Website layout research

Conventions of typical film websites

• Videos - we can inbed our finalised teaser trailer onto the website which would give the audience easier access to it while finding out what the film is all about in one video.
• Photo gallery - we will take multiple-angled photos whilst filming to input into the photo gallery section on our website.
• Info about the film -example, how much it is, what it’s about etc. - the 'about' section would be shown in a tab on the home page also, for easy access for the users.
• Promotion of the DVD etc. - we must state when the film would be released in selected cinemas etc.
• Distributional Links - to facebook, twitter pages. This would show that our film info would be very distributional to grab a greater potential popularity.
• Menu - to provide easy access and navigation throughout the website.

(menu from 'Fermats Room' website)

• Text - The font must be suitable and easily readable for all ages but directly aimed at our target audience of males and females 18-30.
• Title - This is essential to allow the viewers to know exactly what film's website they are looking at. It relates back to our typography in that it must be memorable and stand out for the viewer to remember and focus on it in the future.
• Theme - Includes colour schemes and the genres conventions. It must relate to our film and include dark colours such as greys, browns and blacks and also bright but dangerous colours such as red, yellow and orange (to signal fire and destruction).
• Sound - We can include sound in the background to build up tension amongst the website. This would make our film seem more professional and eye-catching. It would draw the viewer in by using the sensory system of sound aswell as the use of eyes to view the website.
• Easy to navigate - This is essential so that the viewer does not get easily confused throughout the website and knows exactly where to find what they are looking for.
• Don’t have to scroll down the page - This would be great because all the information that the viewer needs would be on the homepage in one sight, so that the viewer can monouver their eyes around the webpage without the effort of scrolling and looking for more info. This would be the first piece of info and data the viewer would see, therefore, would be best to have the most important information directly in eyes level as it would make a better impression for the viewer to find out more about the film.

History of the genre: Thriller

History of thriller films

• The aim of thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats.
• A thriller is a villain-driven plot, where he/she produces obstacles for the ‘victim/s’ to overcome.
• Common sub-cultures include psychological thrillers, crime thrillers and mystery thrillers.
• Homer’s Odyssey is one of the oldest stories in the Western world and is regarded as an early prototype of the thriller.
• One of the earliest thriller films was Harold Lloyd’s comic Safety Last! In 1923.
• ‘Rebecca’ is a well-known psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940.
• 'Arena' (2011) is a film we deconstructed, in which we looked for camera angles, mise en scene, sound and editing techniques that would be useful for our film e.g close up shots etc.

Conventions of a thriller

• Suspense/tension from micro elements such as sound, mise en scene, camera work etc.
• Battle against good and evil
• At the beginning, there is usually peace which is then disturbed by a particular event.
• Shadows
• Anticipation
• Terror
• ‘whodunit?’
• Danger
• Hostages/ransoms/captivities
• Mirror/reflections
• Death
• Threats
• Quests
• Stairs
• Climax
• Darkness
• Enigma
• Action

• Tracking and Pan shots are common within thriller films

• Close ups

• Long shots

• Fast paced

• Heroes are often men as they are ‘macho men’ who are familiar to danger.

• Protagonist normally seen ‘in peril’

• Screams

Conventions of a film website

• Videos
• Photo gallery
• Info about the film for example, how much it is, what it’s about etc.
• Promotion of the DVD etc.
• Trailer/links
• Menu
• Networking links
• Title
• Theme
• Sound
• Easy to navigate
• Don’t have to scroll down the page.

Conventions of a film poster:

• Title (to tell audience what the film is called i.e Akeldama)

• Tagline (appropriate for genre and film)

• Keep in genre (to let audience know what type of film it is, and to attract the target audience)

• Same typography (as the website and teaser trailer)

• Ratings (such as 5*, 4* etc.)

• Release date (to tell the audience when the film is going to be shown in cinemas)

• Main starring actors (to attract 'fans' attention and increase film popularity)

• Pictures relate to film (appropriate images)

• Golden rule (to allow the audiece to move their eyes aruond the whole poster to take in all info)

• Focal picture (to firstly attract the audiences attention. Eye-level)

• Info on production companies (to tell the audience who produced the film, and to increase popularity)

• Accurate use of language (approprate to the genre and film, and to allow all ages to be able to understand)

• Images are clear (so that audience can easily see the images, and relate to the film)