codes and conventions

Codes and conventions

There are many codes and conventions that are visually obvious to us in film trailers. These determine how the film trailer turns out. These form a set of guidelines which most successful horror trailer abides by. Here are four conventions that are essential in film trailers.

The first code and convention I am going to discuss is straps. Straps are pieces of writing that appear across the screen of a film trailer when it is informing the viewer of important information and revelations. They are usually used in the beginning, middle and the end of trailers. An example of a strap used is in the film trailer ‘The Forgotten’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEiqWaIKJ5Q.

The second code and convention I am going to discuss is the use of dead black outs (DBO’s). They are used for effect in film trailers. A DBO is when the screen goes pitch black. This shows that the end of something thrilling has happened and adds suspense and anticipation to the film to make the viewers feel that they have to see more. An example of a DBO is used in the film ‘One Missed Call’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1F7hJNsi5M
The third code and convention I am going to discuss is the use of blood in horror films. Blood is used to demonstrate that someone is injured and/or dying. The more blood and gore used draws in the audience’s attention. In horror films, the destruction the villain causes leads to a number of injuries and deaths which involves blood and gore, which adds to the effect by creating a sense of fatality. An example of this is used in the film ‘Carver’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMilpd7y6As