A2 Media Evaluation

Final Teaser Trailer

I decided to change the MPAA ratings to red instead of green as I felt it supported the colour scheme more. It relates to the genre of Horror.

This is the final edit of my film Teaser Trailer. I feel it has improved greatly from my first draft as it was simply all of my individual footage put together. For my final edit, I have added credits, MPAA ratings, a film idents and the name of the film producer etc. My teaser trailer is now effective as with the music it creates tension and fear within the audience.

Final Poster

This is my final poster. I used a main, dominant image of my 'monster's' eye to initiate to the audience that it is a horror film. I edited the image and added a distorted effect to arouse fear in the audience. I included the names of the main actresses in my film at the top of the poster to attract the audience's attention - the actresses could include one of their favourite actresses. I used a plain, dark, red font for the title of my film and the tagline to relate to the horror genre. My colour scheme of red, white and black also creates a synergy between my poster and my magazine. The black space on the left of the poster is effective as it relates to the horror genre - black has connotations to the unknown. I did not include a date as I wanted to sustain intrigue and mystery within the audience.

Final Magazine

This is my final magazine. I have tried to incorporate the style and design of a typical 'Total Film' magazine. My peers, teacher and I all believe I have successfully created a magazine which does, indeed, reflect the design of 'Total Film.' I made my magazine 'The Ultimate Horror Edition' special as 'Total Film' usually produces special editions - I changed the font to 'Arial' as some of my peers commented that the 'AR Bonnie' font on Paint.Net was more like a 'Gatsby'-type font as opposed to a horror film. I added a banner of 'free posters' which is also a convention of 'Total Film' along with 'The World's Best Movie Reviews' logo. I used the typical 'Total Film' masthead but made the 'M' red, blood font to initiate that it is a horror edition. I made my main image a mid-shot of the 'monster' in my film and edited the image to arouse fear in the reader. I used direct mode of address to create a connection between the actress and the reader. I added various cover lines which all relate to horror films. My use of exclusives, interviews and competitions would attract and sustain the audiences interest - they feel they are getting more than what they paid for. I made sure I included a bar code, date, price, issue number and 'Total Film' website to make my magazine as realistic as possible.

Drafting and Planning - Creating my Teaser Trailer

After the previous feedback from my first edit of my teaser trailer, I decided to add film credits and film reviews. I felt it important to use film credits and reviews as from my research I realised many existing trailers do so. Therefore, if I incorporate this idea in my work, my trailer has the potential to look professional and realistic.
I use the colour scheme of black and white to relate to the content of my film - Good versus Evil. I used the font 'Social Animal' as I think it relates to the horror genre.

I added the comment 'Truly Terrifying' by The Daily Mail. This is effective as it reinforces the idea that my trailer is of the horror genre. The alliteration of the letter 'T' would sustain the audience's interest. That the comment was made by The Daily Mail is also significant as many people would be able to familiarise with the Newspaper and value their opinion.

The credits 'New Friends ... Meet ... Old Enemies' reveals some of the narrative to the audience. 'New Friends' relates to the fact that the girls have not meet each other before and have just started a new chapter of their life - University. 'Meet' is ironic as they do not want to 'meet' the 'monster' but highlights how they have no choice. 'Old Enemies' refers to the 'monster.' She previously lived in the house as one of them but was murdered.

I made sure to include the title of my film, 'Flat 6,' to give information to the audience. I used the phrase 'Coming Soon' to inform the audience that it is a new, upcoming film but didn't include a date to sustain the mystery and intrigue created by the trailer.

Drafting and Planning - Magazine

This is the final draft of my film magazine. After my peer and teacher feedback on my first draft, I went back and looked at existing 'Total Film' magazines - such as the ones below - and agreed with my classmates that 'Total Film' front covers are often very full and busy. 

 

The 'Hunger Games' and 'Comic-Book' editions of 'Total Film' magazine illustrates what my peers and teacher were saying. It is evident that 'Total Film' do often have busy front covers. However, I did not want my front cover to be as busy - in terms of the colour scheme - as I do want the readers to be aware that I am advertising a horror film. 

Therefore, I added a banner offering four free horror films and an extra cover line. My final magazine now looks more like a real edition of 'Total Film' as there is less empty, black space. 

Drafting and Planning - Second Draft of Magazine and Feedback

This is the second draft of my final magazine. I edited the brightness and contrast of the main image to make my cover star look scarier and mysterious which relates to the film genre. I added the main cover line 'Flat 6' in larger font than the other cover lines to make it stand out more and to initiate to the audience that it is the cover line relating to the main image. I added 'The World's Best Movie Reviews' as Total Film often include this on their magazine front covers. I added a list of upcoming movies which is also common for Total Magazines but only included horror films as it is the 'Ultimate Horror Edition.' I made sure I included the typical conventions such as the bar code, date, issue number, website and price.

I showed the second draft of my film magazine to my peers and teacher and received the following feedback:

• Overall, the second draft is a large improvement to your first draft.
• The main image is better quality then your first draft so is much more effective - it is now evident that the main cover star is the 'villain' or 'baddy' in your film. 
• The masthead is extremely effective and clearly highlights it is a 'horror edition' of 'Total Film.'
• It looks like a realistic 'Total Film' magazine - you have used the same bar code, the 'World's Best Movie Reviews' logo and have stuck to a similar layout. 
• For improvement, there is a lot of empty space. If you look at existing 'Total Film' magazines, they are often full of cover lines and images etc. 
• Therefore, think of adding some other elements to your front cover to make it more realistic.  

