Explore the genre and conventions of your chosen media text. How do you plan to adhere to or develop these conventions?

My chosen genre is a sci-fi thriller. There are many conventions used in sci-fi trailers which I would have to adhere to in order to create an effective trailer and the trailers I have looked at for influences have been extremely useful in generating my trailers style and tone.

One of the common conventions used is the use of a voice over at the beginning of the trailer, this is used to inform the audience of the scenario that has been set out due to science fiction films being set in a futuristic present day. This was found in the majority of trailers and the voice over is normally taken from a press conference where the lead character, generally a scientist, is discussing the new product. This dialogue which is usually from the start of the film, is carried throughout the trailer with shots underneath which are from the entire film in order to contradict what he is talking about. Another common convention which is used, is after the title is shown at the end of the trailer, it cuts to black and then one extra piece of dialogue and shot is shown, which is used to excite the audience as it meant to be a crowd pleasing moment. This is shown in Extinction and can easily be replicated.

Closer to God

Trancendence

Generally science fiction trailers utilise a three act structure. Most science fiction trailers use slow paced editing in the first act in order to introduce the characters and the setting/premise of the film. The editing speed increases in the second act and then in the third a fast paced montage is shown. This increase the tension of the film and showcases the action to invest audiences in the story. The montage is something which I think is necessary as shown by it being used in every trailer that I looked at. It will require a considerable amount of time for the amount of shots needed and the editing time required to make it in sync with the music but I think that it is needed as it's not just a convention of sci-fi/thriller trailers but all trailers. The music is also extremely important and usually ties in the the structure of the trailer, the majority of the film trailers that I looked at included a slow piano melody in the first act, in Moon and Ex Machina this is done to showcase the beauty of the situation. The slow piano piece also increase the mystery of the situation as shown in Transcendence as the piano increase the intrigue surrounding the new technology. As the trailers enter the second and third acts the speed of the music increases with the editing speed, this helps to increase the tension of the trailer. Throughout the second and third act several sounds are also added, such as sound booms, screeching or buzzing. These further increase the tension and suspense as they are commonly associated with horror/thriller trailers and therefore alert the audience to the upcoming action.

Closer to God

Moon

Generally when a science fiction film which centres around a man made creation which threatens to change life as we know it, the beauty of the Earth is shown, this is done in Ex Machina and Transcendence. This is done in to challenge the perceptions of beauty and showcase the destructive power of humans. Due to my budget, I most likely wouldn't be able to include any long flowing shots over a beautiful location, so therefore I may need to find an alternative to be able to include this convention. As I want my trailer to revolve around artificial intelligence, there are several conventions that are used when AI is shown in films/trailers. The mysterious nature of said intelligence is usually an important issue along with showcasing the beauty of this new creation. As a common trope is artificial intelligence going wrong and attacking humans, I wish to slightly twist this trope by switching it and showcasing a human attacking an AI and then how said AI and other humans react, this I feel will differentiate my trailer from the many others.

Ex Machina

Transcendence

The lighting is also going to be crucial in the trailer, from the trailers that I looked at in the first act, the lighting is generally high key which fits in which the calm setting of this act. However in the second and third acts the lighting changed depending on what style of film it is, generally these changes in light where shown in the montage so that the contrast would be striking and interesting. Some utilised red light, to highlight the psychological thriller aspect of the trailer and some utilised a lot of chiaroscuro to play up the horror aspect. I wish to use a bit of both perhaps and I want to make sure that the trailer is as visually interesting as possible by using as many different colour schemes as I can, similar to The Signal trailer.

Ex Machina

Moon

The Signal

The graphics also play a key role in all trailers, as many of the trailers that I looked at didn't have any bankable stars or directors these weren't shown but many were critically successful films therefore they use

this extra time to show the audience the awards it has won and the reviews. This is done in Moon and Closer to God, due to our low budget and no bankable stars this is something which can easily be replicated. The title is also important and most science fiction films use futuristic or computer text in order to remind the audience of the genre.

