Time Management

I have until the 4th of April 2014 to make improvements from feedback and finish unfinished blog posts.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of media products?

Film Poster

I am comparing my film poster with another horror/ghost story genre film poster: The Grudge. Looking at a professional film poster I have collectively used, developed and challenged forms and conventions of real media products.

1.

 On The Grudges film poster the lead actresses name is in small simple font in a colour that is not prominent. I have included the two actresses' names on my film poster also but I have made the font bigger and in the colour red. I want some attention to be drawn to the actresses' names as this is an important feature in entices audiences to go and see a film. If an audience member is a fan of the actress listed then they may go and see the film regardless of the genre.

2.

In both these media products the title of the film is in the middle of the page on the left hand side, covering part of the main image. I have followed the same convention as the Grudge but I have made my title cover the mouth of the actress to symbolise "lies. I have also developed this convention by making the font bigger, thicker, and in more of a genre related font.

3.

I used a similar inspiration for my poster main image to The Grudge, which is spooky, haunting and creepy. I like the way the Grudge looks like she is emerging from the darkness, I tried to imitate this in my poster which is very suitable to the genre.

4.

I have included a positive quote from a popular newspaper that will entice audiences to go and see my film. I have included a visual five star rating so audiences feel they already have a recommendation to go and see my film. This would generate buzz within my target audience and hopefully would encourage people to go and see the film. This is a convention I have challenged as it is not present on the Grudge film poster. On the other hand, this convention can be found on other real life film posters, therefore this element proves popular to encourage audiences to go and watch a new film release.

Film Magazine Front Cover

Here I am comparing my film magazine front cover to a real life film magazine, EMPIRE, covering the story of the new film Sherlock Holmes. Collectively I have used, developed and challenged forms and conventions of various media product.

1.

I have used a similar technique to Empire, when quoting the main story, by putting it in a bold but simple font and placing it across the main image, over their chest. In my product, however, I have made my actresses' name the main focus as this is an exclusive interview about her inside. The title of the film stands out in it's own way, rather than being in a bigger font than her name, because it is in the special genre related font which has appeared on both the film poster and in the film trailer.

2.

Unintentionally, my main image foreshadows that of the empire magazine. Both characters have eye contact with the reader, which is very important on a magazine front cover because it engages with the reader and draws intention to whatever it is promoting. Both characters have their hands featured, in my product it is to show of the prop of the pocked watch which plays a significant role in my film. Both characters are wearing dark coloured clothing and both are wearing glasses. These two mise en scene references help indicate to the reader the genre of the films which are both; mysteries and include a murder. The glasses and the dark clothing represent seriousness and dark subjects. 

3.

I have included a small circle containing text which is also present on the real media text. This includes information to the reader that stands out from the headlines. I have used this convention to promote a free poster which will help audiences to buy my magazine.

4.

This is a convention I used after observing it on empire magazine. It is a simple indication that there are a lot of other movies inside the magazine.

Following and Challenging typical conventions

In my film trailer I followed the typical convention starting with the lighter and longer scenes and then towards the end they got darker, creepier and faster and shorter. On the other hand, however I challenged the typical convention of using a group of people in my trailer. I only used two people in order to keep the story line a cliffhanger to the audience. I also challenged the convention of not seeing the "ghost" in a trailer and only revealing this in the actual film. In my trailer I showed  my ghost (mime) a few times in short clips. This is because I wanted my audience to be frightened by the trailer and hopefully this would entice them to see the film. 

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Example of my target audience...

