often when the princess, is sexualised, often wearing revealing, tight clothing.

Feedback to film proposal

Positive aspects to my pitch:

Use of terminology
Presentation style
Preparation
Use of visuals
Actors
Influences

Aspects I need to adapt:
How to shorten my pitch so it would be suitable for an exam
A marketing idea

 A shorter pitch...
Narrative: 
Equilibrium: 3 friends, Lukas, Lizzie and Darren, are on a holiday in Columiba. Lizzie and Darren are in a relationship, but Lukas also has feelings for Lizzie. (This love triangle makes the narrative multi-strand). There would be a montage near the beginning of the film, to show the three friends having fun and exploring columbia. They decide to go on a guided tour of some local caves, where a local mythical monster is said to have lived.


There is an ellipsis between the three deciding to go to the caves, and them arriving. There will be continuity to make sure the audience doesn't get confused, such as wearing the same clothes and visiting the place they were just talking about.


Disruption: A boulder brakes from the cave and blocks the entrance so the 3 friends, along with the guide and other tourists are trapped inside. They discover the monster, and have to find their way back to the top of the caves, whilst not being killed by the monster. The caves start to fill with water, adding to the urgency and creating suspense. Darren (the boyfriend) is killed, along with the guide and some other tourists, so it is ledt to Lukas to get the group out safely. This means there are closed narratives for some of the characters, e.g. Darren, as they have been killed.


Resolution: When the group finally make it to the top, they call for help through a walkie-talkie, whilst trying to move the boulder themselves. Help from outside manages to blast through the boulder.


Restoration: The group are saved, and stumble back out into society, traumatised. It is mostly a closed narrative, as the monster had been defeated. However, there is an open narrative concerning Lukas and Lizzie's relationship; it is left unknown as to whether they will become a couple.

A marketing idea...
As well as the generic, poster-trailer-website marketing campaign, my film will have something else. There will be a blog, on which the princess of the story, Lizzie, writes updates and little stories. This gives the audience an insight into the characters and some of their backstory. There would also be photos and videos uploaded (of the 3 friends exploring Columbia and the rest of their holiday - before the caving), and the audience would be encouraged to upload their own holiday photographs and videos. There would be competitions, e.g. for the funniest photograph, which the winner would win a prize, perhaps a trip to the resort where the 3 fictional friends stay, or a chance to go caving. This blog would be active for a couple of weeks before the release of the film, to create hype and get the audience involved and excited. There would be a post by Lizzie explaining how they are a bout to go caving. There might be one afterwards, once they are stuck e.g. "Help, we're stuck! Get us out!". Obviously, they wouldn't have a computer with them, but this would spark interest on the blog and with the audience and encourage them to see the film to find out how it works out.