Evaluation Question 4) How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

There is a range of different technologies available that has allowed me to be able to create and publish my promotional package.

Blogger has been a great use to me as it is a free online platform that meant I could upload research and planning, whilst also being able to publish my poster, magazine and film cover. Blogger also meant that I was able to have a digital/ online presence which was useful in communicating ideas and during the production process.

I used Google to research the different methods there are in creating a horror film trailer, magazine and poster. This helped me to get a better idea of what the audience look for and the general conventions of this genre. When researching, it was important for me to find other film trailers that are in the same genre and analyse the elements that are similar and differ. I also used Internet Explorer to research different aspects related to the psychological horror films. Doing this helped me with the planning and development stages of the entire promotional packaged. By searching key terms such as horror poster/magazine or trailer on Google images, I soon realised that I was able to find and identify the key conventions of a horror poster and allows these to help me form my own idea of what I thought was necessary to include in my own ancillary tasks and what was not.

YouTube was another research tool, which helped me study existing trailers in the horror film genre. When researching the full genre of horror I looked at many different trailers from Hollywood produced films to independent ones. When we chose the type of trailer we wanted to do YouTube was very useful to find trailers and get information on what makes a good horror trailer. It also helped me to develop an understanding of sounds. We realised once we started putting together our trailer that looking back over the soundtrack made a huge effect on how effective it was. When we began to add suspense music which we found on sites such as YouTube, we realised they actually played a bigger role then what we first imagined. I personally studied music associated with horror trailers using YouTube as I found this formed a basic idea, which we could then construct and personalise to our own requirements. Without sites such as YouTube I would have struggled to have a point of reference throughout the making process of my Film Trailer.

In the planning stages of our film we used Prezi to our storyboard and find out what the main story line of our trailer would be. This was effective in the way that Prezi allows you to add different images and effects to it, so it was easy to make our pitch horror themed and build tension. We could easily insert a stream of pictures to our Prezi early on in the filming process, as we knew this was necessary in building our foundation ideas of the trailer. I also found Prezi useful when it came to showing how I had researched different conventions of the horror genre. By having an animated way of conveying my ideas, I felt encouraged to constantly improve and look more formally at the different conventions.

To take the footage we had and edit it we had to look at software, which allowed us to do so. Although our school offers serif programmes as editing software, we opted to use iMovie as I have it readily available on my laptop and phone. This was also more familiar software, which I have used previously to edit feedback videos etc. iMovie allowed us to cut the scenes down to a perfect time, to re-order them and add sound, giving us the trailer that we had planned. One of the most interesting parts of editing the trailer was using software, which had all the functions we needed and ones we were more unfamiliar with. IMovie definitely allowed us to construct the trailer we had imagined whilst also allowing us to add effects we did not think we had access too. I used effects from IMovie such as ‘Fade to black’ that meant transitioning between clips could be slower and more intense during the beginning section. As well as this, we could insert music files and sound effects, which were saved on a USB stick or available on the iMovie software. The other advantages of this software were that we were able to use settings such as colour corrections and brightness of some of the clips. It was difficult for us to get the lighting right to film in the dark for some of the scenes as our camera quality was limited, however, by using the clip effect labelled ‘Night to Day’ we could adjust accordingly the colour of the background within the clip. This added eeriness to some of the scenes we originally found unusable.

There were then more obvious uses, which the system has such as adding subtitles and film titles, which were animated. These are all new skills that I learnt through the process of editing the trailer.

Comparing my skills from the start of the year to the end I would say that my knowledge of the software has got better and as I used the programme more, I got used to the technology and became more confident with my editing skills. This allowed me to be more creative when I edited stages such as the montage.

For the filming of the product we used one camera and a microphone. The camera we used was a Sony NEX-5ER. We found this camera was useful as it had high quality and was easy to carry when we were filming in locations such as the woods. Unfortunately the sound quality was not as good as we had hoped but we insured that we used a microphone when possible. This was used for all the voiceovers in the trailer so that these had a clearer impact. Due to the camera being a photography camera as well, I also used this to take the photos of my magazine and poster. This gave the perfect picture quality and made the pictures look professional enough to go on my magazine.

The ancillary tasks photos had to be clear as they were going to be a selling point of the trailer. By having a camera with such high quality imagery, I was able to edit the magazines using an online application called ‘BeFunky’ whilst keeping the scary tone of the original photos.

I used a serif programme when editing work previously but found it limiting so I again decided to venture out and take advantage of software available to me on my laptop. This year I have used a lot of the elements on the Internet to create my magazine and poster, using a Photoshop application also allowed me to make my product original and unique.