Here, I asked this question to my friend Lucy, who also stars in my film. She is a representation of my target audience.
I wanted to make sure my three products looked like a package so I made sure I used the same actors across all three platforms.
I also used the same font and colour for my title of my film and used this on the main product and ancillary texts. This title will then be more memorable for the target audience and will hopefully entice them to go and see the film when it comes out.
I used a different colour scheme, two different main images for my two ancillary texts and two different actresses, therefore, I needed to make them look like they were part of the same package. I overcame this by including a small screen shot of my poster on my film magazine front cover. I enticed the target audience further by including this as a free poster inside the magazine, I also used the buzz word "FREE" which encourages people to take notice of the magazine when it is placed on the shelf.
For the text that appears on my trailer I used a simple black background and white text combination. I also used this monochrome colour scheme on my film poster. I used a similar effect on my film magazine front cover but instead of using black and white I used a grey background with white text. This colour scheme being consistent across both platforms helps to bring my work together as a package and helps with the professional outlook of the product all together.


REAL PACKAGES

film poster

film magazine front cover

In both images she is wearing the same costume and the same makeup. This instantly brings the package together. The colour scheme of red, black and white across both platforms also brings this package together.
In my two print tasks I did not use the same image but I did use a similar colour scheme and the prop she is holding on my magazine is featured in my trailer.

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Film Magazine Front Cover

I asked two members of my target audience what they liked about my film magazine front cover. (An image of this is displayed on my phone they are holding)
Sorry for the background noise, I asked them in college.

What I have learned

I have learned that my target audience members like the text and the font on my front cover and also the contrasting colours. They like the simple but effective technique that I used to make my magazine look professional and sophisticated. The layout demonstrates and appeals to the target audience which is also very important.

Film Poster

I asked three members of my target audience what they liked about my film poster, how professional the final product looked and what appeals to them most on the film poster.

What I have learned

My target audience enjoy the colour scheme and the contrasting colours. They like the title going over the mouth of the main image which is something I deliberately included. They also like the creepy font and layout because this demonstrates the genre well to the target audience.

Film Trailer

Here I asked one of my target audience what they liked about my film trailer and what parts were particularly sinister.

What I have learned

That the music is very important and this creates tension and the scary atmosphere to my trailer. That a cliff hanger is very important as people wont want to see the film if they can guess the story line and ending from the trailer. The hanging scene is effective and unique.

4. How did you use new media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

• I used Adobe Premier Pro to create my teaser trailer and I used a video camera to film my trailer.
• I used Photoshop for the two ancillary tasks
• I used Prezi for the research and planning and Blogger.
• I used a video camera for my evaluation stage plus blogger.

• Adobe Premier Pro

I did not use this Software last year in media studies. At first I found this software difficult and confusing to work but after a few practises my confidence grew and I was able to edit sound, images and fit my clips together to produce a teaser trailer for my film.
I practised using this software before moving on to my trailer by creating a SHOT TYPES montage, a SIMPSONS teaser trailer and then a short film.
I used the different editing TOOLS for example DIP TO BLACK to keep up with the dark setting and to fade certain scenes into each other.

• Video Camera
  
  I had not used a video camera last year and I had to practice different SHOTS for example PAN SHOT, EXTREME CLOSE UP, WIDE SHOT, ESTABLISHING SHOT. These are all shots that I incorporated into my film trailer to give a variety of different shots.

• Photoshop

I used Photoshop last year to produce my products but this year I felt more confident and experienced when using the different tools to edit and manipulate the image. I used the BLUR tool to soften and airbrush her face to make it more supernatural. I edited the BRIGHTNESS AND THE CONTRAST to manipulate the image to how I wanted it. On my magazine I used the transparent tool to make certain things less opaque, this is a professional tool used on real life magazine front covers.

• Prezi
  
  This was my first time using Prezi to create my Pitch, which I presented to the class. I found this easy to use and easy and effective to present. Each slide is set out different to create variation in your presentation. 

• Blogger
  
  I used blogger last year but this year I tried to take full advantage by uploading screen shots, videos, images, sounds, hyperlinks to create an effective and detailed blog. 

Target Audience Feedback

In lesson, we sat at a peers computer and watched their trailer and observed their two axillary tasks. We then gave them good points and areas for improvement on a sticky note and then moved to the next computer.
Here is my feedback...