A2 Media Coursework Hannah Brown

For the coursework specification I had to

create a media package consisting of a teaser

trailer (main task), film magazine front cover

and a film poster promoting my film (ancillary

tasks.)

Codes and Conventions of a Teaser Trailer A teaser trailer is a short trailer used to advertise an upcoming

movie, game or television series usually released long before the advance of the product. It’s purpose is to attract the audience to the film, creating immediate attention, and persuade them to go watch it. It differs from a “normal” trailer as it is released before, is shorter and only shows a limited amount of clips to tease the audience. They tend to be around half a minute to a minute long and they are generally used for big blockbuster films. They are released around four months/year before the actual release of the film. Conventions are:

• That they are usually between 30-60 seconds long

• Contain the minimum amount of footage and dialogue from the film, to tease the audience

• Released long before the film is released

• the pace usually is fast or starts slow and picks up

Information included in a teaser trailer consists of the director, release date, genre, actors, certificate and sometimes quotes from critics.

My Genre I decided I wanted to do a horror/ thriller film. This

is because I feel they will be easier to create as I

can use lots of darkness, props, and tensional

music/ sound effects whereas other genres such

as comedies I feel will take longer to produce as I

will need to think of a unique storyline and I think

it will be challenging to construct a teaser that

everyone will find funny as we all have different

senses of humour. I also wanted a sub genre of

thriller so my production has a larger target

market and I can make it more mysterious to grip

the audience.

After looking at various trailers of films I am able to

distinguish between a trailer and a teaser trailer.

For example, Saw 3D was a teaser trailer as

there was limited dialogue, under a minute long,

and you couldn‟t see a lot of the action just

snappy cuts. However, Lord of the Rings was a

trailer as there was a lot more action and

dialogue included so the audience had a much

better understanding of the plot, it was over a

minute long and the release date was only two

months away.

Analysing Existing Trailers

I‟ve picked two teaser trailers (with the same

genre as I want to do- horror/thriller) to

analyse. They include “Paranormal Activity

2”,

and “The Crazies”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezMNgUJaZb8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnCYy39npA

Starts of in black to create tension as

the viewers don‟t know what to expect

Adrenaline kicks in immediately as

the first thing people can see is a

figure come crashing towards the

camera which makes the audience

jump and immediately snatches their

attention

Paranormal Activity 2

There is a long pause of the

door which creates tension as

the audience knows something

is in the room but can‟t see

where it is.

The camera is static which is a typical

convention of the horror genre. It also

represents there is paranormal

activity going on.

Using the pronoun “you” creates

synthetic personalisation and

makes the trailer seem more

personal and direct. Viewers

would also want to know why

has it been demanded? What‟s

so good about it?

By showing the peoples reaction

to the film is a clever technique

because it persuades the text

receiver to watch it because

other people find it really scary. It

also reduces the amount of

action shown so less is revealed

and people have to find out for

themselves.

There are quick cuts around the

house to put the audience on

edge as you still can‟t see the

entity. There is then diachronic

sound included of tins rattling so

the viewers can hear but can‟t

see- this is a common

psychological fear for most

people.

This short sentence entices the

reader as it is almost a

challenge and makes the

audience think, prepare for

what? This therefore beckons

the viewers to go and watch the

movie.

In this shot the audience can see that

there is a dog backing away and

barking as well as the baby stood up

and focused on something. This

creates suspense because it is a

common paranormal belief that

animals and babies often notice

supernatural sightings first. The shot

is also a high angle to represents the

baby and dogs vulnerability in the

situation.

This clause continues from the

previous sentence “nothing can

prepare you.” Sentences are often

split between cuts of action so the

viewers is hooked and wants to

carry on watching. These words

also intrigue the viewer as they

want to know what does happen

next.

There is a quick cut to show a girl

standing in the doorway that was

previously empty. Like a lot of horror

teaser trailers, you can‟t see her face

to keep the viewers guessing and

create suspense. I want to use this

idea for my own teaser trailer. The

dog and child has also mysteriously

vanished to show a connection

between their disappearance and the

girls arrival creating lots of drama.

The camera then goes static again

to emphasis the horror genre and to

cut away from the actual action.

The teaser trailer ends when the

screen goes black with a flashing

white 2 in the middle. This leaves it

on a cliff hanger to keep the viewer

guessing as to what happens next

thus persuading them to go and

watch the film. Also black connotes

evil and fear and is widely used in

the horror genre.

The teaser trailer closes with the

website and production logo on

show, a typical convention of a

teaser trailer. By displaying the

website also shows the reader

where they can find out more about

the movie. The font is white and

ghostly to represent the genre and

themes.

Evaluation The producer and editor have adopted various techniques in order

to really scare and surprise the audience. I will split this up into

four categories:

• Camera

• Sound

• Mise en scene

• Editing

CAMERA •Wobbly cam as the person is thrown to the floor

at the beginning. This creates a sense panic and

chaos and to unnerve the audience

•High angle shot of baby and dog to stress their

vulnerability and show the audience they are in

danger

•A snappy close up of the girl coming towards

the camera is used to shock the audience

SOUND •There is the sound of pans rattling which is

scary as the audience can hear the noise but

can‟t see what is causing it

•The dog backing away and barking sets the

audience on edge as they can tell it is clearly

distressed and he can see something that they

cannot

•The screaming of a previous audience frightens

the viewers as they can see other people found

it very scary

•Non-diachronic sound is used when a sound

effect of crashing is included when the girl in the

doorway appears. This connotes that the girl is

evil and destructive.

MISE EN SCENE •Low key lighting is used throughout the teaser

trailer to scare the audience as anything can be

lurking in the shadows

•The girl in the doorway is dressed in black

which in film presents her as an evil character

•The producer shows he/she has carefully

thought about props by including a mirror in the

shot. This is often used in horror films and is

tensional as the audience can sometimes see

things that is not in the characters eyeline

EDITING •Including the text “nothing can prepare you”

makes the film sound terrifying, full of twists and

almost challenging the viewers.

•There are lots of hard cuts to make the

audience jump and to show different rooms in

the house which builds suspense as the

audience never knows where or when the entity

will appear

•Long take of the door to build tension as the

audience don‟t know where the entity is or what

it is doing, this is also down to the editor

Evaluation Continued Overall I feel the teaser trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 is very

effective. I think this because it scares the audience right from

the very beginning then builds on this fear by use of tensional

music, black costume, static camera, a rocking chair but no one

visible on it and other peoples terrified reactions. It is also quite

different from other teaser trailers as it focuses more on making

the audience jump and less about camera/ editing techniques.

I feel the trailer is very persuasive because it doesn‟t reveal too

much so the audience has to keep on guessing until they watch

the film. The text “nothing can prepare you for what happens

next” shocks the audience and makes them want to know what

is going to happen next and find out what all the hype is about.

To conclude Paranormal Activity 2 teaser trailer is very compelling

and makes the audience want to see it as it looks very scary

and full of twists, without giving too much away.

The Crazies

The beginning of the teaser trailer

displays the production company

and logo at the beginning rather

than at the end as opposed to

Paranormal Activity 2.

The first piece of action we see is in

selective focus of a girl lying down

strapped to what appears to be a

hospital bed. This immediately shocks

the viewer as we can see the girl is

vulnerable and in danger. She says

out loud “is this really happening?”

sounding shocked and frightened. This

will create suspense because the

viewer will think what‟s happening?

Who has strapped her there? Will she

escape?

This sets the reader on edge as they

know something big is going to

happen before we die and that is

probably what the film is about. It

also hooks the reader and

encourages them to keep on

watching to find out the rest of the

text.

