Assignment 3 - Film trailer analysis

Genre

Nightmare on Elm Street is a hybrid film. In this case, it is a crime, drama and horror film, which is also a famous remake of the 1984 movie of the same name. Much like other horror trailers, it follows conventions to make the demographic interested in the movie, like how it begins with a scene that provides the audience with insight to how these people are affected in their dreams and then in real life too before proceeding to more fast shots and cuts as the tempo of the music rises.

Mise en Scene

Different settings are used, like a restaurant, a school and doctor's room, but they are all places where we trust to be safe and protected. The idea that people are getting attacked in these places, and their dreams no less, scares the audience as they usually trust these places and makes the demographic realise how vulnerable the victims are before and during the time the spirit attacks them.

All characters besides the killer wear the same typical clothing for their age, but all the clothes are in darker colours to emphasise the dark and scary tone of the trailer, because their clothing reflects on how they are feeling and if the clothes were bright and colourful it would take away some of the trailer's effectiveness as it would indicate the characters are happy and cheerful. The killer, however, is always seen wearing the same clothes: a full sleeved shirt, pants and a hat, this indicates that the killer is stuck in this idea of revenge and murder, much like he is stuck in the same wardrobe. It also makes him easier to recognise, aside from his burned features.

Many props are used to relay the story, like how one of the students finds a book with a drawing of the exact same hand with claws she dreams of, and other drawings or video blogs on one of the characters computers which help her understand that she is not the only one being haunted by the vengeful spirit. These props help the victims realise that they are not alone and are all being hunted in their dreams. The killer himself has a prop of his own: his claws, which help him harm the victims, its his very own murder weapon attached to his own body, meaning he's never without it or vulnerable, causing the audience to become more terrified for the lives of the main characters.

The NVC in moments of suspense directly relay how the characters truly feel, causing the audience themselves to feel what they are feeling and make them aware how vulnerable the characters really are. The NVC in some scenes depicts realisation, which allows the audience to realise how much trouble the characters are really in.

The lighting in all scenes is low key, even in those that are filmed in the day, have cloudy skies or just dim sunlight, suggesting an overall dark and morbid tone. Many of the shots have lighting which appears to be a greenish blue, depicting a cold and desolate atmosphere, which is perfect for shots portraying the dreams, or how the characters look when asleep, this is seen in some of the above photos. The trailer follows the convention for low key lighting in horror films as it sets the perfect backdrop and feeling to certain scenes, specifically the ones containing horror material.

The overall mise en scene is very typical for this genre as horror is defined by many of these conventions and films rely on them to create the perfect atmosphere and feeling of suspense from the audience when filming these scenes.

Narrative/ Voice-Over

Rather than narration the trailer relies on the conversations between characters to tell the story, some of the character's speech is overlaid on scenes that are relevant but quickly cut together, to summarise what the character means to the audience, this creates a bit of a voice over, but not really. The narrative is presented in a fragmented order to create a larger sense of chaos and terror in order to spook the audience, it also allows the audience's attention to be undivided from the trailer.

Characters

All characters who are victimized are seen as vulnerable, paranoid and frightened, this shows the audience how the spirit can terrify any type of person, demonstrating how truly powerless the characters can be against him. This representation accurately fits in the genre, as there is always someone who is paranoid i.e. the video blogger, usually girls seen helpless i.e. blonde haired student and girl patient and those who are brave enough to try to face the monster himself. The spirit is portrayed as someone ultimately powerful over the main characters, in control of the situation and who usually has some sort of vendetta or reason to be haunting these specific characters, here it is because their ancestors burned him alive. This is the general stereotype/ conventions for the monster or evil entity in horror films.

On-screen Graphics/ Captions

All the vital information is revealed through the characters themselves, the onscreen captions merely add to the sense of fear through the use of the font and color mirroring the color of blood and the font being sharp and modern, reminding the audience of a weapon.

Editing and post production

The pace of the trailer increases rapidly much like the background music does, the pace is changed through the use of quick cuts between short scenes, which cause the shots to seem fragmented and scarier as the audience sometimes does not fully understand what is going on in them. Special effects like the black mist when the victims fall into their beds or when the blonde haired student suddenly begins dreaming it looks like the dream is taking over violently invoke feelings of terror in the demographic as it is clear there are supernatural forces, which we do not understand, at hand here.

Music and other sound effects

The music in the background of the trailer sets its pace and affects the heartbeats of the audience, causing them to become more scared when watching the trailer. Other sound effects like fragmented screams and the scraping of the claws against metal are emphasised to make these scenes more intense and frightening.

Camerawork

Many reaction shots are used, as the audience directly related to how the characters feel, especially when they are terrified. Dolly shots are used to track cautious movement and build up suspense for the demographic as well and are also used in scenes where the characters are running away, giving the effect that they are being chased as they look back behind the camera frequently whilst these shots occur. Some shots are also wide to show how alone the characters are in a setting like when the man walks across the restaurant, to make them seem vulnerable and build up tension and suspense. Some camera angles are taken from a high angle so it looks like the spirit is towering over the victims and others are from a low angle, like the shot at the end where the doctors hand becomes a claw, to show that the spirit is in control and has power.

