1. Development Diary
Once we had completed our edit decision list, we began creating our trailer by
adjusting the length of the clips.
To begin piecing our trailer together, we firstly
needed to decide where our shots were to begin
and where they were going to end. To do this we
used the ‘I’ and the ‘O’ keys on the keyboard to
trim our clips so that we had the section that we
wanted. Once we had decided the starting point
of the shot, we pressed the ‘I’ key on the
keyboard so that this point would be where the
clip would begin. To end the clip, we used the ‘O’
key to end the shot at this specific point. These in
and out points are shown by the blue arrows on
the image to the right.
Some of our shots were slightly too dark so
we adjusted the lighting using the colour
corrector tool. To do this, using the effects
tab, we clicked on video filters and then
selected colour correction followed by
colour corrector.
We then adjusted the white balance that
made the shot look brighter by adding
lighter tones.
The screen shot below of the doll shows
how dark the original shot was whereas the
next image shows the end result after using
this tool.

2. We also used this same technique to make the lighting brighter on other shots
such as when the camera tracks across the photographs on the fireplace.
When editing, we have tried to use different editing techniques, one of these
being a match on action. For instance, the screen shots below shows how we
have edited the character entering the house from the outside before the camera
switches to the inside to show her entering.

3. Before we began to piece together our footage, we had downloaded some sounds
using the Internet and Soundtrack Pro. We have used one of these sound effects
for when the front door to put emphasis on the tense atmosphere. To do this we
imported the sound using the file tab, and selecting the import icon to find our
sound effect saved within our folders. To ensure that the sound effect was in
time with the door shutting, we turned off the snap tool so that we could add the
sound to the exact moment when the door closes. If the snap tool were on, the
sound would begin at the end of the previous shot and so be out of time.
To add text, we used the text icon that opened a box that
could be added to the film timeline. Once we had typed
what we wanted the text box to say, we edited the
settings. Beginning with the font style, we have used the
same styles throughout, not only in our trailer but the
same as our ancillary tasks so that our house style is
continuous across all platforms.
We change the font style by selecting the control tab and
choosing Buttons the Bear font which we downloaded online as this has a
childlike feel which is relevant to our film. To add a horror feel to this text, we
added a drop shadow using the motion tab which we then adjusted the offset,
angle, colour and softness of the shadow.

4. To create the fast and tense atmosphere that is typically found in a horror
trailer, we have cut some of our shots so that they appear quick. We did this
by taking a clip and cutting it in various places using the razor blade tool.
This sliced the clip so that it is played in sections. With the black space with
have placed in between the clips we have cut with the razor blade tool, it
appears to be flashing quickly when played which creates a tense and horror
atmosphere.
The music in our trailer has been found using Soundtrack Pro
and the Internet, particularly YouTube. On Soundtrack Pro, we
searched through the sound library to find sounds that we
thought were ideal. When we had found something suitable,
we saved this as a Wave file in our student folder so that it
could be imported onto Final Cut Pro.
With music found on YouTube, we have chosen songs that the
owners have given permission for us to use in their
description. Using an online video to MP3 converter, we then
change the video to just sound and saved it with the same
process that we did for the sounds from Soundtrack Pro.

5. We have used various techniques with the sounds including fading in and out.
We did this using the pen tool on Final Cut Pro and drew points on the sound
timeline to indicate where we wanted the music to fade in and where we needed
the sound to fade out. To make the sound fade out, we dragged these points
downwards to select the point when we wanted the music to fade and how long
for. From the screen shot below, our fades are quite quick as the line has a sharp
drop.
For the title of our trailer, to keep the consistent
house style across all three of our products, we
have taken an image of the title from our final
poster to use on our trailer. This will allow for
consistency, and allow the title to become a brand
identity for the products, as audiences will be able
to recognize the brand easier.
On Photoshop, we used the crop tool and saved
the title as a separate image. We then used the
importing process that we used to import sounds
onto Final Cut Pro.
We then added a dissolve to the title however this
time we used a dissolve that was pre-set on Final Cut Pro.
Previously, our clips were not long enough to use these
video transitions and so this is why we used the pen tool
to manually create a fade effect. To add this dissolve, we
selected the effects tab, then video transitions and
selected the fade in and fade out dissolve to do this.

6. On the final shot, we have added the
final release date for the film that is in
the same font style as the slogan
previously featured so that our style is
consistent. We have also added the
production block and Production
Company details which we have
inserted as an image from our poster so
that all details and style is the same.
We have also included our website
address and a hash tag which can be
used on twitter as this is most likely to
be popular amongst our target audience
so not only advertises our film but raises awareness of our film’s release through
social networking.
Once our trailer was
completed, we decided to
change the look of the
opening sequence, as we
wanted this to appear old,
as if from the past like a
memory. To do this we
selected the effects tab then
chose the video filters
option. Within this we were
able to desaturate the
colour using the image
control option. This took
away any colour to create a
black and white look that
we were pleased with as it
reflects our plot of passing
through generations before
switching to the present
day.
The purpose of a trailer is to create mystery according to Barthe’s Enigma Code.
This can be applied to our trailer, as there is an element of mystery surrounding
whom the main protagonist is because her face is not seen until the tense ending
of the trailer. There is an element of mystery surrounding the doll, as the
consumers are not told it’s history and that this is the antagonist in the film. We
have tried to also create an enigma with the text by having the slogan ‘Every
family has their secrets’ which aims to get audiences thinking about what the
secret is.