The editor uses a match-on-

action to show someone has

locked the door and the

women is trapped inside. This

is very dramatic as she cannot

escape whatever danger may

lay ahead. This scene is also

in low key lighting which sets

the audience on edge as they

don‟t know what could be

hiding in the shadows

Mid shot of a man holding a flame so

we can see his actions and expressions

simultaneously. This will put the

audience to the edge of their seats as

they don‟t know what he‟s going to do

with it, for example he could be looking

for someone through the darkness or

intending to start a fire. His expression

is cold and concentrated to show that

he is fully aware of what he is doing but

doesn‟t seem to show any hesitation.

The rapidly growing fire really

captures the audiences attention

because they will probably be

thinking will the woman escape?

What is the mans motive for

committing such a crime? Will

anyone survive? Fire connotes

danger and death and is often

featured in horror films.

Repetition of the preposition

“before” to show there is a lot of

things that‟s going to happen

first. Stating that “our cities are

taken over” signifies there is a

great danger coming and

perhaps a revolution. Using the

pronoun “our” creates even

more tension as the producer is

saying the audience will be part

of this threat too.

This establishing shot creates a

sense of panic and chaos with

the combination of helicopters,

bright lights and diachronic

sound of warning alarms.

This cut away is used to show

smaller bits of the action in the

scene that otherwise would be

hard to spot. The close up shows

lifeless hands hanging outside the

truck. This indicates abduction and

possibly mass murder, reinforcing

the idea of a revolution. This will

shock and scare the audience.

There is a tracking of the man

walking up to the cars. He has

his hands in the air to show he

is the vulnerable one and the

police are the powerful

participant. He shouts “it‟s ok

I‟m not sick” this informs the

audience there is some deadly

disease gripping the nation.

Again there is repetition of the

word “before” to emphasis the

enormity of what is to come. “Our

humanity is lost” shows

something inhuman is taking

over which wonderfully creates

mystery and uncertainty.

There is a quick cut to a pitch

folk slamming down with

malicious intent. This tells the

reader the film will have a

considerable amount of

violence and gore in.

A gigantic explosion is

visible. This creates panic

and show that the people are

being targeted and under

attack. The viewers will want

to know the reasons behind

such violence and who is

causing it.

This shot shows a wounded man

behind bars trying to reach something.

He looks angry and potentially

dangerous. The producer has created

suspense and anticipation by hiding

what the character can see so the

viewers has to guess. This teases the

audience and persuades them to

watch the film to find out.

There are quick cuts of the film to tease the audience and make

them want to watch it as it looks exciting, dramatic and action

packed.

These words makes it sound as

though whatever happens in the

film will change everything and

cause mass destruction. This is

very dramatic and really hooks in

the audience. By enlarging the

font for the word “here” gives the

impression that the setting for the

film is where all the action and

terror commences, again

wonderfully building tension.

This eye line match is used to

grab the audiences attention as

the officer seems distressed and

shocked by what he has seen.

The camera then cuts to what he

can see (a point of view shot) to

show a man marching forwards

armed with a gun. This sets the

audience on edge as he appears

very dangerous and they don‟t

know if he will shoot or not.

The title of the film is in a white bold font in

front of a black background, this is similar to

what Paranormal Activity 2 did. They both

have black backgrounds because this is a

typical colour used in horror film that

signifies evil and death. As well as this,

there is some mysterious blue-green dots

on the right hand side. It looks like some

musky kind of gas and I think this is to

represent the disease going about in the

film, however audience will need

foreknowledge to decode this.

This print screen of the video

presents the films website and

production logo again, like the teaser

trailer for Paranormal Activity 2. In the

middle is the words “coming soon”

with the adverb “soon” in capitals and

in a shadowy font. This is to

emphasis how soon the film will be

realised and therefore exciting the

viewers.

Evaluation I will analyse The Crazies teaser trailer considering the:

• Sound

• Camera

• Mise en scene

• editing

CAMERA •There is a close up of the man locking the door to show there is

no escape, she is trapped

•17 seconds in there is an aerial shot to show the whole city is in

crisis

•There is panning of the motionless hands to follow the moving

truck

•Tracking of the man walking towards the police (20 seconds in)

so the audience feels more of a connection and as we too are part

of his journey

•Low angle of the man holding match to emphasis his power in

the situation •Close up of the split coffee on the ground to show the character

is distressed and has been taken by surprise. This creates tension

as it unsettles the audience

SOUND •The diegetic sound of the door being locked is emphasised to

stress that there really in no way out as they know she is in

great danger

•Whenever text appears on the screen there is a quiet tensional

piece of music that sounds like it has been constructed by a

violin. It is very creepy and puts the audience on edge.

•There is alarms and sirens in the background to help build an

atmosphere of panic and danger

•The girl whispers “is this really happening?” By quieting her

voice gives the impression that she isn‟t alone...someone else is

out there

•Another sound included is what appears to be the beating of a

drum. This starts of quite infrequent but then the more action

there is, the more constant they become. I think this is used to

signify the beating of a heart-the more you watch, the faster

your heart will beat, the more scared you will get

•A lot of screaming to express the characters fear

MISE EN SCENE •The girl at the beginning is dressed in white to represent her

vulnerability and pureness and she doesn‟t deserve to be subject

of such cruelty

•There is a dark shadowy background in the scene at the house

which will create tension because anything could be lurking about.

This is similar to the teaser trailer for Paranormal Activity 2.

•There is a careful combination of props such as helicopters,

police in uniform, lots of blue and red lights, and the sound of

sirens to create realism.

•Using a pitch folk as a murder weapon makes the murderer seem

very sadistic and brutal which creates tension as the audience can

see he is very dangerous and capable of anything

•The opening shot is set in a hospital which is compelling

because it shocks the audience as this is a very unexpected

location for just crimes to be committed

EDITIING •Combining unsettling text “before our humanity is lost” with

creepy music informs the audience the film is of the horror

genre.

•Match on action is used to show cause and effect- the man

locks the door so the women screams. This is also a reaction

shot.

•Time has been compressed when there is very quick shots of

the man locking the door, holding the match then starting the

fire. This is to show he has no remorse which creates suspense

as it gives of the impression he is capable of anything

•There is a sound bridge included where the sound of tensional

music is used almost throughout the teaser trailer to connect it

all

•SLOW MOTION OF FOOT

Evaluation Continued I believe the teaser trailer for The Crazies is successful at scaring the audience and

making them want to see more. The company has achieved this is many ways.

Firstly, they are careful not to give much away by only showing bits of the action and

not what happens next. For example, when the house is burning does the women

survive? Did the man open fire when he was marching forwards with the gun? What

is the man screaming at behind the bars?

The editor/ music composer is forever creating tension by constantly changing the pace

of the music; at the beginning it is moderately slow, at 21 seconds it dramatically

speeds up then at 31 seconds it slows right down again. This is a clever technique

because the audience doesn‟t know what to expect next so they are constantly at the

edge of their seats. They don‟t have chance to relax either because anything could

be around the corner.

Tension and mystery is also created using mise en scene. There is use of some

inhuman eyes at the end, this combined with the close up then extreme close up shot

scares the audience as they don‟t know what this creature is but it looks powerful

and dangerous. This is similar to the shot of motionless hands dangling outside the

truck. Viewers will want to know if they are dead or alive and who is behind this

revolution.

I feel the teaser trailer is effective and persuasive through use of scary music, low key

lighting, inhuman entities, alarming text and an intriguing plot.

