Conclusion

Overall, I think I have achieved a successful and efficient product from my trailer to my print work and think it would appeal and satisfy my audience. My research and planning has gave delivered and inspired ideas towards my film and feedback has helped me improve my products so that it reaches my target audiences expectations.

If I were to do this again, I would definitely organise and manage my time more so that I stay on track throughout the full process of planning, designing and creating my product and therefore have more time to carefully plan out exactly what I am going to do.

I have enjoyed this experience and have learned, developed and improved on the practical side, such as learning to edit a film and becoming more confident on Adobe Photoshop.

Evaluation Question 4

Please CLICK HERE to view question 4 of my evaluation which will be presented on Prezi

Evaluation Question 3

Audience Feedback

For my audience feedback I used various methods to gain comments about both my print work and video work.

For my video feedback I conducted a focus group via Facebook and asked everyone to view my trailer which I linked and asked them to give me feedback by answering these questions - 

What genre do you think my products are?
What makes you think this?
How have I met your expectations of this genre?
Have I used archetypal characters successfully?
How do you feel when you watch the trailer?

I think this audience is relevant to my product as they are in the age range of what my film is aimed at and are also big fans of going to the cinema and watching films. I've also asked a mixture of males and females in my focus groups to make my feedback more reliable as I am aiming at a mixed sex gender group as the horror genre can apply to any gender.

Looking back at my audience feedback it has gave me the reassurance that I have fit the requirement made to achieve a horror film, although maybe if I were to start again I would add a bit more 'supernatural' elements, to give it that paranormal feel to it. My audience understood it was a horror film but there was a couple that responded saying a thriller as well which I found intriguing as I was mainly just aiming for horror but this has gave me confidence as to expand my audience if this were to be the case.

Going more in depth with cinematography many of my feedback mentioned the black and white editing that I used in various shots throughout my trailer which was in reply to why they thought my film genre was horror. This shows how I have successfully used this editing to achieve my films genre and the dark tones show the dark grim element which are needed to achieve a horror genre. A with my soundtrack, practically all my feedback mentioned how the music set the tone of my film as it was "creepy" and "sinister", these words fit perfectly in the semantic field of 'horror' which shows another example of how I have achieved the genre.

I also sent an A4 image of my movie poster and magazine around my college in order to gain feedback from my peers as well as the additional feedback from my lecturers.

After receiving the feedback for my print tasks, it allowed me to make amendments to both my magazine cover and poster in order to appeal to my audience and make my print work appear more professional looking within its field.

For my poster, said that my image worked really well as even though it was simple, it was really effective and achieved the horror theme. The only critical response that i got was to take the editing out of the movie title, which I used the 'blur' effect on. They thought that it took away the simpleness which I was trying to aim for in my poster and was distracting them from the main image. Therefore I changed the text and removed the effect in which I agreed looked much better and more professional.

For my magazine they said overall that it was good and liked the layout of my cover, especially how I have set out my main headline. However, for my critical feedback which I was given even though it was on small features in my magazine it is essential parts that build up to overall make my magazine cover look appealing and convincing to my audience. Changes included to make my highlighted shape and essential information smaller as it was taking up too much room and distracting them from more important features on my magazine. Also, many replied saying that I should move the text from my main headline so that it isn't touching my models face. I thought this feedback was extremely useful and has helped me loads through the development of my magazine.

The overall reaction that my audience got was exactly what I was aiming for, mostly them all being curious to know what happens in the film. This would also relate to my movie poster as  never put much detail into it which intrigued my audience into wanting to see the film for themselves to find out what happens.

Towards the end where I was happy with both print tasks I asked for the final time what my audience thought of the overall products. I had so much more positive feedback which made me feel confident with my print tasks and satisfied.

Evaluation Question 2

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

I think that my main product and ancillary texts are effective because it leaves you feeling curious about wanting to watch the film without revealing too much about the film. It gives you the basic insight of what the situation in and invites you to go and watch the film to find out what what has happened, hence the tagline "discover the truth". 

For example, both my poster and magazine cover feature the girl who is in a similar pose looking straight at the audience with a sort of glare expression.

 

Same applies to my trailer when the girl features in that several times.

This could form a curious response from the audience as the girl shows of no feelings are emotions. She just looks like she is concentrating on one thing in particular which makes my film looks effective as my audience would want to go and see my film to find out why. Keeping the girl in the same pose and same expression makes it more recognisable to the audience so they will be able to identify my movie.

The way in which I introduce the characters is done to show the curiosity, which is the main response you would get after watching my trailer or looking at my ancillary texts. Showing the boy looking at the missing poster invites the audience to join in with the investigation of how the girl went missing. The way in which the girl is introduced is by the actual missing poster but it is in contrast to what the print work portrays her as. In the missing poster it shows her smiling where as in the poster and magazine she is staring straight at you showing no expression. This could suggest to the audience that she was once a sweet, happy girl. This therefore opens opportunities to the audience to think for themselves what the girl was like in the past and what has happened to her since. Who is responsible?

