Evaluation

In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Listed below are some of the ways in which my product has used, developed or challenged forms and conventions of real media products.

• The average length I observed for Science-Fiction film trailers was 2:20-2:30.My trailer was considerably shorter than this; lasting 1:33. This was so that the trailer would appear exciting and stimulating; and by not giving away too much plot information it creating a strong 'enigma' to intrigue the viewer.
• The trailer used a well-known 'song' for its soundtrack ('Requiem for a Dream'). This was so that the audience could be introduced to a new narrative, whilst still feeling somewhat familiarised with what they were seeing. All other trailers I researched used non-diegetic backing music, thus demonstrating a convention that has been adhered to.
• I used a production company logo; in order to give the viewer a greater deal of information about the film. A (theoretical) web address was shown at the end of the trailer in order to enable the viewer to enquire further about the film. The release date of the film was shown too; in order to increase the likelihood a viewer will go to see it. The film title was also revealed; and dominated the screen for several seconds. All of these are common features in film trailers, and are generally used to provide information about the film and hence maintain interest among viewers.
• Slides and on-screen captions were used to provide narrative. The 'white-on-black' was a colour scheme used deliberately; as this is a feature most commonly found in documentaries (which contain factual information) and this helped the narrative gain more 'believability'. This is important when considering the Science-Fiction genre, which often creates absract or unrealistic situations.
• Visually striking special effects were created; in order to grab viewer attention and firmly establish the Sci-Fi genre.
• Explosions and physical combat were used in order to excite the viewer.
• Phallic symbols such as guns and laser-swords were given to the characters, in order to give the characters more status in the eyes of the viewer. The 'laser swords' resemble lightsabers in order to capitalise on the immense popularity of the Star Wars films.
  
• A variety of shots are used; as well as a variety of shot transitions (cut, fade) are used to keep the viewer engaged in the trailer.
• Colour was used in order to distinguish between good (represented using blue costume and mise-en-scene; gunshots and 'energy balls') and evil (red swords and 'energy'). The protagonist was shown surrounded by blue as this connotes tranquility and therefore implies that this character is capable of reasserting a state of 'equilibirum'; as discussed by Vladimir Propp. The antagonist is shown to be an irrational and passionate individual as he is constatntly shown next to the colour red. In the same way that the colour red has connotations of anger and violence it is indicated that this character will perpetuate the 'disequlibrium' in the plot if he is not stopped. This technique of colour-assocation can most noticably be observed in the Star Wars trailer I researched. At the end of the trailer a 'Yellow' sword is used by a character; in order to hint that his allegiances are uncertain. Creating an enigma like this at the very end of the trailer causes the viewer to question any preconceptions they may have about the plot from viewing the rest of the trailer.
• Dissonant noise is used to grab the viewer's attention; at the end of the trailer when the viewer expects the action to have finished the slowly rotating planet explodes, accompanied by a loud noise .
• Intensity of emotion is used in all of the trailers I researched; be it anger, fear, sorrow etc. This is done to cause the viewer to gain a human interest and empathy with the characters they are viewing. This would, therefore, appear to be a crucial element to include in my trailer. However, what has not been mentioned is that the actors appearing in these trailers are experienced professionals; hand-picked for their acting skills and often paid millions of pounds for their services. I do not have aforementioned quantities of money; nor any famous actors who owe me favours. I relied instead on a group of my friends to produce this trailer, and had to take a pragmatic approach to the application of our collective theatrical skills. One way I did this was to keep the expressions of the characters as 'natural' (deadpan) as possible. This hopefully would result in very little misinterpretation of emotion by the viewer; and the main themes of the film were expressed by the slides (Betrayal, Innocence, Corruption, Redemption) rather than relying on the actors to convey these themes.
• Another exercise in pragmatism can be found in my use of sound. As I lack the high-quality sound equipment necessary to produce a peice of film with cinema-quality audio, I decided to omit diegetic sound from most of my trailer. Narrative (the majority of which is often provided by diegetic and non-diegetic dialogue) would instead be provided through a visual medium; of text appearing between shots and also layered over them.
• I created narrative through having a continuing visual theme; created using Adobe After Effects. This theme, or motif, constituted a subtle change in the aesthetics of the trailer by altering the 'Hue and Saturation' and also the 'Contrast' of the footage. I used a 'Colour Curves' tool to make the footage appear less vibrant and visually imposing. This enhanced the visual significance of my special effects; and made them more noticable to the viewer.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?

I combined my main and ancillary tasks in an attempt to produce and coherent package, similar to one which would accompany the release of a new film. The following is an assessment of the effectiveness of this combination.

I used as many visual motifs as possible from the Film Trailer when designing the Film Magazine Front Cover; all of which are noted below.