Comparison of the Two Teaser Trailers

The teaser trailers for Paranormal Activity 2 and The Crazies vary

slightly. I think a key difference is the length of each.

Paranormal Activity 2 is 58 seconds whereas The Crazies is

only 36 seconds however they still follow the convention that

teaser trailers should fall between 30-60 seconds. I think this is

perhaps because The Crazies have lots of quick cuts whereas

Paranormal Activity consist of an extensive amount of long

takes. I feel The Crazies contains a lot more action and unlike

Paranormal Activity, includes dialogue. This causes the

audience to have a better understanding of the plot whereas

Paranormal Activity‟s storyline is a lot more concealed- all that

is given away is that the film is about some kind of destructive

ghost. I think the main themes of Paranormal Activity includes

supernatural happenings and disappearance whereas The

Crazies is more about a revolution, an illness/disease that is

engulfing the population, violence and destruction.

How has Watching the Teaser Trailers Influenced

my Ideas for my own Production By watching and analysing the two teaser trailers, I have come up with some ideas for

my own production. In both teaser trailers, especially Paranormal Activity 2, there is

extensive use of low-key lighting. I want to use this in my production as I feel it

makes it more tensional and scary. It also is a convention of the horror genre- to

have lots of black and darkness in the film. There is a wobbly cam when the body

gets thrown at the camera at the beginning of Paranormal Activity 2. This creates a

sense of panic and that the character is not in control. I wish to use this for a shot

when my character is about to unlock the mystery door so she looks unstable and

shaky- an indicator she is scared and not sure of what she is doing. At the end of

The Crazies the editor has used slow motion to speed down time of the character

moving forwards. This has been used to emphasise a dramatic moment- when the

officer is about to approach the armed man. I want to use this when the girl is walking

towards the door to show what she is about to do will have great consequences and

also to delay the time it takes for her to open the door, and therefore keeps the

audience gripped and excited. Finally, in Paranormal Activity 2 there is a shot where

the ghost-like figure is standing in the doorway, all in black however her face is

hidden. I would like to imitate this as it connotes that the character is evil and creates

mystery and suspense.

How Paranormal Activity was Marketed

Paranormal Activity (2009)

Genre: Supernatural horror

Directed, written and edited by Oren Peli.

Producers: Steven Schneider and Jason

Blum

Starring: Kate Featherstone, Micah Sloat

Website

The creators of Paranormal Activity came up with an

ingenious idea. They created a “Demand” button

allowing fans across the country to literally demand for

the film to be shown in their city. This determined which

markets Paramount would choose for a series of

midnight screenings. This was so unique as it put the

power of movie distribution in the fans‟ hands. The

“Demand” ticker exceeded 860,000 by mid-afternoon on

the first Friday after its release.

There is also a website for the film. It is eye catching and

spooky looking due to the black and red background.

You can find out more about the film, where and when

it‟s showing and watch trailers etc.

Social Networking Sites

A sponsored Twitter account “@TweetYourScream”

currently has 18,337 followers and their Facebook page

has over 47,000 fans. Fans from the Facebook page

have been uploading their video reactions to the film and

writing comments about their opinion of the movie. I think

it is very effective to use social networking sites to

market a film as fans can find out who‟s interested from

a geographic perspective and can all share a sense of

excitement, a buzz towards the release of the specific

film.

Magazine Interviews

The two actors of the film, Katie Featherston and Micah

Sloat have participated in several media interviews. One

includes an interview for the magazine “She Knows.”

This is a good form of marketing as the audience can

find out more about the film such as how it was created,

what the actors are like and how the experience was for

them, for example playing a role of a villain. During the

interview the stars quote “it‟s the best thing you could

ever ask for”, “it scared me when I watched it” and “it‟s

wild how people can‟t control how they‟re shaking.”

These quotes really grip the attention of the reader and

make them think that the film must be terrifying, luring

them in to watch it.

Posters

Large, colourless

image fills most of the

page. Audience can

see the couple are

clearly disturbed by

something that is

non-apparent in the

picture. This creates

a sense of mystery

and wonderfully

builds tension.

The title of the

film is in a red,

shadowy spooky

looking font. Red

typically

connotes blood,

danger, and

warning signs.

This compliments

the black

background, as

black is a cold

colour that

represents evil .

The red and

black effect

signifies the

genre of horror.

The tagline “What

Happens when you go

Sleep?” Has been

used effectively as it

will play on peoples

mind and encourage

them to use their

imagination of what

could happen, and

therefore what could be

expected in the film.

Draws you to

the statement

that it is the best

horror you could

see, therefore

entices you to

watch the film to

see for yourself.

This is an effective eye

catching film poster that

through use of a tensional

image, iconic horror text

colours and a shocking tagline,

wonderfully persuades the

audience to go and watch the

film.

Codes and Conventions of a Film Poster

Film posters are constructed sometimes weeks, sometimes months before the

film it features is released. They are primarily displayed inside and outside of

movie theatres or elsewhere such as on the streets, in schools/ colleges,

shops, etc. They are also included on the films website, leaflets, magazines

advertisements, DVD packaging, etc. The purpose of a film publicity poster

is to promote an upcoming film. It does this by using persuasive features

such as powerful adjectives, dramatic strap lines, including USP, having

enticing photographs, large bold title etc. Other features and conventions of

a film poster is to include:

• A billing block

• Production Logo

• Certificate (to determine suitability)

• Name of actors, actresses, directors, producers, etc

• Release date (this aims to generate excitement as the audience will be

waiting for the film to be released)

Print Media Terminology Masthead: a list, usually found on the editorial page of a periodical, listing the

publication‟s name, editorial board, owners name etc.

Strapline: a strapline is a slogan used in advertising, featured on the front page

of a magazine. It is a short, effective, memorable phrase used to identify brands

(e.g. Tesco‟s “Every little helps”)

Cover lines: cover lines are located on the front page of the magazine. They are

spaced around the outside of the page and tells the reader what articles are

featured inside.

Screamers: a screamer is a large distinctive headline which has been written

with the goal of drawing attention to the specific article. They command attention,

persisting the reader turns to the article in question at once.

Billing block: the words found at the bottom of a media text such as a film

poster. Included is the production company, writers, editors, actors, producers as

well as the company logo.

Tagline: a tagline is usually a few words/ sentence long found on film posters or

the front cover of a DVD. It sums up the tone and principle of a film so the

audience has a bit of an idea of what to expect. For example the tagline to Shaun

of the Dead is “A romantic comedy. With zombies” so the audience can expect a

funny film that‟s out of the ordinary.

Se7en

My first film poster analysis is on “Seven” a 1995 American thriller film directed

by David Flincher.

Deep reds, rustic golds and fearsome

oranges and yellows are the primary

colours in the poster. I feel the

colours symbolize a fire. This could

connote the film is full of struggles,

danger and judging by the characters

eyes, strong in emotion. The title and

actors name are in white to make it

stand out from the dark background.

I think there is a considerable amount of

effective persuasive techniques used to

persuade people to see the film. The

famous actors are used as the USP- Brad

Pitt and Morgan Freeman. People can

identify these famous actors and want to

see more of their films. Also, the seven

deadly sins listed in the middle of the

poster is another persuasive technique.

People will want to watch the movie to see

how the film relates to the sins. Focusing

on the deadly sins makes the film very

original, unique and stands out form the

average thriller/ horror film.

There are several symbols in the poster as well as conventions of horror. For example

there are patches of black which resembles shadows creating an air of mystery and fear.