Also my colour scheme has played a crucial part for each of my ancillary tasks and my main product as I have maintained a use of dark bleak colours to maintain that horror edge. It is important to maintain and make sure that features like this remain the same throughout to keep to overall effect of my audiences reaction to my movie. 

In my production of my ancillary texts I have made sure to keep them both related to my main product as it is important for each product to relate one way or another as it creates a marketing package and my audience will be able to recognise it as a brand new movie that is being released

Evaluation Question 1

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


For part of my evaluation a have done a prezi
CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT

As I myself enjoy watching horror films, I have used this to create my own ideas (with the help of other films) to design and create my own horror.

One of my conventions I have used is in the first frame that is shown at the very start of my trailer which is the production company in which my movie it produced by. I think that it makes my film look professional leaving a first good impression on the viewer who is watching it. Also the style of font I've used for "ARTIC PICTURES" is quite old fashioned which can apply that this production company is quite classical and has been running for a quite a long time, making it a reliable production company. 

Also the 'type writer' style text I've used in my movie title fits in well with what my film is about, it reminds me of text that you would see when looking at computer data, and I think that works well with the technology approach I am making towards my film as it involves video recordings on a mobile phone. Also I have used the 'play' button symbol to replace the letter 'A' as i think it looks makes the title seem more creative and clever and also refers back to what my movie is actually about.

Using shots from behind creates a sense of someone being watched. This is what I have used in one of the frames in my trailer. It is also the first time this character (cover model for poster and magazine cover) is being introduced. I think it creates a sense of mystery as the audience may not know that just yet and would be intrigued to know who she is and if she actually is being followed or watched by someone. As it is quite a wide shot, you are able to see more of her whereabouts, which is in a forest which is a common area of where a horror could be shot at. The light coming from amongst the trees creates a bright glowing effect which could signify a paranormal feel to the shot. It could also represent the open space around her, showing that the place is completely isolated from the world and no one knows where she is.

I've used POV shots to position the audience in the characters view making them feel involved in the movie as they are finding out with the character together whats happening. Using it to show the mobile phone which has just been mysteriously posted through the door, we get a clear view of what it is and can be easily recognised by the audience as with them being a young audience, will have mobile phones just like it therefore can relates more to the situation as they know the main features of a mobile phone such as photographs, text messaging and of course video clips. 

I've also included extreme close up shots on several frames, one of them being of the missing poster which is one of the many props used in the trailer. I've created the effect of the camera zooming more into the image through a series of cuts until its main focus is of the girls eyes. I loved this effect as I thought the closer you got to the girls face, the more it has an effect of how you feel about her. Many people may feel uncomfortable about how close she is, some might be pulled in and make a connection with the character and also be intrigued to know what has happened to her. It also creates an illusion that the girl is specifically looking at you, making the audience feel targeted by her which may leave them feel intimidated by her stare. This is exactly what I want them to think when watching the trailer as it pulls them in to the story, maybe even making them feel that it is their fault, but it could also leave a creepy image in their head even after they have watched the trailer as the girls stare can be very daunting and unforgettable.

With the use of black and white editing it makes it look like all the life has been sucked out of the frame. I have also only used it on shots that are in the woods as I feel it can resemble a flashback of an event that has happened. I was influenced by film 'American History X' where the past is played in black and white which represents the age of the event which could also signify another reason why I used this effect. I also think the B+W editing can show the darkness of the shots I have taken. In one of the frames I have taken a low angle shot in black and white which enhances the darkness of the girls face and her surroundings. The only bit of light you can see is the spaces in between the tree branches. I think this creates a trapped effect as the tree branches could represent bars in which the girls is trapped behind and there is no way to get out.

Another shot I have used is a high angle shot which allows my audience to look over at what the character is looking at. Here we him comparing the image on the missing poster to the image which is found on the phone which indicates that this may be the missing girls phone. It could bring a sense of hope to know that they may still be a chance of her being found as they could trace her from the evidence on the phone, but it could also suggest that this is her remains of whats left.

As we see a video recording of the girl I have used a handheld camera effect as it makes it looks more realistic and the that the video is being taken by the girl in the frame. Her make up shows her worn out face and that she is exhausted about what has happened and she looks anxious about what is going to happen next. With the use of make-up i have made her lips looks really dry and chapped as it creates a very grim and lifeless approach towards the girl. 

UPDATE ON FINAL MOVIE POSTER

Due to the feedback given from my lecturer as well as my peers, I have came to the decision to remove the 'blur' effect from my text. This is because it makes my poster look too busy as I have enough effect used on the main image. By doing this I have maintained the simple approach to the movie poster as I like that I am not giving too much away.and keeping my poster simple, yet effective. Hopefully this will achieve my purpose and fulfil my target audiences needs.

My final horror trailer

Here is the official trailer for my horror film PLAY

I have put my trailer on YouTube so that it is easily accessed