Throughout the course of this project the development and production of a teaser trailer, magazine front cover and film poster has been created following the themes and conventions of the horror genre. Through research and investigation of real media products, the project has developed and challenged conventions that have influenced the final outcome. When researching and planning, the main focus was creating a product that followed identical codes and conventions to real media products. By looking at youtube.com, the sources available helped define generic horror trailer conventions. Youtube.com gave access to trailers such as Case 39, the grudge, Six Sense which consisted of many techniques and styles that could be incorporated in the teaser trailer. By observing the techniques in the trailers researched, key aspects were featured repeatedly, such as climaxing montages, elements of suspense, edgy soundtrack. These elements incorporated into the teaser trailer would create the foundations of what was needed to form a product at industry standard. When researching real media products to support the front cover of the film magazine, the sources clarified the structure and layout needed to create a similar product.Facebook.com is a social networking website which allows friends and family to interact over the internet, sharing stories and pictures. The target audience are in there late teen’s going onto early adulthood, using facebook.com is a good method in being able to get the information from the target audience as facebook.com is generally used in these age brackets. The information would is quick and easily accessible, keeping the target audience interested. By first creating a ‘status’ on supplying audience feedback, volunteers were able to read a ‘note’ that was designed for them read questions and number them in numerical order. The questions consisted of links to the three media products.
(Above) Magazine front cover for Total Film Magazine.
(Above)Magazine front cover for A2 Media Project Film Magazine.
By taking generic content from real media such as Total Film magazine, elements can be added to the project magazine cover to support knowledge and insight into the industry. It also gives a professional outcome that would attract possible audience interest. Following generic magazine conventions, ensuring the masthead was placed at the top of the page and making the main image dominate, was key in creating a realistic supplement that could be identified by an audience clearly. A barcode and price was inserted at the bottom for authenticity. Other conventions such as using strong, bold, colours that would attract attention, showed detailed thought into the selling of the product . By following the main codes and conventions of magazines, the target audience was able to recognise the familiar style of media that a magazine is. Using a bold green, black and white creates a finally striking image which elaborates the overall impact of the image. The main image of the girl is the solid white which sets her away from the background giving the image dimension. The black of the hair becomes almost ink black because of it’s surrounding neutral colours, making the black associate with danger connotations . The green of the puppet is bold and draws focus to the fact that the film involves child connotation; relating to the main theme of the trailer plot. Like the film poster, the image declares what genre the film is. These colours were introduced mainly due to the fact they are included in existing film magazine front covers. Looking at ‘EMPIRE’ the colour green and black are continually used allowing the formation of a magazine that is realistic. The name of the film being is a notably large piece of text another connection better the project media and real media examples.In real media magazines the image tends to be a close up, but on the project magazine front cover it would be more effective to use a medium shot; showing the girl holding the puppet not looking up. This could suggest some subtle narrative of the film and show references to the costume; reflecting a possessed child. This will again entice the audience as it is refreshing and bold. This process was replicated when researching film posters.By using search engines such as Google.com, sources to real media posters were available which supplied detailed contextual imagery to help with developing and producing the final poster outcome.
(Above) Film Poster for the movie 'The last exorcism'
(Above) Film Poster for Media project 'The Taken'
With in-depth research and detailed analysis of the conventions of film posters, the process of creating the product became more structured because of the knowledge gained through the sources. By becoming familiar with the codes and conventions, visual comparisons could be transported for the real media to the project. The movie poster conforms to similar connotations as the magazine cover. The image is dominant seducing potential audience who see it. Text is minimal yet sharp, bold and effective. This allows the main focus to be on the image which will essentially draw attention, however when attention is gained the first bold text is the movie name and the second is the date. These are the two most important text pieces for the movie to be seen by the general public. Film logos and a website address have been placed at the bottom, so the observer isn’t distracted from key information but they are still visible. The poster is ‘teaser’ it should remain simple, not including too much text allowing the image and title to speak for itself. By following these codes and conventions the audience is able to define and recognise the style of media because it follows real media identically. The image reflects the narrative and genre of film that is being promoted. This will attract a target audience of young adults between the age of 18-29, because the film is certificated at 18 year olds and younger adults are the most likely target audience.
For a more visual insight into the development and progress of the project, watch this short presentation! http://prezi.com/1jtvfdspxauh/tangerine-productions/
Conforming to a traditional structure of a horror trailer allowed the finished product to be similar to industry quality. The typical structure of a film trailer; the beginning which lays out the key element of the story, a middle section that tells more about the narrative and then that reaches a climax which is a visual montage of edits. By following this structure, it enabled to build tension and suspense, and also aids the audiences understanding of the general narrative. The tension and suspense then leads the audience to a dramatic end, a cliff hanger that leads them to wanting to watch the movie. Following the codes and conventions was important because the audience would expect to see a professional and specific outcome that is to a high standard. Another convention that included is featuring the film company logo. Cutting from the certification to the company logo gives a more realistic outcome and in the industry, logos are associated to the success of previous films. The certification at the beginning of the trailer was created to show it’s relation to real media products.