• The images protagonist and antagonist shown are both taken directly from the trailer. This will trigger recognition from those who have seen the trailer (and indeed, those who have seen this front cover and subsequently view the trailer should experience similar). The colours have been altered in order to clearly demonstrate their character personality traits (red connoting anger and blue connoting peace/tranquility) and thus hint at their roles in the film. They are shown 'facing' one another to establish a sense of conflict between them in a single image; which is not obviously done in the trailer.
• I used the 'Europa' title image from the trailer in order to create a strong 'brand identity', which was further reinforced by the inclusion of the planet in the 'Bad Boys' title.
  
• The background is speckled with white, to create a simulation of a 'starry sky'. This is also a motif which can be found in several shots in the trailer.

My Film Poster also contains many elements from the trailer; in order to retain familiarity and continuity. As with the magazine cover, these are noted below;

• The 'Lava Planet' from the beginning of the trailer was included in order to establish the setting of the film; and also the red glow helped create a sense of intense emotion and danger.
• The 'Europa' title was saved as a Photoshop image and pasted onto the poster; in order to create the brand identity of the film. The planet earth, whilst not appearing on the title image in the original trailer, is nonetheless an iconic image tof the 20th Century so it was included to engage those who have not seen the trailer.
• Images of the minor characters have been taken straight from the trailer; as the viewer is not too likely to remember these who are given appearance in one or two shots they are included merely to acknowledge that they have a role in the film. Their smaller role is represented by their smaller size on the page relative to the other characters, and also their position below them.
• The production company logo was used; as often they are on film posters. So it did not detract from the film title or pivotal action between the main characters, the image of the logo was edited into a 'black and white' version to make it less visually dominating on the page.
• The image of the two combatants at the centre of the poster was taken from a peice of video footage not included in the trailer. It was used, however, to demonstrate the rivalry between protagonist and antagonist. By using a peice of 'unseen' footage for the poster's image I was able to create a nuance that corresponds with the narrative. People who have seen the film trailer will not have seen this image before, and will still be intrigued when they see this unfamiliar image on the poster. They will, however, have seen both of these characters before, so will not be entirely alienated.

I must therefore conclude my ancillary tasks to be in excellent synchronicity with my film trailer; as they contain several key elements from the trailer in order to enhance the film's 'brand identity', and also a few subtle nuances to continue interest among the audience.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

In order to assess the reactions and opinions of the 'film-going public' as realistically as possible, I showed my classmates a screening of my film, and recorded their comments.The Science-Fiction audience is mostly male, and taken from older age groups. The idea of uploading the trailer to Youtube.com and reading the viewers' comments instantly occured to me, but unfortunately the trailer (due to it's large file size; necessary in order to preserve the visual quality of the video) was given an upload time in excess in 5 hours. Therefore, the in-class screening seemed to be the next best option. Further justification for this can be found when one regards the Office for National Statistics' report on Cinema Attendance (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=10983&More=Y). This states that
"Young people aged 15 to 24 are the most likely group of people to go to the cinema. In 2002, 50% of this age group reported that they went to the cinema once a month or more in Great Britain, compared with 17% of those aged 35 and over."Thus it can be seen that a class full of 17 and 18 year old people would be a perfect 'sounding board' from which to gain feedback. Comments made (both positive and negative) are listed below;

• The basic narrative is good because it appeals to a wide audience.
• The narrative of 'keywords' is perhaps insufficient to engage people in the plot.
• The use of sound is good, as the progession of the musical track builds tension.
• If the female character was not partially concealed by her hood the trailer may appeal more to women.
• The volume of the music track is too loud when it reached crescendo.
• The setting of the final scene [laser sword fight] is too cluttered with miscellaneous and non-essential objects, and takes focus away from the combatants.
• Visual effects clearly establish Science-Fiction genre .
• The slides ["Betrayal, Redemption, Innocence, Corruption"] are thought-provoking.
• The trailer is exciting, as tension is built, then relieved before the visually and aurally surprising explosion at the end.

I researched the genre of post-modernism, a loose connection of techniques often associated with science fiction peices. Among the conventions of post-modernism include re-use of previous or contemporary culture, as well as instances of intertextuality. I used these techniques in my trailer, and examples of them include the image of the spinning globe which has been iconic ince 1959 when the first image of the earth from space was taken by an American satellite. An example of intertextuality can be found when one considers the 'lightsabers' wielded in the short combat sequence between the protagonist and antagonist. These were included so that viewers would make the instant connection with the genre of science-fiction, and this will therefore help the trailer appeal to the identified target audience.

