The document discusses how the media producer's magazine, poster, and trailer for a horror film called "We Need to Talk About Robert" use and challenge conventions of real media products in similar and different ways. Specifically, the magazine, poster, and trailer all use conventions like incorporating the film's title and villain/protagonist. However, they also challenge conventions, like putting the villain instead of protagonist on the magazine cover and using ambiguous language for the film's release date on the poster. The document also discusses how the color schemes, fonts, camera angles, and photography are effectively combined across the products to maintain consistency with horror genre conventions.

1. Question 1:
In what ways does your media
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media
products?
JOE JACKSON

2. How does it use conventions?: Magazine
All generic magazines that I have analysed have
the typical bold title at the top of the page. This
is often portrayed in a different colour to the
other text on the page to make it stand out
more to the consumer. I used this idea in my
magazine cover; my title being the largest on
the page and a different colour to the other
generic text.
All generic magazines that I have analysed
always have the protagonist of the
respective film on the front cover. In this
case I have used this idea as well; on my
magazine the villain protagonist is on the
front of my magazine to show to the
consumer what is being advertised.
Most magazines I have analysed have a
constructive banner at the base of the magazine
to inform the reader what other content is
contained within this particular magazine.
In a generic magazine, the film, or maybe a slogan about
the film is portrayed in a bold writing at the front of the
magazine to entice the reader. I have done this for
magazine, in this case I have incorporated the title of the
film on the front cover. Doing this helps the reader
understand what is the main story within the magazine.
It is not uncommon for a magazine to put a quote
underneath the main heading or maybe a slogan
from the film. I have done this for my magazine; in
this case I have used a quote from a potential
reviewer. I have used the quote “Freakiest Film of
the Year”, this would make the reader want to read
on through the magazine and to potentially watch
the film.
An idea I retrieved from another magazine
was using an effective masthead, which
alters in colours based on what is said. For
example I have written ‘OUR BIGGEST
PREVIEW EVER’, yet I have altered the
colour of the words ‘BIGGEST PREVIEW’ as
it is the most important part of the
sentence, it would make the reader look
at it first.

3. How does it use conventions?: Poster
Most posters almost always have some kind of
protagonist (good or evil) on the front of the
poster. I have done this on my poster, except I
have used have used both the main character
and the main villain. Though I have emphasised
the villain more as it is a horror and he is the
main source of fear.
I have also used the generic idea of putting
the title of the film on the very front of the
poster, in the boldest writing. Without this
the consumer would not know the film that is
being advertised.
Many other posters I have analysed
portrayed the behind the scenes crew
at the base of the poster. This is
something I incorporated into my
poster.
Portraying to the reader the date of
release is a common strategy used within
a film poster. Within my poster I decided
to simply put the date; this gives an
ambiguous feeling to the release of the
film.
A lot of generic posters use a rating from
reviewers in an attempt to prove to the
audience that professional reviewers rate
their film. Ultimately resulting in the
consumer subconsciously thinking the
same.

4. How does it use conventions?: Trailer
Throughout the entirety of the trailer I used
tense, threatening music to signify the genre
of the film. This is something that a generic
horror trailer would incorporate. It help
build intensity and fear into the viewer.
I have a likeable human protagonist,
potentially enables the viewer to
emphasise with the protagonist; would
imagine themselves in the same
situation.

5. How does it challenge other
conventions?: Magazine
One thing I believe I have done well which
challenges other forms of media conventions is the
fact that I have places the villain on the front of the
magazine as opposed to the relatable protagonist.
Most magazines would thrive to have the main
character on the front cover; however I have
challenged this and put the villain at the front
Within this magazine I employed the idea of using a
minimal amount of colour fonts. I used a main font
of white to make the text stand out from the
background. However for the main text that I want
the reader to see at a glance is portrayed in red; the
main masthead for example, and the writing
‘BIGGEST PREVIEW’ in red as well.
I believe the fact that I have incorporated a quote at the
base of the main headline is challenging conventions of
other media texts. Most magazines I have analysed
tended to put other information beneath their headlines,
however I went for putting in a quote about the film.