Throughout the trailer, conventional mise en scene elements allowed the audience to understand the horror genre that the trailer falls under. A sense of isolation has been installed to the character because through being alone in the woods. Throughout the montage dark lighting has been used to create the sense of supernatural darkness and being alone. Props associated with child imagery resets the theme that is replicated throughout the trailer. Camera shots are omniscient, all knowing, the camera is the audiences eyes and can sometimes see what the character cannot. ‘Found footage’ shots are frequently used to create a realistic sense that it could be a real life scenario, installs that fear factor element even more. During editing, conventional styles used in any film trailers such as black out’s, quick cuts and montages are effective in building tension and creating suspense, adding fear which is one of the elements of horror films. Costume and hair and makeup is also conventional for a psychological horror film trailer. The of pale skin and dark eye makeup making the antagonist look evil and sinister; ‘grudge’ hair in order to make the antagonist look neglected or un cared for.
A teaser trailer is designed to grab the audience’s attention in under one minute. If it is under one minute the audience is less likely to get board and they become more invigorated by the trailer. Also it is only a short, snippet into the narrative, aiming to lure an audience not tell them the whole story.
By following codes and conventions of all three media supplements, the products appear professional and believable as they share similar characteristics with successful magazines such as EMPIRE and Total Film.
The project focused on the development and production of a promotional package for a film.; one that introduces a mix of media types that are aimed to promote and create success for a film. The film trailer and its two additional ancillary media pieces have successfully and effectively been able to promote the project film. All three act as promotional pieces through the horror genre by using generic codes and conventions used with the real media industry. By repeatedly using the same type font and character figure, the target audience will recognise that the three media types combine as a promotional package.
To see 'The Taken'MOVIE TRAILER COMMENTARY FOLLOW THIS LINK:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DW3-B73lQQ
Audience feedback was crucial throughout all stages of the project. From the research, planning, development and production, audience feedback was continually used. The audience’s opinions and ideas are valid to the project because they determine whether the product is successful.Pre-production general feedback aided the development and planning of all the media products. Student forums and film websites allowed detailed information on horror genre's to be taken into account. When asked ‘What do you find most effective when watching a horror film trailer?’, around 70% of people said 'Music/sound' was the most effective. The other 30% stated either the actual footage, lighting or characters. Therefore when planning and developing ideas for the media product, music was greatly taken into account. Throughout the process of the production, various horror film trailers were shared to groups of students, that stated the scarier trailers had an eerier soundtrack. By selecting music from the film 'Shutter Island', audience feedback was taken into account and 'on the nature of daylight' composed by Max Richter was selected. The eerie string is isolated and faint when incorporated with the trailer it creates a natural flow. To listen to the 'THE TAKEN' soundtrack follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGtN3lpI2f4.
In post- production general feedback was positive, however this was due to the relationship between the audience and team. To get a more truthful response, in future, asking the opinions of the general public who were not of the same class environment would have supplied more detailed views.
This video provided evidence that the narrative was clear and that the target ABC 1 audience between the ages of 18 and 29 were intrigued by the trailer and found that it was within the horror genre. By using social networking site facebook.com, audience were able to feedback on all media products both the main product and ancillary texts.
These questions mainly focus on the main product, the trailer. The questions asked were posted on the page and were defined by numbers:
1) What do you think about the trailer?
2) What genre category does the film fall under?
3) Do you think the generally story is clear?
4) Do you think that the trailer creates elements of fear through sound, lighting or editing?
5) What about this trailer is most effective to you?
6) Would this trailer urge you to want to see this film in the cinema?
7) Did the trailer create suspense/fear?
8) Did you think it was similar to other trailers?
9) What do feel I could improve on?
Facebook.com also provided audience feedback from the target ABC 1 audience between the ages of 18 and 29 for the two ancillary texts, the movie poster and film magazine front cover. These questions were also posted of the page and were defined by numbers:
Poster
1) From just looking at the poster, would you watch this in the cinema?
2) What is the most effective part of the poster?
3) What genre is the film trying to promote?
4) Do you see the similarities between this media product and a real media poster?
5) What could be improved improved?
6) What are your general thoughts on the poster?
Magazine
1) what did you think about this magazine front cover?
