- In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
- During the planning, research and construction of my media production, I studied the usual conventions of thriller trailers, looking into work such as that of Alfred Hitchcock and how he was able to incorporate sound and footage to create a powerful emotion provoking trailer.
- My media product develops the forms and conventions as I used ideas from successful trailers and manufactured creative ideas that I thought specific to a stereotypical thriller film.
- My media product challenges the conventions of real media productions as I was able to manipulate my footage and create moments which can be generally recognised but made it my own by using the real world and the effects that I could capture on video camera.
- I also followed the conventions of real film magazines and posters in order to include some of these in my productions.
- The production of my magazine front cover and poster can be classed as up to date film information. My magazine front cover uses conventions seen in popular film magazines such as cover lines, competitions and pictures. It also has a website address (keeping up to date with the times) a price and bar code. These conventions suggest that my magazine would be recognised with others such as ‘Total Film’ and ‘The Scene’.
- How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
- The combination of my trailer (main product), my magazine front cover and film poster (ancillary texts) was effective as it told the narrative in 3 slightly different ways, all provoking alternate emotions in the audience. These show how my production can give information of a new film, but still keep the tension by not giving too much away. This represents the strength of my productions as a whole.
- My film poster represents my trailer well but a lot of information is left to the audience to create.
- The picture on the front shows the main character walking towards a corner, late at night with a single shining light. My title ‘No Way Back’ helps to invent an image and the question of ‘what is around the corner?’ - this then helps promote my film as people want to find out what danger is she heading towards.
- My magazine front cover also shows a picture of the main protagonist with one single sentence saying ‘Has her worst nightmare come true?’ this also creates curiosity among the audience as they want to find out what her worst nightmare is and if it has come true.
- What have you learnt from your audience feedback?
· From my audience feedback I have learnt how to create an effect which can be seen in real thriller trailers.
· I was able to put together a questionnaire and gather results of what is usually seen in a thriller trailer, how much of the storyline is given away, what makes an audience like a film (poster/ trailer), the length of a trailer and how and when the sound track is used. The questions I asked helped me to understand what makes a successful trailer.
· My audience feedback also helped me modify my editing of my trailer as I was able to take bits out that didn’t work and put bits in that would have worked better. I was also able to do the same with my magazine and poster.
· I created a few different posters, using different conventions, and then used my audience feedback to change the layout in order to put forward the best production.
- How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Media technologies
- Digital technology such as video cameras, computer manipulation programmes and the use of copyright free sound effects has given me the opportunity to successfully produce my own teaser trailer for a film with a genre of my choice.
- I was also able to modify my ideas using media technologies, this was also reflected in my storyboards as my plans changed when I was at the location and saw what I was able to bring in to make my film better. I was then able to incorporate the surroundings I had and make sufficient use of them.
- Digital technology influenced my work a lot. With the help from computers, manipulation programmes and video cameras I was able to direct and control how my teaser trailer came together.
- I was able to use video effects as well in order to create more atmospheric moments – i.e slow motion etc.
Research
- I did a lot of research into stereotypical filming of trailers such as thrillers and features like how much of the storyline is given away etc.
- This reflected in my work as I was able to use my footage and manipulate it in a way which caused the desired effect.
- Before starting my magazine front cover I looked at successful film magazines such as ‘Empire’.
- I researched into what makes an effective thriller poster and was able to look at current film posters which I thought represented the film well.
- My research helped me decide the kind of information put forward in my magazine cover and poster. I did this by finding out the average age of thriller film watchers and planning using this information.
Planning
- I planned my work by using storyboards. This helped me decide how my trailer would look frame by frame. I ended up doing 4 different sequences as I changed it due to the surroundings I had.
- I used different techniques in order to create these moments of suspense such as:
- Intimate camera work – i.e extreme close ups to catch facial expression or to make the audience focus on one specific part i.e footsteps – close up on feet.
- `Ghosting` - I used this to show each frame of a few footsteps being taken. This highlights the sound and also makes it into slow motion which also creates a sense of looming danger.
- Many of my shots were close up/ extreme close up in order to emphasise the fear of being alone. This was also seen in my captions which I used to make the audience think of what is coming next, and to question the fact of ‘is the character really alone?’ This singles out the protagonist and creates an uneasy feeling amongst the audience, stereotypical of a thriller trailer.
Comments
· Overall, I think that my pre production planning techniques greatly helped me in my end product.
· The use of storyboarding, questionnaires, costumes and props helped me prepare for my trailer better.
· I learnt, from my first production, that planning is essential in order to create a successful trailer, but this was also recognised in my magazine front cover as I was able to understand that more focussed information was needed to present a better front cover.
· The use of real actors names on the front of my film poster would also promote a certain type of audience as any fans would want to see new films with their favourite actors in.
· The writing at the bottom of the poster makes it look more professional and more like a real film poster.
· ‘Coming Soon’ and having a web address makes my poster more believable.
