Evaluation activity 4 -

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

- The technologies we used for the creation of our production and trailer includes an conists of a vairety of uses, which made our trailer have the conventions of a trailer and made in look professional and realistic which is what we aimed for, for our trailer.

- YouTube - we used YouTube to upload our videos onto the internet. This allowed our friends to watch our product and give their opinions which made is easier for audience feedback in which we could make improvements and help us know what our target audience liked and disliked. Therefore, it was really useful to hear what they thought of the different elements we put into our trailer. Using YouTube allowed us to send links to our friends and ask their opinion as we went through the editing process; this was a helpful way of audience feedback for our trailer. Furthermore, YouTube also allows us to easily upload clips onto our blogs, keeping them updated with all vital information regarding our production process which made the process clear and organised which made it understanding.

 

 

- Adobe Premiere Elements 10 – the use of this software was the editing for our trailer. This was because it was the best software available for us which is often used by professionals as it allows us to get a real feel of what editing is like on a professional level and we know that if professionals use this then our trailer shall be edited the best ability we can make it. Additionally, the software also allowed us to explore a variety of options and even though we haven’t used a great deal of the special effects, we have gained greater understanding of what works within our genre and how to work such software, which are transferable skills.
Adobe allowed us to be precise when cutting our clips, ensuring the trailer flows well and continuity is maintained. This ensured that match on action matched perfectly and made the trailer appear more real, increasing the sense of horror.
It also allowed us to manipulate the contrast and lighting allowing us to reinforce the idea of horror, keeping audiences on the edge and making the trailer more satisfying, as it meets their needs. We could make some shots darker and others lighter making them all more coherent and so more effective. Editing is really important for horror films as in the past they have been known for their over the top special effects and overly dramatized camera angles and shot transfers. Recently however horror films have used special effects to make clever transitions making the film seem more real and more terrifying, we have gone down this route, as over the top gore is dated and less effective nowadays. We used clip duration tools to slow down some of the scenes to create a feel of blind panic, speeding some up to make the audience’s heart rates increase.
The software also allowed us to add our non-diegetic music easily and time it to fit in with the pace and beat of the clips, we could also edit the sound of each different clip to make sure that it is all effective.
We used it to add our titles as well, which was good because it made it easy for us to fit them in to our trailer where they are most effective. We used fonts that link in with our poster and magazine cover as well which made is more simple for us and helped us know which types of fonts to use as we know the usage of the software for our specific trailer and the chosen genre which is horror for our trailer.

- Photoshop - we used this software to create our film titles, magazine cover and film poster. We chose Photoshop as it has the biggest range of functions, allowing us to play around with designs, so we could find the most effective combination. We used the effects to make it black and white, so it was simple but eerie to match the actual font. Photoshop’s various layers and functions allowed us to make effective magazine cover and posters, as they were made on the same software we could build links between all three of our products creating a collective identity.




- Camera - We used the schools camera to do our filming, this meant that the camera was already set up to match the Adobe software, ensuring the resultant clips are the best they could possibly be. We chose to do this because; having used the schools camera previously in media (our preliminary task) we had good understanding of the ins and outs of the settings. We knew how to play around with the focus and contrasts finding what fit our scenes best.  We have had previous experience of what lighting works best to give us clear shots and slightly pixelated shots to convey the idea of being isolated and cut off from everyone else. On some of the shots the camera didn’t provide the greatest resolution, however it was the best camera available to us at the time of filming.




- Tripod - We used the tripod to stabilize and elevate the camera, ensuring our shots matched in height and angle, to make sure we maintained continuity. Tripods reduce camera shake making sure we achieved maximum sharpness. The tripod allowed us the film shots in which we all featured and also allowed us to film continuously making sure we captured everything.
The mobility of the camera and tripod allowed us to explore a range of different angles and by the end of filming the project we all had in depth knowledge of the camera and tripod functions.





- Blogger - We have used blogger to record and evaluate our journey from the initial research to evaluating our final piece. Blogger allows us the reference pictures and videos, by uploading them onto our blogs and analysing them. Viewing our blogs live, shows clearly the journey we have taken and all the elements that have come into play when creating our trailer which shall create it being successful within the contemporary UK.