There is also red lines crossing out the sins and red connotes blood and danger- this

could reflect the actions of the film. On the right near the bottom there is what appears to

be scratch marks on a wall. This, along with the fiery background, connotes a struggle

and someone trying to escape, making it apparent the 0genre is of horror/ thriller. Mise

en scene is used effectively as an icon of genre. For example the actors are wearing

hats, shirts, tie, and Brad Pitt has a moustache. This is a typical uniform of what a

detective would wear so the audience will think what are they investigating? What will

they discover? What problems will they face? Furthermore, like a lot film posters, the

actors take up most of the page and is the first thing to catch the audience‟s eye. Brad

Pitt and Morgan Freeman are stars in the film which will automatically determine the

audience because the genre of the film will be apparent as these actors have starred in

lots of thrillers/horrors previously. The text producer has used a close up of the pair so

their emotions capture the audience superbly. Brad Pitt looks angry and alert (he would

need to be as a detective) whilst Morgan Freeman looks scared and vulnerable. These

strong emotions again convey the genre of horror/thriller as the audience can recognize

there is a threat to the actors and they are in severe danger.

Next, I will analyze the tagline; “Seven deadly sins.

Seven ways to die.” This is an effective tagline that

gives out the message that there will be death and

violence in the film and, with the repetition of the

number seven, seven victims. The victims will have

some connection with the sins which grips the audience

as they will have to watch the film to find what that link

is. The tagline is spilt into two simple sentences. Both

provide five syllables to make it flow and harsh

consonant sounds on the word “seven” to make it stand

out.

Attention is gained through a variety of powerful

techniques. I think the main one is having two famous

actors as the USP (Brad Pitt is also attractive and

therefore could bring in viewers who don‟t normally tend

to opt for horror films.) The fiery palette of colour is very

eye catching and could resemble the actors being

caught up in the heat of the unfolding events throughout

the film. Attention is also achieved with the seven sins

listed down the middle in-between the men‟s faces. This

signifies why the detectives most probably is

investigating- seven deaths in connection to the sins.

The list also causes the actors to be separated- this

could mean the actors are against each other and

conflict may arise.

Critical Evaluation

I feel the poster is very effective. It immediately snatches the audience‟s attention

through the clever combination of famous actors as the USP, a striking

background and a dramatic, captivating tagline. I think the text receiver‟s initial

thoughts will be that the film looks scary and exciting, full of twists and turns, an

enticing storyline and be thrilled that two famous actors star in the film.

I believe the film poster to “Seven” does communicate effectively with the

audience. I predict the intended audience is lovers of horror and dramatic films.

Teenagers/adults, mainly men as stereotypically they are the ones who prefer

action and thrillers films. The poster communicates well with the reader because

it represents the genre of thriller/horror superbly through the use of dark fiery

colours, signs of hostage (scratching on wall) and the violence implicating tagline.

However, to make this poster more persuasive the text producer could perhaps

have quoted expert witnesses so the reader can see evidence the film is good.

Shutter Island

My second movie poster I‟ve chosen to analysis is “Shutter Island”, a 2010 psychological

thriller directed by Martin Scorsese.

There is a mix of different colours to attract

attention and emphasis the thriller genre of the

film. For example the background consists of dark

colours and black seems to dominant which

connotes evil and mystery. The title stands out in a

large, red, sharp font, a typical horror colour that

symbolises blood and danger. Around the island

there is a spooky white glow highlighting it. I think

this makes it seem ghostly and mysterious-

perhaps indicating people have died on the island

but can‟t let go. The actors name “Leonardo

Dicaprio” and the tagline is in white to make it

stand out from the dark gloomy background and

perhaps show a connection, maybe he is the

person missing or is in involved with them? Moving on, there are a considerable amount

of symbols in the poster. The actor is holding

a match (this image is actually taken from a

scene in the movie) however the audience

does not need foreknowledge to understand

he is trying to make his way through the

darkness. Also there is a lighthouse visible

on the island. Lighthouses can be seen as

lonely and remote buildings which I think is a

theme in the film as the character “Teddy” is

by himself and cut off from the real world,

however the audience would need

foreknowledge to know this.

Leonardo Dicaprio, a very famous and attractive

actor, is used as the USP as he is the main

focus in the poster. He has a quizzical,

suspicious expression on his face which creates

tension as the audience cannot see what is

disturbing the actor. Half of his face is hidden in

darkness building a sense of mystery and as

many people are scared of the dark, reflects on

the genre of horror. The secluded eerie island

puts the viewers on edge because it looks

dangerous and gives the impression unpleasant

events happen there. From the uneven,

crashing waves and the rain hammering down,

it is apparent there is a storm. This is again a

convention of the horror/thriller genre. The

distant island combined with high cliffs and

stormy weather conveys the message that there

is no escape and the people on it are doomed.

There are several persuasive techniques

used to gain attention. The main one, the

USP would be Leandro Dicaprio as

people can associate him with other

successful films and he is also quite

popular with the ladies. There is a

secluded dangerous looking island which

shocks the audience as they will want to

find out what happens on this abnormal

piece of land. Also the thrilling tagline and

intrigued expression the actor carries

makes the reader know something

dramatic is going to happen and the actor

will discover something intense.

Next I will analysis the tagline “someone is

missing.” This immediately hooks in the

reader because they will want to know who

is missing? Are they dangerous? Will they

be found? Using the word “someone”

makes it very vague and mysterious. This

creates tension as it could be anyone and

the audience will have to watch the film to

find out whom, therefore this is a very

persuasive tagline.

I think the intended audience for this text is

teenagers/ adults who enjoy thriller/horror

movies. This is based on the certificate (it is a

fifteen so not suitable to anyone under this age)

and the conventions of horror seen in the film.

This includes bold red text, a dark background

and a match (connotes fire and danger)

Given that all movie posters have the same

purpose - to get audiences to go see a movie -

what persuasive techniques are used by the

poster?

Critical Evaluation

To conclude, I think the poster is very effective from use of

careful colour, image and layout. It shares similarities with

the “Seven” poster such as all the actors are looking

suspicious and curious to put the audience on edge. They

also include red and black colours to emphasis the genre of

horror. The poster for Shutter Island communicates well

with the audience as it creates a theme of disappearance

and becoming trapped, beckoning the audience to watch

the film.

Code and Conventions of a Film Magazine

Front Cover The purpose of a film magazine front cover is to entertain, persuade and inform.

They promote and provide information to readers about up and coming films.

Conventions of a film magazine front cover includes:

• A large striking masthead at the top centre of the page

• Dominating images usually of the main characters in the featured films

• Cover lines around the edges of the page indicating the kind of information

inside the magazine

• Colour theme

• Price, date and sometimes the issue number

• Sometimes a screamer

• Name of famous actors, actresses and directors are sometimes used as the

USP

They provide information such as a description of films to be released soon,

famous actors/ actresses and directors involved in the featured film,

competitions to get involved in, free posters etc. Empire is Britain‟s biggest

selling magazine followed by Total Film. The kind of films they tend to

feature are horrors, mystery, crime, drama, action and fantasy whereas

comedies, children's films and romantic comedies are less commonly used.

Empire Analysis

By using consonance makes the

text flow better and the reader is

more likely to remember the

words. “Extraordinary” is a very

powerful adjective persuading the

reader to buy the magazine as the

content must be very good

The date and price is in a very

small text so not to steal

attention. It is like this so it is the

last thing noticed, after all the

exciting pictures and cover lines,

so the audience wouldn‟t mind

paying £3.99.