6. How does it challenge other
conventions?: Poster
Similarly to my magazine, I have used a different
colour for the font as opposed to the main colour I
have used. In this case I have used red again to
portray the important message on the poster; the
title of the film.
One thing that challenged generic conventions is the
way I informed the reader of the release date. Most
posters say a specific date, I have portrayed a more
ambiguous date only saying the month it is released.
This is something I have seen in some posters, but
not seen in others. This is putting some of the crew
at the base of the poster to inform the consumer
who was involved in this film. Some posters do apply
this, some don’t; I have decided to employ this
effect.
Notice how at the front of my poster, the main
protagonist (being the hero) is sort of faded, not as
clear and a lot smaller as the villain (who is the main
source of fear). I employed this effect to
subconsciously portray to the reader that the villain
has power over the main character, and threatening
and a danger to him. The villain overpowered the
hero, portraying the danger ahead.

7. How does it challenge other
conventions?: Trailer
One way I challenged conventions was the
length of the trailer. I was aiming to make a
much shorter trailer as mine is a teaser
trailer. It is only 44 seconds long, but just
gives the viewer enough to understand the
story and to inject fear within the consumer.
I had two main characters involved in this
productions. It is ordinarily uncommon for the
main villain to be (a particularly unthreatening)
stuffed animal; the fact that I have used a toy to
inject fear into the viewer in itself challenges the
conventions of most horror films; as most horror
films use scary looking objects to inject fear.
Another way I challenged general conventions
was the scenery and mise-en-scene I used
within the trailer. For example, most
productions I analysed (such as The Boy and
The Women In Black) were set in old, fearfully
looking locations. However I used the look of
generic suburban look to allow the viewer to
feel empathetic and so they can relate to the
story.

8. Question 2
How effective is the combination of your main product
and ancillary texts?

9. Colours
Poster Magazine Trailer
My movie typically falls under the genre of horror, I have therefore thrived to make each my main productions and ancillary texts similar to this specific genre. One
main way to achieve this is to ensure there is a sufficient amount of consistency within each text. I thrived to achieve this through the colouring scheme. Typically,
the horror genre only really has a select amount of colours (the colours that appear dark and threatening), ordinarily black, grey, red…etc. I have attempted to
incorporate all of these colours into each of my texts. Notice how on my poster and magazine (shown below) the only colours I have used are those typically
associated with horror. On both ancillary texts I have used a grey/black background; and the most prominent text on the covers (the title of the film and magazines)
are written in red, as it makes the text stand out above everything else. Red is also associated with blood and death, potentially indicating to the reader the
intention of the film. Throughout the entirety of my film trailer I was thriving to achieve a dark, threatening atmosphere; I believe this was consistently met
throughout my trailer as it apparent that the mood is dark and mysterious. My trailer is quite dimly lit throughout the entirety if it, this was done intentionally to
make the viewer feel fear and intensity.

10. Text & Font
Text and font is an essential part to creating an
effective production and ancillary text. I found it
important that in both my poster and magazine
particularly that the title of the film ‘We need to talk
about Robert’, should be portrayed baldest out of all
the texts. On my poster, the title of the film is biggest
and most notable of all. Similarly, my magazine also
has the title most prominent out of all (apart from the
title of the magazine). Notice how I have used a
consistent amount of colours within each font I have
used. As well, all though they are not identical, I have
also thrived to use a relatively consistent looking font
within each text. Each font used in each text are all
strikingly similar.

11. Camera Angles and Photography
As my media production is based a horror movie, I thrived to ensure that all camera angles and
photographs I made ensured that they fit conventions of a horror film. For example (particularly the
image furthest left), I made the image look dark, mysterious and threatening to inject fear and
uncertainty into the viewer; it portrays the genre effectively as it looks dark and mysterious. The
images furthest right both have the over the shoulder shot. I believe this show is particularly effective
as it portrays the intensity of what is about to happen. The image in the middle almost appears as if
we are the bear and read to strike. The image as the bottom right of the screen is a first person show I
took within my trailer; this clip shows the protagonist putting a blanket over the bears face. The viewer
is seeing as it if he is the bear; this is a shot I intentionally did.