FILM TRAILER

ELLIE SMART 1859

I worked with Millie Wyatt 1874, Charlotte Coppellotti 1812 and Jess Foster 1820. 

We produced a film promotion package for a comedy/crime film entitled 'Dodging a Bullet', including two trailers together with an official social media page and poster for the film.  

Please find my minor work pieces, and dedicated page for my Creative Critical Reflection, under the appropriate convergent link tabs on the header of my blog.

Camera-Work

I took responsibility for lots of the camera work, when not in scenes myself, in particular in the briefing scene. In filming, we utilised canon 650 D cameras and manfrotto tripods that we have at school to film our footage. The tripods came in very useful as they gave us a balanced, stable shot, even when panning, and also allowed us to film ourselves without the help of others. I enjoyed working behind the camera as it allowed me to make small adaptions and guide actors according to angles and lighting, teaching me how theoretical plans and shot lists need to be flexible. We made sure everyone had an opportunity to assume the role of videographer, for example as there are lots of shots showing us moving around the mansion in the heist, Millie took on the role for these scenes.

Lighting

For the briefing scene, myself and Charlotte designed the lighting, experimenting with the different colours and brightness to create our desired ambience. I enjoyed playing around with the spotlights we had access to, working to create interesting shadows and rim lighting. Jess assisted this process, by ensuring the black drama curtains blocked out any natural light and posters on the wall were removed. For our ending phone call scene, we envisioned the actors faced being concealed, keeping her identity unknown. For this we utilised lighting to put a rim light around the Boss's head, creating a silhouette, this was achieved through facing her towards the spotlight and filming from behind. I thought this was effective in concealing her identity, creating enigma over the mysterious figure.

Editing

Millie was our primary editor, but I also made suggestions which were then implemented as we found it worked best to have two sets of eyes and opinions. In particular the embedding of intertitles edited between comedic shots, creating a witty tone to the editing. We edited using Final Cut Pro, importing voice memos and music to accompany our footage and dialogue. We used iMacs to import footage from the memory cards, which proved useful in allowing us to airdrop voice memos and items like the BBFC certificate. The process of editing was a long one, with all of us taking responsibility for tweaking sections and making small changes. One particular challenge in editing included making it not look like continuity piece, as not to reveal too much about our narrative and keep audiences intrigued. To avoid this, we used fast cut editing and intertitles to break it up.

Directing

Directing our trailer was a group effort, as we all put forward suggestions on shot types, locations, acting and narrative. We thought that we could achieve the highest quality production by having the greatest creative input we could. When I was behind the camera, I enjoyed making prop placement suggestions and encouraging the acting. Charlotte was helpful in working out what props were needed and supplying them and Jess assumed the main script writing role, as she has lots of acting knowledge and experience.

Social Media

Each member of my production took responsibility for a different social media platform, working cohesively to construct brand visibility on various platforms. Personally, I took responsibility for twitter. 

Link to my social media

FILM POSTER

I created a film poster for our film - Dodging A Bullet. I used photoshop to construct of my poster, downloading the billing block font to make it look professional. The photos were taken using a cannon camera in front of green screen, allowing me to easily remove the background.

OFFICIAL DODGING A BULLET POSTER

SOCIAL MEDIA: TWITTER

Within my production team, I was responsible for the twitter social media platform for our film, Dodging A Bullet. I have been coordinating a slow release of materials on my platform, designed to build excitement and audience engagement.

I tried to make my posts encourage audience interaction, for example behind the scenes sneak peaks and posts asking audiences to retweet guesses at our mysterious star talent.

The link to my twitter is here - https://twitter.com/theframingfilm?s=11

SOCIAL MEDIA by Ellie Smart

Locations On the Set

 

Location Recce by Ellie Smart

CONSTRUCTION: Merchandising

 As part of our promotion package, we created merchandising which we cohesively promoted on our social media platforms. Merchandising is a useful tool used to promote films, generating profits and acting as a hook to attract audiences and fully immerse them in the product. This critical role in the marketing of the film is often fulfilled before a film is released - it encourages excitement for a films release and on average at least 40% of film merchandise is sold before the release of the film.