If I had more time to produce the trailer, most of the issues raised above would be addressed. The issue of 'insufficient narrative' could be addressed by perhaps acquiring an audio-recording device and swapping the slides ['Betrayal' etc] for a non-diegetic narration. The characters, however, would still be given little, if any diegetic dialogue; due mostly to the lack of high-quality sound recording equipment available to us.

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

New media technologies proved to be crucial in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages of the project. For the construction stage of my text I used a great deal of 'new' technology. The first of which was a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) digital camcorder, which records footage as files rather than to a DV (Digital Video) tape. The major advantage with this lay not in the superiority of the footage (which was, however, a factor) but in the upload time; where DV cameras upload footage to PC at a 1:1 ratio I was able to upload 20 minutes of footage in about 30 seconds.
The second phase of construction also heavily involved new media technology; with the use of graphical effects programme Adobe After Effects. I also used the internet to watch video tutorials (most of which can be found at www.videocopilot.net) which helped me immensely in creating the desired visual effects for my trailer.
After this stage I used Adobe Premiere to produce and co-ordinate my footage and add sound. The footage was then viewed using Windows Media Player; so that I could see exactly how the trailer would play in 'real-life'. This could not be done in either of the editing programmes; as my processor was insufficient for the unrendered footage to play out at normal speed.
My ancillary tasks were produced using images taken from my edited video: still frames in 'After Effects were exported as Photoshop layers for use in an image editing package. The image program I used was Ulead Photoimpact 10; and I used many of its features to alter the the images taken from 'After Effects to make a coherent poster & magazine front cover. The finished versions were saved as .jpeg files, which can be viewed on any pc, and are still high quality.

My research & planning phases made extensive use of the internet. My first step was to create a blog (which you are reading now) so that I could access my research from any computer; and not rely on a single saved document. The trailers mentioned were found mostly on the website www.youtube.com; also accessable from any internet-capable pc. Having digital sources for my research was also helpful in that it enabled me to take 'screenshots' of the trailers in order to have visual examples to support my notes. The 'screenshots' were pasted into Ulead Photoimpact 10 and saved as .jpegs so that I could upload them to my blog.

The evaluation stage was relatively straightforward. I copied my finished peices to a portable flash drive (or 'memory stick') and brought them into school. I then connected a laptop computer to a digital projector so that I could show the finished peices to my classmates. I also used external 'surround sound' speakers so that the audio could be fully appreciated. I found this technique of screening to be very alike to the experience one would have watching the trailer in an actual cinema; adding to the drama of the peice. As those present at the screening were of ages 17-18 they fit comfortably within the majority of the cinemagoing demographic; as discussed by the ONS. I found this 'focus-group' style to be helpful as I was able to record detailed and lengthy responses, and ask probing questions about the audience members' responses. This would not have been possible if I had chosen to conduct audience feedback in a different way; for example if I had uploaded the video to Youtube I would have only been able to gain feedback through text-limited comment boxes and a 'star-rating' system, which would not have enabled me to enquire as to what people considered appealing or unappealing. I took particular note of the comments and reactions of the male members of this focus-group, as they are a larger part of the typical science-fiction viewership.

Film Poster Research & Plan

Film Poster Research

I intend to research several film posters; noting the techniques and conventions observed. I will then list the techniques & conventions I intend to use for my own poster.

The above poster if for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

The film is third in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy; so all of the characters viewers will be familiar with are shown, as are familiar settings such as the 'Eye of Mordor' and 'Mount Doom'.
Phallic symbols (such as staffs and swords) are shown to give these characters an air of power and authority; which will give the 'reader' ('reader' as opposed to 'viewer'; as this is print media) respect for the characters; and thus a raised opinion of the film as a whole.
Male and female characters are shown. This is so that the film seems appealing to both men and women. This is particularly important as the cinema is a stereotypical 'dating' location, and a film appealing to men and women will be the most obvious choice for this group of people; as opposed to a 'chick flick' or an action film (appealing almost exclusively to men).
The title of the film is shown in gold, to give it status (gold connoting wealth, power, importance) and so increase the status of the film in the mind of the reader.
Names of famous actors and directors are shown at the bottom of the poster, in order to attract those who are fans of those people.
Tagline 'The Journey Ends' at the bottom of the page, in order to create a sense of enigma; as readers will then be curious as to how 'The Journey' will end. This also draws upon Frodo's 'Journey' to Mordor; creating a sense of continuity and appealing to those who have seen the previous Lord of the Rings films.

