How you decided on the trailer you picked and why you picked it?

I researched different films I had scene and thought for each one what genre it could be cut into. I ended up deciding on this film as I found the original quite boring so I wanted to make it more interesting and exciting. 

Why you chose to adjust the genre of your trailer to the one you picked?

When deciding on the genre, I thought that turning a romantic drama into a horror would be the most effective with the footage I had. I chose the horror genre as it’s the opposite to what the original genre was - drama/romance into a horror. Also, I believe the conventions of horror films are quite clear so it was easier to know what types of features to include. 

How you went about the production of your trailer (editing, sound, etc.)?

I cut up each scene in the original trailer and reordered them into the order I thought would work best for a horror trailer. I followed this structure when I was on final cut pro. I added scary music and edited the romantic scenes out of the trailer so it looks more like the girl is being haunted/stalked my a weird creature. I also reversed one of the clips to make it seem like the woman was closing the curtains instead of opening them. I also chose to start the trailer so it didn't seem like a horror film which is a typical convention of horror trailers. I attempted to include jump scares as they are another common convention. At the end of the clip, I used old fashioned music and the sound of a projector to try and suit what the characters looked like on-screen. I also got rid of most of the dialogue from the original trailer as they were saying romantic lines which didn't suit the genre that I was trying to recut the film into. Throughout the trailer, I edited in a strange creature to look like the main character was being haunted. This created a build up when towards the end, the creature is revealed to the audience. I kept with the original voiceover at the beginning of the trailer because I thought it sounded quite positive which would help with the contrast later on. I also tried to make the trailer in more of a chronological order - if it was an actual film, it would probably start off quite happy and then start to become more of a horror as it goes on - this is what I tried to do with the trailer. 

Time management of the production (did you meet deadlines, etc.)? 

Yes - I think I managed my time quite well as I met deadlines. 

Problems that arose during production and how (or if!) you overcame them:

I originally did a different trailer but thought it wasn't a complete contrast to horror films so decided to pick something different. I also found it hard to find a good song to play in the background so it changed quite a lot but I eventually found one that I feels fits quite well. I also found Final Cut pro a little tricky to use at first but the more I used it, the more comfortable I became with it. 

What you have learnt from this process and how you will improve for next time?

I have learnt how to use final cut pro. Next time, I could make it longer or develop a clearer story. I could also make the lighting a little darker so it would give it more of an eery feel. I would have maybe also added text between each scene which would create a tagline or speak directly to the audience so they would feel connected. I would probably do a little more research before picking a trailer next time to make sure I was confident I could definitely recut it into a different genre to avoid the delay of having to change trailers later on. 

The above video is a recut version of the 1980 film 'The Shining'. 'The Shining' was originally a horror film but this recut trailer portrays it as a family film. The film's title appears at the end of the trailer which means that excitement and intrigue will build up throughout as audiences will want to know what the film is called if they are interested in seeing it. The film stars Jack Nicholson who has also starred in rom-com's like 'As Good as it Gets' and 'How Do You Know' which have a similar feel to family films like this. This means that audiences may be familiar with what type of film it is going to be when watching the trailer. However, as the original film was a horror, audiences may feel a little misled and confused as they don't recognise him as an actor who works in horror films. The trailer is around 1 minute and 20 seconds long which means that it is probably a full theatrical trailer. 

Opening

5 seconds into the trailer, the main character is introduced. This is done via a voiceover which says 'Meet Jack'. The voice then goes on to develop the character and the audience learn that he is a writer. As I briefly mentioned before, Jack is played by Jack Nicholson which means that the 'star power' theory applies here as audiences will associate him with rom-com/family films like this. 15 seconds into the trailer, the other main character is introduced when the voice says 'Meet Danny'. The voice over talks with quite a warm and happy tone which suggests that the film is for younger audiences and could fit into the 'family' genre. 

Build Up

The main way that the relationships between the characters are developed is through the dialogue. When Jack says to Danny 'I'm your new foster father' this immediately creates a parent/child relationship between the two characters. Furthermore, when Jack says 'I'd do anything' to Danny, it strengthens their relationship as it seems that Jack and Danny are extremely close. This relates to the family genre as a family has literally been created. In a family film, there is traditionally a family (iconography). Later on in the trailer, a family seems to be created when 3 characters are all in the car together smiling. This looks like they are enjoying 'family time' together. The only establishing shot in the trailer is used at this point when the characters are driving - a road and scenery is shown. 

Problem

The main two problems that the characters have to face in the trailer are also resolved in the trailer. Jack can't finish his book and Danny wants to find a Dad - both characters are lonely.Also, the fact that Jack is a miserable businessman - it makes the film fit more into the family genre as that it a typical character that is included in those types of films. The issue is resolved by the child (Danny) making Jack's miserable life better - this is also a similar plot line for a family film that audiences will expect.

Events
Many events occur in this trailer that are often associated with family films. For example, when Jack becomes Danny's foster father - it gives a heartwarming feel and is quite relatable. This means that this trailer shows that 'Shining' may offer identification for its audience. Throughout the trailer, there seems to be a romance story between Jack and Danny's mum - a romance is a typical sub-plot of a family film as there are generally usually scenes that just include the mother and father. This once again gives the audience an insight into what type of film 'Shining' will be. Most of the cuts throughout the trailer are jump cuts. They also seem to be telling the story in a chronological order. This will appeal to the genre's audience (younger viewers) as they will not be confused and the plot seems quite straight forward. The transitions are mostly fades which are quite smooth and make the film feel more friendly to younger audiences as they aren't too quick and jumpy.

In the whole trailer, the biggest hint that this will be a family film is the non-diegetic music. The upbeat song automatically makes viewers associate it with a light-hearted film like a family, rom com or comedy. The song is played throughout the trailer and makes the tone a lot more family friendly - unlike the original trailer which had music that would be associated with a horror. Also, the fact that the movie is called 'Shining' rather than 'The Shining' also makes it fit more into the family genre. This is because by removing 'the', the title seems a lot more positive as if the relationship between characters or their lives are 'shining' brightly. The lack of special effects also hints that this isn't an action or horror film - the props are quite realistic and suit a families lifestyle. Overall, I believe that this recut version of 'The Shining' fits into the family or rom-com genre rather than the horror genre which is what the original film actually is.