For my evaluation questions I have used a number of different ways to present them. I have used Prezi to present two as I found it was the perfect presentation software. It is easy to navigate to the correct section and can be embedded into my blogger easily. I used my blog to present, which allows me to add pictures and videos easily through a YouTube link. I created a PowerPoint presentation with audio as I also felt this would be a more unique and interesting way of showing the evaluation questions. By creating videos and editing them together, I was able to be more creative in every stage of my project.

By using these different pieces of technology I was able to create the perfect film trailer for my genre and sub-genre. Doing the right amount of research and planning and the equipment used was a massive contribution to how well the film turned out.

Evaluation Question 3) What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Evaluation Question 2) How effective is the combination of the main task and ancillary tasks?

Evaluation Question 1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Feedback for Final Trailer/ Magazine/ Poster

Above i have created a video to present the positive feedback that my group have received from making the trailer. We are pleased to hear these comments as they allow us to evaluate the trailer in better depth ourselves. We now understand the ideas of our target audience more thoroughly and can use these views to reflect on our trailers progression. We were able to meet the needs of our target audience by listening and taking the advice we have received previously in feedback.

Final Film Trailer, Anonymous

Empire magazine analysis

Final Magazine Cover

Final Poster

Here is my poster for the film Anonymous. It was a solo task that I completed in order to advertise the film. The dark background and red text is used to exaggerate the horror the film will entail and immediately clarify the genre of the movie.

Sket trailer analysis

The narrative of the trailer is clear through the portrayal of the characters and the location of the scenes shown. We can see that it involves the idea of 'Sisterhood". When the 'new girls' sister is murdered, she goes after the murdered with her new gang of girl friends, they are involved in a lot of crime in the urban areas of London and this helps to set the scene for what to expect in the film

I previously mentioned that the film was made to uncover the life of London's urban areas which is unknown to the rest of the UK, and as soon as the trailer begins and we see establishing shots it is clear that this is the case. In this shot we can see youths sitting around on the streets and being interrogating to someone waking by. This fits in with the stereotype many people would have and already makes the viewer assume how the film will play out.

The music is sharp and quick which keeps up with the initial quickness of the trailer. There are short clips seen during the first section of the trailer which immediately grabs attention. It is effective in showing why the film was made because it allows us as the audience to understand why we would want to engage with the film. We can see immediately the fast pace of the film is sure to keep us focussed and really understand their adaption of the life within London streets.

Overall, i think the trailer is accurate to how the characters are portrayed in the full film and does help give a glimpse as to why the film was made. This will have been because it brings attention to the urban areas of London and allows those who live there to feel relatable by the audience. It is also an interesting chance for other areas of the UK to see this lifestyle and how it contrasts.

Me before you trailer analysis

The trailer for Me Before you was released by Warner Bros. pictures. It was clear from the offset that it was based on a romance novel. The trailer stars Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin. These are two established actors who have worked in series such as The hunger Games and Game of thrones.

As i had previously mentioned in my initial analysis as to why the film was made, it has bought up many issues surrounding disabilities and has meant advocates have spoken against the film. The trailer highlights that this is the reason it has been made by including long shots of the main actor in a wheelchair like the one below. We are drawn to his disability through the use of camera angles. 

Also camera angles in a trailer are only a glimpse into what we expect to see throughout the rest of the film, therefore we rely on these to give away how the characters are portrayed, we see a wide range of angles and lighting which signify he is very depressed and lonely. H is often seen in a mid shot by himself which makes him stand out as lonesome. 

I believe the trailer has portrayed why the film was made because it is now clear that it has shone a light on disability and different areas of the trailer have done this. When the trailer was initially released many were curious as to how the plot would play out, this makes it succesful.

Anonymous outline script

Anonymous Trailer Script

[Whilst pictures of families are on the screen]

Voice-over Actor: He’s real…No-one knows his name...no-one knows where he has come from…he’s anonymous...

[at dinner with friends]

Friend #1: i cant believe you have finally moved in1
Annabelle: Yeah i know, it is such a nice house, theres just... something not right about it.

[Voice mail from friend]

Friend 1: Annabelle, theres someone there, in the house, please call me back!

[On the phone to her mum]

Mum: Annabelle stop being so worried, you’re just scaring yourself. You’re in a big house on your own of course if you listen to all of these stories you’re going to get worried.
Annabelle: Please mum I couldn’t make this up, I keep seeing a man outside my window and I’m starting to wonder whether he is real or it’s in my imagination.
Mum: Look, I will do some research on the area as best as I can but I can’t promise that I will find anything.

[End scene of man on bike]


Voiceover Actor: [over the top of the end scene] ...once you see him you can’t get rid of him, he will hunt you down and you will never see your family again.

Story Board

A

Role and Purpose of film distribution

Analysis of a horror trailer- Sinister

"Washed-up true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt finds a box of super 8 home movies that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose work dates back to the 1960"

Similarly to other horror movies such as insidious, the trailer starts of with a green screen warning. It includes the age restriction of the particular film and also includes a logo of the film producer. All this information can be taken in by people watching the trailer as it is done in silence.