This poster for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is interesting because it does not use photo-realism; as most other science-fiction posters do. 'Photo-realism'; the portrayal of images as they are seen; is often sought to the highest degree in science-fiction so as to make the abstract ideas seem more 'real', however this poster uses a 'hand-painted' style instead; to create a sense of nostalgia towards the posters of the original Star Wars films (shown above). Creating a closer bond with the original trilogy (as opposed to the two films of the new trilogy) would be beneficial due primarily to the critique given to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. This film featured on Entertainment Weekly magazine's '25 Worst Sequels Ever Made' list, so it is clear to see why the designers of the poster would rather draw upon the massive popularity of the 1980's trilogy.
The lightsabers are the prime pallic symbol used in this poster; phallic symbols inferring power and authority. This gives the characters a position of respect; which will in turn make the reader 'respect' the film. The lightsaber is also a major visual motif which runs throughtout all of the Star Wars films; therefore creating nostalgia amongst fans of previous Star Wars films.
Another visual motif is the helmet of Darth Vader. As can be seen on the other Star ars posters shown, this motif runs throughout the film series (creating nostalgia). This nostalgia, however, is not just limited to Star Wars fans: It can be recognised as one of the most iconic film images of the 20th Century by the general public.
The genre of Science-Fiction is represented not just by the lightsabers and the ominous image of Darth Vader; but also by other smaller images such as aliens (Yoda) and spaceships. Also, the stars in the background in the top-right corner anchor reference the film title 'Star Wars'; and also establish the concept that events are occuring in space. The artificial 'lense flare' coming from these stars helps maintain a degree of verisimilitude; as a camera pointed at a source of light is likely to be affected adversely.
The male and female characters depicted help the film appeal to both male and female readers.
Clear title; as the purpose of the film poster is to advertise said film this is an essential feature.
Eye contact created between reader and protagonist (Anakin Skywalker). Creates a 'bond' of sorts, an interpersonal relationship which makes the reader familiar with the character to some extent; and more likely to watch the film as a result.
Gold lettering gives the title status; as the colour gold connotes wealth and power.
Names of famous actors appeal to people who may not have seen the film, but will have certainly heard of such people as Ewan Macgregor and Samuel L Jackson.




This poster is for the 2005 film Serenity; a sequel to a television series named Firefly.
'From the creators of Buffy & Angel' appeals to fans of popular TV programs.
Barren landscape in background draws attention to characters.
Phallic symbols of guns and swords give status to characters.
Female in foreground dressed in revealing clothing draws the male gaze; and appeals to their sexual attraction. Her making eye contact further enhances her seductive ability; yet more appealing.
Black title stands out against white background; unusual considering the typical 'light on dark' trend. This gives it a unique appeal.
Names of famous actors and directors, to appeal to those who aren't fans of 'Firefly'.
'They aim to misbehave'. Creates sense of rebellion; as the connotations of misbehaviour are generally troublemaking, excitement and danger. This also links back to the protagonists line in the trailer "I aim to misbehave"; strenghtening the 'brand identity' of the Serenity franchise.

Film Poster Plan

I intend to use the following observed conventions in my poster;

Male and female characters will be shown; in order to appeal to readers of both genders

Phallic symbols will be featured, to give readers respect for the characters' power conferred by these.

The film title will be clearly shown; as the prime purpose of the poster is for the advertisement of this film.

A 'tag-line' should be shown; in order to intrigue the reader and thus make them curious about the film.

The actors' names should be printed beneath the title; as this will give readers respect for the film if they recognise the names of people appearing within it.

One of the settings in the film must be used as a background; in order to contextualise the actions of the characters within the image.

Film Magazine Research & Plan

• Magazine Front Page Research
  I intend to analyse several film magazine front pages, and observe the conventions used by them before planning my own page.
  
  
  The image to the left is the front cover of Empire film magazine; a monthly publication that is the number one film magazine in Britain. I observed the following features which could be regarded as 'conventional' aspects of the Film Magazine genre.
  
• Clear masthead, positioned at the top of the page gives the magazine a clear 'brand identity'.
• Colour scheme of page is mostly red; which reinforces brand identity of magazine.
• Partially-obscured masthead forces reader to recognise the brand identity themselves; which equates to them actively recalling the name of the magazine and thus connecting to it on a higher level than simply seeing and reading it. The main character on the page is also given greater status by being positioned in front of the masthead.
• Protagonist of film mentioned establishes eye contact with reader; which creates a 'relationship' of sorts and keeps reader attention.
• The 'golden line' is used; which places important information on an invisible line running from the top left corner to the bottom right; as this is the area in which a reader is most likely to look. Information such as other articles, as well as the protagonist's face and the 'buttons' are on this line; as a reader will have the greatest chance of being appealed to by the varying content in the magazine.
• Rhetorical question above main feature title provokes thought.
• Usual 'technical' details such as barcode and issue number placed in non-prominent locations so as non to divert reader attention away from more appealing details.
• Red is the most-used colour on page; and as red is a colour often associated with strong emotion it attracts attention more than any other colour this helps attract attention from the shelf.
• The word 'SEX!" is enlarged to grab reader attention and appeal to their baser instincts; in a similar way to the red colour scheme.
• Film title mentioned to give meaning to the picture, and also to the 'flaming' effect applied to the masthead.
• Film title named, in order to give meaning to the image of the character and appeal to fans of that film.
  