It contributes to brand identity, building consumer loyalty as they buy merchandising that represents the film. Merchandising is also beneficial for production companies as it provides an extra revenue drip, even after the film is released.

Merchandise for DODGING A BULLET

After research we found that t-shirts are one of the most products to sell as merchandising, they sell fast and target a broad demographic. Along with our tees, we created a broad range of merchandise: tote bags, painting sets, literacy sets, stickers, mugs and phone cases. We felt the bags were useful and durable items that promote environmental friendliness, a quality that appeals to young-adults (our target demographic). With our painting sets, we tried to reflect the painting focus of our film, appealing to those with an interest in art collection and painting in particular. We created such a variety in order to extend the reach of our film, making our merch appeal to all consumer needs.

On each item, we chose photos that reflected our unique selling points and which were appropriate for all audiences- the impressive painting, female representation and the mansion. These photos also feature in all areas of our marketing, creating continuity. Equally, we printed the 'Dodging a Bullet' title onto the merchandising, keeping strong brand identity and cohesion with our film posters in particular. 

We went for plain tones of black and white for our products - extending the reach of the product with a gender-neutral colours. We selected images that were highly saturated and brightly coloured, making the t-shirts eye-catching and fun. In terms of scale, we made our graphics large, filling up the majority of the canvas'. This was because we wanted consumers to feel immersed in the film, as well as advertising the film to people whose eyes the t-shirt might catch. 

CONSTRUCTION: REFINEMENTS

CONSTRUCTION by Ellie Smart

CONSTRUCTION: REFLECTIONS

 

REFLECTIONS by Ellie Smart

CONSTRUCTION: EDITS

CONSTRUCTION:EDITS by Ellie Smart

CONSTRUCTION: CHANGES

CHANGES by Ellie Smart

PLANNING: BBFC Certificate

 

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the film industry in 1912, which is responsible for the classification and censorship of films in the UK.

Classification is the ‘process of giving age ratings and content advice to films and other audio-visual content to help children and families choose what’s right for them and avoid what’s not’.

The BBFC produce and publish guidelines which influence all classification decisions. They are regularly updated, and the product of public consultation, research and experience, reflecting current views on regulation. The guidelines list features of films that determine the age category, for example a 12A rating.

I have researched these guidelines on the BBFC website and concluded, with my production team, that our film ‘Dodging a Bullet’ will fit into the 15-rating due to it including strong language and suggestions of violence. Our BBFC film certificate was produced using PowerPoint to edit our film name onto a template.

 

 

PLANNING: Risk Assessment

 I understand that when filming, it is important to produce a risk assessment entailing:

•          Hazard to health and safety
•           Risk posed and to whom
•           Risk level (high/medium/low)
•           Control measure used to reduce risk

 

Hazard to Health and Safety	Risk posed and to whom	Risk Level (H/M/L)	Control Measure to Reduce Risk
Transport	Moving traffic in the car park, risk when driving/travelling to filming locations.  Risk posed to cast members and filming crew.	Low – as we predominantly filmed at school there was little traffic and we didn’t need to leave the premises.	Be alert and careful of oncoming traffic, wear seatbelt when on the way to filming locations.
Weather	Rain causing the ground to become slippery.  Danger of getting clothing wet and becoming too cold. Possibility of damaging camera equipment. Risk posed to cast members and filming crew.	Medium	Walk tentatively over slippery surfaces. Wear appropriate, sensible clothing for all weathers. Do not use tripod and camera in the rain to avoid damaging the technology.
First Aid issues	Risk of tripping/falling in darkened rooms or when running and performing mild stunts (e.g. falling down stairs, jumping out of windows).	Medium	Carry a first aid kit, aim to have a first-aider on stand-by for stunt scenes. Be careful, cast members don’t do anything they are not trained in. Assess risk before performing tricks/running.
General Public	Risk of theft of assault when filming.	Low – filming on safe school premises.	Students to avoid causing incidences with members of public or the school community. Be considerate of surroundings and people who might be affected by noisy filming. Do not approach/provoke members of public. Do not film late at night in unsupervised conditions.
Major Public Incident	A terrorist attack. Risk posed to cast members and film crew.	Low/Not Applicable – minor chance of an attack in school.	In the unlikely case of one: Ensure a well-known assembly point and carry emergency contact cards. Be aware of national advice to run if possible and hide is not. Follow police/authority instruction.

