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

During the planning and research I was using Blogger and YouTube  to research films, posters and magazine covers. YouTube helped me discover typical codes and conventions  I have a number of posts with evidence of this. I used Google to find images of magazine covers and noting down techniques used to express the film on the magazine. 

 I used YouTube tutorials to help me edit my work. This helped me greatly as I  gained knowledge in Photoshop and Final Cut.

All editing was done using college and home facilities. To edit the trailer i used Final Cut Pro. I included video filters such fades, dissolve. I used video generators such as bar and tone, TRC, Viewfinder, Overlay edits. All these had a huge effect on the trailer and have definitely improved the quality of the work. I used various edits in photoshop to help me produce my magazine and poster. These included blur, overlays.

Shooting footage onto a DV tape is complex compared to an SD card, this is because log and capturing can waste time and the footage isn’t as clear as it would be on an SD Card.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

  I have uploaded my film to YouTube and twitter but still have not had many responses.  People who watched the film while me and my group partner spent time in the editing suite, had given positive responses. After showing it to a group of BTEC Media students I received a few texts saying (INSERT PICTURE).

Most of the audience fed back and from this i learned that the majority of viewers jumped at the ending which built the cliff-hanger. The majority understood what genre it was and they established the narrative by the end of the trailer which is spectacular to know.

A point was made out to me when the sound of the dialogue of the hand held shots were drowned out by the soundtrack/sfx. This delayed a editing session because i had to re arrange the sound as the sound on the clip was poor. Eventually managed to audio boost and put a vocal boost on the sound which surely made it better. (PICTURE)

The audience liked the soundtrack as it was put together with numerous alarming sounds and the “ring around a rosy” gave a intensifying effect.  The sounds of the scream are very alarming and loud which draws in the audience to fix their eyes on the screen. While this is happening the suspense is building and the majority of the audience jumped when it cut from the hand held shot to the girl crawling to the camera alongside the evil laugh.

Another thing the audience helped with was the selection of the name. Our initial pitch included an questionnaire and we gave the audience a choice of names that they think would go along with the film. We had a numerous amount of suggestions and we stuck with “Possessed Little Nicki”. While transforming the footage we came across the name “The Lost Trail”. This fit with the story line and the trailer. (PICTURE)

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

Creating three different products means that I need three different promotional strategies to help attract the target audience. Each one of my products has a target audience of 15-25. They target this audience alternately reflecting from each product in the campaign. My trailer is aimed at people who like horror films and like see mystery between groups of teenagers. The products do not directly set an effect on anyone until they are actually shown it. I showed the same person my magazine cover and asked if they would watch the trailer and they said no.

 I then showed them the poster and they said yes.

Another way of targeting the target audience is advertising it next to another leading seller related to by ether genre or category. this is a hypodermic needle effect in the sense that this is a way of injecting the message that the film is advertised next to best seller so it must be watchable. this will draw in the consumer and it can also have a knock on affect as word of mouth will attract more audience.

 Both products included the same title same background but the magazine was not persuadable. Attracting the target audience takes time and advertisement. Using pages on face book and twitter trends to promote the film helps the campaign in many different ways. One of these are that a lot of people have access to internet and they use social networks sites so why don’t we make it easier by making a page on Facebook to do with The Lost Trail. The only motif recognisable will be the the main images in the magazine and the poster which will unify the trailer. The forest background is used to collaborate a scene from the film which shows the girl walking towards the camera in the same motion.

The lighting in the trailer is very dark and to keep the same continuity I used dark images for my magazine and poster. This also goes along with the codes and conventions of a horror trailer. The font used in the magazine and the poster are similar and have the same sort of effect. They both have a skinny crooked old style looking blemish to them. They help unify the film campaign and within my project, the use of ancillary texts in my project is vital. It expresses a unique insight of the trailer and it makes the audience understand the storyline.

