The document discusses how Molly Douglas used various media technologies throughout the process of creating, researching, planning, and evaluating her A2 media assignment. She researched conventions of horror film posters, magazines, and trailers using Google, YouTube, and Wikipedia. Planning and drafting was done using Microsoft programs. Pictures were edited using Picasa for lighting, color, and fonts. iMovie was used to edit video footage and add music, titles, and transitions to create the film trailer. Feedback was collected through an online questionnaire to evaluate the work. Overall, Molly believes the combination of her products developed real media conventions while also providing some challenges.

1. A2 Media EvaluationBy Molly Douglas

2. 1) In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 1a) Film poster1b) Film magazine front cover1c) Film trailer

3. 1a) Film PosterThe film poster I have created ties in well with stereotypical conventions of a horror film. In order to get the effect I wanted, I researched other media posters of the genre I was aiming to achieve. The colours were generally cold , for example blues and greens. This is to suggest a sense of loneliness, isolation and dreariness compared to yellow, which connotes happiness because it gives a bright feel. Underneath are two examples of horror film posters on the left and right, and my final film poster in the middle. You can immediately see the similarities in the colours used.

4. 1a) Film PosterOther horror poster conventions:A centred main picture

5. Cold blue and green colours

6. Red writing or something red in the picture to connote blood

7. Portrait

8. A black background to represent the darkness of the characterMy horror film poster conventions:A blue wash

9. A centred main picture

10. A subtle use of red on the characters arm

11. Landscape

12. Black background1a) Film PosterBehind the character is a black background, which connotes evilness and hints to the audience that the character on the poster is evil. Also, it enables part of the character to be hidden in darkness, seeing only her face, arm and hands. Making those things stand out even further. Here I have mirrored not just horror posters but most film posters, by adding small print of a production list underneath the title of the film. The title is in white, contrasting with the black background as white represents innocence and purity. This is similar to the way other horror film titles have been styled on the poster. The blue wash I have applied to my picture gives a cold and isolated feel, by doing this it removes any emotion from the picture. It can also make it look supernatural, and in our trailer Isla’s father comes back from the dead.I have added a slight bit of red in the background as a subliminal message to show the blood to come later in the filmMy poster is landscape, this challenges the conventional aspects of horror film posters, as the ones I researched were all horizontal.

13. 1a) Film PosterThe film poster in some ways challenges conventions of real media products, the strongest way it does this is by changing the layout to be landscape as most horror films I have researched are setup as portrait. The reason I have done this is because the picture I have chosen is Isla looking out of a window, and the window was landscape and therefore thought this layout more fitting. Furthermore, there was more room to write my title as there was lots of black in the background giving space to write

14. 1a) Film Poster‘Forget me not’ is our tagline but instead of writing it on the computer, it is involved in the actual picture as it is written on Isla’s arm. This gives a horrific effect, as it looks scratched on and painful. The way it is written is also very spiky and blunt, this is in keeping with the horror theme convention. The character’s face here is slightly blurred out by the lighting I have used. This creates suspense because the audience are unknown as to what this character looks like.

15. 1b) Film Magazine Front CoverThe film magazine front cover I have created mostly follows conventional patterns of real media products. I have found these to be: The magazine name is clear and at the top. Usually going across and behind the main image.

16. Images on the front targeting a certain audience or reflecting a specific and easily recognisable film genre

17. Colour schemes are matching a maybe perhaps tie in with the main image

18. Font sizes vary on more important headings

19. Several cover lines surrounding the main image to show what’s inside

20. The price and barcode are displayed1b) Film Magazine Front CoverThe magazine front cover has one main image, following the conventional patterns of other magazines. Much like my magazine, CineLive has cover lines spread around the main image. However, I haven’t added many, in order focus on Adultree, and not cover the image up. CineLive also appears to have little cover lines. I have tied in the colour of the writing with my main image to make the page look neat and attract attention. Isla’s scarf is red therefore some of my writing is red. This also appears to be the same for CineLive. Batman’s belt is a gold colour and therefore some of the writing is.

21. 1b) Film Magazine Front CoverMy magazine title is in the corner of the page, and is in front of the image as I felt that was one of the most important things for readers to see. However, CineLive is behind the image, making that appear of more importance. This is the same for a lot of other magazines I have researched.

22. 1b) Film Magazine Front CoverI got inspiration from CineLive to do a film strip at the bottom of my magazine, in order to tease readers, giving examples of what is inside. CineLive has created a ripped effect and I tried that out in my drafts but decided perhaps it looked a little too much and decided to go with a film strip effect instead.