 

Evaluation activity 3 -

- What have you learnt from your audience feedback?






- From our audience feedback we got ideas and learnt what we didn't to do for imporovement and in order to do thus we should reveal more of the background of the characters and their story before things went wrong. Furthermore, we should improve on the clarity of the trailer and make the audience feel like they know the characters more making them more inclined to go and see the film.
- We should also clearly define who our antagonist and protagonists are in more detail, so the trailer makes more sense and more clear towards the adience which creates an undertsanding of our trailer which shall make it successful within the contemporary UK.

Evaluation activity 2 -

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

- The poster and magazine cover have a strong link as they have the same main image and similar font styles and editing patterns, this helps create a collective identity for our product. This is important as it reinforces the audience’s memory of our film, making them more likely to do and see it. The trailer also shares similar fonts and the same mysterious feel, mystery is one of the more prominent themes of all the products branding them together.
In all three the theme of Christmas is present, but in all is only subtly referred to, as we don’t take away from the horror feel too much. The way in which we have presented it in our poster and magazine create a sinister veil around what is usually a solely happy theme, this intrigues audiences and makes our film unique.

                         
 
- Furthermore, the film poster and magazine both concentrate towards the antagonist of our film. In which they display and reveal her appearance with a nasty look and expression on her face which creates the audience having an instant disliking towards her and make them have a fear of her which is the aim for a horror genre film. The magazine cover tells audiences that there is an exclusive sneak preview including interviews with the cast, this makes audiences more likely to buy the magazine to cure their interest in the character of the antagonist. By reading about the cast, audiences will be more likely to go and see the film as they will feel they have a personal connection with the film. The magazine cover also displays snippets of the film, linking with the trailer and teasing the audience with information. The antagonist is looking straight out of the poster into the eyes of the audience, making them feel personally connected and like the advertisement is aid solely at them, this makes the audience more likely to take a closer look at the poster making the persuasive message more effective.
- Overall, the products therefore disguise the persuasive intent of the message as when audiences know they are being persuaded advertisements are less effective. The magazine cover included both hard and soft sell advertisement following both central and peripheral routes (elaboration likelihood model) to persuasion; this allows it to reach out to a large audience. The trailer and film poster focus more on the peripheral route, as our target audience will be predominantly this.
However we could have made a clearer link between the two paper products and the trailer to give the whole thing a stronger identity.

 

Evaulation activity 1-

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

-  We used a simplistic title which connotes both horror (as the genre) and Christmas (when the film is set). Furthermore, the title has a bold white text against the black background which stands out and captures and creates the audience to have attention towards the film making it memorable. This is typical of teaser trailers as all aim to make their film title stick in the minds of the audience which shall create the film being well known within the media industry. The contradiction of the two colours also creates a link to our theme of good versus evil theme, which again, is common within the contemporary media.
The reasoning of our title featuring at the end of the trailer so that the action and horror of the images before it can entice the audience, creating interest, which hopefully shall make the audience want to remember the films name and look for information about the film which shall make them want to watch the film, which shall create the film being successful. Therefore, my knowledge notes that nearly all teaser trailers follow this pattern as if the title was placed at the beginning of the trailer the images that follow could distract and cause the audience to forget the name which would lose concentration of the film.
- The use of the colour white of the title contrasts and subverts the themes of the film as the colour white connotes innocence, purity and simplicity which creates the film mysterious and more of an interesting which is an important aspect of the creations of films. Furthermore, the use of the colour white in our film shall create the audiences fear of the unknown which shall influence curiosity. This acknowledges and links towards the contemporary horror styles as a lot of horror films use this simplistic theme for their titles, like the 2006 film ‘the hatchet’ which is a prime example. The slightly splattered look of our film title  ‘Christmas Presence’ also give a nod to the past as it was, then conventional to have over the top titles that heavily conveyed the genre and were often blood red. This develops the conventions of media title texts as it combines both contemporary and more recent conventions within the contemporary UK.