Another cover of Empire Magazine; shown to highlight the conventions of a magazine across multiple issues; as opposed to features of individual editions. listed below are more regular features of magazine front covers.

• Main character draws focus, engages reader with eye contact. Character has appeared in 3 previous films, and the famous actor (Hugh Jackman) will create familiarity and gain the reader's trust more effectively than a company name (masthead). He is positioned in front of the masthead to give him greater importance.
• Essential but non-interesting details such as the barcode and issue number are placed in non-prominent locations, to interest the reader in the content of the magazine.
• Self-aggrandising claims made about magazine "The world's biggest movie magazine", "Exclusive" and "Review of the Year" gives reader respect for magazine. EMPIRE as the largest word on the page also gives it importance. When comparing red masthead to other colours (blue & black) the title stands out and gains prominence.
• Other article titles mentioned, so as to appeal to readers not directly interested in X-men.
• Film title is re-inforced by image of main character, and appeals to those wishing to see that film.

This is the front cover of Total Film magazine, the second most popular British Film magazine behind Empire; It is also published monthly. Magazine conventions noted below.

• Clear and distinctive colour scheme (black, white & yellow)
• Magazine given status by self-aggrandising claims; "The Complete Picture".
• Enigma created by figures in sunglasses; encourages reader to buy magazine in order to discover characters' identity.
• Other stories mentioned in order to appeal to those who are not fans of 'The Matrix'
• Barcode, price, issue number and other non-essential details placed in non-prominent location.
• Masthead obscured by characters to give characters extra importance.
• Ellipsis used ("And guns. Lots more guns...") to entice reader to read on; by creating intrigue. Repetition of 'guns' also draws attention. Tagline from original Matrix film anchors meaning to the characters pictured.
• Main character in dark, smart clothing pictured from low angle gives an impression of power; an impression that transfers onto the magazine itself and causes the reader to respect the magazine, in a sense.
• Film title on front cover appeals to fans of 'The Matrix' and justifies presence of characters.

Magazine Front Page Plan

I plan to use the following observed conventions for my magazine front cover;

• Film title 'Europa' will be clearly shown, and images of main characters will be the focal point of the page. The characters and film title will 'support' each other; as the title of the film should go some length to explaining the what the charactgers are in relation to.
• Barcode and other details placed in non-prominent locations, as these are not details which will appeal to the reader.
• Clear magazine masthead, placed at the top of the page to establish 'brand identity.'
• Distinctive colour scheme, to make the magazine visually appealing 'close-up' and far away (from the shelf).
• 'Secondary articles' mentioned, to appeal to those who are not directly interested in the feature film.
  

Film Trailer Plan

I intend to use many of the techniques I observed in my research, in order to adhere as closely to the stereotypes of the genre (science fiction) and form (film trailer) as possible. However, in order to give my trailer unique appeal I will employ techniques which do not necessarily correspond to a rigid pattern. Ideas drawn from my research will be referenced, and my own idiosyncrasy will be explained.

The focal peice of sound in the trailer will be the song 'Requiem for a Dream'. As the song is 6:34 it is too long for the length of my trailer, so I will use the 'cut' tool in Adobe Premiere Pro to reduce the length. Several rock songs were used in the trailer for 'Iron Man', but by using the same song throughout my trailer i hope to be able to create a sense of narrative.

As I lack the high-end audio recording equipment necessary to emulate that of the film industry, very little dialogue will be spoken. This is a mere practicality, but precedents exist in film trailer where dialogue has been eschewed for a music track; specifically the Advent Children trailer. Narrative will instead be provided by 'slides' of text; which will be placed over (in front of) video clips, and on their own to give special emphasis. A 'slide' will be used to display the title of the film, and this can also be animated to draw viewer attention (as most film titles are simply static slides with text I feel that by subverting this convention I will create a superior effect.)

The majority of the film trailers I researched are between 2:20 and 2:30. I intend to keep roughly to this guideline, however if i am satisfied with the amount of content in my trailer I will not purposefully overextend it to meet this target. This is because a sense of excitement and intrigue must be instilled in the viewer, and if a trailer contains unnecessary information or reveals too much of the plot it loses its 'teaser' quality. As explained above, the use of a single music track and slides of text in place of dialogue may mean the trailer will become boring to a viewer sooner than it otherwise would have, therefore the length may need to be shorter for this reason too.