 

PLANNING: Casting

 

Casting - Dodging a Bullet by Ellie Smart

PLANNING: My target audience

When planning how to reach our specific target audience, we needed to understand who they are and what their specific interests are. To attain knowledge on relevant factors such as age, gender, ethnicity and social class, I created an audience questionnaire. It was also important I found out what their media needs are so that I could produce a film trailer and promote the film in ways that will meet and satisfy their needs.

In order to market our film in the best way to reach our target audience, allowing us to plan efficiently, I conducted research on my target audience and created an audience profile. I started by investigating how other brands define audiences, in preparation for creating my own audience profile, for example I saw how Bauer media, NME and Empire define their audiences. 

My Audience Profile:

1. Who is my primary target audience?

Our primary target audience is young people who are over 16 (our age rating is 15). Although we have not specifically skewed our film towards women, there is an appeal for women with the all female cast and female representation as criminals.

2. What kind of films and television are they likely to prefer?

Our primary target audience are likely to prefer comedies and films within the crime/thriller genre. They will enjoy comic relief interlinked with moments of tension, as well as a complicated plot line found in crime films.  

3. What platforms do they choose to watch films and where are they likely to see information about films?

Our target audience are likely to choose online streaming platforms such as Netflix to watch films, due to the large variety and ease. They are likely to see information about films on social media, such as Instagram and twitter. 

4. What brands do they prefer?

As our target audience is a young demographic, I think they would prefer sports brands such as Nike and clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters. 

5. What makes my film stand out from the competition?

A unique selling point of our film that makes it stand out from the competition is the all-female cast, and the unusual female representation within the crime genre.

6 . Why should my audience watch my film? 

My audience should watch my film as it is engaging, with a strong narrative, but has comedic elements to create a positive, light hearted experience for audiences.

PLANNING: Storyboard and mindmap

 

PLANNING: Treatment

The title of our film is 'The Framing'. It is a comedy film with thriller characteristics. It is a story based around female criminals and the disasters they encounter while on a heist to steal a renowned painting. It is not as easy as they expected as they stumble across a murder... Our film has 4 main characters who are women which is part of our unique selling point. It is aimed at young adults which may appeal more to women due to the female empowering element of our film. The big question is 'How will they escape the charges?' The criminals are all different in style and personality which gives the film some diversity. 

PLANNING: Target Audience and Similar Films

PLANNING: Location Recce

 

My production team and I carried out a location recce today, so explore potential filming locations. We went round various rooms within the mansion, looking for rooms which could be in the art collectors home. The home is seen within the first part of our trailer, where we establish who, what, where and why we are robbing.

The location we explored has acres of land, helping to infer our character's extreme wealth. We are hoping to include a drone shot, capturing the mansion from an angle that showcases how impressive and huge it is. A drone shot would also give our trailer a high-quality, professional look. 

PLANNING: Tasks

 

1. The name of our film: The Framing
2. The name of our Production Company and our co-production companies: Silver screen productions, MCJE
3. The name of the director that will appear in our trailers: Ellie Smart
4. The name of the 2-3 main actors that will appear in our trailers: Millie, Charlotte, Jess, Ellie
5. (Optional)  "From the director of..." Camera-Shy, new work, emerging artist
6. The names of the film festivals where our film will be screened (more festival names here): London comedy, BFI Film festival 
7. Pull quotes from reviews etc; wording:
8. Our location recce - take photos and collate in an attractive way + written explanation: Mansion Claremont
9. Our target audience: Female representation, 18-25
10. Social groups and issues in our film... Criminals, women
11. Our props list - photos + stereotypes + clothing: Painting, balaclavas, computer, projector, funny costumes (sunglasses and moustache)
12. Our social media - write down decisions about who is taking responsibility for which platforms: Jess insta, Ellie twitter, Millie Facebook
13. Our music - we researched (this type of music) as the background track... and narrowed down our choice to include...: Voice over with mixing of music as background track
14. Our call sheets are being written by ... All of us
15. Make your storyboard - include....