- The chosen location of our film is set in an old house which our main characters are home alone which creates normality and a typically convention of a horror genre film. However, in contrast creates more suspense towards the audience. Continuing with the location we don’t  reveal much of the outside setting as we wanted to convey the idea that the house is isolated and eerie as it makes all other surroundings unimportant and inexistent which connotes the film creating a sinister atmosphere. Later on in the trailer we reveal the view from the back of the house, which leads on to a wooded area, again portraying the idea of seclusion perplex and no escape, Which connotes the idea of being trapped in isolation, this is conventional and creates an element of threat and danger to the trailer, which therefore shall make the audience feel on edge and tense which makes it easy to scare them and get reactions which is the aim for a horror genre film. Included within the inside of the house there’s a use of a strong green and red theme linking towards the Christmas element as the colours green and red tend to resemble Christmas. This reinforces the happiness and thrill people get from Christmas which creates more realism and normality. Furthermore, this lulls the audiences into a false sense of security. Subverting and contrasting from typical teasers trailers where they tend to use small contradictions to confuse the audience where we’ve used the two prominent themes which contradict each other completely.  Although teaser trailers do typically use contradictions to confuse the audience these are normally smaller, where as in our teaser trailer the two most prominent themes contradict each other completely. The house separates each room from each other which allowed us to use the corners and dark places to create tension making the audiences heart race and jump which is the idea of a horror film, creating anxiety and suspense towards the audience which is included within the conventions of a horror genre film within the contemporary media industry.

 

- The use of props is a major association within our chosen genre, horror. This is partly the reasoning of our chosen props which was a knife, which we revealed in our teaser. The way the knife is handled in our trailer implies threat and violence which is ponderously linking within the scream franchise making the trailer more effective, which creates the audience feeling on edge and enticing them as many of the scream fans shall we drawn towards the film. We haven’t shown any other props as not to give too much of what characterises the antagonist has which attempts creating mystery towards the audience and gives them the approach of wanting to watch the film which is again a trick which is used in teaser trailers of this genre.
The uses of costumes in our film are simplistic and timeless which completely contradicts the theme and makes the characters disposable. Furthermore, by not dressing the characters in a particular or bold manner creates the characters as mundane. Which creates the influence of the audiences taking liking to them which could cause dissatisfaction in the event of the characters so audiences are unluckily to take particular liking to them, which could cause dissatisfaction in the event of their death. The use of the protagonist’s clothing connotes winter, as the use of such clothing like jumpers, fur and scarves and the colour red which has a linking towards the concept and theme of Christmas. The characters are wearing colour which therefore stand out against the plain black clothing of the antagonist setting her apart and separate making her seem suspicious. The use of the separation from the protagonist and the antagonist is a regular occurrence of a convention in a horror film as it shall make the audience wary of the antagonist making it easier for the storyline and narrative to commence which the teaser trailer aims towards doing, so the audience get an idea of what the film is going to included and consists of which is a convention within the contemporary media industry.  This is conventional as often in horror films the antagonist will be set apart from the others all through the films. Hence audiences become wary of the character making them more formidable when they start to cause trouble.

- The use of the camera work and editing we used had the reasoning of displaying and depicting the difference between the equilibrium and the distribution.  This is conventional for a horror genre film trailers, switching from slow paced mundane camera shots to fast pace exciting and abstract shots. Additionally, in the same way the editing also changes to mirror the narrative, where shots become darker and creating prominent editing as its less important for shots being realistic, which the continuity of this must be maintained. We included both of these in our trailer, the outset we used light shots that consist of medium, long and over the shoulder shots that convey happiness and normality. Furthermore,  as we reach the climax we increase the number of close ups showing the extreme emotions on the characters faces, which included the emotion of fear, making the panic seem real towards the viewers and make them live the emotions as well which creates engagement. Throughout the trailer the use of contrast and brightness become increasingly darker, however some light shots are thrown in to contrast making the trailer more diverse which creates more variety and excitement towards the film. The shots are faster paced and begin to move, making the whole feel of the trailer more exciting and interesting. The editing is complemented by the music which also quickens in pace. The editing and music are in time together creating the product of our trailer polished and maintaining continuity which again is common for other trailers of the genre within the contemporary media industry.
It is very conventional for the camera work to be quite unnatural, which could cause the audience feeling uncomfortable. Furthermore, we used some hand held shots to make the production seem more realistic, as if it was happening right then, giving more of an effect on the audience and creating the audience feeling engaged and a part of our trailer.

