Evaluation (incomplete)

Research – Collective Theories
• The four main graphic design theories I research for my project were: Gestalt theory, Grid theory, the
Golden Ratio and Colour Theory. I used all of these theories at least once within the making of my
products, for example the Golden Ratio in my Film Poster (at the bottom). The most useful theory I
research however, was the Colour theory. Using this theory allowed me to use similar colours, which
improved the aesthetics greatly because it made my products look much more professional and the
colours all worked well together.
• The grid method wasn’t as useful, as it is very basic, therefore if I used it as a template for all my products,
then they wouldn’t stand out from the rest (which I wanted them to do). On the other hand because it is
very basic, I may have used it without planning on, which isn’t a bad idea because it is used by many
professionals, however I didn’t want to plan to use it from the start, as I thought the other theories would
be more effective. An example of where I used the grid theory unintentionally is at the bottom and as you
can see it is fairly basic and this layout could be improved if I had more time, making it more effective for
the viewer to the imagery as a focal point, rather than the title/logo (although this could also be due to
colour).

Research – Existing Products

Missed Opportunities
(location not used etc.)

Technical Problems
(how I dealt with them)

Management Problems

Emotional Problems

What Went Well In My
Production?

What Didn’t Go Well In My
Production?

Technical Qualities – Film Cover
(comparison)
The structure of my product is very similar to the structure of the professional
product. For the front cover the title is large and bold at the bottom and the
imagery is the main aspect of the cover with the detail and spookiness it brings.
Then finally the tagline at the top is positioned the same as well, showing my
film cover’s structure looks very professional, meaning the layout is easy to
understand and effective for the viewer to look at all the information and
imagery appropriately.
The back cover is also structure very similarly, with the credit section covering
the bottom half of the page, with almost unreadable information (as it’s not
important for the viewer) and the imagery and text above it, linking together as
w whole. This further proves that the appearance of my film cover looks
somewhat professional.
The text on my film cover has its similarities and differences to the
professional cover. First of all the title at the bottom is very large and
noticeable, with the contrasting colour to the background and the
large lettering. However, the font choice is very different to mine, as
my title’s font is more abstract and unique, where as this is very
simple. This doesn’t have to be a negative thing however, because
both films have different plots/features, therefore a simple font may
suit that film a lot better. The taglines at the top of the front and back
covers are fairly hard to read and don’t stand out in the professional
product, which is quite similar to my product, making more important
information (the other films) stand out more. The blurb on the
professional product is hard to read as it doesn’t contrast well with
the background, whereas mine is very clear and contrasting, although
because it’s a back cover, features don’t need to stand out.
The imagery on the front covers show different designs and
image styles on both products, however I believe the intentions
are very similar. Both images have props included to suggest the
occupation/setting of the character and the location. Both
images feature contradictory and mysterious aspects. For
example my cover has a sewn mouth, whilst the tagline reads
“be quiet” and the professional product has a doll as a prop in a
horror cover, which are normally portrayed as friendly as they
are a children’s toy.
Another aspect that is similar is the use of a colour scheme and the use of
different shades of one colour throughout the product. In the
professional product a beige/brown colour is used, linking the front and
back cover together so you know they are from the same film, no matter
which side of the cover you look at. The colour of the clothing in this
product is also following the colour scheme (on the back cover). I have
also done this with the colour green and red, which I have applied to my
foreground and background imagery on the front cover and tinted the
images in red on the back cover. I think that this makes my product look
professional because the colour schemes have been used in a very similar
way. Although in my opinion, I think that the use of the professional
product’s colour scheme works better for a generic horror film, however
I also appreciate the aesthetics of mine as well.