The Lost Trail Teaser Trailer

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

Teaser trailers are made using various fast shots to build the tension in the audience. This is done to stay within the generic codes and conventions of teaser trailers. We had to create a 30-90 second teaser trailer, magazine cover and a movie poster. We were allowed to produce any genre and we chose horror. We will be using the internet to publicly produce our film using YouTube and selecting students to watch the teaser trailer and give feedback.  This is a way of attracting the target audience. The characters aim to resemble young college students. I will be using the characters on my magazine cover, movie poster and our advertisement campaign.  Working alongside me is my partner Somah Koye. http://somahg324.blogspot.co.uk/

The trailer is around 60 seconds long and the total of clips that we have used are 39, including the name of the film, the actor’s names, camera footage, newspaper articles concerning the murder, the production company and name. Most clips were re used in other areas on the timeline to give a flashback effect (SCREENSHOT). The film narrative is shown but does not entirely reveal the main story. Teaser trailers are made to “tease” and it is what I want to achieve. The main star of the film is not revealed in the trailer. We see a few shots of her but they do not give away the narrative behind her. The main transitions used were fades and cross fades. These where because the rest where just jump cuts. I used a number of video filters and effects too help stay within the conventions. These ranged from a viewfinder over the clips. 

 

Static effects and bad TV was an effect I grew to like from reviewing the film “The Ring”. These all made the footage on the timeline bond together and start to piece together. I have uploaded the footage onto YouTube which is where we intend to grab the attention of our target audience and promote our film. We stuck to the general conventions of a horror teaser trailer as in using dark filters over footage, keeping a spooky soundtrack to help bring about the conventions. The use of video effects helped build the suspense in the film as the cutting from shot to shot involved multiple shots between them to create the effect it has. I used a bars and tone effect to add little tweaks to improve the trailer. When it came to designing the poster I drew up a few ideas and reviewed other film posters such as Paranormal Activity and Sinister.  

 These helped me choose the colour I wanted the image I was going to place in the poster and other things like my font etc. I used video tutorials on how to make posters using Adobe Photoshop and slowly but gradually built up my poster. I wanted to go for a plain but attractive poster as most posters nowadays state main things like actor names, release dates and an image from the film etc. I included relevant information such as the actor names, release dates etc. 

Choosing the main image was tricky but it fell together after endless hours in the editing suite. The two images I used where used to their full potential to give the best possible outcomes for both the magazine cover and poster. Choosing the name of the magazine was not as hard as I expected it to be. I used two different magazines and converged the names into one suitable for my magazine. The colours used are generic horror associates. SCREENSHOT Colours such as gray, black, red, white where the main colours used on the poster and magazine. I chose this because I wanted to be realistic in the work I produced and this was a way of my media product using the generic codes and conventions of a real likewise media product. 

Poster

My Magazine Cover

Shot List , Script

Audience Research Clip

Audience Research Evaluation

Question 1 - What Do You Expect To See In A Horror Film ?
By looking at the responses , I can tell that people expect to see blood, gore, killings, ghosts, A conventional blonde girl getting chased, a little girl being affected, physchological horror, murder and general things that mess with your head.

Question 2 - Do You Find It More Effective If The Child Is The Monster ?
The response I got from these answers were that children can be effective if they are acted well, because they look innocent which gives mystery.

Question 3 - How Often Do You Go To The Cinema ?
The audience I used were from the 16-19 age group and the older people dont seem to go cinemas as much as the younger ones.
Question 4 - What Was The Last Horror Movie You Watched ?
Mostly the audience watched  Paranormal Activity 3/4 which they said was not as scary as they thought it would be due to the story line being very predictable. Sinister is very scary and is better than Paranormal Activity.

Question 5 - What Type Of Horror Film Do You Enjoy ?
Most of the audience prefer phscological horrors because they like the idea of the story line messing with their head, The parts which shock them and cause suspense

Props And Costumes

Props:
We did not really use many props for the trailer. We used a personal car and a personal handheld camera.

Costumes:
We did not need costume for our characters as they are casually dressed

