The document discusses strategies for promoting a horror film trailer and related materials, including:
1) Publishing the trailer on YouTube to reach a broad audience online as well as using film festivals to screen it for horror fans.
2) Creating a poster and magazine ad that convey the horror tone and genre through dark imagery and references to possession from the trailer.
3) Developing a website to further promote the film through additional content, preorder DVD sales, and links to where audiences can view the trailer and film.
4) Feeling that these ancillary materials work together to successfully market the film to its target 18-26 year old audience while also drawing in secondary audiences through the magazine and general online promotion.
2. Our horror trailer was primarily
targeted at both male and female from
18-26 and will be exhibited to YouTube
where it will be published online. Our
trailer used a common house style
which is associated with horror which
will attract the our target audience.
3. When publishing our horror trailer we are going to
publish it to YouTube. The internet is a good way to
publish your work this is because there are many
websites that allow people to see your work and this
will attract an audience. Also the use of festivals are a
good way for horror trailers to be published as they
will have a horror event and when the trailer is played
this will lead to an audience of people who enjoy the
genre of horror watching the trailer and they will then
want to go and see our film if we were to put our
horror trailer into a festival of this kind.
4. My horror poster conveys the tone and genre of our trailer.
My horror poster relates to the trailer due to the fact that I have used images
of the individual who plays the possessed character on the poster and this
correlates to the film. The iconography continues to suggest a horror
atmosphere as I have used a dark back ground which correlates to the horror
genre and the way the model is looking this also suggests horror as I have
manipulated her eyes so that they are red which correlated to the genre of
horror.
My magazine uses the conventions of horror magazine as it again have a
black background which related to horror. It is common for horror films to be
features within magazines as there is a horror magazine genre within the
institution and in order for horror films to promote their films they will often be
interviewed for a magazine. However my primary audience is less likely to
read a magazine to find out about a film they are more likely to spread the
word themselves online which will lead to more people hearing about the film
and this creates a wider audience.
5. Other than the use of social networking sights such as Facebook and Twitter,
posters and magazines are highly beneficial ways to market a film. Webpages are
also great ways to host exclusive content which build hype for the audience and
will gain a sense of community. Websites may contain exclusive images, screen
shots, behind the scenes material, interviews and even forums which allow fans
the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and opinions. Websites are also useful as
collections of the promotional items for the film.
As I have created a full length trailer, there is also other ways it can be promoted
which is the use of a teaser trailer which could be produced before the official
trailer which will keep the audience on edge and will make them want to see more
which is what most horror films do and the horror film Sinister who we took
inspiration from also did this.
The website for the film will be used in the long run post to the premier of the film
as well as prior to the film which we would sell copies of the DVD on this website.
Features links will also be on the website to where the trailer and film will be
featured or distributed, either on compilation DVDS or alongside a feature.
6. Overall I feel that I have successful combined both my ancillary texts and our
horror trailer. They establish and convey the tone which tells the audience what
type of horror trailer this is whilst promoting the actual film, persuading its primary
audience to watch the film and support it.
I feel that we will also have a secondary audience of anyone older than 26 which
will mainly be targeted through the magazine and the general audience will be
targeted online and offline which can be accessed through the poster. My ancillary
texts and my trailer harmonize and have elements of synergy as they work
together for greater effect whilst staying true to the horror film which they are
promoting.
I am extremely happy with the outcome of these texts and wouldn’t change
anything about them. The recent film Annabelle (2014) will have stirred an interest
in horror films which have the use of possession even though they are quite
common to begin with but by creating a film which is based upon the possession
taking over an object this I feel will interest more of the target audience for our
film.