2. . Our trailer had an age rate of 15 and above, this is because most of the people in our age isn't 18
themselves and also teenagers at the age from 15- 18 show that they like the genre of horror/
slasher the most. Feedback is considered to be an important part o the media product, to see
whether it appeals to the intended audience. I have generated feedback through giving out
feedback forms of the video, hosting video on YouTube, where people are able to write what they
are thinking about and also social networks such as facebook where a lot of people are able to
access it. These questions were accessible to all aged people there for I didn't have any biased
sample . For our trailer we asked 5 open ended question where people give qualitative answers.
The first question I asked was ‘what did you like about the trailer’? Few feedbacks that I received
to this questions is ;
•The tension builds up through the trailer
•Music, the captions, the story
•Trailer is good at being scary and having many frights and adding tension
•Nice ending and story. Liked the camera technique with Abdul at the end.
•music was good, edited, pace of the trailer, scream at the end was good, trailer builds up the
suspense
•Too scary, music was good, edited, pace of the trailer, blood from when the girl gets killed,
scream at the end was good
•The effect of the captions went well with the trailer
•Camera angles were done properly
•Scenes put together where interesting and the wordings for the captions gives a spooky feel.
3. From the feedback that I have received for my first question shows that our editing has been done
well, the usage of fast pace editing known as(montage editing) which means the meaning it created
between 2 or more shots and also the continuity editing which creates continuous flow of action, has
made the trailer effective and conveys the sense of genre. For my feedback many have said they like
the way the captions appear on the trailer, and the wordings gives a spooky feeling to the audience.
From the feedback I have learnt that the camera shots that I have included in the trailer is very good
and suitable, the captions made it even scarier, the voice over makes you feel related to the story itself.
We have constructed the trailer in the sense that builds up tension, I have learnt that the audience like
the editing of the trailer the most and therefore in the future I will know how to edit trailer on horror
genre. I have learnt that the voice over makes people feel related to the story it self. I chose to do this
questions as it allow me to see where I am good at in creating a horror trailer. I need to know things
that I am good at as well to see whether I have followed the codes and conventions.
4. Second question that I asked was ‘what could be improved?’ here are few of the responses
that I got,
•Not too scary,
•Not too scary, quite common story idea,
•It looks more of a story than a trailer, gives away too much
•Shows the killing, kills the suspense
•The location didn't seem as scary and not many locations are shown
•Done like a story giving away the main bits such as killing the characters
•Storyline can be more enigmatic, seeing the people die kills the suspense
•Could be set in the dark.
•The sound effect can be worked on even more where there's a BANG in it and shocks people.
•More people should have been shown rather than jus 3, looks boring.
•Need to be able to create more suspense so it questions people thought about the film
By looking at the feedback for theses questions I have learned that showing the death of the
character in the film kills the suspense and this wont interest my audience , rather it will make
them think is it worth it to go watch the movie as they already know who will be the one to
die. Many people have given feedback saying it is not scary and it give a common story, I learnt
that the trailer should giveaway so much of the story or the audience will automatically
decrease which is not a good thing. So when creating a horror trailer, its important to create a
something full of suspense where the audience will wonder what the story may be about
where as on my feedback you can tell the story and also its important to show more than just
three characters because people will automatically think the film just consists of three people
which is not true. We have filmed the scenes in one location only, which through the feedback
I have notices that quite a few wanted to add in more locations rather than just one which
makes it look boring and just looks common.
5. Its important not to give out enigma, also it would have been effective if we shot the scene in the dark
which would have conveyed a sense of genre. The sound could be worked on even more to give a bang/
shock to the audience and it would have scared them as it was a sudden threat.
Overall from the feedback I have received from this questions, I've learnt that I haven't followed many of
the codes and conventions such as the trailer gives away suspense showing the death taking place which
from researching I have noticed in may trailer the death doesn't show in trailer. however I have
subverted the codes and convention and tried out something new by show the event of death taking
place. There are many room for improvement and by the feedback I received I have learnt a lot of thing
that could be improved to make my trailer as effective as others.
The third that I have asked is, ‘How does the sound help to create tension? And here are a few responses
I got for this question.
•It builds up the story
•The speed of the heartbeat makes the viewer know something is about to happen.
•I like the way the sound builds up and the heartbeat works really well.
•It slows down but when something happens it gets faster
•The sound make the trailer stand out more and works well to make a tense feel overall.
•The sound makes the trailer more lively, and it gives the scary effect.
•The sound of the heartbeat make me feel related to the scene taking place
Through the feedback I received for this question, I have learnt that the sound of the trailer is one of the
most important element on constructing a horror trailer and also it effect the sense of genre in a large
portion as it gives a scary effect to the audience. Making the sound something g to do with reality make
the trailer effective such as heartbeats which allows to audience to relate to the trailer.
6. The fourth question is ‘what do you think of the story line’? And these are some of the responses that I have
received.
•Killer escaped from prison and is on a rampage.
• Someone escaped and kills the people in the trailer
•A serial killer escaped hiding in the forest and killing people (students)
•I think the story is about the girls who are lost in the woods and someone is chasing them with a knife so
someone wants to kill them, it looks like a camping trip.
•Follows the journey of 3 teenagers who are attacked by a monster who has been watching them for a while.
•A stalker that has been stalking this young college kids in the forest/woods kills them one bye one.
Through the feedback I have received for this question, I have notices that the majority of people have
figured out the story line of the film that we have constructed, I have learnt that this is because I have put
the scene together which gives away the suspense and so I have learnt that not to put related scenes
together or it gives away the story, have different locations and to include more than 3 people to make the
situation more realistic. The enigma off the story has been spoilt and this bring my product into a negativity
as people wont be as interested to see the film because the story line in obvious. Its very important not to
show the death happening in the trailer or the suspense gets killed off.
7. Last question I asked is ‘What elements of the trailer represent the horror genre?’ and these are the
response I have received for the last question;
•Blood, music, scream, running, the knife.
•Action Blood Bad guy
•Blood, music, scream, running, the knife, the chase,
•The dark voice of the narrator. Cold colours e.g. Blue. Frantic and running ( as if they’re trying to escape
like a nightmare) we see it in the eye of the villain, forest representation of isolation and no escape,
screams as well as background music gives more impact as it feels busy which contrasts to the build up of
the silence. The use of camera angles, showing the isolation of the victims as he is all up in their grill.
•Music and screams
•Blood, music and screams
•The knife, the woods, the fear in the characters aces, and the way happiness seems to change quickly.
From this I have learnt that there are many elements to convey the genre of horror such as the props
being used. In our trailer a knife is being used and the knife gives connotations of death, blood and
violence. The location is also important to convey a sense of genre, such as woods/ forest these places
are isolated place which gives connation of loneliness which people are aware of straight away when they
recognise the woods. The music and sound which have been added all gives the feel of horror straight
way . The monster dressed in black with his hidden identity, represents the genre horror as you see in
many horror films the monster hardly reveals its identity to create suspense.
8. In conclusion, the feedback that I have received all together has made me
understand the codes and convention of a horror trailer. I have looked back at the
trailer and understood myself through the feedback in which bits I should have
improved. The feedback has helped me understand that showing too much/ giving
away too much of the film can kill the suspense and it will lead into a decrease in
audience. It is important to have shock in the trailer, but through my audience
feedback I have noticed the actual death taking place in the trailer make the
audience aware that the person will die and so they will get bored of watching the
person who they already know that's going to die.