Production Schedule

Actor Release Forms

ACTOR RELEASE FORMS

Poster Analysis

Through the images and typography, the poster is trying to convey that this is a horror film. This is done in a long shot image by showing the characters reaction of fear and uncertainty to an unseen entity. The image also tells us that this could be a "found footage" film as it shows the time in the corner. It is also the posters intention to show that this is a successful horror film to attract audiences, so it shows a positive quote from "bloody-disgusting.com". There is a faint shadow on the door which can mean that this is a ghost story and one that will rely more on psycological elements as the ghost would be unseen for most of the film. The typography of the quote and tagline is similar to that of a typewriter meaning this . The red typography of the title can connote violence and is also similar to the colour of a light on a video camera further suggesting that this is a "found footage". The title is also slightly faded causing it to look ghostly. The image is in blue because it was taken in night vision and has the text at the bottom to match. Due to the night vision, outside of the door is pitch black so we do not know whats out there, but due to a shadow we know its there, creating uncertainty in us. The film appears to have two taglines, the first being a question igniting mystery and the second, a warning both attempting to grab the audiences interest. From the characters we see that they are  couple and that this could be a horror with a family situation like previous successful horrors "The Shining" and "Poltergeist". A preferred reading of this poster would be that it is very effective and does get the audiences attention. An oppositional reading however would be that this is a clichéd horror film poster and that the film will do nothing original. 

Sam And Somah

Pitch

Research in Generic Codes And Conventions

A horror uses suspense and tension as the main elements throughout to create a response from the audience.

The main character is usually the one who is being effected and tormented by what is happening and the storyline is based around there psychological journey. Sound is also important in create response and meaning as it is stereotypical and makes a scary intimidating atmosphere which is enhanced with darkness and shadows.

• Typical storyline - involves victims who get killed without anyone being able to catch the killer out, sometimes one character survives until the end to tell of the terror.
• Typical characters - they are usually people who are in a vulnerable position and isolated from others, therefore making them an easy target and also a predictable one for the audience.
• Typical iconography - costumes for the victims are usually casual and average which creates a more scary atmosphere as the audience feel it could be anyone who is targeted including themselves. Dark settings and shadows are also key in order to allow the audience to expect the killer/stalker to be hiding and creates suspense.
• Typical cinematography - close ups enhance the emotions of the characters and creates suspense and tension if they feel unsure. Long shots leave room for people/things to be hiding which also puts the audience on edge. Establishing shots illustrate how the character is isolated and makes them a good potential victim. POV shots from bushes and things around the victim put the audience in the killer/stalkers shoes and gives them extra knowledge than the victim which creates tension.
• Typical sound - loud but mysterious non-diegetic sound is used to indicate something bad happening but this is sharply cut into by loud intimidating sounds when the victim is closer or being harmed.

We are going to focus on the group of teenagers and how they are going to be scared for their life.  The characters will be casually dressed to show they are normal and makes the audience feel endangered as it could be them. Camera shots from the teenagers will give the audience a heads up for all situations and make them feel more involved but also create more suspense as they know what may happen. This is used in Final Destination (2000) where the director (James Wong) focuses on the victims and there deaths are centralised throughout. This creates tension within the audience and puts them in suspense as they are waiting for something to do but not sure who, what, where or when it will happen.

Synopsis And Treatment

-Three teenagers making a media project for college

 

-Create it at a place where no one goes

-Girl becomes possessed

- Kidnaps her friends and puts them into the boot

-End up at some next place and both they see is a bright light

 

 

A group of three teenagers drive into the forest to make a film, the camera would show the car on its way to the place, then whilst there in the car one of them would be purposely holding the camera by their hand and just filming random stuff while there on their way. they get to the abandoned house, they have heard rumors about people turning into something else and acting completely weird, whilst still holding the camera by hand she records the place all around while the boys talk about the story they had heard and she’s says 'I have a bad feeling' but the boys obviously laugh at her because she’s just a girl and girls are typically scared of places like that. her face does not show at all in the beginning, no one has ever stepped foot into that place after they have heard stories like this, so they decided to film their media project for college at that setting because they knew no one else would and they thought the old stories where all lies. Then it turns into a massacre when the girl disappears from their group, as she had a bad feeling about this from before. we film them going into the place, so you only see them from the back, and then u randomly see the camera on the floor and the girl walks away from it as if she is possessed, the boys pick up the camera while it is still recording.

When the boys realize she is lost they start to look for her all around the place, they think she’s playing some stupid game and they don’t take her seriously. They still keep the camera on just to mess about with it and have a bit of joking around.

They see movement in between the trees and start to investigate, they think it’s her hiding so they go closer, and suddenly the camera is behind them very close up, and Then she turns up from behind them saying 'hey guys' in a normal voice and the boys get scared and quickly turn around and they see her with a pale white face, with her long hair covering half of her face and her eyes black as ever, also with a black pole in her hand which she uses to strike both of them down to the floor.  They end up in the car, the car starts to move of on its own while she’s just standing there watching it. They both recover but wake up in the boot, tied up which is still moving and comes to a halt. As soon as the boot opens they are struck by sunlight and there is no one in visible sight. Then it ends with the girl coming into the camera screaming.