In conclusion, the science fiction/thriller genre which I have chosen to use and adhere to has many different conventions whilst still allowing a great flexibility which allows each trailer to feel slightly different. This is also down to the science fiction genre encompassing a wide range of sub genres which each have there own conventions, this means that I would have a large selection of choice when deciding which conventions to adhere to. As the structure of the trailers are generally similar this is something which I need to stick to, this then allows me to select certain trailers to influence me on different things like lighting and shots.


AF

Transcendence Trailer - Research and Essay

• Starts off in a typical fashion with a conference/lecture with a main character explaining the work this follows through into a voice over 
  
  
  
• Flowing landscape shots used to show beauty of the world - not possible for me, this is a big blockbuster 
  
• The music starts off in a familiar way with a classical soft piece, meant to inspire. As act two begins the music gets louder and louder and then cuts out, for the gun shot to be the only thing you hear. Act two's music is a fast paced beat, a heart rate monitor can be heard in the background, as the trailer goes into the third act  the music again cuts out for the flatline sound to be hear - striking. Then computerized booms take place and a faster paced beat, builds suspense
• Act 1 - Shows the technology and reason for the conflict in the film
• Act 2 - Shows the conflict and the fall out of said conflict, sets up the villain
• Act 3 - Shows the harm caused from the villain
• Production company at the start and directors name in the middle, title at the end, standard format however no actors name shown. 
• The font of the title are computer like - formed from binary 
  
• Slow paced editing at the start, picks up as towards the end of act 2 and the montage is shown
• Lot of different locations shown, with a variety of colour schemes which makes the film far more visually interesting- not possible due to budget
• Set in futuristic present day - like most sci-fi films
• There is a montage in the second and third act to show the action 
  

AF

The Phoenix Project Trailer - Research and Essay

• This trailer starts off with a slow pace, montage of close ups of machinery. This immediately tells the audience that they are scientists working on something in a lab
• A voice over and sound bridge is used to placed the dialogue over different shots
• This trailer is unusual in that it doesn't follow the three act structure of most trailers, this trailer only has two. This means that not a lot of information is shown and therefore gives the trailer an extremely slow paced feel
• As the majority of shots are in a laboratory they use low key lighting, this follows the majority of sci-fi films and trailers 
  
• The production company is shown at the start, and the name is shown at the end but no actors/directors names are shown as they aren't bankable stars. Instead the time is used to show a tag line
• The tag line reads 'The sequencing of DNA. The mapping of the brain. The harvesting of stem cells. The cloning of a mammal. The reanimation of life." This serves to build suspense and sound scientific in order to give the film credibility
• The text is in green in a font resembling a computer, this tells the audience that the film is scientific and futuristic and reminds them of it being a science fiction film 
  
• The camera throughout the entire trailer doesn't shake, this adheres to conventions of science fiction films without a lot of action
• The use of the video blog is similar to other trailers/films where that blog tells the story of what happens 
  
• The music starts off with a calm slow piano piece, this is similar to the majority of other sci-fi film trailers. There is a electrical beat in the background which represents a heartbeat and human life a an electrical buzzing sound which reminds the audience that its a science fiction film. As the trailer rolls into act two, the piano stops and all that is left is the electric beat which then stops as well. As the montage is shown every time it cuts to black all sounds stops this builds tension as it plays up the horror aspect
• When the corpse is brought back to life, the second act starts. In this act a montage is shown with each clip only being shown for a second before going to black, this is done in order to build tension as along with the sound clips of electricity the audience get the impression that something has gone wrong however they don't know what has happened, this works as the audience isn't told the plot of the film and therefore hype is built up