Film trailers use a wide variety of shots; establishing shots to set the scene, close-ups of emotional reactions and important dialogue, long shots of action etc. I intend to use multiple types of shot, shown in quick succession so as to keep the viewer 'excited' at what they are seeing. I also intend to use different shot transitions; fades at the beginning of the trailer and 'cuts' when the tempo of the music increases. This is so that the viewer pays more attention to the trailer as it continues, and as the tempo of the shot changes, as well as that of the music, reaches crescendo, the film's title is shown; thus creating maximum viewer awareness of the film name.

I intend to film at an abandoned farmyard near my village; so as to create a fitting dystopian atmosphere often found in science fiction (books and visual peices).

Costumes will include hooded jackets; to create enigma as to the identities and personalities of the characters. Plain, dark coloured jeans will also help keep the focus on the faces of the characters too.

Phallic symbols will be included to give the characters status and power; and thus gain the respect of viewers.

Character names will not be mentioned; as this heightens the mysterious 'enigma' factor of the trailer.

A coherent 'house style' will be applied to the trailer; in the form of a visual effect (created in a graphical enhancement program such as Adobe After-Effects) which will be applied to all 'live action' shots in the trailer; in order to compensate for the varying locations and light conditions in which I will be filming and do not have the resources to manually alter sufficiently.

Film Trailer Research

I am undertaking the following task for my coursework:

Produce a promotion package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer together with 2 of the 3:

• A website homepage for the film
• A film magazine front cover, featuring the film
• A poster for the film

As the film trailer is the complusory element of this peice, I will begin by researching the conventions of film trailers. I will do this by visiting the websites movies.yahoo.com and youtube.com in order to gain a wide knowledge of what is contained in trailers for films. I will use mulitiple sites because this will prevent the scope of my research from being curtailed by the limitations that one source could impose.
The genre of my film is Science Fiction, so my search will be refined to films of this type. Subcategories for this include Superhero (e.g. Spiderman & The Hulk), Post-apocalyptic (Terminator, The Matrix) and Space Opera (Star Wars & Serenity). I will view trailers from each of these categories and note my observations. Some of the techniques noted will be accompanied by 'screenshots'; shown below the observation. Obviously this will not be possible in relation to sound; which will be described as best as possible. For further reference a link to the URL of the trailer is posted beside each trailer title.

Iron Man (2008) http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808411893/trailer

• Duration 2:25
• Uses non-diegetic audio clips from popular music tracks (namely Iron Man by Black Sabbath, Cochise by Audioslave and Back in Black by AC/DC). Familiarises audience by using well-known songs; breaks down consumer resistance. Strong drum beats in all songs help keep viewer attention.
• Includes the logos of the production companies (Paramount Pictures and Marvel) to give audience 'trust' in well known brand names.
• 
• Frequent use of shadows at beginning of trailer creates enigma, and by doing this arouses viewer interest.
• 
• Dissonant sounds of explosions, collisions, gunshots etc used throughout to excite viewers and keep their attention.
• Comedy used to break down viewer resistance.
• Bursts of text that dominate the screen for a few seconds ('This Summer' 'Heroes Aren't Born'...'They're Built')
• 
• Non-diegetic speech of characters mixed with diegetic dialogue. Helps maintain continuity throughout trailer whilst giving plot narrative.
• Film name, release date and website address shown at end of trailer; gives audience further information about film and makes them more likely to watch it.
• 
• Stark's (female) secretary portrayed as jovial and inappropriately cheerful; "Tears of Joy. I hate job hunting." Tony Stark asserts his authority over her by retorting with "You're vacation's over."
• Stark displays a sexist attitute towards women in the military that is likely calculated to reflect popular male ideas; "Good god, you're a woman!". This surprised is accepted by the other members of the military convoy as they react to this with laughter.
• Phallic symbols shown; of missiles and guns. Appeals to male audience.
• 
• Sunglasses create enigma and add 'cool factor'.
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• Expensive cars, shining gold titling, luxurious houses and advanced technology (such as 'see through' monitors and artificially intelligent computer system) create an impression of wealth, which marks the protagonist out as an influential individual and thereby impresses the viewer. Shot of protagonist standing at press conference (on raised platform, watched by attentive journalists) continues this.
• 
  • 
• Shot of Stark at casino rolling dice reinforces the theme of wealth, and also adds element of risk and excitement.
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• Woman kissing Stark creates theme of romance; which will appeal to women. Also appeals to male gaze, as this connotes sexual activity.
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• The cut-shots of text are red and yellow; red connoting passion and intense emotion (which is intended to excite and interest a viewer) and gold is emblematic of wealth and power (which will appeal to a viewer's acquisitive or aspirational nature, and also to females)
• Stark appearing with arms outstretched to the side put him in a messianic light; confirming his position as a 'hero'.
• 

Star Wars Episode III (2005) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkqMVLRAZok
Although there are 6 Star Wars films I chose the most recent because I am promoting a new film, so feel that contemporary sources are best suited for research. However its use is somewhat limited, in the respect that this film is the 6th made in a series, and the brief mentions a 'new film'.