Media Language Analysis The Ring

The Ring Teaser Trailer Analysis

How long is it?

My chosen trailer s 1 minute 33 seconds long.

How many clips does it include?

It includes 76 different clips used from the movie itself

What type of transitions is used between clips?

 The transitions used in between each clip is a very fast jump cut and in between is a image of a static television screen which causes more affect to the next gclip. It draws in the audience in and keeps them watching till the very last second. Below is an image of the static screen between every cut.

Roughly how long is each clip?

Each clip is around 2-3 seconds long and some a bit longer ranging from 5-6 seconds

What logos and institutional information are included?

In the trailer there is only one type of institutional information, which is:

What other text appears?

Other text that appears in the video are titles sending a message to the audience to draw in attention. Saying things like;

Discuss the graphics and SFX?

The SFX used in the clip was very effective but there was only a small amount used.  The static TV screen and the noise used with it create an effect of something blurring out of the ordinary. This shows us that something else is coming

Discuss the soundtrack?

The soundtrack of the clip is a very slow paced eerie sound with speech  mixed with faded screams. This puts the whole fright in to watching the film. It draws in the audience and shows an insight into the film but does not give away the whole story.

How does it reinforce the genre/themes of the film?

The Ring is a horror/mystery; it keeps this in the viewers eyes as it shows a convention of each.  The horror is where we see this image appear which does look rather intimidating

For the mystery it shows this little boy watching a video which his mother stops him from watching…

Overall I believe that the teaser trailer is very effective in getting what it wants. It has unique ways to keep the audience watching.

Scarface trailer Narrative Analysis

Scarface Analysis

What is the Narrative Structure?

Scarface has a common linear structure where the story is told in an order in which the events happen with some gaps in diagetic time. This makes it easier for the audience to understand how Tony Montana went from the bottom of society to the top.

What is the Narrative Viewpoint?

The narrative viewpoint of Scarface is a restricted narrative. This is where the director wants the audience to feel they are a part of the narrative. It gives it a ‘edge of your seat’ feeling.  In this the audience only know as much as the characters of themselves.

The Shining 1980 Trailer Analysis

The Shining 1980 Trailer

v  When the rolling credits start the font is very simple. The background is plain which misleads us and is not very scary

v   Half way through the trailer the soundtrack gets intense and we start to see red fluid which is interpreted as blood, starts to pour out one of the elevator

v  At this point the credits stop rolling and the furniture start to move towards the foreground as if the blood was flooding the floor

v  The whole trailer has one standard shot throughout

v  The camera has a very soft focus as we can see the blood flowing and rippling along the floor.

v  When the credits start the soundtrack builds suspense, a synthesiser seems to be used to create an uncomfortable feeling

v  As the soundtrack starts to get intense it gets louder and faster and watching as the blood splashes on the walls it gives a breathtaking relief as it ends.  

Group Analysis with Emma And Ben

Taken Trailer Genre Analysis

Taken Genre Analysis

The soundtrack of the trailer at first does not help identify the trailer as it is a soft humming noise. It starts to change as you hear a phone ring, a normal conversation and then we hear screaming and shouting. The words used shows it is action thriller.

The mise en scene is very simple throughout, we don’t see any normal iconography of weapons but we see men in balaclavas and dressed in black, the main character is a very masculine male who comes across as a fierce person,  He uses words to tell the kidnapper how  he will find him and kill him for taking his daughter .

The stock characters are very typical for this type of film. We have a innocent girl who gets abducted and a very stern, strong male who shows his force to get his daughter back.

There are a range of themes , love between the father and daughter,  fear, of the daughter,  happiness between them all , anger, for when the dad finds out his daughter gets abducted, violence , when he shoots and kills his way through to get his daughter back.

The camera work helps as the shot ranges and angles are chose to how the emotions and make the audience want to watch the film. A High angle shot is shown when we see the father drive of as there is a great explosion. Also a low angle shot when he turns the car around. There are a lot of fast paced quick shots in a range to show the fast paced action packed film.