Drafting and Planning - Images for Magazine

As a result of my peer and teacher, I decided to take more original photography for the main image for my magazine. My initial photography was taken on an iPhone without flash so the images did not look high quality or professional. Therefore, when taking my original photos, I made sure the flash was on and took the images in a brightly lit room. Again, I made my actress wear dark, black make-up around her eye to highlight to the audience that she is the 'monster.' I also straightened her hair so it looked dark and long portraying the look of 'monsters' such as the 'Ring' and the 'Grudge.'
I made my actress pull a blank facial expression to highlight that she is the villain. I asked her not to smile as that would not make the audience fear her. 

I tried to take some different shots such as her coming through the front door and invading the girl's privacy. However, although I liked the idea of this shot, it did not look as good as I had hoped. The door looks to modern and therefore does not reflect the horror genre well.

For my magazine, I will use one of the close up shots of the 'monster' as it highlights her importance; she is the protagonist in my film. 

Research and Planning - Poster Inspirations

My poster was inspired by the 'Repulsion' and 'The Eye' posters. I decided to use a main image of the 'monster's' eye to create fear within the audience.
Like the 'Repulsion' poster, I used the idea of a black and white image as I think it reflects the horror genre effectively. The binary opposition of black and white could represent the idea of Good versus Evil. The black space around the eye in my poster is also effective as black has connotations to mystery and the unknown - common themes in a horror trailer.
Like 'The Eye' poster, I used the actresses' names to inform the audience of who will be in my film. I also used plain, simple, capitalised text for the film title in order to not distract away from the main image on my poster. I decided not to use credits on my poster as I wanted to maintain the theme of simplicity. I also did not include a date for the same reason and to create mystery - like my trailer, I do not want to give too much information away.

Research and Planning - Future Logo

Future is an award-winning international media group and leading digital business. They reach more than 58 million international consumers a month and create world-class content and advertising solutions for passionate consumers online, on tablet & smartphone and in print. They hold leading positions in Technology, Photography, Creative & Design, Games, Film, Music, Women’s Creative, Sport and Auto.

Future’s mission is to reach and grow high-value global audiences with world-class content produced by talented experts; and to be tireless innovators in the way they engage with those consumers and generate value for Future and our commercial partners.

Future is AOP and PPA Digital Publisher of the Year and BMA Media Company of the Year.

One of the magazines Future works with is Total Film. I thought it necessary to research Future as I now understand what it does and can include it's logo on my magazine. 

Drafting and Planning - Creating My Teaser Trailer

When I uploaded my videos to Movie Plus, I realised I wanted the lighting to look more ghostly. I found an effect named 'Diffuse Glow' which gives the supernatural feeling I wanted.

Below are examples showing the 'Diffused Glow' on some of the clips in my trailer.

Drafting and Planning - MPAA Ratings

As I wanted to make my trailer look as realistic as possible, I inserted the Motion Picture Association of America Film Ratings. As the trailer I am creating is a Horror film and will be rated certificate '15,' I made sure I used the 'restricted' MPAA ratings.

Drafting and Planning - Film Idents

As I have started to edit my trailer, I looked at the different, existing Film Idents to see which one went best with the type of film I am creating. As my film is of the Horror genre and has been directed by a first time film director, I have decided to look at more indie film distributors as opposed to the 'big six' - Universal, Disney, Columbia, Paramount, Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox.









I then found a film ident which uses both 'Lionsgate' and 'After Dark Films.' I thought this was the best possible option for my trailer as it is a Horror film produced by a first time film director.

Drafting and Planning - Editing my Teaser Trailer

I then uploaded my trailer to the programme  'Movie Plus' and started to edit the separate videos further. I wanted to add text and different sound to my trailer to make it more effective.

I muted the sound from the scene where the girls are getting to know each other and added a 'Haunting Knock' sound which I downloaded from http://www.freesound.org/

I then muted the sound of the mirror scene and added 'deep ambience' as my character opens the cupboard. As the cupboard closes and Vanessa appears, I added a 'Whoosh-hit Timeless' sound which creates a dramatic effect and would scare the audience.

I then added a 'Whoosh-hit Doors' sound as Vanessa appears at the lift and pushes the door open. The audience will be on the edge of their seat because of the mirror scene and will therefore be scared even further at the ending.

Drafting and Planning - Ancillary Products Second Draft

After the feedback from my class, I decided to alter the layout of my film magazine. I changed the font of 'The Ultimate Horror Edition' from 'Comic Sans' to this font which is more sophisticated. Comic Sans is usually associated with children which is polar opposite to my target audience.
I also changed my idea for the synergy between my genre of film and the masthead. I wanted to use less red and more white in my layout as I think it looks more professional I changed the 'M' of the Total Film masthead to a red blood font I downloaded from 'Da Fonts.'

After the feedback from my class I also made some alterations to my film poster. I still kept the idea of the eye but made it look scarier by editing the contrast and brightness on Paint.net. I thought the spy hole idea was good in theory as it related to the the title of the film - 'Flat 6 - but after experimenting I realised it did not look as good as my original eye idea.
I changed the colour of the typeface to a dark red instead of black so it was more visible on the black and white background. I also added the 'Blur' effect from Paint.Net to create a distorted feel.