Negative Positive Codes & expectation usp

conventions
Too Graphics of Jumpscares x6 More horror Repetitive
repetitive x6 the killings- Suspense comedy x2 kills
Confusing x2 cool deaths Creative deaths Needs more Re-living the
Crap Looks good Colors-red violence same day on
Wasn't Interested to Threat of Slasher vibe a loop
exiting see who the violence Plot twist x2 Time travel
Not realistic killer is Lowkey lighting Chase scenes Killers mask
Jokes Comedy Masked killer Guess the Comedy
weren't Mystery killer Naked woman killer horror mix
funny Unexpected Knives Loop mystery
Not scary scares Close ups Loud music
enough blood Suspense
Too many Female main
jumpscares character

The table above features all the useful information I have received from
my trailer feedback. The trailer was completed by a group of students
all aged between 16-19, this fits into my target audience. One thing
that I could improve in the future would be to cast a wider net, and
maybe ask people below the age of 16. This will allow me to get a much
better understanding and idea of what the target audience will be
looking for!
I chose the trailer for Happy Death Day (2017) to show to my focus
group as it has the same tone and codes and conventions that I
hope to use for my own film. I will use this as my main inspiration
for my development stage ideas.

Some of the feedback I have received had stated that they thought
this was more of a horror than a thriller, due to a lot of the
conventions found within. However, the thriller and horror genre
are very similar with their codes and conventions, for example,
masked killers, murders, twists, mystery and dark killers, jump
scares and such. Therefore, I will lean towards the horror end of
the genre but not will not use some of the horror genre techniques,
instead focus more on character driven intensity and good vs evil
who battle for who would win.

I picked the trailer as it inspires me, it is something I want to do, as

it is in the range of the horror-thriller genre that I wish to do. I want
to bring the codes and conventions of thriller and horror genres
together as they are quite similar, and can be interchangeable,
some examples are murders, jump scares, blood, gore, deaths
these can both be found in either genre.
All students asked were in the demographic of my target audience
(13-18), this is beneficial. I am now getting a direct response, from
the source. I now know what my target audience likes and dislikes
in my chosen genre, which will aid me in my development stages.

These are the codes and conventions of by chosen genre that my

target audience have recognized. Jumpscares, was the most
recognognised code and convention, this is a good indicator into
whist audiences expect, therefore it may be worthwhile me putting
it in my own trailer as it is an easily recognisable genre convention.
The use of the color red in this genre usually signifies death or evil.
Usually, when this comes up in the trailers it foreshadows someone
dying. Lowkey lighting creates dark, mystery and uses shadows, this
is a technical code and a genre convention, as thrillers will always
use dark shadows to hide figures in darkness.
This hides the killers identity which keeps them unknown to the
other characters which makes their identity mysterious. In the
genre that I have chosen has used the use of knives which usually
leads to someone or something dying, this is also a use of symbolic
code. The use of close ups usually creates interment relationship
with the character, this is also a use of a camera angle.
When a thriller or horror genre uses blood, this signifies that
someone has already died, or has been injured. I will use these in
my trailer as these are used in the genre and have been spotted by
my target audience. Blood is also red, which indicated danger and
violence.
From my trailer feedback I know what my target audience like and
what they dislike. However, one of the dislikes I don’t agree with it
is when someone said that “the trailer is not realistic” I do not fully
agree with this because I feel as though films do not have to be
realistic. That is why we go to watch films in the first place, to
escape our everyday lives. This is called escapism.
My target audience pointed out a few things in my chosen trailer
that they believe there are a few elements that they did not like,
these are things that I aim to avoid when creating my practical
creative work. The things pointed out to me were being, too
repetitive, the plot being confusing (ensure the audience know
what the plot is, and who is good and who is evil), the un-funny
jokes in the trailer (mine is not a comedy, so this should not be an
issue) and not being scary enough (this is something I hope to do,
make the trailer really intense and scary. I can make sure that I
don’t include any of these, or If I do, I will at least make them
better that what they already are. I aim to do this by planning out
my trailer using scripts and storyboards, I will also make sure to get
feedback from people during the development stage, such as my
teachers and critical friends

This primary research from my target audience is extremely

important to my development as it clearly identifies areas that I
should work towards and areas in which to avoid altogether. The
target audience expectations have shown me a clear path as to
what they will be looking for from a trailer in my genre. These
expectations were; guess the killer elements (this is a genre and
narrative convention for thriller films, and something I intend to do
myself, by setting up a mystery killer in the trailer, this will be an
enigma code too, as it entices the audience into why they want to
come watch the trailer). Another example of expectation would be
a chase scene, the audience have said that they will expect chase
scenes in a thriller, this is something I aim to do in mine. I will
create a chase scene and make it really intense and fast paced,
raising the stakes for the action. This is a narrative convention.

The feedback that I've received from my trailer feedback has

reinforced the secondary research that I have conducted on my
chosen genre, thriller codes and conventions. The primary and
secondary research have both mentioned the same things in many
instances. People who watched the happy death death trailer and
answered my survey seemed to be very upset with the uses of
jump scares. This is a common code in horror films, as it is used to
create a massive surge of emotion from the audience. Many people
in my feedback alluded to it being a cheap tactic to scare
audiences. This is something I agree with, and I will actively plan to
avoid using this convention in my own work.

One of the main things that appeared in my primary and secondary

research was that there was a fascination with the masked killer in
the films. The masked killer is often the USP in triller/horror films,
and I intend to create this I my own trailer by having the masked
killer chase the victim. Films like THE Stranger Things and Squid
Game use masks to hide people's identity, create a lack of human
emotion and present an eerie presence as they hide their emotions
and make them appear non-human, which makes them appear
even more evil due to the lack of human emotions. The masked
killer is a symbolic code of thrillers, while also being a narrative and
genre convention. So, this being the USP, will help me market the
film. The Happy Death Day film has been marketed on its masked
killer, such as the poster below and is has been sold as a Halloween
product for people to dress up!

One convention that came up through my trailer feedback was that

the trailer featured a naked woman (although you could not see
anything too revealing). I feel this is a convention that is often used
in thrillers and is usually created to sell to a male audience (as sex
sells for most people). My target audience is between 13-18, so
including naked woman is out of the question, and this is a
convention in which I intend to avoid.
Overall, this trailer feedback has been very helpful for me during
the development and research stage. I have learnt what my target
audience are interested in, what they do not like and what they
expect after seeing this particular genre trailer. The expectations
were mainly interested in the masked killer, the unique story and
the comedy elements. While I will not be implementing the
comedy aspects, the masked killer and unique mystery story are
two codes and conventions that I do intend to implement in my
own work. Now that I know audiences are aware of these genre
conventions are, I can really utilize them in my own trailer and
video clips. Knowing that the audience do not like jump scares is
also helpful, as I can now avoid doing this and cater more towards
what the audiences want to see! This feedback has also made me
lean more into the unique elements I too want to focus on, such as
the masked killer and the mystery storyline! I love creating masks
in my spare time, so this is something I will implement and use to
promote and market my work on, just like other thrillers in the
genre do.

Here are some masks that I have made that I may use when making
my trailer.