3. When first creating our promotional package, I assumed that the media technologies used would be Premier Pro and Adobe Photoshop as the
main programmes that we used to create our three pieces of media. In addition , there would be the use of sites such as YouTube and Slide
share, in order to receive inspiration from existing media texts in order to construct and create our own media products. Alongside Google in
order to provide us with relevant images of current Horror film posters and film magazines to inspire our own flare of creativity when making our
own magazine front cover and film poster.
Throughout all of the three stages when creating and constructing our promotional package it was vital that we used media technologies in
order to show case our creative and technological skills which would then allow us to create a sophisticated and professional promotional
package. Within the first stage starting with our research and planning, we individually and as a whole group used the internet to guide us when
searching for the help and skills we needed. For example we all went onto YouTube to watch existing horror trailers for inspiration and ideas for
our own; due to choosing the sub-genre of possession we decided to look at predominantly possession films but we did look at other sub-
genres such as psychological horrors and slashers to give us an idea of what common codes and conventions are used within other sub-genres of
horror. Our biggest inspiration came from watching the possession films; Mama, Insidious and The Orphan, although The Orphan is slightly more
psychological rather than possession. There were several benefits from using YouTube, it played a huge role when developing our own narrative
structure, including the plot and storyline behind the trailer. This is where we would all turn for inspiration when constructing our blog posts in
order to provide evidence for our research and planning. These posts ranged from our trailer analyses to our reconnaissance into locations; in
which we had to watch specific horror trailers that would benefit us and write an analysis on each of them reviewing the key codes and
conventions as well as gaining ideas from each one. It also helped when watching the trailers as we were provided with images and shots for the
stock locations which were easy ways in order for us as a group to know how to carry out the reconnaissance for our own stock locations.
Without the help from YouTube it would have made our task much harder as we would have had to go through a much longer process to retrieve
these videos and trailers. YouTube is easily accessible, and can be accessed through the use of numerous devices such as apps on I phones and
on mobile phones, on tablets and mac etc.. Allow a more efficient and convenient way to watch trailers to gain the information needed.
4. In addition to this, as well as finding inspiration for our trailer we needed ideas for existing media posters and magazines, and we again used
Google for this task as it allowed us to build upon the knowledge we all already possessed. In the same way we again had to analyse magazine
front covers as well as posters, and this way we were able to refer our work back to real and existing media texts allowing our points to be
relevant and sophisticated. However when searching online for existing horror magazine front covers, there were not many examples and the
ones that had already existed; we found were not very inspiring to us as they lacked a professional quality due to it being a niche market such as
the main horror magazine ‘Fangoria’. They were also predominantly featured with gothic and slasher films which would not have benefitted us a
great deal. Therefore we came to the conclusion that general film magazines were the best examples to use; the two predominant magazines
that stood out for our group were ‘Total Film’ and ‘Empire’ when doing my research I found that these two magazines were highly successful
which gave me a sigh of relief as I felt a bit more at ease, because it then led to the idea of creating a normal film magazine but with a twist. This
would be the horror edition and therefore allowed me to create my own brand identity to a magazine as well as creating something knew and
unique. Although Fangoria was not a very successful horror magazine I decided to analyse both Fangoria and Empire so I could then weigh the
differences and the comparisons to achieve a much more sophisticated magazine as one of my three pieces.
When producing our practise shots we also used , as well as carrying out our reconnaissance into locations which is when we took pictures of
the stock locations we were to se in our own trailers. When taking our practise shots we used mobiles phones and the quality was therefore
poor, we realised that this would make our work look very un-professional and we did not what that to happen. Therefore we got a camera as
the quality was much more appealing and satisfying , the camera we used again have very poor quality so we borrowed a professional camera
when taking our shots which let our work improve a great deal. We also found that using the Nikon video camera to film gave us poor quality
work as our first attempts at film were done handheld, this then led to the suggestion of found footage which is not what we were going for and
this is why we made the decision to use a tripod , through using the tripod this allowed the filming sequence quality to improve and we gained
the professionalism that we wanted. Looking back on the work know, I think that I would change the shots used as some shots I feel either didn’t
allow the audience to see enough of they saw too much. Some of the long shots maybe had slightly more in the frame than usual , and some
close up I found didn’t capture the antagonists emotions and facial expressions as well as they could have. The mise en scene within the frames
could have also been better as it would have allowed the audience to connect with the plot a little better as well as providing secure imagery
for the type of genre and sub-genre that we were portraying.
