Analysis of the Teddy Bears Picnic Rhyme

Risk Assessment

Animatic of the Storyboard

Shot List

1. The group of picnickers going into the woods with their camping stuff. An establishing shot is used to show all of the characters and to show the magnitude of the woods.

2. A medium to long shot shows the characters and their tents in a clearing, maybe with a fire in the middle. The surrounding trees are visible, showing that they are deep in the woods.

3. It is later and darker and an over the shoulder shot is used whilst one of the characters tells a story about the history of the woods.

4. A close up of the storyteller’s face with the fire lighting it from underneath to make it more dramatic.

5. A flashback that shows what the storyteller is explaining with them still narrating the story over the top. A medium shot of a person bound to a tree, another person walks into the shot making it an over the shoulder shot. It cuts out as they walks towards the person tied to the tree.

6. Back to the over the shoulder shot as the storyteller finishes their story and shows the other information that backs it up and shows them the supposed very same tree.

7. Close up of the tree as the examine it and one of them accidentally grazes their palm on it.

8. A reaction shot of the others as they look at the ‘evidence’.

9. A medium shot of two of the campers in a tent as a shadow passes over the side of the tent and they hear rustling noises outside. They look at each other before looking at the tent entrance.

10. Extreme close up of one of their faces?

11. A medium shot (low angle?) showing the tents as the two people crawl out of their tent and look around.

12. A long shot shows all of the campers looking around as they see a shadow and hear a noise. One of them (possibly the storyteller) goes into the trees to have a look but doesn’t come back.

13. Close up of the others as they enter the woods to look for the other person and get lost themselves.

14. Different close up shots of the characters running through the woods on their own. (Close ups of their feet, etc)

15. Title

16. Medium shot to close up of the main character on her own in a small clearing. She hears sounds and there are lots of shadows moving around as she looks around. Something suddenly grabs her from behind and drags her into the bushes as she screams.

17. Title – “Coming Soon”

18. Medium shot of one of them at home packing talking to her mum. She says “What’s the worst that can happen” before it cuts out.

Detailed Story Idea

Our film trailer has been based on the children’s nursery rhyme “the Teddy Bears Picnic”. Like other nursery rhymes there is a sinister tone to parts of it; that inspired us to think of a creepy alternative to this popular tune, for example “Beneath the trees, where nobody sees, They'll hide and seek as long as they please …” this seems to be darker and would indicate something is amiss here.

Our story is about a young group of campers, who enter the wood were there has been a past history of killings; this is supposed to be a nice time enjoying nature, but this then changes into a night of hell. One of the girls starts to tell her friends of a story that involves a satanic ritual that happen in the very same wood, this unknown to them sets of events that will change their attitude to the paranormal for ever, as they unknowing release a creature that has been forgotten by humanity and is hungry for flesh and blood. They happen to be in the same location that these horrific events took place; as they are ‘inspecting’ the tree one grazes their hand and blood is drawn, this is what brings the beast forward.

This then leads to an unforgettable night that will scar them forever; separated and alone, as they battle for their lives against an unprecedented enemy, in a wood that never seems to end, it seems uncertain whether they will survive the night …

Pitch

Our trailer is based on a modernised version of the teddy bears picnic rhyme; however instead of bears being in the woods warning people to stay away, there are very dangerous demons.

Ideas

These brainstorms were made on bubbl.us

Audience Research - Vox Pop

Audience research

Questions asked:

1. What would you expect to see in a thriller trailer?
2. What do you think is the most memorable part of a trailer?
3. What do you think is the most important thing to include in a trailer?
4. What would you do if you were being chased; by an unknown identity through the woods?

Trailer Research

Trailer Research

View more presentations from Charlie Southam.

Trailer Conventions

Conventions of the trailer:

·         Voice overs are used to tell the story and give credit information

·         The stars of the films are show cased

·         Key points are sometimes conveyed through the titles

·         Conversations between characters often consists of one liners

·         Dramatic camera angles may be chosen to show events or characters

·         Action is interspersed with an actor or director credits on the screen

·         Music plays an important role in creating atmosphere

·         The film’s title may not appear until the end

·         Montage ( a series of shots from different points in the film, editing together) is often used to highlight the most dramatic, humorous or fast-paced aspects of the film

·         The trailer builds to a climax ( where it ends)

Multi-media texts are film trailers (they’re an example) as they make meaning through a powerful combination of different modes of communication:

·         Written text on screen

·         Spoken language

·         Moving images

·         Music

·         Sound effects