The author created a film trailer, magazine cover, and poster for a horror film called "The Abandoned" to effectively promote the film. The products are linked through consistent use of the main character, title, color scheme, and weapons featured. This draws clear connections between the products and attracts audience attention. Specifically, the trailer and poster both prominently display the main character in the same clothing holding the same weapon. The title is also identically displayed with the same red color scheme. While the magazine cover also features the main character consistently, it mentions an actor not in the trailer, slightly weakening the connection between those products. Overall, the author believes maintaining themes, characters, and visual elements across the ancillary texts
1. How effective is the
combination of your main
product and ancillary
texts?
2. I made a film trailer to go with my two ancillary
texts, a magazine cover and poster. The genre I
have chosen is horror and have included codes
and convention of real media products with the
inclusion of challenging conventions. I have done
this to make my three products effective by
having the same theme throughout, same main
character and title in all three products. This
attracts and gains audiences attention which will
make them more inclined to watch the film if all
three link together.
Introductio
n
3. An example of this…
This is Paranormal Activity 4, a trailer I have
analysed already. As you can see this
character is featured throughout the trailer
and is featured on this poster. By having this
link it is able to be effective in promoting it‟s
film to the audience. This is not only because
it has the same characters as in the trailer, but
also the same tag line featured in the trailer
and poster as well. The tagline reads, „Is
closer than you think.‟ When the audience
reads this they‟re able to see a clear
connection between the two and by posters
and because it doesn‟t have the same
characters on the poster the audience will still
be able to recognise the film being advertised.
4. Trailer & Poster
My trailer and poster has four main links:
1. The main title of both my trailer and poster have the same name and colour. This shows the
audience that this is „The Abandoned.‟ By having the same colour and text also helps the
audience identify the two products rather than if they both looked different in terms of colour
and name, making the audience think it was two different products altogether. The colour red
conveys, blood, death and danger. These conventions are used in horror related products
because of these connotations. Conveying that the audience will realise from the colour of the
titles in both products that the genre is horror. Also the name „The Abandoned „ sounds like a
horror title because of „The‟ making the audience know he is the one who was abandoned
2. The same main character features in both products. Again this helps link the two together and
show the audience that this is “The Abandoned”. Whereas, if I used a different main character
for my poster, than in my trailer the audience would be unable to link the characters to the film.
This is because they would be unaware that they‟re advertising the same product, therefore
less likely to watch it. So by having the same character throughout reinforces the film to the
audience which would then persuade them to watch the film because of the effective
advertising.
3. In both products the main character is wearing the same hoodie. This use of costume is
effective because there is another link that the audience can draw from the trailer to the poster.
4. The audience can recognise the same weapon that is featured in both products. This is
Trailer
Poster
Traile Poster
5. Trailer & Magazine
Firstly the main character is used again as he was in my poster. This
already gives me a direct link between my two ancillary texts. It then
becomes enhanced when the same main character is wearing the same
clothing and is holding the same weapon as he was when he featured in
the trailer. Thus making it more effective to the audience when they see
two or more of my products as they will be aware of who he is and the film
he represents.
The main cover line in my magazine is Serif just like it was in my poster
and in the trailer. Also has the same colour and font as it had in the trailer.
Again another link between the two products that the audience can identify.
However what is ineffective between the two is in the magazine it has
„Loulla Aroti on The Abandoned‟, however in the trailer she isn‟t mentioned
at all. Whereas in the poster she is mentioned with the other two actors
and director. This makes it ineffective as there is no direct link between the
two products as there is with the two ancillary texts.
Despite this I still believe and so does my audience feedback that there is
a direct link between the two products making it effective. Moreover making
my product advertise to the public more successfully.