A red background

connotes power and

perhaps signifying the

film is dangerous,

therefore thrills the

audience

This encourages readers to

buy more of their magazines,

to feel more of a loyal fan Using the words “ the

only magazine”

makes this issue of

Empire sounds

unique and there is

nothing else similar

out there. Also by

saying it is on set

appeals to fans of the

film because it shows

they will be up close

and personal with the

actors so they will be

the first for

information.

The screamer is effective

because using the word

“amazing” makes the

magazine sound remarkable

and the reader is in for a

treat. Combining the words

“new” and “revealed” in the

same sentence is very

persuasive because readers

will feel amazed they can be

the first to know the cast.

The characters are all in costume

which attracts the audience because

it shows the feature is about the film

rather than the actor itself. Having

the actor positioned in front of the

masthead gives him prominence

over everything (maybe to show how

big and successful the film is) and

indicating the magazine is so well

known the title doesn‟t need to be

fully on display.

Barcode needed for sale of

the magazine, makes it

look more professional

The text is in white and yellow.

White has been used for the

masthead, the main cover line and

other cover lines. it has been used

to stand out from the dark red

background. Yellow is a cheerful

sunny colour so perhaps has been

used to calm the readers.

Short snappy phrases makes it

easier for the reader to take in

information

Total Film Analysis

The main image is a close up

of an actor from Star Trek. He

has a cunning mischievous

expression on his face as

though he is hiding

something, this is perhaps

persuasive as the readers will

feel intrigued to know what

this is.

This screamer is placed at the

bottom centre and is in a large,

white, eye catching font to

attract attention. It is positioned

in front of the image to show

both items are related. Using

the superlatives “boldest” and

“coolest” makes the film sound

really good and readers must

find out more

The date and issue number is

present so the reader can

ensure they are up to date.

Like in the Empire edition, it is

in a small font so the price is

the last thing you notice.

The masthead is in a bold white

font. This has been used so it

stands out from they greyish

background. The first work “total”

is in a transparent font enclosed in

the letter “f.” I think this is to show

the readers the magazine is very

specific to film

This cover line attracts

the audience because it

appears entertaining

and thorough by going

through the whole

alphabet. It also sounds

jokey and comical by

saying “f**k the

recession”, a topic that

would otherwise be

quite serious and

miserable.

This is a clever technique

used to hook the reader

and make them want to

purchase more of the

magazines so they feel like

a true fan

This cover lines attracts males

because Gwyneth is an

attractive actress so men

would want to find out more

about her

The main image has been edited

so that it is in black and white. This

is effective as it really captures the

typography and the powerful reds

used.

By using the word “exclusive”

makes the reader feel they‟re find

out something special and

valuable

The grey background

connotes uncertainty and

vagueness, therefore

creating suspense. The

striking reds connotes

power and danger,

signifying the film is of the

thriller/mystery genre.

Critical Evaluation I will now evaluate and compare both magazine front covers in terms of the audience, layout,

colours, persuasive features, themes etc.

Audience

I feel that Empires audience isn‟t really that specific as it attracts both genders with a mix of

different colours as well as including good looking female and male actors/res. However I feel Total

Films audience is targeted more at young men with the use of taboo “f**k” and having the love life

of an attractive actress, Gwyenth Paltrow, as one of their featured articles.

Colours

Both magazines makes extensive use of whites and reds. Red connotes love, horror, and danger

whereas white signifies purity. Total Films main colour is grey, they have edited the image so it is

black and white which creates a sense of ambiguity and suspense. Empire however, uses a mix of

yellows and whites for their cover lines so it stands out from the red background.

Layout

Both Empire and Total Film demonstrates conventions of a magazine front cover by having the

masthead in a large striking font at the top of the page, the main image in the middle, cover lines

around the edges and the date, issue number and price in a small font at the top of the page.

However there are some differences between the two. For example, in Empire the actors are

positioned in front of the masthead to show they dominant the cover and that the magazine is so

widely recognised that the reader will know the title regardless of the fact that some letters are

hidden. This contrasts to the masthead in Total Film which is ordered in front of the actor. I think this

is effective as it combines well with the actors expression- crafty and mischievous so its as though

the masthead is hiding him and he is in the background. My opinion is that the layout of Empire is

more exciting as there is a lot going on in the page and it looks more appealing because of the

mixture of different colours.

Persuasive Features

There are various persuasive features used in both covers. They both

encourage the text receiver to purchase more of their issues by

highlighting the other covers you can collect, Total Film uses the word

“amazing” to describe the covers which will encourage sales.

Both magazines uses the main stars as the U.S.P. The actors/ess are

quite attractive so to boost sales and attract the opposite sex. Empire

adopts a lot of powerful adjectives such as “amazing”, “extraordinary”

and “exclusive” similar to Total Films choice of words “coolest”

“boldest” and “exclusive” as well. These adjectives gives off the

impression that the readers are getting value for money and they

won‟t be disappointed. Total Film includes a screamer “the boldest

and coolest film of 2009” which gives it a high competitive position

with use of the superlatives “boldest” and “coolest” as people who

haven‟t watched the film before will know that this really stands out

and better than the others. Empire quotes their product is “the only

magazine on set” which entices the audience as they will be getting

up close and personal with the stars therefore delivering hot, fresh

and new information and gossip. This is similar to Total Films “world

exclusive” which exaggerates the context of the information and

makes the reader feel as though they are getting valuable and special

information therefore the magazine is good value for money.

Themes

I feel the theme for Empires cover is fantasy which is reinforced by the

costume and make up of the actors. Total Films cover has a theme of

mystery and secrets which is shown by the black and white colour

scale, the actors expression and how he appears to be concealed

behind the masthead.

BBFC

The BBFC (British Board of Film

Classification) is “a non-governmental

organisation, funded by the film industry

and responsible for the national

classification of films within the United

Kingdom.” (wiki)

The Different Certificates

U stands for universal, it

is suitable for all.

Parental guidance

Only suitable for people over

twelve.

The „12A‟ category exists only for

cinema films. No one younger

than 12 may see a „12A‟ film in a

cinema unless accompanied by

an adult, and films classified „12A‟

are not recommended for a child

below 12. (BBFC.co.uk)

Suitable only for

fifteen years or

over

Suitable for

adults only

Films may only be

shown to adults in

specially

licensed cinemas,

such as sex

shops.

More on BBFC Main issues that determine what certificate a film falls

into include drugs, horror, discrimination, imitable behavior, language, nudity, sex, themes and violence.

Sometimes the BBFC can intervene. For example if they have concerns that the material can cause “moral harm”, context is clearly unacceptable for public opinion, is in conflict with the law etc. They can do things such as cut scenes out of the film, change the certificate (like in Pineapple Express) make film producers put warning caption on a film or in extreme cases, cut films out completely. Last year the BBFC cut five films.

My Chosen Certificate and the Restrictions

I want my film to be rated as a “15” certificate. I have thought about the kind of issues I am going to cover and have research the restrictions on each:

Horror:

I am allowed to display strong threat and menace however it cannot be sadistic or sexualised.

Imitable behaviour:

I am permitted to show dangerous behaviour such as self-harm or suicide however I am not aloud to dwell on detail which could be mimicked. I‟m thinking about using a knife in my teaser trailer however I can not glamorise easily accessible weapons.

Language

There will be some use of swearing in my film. The regulations of this states “there may be frequent use of strong language (for example, „fuck‟). The strongest terms (for example, „cunt‟) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable. (BBFC website)

Violence

I am planning on using a small amount of violence. I can not emphasis the infliction of pain or injury and it cannot be too gory. Also strong sadistic or sexualised violence is not acceptable.