5. When in the post production stages of our promotional package I used Photoshop to create the ancillary tasks. Having to use the same media
technology in year 12 , I feel that my skills have grown a great deal; Photoshop came quite naturally to me but I still found that I lacked many
skills . Compared to the ancillary tasks that I created in year 12 I feel that the ancillary tasks that I have created this year are a lot more
sophisticated, I have mastered the use of the tools and I found new tools such as the burn and dodge tool extremely effective when creating the
poster and magazine front cover. Although these tools as quite basic there is a lot of patience's needed when using them; pressing too many
times cause make the effect go wrong and therefore it is harder to correct the mistake. I have found that saving copies of each stage was very
helpful as I could just revert back to these copies when I did not like the edits and effects I had changed to it. I think the biggest achievement
although the most basic tool was the rubber tool; in year 12 I felt the quick selection tool was quite hard to use and I ended up cropping out half
of the image I needed, so I therefore had to opt for the rubber tool. A much longer process but much more worth it as my work was no longer
ragged at the edges and when in year 13 the use of the rubber tool came to me with much greater ease. I could not only use the tool at a faster
past but I wouldn't make as many mistakes as I had previously done.
To create the possessed eyes within our magazine front cover and poster, I again used the rubber tool to rub out the eyes from the original
image; I then layered the eyes with an image of blacked our eyes which created the possessed look. But I found the eyes looked very edited in;
so after much playing around and a long process of testing I was able to merge the eyes to the image and I smoothed the outline of the eye out
which created a much more natural look. Although adobe Photoshop was sometimes difficult and frustrating, mastering new skills was very
worthwhile . I now know how to transform an image into something else, which is effective and professional, I am able to uses tools such as the
colour replacement tool to make certain parts of the image either brighter or darker to create the colours and effects that I was hoping to
achieve as well as cropping images to allows them to fit together. Proving how enjoyable media technologies can be, as well as allowing our
ancillary tasks to be a high standard .
6. Once we had used the video camera in order to film our trailer we then used the software that is Premiere pro , which I myself had not heard of
until I started year 13, my first thoughts were of worry and panic as I had no idea in which I would use this software. I felt wary as to whether I
would be able to create a professional trailer as well as a trailer that was actually any good. We were all given the opportunity to take a class at a
centre where we were taught how to use the software and allowed us to become familiar with its devices and teaching us the basic skills
needed. Although I did not know all there was to know about Premiere Pro I knew that I had the basic skills to get me through as did my group
members who were quite good at using the software. I knew how to convert and import the clips needed to make my trailer as well as
shortening them down and then adding sound to them. Although I was unaware of how to use many of the other devices my group members
had a better understanding of the software than I did and she was able to add in the missing elements such as edits and sound transitions; so we
then sat as a group and gave one another advice on how each clip should cut to the next and what sounds and typography should be used
throughout which allowed the work to be done to a much more efficient standard.
Premiere pro did allow my creativity to flow although I feel Photoshop was were my true skills were shown and I felt in my element when using
this particular software. But I have flourished within each software as I have learnt some basic skills as well as acquiring harder skills which
before I did not possess. Many media technologies were made when making the ancillary's and the trailer, we needed video converted to
convert some of the video clips as well as to embed them onto our blogs; then the use of the video camera and cameras; alongside the
converting of the sound. Without Media technologies we would have been very stuck when having to create all three pieces of our promotional
package as we would not have had any existing media texts to guide us and more importantly no special software to create each element of our
promotional package.
7. There are many inspirational elements within the trailers that we had watched which gave us ideas for our own; one of the biggest elements
was most likely the exorcisms, as the contorted bodies and levitation as well as the fast body movements created the suspense for the audience
to watch. We want to mimic these elements within our trailer and create a symbiotic link with other possession trailer that I had studied, for
example, the use of lighting within the Insidious trailer provides a thrilling suspense for the audience. These such elements made us frightened
and scared and we wanted to carry on the same appeal with our trailer, this is why YouTube played such a big role in shaping our ideas and
creativity for our narrative; because without these trailers we would of only had a very simplistic and basic knowledge of the common codes and
conventions used within possession horror films.
As a group ‘Mama’ and ‘The Orphan’ were our biggest inspiration, we knew that our narrative was going to feature a child but without these two
films we don’t think our ideas would have expanded and developed a great deal, We liked the idea of a girl being possessed the same way there
is something wrong with Esther from The Orphan, but we again liked the idea of having the use of two young girl characters such as in Mama.
These then led to our final decision of our main Antagonist 7 year old Elle being possessed and her sister Madeline who is not possessed, but as
the same way as in The Orphan Elle is adopted whereas Madeline is the real daughter of Rebecca and John. Due to our target audience being
female we felt that the use of two female characters and the adoption would be more effective as females are able to relate to these types of
things better than males can because of their motherly and parental instinct. This therefore creates a emotional connection between the
audience and the characters within our trailer/narrative.
In conclusion to this, Media technologies have played a vital and key role into all three stages of construction for our promotional package.
Finally in the last stage of our promotional package, when constructing my post production evaluation, through the use of social networking
sights such as blogger on which I uploaded each piece of my research and planning too as well as my ancillary tasks and trailer and finally my
evaluation itself. Other social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter were also used to receive feedback for the promotional package
that was create by my group, this allowed me to publicise our creations and get feedback on what we had achieved to make corrections to
therefore allow our work to become more sophisticated. Media technology gives media practitioners the guidelines on which they should base
their work; whether it be looking for common codes and conventions, existing media texts or creating a new piece of media for the target
audience to enjoy.