• how you plan to frame shots - identify establishing shot, wide shots, two- shots, three-shots, CUs, ECUs,
• words of any other inter titles: Actor names, character profiles
• release date - decide on wording: Coming September 2022 to cinemas near you

RESEARCH: Where are trailers shown

According to the FDA teaching trailers recourse, most trailers are produced at the same time as the film is being edited. They highlighted the importance of the timing of a trailer campaign as it must be shown far enough in advance to generate excitement about the release, but also not so early that the film is forgotten about. 

I watched three trailers - Toy Story 4, Yesterday and The Brink, to understand how they are designed to create a buzz around the film. As a class, we discussed the main talking points from the trailers. We acknowledged the fact that most trailers in the UK are released over the spring and summer months.

Toy Story 4:

The main talking point of audiences of Toy Story 4 will be the nostalgia evoked by the sequel. Throughout the trailer, through the use of intertitles, the key message of 'old friends' is emphasised, making children excited to see their childhood favourite characters again. 

Another strong talking point for young girls is the evolution of Little Bo Peep as she appears an empowered, confident leader in the trailer, inspiring young girls. This reintroduction adds a new, appealing aspect of the film which sets it apart from the other films.

The soundtrack 'God only knows' by the Beach Boys would evoke happy feelings of parents watching the trailer, also provoking nostalgia as the songs are from their teenage and younger years. Throughout the trailer, Disney is trying to sell the idealised happiness of childhood and infer the togetherness that the film would give parents and children from happy memories created by the experience of seeing the film. Most parents count on summer holidays to create 'happy memories', so the film would resonate with both parents and children. 

I think producers would choose spring/summer for the release of the film as it features a summer holiday and also utilises the children's summer holidays in the UK, meaning there will be a greater amount of screenings in cinemas. The feel-good summer song also contributes to the positive, summer quality - making parents feel positively towards the film.

Yesterday

I think the main talking point of the film trailer would be around the internationally famous band - the Beatles. The film leverages these most famous singer-songwriters, adding a new angle on them which is the unique selling point of the film Audiences that love the music of the Beatles in particular, as well as the whole vibe of older bands and music, would be instantly targeted and made to feel nostalgia over the old music. Hopefully, the music would create positive associations for such audiences, making them want to see the film to feel those happy feelings again. 

Another key talking point would be the distinct element of magic and the concept of becoming as famous of the Beatles. The narrative is quite comedic in this sense, as it is not a realistic concept at all. This might intrigue audiences to find out how it happened.

Guest appearances of stars like Ed Sheeran and James Corden appeal to established audiences of the stars, as well as increasing the production values of the film if famous people wanted to be a part of it. The star talent of Lily James is also a key selling point, as the A-List actress will definitely attract pre-sold audiences who love her acting.

I think that the film would be released in the summer months due to the summer vibe of the film. This is created by the uplifting soundtrack and element of live music which is so often associated with summer. For example, there are shots of festivals which as a major part of summer for lots of people. Happy summer memories for people would be successful in causing them to feel positively about the trailer, as they are likely to be longing to be a part of that summer feeling with live music, influencing them to want to see the film.

The Brink

I think the main talking point of the trailer is the 'cinema vertite' approach. It follows real life events and real politicians so therefore has a documentary feel. This evidence provided on the political events might make audiences feel they had an incite into America politics, and feel they are closer to the truth. They might want to watch the film to form their own personal opinions on the events which would appeal to mature audiences that want to understand their political history. 

The release of the political film would have had to be within relatively close proximity to the events happening, to ensure audiences remain interested in gaining the deeper insight. This relevance is one of the key selling points of the film and therefore is something that needs to be present.

I turned to Peter Bradshaw of the guardian to read his film review, as I wanted to learn a little bit more due to not gaining a detailed perspective from the first screening of the trailer. It was interesting to understand Bradshaw's scorn for Bannen but how he still gave the film 4*. 

The Brink positions Bannen in a very contrasting way to the film Frost/Nixon which is of the same political genre. Frost/Nixon immediately positions the politicians in an extremely negatively way with an expose style. Whereas, Bannen has more of a documentary feel, seeming to show the events as they happened which allows audiences to form their own opinions.