Production Logo

This is my production logo which I decided to

create to follow conventions of media

productions, to make it look more professional

and create a connection between all my media

texts.

Target Audience

Male or female

(mainly men as horror

films are typically

enjoyed most by the

male gender )

Anyone over 15

(due to certificate)

but mainly young

adults between 15

and 30

Any ethnicity or

religious

background

(however they will

need to speak

English to

understand the

teaser trailer)

Wealth or disability is

not an issue

Dislikes:

•School/college/work

•Being told what to do

•Early mornings

Hobbies/interests include:

Males- money, cars, technology (phones. Game consoles etc),

football, drinking, partying

Females- shopping, partying, getting pampered, socialising,

celebrities, drinking, money, fashion

Personality:

•Sociable

•Stressed a lot

•Miserable at times

•Happy

Primary Research I handed out questionnaires to eighteen people around

my college, all of whom that would fall into my

intended target audience of 15 to 30 year olds. I tried

getting a good mix of gender, age etc for fair,

unbiased results. My intention for this is finding out

what kind of films do people like to watch and what

they expect from the horror/ thriller genre. I also asked

for their opinions for features I‟d like to use for

example a cliff hanger ending.

I will analyse and evaluate their answers to get an

insight into what my target audience like so therefore

how I could adapt my teaser trailer to fit the criteria.

My Questionnaire

What gender are you?

There were 10 females and 8 males

I asked people between 15-30 as

this is my target audience. The

majority of people were between

15-17 year olds.

The top two most popular genres were

horror with 6 votes, followed closely by

comedy which had 5 votes. It is good

that most people liked horror as this,

combined with thriller, is the genre I will

be focusing on which shows that the

majority of people I asked will be

interested in my production and

therefore give honest answers in the

questionnaire.

If you selected horror or thriller, please state what

would you expect from these types of films.

Blood

Drumming/

heartbeats

Scary/

creepy

music

Darkness

Cliff-hangers

Knives

Mirrors

Silence

Dolls/ masks

Red & black colours

1/3 of people asked said it

was the storylines that

enticed them into watching

films however no one

selected location.

What are your views on a cliff-hanger

ending? •Effective

•Leaves you wanting more

•Open to interpretation of imagination

•Grips the audience

•Annoying as you don‟t know what happens next

•Very dramatic

•Intriguing and enticing

Big

House

Gra

veyard

Old

tow

n/

vill

age

Rem

ote

Isla

nd

Qu

an

tity

Most people thought that a big house would be the scariest setting. I agree with

them however I won‟t be able to get access to a this kind of location and also

my storyline is about a girl on a long journey to find this door she needs to

unlock so I will need settings like forests and graveyards.

CHANGE TO A FOREST SETTING

How I will Adapt my Teaser Trailer to

Match the Feedback • From my results of question 4, I will ensure I use some of

peoples ideas for that kind of genre film. I will include

-heavy breathing or heartbeats in the background

- end on a cliff hanger

- have pauses of silence

- dolls/ scary masks

- red text and black background

- I want the footage to appear to be set at night

• Question 5- I will ensure I have a gripping and interesting

storyline that will hook the audience in.

• Question 6- I will use a cliff hanger ending as people think it will

be effective and intriguing.

• Question 7- 16 out of 18 people said they‟d rather be kept in

suspense. I will do this by not revealing the characters face so

the audience has to keep on guessing.

Secondary Research

Top 10 Horror/ Thriller Films Most Watched Horror Films:

(www.horror-movies.ca)

1) The Crazies

2) The Human Centipede

3) Halloween

4) A Nightmare on Elm Street

5) Piranha

6) Shutter Island

7) Dawn of the Dead

8) Trick R Treat

9) Predators

10) The Thing

Top 10 Best-selling Thriller Films:

(www.filmcrave.com)

1) The Silence of the Lambs

2) Se7en

3) Rear Window

4) Vertigo

5) Taxi Driver

6) Jaws

7) North by Northwest

8) The Shining

9) The Usual Suspects

10) The Sixth Sense

I researched the top ten most watched and best selling horror and thriller films

to see what fans of this genre are into. I selected two films from the list “Shutter

Island” and “Se7en.” I will now analyse their film posters to identify why they

have been so successful so I can adapt this in my work.

This graph shows the top three most popular genres are dramas, action-adventures

and comedies. Seeing as my chosen genre is not in the top 5 I will have to make sure I

have a large target audience and my film is split with a sub genre of thriller so it is not

so focused on the one genre.

Planning

Storyline My character in the film is called Eliza and she is nineteen

years old. When she was fifteen her parents were killed and

her older sister abducted. She sets out on a dangerous

journey to uncover what happened that night and has sworn

to seek revenge...

During her adventure she meets some extraordinary

characters that guide her in her quest. They inform her about

her parents murderers and what she must do to find them. A

mystery stranger eventually passes her a weird looking key

and promises that what it unlocks will give her all the

answers and change her live forever. However he warns her

it will be a very dangerous journey and the consequences of

unlocking this door could be fatal…

Storyboard

Canted angle*

Description of Shot Lists

I intend to use a varied amount of camera angles and shots to make my

production more interesting and gripping. I plan to start with:

• A close up and pan of the girls shoes as she walks closer to her destination. I

feel this will be effective for the first piece of action viewers see as they will be

submerged in suspense because they can‟t see the characters face- it could

be anyone. This will also be in slow motion for dramatic effect.

• I want to use a track of the doll moving slowly towards the camera. I think

this will shock the audience as the doll is moving by itself giving the

impression it is powerful and dangerous. I think it also reinforces the genre of

the film as there is often creepy dolls in horror/ thriller films.

• I wish to use a close up of the girl holding the key to really emphasis that this

is a very significant shot as this key will open the door to all the girls answers

• A long shot of the girl walking towards the door. This is so the audience has

understanding of her surroundings and they know she is all alone but still

determined.

• Canted angle of a car burning. This suggests imbalance and instability to

represent that the character is not in control. It also demonstrates my

creativity.

• Finally I want to use wobbly cam when she is about to open the door. This will

crate a sense of panic and chaos and show she is frightened as her hand is

shaking.

Drafts of my Print Media

Stages of Creating my Film Magazine Cover

I used Microsoft

Publisher to create my

print based media,

First of all, I enlarged

my chosen image so it

would act as the

background for the

cover and be the main

focus.

I then edited the

image by increasing

the brightness and

contrast to give it that

ghostly effect and

also so the text

would be more clear.

Next, I put in all my text including the

masthead and cover lines. I used repetition

“Win! Win! Win!” Powerful adjectives such

as “exhilarating” and “shocking” (similar to

Empire‟s use of the words “extraordinary”

and “amazing”) and rhetorical questions as

these are all persuasive techniques to hook

the reader in. I capitalised certain text to

attract attention and I‟ve also kept the

synergy going between my products as my

title of the film is in the same “papyrus” font.

My next step was adding

colour to the text to make it

look more interesting. I

followed conventions of real

media products by having a

colour scheme of just red and

blue. I chose these colours as

they stand out nicely from the

visual and compliment each

other well. Similar to my case

studies, I also included a “4

covers to collect” feature.

I then used Google to collect a

picture of a barcode to use for

my cover to make it look more

realistic. I also created a box

round my screamer to

separate it from the page, thus

attracting the audiences

attention more effectively and

making them want to turn to

the page immediately.

