In my A2 advanced portfolio I decided to create a trailer as my main task accompanied with a film poster and a film magazine cover as my ancillary tasks. The reasons I chose this was because I chose a similar

genre of media and technology in my foundation portfolio and wanted to improve and develop my skills I had learnt in the year

previous. • I decided on a promotion package for a new film so a trailer, a

magazine cover and poster.

EvaluationQ1. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR

MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND

CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

Typical conventions of a Film TrailerFrom my extensive research I realised that the most common forms and conventions in horror film trailers were:

Sound

• Horror trailers always use tense non-diegetic music throughout accompanied with discordant sounds and drums.The music usually starts of melodic and soft and then crescendo which in a sense increases with the terror.I decided to use the following track by called ‘Bring me To Life’ by Evanescence as this following the typical conventions of horror trailer music. However, I developed the traditional convention

Mise-en-scene• They always start using high-key lighting lulling the audience into a false sense of security as an optimistic atmosphere is implied. They then usually

dramatically switch and use low-key lighting, fog, mist or any other gloomy element to make an eerie atmosphere and have the audience on the edge of their seats. I decided to follow this typical convention in my trailer as I felt it was important in a trailers structure in gripping the audience in. I therefore felt it was vital to implement this technique into my own so I could hopefully create the same effect.

• Horror trailers always use typical horror iconography such as blood, isolated houses and knives etc. I made use of all these typical props and settings so that my trailer was immediately recognisable to the audience.

They always aim to build curiosity and anticipation by teasing the audience giving them little dialogue and just the main elements of the plot.• Horror trailers always speed up towards the end, show the climax (usually something that shocks the audience and then show images of despair.Editing• In my trailer, I frequently made use of the fade to black transition as this is vital in achieving the necessary tense I atmosphere that draw the

audience in. I also used this effect in my trailer as it made the editing more easier as I was able to break up scenes and make it more dramatic.

Within the first minute and a half the trailer is light But as the speed is increased and the tension mounts the lighting is switched to low-key. I also implemented this technique in my

trailer…

Typical Conventions of a Film PosterFamous director/

producer

Dominant Image

Title

Website

Institution logo

Release date

Bankable actor

My Film PosterDominant Image

• The image always dominates the page allowing the audience to focus on the most significant part of the poster. It acts as the most powerful part in attracting an audience. I followed this typical convention so that the character is in central focus by also situating in centre frame again reinforces the significance of her in the film’s plot.

• The image always features a character who makes direct eye contact with the reader building a relationship with them making them feel as if the poster is directed at them.

• In terms of non-verbal communication, horror poster actors always have vacant, serious and shocking expressions on their faces is one creating an atmosphere of unease for the reader. I also followed this convention to make my dominant image more effective.

• Dominant images are almost always edited in post-production to emphasis specific features on a face and intensify the horror, I edited the image of my actress so that she now has unnatural looking eyes suggest a supernatural theme and link the poster more to the horror genre. This is a common convention and clever marketing technique in horror posters, it ensures that passers- by are drawn in by the image and curious about the poster. I also edited it so that the image was tinted red which links in with my colour scheme and immediately allows the reader to associate the poster with horror.

• Actors are always framed in medium close up, close up and extreme close up shots. I followed this convention by framing my actor in a medium close up shot which allows the reader to see her non-verbal communication. I followed the convention of a typical dark background which creates enigma and is typical of a horror poster which combined with the out of focus effect on the image creates a sense of disorientation within the reader

• In terms of mise-en-scene , the low-key lighting contrasts with the along with the dark eyes and dark costume of the actress connotes something sinister. I ensured that the costume the actress wore was black as this colour is almost always used in the horror genre. It connotes seriousness, death and mystery.

Title

Tagline

Director

Dominant Image

Website

Institution logo Release Date QR Code

continued…Text

• I followed typical conventions of horror poster text by using a only a minimal amount of information , it is always simple yet effective. I decided to follow this because

• The text is a bold and clear, allowing the poster’s vital information to be noticed at a distance. I kept the text simple , not including too much text allowing the image and title to speak for itself. The film’s institution ‘Twisted Pictures’ logo has been placed at the bottom, where you would find them on most film posters. This lets my reader aware of the institutions involved and is a vital convention for a film poster. The text tends to follow the typical horror colour scheme of black, red and white which would indicate immediately to the reader what type of genre this film belongs to.

• I also decided to use the typical convention where posters use the words ‘Coming Soon’ as it creates a sense of enigma and encourages the audience to want to find out more about the film and it’s specific release date although it still indicates that it will be available to watch in the near future.

Title• In terms of typography, I have ensured the title is in a large bold eerie font that looks as if it would typically be used in the horror genre. The

fact that it is in the conventional colour red connotes blood, murder and danger, allowing the reader to instantly associate this film with a negative plot filled of despair and terror.

Tagline• The tagline ‘You’ll never trust another doctor again’ is effective as it is in direct address to the reader. The word ‘You’ll’ allows the reader to

feel a sense of involvement and that the poster is directed to them encouraging them to want to watch the film. This mode of address is always used on posters. Also, the fact that it says that after watching the film you won’t trust your doctor implies that something is seriously wrong with the doctors in the film. Doctors are usually in positions of authority and trust and are here too help so this pejorative association is enough to build reader curiosity as to why we will lose trust in them. Also, the fact that it is coloured white and contrasts with the background, overlapped over the main image (conventional) allows it to be easily attractive and easily read.