• Duration 2:21
• Production company logos used at beginning of trailer (20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm Ltd) give viewers 'brand confidence' in knowing that the advertised film is made in collaboration with well established and respected organisations.
• Opens with establishing shots containing strange planets and unusual architecture; with space ships flying in the vicinity. This creates viewer intrigue and establishes Science-Fiction genre.
• Shadows used throughout trailer, creates enigma (intrigue) which captures viewer interest. Hooded faces and faces concealed by masks/helments reinforce intrigue.
• Non-diegetic orchestral music, typical of the Star Wars franchise. Helps attract fans of previous films, and the fast-paced rhythm creates excitement that holds viewer attention.
• Space ships and lightsabers used to create nostalgia of Star Wars films, and attract fans of previous editions.
• Disequilibrium created; "We are at war, Anakin" "Obi-Wan and the council don't trust me" creates viewer interest.
• Strong drum beat grabs viewer attention, and creates continuity throughout the fast-paced sequence of action shots.
• Dissonant sounds used towards end of trailer (explosions, gunfire, sword clashes, screaming, lightning) to maintain viewer interest, which may begin to diminish as the trailer progresses.
• Well known characters (Yoda, C3PO, R2D2, Stormtroopers) provide more nostalgia of the Star Wars franchise.
• Iconic 'Darth Vader Breathing' which is instantly recognisable to Star Wars fans, and also to many viewers who may not have seen Star Wars.
• 'Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith' title featured, to reinforce brand identity of the film.
• List of actors, directors and collaborators (many of which are big names in the movie industry) attracts interest in famous personalities.
• Lightsabers are phallic symbols; impress male viewers. Bright colours attract attention.
• "I don't think the boy can handle it; I don't trust him" creates doubt, therefore enhancing disequilibrium.
• Questions such as "who could have done this?" create enigma.
• Explosions, death and destruction shown between shots of Anakin; mark him out as a dangerous individual. Shows a change in character role from protagonist to antagonist.
• Sound of 'TIE fighter' over production company logo creates instant sense of nostalgia; appealing to fans of previous Star Wars films.
• Padme Amidala shown wearing revealing clothes but given no diaogue or significant action. She listens attentively to what her husband is saying. Shot of her crying shows stereotypical female emotional weakness. This demonstrates a conformity with a societal 'sexual hierarchy' in which the male gender is dominant. This will appeal to traditionalist aspects of a viewer's mind (both male and female). Female presence also attracts female viewership.

The Matrix (1999) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM5yepZ21pI

• Duration 2:26
• Production company logos; subverted with 'shifting cloud' cloured in dark blue, to grab attention before the trailer has even begun. Sound effect of fast footsteps creates tension.
• Woman dressed in black running. Running is action to grab attention, woman in black leather bodysuit holds male gaze, and also appeals to women. Black 'flicker' focuses attention on visible action.
• Morpheus character in dark glasses creates enigma.
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• Running jump over street establishes science-fiction element, and attracts interest. Appeals to women as active female plays a key part.
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• Fuild mirror, mutating mouth, metallic skin, character standing in mid air, man punching through concrete, discoloured skyline, slow motion bullet dodging, robotic creature all arouse curiosity, and further strenghten science-fiction links.
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• Unanswered questions "What is happening to me?" "What is the matrix?" "What truth?"
• Fast-paced shot switching in the middle of the trailer grabs viewer attention. Useful for delivering lots of information at once.
• Slides of glowing text on black background; subversion of reverse-out white on black. Creates more enigma.
• Information about film release date and website.
• Web address creates enigma "whatisthematrix.com"
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• Starring actor names
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• "No-one can be told what the matrix is...you have to see it for yourself" strengthens viewer desire to watch the film.
• Neo & Trinity talking in nightclub are intimately close to one another. This has romantic (and also sexual) connotations to appeal both to men and women. The male gaze will also be alerted to Trinity's black leather bodysuit.
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• At beginning of trailer the protagonist Neo appears confused, disoriented and completely unaware of the situation. However, after the line "So, you're here to save the world" Neo appears much more active, self-assured and adventurous. This shows the audience that during the film a tranformation will take place, and the status quo will change; adding to the enigma.
• Non-diegetic 'opera style' vocals used as a backing track, to to make the viewer see the unfolding events as dramatic and important.
• Phallic symbols of guns used to appeal to male viewers.
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Advent Children (2005) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTLkpZOSEg0
Advent Children is a CGI anime film, set as a sequel to the video game Final Fantasy 7. The film was made in Japan, but has well-synchronised english dubbing. Although the film is based on a video game and therefore not quintessentially 'new', the trailer does contain several attractive science fiction elements; such as unorthodox character costumes, futuristic weaponry, and 'superhuman' powers, which all have strong connotations with the aforementioned genre.