- Our trailer uses text to briefly explain the plot of the film, this is conventional of horror as you can’t give too much of the plot away for fear of ruining the ending or revealing too much about the antagonist, this creates an effect of mystery. The use of colours and meaning behind the text. The titles connote the idea of good versus evil and begin to convey the theme of insanity which we was wanting to include, as well as the pure of the white and the darkness of the black which completely contradict each other. This is reinforced by the contraction of horror and Christmas.
We started the trailer in a slow pace which then quickens. This is common in horror films and conforms to the genre. The screen shot to the side is the turning point of the trailer, as it is the first cold dark shot that contradicts the warmth of the previous, which gives the audience the first view of the horror trailer which it sets up for. Furthermore, the trailer briefly displays the equilibrium as it is the action that audiences want to be teased with. Hints of narrative still need to be detailed to show the story has a plot to follow and isn’t just cold blood killing. In our trailer we detailed that the antagonist would be one of the four characters shown in the first section of our product, but not which one. However the clothing, behaviour, editing and absence from the struggle, of one of the characters imply which of the friends it could be. In this way the audience feel like they know enough to understand a bit about the film, however enough is still withheld to spark interest and mystery. This is less conventional as normally in horror trailer we see slightly more of the antagonist, at least detailing a bit of their appearance as the killer and the way in which they pick off their victims. However it is very conventional to withhold the identity of the villain, by doing this the audience have a reason to go and see the film as they are interested in the motives and identity of the killer.

- The first images that appear during the trailer do not connote the genre as they reflect happiness and equilibrium, however the eerie slow pace of the foreboding messages imply that something bad is about to happen. The simplistic font furthermore connotes conventional horrors and as the text fades in and out it obscures the audiences view implying that they don’t know everything that’s going on, it is conventional to keep the audience in the dark throughout teaser trailers so audiences have to see the film to find out more. Later on in the trailer the genre becomes very evident as fast paced shots start to show conventions of the genre, such as dark close ups of terrified expressions. The shot displayed shows that the character is under distress as she has makeup dripping down her face, her posture is closed as if trying to protect herself, looking just passed the camera as if something is pursuing her. The heavy beats and differencing in pace is conventional as audiences don’t know what to expect and are easier to scare, the contrast in lighting between the shots of the second part of the trailer adds to this. The tinted red of some of the shots refers back to both, horror and Christmas, however due to the pacing and style of the shots audiences will be more reminded of the horror theme. The flicker of the camera in some shots, gives them a conventional uneven look which again is often a feature of horror films.

- At first all the friends are introduced together, displaying them all as equal, the text tells us that the four friends are together trying to have a good time and despite the imbalance in clothing and prevalence as our antagonist has her back to the camera. Next we see the antagonist on her own, in the first part of the trailer she is the only one that is shown in a shot completely by herself, which familiarises the audience with her and makes her the most memorable, which is conventionally important as it is vital that the audiences remember who the antagonist is.
After telling audiences that one of the friends has a secret we then show our antagonist (implying she will become the villain), we used shot types and editing to completely disassociate her from the rest of the group, making her seem more sinister and dangerous. The other characters are still portrayed as stereotypical and ignorant; the antagonist is set apart making her seem more intelligent, important and less disposable.
We don’t discover much about the teenagers in the trailer making the content of the film a bigger mystery; it is more conventional for trailers to reveal more about their characters and less about the struggler however we are using the uncertainty that surrounds our characters to entice the audience to watch the film.

- We chose not to use very many special effects, which is very unconventional as many horror films, especially older ones, are known for their over use of special effects. We chose to go for a more natural look as we knew that it would make our horror film appear more realistic and so scarier. We know how important it is to protect the continuity of horror films, and as the special effects available to us had the potential to harm this, we chose not the use them. On some of our shots the colour contrast has been tinted red to reinforce the idea of horror and the danger the colour connotes. Furthermore on some of our darker shots we changed the contrast to make the shot more visible and coherent. The effect of the camera made some of the shot look like they were hand held shots to make it seem more realistic and like it is happening as the audience watch. Which shall make it successful within the contemporary UK.

Final poster -

Final magazine front cover -

Research and planning - Final trailer