Website• I decided follow conventions by including a website in which readers would use to find out more about the film. This is vital in ensuring

audience anticipation. I developed this convention by also giving my readers a more up to date way of gaining information about the film. • decided to include a QR code because they are a new form of technology that allow iPhone and Android smartphone users (which are

particularly prevalent in this day and age amongst young people) to scan the image and be directed to additional information about the film. This is a quick and efficient way to learn more about the film being promoted as opposed to the more traditional way of browsing a website specific to the film. This particular technology is an example of synergy as it involves institutions and loads of various forms of other technology working together to produce a more effective product for the audience. I also included this on the poster because it appeals to my teenage target audience who are much more technology savvy enabling the maximum audience reach.

I have learned from my research that…Layout• Dominant image as the central focus of poster• Title overlapping dominant image in centre bottom of poster• Institutional information at very bottom of poster- smaller font

Title• -Have a large and bold or an eerie typography • - Almost always the colour red• -Always attractive so that it is noticed immediately by reader.

Iconography • - Typical horror iconography such as blood, isolated houses and knives etc.

Colour Scheme• The colours most commonly associated with horror posters are almost always red, black and white.

Dominant Image• -Always dark and enigmatic• -Always direct eye contact with reader to draw them in• - Usually always of protagonists or antagonists

Mode of address• Always quite formal language never colloquial• Always use the word ‘you’ as a form of direct address to draw in reader and make them feel targeted by the horror in the poster.

Taglines• Horror film posters very often play on famous sayings and twist the meanings to draw the audience in. They aim to build curiosity and anticipation. For instance;• This tagline plays on the well-known saying ‘Dead and Gone’.• This tagline plays on the biblical quote ‘Love thy neighbour’

Release Date • The release dates are often on a significant date which aims to target maximum audience reach or exploit public holidays or occasions etc. They also often use

‘Coming Soon’ as this creates enigma and encourages the reader to want to research the film.

Typical conventions for a film magazine

Coverline

Puff

Skyline

Masthead

Date

Pull Quote

Anchorage Text

Barcode

Dominant Image

My Film MagazineMasthead

• Firstly, my film poster makes use of the main magazine convention which is the masthead. It consists of the words ’Total Horror‘ and is situated at the top of the page in the centre showing it’s importance. This is also the conventional position for a magazines' masthead, I decided to situate it there as it makes it easier for potential readers to immediately categorise it as a magazine.

• I decided to follow typical conventions of a film magazine for my masthead because it ensured that the masthead stood out and could be seen from afar so that potential readers would immediately aware of the brand name. I deliberately designed it in a large, bold typography and coloured it red which matches the magazine’s colour scheme. Consistency in a colour scheme is always used in magazine front covers- especially bright colours as they are more eye-catching.

Dominant Image • The second convention I make use of in this media product is the dominant

image. This is vital and is usually the second aspect of the cover the reader notices. Mine consists of a nurse, the antagonist of the film, who is situated in a mid-shot in center frame and dominates a great deal of the cover. I decided to follow the traditonal convention of making image overlapped by the masthead showing its importance. She has direct eye contact with the reader, although her eyes have been edited in post production to look more scary and therefore link in with the horror genre. The eye contact draws potential readers in making them feel targeted. In terms of her non-verbal communication, she is faintly smiling with a evil look on her face which could be perceived as sadistic it creates a sense of uneasiness in the reader. In terms of mise-en-scene, there is high-key lighting which sets the mood for the reader almost creating a sense of a clinical/ hospital like setting linking in with the plot. I have challenged conventional ideas of dominant images in the horror genre as they usually make use of low-key lighting which gives it a more sinister feel. I decided to use the opposite because high-key lighting creates a sense of optimism, it is almost giving my readers a sense of false hope. Also, the character is dressed in a nurse costume which allows the reader to be aware of who she is immediately without having watched the film. In terms of gender representation, she is given a stereotypical gendered occupation which conforms to society’s norms therefore creating giving the image a sense of verisimilitude.

Anchorage Text• The anchorage text focuses on the interview inside the magazine with the

featured actress. It is made effective by a ‘pull quote’ which is a quote that is pulled from the article to draw the reader’s attention to the main feature and encourage them to buy it. In this case, it says ‘There was a real ghost on set’. This shocks the reader and creates a sense of curiousity. The anchorage text is large and white, it overlaps and contrasts against the dominant image so that it stand out. I decided to use this typical convention as a way of futher presuading portential readers to purchase my magazine. The pull quote acts as a tease and bulds anticipation.

Masthead

Skyline

Date

Dominant Image

Puff

Coverline

Pull Quote

Barcode

Anchorage Text

Website

QR Code

continued…Coverlines

• I decided to follow typical conventions of emphasising particular words and numbers in the coverlines to make my cover more attractive. I

deliberately emphasised the ’100 and the ‘′ PLUS’ by making the typography larger and bolder typography , it also conforms with the conventional look of a film magazine.

PuffI decided to follow typical conventions of a film magazine and having a puff on my cover because puffs are vital in encouraging the reader to buy the

magazine as they entice them with free gifts and other incentives.