I printed out my last draft and showed some of my

friends (who fell into my target market) to ask for their

feedback. The majority of them said to decrease the

brightness of my photo as detail is missing from the girl

such as you can‟t really make out her arms which need

to be addressed as they convey her body language. I

took their comments on board and adjusted the

brightness but still tried to create that ghostly,

mysterious effect essential for representing my genre. I

also changed the colour of the box around my screamer

to black and grey as it looked more scary and

complimented the text better as red and black are

typically used to convey the horror genre. I also included

the tagline “escape into the pages” because it sounds

relaxing as the reader can just escape all the worries

and stress of the real world and read my magazine. Also

using the word “escape” represents the film category as

it is about fantasy and non fiction.

Location As my story centres on a door being unlocked, I need to find a creepy looking,

remote door. I think the easiest place I could get access and permission to

is the graveyard at St. Mary‟s church. I have noticed a black old fashioned

door around the perimeter of the church that matches my vision quite

accurately of what I wanted it to look like. As well as this, it has an eerie

surrounding consisting of graveyards, a long stony path and tall lonesome

trees. A graveyard is a typical setting for a horror film and I think it will help

build up an atmosphere of fear and panic.

Characters & Casting I only require one character for my teaser trailer. I need a young

woman (between 16-25) that is prepared to be dressed all in

black and walk along the path whilst I take different shots of her

holding a key and approaching the mystery door. My friend

Jules fits this description and is prepared to take on the role.

Props I will use various props to make my teaser trailer look more realistic

and scary. I plan to use:

• An old remote door as the film centres on this being unlocked and

finding out what‟s behind it

• My mum owns an Indian hand crafted doll that looks very

unsettling. It has scary black eyes and a vivid dress. I think it will

create tension and make it look more like a horror/thriller film.

• A key- I will try to find an old and eerie looking key. This will make

it appear like the door it unlocks is also old and creepy and

therefore creates more tension.

• A clock- as the film is about a rush against time to open this door

and find out what‟s behind it, I would like to get a shot of a clock

ticking.

• A toy car- I‟m going to attempt to set a toy car on fire and make it

look like a genuine one to create chaos and show the film is about

destruction

Costume Design

• Ripped black clothing and big boots- I

want my character to be dressed all in

black so she looks evil and mysterious. I

have some ripped tights I could use and

some big gothic looking boots.

Risk Assessment Possible Hazard/ Problem Level of Risk

Without

CONTROLS

Control Measures Level of

Risk WITH

CONTROLS

Building and occupied

premises- objects on floor that

the cast and I could trip over

(e.g. stones and bags)

MED Make sure the ground is clear of any

hazardous objects and bags and

equipment are put to the side where

everyone is aware of

LOW

Audience, members of the

public- vicar or residents

are annoyed we are filming

around their church

LOW Ensure I ask the vicar for permission

beforehand

N/A

Night working- need to film

in the dark to make it look

more effective and of the

horror/thriller genre, this

could put the cast and I in

danger as our vision will be

weakened

MED/LOW Film during the day then edit my

production by changing the light to low

key so it appears to be happening at

night.

CLEAR

Dangerous substances-

will be setting light to a toy

car

MED Make sure I set light to the car in a

secluded area, away from the public and

other objects/buildings. Make sure I am

not wearing or possessing anything

flammable.

LOW

Photos for Print Media

I took several photos of my actress. We went to Wendover

Woods as it looks creepy, typical of the horror genre and also

look more like she‟s on a journey. We also revisited the door

at St Marys Church as it would have looked more genuine to

have a shot with the actual door we used in the teaser trailer

I really like this photo because the

main focus is the door in the

centre of the image. It stands out

because of its dark colour around

the white ghostly looking walls. It

also has lots of shadows which

adds to the suspense and

mystery. The next thing your eyes

are drawn to is my main character

sitting on the floor. From her body

language and facial expressions

she looks distressed and troubled.

There appears to be a link

between the door and the girl. The

door seems powerful and

dominants the picture whereas

the girl looks troubled by what is

behind it. I will use the photo

because it grips the audience by

playing on their mind as they are

intrigued to know why is the girl so

distressed? What is behind the

door that is causing so much

panic and anxiety?

I have edited this image so it is in

black and white. I think this is

more effective because it adds to

the sense of mystery and is

typically used in the horror/

thriller genre. I have used a slight

high angle to connote weakness

and vulnerability however the girl

is still looking directly in the lens

to show she isn‟t afraid therefore

boasts a brave and courageous

personality. I have included an

image of the key. I have

positioned it so it is in front of the

character and is enlarged. This

shows it dominants the film and

has control over the character. I

also recoloured the key so it is in

red. This is to steal the

audiences attention as it will

stand out from the dull

background and red is classically

used in the horror genre as it

connotes blood and danger.

Link to my Teaser Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJtGt1RjTNg

Final Draft of my Ancillary Tasks

Link to Photo Bucket

http://s1132.photobucket.com/albums/

m574/hannahbrown9/

Camera Techniques

I have included close ups of the characters

feet and hand. This is to keep the audience

in suspense as they cannot see the persons

face so they have to use their imagination

wait until the film is released until the

characters identity is revealed.

There is a canted

angle of the clock. I

think it makes it look

more dramatic as the

person looking at it is

portrayed as

disorientated and at

unease. The clock is

there to symbolise

that time is against

Eliza.

I have used a two shot so the

audience can see both the

mystery hand and the assumed

victim. The shot is embedded

in shadows to again create that

sense of mystery right at the

beginning of the trailer.

This close up is used to

shock the audience as it

looks creepy and unnatural. I

think it wonderfully

symbolises my genre and is

also suppose to indicate the

kind of things hidden behind

the door- inhuman and

shocking sightings.

I have incorporated a wide shot to show the kind of

location the girl is in. People can see a long wide path,

trees around her and the mysterious door she is

approaching. I feel this represents the sub genre of

thriller as this is a typical setting for such a film. Also I

have filmed her walking away from the camera so her

back is against the audience which builds on that sense

of anonymity.

I have used a wobbly cam as the girl is getting closer

to the door. This shows she is scared and unstable,

creating a sense of panic and chaos. This unsettles

the audience as they know she is afraid and

therefore vulnerable and perhaps weak.

Mise en Scene I have carefully thought about mise en scene and representation of colours when

dressing my character for my ancillary tasks. She has a mix of black and white

clothing. Black represents evil as she is a bit of a menacing and devious

character however inside she is a good and innocent individual, hence the white

top. She is wearing ripped tights to connote she has been on a long difficult

journey full of struggles.

For her makeup, I put dabs of brown eye shadow round her face so she looks

dirty and again, like she has been on a difficult journey. I have decided for her to

wear red lipstick as this stands out, to show she is the centre of attention in the

film. I also feel red is a powerful colour and is used frequently in the horror

genre.

In my teaser, the girl

is wearing black

gloves. This makes it

more mysterious and

as though she wants

her identity to be

hidden.

I have edited the colours

by decreasing the

brightness and changing

the contrast so it is in black

and white. This gives it a

sinister and eerie effect so

it is more of the horror/

thriller genre.

Sound

I have used ominous drones and tensional

music to unsettle the audience and make

the genre evident. I have used mystery

accent 3 and drone suspense 1 and 3.

Editing

I have used the transition “fade to black” so the cuts aren‟t that abrupt and flows

smoothly.

I have used the editing technique wipe so that it looks like the girl is being watched

which automatically indicates she is being spied on. But why? What connection do they

share? This attracts attention wonderfully. I tried other editing techniques such as

“picture in picture” however this gave the effect of a rear mirror and didn‟t look suitable.