2) Can you recognise that both media texts are promoting the same film?
3) How well do you think the layout works?
4) What was your attention drawn too?
5) What are your overall opinions after looking at this magazine front cover?
6) Can any improvements be made?
The results from the audience feedback were both helpful and positive. By asking direct and simple questions the audience’s answers were concise and thorough. From poster feedback, it was stated people were ‘intrigued’ and confirmation they would go see the film from looking at the poster. ‘The use of the extreme close up shot made her more alluring’. This confirms that the audience felt positively towards the main image and that it gained attention which is ultimately the purpose for a film poster. It also reassured that the media product was responding to the target audience it was originally aimed at. The feedback also confirmed that the magazine cover was well received. I was drawn to the front covers simplicity. It’s not too cluttered or overwhelming like most magazines are and draws attention to the main feature of the edition”. This shows that the audience respond to the simplistic layout and that the main focus is drawn to the image. The only criticisms was aimed towards certain text headings could be bolder and more striking. These were taken as constructive and professional as the target audience would be the key consumers for this specific product and every opinion should be taken into account. Audience feedback stated that the trailer was widely successful and had comforting positive comments. "I thought it was of a very high quality, the music and editing had worked well to create a horror theme/ image and definitely made me feel scared” This shows that all elements of the filming and editing development and production process came together resulting in a good quality trailer. All participants in the feedback also stated that the narrative was clear and fell within the horror genre. Overall, the audience feedback was positive and declared that all three media products were in keeping with the specific target audience.
New media technologies were continuously used throughout the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages of this project. From the basics of using internet search engines to using editing software to create the final movie trailer. When planning and researching the internet became a hub of resources. Photographs, forums, video blogs and creating blogs to display this very evaluation. Photo bucket was used as a storage system for images. This is a website designed to share images with photo enthusiasts, however the production team found that uploading them to a reliable storage space which was easily accessible would save time and computer space. Twitter.com and facebook.com was used for audience feedback. It was a quick, simple and easily accessible. It is also frequently used by are target audience of young adults therefore getting feedback could be instantaneous. Youtube.com enabled videos to be shared and uploaded regularly and simply. The links provided by the website could easily be copied and distributed to all that wanted to view the trailer. Using websites and search engines is a quick and simple way of distributing media sources faster and to more people. This enables widespread awareness of any media product which is essentially what is needed to be achieved.
Digital photography and video cameras were used in creation of both the main product and the ancillary texts. A Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera was used to capture the footage for the trailer and also to shoot the images for both film poster and magazine cover. The Nikon D500 gives clarity and sharp imagery that defines the smallest detail and deep saturation to colour. From previously working with a Nikon D5000, the team felt it would be a reliable piece of technology and easy to use because it is owned by a member of the team. This gave an advantage that meant scheduled shooting didn't have to depend on the availability of the equipment.
The image above is of a Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera.
Personally, throughout the process of the media project, the HTC desire HD mobile phone has been a constant piece of technology used. It is a portable vessel of images and short video clips that were taken throughout the development and production process. It was used for filming audience feedback and the actress's video reaction towards the final trailer. It enabled spontaneous imagery or video to be captured and aided the completion of the final media products.
The image above is of a HTC Desire HD mobile phone.
During the editing process of the media trailer production, IMovie was used to produce the final cut. Using Imovie with little experience was challenging but with more than enough 'How to video's' on youtube.com it was easily accessible. By import footage from the camera, cutting, cropping and selecting specific clips became naturally. Layering sound and visual effects developed a sense of creativity to the project. A small film has been produced to show the teams understanding of IMovie...
IMovie is industry software which gives a clean professional outcome to media products, allowing amateur film makers to produce high quality footage at a good standard. This is also the case with Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, software that was used on the two ancillary media products. When editing the images for both the magazine cover and trailer poster, photoshop was used to add certain visual effect which gave that professional touch to the product. By saturating the colours and enhancing the image features the overall outcome had an eerier element to it. InDesign was used to manipulate the layout and text over the images to create media products that conformed to generic media conventions. A small film has been produced to show the teams understanding of Photoshop and InDesign...
Using all these new technologies enables the final media product and ancillary products to be more sophisticated and realistic. They enhance the general aesthetic which gives an industry quality outcome to a real media standard.
To conclude the areas touched upon throughout this evaluation, I feel during the planning, development, construction and final production process has been a continuous challenge that has resulted in a highly successful outcome. With the help of media technologies and research knowledge everything came together with the help of constructive criticisms from audience feedback. The team have worked very hard in producing a professional outcome that fits perfectly within the conventions of horror. It has been an enjoyable challenge with a truly fantastic outcome!
Written by: Becky Crisp