• Duration 2:20
• Opening music track is adapted from video game; creates nostalgic interest.
  
• Establishing shot of man holding girl; sets scene, establishes romantic theme which appeals to female viewers. Glowing white trees create intrigue and establish science fiction theme. Beam of light focuses attention on protagonist. Character is facing away from the audience, which creates enigma.
• Ruined buildings are often shown in background to action, which enhances post-apocalyptic theme. It can also be argued that this serves to enhance the destructive power of the human race; and as the main protagonist and antagonists are represented as being dominant over all other characters shown, this power is transferred to these individuals; further marking them out as prominent figures. Ruined cityscape contains 'Midgar Cannon'; a distinctive and memorable location from the game.
• Camera pans and tracks reveal information slowly, which is intended to cause the viewer to become impatient and attentive to the details being shown.
• Voiceover functions as primary narrative element; gives context to the scenes it overlaps.
• Halfway through trailer music track changes abruptly; peaceful, slow music changes to fast-paced, orchestral and choral song, which dramatises the events shown whilst it is playing. Name of main antagonist 'Sephiroth' is chanted by the choir, whilst explosions, violence, destruction and vicious creatures are shown. This serves the purpose of further vilifying the antagonist, and creating a sense of fear in the viewer.
• Bright lights, fast-paced action sequences with short bursts of fast scene changes, 'camera shake', fast pans excite viewer, and overload the senses. This breaks down consumer resistance to what is effectively an advertisement for the film.
• Established characters from the video game shown to invoke a nostalgic mood amongst fans.
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• "Is for the children?... For a memory?...Or...For Himself?" creates enigma by causing a viewer to question the motivations of the protagonist. Pattern of 3 makes this more memorable to a viewer.
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• Woman attacking man in physical combat. Subverts stereotype of passive female and by doing this grabs attention. Her costume consists of a skirt and tight-fitting top, which serves to grab the male gaze and also to uphold the contention that females make themselves look physically attractive, therefore matching the values of most viewers. Also, because some male characters have long hair this helps to distinguish them as being of a separate gender. "The planet weaves a cruel fate for men" shows how the trailer is attempting to appeal primarily to the male gender by echoing their traditional values.
• Male narrator conforms to gender dominance values held by viewers, and would therefore establish a more authoritative and trustworthy 'voice'.
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• Main protagonist and antagonists given phallic symbols (guns, motorbikes, swords) to show their dominance and power.
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• Children shown to be vulnerable; ill in bed, being carried away from danger, sitting or lying; 'passive', high angle shots
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• Lead antagonist is surrounded by flames, making him appear dangerous and destructive.
• Film name shown at end of trailer, and "Final Fantasy 7..Advent Children" narrated continues the recurring theme of nostalgia for the video game.
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• No diegetic dialogue or sound effects are heard at all, at any point in the trailer. This focuses the viewer's hearing on the music and narration.

Observed Conventions
Below are noted some emerging patterns I have noticed from my observations of the above film trailers.

• All trailers are approximately 2:30 in length. This is so that a viewer can be given enough information about the plot, setting and characters without becoming bored.
• Romantic links between men and women. These are made so that female viewers are appealed to. It also alerts men to possibilities of sexual interaction between characters. This also reflects a conservative outlook towards interpersonal relationships; as no homosexual couples or relationships are shown (in either the trailers or the films). Science-Fiction as a genre already deals with abstract concepts; be it dystopian societies, advances in technology/ biological disasters, adding another dimension of intrigue would perhaps alienate some viewers.
• Fast changes from shot-to-shot, to keep audience attention and overload the senses; in order to break down consumer resistance.
• Non-diegetic sound; such as narration (to give a plot overview) or music (to build tension or create mood).
• Production company logos (to create viewer trust in 'brand identity of respective film company), and web addresses (to create further consumer/producer contact, with which the potential consumer can be further persuaded to view the film) used.
• Protagonist is always a main feature of the trailer, and the audience is intended to develop a relationship with this main character.
• The 'status quo' is established and almost immediately changed; creating a sense of disequilibrium, or the hope that equilibrium may be restored to the characters' lives.
• Antagonists are shown, to enhance the sense of danger, disequilibrium, and challenges the protagonist must face as they seek to accomplish their task (said task or goal is not mentioned in detail in any of these trailers).
• Questions are posed, and not always answered; this enhances the mystery and enigma of the trailer, in order to generate interest from the viewer.