Technical Qualities – Film Poster 1
(comparison)
A reason why these two products
don’t look as similar as they could is
because Sinister is a film cover and
my product is just an advert poster.
However there are still some
similarities between them.
The imagery on these products are quite different, as my product has a
background with images placed on top (edited) and Sinister includes one image
with multiple features within it, meaning they only used one photograph.
Although the imagery is different the same intention is portrayed. Both products
include the main character, involved with blood, showing what the films are
going to involve. This allows horror fans to be attracted by the visuals of blood
and violence, which is very effective from both my product and the professional
product. A difference with the imagery is the way the professional product
leaves a lot of mystery, by not showing the face of the character on the cover
and not showing who’s blood it is or what weapon was used. This is different
because I have included the murder weapon and the character’s face, which
answers a lot of questions, that didn’t need to be answered, which therefore
could be an improvement for next time.
The colours used in both these products are very similar; a shaded
beige/grey colour. This colour is effective because it is quite bland,
therefore doesn’t portray many meanings through connotations.
This emptiness the colours leave can relate to horror fans because it
brings fear to them, not knowing what the colour is for, why it is
used etc. Also, many professional horror films sue this colour,
therefore if you see this colour on a film cover, then it is likely to be
in the horror genre and fans will notice this quickly, making it very
effective. The colour of the texts are quite different, however both
follow a colour scheme of 2-3 colours, that relate to the imagery on
their product. The blood on Sinister is very dark, which is why it
works well with the dark title, whereas the text on my product is
light, therefore works better with my bright blood on the imagery
(and the title).
A similar effect is used for the text that are made to be focal
points. This effect is a dripping from the letters, however my
product’s text emphasises this much more than the
professional product. On the other and you could say that the
Sinister’s text is smudged, rather than dripping, but either way,
the lettering is edited in a similar way, which makes it appear
more eerie. As done on the professional product, it may have
been better for me to position the dripping text at the top of
the page because the dripping leads the viewer’s eyes to the
next aspect to look at, however for my product this is the
bottom of the page. The professional product executes this
nicely, as It leads to the imagery.
The structure of these products are
fairly different, however as I have
stated they were produced for
different reasons. The structure of the
imagery however is fairly similar.
When looking at them as a whole, you
can see the grid theory has been used,
with aspects of the imagery
positioned on each side of the
product, instead of in the center. The
positioning of the title is at the bottom
(off-center) but is still a focal point,
which is the same for the professional
product, apart from the position is at
the top rather than the bottom.

(comparison)
The imagery in these products are the aspects that are the most similar between these two
products. The photography, structure of the image and posing of the model are almost identical.
The only thing different in the imagery is the background and the costume. For the background in
the professional product, the photograph was taken at the location, whereas I added the smoke
after the photography. You could say this makes my product look less professional because the
location/setting for my product is unknown, however this also brings mystery because of the
unknown. The lighting in the imagery is used a lot more effectively in the professional product,
compared to my product, because it emphasises certain aspects (such as the killer’s mask), which
mine does not. His could be a good improvement if I had more time, as the poster as a whole
looks very equal and bland throughout, with certain aspects only standing out due to the
positioning of the smoke.
The overall structure of both of these products are
very similar, as I used Friday he 13th as inspiration.
The imagery is the main focal point positioned in
the middle of the page and covering the majority of
it. Where the professional product displays the
title, I have displayed my tagline because I only
included the title as a logo, small and in the corner.
I think the title logo stands out too much in my
opinion as this wasn’t supposed to be a focal point.
Other than this, I think my product is very similar to
the professional product’s structure and focal
points, therefore making my product look
professional.
Along with the imagery, the colours on the
professional product make certain aspects stand out
more, to put emphasis on them, which may have
been useful for me to do. I have not included any
contrasting or bright colours, meaning no aspects
fully stand out, however this can also be seen as a
good thing because it sets the mood for the horror
style and makes everything eerie and mysterious.
Although in my opinion, I believe that the
professional product’s use of contrasting colours in
the imagery is more effective, bringing attention to
specific aspects (e.g. the killers mask). The colours of
the title are the same, however I lowered the
opacity on my title, to fit the design theme of the
poster, whereas in the other product the title stands
out a lot more as it is sharper and more clear,
meaning it is easier to see for the viewer, which may
have been useful for my product.
The design style on both of these products
are quite similar (as I used this for
inspiration). The imagery is very simple, yet
still creates mystery and spooks the viewer,
which is the intention for a horror design.
This shows that my product has a very
similar design to a professional product’s
design, however the execution of the
imagery/colours may not have been
created to a standard as high as this
product.

(comparison)
The imagery on both products use a similar effect
of shadowing sections of the character’s face, as it
makes the poster look creepy because you can’t
see all of their face. These images are the only
images on the products, putting more focus on
them and they both blend well with the
background. As you can see my image has been
edited in Photoshop to create this effect, however
the professional product’s imagery looks more
realistic, as if the shadow was there during the
photography (which it may have been), which is an
area I could have improved if I had more time to
work on this piece. Finally both images can be
interpreted to have multiple meanings, for
example hiding from something or seeking prey
(victims).
The structure of both of these products are
very similar, besides the location of the title,
compared to my tagline, which could be
excused for the fact that my product is a
poster and the other product is a film cover.
The image is large in a central position in
both products, which empahsises the use of
the image as a main focal point. This allows
the viewer to be enticed by the image and
then be encouraged to read the information
(with the title/tagline. Because my overall
product looks similar to the structure of the
professional product’s, this means that my
layout is of a professional standard, which
clearly is effective, otherwise it wouldn’t be
popular.
The tagline on my poster is the same as my first poster
and my film cover, which links all the products and
make the tagline known to the movie, which is also
what the professional product does. The font for the
tagline on my poster is quite basic, however this fits
with the theme of this poster (simplicity). Again, this is
similar to the professional product, using a fairly basic
font for the title, to fit with the basic (yet effective)
imagery. The only difference between the two is the
colour.
Compared to Don’t Be Scared, the colours I used could be improved greatly. For
example the colour of the tagline makes it very difficult to see or read, therefore it
does not stand out, whereas the title on the professional product does, with the
bright red colour against the dark black background. I did not want my tagline to
stand out, however I wanted it to be noticeable and when looking at the poster as a
whole, next to the other product, the tagline is not clear at all. The colour of the
imagery is controversial because you could say that the yellow tint gives the image a
bit of life, which the professional product’s imagery doesn’t, however you could also
say this contradicts the theme of the poster being ‘bland’ and ‘mysterious’. However,
either way, I think the imagery is very effective in both products.

