1. Todarov’s narrative
film theory:
Equilibrium
Trailer Research
and Planning
Film trailer:
Equilibrium
Trailer Details
Disruption
Disruption
By Yasmin Watkins
Solution

2. Genre
I
aim to create a psychological thriller for
my film trailer with elements of horror
 While
I am following my initial ideas to an
extent by using conventions of the horror
genre, as a group we’re going to
incorporate our ideas to create a storyline
and use conventions from the
supernatural/ religious/ satanic
cult subgenres of horror.

3. Type of Trailer
 It
will be a short teaser trailer, to give the
audience a snippet of the plotline and keep
them interested in the lead-up to the film.
 Teasers can be made before a film’s been
completed, thus, it doesn’t need to show
scenes from the entire film –it can just give a
basic outline
 Furthermore, it will be able to be shown on the
internet, in YouTube adverts, as well as being
broadcast in the cinema and on television.

4. Target Audience
 It
will be predominantly aimed at those aged
15-25 years, as this is the typical age of horror
film’s target audience.
 It will appeal to thrill-seekers; those who are
fans of horror and teenagers who are curious
and daring in personality.
 It will be aimed at women, with a 60:40 gender
ratio for our implied target audience, due to
the majority of the actors in our current storyline
narrative being female. However, this will still
appeal to men through the male gaze theory.

5. How will the trailer relate to the
intended target audience?
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In editing, the trailer will highlight both halves of the
hybrid genre through fast-cut editing
The 15-25 demographic may stereotypically be too
busy to watch a full theatrical trailer that is
approximately 3-4 minutes in length.
However, a short teaser trailer would fit in with the
stereotypical lifestyle of the 15-25 age range due to
being ‘digital natives’ in surfing the internet.
Our actors will be in the 15-25 age range, which will
allow our intended audience to relate to the
characters through Personal Identity, using the Uses
and Gratifications theory by Blumler and Katz (1974)

6. Research for a Psychological Thriller:

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Suspense, tension, raising of stakes for the protagonist
With a psychological thriller the conflict is internal, through
the mind, skills, and wit of main characters
Elements of drama, mystery and horror can often find
themselves in the psychological thriller due to the
emphasis on motivation and the mind.
There are Life and death situations and certainly at the
end (climax) but this could well involve death or danger
to the mind or intrinsic identity or values
Psychological thrillers often deal with common themes
such as death, reality, perception, identity, existence or
purpose
Motives and intentions are more important than technical
aspects of how a crime is done.
Readers expect the story to focus around both the hero
and the villain, via changes in point of view and scenes
involving each separately.
http://hunterswritings.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/elements-of-the-psychologicalthriller-mystery-suspense-andor-crime-fiction-genres/

7. What key genre elements will
be employed?
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Emphasis on the narrative of the protagonist
White costume, conventionally used in horror to
connote innocence/ vulnerability of the female lead
Religious undertones in the rituals participated in
Eerie setting for the main events of the film, through
dark themes E.g using the woods ~connotes isolation
Make the audience invest in the characters through
the psychological effect of the film
Suspense/ tension created through framing and
sound
Inter-titles to narrate the film
Limited use of dialogue –more focus on imagery

8. What will the key point of the
trailer be?
 The
trailer is a subsidiary product to help sell
the final film in the build-up to its release
 To
create a scare-factor –its purpose is
to intrigue the audience to eventually
pay to watch the film
 To
highlight the hybrid genre of the film, by
showing conventions of both horror and
psychological thrillers

9. What studio film company will
you assign the film to?
I researched into 3 films to see what studio
company was used to produce the films that are
under the same genres as my proposed film:
 Film Nation Entertainment ~House At The End of
the Street
 Relativity Media ~Limitless/ House At The End of
the Street
 Universal – Skeleton Key

10. Relativity Media’s films titles such as
‘Paranoia’ and ‘The Family’
connote the types of horror/
psychological thriller films and
artwork that I would use in my own trailer. Furthermore
the company was founded in 2005, giving more
experience in how to successfully produce a film in the
modern age, with the rise of piracy.
• At first look, the names of
the films do not connote the
psychological-thriller genre
that my film will have.
• Also was only founded in
2008
Would be too big a company to take on the
film, who are known for releasing large scale/
high-budget blockbusters and film franchises

11. What will be the marketing
points of the film?
 The
hybrid genre of the film would be a
marketing point, as it isn’t as conventional
 The use of an unknown fate for the protagonist
would be highlighted in the trailer in a
cliffhanger-style ending
 The verisimilitude created in the film of a
normal-looking town/ the youth holding a
secret, would allow the audience to re-think,
and consequently interact with the film more.