AF

The Signal Trailer - Research and Essay

• This trailer like pretty much every trailer starts off with a voice over, therefore it is essential that my trailer starts off with a VO aswell as it sets the tone of the trailer and introduces the key characters
• The trailer  also includes the festival it has been to, Sundance, this showcases to the audience that it is a good film this is also shown to the audience by reviews appearing in the trailer giving it positive reviews
• The production company is shown at the start of the trailer and the title of the film is shown at the end. However neither the actors or directors names are shown, instead a tag line is shown, this is strange has to do with the production company not viewing them as bankable stars, however Laurence Fishburne is. 
• The tone of the trailer in the first act is one of romance and sadness, through the shots of him and his girlfriend. This is unusual to a science fiction film however it quickly changes into a more common sci-fi trailer with action and suspense
  
• The use of colour in the trailer is also visually interesting due to the contrast. The exterior shots are mostly in the desert or grass and the interior shots are all white along with the change to darkness and the use of red light in some shots, a contrast is created which makes the trailer far more visually exciting 
  
• The music is unusual and creepy, setting the tone of the film. The music in the first act is electronic and mysterious. The music cuts when Laurence Fishburne's character says an exciting line. This builds tension and suspense. The music now becomes even creepier using buzzing sounds and a strong hard beat, which further increases the tension. The music then cuts out again and when it starts in the third act, a piano piece is playing, this increases the creepy tone that the trailer has made as a piano piece is normally used in the first act not the third. As the trailer enters the final montage the buzzing starts again
• The use of the body suits are also striking as they are memorable and interesting, the trailer does a great job of not revealing too much of the film therefore the audience is still left wondering why these suits are needed
  
• This trailer is slightly unusual as it doesn't follow the usual structure of the editing, which is the editing speed getting faster and faster. In this trailer, it starts off slow, then gets faster, then slows down again, and then speeds up dramaticly, then slows down again. This creates a far more visually interesting trailer as it doesn't follow the usual pattern.
• The trailer also includes a montage towards the end of the trailer, which showcases the action and excitement of the film and further increases the suspense
  

AF

Ex Machina Trailer - Research and Essay

• Feeling of isolation and beauty used through an establishing shot which shows the beauty of nature. These shots are used to comment on human interaction and advancements which ruin an over wise beautiful world. 
  
• Voice over is used throughout, introduces a central character and offers a chance to enter into his mind set. Often changes what is being said by using different shots under the voice
• At the start of the trailer, a lot of long mid shots are used along with close ups of the charcters. This is done to enhance the mystery and intrigue of the situation
• The music slowly builds as the viewer expects the action to be shown, as act 2 of the trailer starts, the music stops
• The music then changes to a harmonious piece which again builds on the intrigue and beauty of the AI
• In the third act the music begins pulsing faster, sounds similar to a heart-beat which is getting faster and faster
• The dialogue is twisted in the third act and everything that is said has a double-meaning, which the viewer now picks up on
• Reflection a central trope to sci-fi it is used to show two sides to the characters, used throughout the trailer 
• The glass also acts as a barrier between two people, symbolising the life that the can't have together 
  
  
  
  
• The trailer starts off with slow paced editing and then builds as the trailers turns into the final act, with the centre narrative of the film is shown, at this point the music turns creepier and the editing speeds becomes faster
• In the third act the film looks as if it becomes more of a psychological thriller/horror rather than science fiction with twisted colour, the fast editing style and shots which are shot under red light, which creates a sense of danger. As these shots become faster and faster a load buzzing sound is used and then the screen cuts to black 
  
  
  
  
• Several sound booms are used to emphasise the danger of the situation
• Film studio shown at the start of the final act of the trailer in order to break it up along with the director
• At the end the screen cuts to black and voice over is used with one line being spoken, the screen then cuts back to the action along with a loud sound boom and an action shot which shows the excitement to be had in the film
• The trope of female sexuality is central to sci-fi as it's a male dominated genre and therefore the male gaze is commonly used throughout. This trailer adheres to this but incorporates the theme of sexuality and lust into the plot in order to comment on this 
  
• This trailer adheres to several conventions of sci-fi namely the aspect of beauty and human destruction along with female sexuality. 