After the screen is shown, we hear a non diegetic voice over from a radio broadcast about a murder of a family, this is immediately putting fear into the audience and giving an indication of what the film is likely to be about. Although it is only a voiceover, we still gage a sense of horror from the radio presenter. The photo shown on the screen next circles a young girl, the red pen used to circle the girl can imply murder and bloodshed, usually associations with red are violence. Also, by highlighting the girl in the picture we are already getting a sense of her vulnerability and innocence as a child.

The sound used is a convention of a horror trailer as it is full of suspense and eerie. Another area of the trailer that we immediately see fits the genre of a horror is the location of where the film is set and the low level lighting used to portray it.

There is a clever use of the panning shot a the beginning as it is not only used as an establishing shot of the house, it also gives the audience a comparison as to what the house was like before a family moved in. Not only does this give a sense of unease to the audience, it will also mean the scene will be remembered by them further on in the trailer. The comparison of the clips and how they are put together also makes it seem as if the family moving in are on the same path as the family murdered. This in itself highlights how the movie fits into the horror genre from the beginning.

The transition between each shot is used as a subtle way of slowing down the pace of the trailer. It makes the beginning slow moving which contrasts to the montage at the end. Also by having the dissolving transition the family appear more innocent and naive to what they are entering into.

We then carry on watching the trailer to see the family portrayed as normal and happy. This is an effective technique used in horrors to make the audience members relate to the victims and understand their vulnerability. This trailer again uses lighting to highlight the eerie items found in the loft. There is then a sudden build up of tension and the feel of the trailer changes again by a cut back of any sound. The silence builds tension and engages viewers to watch more closely to what happens next. The music descends into a typical horror movie soundtrack, which sounds almost like a heartbeat, which could reflect the state of the father. 

Moving on from the beginning of the trailer, we begin to see high angle shots of the father as they are used to contrast other characters. The policeman can be seen having dominance in the scene due to the low angle used. It is made clear he has all the power in the situation and the father is now the more vulnerable one.

Another key aspect is the low level lighting seen in any clip which has an element of mystery. The lighting levels indicate the state of worry the character is in. As we can see when he watches the clips, he is hidden in  dark room as if he himself is too scared to see what is happening. There is then a mysterious creature whose identity is initially hidden from the audience. We are then intrigued but also scared to see what will happen next to the family as we begin to sympathise for their vulnerability in such situation. 

A reverse shot contrasts the figure and the character, the figure is mysterious and frightening whilst the character is frightened and worried. The figure then disappears creating suspense for the audience. The editing of the photograph makes the image come to life, making the creature a reality to the man as well as the audience. The over the shoulder shot of the man highlights that somethings not right, cutting to a high angle shot of his Daughter again to show her vulnerable state.

Throughout the trailer we see links to fire. We first see it in the reflection of the fathers glasses. Fire is usually associated with danger and death and therefore the cyclical theme of this gives the trailer all the more edge.

The fire at the end shows the recurring link to burning throughout the trailer, which could possibly mean danger and death of the young children's souls, the figure is evil, and the fire may present Hell.

Analysis of a horror trailer- Insidious

“A gripping story of a family in search of help for their son, Dalton, who fell into a coma after a mysterious incident in attic. Little do they know that there is much more to this endless sleep than meets the eye as they explore the paranormal, and rediscover the past; the key to getting their son back once and for all.”

The film i decided to analyse first was the trailer for insidious. The film was released in 2010 and was very successful in the box office. Many people decided to watch it due to its suspense. It is involved in the genre horror which is the same genre i would like to make my film trailer.

As with any film trailer, it starts of with the regulatory warning sign with the age restriction and what is involved in the film. Although this is seen in most horror film trailers, it is actually a convention of all trailers. The message gives watchers a warning to what they will seen and is a disclaimer for anyone who is viewing it. It is a way of giving them a chance to not view if they do not wish. It is an important message which is why it is written on a green screen. This is eye catching to watchers and will have their attention before the film starts. Also, the white writing makes it look more professional and serious. There is no sound within the first few seconds of the trailer so the audience has a chance to read the message without being distracted. 

After we see the films title insidious appear on the screen. We are led immediately to a mid shot of a male character, who we assume is a main character due to his direct look and posture. There is then a diegetic conversation between the male character and and another character which cannot be seen on screen. This immediately gives a sense of mystery and leads us to want to view more. There is then a shot of a pendulum which we assume is the ticking noise which carries on for a number of clips in the trailer. The ticks are echoed which exaggerates the sound and causes the atmosphere to become sinister. We as an audience can only presume that the tick signifies time and perhaps that it is running out for the characters.