23. 1b) Film Magazine Front CoverHere I have added a heading to my magazine of the title. The boldness of the writing is to draw the reader in and grab their attention. Looking at this image of Isla, it is easy to distinguish the genre of film. Her ghostly white face makes her look gothic and scary., relating to specific psychological horrors. Her eyes are wide, and the makeup used makes them look dark and evil. She also has a splash of blood coming from her mouth which suggests the evilness of her character and reflects the murder she carries out in the film.‘Adultree’ is written in white, but with a hint of red in the middle of the writing. This ties in well with the colour schemes of the rest of the magazine and could connote blood/ evilness vs innocence as the colours are red and white.This extra bit at the bottom of the magazine is reflecting a film strip. It gives readers an insight into what else is in the magazine‘New’ is written bold capitals, much like the title of the magazine. This focuses it’s importance as new and exclusive is enticing.

24. 1c) Film TrailerThe film trailer we have created has many conventions of horror trailers, and after studying and analysing others, some of the conventions I found consist of:A happy/romantic first scene to connect the audience with the characters and contrast with what’s about to happen

25. Blackouts throughout with words on them to help the narrative (for example: ‘Behind closed doors’)

26. Pace rapidly progressing

27. Creepy music

28. Screams

29. Contains film title and opening date1c) Film TrailerHappy SceneThe beginning of our film trailer is similar to other openings of horror trailers. Orphan (below) opens also on a happy note, with children playing, and here is an over the shoulder shot of Kate watching them. This is very similar to our trailer (left) as the parents are watching Isla and her sister play happily by the river. This happy scene is mainly placed at the beginning to contrast with other more intense and horrific scenes. It also gives an insight into the characters lives and personalities to give them sympathy later on. This is very common in horror films and appears in many I have analysed.

30. 1c) Film TrailerOur trailer, ‘Adultree’Throughout our trailer we have added writing in order to give the audience clues about the narrative. In addition, with ours we have added a bang as the writing appears. This builds tension and is stereotypical of horror trailer conventions. ‘There is something wrong with Isla.’ This uses vague language to keep the audience wondering what exactly it is that is wrong with Isla. ‘The Strangers’ Trailer

31. 1c) Film TrailerAs our trailer progresses, the pace begins to fasten, the music gets more intense and the clips become shorter giving a mixture of different clips at once. This is a strong convention of horror trailers as the pace builds to get ready for the end result. For example, in our trailer there are a lot of screams and music is throughout getting creepier and more intense. Lots of clips flash up quickly to give a teaser to what could happen without seeing what actually does and ruining the film. The time of our trailer is 2:53, so nearing on 3 minutes. This is long for a horror trailer and most stop nearer the 2 minute mark. The Strangers is 2 minutes, however Orphan is 2:30 minutes, therefore the time does vary from trailer to trailer. Our trailer also includes the title, ‘Adultree’, the tagline, ‘Forget me not’ and ‘Coming soon’ all in separate blackouts to give an abrupt feel, they all also have a bang sound when they appear to grab audience’s attention. This is much like other trailers but instead of coming soon may have an actual release date.

32. 2) How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

33. Question 2The two ancillary texts and my main product all work well together to create what could be a realistic film. Horror conventions are within all of my products and reflect those of real media products. The two print based texts, my magazine front cover and film poster both share similarities. The same character is used on the main image of both of the ancillary texts as I decided it focuses the attention on just one character, making her memorable to the audience. A majority of the font is white on both the two products which was conventional for the horror posters and magazines I had researched. The ancillary texts, along with my main product are all aiming to promote the film, that is their main purpose. The three things throughout sustain the same genre which is horror, and after researching into real media products and their conventions, I am able to stick to horror conventions.

34. 3) What have you learned from your audience feedback?

35. Question 3To gain audience feedback, I have setup an account with formsite.com and created a questionnaire. After collecting all of the results, I have arranged some of the more important questions into charts.Here is the link to my questionnaire on formsite.com http://fs20.formsite.com/molly0026/form740625003/index.html

36. THE POSTERStudying my poster, which genre of film do you believe it to be?This shows that the majority of the audience understood the genre of film by looking at my poster, which is what I was aiming for by using conventions of real media posters. However, 2 people got it confused with a thriller, which isn’t much different to a horror. This tells me I perhaps need to do something to hint further to the audience the genre, but don’t believe that would be possible.Please give stars to which gives away the horror genre most and leastHere you can see that the black background was the most appropriately used to represent a horror, closely followed by the girl herself and the evil look in her eye.