Aesthetic Qualities – Film Cover
The imagery in this film cover is the main focal point and the most important part, as it is the first aspect the viewer sees when looking at
the product. The detail on the imagery is likely the main reason for why it is so aesthetically pleasing to the viewer because it makes the
image look very realistic, therefore professional. The sewn mouth effect used the most detailed part and this part of the image creates a lot
of tension. The use of the stitching on the mouth can be interpreted in different ways. First of all the viewer doesn’t know if the character is
the killer, however makes this assumption from the use of the prop (axe) and the scary feel/mood the image creates. Not knowing the for
definite who the character is, the viewer now feels fear, from the mystery of the character. On top of this, the stitching creates much more
mystery and fear, making the audience question: why is his mouth stitched? Who stitched it? What is the stitching for? Etc.
Another way the stitching can be interpreted is with the killer being psychotic and demonic enough, to a point of sewing his own mouth (for
unknown reasons at the moment), which makes the viewer want to watch the film to find out why and also because they know blood and
gore will be involved.
Finally the stitching can be seen as a voice control (however the audience doesn’t know who would be controlling him). This interpretation
also links with the tagline “keep quiet, you’re safe”.
The use of the prop in the imagery is effective in showing the audience what the film will involve, especially with the feature of blood on the
axe, showing this is a murder weapon and blood, gore and violence will be involved in the film, which many horror fans appeal to. The
aesthetics of the axe is also very pleasing as it looks very realistic, with the shining metal and shadowing on part of the weapon.
Linking with the prop, the background and the costume creates the setting/scene for the film, implying the killer is a lumberjack, as he is in
a wooded area, with an axe and wearing the stereotypical lumberjack attire. This gives insight into the plot of the film, showing the killings
are liking going to take place in a wooded area which is very spooky (much like Friday the 13th, which was a very popular horror film, due to
the filming location).
On the back cover the images are quite small, however they have been edited to fit nicely together on the back over, fading into the
background, making it more aesthetically pleasing when looking at it as a whole, meaning the viewer is likely to continue looking at it and
see all the other features of the cover (the blurb etc.). These images also allow the audience to see some of the other characters, giving
more insight into the film.

Aesthetic Qualities – Film Cover
text
structure
The colour used in this product
could have been used better with
more emphasis on a specific colour
on the front page for example, as
there are a few different, but no
stand out colours. On one hand the
cover has a good appearance, with
the dark/gloomy look of the dull
colours, following suit of the horror
theme. However on the other
hand, the lack of strong, stand out
colours means people are less
likely to see the product because it
doesn’t catch their eye, therefore
these colours may have been more
effective for a film poster, instead
of the front cover.
design

Aesthetic Qualities – Film Poster 1
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Aesthetic Qualities – Film Logo
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Aesthetic Qualities – Film Merchandise 1
The simplicity of this merchandise
product is quite effective, because
it’s easy to understand, see and
work with. Many people in my
target audience (age 16-24) don’t
like to stand out, therefore a
simple design means they can
wear this product without
text
structure
colour
imagery

Aesthetic Qualities – Film Merchandise 2
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Aesthetic Qualities – Production Logo
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Audience Appeal – Film Cover
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Audience Appeal – Film Poster 1
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Audience Appeal – Film Logo
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Audience Appeal – Film Merchandise 1
The simplicity of this merchandise
product is quite effective, because
it’s easy to understand, see and
work with. Many people in my
target audience (age 16-24) don’t
like to stand out, therefore a
simple design means they can
wear this product without
text
structure
colour
imagery

Audience Appeal – Film Merchandise 2
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Audience Appeal – Production Logo
text
structure
colour
imagery
design

Did My Products Meet My
Intentions?

Evaluation (incomplete)

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