To begin my project, the main technology I used for the research and planning stages was the Internet. I used it too look up the definitions of trailers, watch different trailers, record my progress, upload pictures, create slideshows, downloading fonts and much more.
The main websites I used were; Blogger, to record my findings and keep track of my progress; Youtube, to watch trailers and upload my own work; Dafont, to find fonts that were appropriate for my style and to download them and Google; for research and definitions. I also used slideshare, magazine websites (e.g. Empire) and others.
The main technologies I used to create my products were the Mac’s and a HD camera. The camera I used to actually film the clips for my trailer, but also for market research; I interviewed people in my peer group for feedback of my ideas. I used a tripod to help with my filming as well. The Mac was the most important tool in the production, without I wouldn’t have been able to create half as good products. I used it to upload all of my footage and photo’s, use the internet and create my products. The programs I used on it especially were Final Cut Express, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Soundtrack Pro, and Live Type. Final Cut Express was the most important. This program allowed me to upload and edit my film clips and produce the motion of my film. I created my soundtrack on Soundtrack Pro and the inter-titles and titles in my trailer, I used Live Type. I used Photoshop to edit the images for my poster and magazine and used a mixture of that and Indesign to create the finished products.
The website I used during the evaluation stages was the social networking site Facebook. I used this to collect audience feedback from my peer group.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
To get Feedback for my work I decided to use the social Networking site, Facebook. My Target audience is around 18 and above and that is the average age of the people I am connected to on the site.
I posted my Poster, Magazine and Trailer on the page and waited for people to leave their comments.
My Poster got quite good reviews I think. Here are some of the comments written which i Print screened:
From this feedback, I learnt that my poster was overall a success, people were impressed by it. The main thing that came up from their comments was that they thought the red of 'Jake wood' was too bright and I should have toned it down a bit. Another comment made was that the photo was slightly blurry which I had already identified and couldn’t do a lot to change.
Here is the feedback from my Magazine:
The main thing that my audience didn’t like/didn’t think should be as it was on my magazine was the box on the right with the bar code in it. They suggested that it should have been moved down the page maybe the bottom right as it covers my models head slightly. I took this view into account however it is the standard layout of Sight & Sound, which is the reason I put it there so I don’t think I would do it any differently unless I used the other layout I saw of having the name across the top as a banner beneath the image. This I think would have looked odd on my magazine so I’m glad I didn’t use it.
Another comment that was made was that I should have some text stretched across the bottom of the page as a few people thought it looked a bit empty. Again however, that doesn’t fit the conventions of a sight & Sound magazine, which is why I kept the text to the left hand side of the page. A couple other things that were said was that the image could have looked better in black and white to match my poster, the curve of the yellow box wasn’t as smooth as it could be and there were a few grammar mistakes (which I later changed). Overall the feedback was good and the audience seemed impressed with the finished product.
Here is the feedback for my trailer:
There wasn’t as much response to my trailer as there was on my ancillary products; I think this was because people were more comfortable commenting on them as they are what my audience see’s on a day to day basis; Teaser Trailers aren’t as often seen. However the comments I did get were positive, one person stated ‘the actual footage is brilliant, well thought through and composed’ which I am pleased with. One comment suggested that I brought the soundtrack in a bit too soon which I agree with and would improve if I could. They also mentioned that they thought the font on my inter-titles could have been thought through better. This I also agreed with as the font I used was quite plain and unadorned; I could have been more creative in my choice.
I posted my Poster, Magazine and Trailer on the page and waited for people to leave their comments.
My Poster got quite good reviews I think. Here are some of the comments written which i Print screened:
From this feedback, I learnt that my poster was overall a success, people were impressed by it. The main thing that came up from their comments was that they thought the red of 'Jake wood' was too bright and I should have toned it down a bit. Another comment made was that the photo was slightly blurry which I had already identified and couldn’t do a lot to change.
Here is the feedback from my Magazine:
The main thing that my audience didn’t like/didn’t think should be as it was on my magazine was the box on the right with the bar code in it. They suggested that it should have been moved down the page maybe the bottom right as it covers my models head slightly. I took this view into account however it is the standard layout of Sight & Sound, which is the reason I put it there so I don’t think I would do it any differently unless I used the other layout I saw of having the name across the top as a banner beneath the image. This I think would have looked odd on my magazine so I’m glad I didn’t use it.
Another comment that was made was that I should have some text stretched across the bottom of the page as a few people thought it looked a bit empty. Again however, that doesn’t fit the conventions of a sight & Sound magazine, which is why I kept the text to the left hand side of the page. A couple other things that were said was that the image could have looked better in black and white to match my poster, the curve of the yellow box wasn’t as smooth as it could be and there were a few grammar mistakes (which I later changed). Overall the feedback was good and the audience seemed impressed with the finished product.
Here is the feedback for my trailer:
There wasn’t as much response to my trailer as there was on my ancillary products; I think this was because people were more comfortable commenting on them as they are what my audience see’s on a day to day basis; Teaser Trailers aren’t as often seen. However the comments I did get were positive, one person stated ‘the actual footage is brilliant, well thought through and composed’ which I am pleased with. One comment suggested that I brought the soundtrack in a bit too soon which I agree with and would improve if I could. They also mentioned that they thought the font on my inter-titles could have been thought through better. This I also agreed with as the font I used was quite plain and unadorned; I could have been more creative in my choice.
o How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The images I used for my ancillary products were the biggest link between them and my trailer. They were both taken in the woods where I filmed a lot of my clips and my model was wearing the same top he wore in the end scene of my trailer – in the cornfield. My model looked serious and nervous which matched the mood of the trailer and you can almost guess a match to when the photos were taken as to where about in the trailer it was.
