RESEARCH: Focus Group Questions

The purpose of my focus group is to draw upon respondent's attitudes, feeling, beliefs, experiences and reactions to my trailer. This will allow me to collect in-depth information from a group of people, which will then enable me to create a trailer that is suited to my target demographic. I need to refer to them throughout the planning and construction process inorder to find out what they like and dislike about the trailer.

How old are you?
What are your hobbies/interest?
What subjects are you currently studying?
What is your favourite film?
What is your favourite genre of film?
Where do you mainly watch films?
How do you watch films? ie. on dvd, in the cinema, on the computer etc?
How many films do you watch in a week?
How do you find out about films? ie. social networking sites, tv adverts, posters etc?
How many magazines do you buy every month?
What is your favourite magazine?
Do you every buy film magazines? If yes which ones and how often?
How much would you spend on a magazine?
What attracts you to buying a magazine?
What is your favourite feature on the front cover?
Do you collect posters? If yes what type of posters do you collect?
Where do you mainly see posters?
What is your favourite feature on a poster?
What part of a film poster makes you want to go and see the film?

My film is based on the genre of dance. Would you every watch a film of this genre?
Where would you expect to see a film like this? ie. independent cinema, blanket distribution etc?
Is there a gap in the market for this type of film?
What could be my unique selling point?

PLANNING: My 25 Word Treatment

My trailer is based on a dancer's journey to success. I am not going to make it stereotypical. It will include training and being on stage.

RESEARCH: Street Dance Movie Trailer

StreetDance

• This is more of a stereotypical movie trailer, which focuses on Streetdance.
• Sparks fly as the worlds of street-dance and ballet collide in the film streetdance.
• It is a 3D feature film from Vertigo Films.
• While training for the UK Streetdance Championships, a streetdance crew are forced to work with Royal ballet dancers in return for rehearsal space. With no common ground and with passions riding high, they realise they need to find a way to join forces to win.
• The film includes performances from Britains Got Talent dance sensations Flawless, Diversity and George Sampson, as well as from Matthew Bourne protégé Richard Winsor and breakthrough Brit actress Nicholas Burley.
• It was filmed in London.

Screenshots

The trailer starts with an establishing shot of London, as this sets the scene and it also reinforces to the audience that this movie saw filmed in London.

It then cuts between several shots of other groups competing at the competition. The shots are a mixture of long shots and overhead shots. The scene is dark and it lit by spotlights. In-between some of the clips it cuts to black before cutting to the next shot.

In this trailer it also shows  a wide shot of the audience, which has also been a common feature in other dance trailers.

The trailer features the official logo of Vertigo Films, which is the production company for Streetdance. This seems to be a conventional feature in all of the movie trailers that i have researched.

The trailer introduces the two groups of dancers using medium shots.

There is an aerial view of the training room. Followed by long shots showing the two separate groups of dancers and them dancing.

Another convention of dance trailers is using words or narration of the story. Each time this is seen it is in the same style and uses the same colours. This creates a house style and also makes the trailer flow. I should consider using this idea in my trailer.

The trailer also shows a variety of environments and scenes where they train. Instead of just seeing one training room.

The use of mirrors in this trailer creates an interesting effect. It allows the audience to see the front and the back of the actor.

There are also clips of the dancers training and using conventional equipment. This is usually a medium shots.

Finally, the trailer shows the dancers at the competition after all of their training. This allows the audience to get an idea of their goal throughout the achievement.

TO DO: Planning Guide

Checklist

RESEARCH: First Position Movie Trailer

First Position

• First Position is an award winning dance documentary.
• The movie features some of the most talented young dancers in the world and their journey towards competing for a ballet scholarship. It is about a love of dance and a drive to succeed.
• First Position takes audiences on a yearlong journey around the world.  
• Based in a time when art, music and dance for children are severely under-funded, the film reveals the struggles and success, the pain and extraordinary beauty of an art form.
• With exclusive access to the Youth America Grand Prix, the largest competition that awards full scholarships to top ballet schools.
• First Position had its World Premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.
• It was named the audience choice’s 1st runner-up for Best Documentary. 
• It also won the Jury Prize at the San Francisco Doc Festival.
•  It won the audience award for Best Documentary at the Dallas International Film Festival, the audience award for Best Documentary at the Portland International Film Festival and the audience award for Best Documentary at DOC NYC.
• First Position is currently playing in North American movie theaters. 
• In fall 2012 it will be released internationally.

Screenshots 

It starts off showing a boy in his bedroom before introducing that he is a central character in the documentary.

A transition is used in the editing process, which is used when they spin. The clip starts of but showing them practicing spinning before fading into them spinning on stage.

 The trailer shows them practicing as a group in the training room and on stage. These are normally show as long shots.

It also shows clips of the dancers stretching.

The trailer introduces the dancers that are featured in the documentary by showing them individually with their name and age appearing on the screen.

 Their are also clips of the dancers preparing before they take to the stage. These are usually medium shots.

The trailer also shows clips of the theatre along with shots of the audience in order to change the environment. I should consider having a few locations in my trailer.

 There are close ups, medium shots, and long shots of the dancers on stage. This shows what their training has all been for. I should consider the contrast between footage in the training room and dancing on stage.

I also like this close up of the dancers feet. 

The clip contains the title of the documentary at the end of the film along with the awards that it has won and information about its production. This writing is in gold and shines before it can be read clearly. I should consider making the text that I include in the trailer more of a feature.

Like other dancing trailers it includes phrases and words of inspiration. This text is also in the same font and format as the title, as this creates a house style and gives the trailer a sense of continuity.

The trailer also included comments and reviews from magazines and critics.