Inspiration

There are a lot of tropes associated with post-apocalyptic fiction, and to an extent, I would like to follow these conventions, so that the film can be recognised as being a piece of post-apocalyptic fiction. However, it is not possible for me to follow all conventions, due to things like preference and budget.

Location

Locations are typically urban throughout all forms of post-apocalyptic fiction. This is likely due to the fact that it creates contrast, as urban zones would be populated before the apocalypse, so seeing them empty has a stronger effect. 

Desert-like or barren locations are also common. This is likely due to the fact that the desolate landscape has connotations of loss of life and absence of civilasation - two things that are prevalent in fictional post-apocalyptic worlds.

For my trailer, I will use both an urban location and a more barren location, these being a town centre and marshes by a river. I will also use normal houses for interior scenes, as this is a relatable, recognisable location.

Costume - Protagonists

 The costume of protagonists always seems to be relatively 'normal', meaning, similar to clothes that would be worn pre-apocalypse. This is likely due to the fact that this type of dress is what people are used to. This means audiences will likely empathise with the character more if they are wearing 'normal clothes'.


These clothes will often be tattered and rugged to an extent, as this implies the danger of the post-apocalyptic world, and conveys the difficulty of living in this setting. In addition, it makes the characters look like they can handle themselves a bit more, which is a desirable feature in protagonists.

Costume - Antagonists

The costume of antagonists generally differs. In the case of zombies, the costume will be similar to the protagonists, as it will be the 'normal' clothes that the infected person died in. However, the clothing will likely be bloodier and more damaged, as a zombie has no need to maintain it's clothing.

In the case of human antagonists (raiders, bandits, cannibals etc.) The clothing seems to be a bit more extravagant. The main goal of these antagonist's clothes seems to be to intimidate. This effect is achieved most simply by using masks. Masks hide the person's identity and make a person seem unpredictable, and also make it seem like they are hiding something.


In addition to masks, the threatening effect can also be achieved through armour. This can show that the person is expecting to get into a fight, which is not necessarily a desirable and positive feature. For additional intimidation, spikes and other jagged designs are effective.

In the case of my film, I am limited by budget. Although I would want the cannibals in my film to look as intimidating as the antagonist's in the bottom 3 pictures, due to budget limitations, it is not possible for me to include extravagant costumes. Because of this, I will aim to make them look similar to the cannibals from The Road (3rd picture). I will do my best to make them look as intimidating as possible.