The pendulum is an effective sound bridge we are alerted to as soon as the next clip follows. The pace flows effortlessly into the slowly edited clips to follow. An important part of the trailer which helps set the scene is shown next, it is a panning shot showing the front of the house. This is also known as an establishing shot as it shows where the scenes of the movie are set. Other non diegetic sounds are then added to build tension and make the audience feel uneasy as to what will happen next.

Medium shots are then used to show the family. A mid-shot is useful as it can give an indication of who the films about whilst also still giving an overview of their surroundings. 

In this shot, we can see that the families clothes are all neutral colours. These give the audience the idea that these people are innocent and will not be the ones bringing evil in the film. By using clothes as a symbol of innocence, the audience is warmed to these characters immediately. We guess from this shot that the family are the ones who will be facing evil.

Moving to the middle of the trailer, we see a sequence of fast paced mid shots. All of these are timed perfectly with the soundtrack and are shown in chronological order to give an outline of the story. It is important in a trailer that not all of the story is given away, therefore these fast paced short clips give a glimpse of the narrative but not the entire plot line.

The shots are cut quickly so that the audience has little time to focus on the details and rather just focus on the sounds and quick movements in each clip. This is affective as it makes anyone watching want to engage more i the film and find out ant information that may not be included in the trailer. The dialogue used against these clips are from the worried parent of the child, this also makes the audience anxious.

Lighting then becomes a key objective within the next few clips of the trailer. This is where dark lighting really takes over the ambience the audience is involved in and engages the audience to look more closely on the lighter parts on the screen. We can see in the clip above that the light is powered only by a small glow and therefore we are unable to see any surroundings. As an audience we are no longer able to see surrounds and our main focus is the actors. This is affective as it shows how different lighting angles can have a huge impact on a viewers attention.

With this sequences editing pace is at it’s fastest now, they have also included high pitched noises. These are cleverly used for building tension This peace of editing is designed to have the audience on the edge of their seats.

Early Footage

Here is the first version of our trailer. There are many ways in which we had decided to expand and improve our trailer. We knew that certain editing had to be done to insure that it was as effective as possible. This is an early version to show the extent to which we have changed and grown as a group to prove how different the trailer has got and how the audience feedback we received changed the final result.
I found it interesting to understand the different opinions we got after showing this trailer to our peers. Many of them enjoy horror films and therefore could compare this footage to other trailers they have seen from the same genre. Although it is difficult and time consuming to edit a film trailer, we decided that it was best to keep on changing and adding features in order for it be as successful as possible. Comments from peers within our class allowed us to expand on ideas and gave us a boost in taking the trailer up to the next standard. We took on their advice and believed it helped out trailer a lot to evolve.

Here are three quotes given by our peers as to how this early version of our trailer may be improved:

Peer no.1: "I really enjoyed watching the trailer because it was different to what i expected and compared to your previous idea of a British social realism i can see a lot more work has gone into the idea. However, i still think there may be improvements. First of all if i were making the film i would not have put music at the beginning. even though it is effective i feel like a more slow beat might help build up initial tension without giving much away. I would also maybe add more dialogue, but otherwise, a really good trailer well done!"

Peer no.2: "i think the trailer is good but i don't think i was as scared as i could have been if there were more clips of the anonymous man. Even though the film is named after him i'm still not sure if he is human or not. Maybe add a couple more scenes so we really get to know who he is? Otherwise, i enjoyed it!"

Peer no.3: " i really liked the way you had different scenes from places all over the house, i think this will make the audience intrigued to know more. I still don't really understand the middle part of the trailer because theres not really any tension like i saw in the beginning and end. If you wanted to improve it id definitely focus on changing the middle and including something that will make the audience gripped on what will happen next. Some non diegetic sound will also help with building unease for the audience! try that!"

Kidult hood Trailer analysis

Social realism is relatable as it relates to issues in modern society which is represented by different themes. These can be to do with money, drugs and sex. Another part of British social realism is the aspect of the characters class, religion and political views. These themes are very popular today and can be seen in trailers such as Sket.


Firstly, an aspect we learn from the trailer about the film is the glimpse of a storyline.This is movie is clearly about sister hood when the 'new' girls sister is murdered. The trailer is fast paced and shows aspects of when she goes after the murderer and finds a friendship with a gang of girls who involve her in a lot of crime in the urban areas of London.


By using a setting such as London we can see that the trailer will show modern life and how the youth of London can easily get caught in bad crowds.

A characters portrayed in this trailer seem to be the main character who seems to be easily influenced but is also strong minded and the group of 'hood' girls who take her in and reinvent her. Also there is the 'bad guy/villain' who killed the main characters sister and is more powerful then the main character but finds himself targeted when all the girls come together.

Iconography: The common thriller iconography used in this trailer is the snappy fight scenes and the snippets of them doing the illegal stuff that has you at the edge of your seat.