The document analyzes the effectiveness of combining a horror film trailer with two ancillary texts: a film poster and website. It discusses how researching horror film conventions informed the design of each product. The poster uses images, colors, taglines and credits to portray the horror genre and catch audience attention. The website's navigation, reviews, trailer and consistent fonts provide information to engage audiences. By using researched elements across all three products with continuity, the trailer and ancillary texts effectively advertise the film and genre.

1. Q2. How Effective Is The
Combination Of Your Main
Products and Ancillary Texts?
By Luke Marriage

2. Introduction
Throughout my A2 Media Studies task the was to create a horror film trailer along with
two ancillary texts these texts consisted of a film poster and a film website. The genre
is horror which meant that there was a selection of sub-genres that could be used.
The sub-genre that was chose after the target audience survey was Thriller but in
order to make the horror more appealing we came to a group decision that there
should also be cannibalism within it. So this had then given us time to pin point the
typical codes and conventions that are consisted within this sub-genre and that
could be incorporated within the three products.
This is so it could expand the knowledge towards the audience about the film and
keep the engaged and carry on being interested in film

3. The film poster
After researching and analysing a vast amount horror
posters I had picked put the various elements of the
posters that helped make it appealing to their target
audience. The elements that I came across were
images that were used in order to portray the horror
type. The design and the colours help represent the
sort of film it is for example red helps connote blood
and danger. The use of the tag line helps bring in the
target audience and appeals to them and keep
them waiting so they can have that sense of enigma.
So I decided to use these elements that I had
researched to use in my own film poster. This is so by
using these elements it can allow the poster to look
appealing as well as eye catching.

4. Poster analysis
We see that the film title is positioned towards the bottom of
the poster which follows the typical conventions of the
positioning of the film title. The use of the tag line helps give
that sense of interest towards the film and enigma. The use
of including institutional logos and film credits gives the
audience that sense of faith as they will know who have
made it and the cast that are in it so they will know that it
will be an appealing film.
Even though the poster has a simplistic design, it gives off
the message that is trying to be associated with that sense
of horror by having the antagonist at the front of the poster.
This stands out as it is placed in the centre of the poster and
immediately catches the attention of the audience.
The font that is used is also used in my trailer so it helps
shows the continuity between the trailer and the ancillary
texts. Which shows the effectiveness of the ancillary texts
when they are used.

5. The website
When researching and analysing a variety of horror websites I had picked upon
the key elements of the website. The elements that I noticed was how the
information was presented in the website and how there various pages that were
to do with the film. This gives the audience to gain more knowledge about the
film, this is so they feel appeal more towards the film. We see that when we look
at the two ancillary texts that they use the same elements within all the products.
I used these elements that I had researched to use in my own website. This is so by
using these elements it can allow the website to look appealing as well as eye
catching so people will want to browse the website.

6. Website analysis
With the website I have made sure that the film title at the top of the website
so people can always be instantly be reminded of the title of the film. So I
have also placed the tag line beneath the film title.
I need to ensure that the structure of the website is easy for the audience to
use, so the use of a navigation bar makes it easier to navigate around the
page. I have also included reviews on the side of the page so the audience
can see what critics think about the film.
The use of having the trailer in the centre of the homepage so the audience
have the choice if they want to play the trailer. The use of sound helps give
that sense of horror by having the song that is used in the trailer, however I
have gone against the typical conventions and have gone for another
sound that still gives it that sense of horror.
The use of the same font throughout the website also gives that element of
continuity between the trailer and the ancillary texts.

7. Conclusion
To conclude we can see that the combination between the main product
(trailer) and the two ancillary texts helps advertise the film in greater detail.
The use of the of having various products to advertise the film allows the target
audience to gain more in-sight/ information about the film.
To finalise that our products are very effective together as it is allows the use of
three different media types allows the products to be advertised well. This is to
try and create an effectiveness of the horror genre and the film that is
identifiable through each ancillary text.