What was the task?

Our task was to recreate a horror trailer of our own choice. We had a time limit of 30-45 seconds.

How I went with the task?

My group and I started to research horror film using the internet. After, we looked at their trailers and thought whether it was possible to recreate it without having to use complex things. We decided on ‘The Blair Witch Project’ and came with different setting we could film.

Our trailer and the real version

Horror trailer target setting

To improve, I could make sure the background voice is clear and if there are different voices then I would find other people to help me. By this, we would not try to put on different voices. Plus, it would sound more like a horror.

Another improvement was to slow one of the voice down. Next time, I would make sure we record our voices clearly and slowly. Perhaps, we could listen to our voices a several times before using it. By this, we would not have to rerecord our voices in different times. To improve the horror trailer,

we could slow down the part where Amal is looking around. This would make her actions more clear and understandable.

Another suggestion was to add some more breathing. We record the breathing so next time we could make the breathing last longer.

According to the feedback, we could have added a scream at the end when someone is running. To improve, we could add a scream sound. We could use YouTube or other sites to download a scream sound. This would make the trailer effective because screaming is a convention of horror. By this, the genre of the trailer would be obvious.

To improve, we could make the lighting of the close up darker. This is so a tense atmosphere is created.

At the start of the original trailer, there was a production company logo. We was advised to put the logo at the start of our trailer too. The logo Is important because it increases the audiences expectation.

There were text used at the end of the trailer to inform the audience about the release month (September), film’s name and the website. There was shadows in the text. In our trailer, we tried to create the shadow but it was not as effective. To improve we could create a stronger shadow by increasing the opacity. This would create a tense atmosphere.

The typography of the text is different. The font for the original trailer was in serif whereas we used sans serif. This makes a difference as they both create different effects.

To improve, we could make the volume of the voiceovers higher. This is because it was not clear and understandable as there was a score at the same time. The volume f the score should have been lower and the volume of the voice should have been higher. By this, the voices would have been heard clearly.

In the original trailer, the close up of the girl crying had a different lighting to our version. In our version, we had the lighting in front of her but in the original trailer, the lighting was towards the right side. This had an impact on the mode it created. This was a limitation because we did not have the equipment for the tear.

In terms of make up, we used normal water to create the tear but in the original trailer the tear was glistening. This had an effect.

What went well?We used a range of shots, including close up, side view and medium shot. The close up was effective because it made the audience pay attention to what is going on.

A feedback for our trailer was that the sounds were good. This includes the score and the breathing.

According to the feedback, the editing of the trailer was good. We used cuts, fade to black and dissolve.

The acting of the trailer was good. Even though the close up prevented the audience to see her face, the dialogue made it clear enough that she is scared.

The lighting was used to create effect. We went to a dark room and switched the lights off, which helped us to create the dark lighting. For the bright parts, we used a phones light. For the outside filming, we adjusted the lighting through the software, Adobe Premiere. This is because we could not find a place with a dark lighting setting.

To improve, we could make the lighting of the close up darker. This is so a tense atmosphere is created.