Also I tried cutting it so you saw the girl walking, then the eyes, then the girl walking

again however this seemed to give the impression it was the girls eyes and not someone

else's.

I have used black at the

end so viewers have to

wait until the film is

released to find out what is

behind the door. This gives

it a cliff hanger ending

which I have used

because it is what my

target audience preferred

when I conducted my

primary research.

I have used the inertitle

“directed by Hannah

Brown” as this follows

conventions of real media

products and it is also more

interesting to have text in

front of moving images.

I have included titles as this

is what my case studies use.

It also sets the tone and

genre as well as a vague

idea of the storyline. They

keep the audience gripped as

they want to read the end of

the sentence. I have used

repetition for consistently by

using the word “one” before

most words.

Evaluation

1.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or

challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjE9hf4J-2A

Date, price and issue number

Barcode

Black screens

Strapline

Bold, striking masthead

Covers to collect

2)

How effective is the combination of your main

product and ancillary texts?

It is vital that all three of my media products compliment each

other effectively to advertise my production as a whole as well

as creating successful synergy. They must all show

connections and links so they communicate the same message

to the audience. For instance, my film is of the horror genre

with a sub genre of thriller. Therefore I made sure I used

consistent fonts, colour schemes, and props throughout my

media texts to represent this and not to confuse the text

receiver. My ancillary texts are there to advertise my film, e.g.

my film magazine cover offers more information of the featured

film “The Intruder” such as promising an “exclusive interview”

with the main character. I will explain how I have established

links between my production package.

SAME

COLOURS

I have used a consistent colour of red text in front

of a black background to emphasis the synergy

and make the connection apparent to the

audience as well as representing the horror genre

effectively.

Same Font

I repeatedly used the font “papyrus” on all three products as I thought it was a creepy font that

best represented my genre.

Links Between Props

I have carefully selected props to give visual clues to

my films narrative. There is a connection between the

props above as the key from my film cover unlocks the

door shown in my film magazine cover, and the close

up of the clock in my teaser trailer shows time is

against the character and she must hurry.

Same Theme/ Tone

In all three of my products a sinister, mysterious

tenor is present. I have created this effect by

using lots of black and white colours, low key

lighting and by adjusting the brightness and

contrast. I chose to have this effect as it seems

quite eerie and mysterious so therefore

represents my sub genre of thriller.

Production Logo

I have ensured my production logo is on my film cover

and my teaser trailer so the audience can distinguish the

brand. It also follows conventions of real media products.

Release Date

I have included the release date on both my teaser trailer

and film poster to again show a connection. I decided to

chose October 2012 for my release date as because it is a

teaser trailer, the film doesn‟t usually get released until quite

a long time after so I done it for the end of next year. I also

said it was coming out in October as this is when Halloween

falls, and my film is primarily a horror.

To conclude, I have carefully and effectively

used links and connections between all

three of my products so the audience have

a rough idea of my plot without giving to

much away, and so the genre and theme

is recognised.

3)

What have you learned

from your audience

feedback?

The first draft of my

trailer was viewed by

thirteen people in my

class. To the right is the

questionnaire I gave out

in order to gain

feedback and know how

to improve. I will display

the results in

appropriate formats then

analysis and evaluate

the outcomes to how I

can improve.

From the pie chart I can

notice that the modal answer

was horror, followed closely

by thriller. I am pleased with

these results as it means I

have portrayed my chosen

genre effectively.

Did you notice any editing mistakes? On this question, 7 out of thirteen people spotted no editing mistakes. However of the 6

that did these were their comments:

•Long takes between shots

•Some transitions were too long

•Background noise (someone laughing)

•Needed action between last titles

•Black screens were too long

•Directors hand at one point

This graph shows that the most

common rating was 6, with 4 out of 13

people opting for this. However a lot of

people also thought it was less scarier

which is slightly disappointing, however

it was only my first draft so I will try

make it more frightening.

Most people decided I needed to add

music and sound effects to my teaser

trailer. I also need to shorten the black

screen time so I will do this and also

include audio and images so it doesn‟t

seem to drag on for so long and the

audience looses interest.

What audience do you think my trailer is for?

My intended audience is anyone over fifteen, but mainly young adults between

15 and 30. The nearest answer was 15-29, both genders. The furthest answer

was when two people guessed it was for 12 years plus. This show I perhaps

need to make it look scarier. However on the whole, most peoples‟ guesses fell

into the right target audience.

Do you think it follows the

conventions of a teaser

trailer? Everyone said yes to this answer

which I‟m happy about as I don‟t

need to change anything to do with

the conventions. However I will put

my production logo in for my

second draft so it looks more

professional.

Do you think my title is

appropriate? Nine out of thirteen people answered yes

to this question. However the people that

didn‟t think so said:

•Not as it isn‟t really explained

•Don‟t understand it, a bit strange

•Liked it but didn‟t think it was totally

relevant however it did intrigue me!

•Thought it was unclear

Changes I have Made to Match the Feedback

I have took the feedback on board and am aware of what I needed to do to

improve my teaser trailer. I have:

• Made the trailer appear scarier so people have a better idea of my target

group. I will do this by adjusting the brightness of my footage so it looks like

it is set at night. I also included creepy sound effects such as the door being

unlocked, and other scary shots.

• Added music to my trailer so it follows conventions of similar products and to

grip the audience as well as to establish the genre more successfully.

• Shortened the time of the black screens at the end. I also added audio on

top of them so it didn‟t seem to drag on, and inserted my production logo to

make it look more expert.

• I changed the title of the film. I think the title sounds intriguing however it

seems rather formal and the word is used too often to sound scary. People

also found it quite unclear probably as the trailer doesn‟t give too much away

about them film so they perhaps need a wider knowledge about “Disclosure”

to understand. I will change the title to “The Intruder” as I think it sounds

gripping and sinister and will make the audience contemplate who the

intruder is and why they are intruding? What are they looking for?

Evidence of Change I have made my trailer more chilling so it

therefore symbolizes its genre more and

also keep the audience gripping and

persuade them to go watch the film.

I have included a shot of an ordainment in

an artificial fire. The statue is suppose to

represent the main character in the film

whereas the fire represents danger. This

shot is intended to signify to the

audience that the girl is trapped in a

blaze of flames with no chance of

escape; she is doomed. This grips the

audience as they know she is going to

be in great jeopardy throughout the film.

I have used a zoom out for this piece of

action as I feel it creates emotional

distance between the audience and the

statue, adding to the fact that the girl is

all alone.

Also to add to the fear element I have included tensional music. I used

“mystery accent 1” over my production logo at the beginning as I feel

the trailer needed some kind of sound and also to set the tone so the

audience can straight away identify that it is a horror/ thriller film. After

this, I applied “drone suspense 1” throughout to keep everything

flowing and to unsettle the viewers, then during the close up of the

hand I have included “drone suspense 3” as well to build on the fear

factor. Also I used a “mystery accents 3” effect combined with the text

“one fatal mistake” to heighten the tension and emphasis the text to

stress how much danger she is in. As well as this, I have recorded

myself heavy breathing as this is a key sign of fear. I have placed

these voiceovers in parts of the trailer to unnerve the audience, so the

black screens doesn‟t “seem to drag” and to reinforce the sub genre of

horror as they can tell it is a scary film.

I have changed my film title to “The Intruder” as it is more clear and

dramatic. I also changed the font colour to red as it signifies the film is

of the horror genre and also to keep the synergy as my other media

texts uses this colour scheme.

4)

How did you use new media technologies in the

construction and research, planning and

evaluation stages?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCFL58IbYGY