AF

Extinction Trailer - Research and Essay

• This trailer clearly follows a three act structure where the first act introduces the characters and their setting, the second introduces the threat and the third shows the danger the threat has to those characters. 
• Like the majority of film trailers, it starts off with a voice over of the main character explaining the general plot
• The music starts off with a piano piece which is slow and calming, this trailer follows the three act structure of most trailers and the music follows this as well. In the second act there is no music, instead the digetic sound of the film is heightened and a buzzing sound is placed behind the shots. This creates suspense as the trailer builds towards the final act of the trailer. Where then the music again stops, then a fast paced drum beat is played as the action is shown which breaks the suspense and builds the excitement of the film
• At the start of the trailer, the editing is slower paced in order for the audience to understand the plot. As the trailer enters the second and third acts, the editing speed increases as the suspense and tension is building. This also increases the excitement and showcases the action off in an exciting way
• This trailer follows the general rule of trailers by showing the production company - actor - name. This is also done in the familiar way, this creates a sense of familiarity for the viewer which makes the trailer feel very similar to other films and trailers which is a bad thing for the film
• After the name of the film is shown, an extra scene is then shown which is meant to enhance the excitement and hype for the film as they see that extra scene as being special.  
• As this trailer is also a horror it contains many conventions of a more horror style trailer including the chiaroscuro used, which builds suspense along with the close ups and fast paced editing meaning that you never get a good look at the monsters until the very end shot where the suspense is broken.
• The use of the cold climate is interesting as it creates a contrast in shots between the exterior shots which are bright with a lot of white and interior shots which are darkened. This makes the film far most visually interesting
  
• The camera also follows the three act structure as in the first act, there isn't a lot of movement as the camera is still, however once the action begins to happen in the second and third acts then the camera begins to shake creating a sense of unease. 
• Unlike most other film trailers this trailer doesn't use of montage in the same way as many others, although it still includes a series of close up, they are at a slower pace then you would expect for a montage

AF

Moon Trailer - Research and Essay

• The trailer starts by showing the awards that it has won, this is quite unusual but is done to get the audiences' attention as before they even know what film they are watching they know that it is meant to be very good 
• The title, actor and director are all shown together at the very end of the trailer. This is done to not break up the pace of the trailer and as they are not as bankable stars 
  
• The music in the trailer is similar to many other trailers by starting slow with a piano in the first act of the trailer and then as he exits the base, the trailer turns into the second act, in this section the music turns creepier with the piano piece stopping and screeching sounds being used instead to build suspense. Then in the third act the music speeds up further and a beating rhythm is used similar to a heart beat, the music becomes faster and faster as the suspense builds. The music at the end of the trailer slows down and becomes extremely creepy, which tells the audience about the psychological aspect of the film
• The dialogue 'two weeks to go' is emphasised throughout the trailer as it is repeated several times, this tells the audience about this central plot point and how a problem is going to occur soon
• A voice over and sound bridge is also used to introduce the character, this is similar to most other sci-fi trailers
• The pace of the trailer at first is slow in order to introduce us to the protagonist and his situation, as the trailer enters the third the pace speeds up in order to show the action and suspense of the film, this is done using a montage however it ends on a longer shot as Sam stares into space, as this shot is longer this is emphasised
• The montage is a commonly done in trailers as it showcases all the action in the film in a very short space of time, which builds the excitement for the film as it seems action packed and exciting 
  
• The use of lighting is also affected as the trailer follows it's 3 act structure. In the first act the lighiting is bright, and the set is clean and white, almost sterile. As the trailer goes on, the lighting becomes darker, this emphases the suspense of the film. 
  
• This trailer adheres to the conventions of a science fiction trailer by use of music and following the three act structure showing the before-during-after effects of an event

AF