Assignment 2 - Explanation

The target audience are females in between 12 - 16 for my magazine article and album cover alike.  The magazine interview appeals to my demographic because my artist relates to my demographic because she talks about her past experiences through responses to the questions I asked. I feel that the quote catches the audiences eye because it seems like a nice and inspiring thing to say. I only used two main colors, to keep the interview appear more professional but simple, the colors I used are pink and blue, which help the page look brighter and more appealing, making my artist seem more fun and easy going but serious about her music - like how I tried to portray her in the photo on the right side of the interview.

I think it could be suitable to feature in a magazines like Tiger Beat or others - which are targeted at a younger teenage audience, who perhaps like my artist, are aspiring musicians looking fro their big break, and as my interview is set after she released her debut album, it could be inspiring to an area of my demographic, whilst the others (in the demographic) would just be looking forward to being introduced to a new musician.

I followed the convention of using one whole page for a photograph and of using a drop cap to start my interview because it attracts the eye of the demographic immediately, causing them to read on. The photograph portrays the artist in a good light, encouraging the audience to read the interview to find out more about the subject. 

My album cover is appealing because it connotes very emotional thoughts, and I feel that it portrays my artist as sweet, inspirational and intelligent and because I used indirect address, which makes it seems like her thoughts are private, personal and important - like the person the everyday teenager wants to be. They would look up to her, as if she were a role model. I also used a widely known landmark - the Big Ben - as the backdrop because it connotes ideas of adventure and it also fits in with the title of the album - Timeless. 

In both my interview and album cover, the artist is represented as down to earth and sweet, as mentioned before they both make her seem thoughtful by using indirect address in both photographs, creating synergy between them.

Assignment 2 - Magazine page

Assignment 2 - Interview

Recently, we got the opportunity to sit down and talk to one of the most recent rising superstars in the music industry. She became a big hit during her days on X-Factor before she disappeared from the public eye...but now she’s resurfaced and climbed to the top of the charts with her debut album Timeless. It’s Ash Bourne!

When and how did you first become interested in music?

I first became interested in music at very early age, about when I was 7 years old. It’s actually made a very big impact on my family. So, my dad owned an instruments shop in London, before we moved to Oxford. Right before we moved there, my dad gave me a guitar. I was always interested in my dads business, but when I started playing the guitar, I realised I wanted to do it for a living.

Did you face any obstacles in pursuing your career?

Yes, definitely. I remember there was this one instance where I really doubted my chances at success. It was when I was eliminated from X Factor in the semi finals. No record label was giving me a chance and my agent nearly gave up. Luckily, Kronos Records gave me a chance. I just hope my album will receive a positive reception.

Did you learn something from your elimination on the X Factor?

My elimination caused me to face the fact that I wasn’t prepared to proceed to the next round and career, so I contacted a vocal coach and started to train my voice to become more stronger. My voice cracked on the song I was singing in the semi final because I couldn’t reach the high notes in it. I’m actually happy that I went through this experience because it helped me feel better about my chances for a successful career due to the hard work and effort I put into those classes.

What are your musical influences?

Zendaya’s dual career in both acting and singing was so successful that it inspired me to pursue a career that balanced both of these things as I grew up loving them equally through my childhood. I also grew up loving Michael Jackson, he made such a big impact on the music industry and really shaped how music is in the present. He is one of the most famous and inspiring legends ever. I really hope to put my own mark on the industry and leave a legacy behind just like he did.

How do you write and compose your songs?

Well, first I compose the music by trying out a few chords together on my piano and then I add in any other instruments I think would make the song sound better. Then, I pick out an experience that Ive gone through and jot down any lyrics that come to mind on the nearest object I can write on, most of the time it’s in my journal.

Do you have any advice for any young, aspiring musicians, like yourself?

Yes. I do. Never give up on your music and yourself, despite what others tell you. Music is a way to express yourself freely, without holding back. That’s what I like best  about it. Never let anyone stop you from achieving your dreams.

What’s the inspiration behind your album?

I wanted to write songs about the different phases in my life and how they all made me the person who I am today. I wanted to show my appreciation for my childhood and my life so far and the only way I could do that was through my music. The memories from those times were - are eternal, always to me.

Assignment 2 - Album cover

Assignment 2 - Analysis

The artist I am analysing is called Lindsey Stirling, she is signed to multiple record labels, but this alum was released by Lindseystomp Music. She is most commonly advertised through the use of YouTube where she has exceeded 8 million subscribers as of July 2016. YouTube allows Lindsey to directly connect with her fans and sell her albums. I am analysing the music video for The Arena and the album it is from called Brave Enough, both originals by Lindsey Stirling.