In terms of font, my magazine and poster link more than to the trailer. I used different fonts between the two products but I used the same colour which connected them. The title in my trailer is different, with the main colour being white and the shadow of it red. I should have swapped the colours around so that it was predominantly red so as to link the products together more.
My Poster and trailer are linked through the catchphrase I used. ‘You’re next’ is the only text in the actual footage of my trailer and it stands out to viewers as a creepy moment. Having ‘Watch out You’re next’ on my poster links them both together effectively.
I think my poster and magazine would look more as if they are advertising the same thing if I had either the magazine in black and white or the poster in colour so that they were the same. That would link them together effectively.
Another thing that links the magazine and poster together is the actor’s name. they both emphasise the fame of the actor – the poster standing it out in red and the magazine only mentioning his name.
Overall I think my trailer and ancillary tasks like well enough together for viewers to understand they are advertising the same thing.
In terms of font, my magazine and poster link more than to the trailer. I used different fonts between the two products but I used the same colour which connected them. The title in my trailer is different, with the main colour being white and the shadow of it red. I should have swapped the colours around so that it was predominantly red so as to link the products together more.
My Poster and trailer are linked through the catchphrase I used. ‘You’re next’ is the only text in the actual footage of my trailer and it stands out to viewers as a creepy moment. Having ‘Watch out You’re next’ on my poster links them both together effectively.
I think my poster and magazine would look more as if they are advertising the same thing if I had either the magazine in black and white or the poster in colour so that they were the same. That would link them together effectively.
Another thing that links the magazine and poster together is the actor’s name. they both emphasise the fame of the actor – the poster standing it out in red and the magazine only mentioning his name.
Overall I think my trailer and ancillary tasks like well enough together for viewers to understand they are advertising the same thing.
o In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My trailer starts off by telling viewers a famous director was directing my film. A lot of trailers do this because it builds on the reputation of that director and if viewers have seen his previous big film and liked it, they will want to come and watch his new one as they expect a good standard.
I used inter titles in my trailer which is a common convention of trailers and teaser trailers. Psychological thrillers tend to talk to the viewers and get them questioning themselves. This is what I did, I asked viewers how they would react to a certain situation; it intrigues viewers and makes them want to come and see how other people reacted.
The title itself is also an important aspect of a trailer. Conventionally titles in this genre of film like to shock viewers by appearing fast or alternatively, slowly for more effect; or making noises when they appear. I used this convention by making my title appear fairly quickly and with a sound effect. They also tend to be in quite dark colours for more of an ominous effect. My title used white with a dark red shadow on black so I think I developed the conventions, because white is a bright colour and it doesn’t immediately shout thriller until you see the red behind it.
Quite a few trailers have voice over’s on them where mine doesn’t. I originally planned to stick to this convention but then I decided it would work better without voices; it would have a creepier feel to it- in this way I challenged the forms and conventions of a trailer. I did however have whispering laid over the top of my soundtrack. Conventionally psychological thriller teaser trailers have some sort of intimidating effect laid over there soundtrack whether it is whispering or banging so in that respect I again used the forms and conventions of a teaser.
In terms of my actor, I wanted to challenge the conventions; I wanted to have quite a tall bulky lad as my lead character as it is stereotypically a girl who is the victim, the one who gets stalked. The location of the first scene in my trailer is quite stereotypical of a film in my genre as well; walking in a dark wood alone. I thought I would use this convention as I wanted to have the most ominous effect for that scene as I could.
I used inter titles in my trailer which is a common convention of trailers and teaser trailers. Psychological thrillers tend to talk to the viewers and get them questioning themselves. This is what I did, I asked viewers how they would react to a certain situation; it intrigues viewers and makes them want to come and see how other people reacted.
The title itself is also an important aspect of a trailer. Conventionally titles in this genre of film like to shock viewers by appearing fast or alternatively, slowly for more effect; or making noises when they appear. I used this convention by making my title appear fairly quickly and with a sound effect. They also tend to be in quite dark colours for more of an ominous effect. My title used white with a dark red shadow on black so I think I developed the conventions, because white is a bright colour and it doesn’t immediately shout thriller until you see the red behind it.
Quite a few trailers have voice over’s on them where mine doesn’t. I originally planned to stick to this convention but then I decided it would work better without voices; it would have a creepier feel to it- in this way I challenged the forms and conventions of a trailer. I did however have whispering laid over the top of my soundtrack. Conventionally psychological thriller teaser trailers have some sort of intimidating effect laid over there soundtrack whether it is whispering or banging so in that respect I again used the forms and conventions of a teaser.
In terms of my actor, I wanted to challenge the conventions; I wanted to have quite a tall bulky lad as my lead character as it is stereotypically a girl who is the victim, the one who gets stalked. The location of the first scene in my trailer is quite stereotypical of a film in my genre as well; walking in a dark wood alone. I thought I would use this convention as I wanted to have the most ominous effect for that scene as I could.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Friday, 29 April 2011
Sight and Sound Magazine - Paranoia
This is the final version of my Magazine 'Sight and Sound' advertising my film 'Paranoia'
Thursday, 7 April 2011
First Version of Magazine
After all my planning this is what I came up with for my Magazine:
I wasn't pleased with this however, so i decided to add more to the text on the magazine and make it sound more official. Here is the next version of my magazine:
I wasn't pleased with this however, so i decided to add more to the text on the magazine and make it sound more official. Here is the next version of my magazine:
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