Learning Objectives -To be able to identify the key conventions of film trailers, focusing on certain genres - Understand the impact of an effective trailer upon an audience

Conventions They highlight the best bits of the film Showcase stars/director of the film Some visual images barely stay on screen long enough for us to recognise what we are seeing (i.e. they are often very fast paced) Conversations are often one-liners Dramatic camera angles may be chosen to show events or characters Action is interspersed with credits on screen Voiceovers are used to tell the story and give credit information Music plays an important role in creating atmosphere Titles may not appear until the end Trailer builds to a climax, where it ends Montage

The Pitch Process You have a choice of genres to pitch for: –Your trailer will be for a film of this genre –You will make your poster and magazine front covers by yourselves but the trailer in a group –This groups must be of 3 or 4 – no flexibility –Only 2 groups (from all year 13 Media Studies A2 students) per genre – so give your 2 nd and 3 rd choices! –You must work in a group to complete the pitch sheet but only need to hand in 1 per group

Production Times

Genre Choices

Trailer analysis template Ocean’s Eleven Pulp Fiction Kidulthood Motorcycle Diaries

Film clips /index.htmlhttp:// 8336/index.html

A Representation Recap What is meant by representation? What is meant by demographic? What factors determine a demographic? What is meant by stereotype? Remember: the media is responsible for ‘constructing’ representations.

Social- economic demographics and film Traditionally the way of measuring social class was according to the job of the main ‘breadwinner’. The classifications are as follows : A: high ranking professionals; lawyers, doctors etc. B: middle ranking professionals; middle managers in business, teachers etc C1: ‘white collar’ office workers, clerks, semi and nurses etc. C2: skilled manual workers; carpenters, electricians. D: semi and unskilled manual workers; drivers, labourers, cleaners etc. E: people on state benefits, the unemployed, pensioners etc Do these differences still exist? What might be some of the problems with this sort of classification? What films are aimed at A’s and what films are aimed at D’s? Is there a difference? Is class as important to the film industry as age or gender? What do you consider to be the key elements of

Genre as Classification We all know that genre is a means of classifying which allows us as to group together films according to narrative and film style. Within each genre we can often classify into further sub-genres. Try to name two films with sub genres

YOU should now be able to answer the following questions: What social groups does the trailer represent? How far are their representations typical and how far are they not? In what ways can the representations be compared with similar kinds of text from real media/industry? What (sub-) genre do you think the film is in and why (what conventions are used)?

Repetoire of Elements Iconography Narrative Ideological Themes

Iconography (to identify genre etc) Narrative (Propp, Todorov) Ideological themes (zeitgeist, overt/covert) Technical aspects (cinematography, sound, editing etc)

Questions on iconography What is the problem with iconography when discussing genre? Some genres are too broad and are sub divided making it difficult to have one generic set of iconographic conventions. Horror and Sci-Fi for example Some genres can’t be simply identified through iconography. Why and which ones? The romantic comedy or the thriller are examples which do not have a particular visual iconographic look that links them all. However it is easier to list iconography for genres like the western or gangster.

Iconography Does this sub-genre have a clear set of identifiable iconographic conventions? Think about other films or TV programmes that fit into the same sub-genre (e.g. for Dystopian Sci-Fi: Survivors, 28 Days Later, I am Legend) Juxtaposition of rural and urban – movement back to self-sufficiency (nostalgia for pre-industrialised past)? Anti-hero? Bleakness - dark, dirty and decaying landscape Symbols of more advanced future technologies –Limited CGI/special effects in Children of Men – Cuaron downplays future technology (he wanted film to be “anti Blade Runner”)

‘Star Wars’ (1977) George Lucas.

Iconography What iconography can you identify? futuristic sets/other worlds high tech weaponry minimalist clothing space ships Androids/robots Alien creatures How do the Sci- Fi iconographic conventions in ‘Star Wars create meaning for the audience? The problem with Star Wars iconography is that it has ‘stereotyped the genre. What does that mean?

Narrative Non-linear or linear narrative? Think about Todorov’s theory of narrative structure: – equilibrium – enigma – resolution – is there a “resolution” in your films – are there narrative “conventions” for your chosen genre and are they always obeyed?

Propp’s 8 spheres of action Vladimir Propp was a Russian writer who through reading hundreds of European folktales and stories came to the conclusion there were 8 main character types that a story would revolve around… The hero The anti hero or false hero The villain The princess The helper The donor or giver The wise man The father Not all of these character types can necessarily be applied to every folktale.

Ideological Themes Term Ideology? A system of ideas or beliefs which give some account of the social world. The relationship of these ideas or values can have an influence on the meaning of a media text.

Audience and Ideology An audience can ‘buy into a media texts ideological message. Some media texts have more obvious ideological messages than others. This is distinguished as either covert or overt ideological approach.