The Arena by Lindsey Stirling

The genre of her music is very unique as not many people put out this type of music. Her songs are a mix of classical and pop and some, like this one, are purely instrumental.

As her style of music is so unique it is hard to name conventions for it. She breaks many conventions of classical and pop alike by combining the two clashing genres.  There is a lot of dancing in the music video which occurs a lot in this genre and her portrayal of this fusion of classical and pop sounds very cool and shown accurately through the style of her music videos. She is also shown for the majority of the music video.

Although, this music video is tailored more towards a demographic of teens and young adults as her music is upbeat and fun to listen to for this target audience. A secondary demographic may be fans of the classical genre and they may like this refreshing take on their preferred genre. The pace of the dancing constantly holds the attention of the target demographic because they normally have a short attention span.

Throughout the video, the artist constantly has a confident NVC which is indirect. This shows that she is completely focused in her actions. The lightning is bright which connotes purity, empowerment and courage in this specific narrative. She has two different costumes in the video. The audience first sees her in dark clothing which represents her a rebellious but serious about what she believes in. Her second costume is bright and the complete opposite of her previous costume. She is seen in this costume whilst she is playing the violin. This connotes angelic, hope and purity, and since she was playing the violin it makes the demographic understand that this song is about hope and courage.

The video starts with a historical and inspirational quote by Winston Churchill and this immediately catches the eye of the audience as they start to wonder how this can be related to the artist's music. Then, the quote shortens to a single sentence and then a phrase. The phrase is the title. This makes the audience intrigued. There are quite a few slow motion shots to create drama and there are many long takes with wide shots for the audience to perceive the setting and mise en scene. They are clearly in a arena being watched by a surrounding audience and the two main characters are dancing, which is very unusual. But, this shows that they are "brave enough" to dance in front of an audience that can potentially mock them. This is followed by other characters to become "brave enough" because they are inspired to do whatever they want to do, by the music in the music video. This gives an overall empowering feeling. 

Overall, the artist is represented as inspirational and courageous through her costume choices and actions in the music video. She is constantly represented as a mentor/ revolutionary figure as she consistently inspires others to believe in themselves, offering them hope when they appear to have none. She is also represented as a fighter, it is shown that she views herself as her biggest critic, but even when she is upset, she never gives up - which also shows the extent of her hopeful nature. 
               

The title of the album is portrayed clearly through the pose of the artist. It connotes breaking free, rebellion, courage and gracefulness. It could suggest that she is brave enough to break free from conventional stereotypes of anything.

The colour scheme is dark which contrasts against the artist which makes her stand out. She is also in the direct centre of the album cover which connotes being the center of attention and importance.

Her costume is dark which connotes rebellion, her costume also looks very classy as it has a nice sheen to it. She is surrounded by a piece of fabric which could have been her skirt because the object around her waist is left exposed. It seems that she has restrictions placed on her and all she wants to do is to break free. The light white upper half of her costume also gives the outfit a more sophisticated portrayal.

Lighting used is low-key around her but very high-key when placed on her, this could suggest how hopeful she is and how she stands out from others. Her NVC uses indirect address but is confident, which attracts the audience as it looks a bit more realistic and personal.

The title looks modern which attracts the attention of the audience as they begin to ask questions about the artists work. As the title is modern, any new members of the demographic would be confused at the relationship between the violin, portrayed elegantly, and the modern, futuristic title.

The synergy between the two products is quite subtle but it can be seen through the relevant narrative in the music video to the album. Since it is subtle, it is also effective as the audience would be intrigued by the cover and see a music video that would persuade them to buy her album, since they liked the music video they would be interested in her other songs in the album. On the other hand, if they saw the music video and then the cover they would most likely detect a recurring message through her songs and cover: to be 'brave enough'.

In Conclusion, I feel the artist is represented as inspirational and courageous, through mise en scene, lighting and various production techniques. It is also advertised well throughout several forms of media (music video and album cover) on different platforms(such as YouTube). The synergy between the two forms of media is quite evident and doesn't seem that there is a repeat in a narrative from the other form in another.

Terminology
Media production
Representation

Assignment 1 - Print advert

My fragrance print advert is targeted to a demographic of young female adults aged 18 - 25. My advert appeals to my audience because the model is portrayed as a seductive mermaid - a siren. A siren is a mythological mermaid who would lure sailors to rocks, so my mise en scene is suitable to my narrative in this advert. The setting is a beach and the model is placed in the centre of the advert because it shows that she'll always be the centre of attention - the demographic will most likely want to be like her. She is also having an indirect NVC to show that she has many secrets and how she is mysterious. I mainly used blues because they connote seas and water. I have followed the convention of portraying females as seductive women, but the model is also represented as more powerful and more dominant over men because the model is portrayed as a siren. I feel like magazines aimed at my demographic would promote this advert, dependent on what they may focus on.