The document discusses how the media producer's film poster, magazine cover, and trailer challenge or develop conventions of those media forms. For the poster, they included credits and logos at the bottom as is typical, but used silhouettes to maintain mystery. For the magazine, they modeled it after Empire magazine but included a close-up of the main actor. Their trailer drew inspiration from Murder by Numbers, using character introductions, clues to the killer, and editing techniques like quick cuts between shots to build mystery. Overall, the media producer aimed to fit genre conventions while also preventing viewers from knowing too much about the source of drama in their crime story.

1. In what ways does your media
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of media
products?
Ellis Hackett

3. We wanted to have all five of our main characters
on the poster. Such as in the other posters which
we found to be most successful, they all had the
characters who would grow to be the most
important to the actors on the page.
Like the Harry Potter poster we have credits at the
bottom of the poster. This is stereotypical of posters,
despite the Act of Valour poster not having them. This
gives all of the official details about the people involved
in the film.
Also similar to the Act of Valour we have the logos
of our production and distribution companies,
along with website which will lead people to more
details of our film.
Poster Inspiration

4. A key point that we wanted to put across
throughout all of our products is the key theme of
mystery. We didn’t want anyone to really know
who the source of the drama/tension was. We
wanted to show that there were a group of people
who were together and similar, so we decided to
use a silhouette. This means that our poster can
show all of our characters, and still leaves the
audience wondering who everyone is. It also
reflects the danger that the people are in – all of
them look alike and there is no way to tell which
one is dangerous to the rest. All of these
characteristics are all expected for the crime genre
and in this way our product accurately fits with the
conventions of a film poster.
Poster Inspiration

5. For the most part, the text which is on the
poster is very similar to the other posters.
The title of the film is at the bottom of the
page, and is the larges font on the page.
This means that the title is the part of the
poster that audiences attention is most
drawn to, almost engraining the image of
it in their mind so that audiences are
more likely to remember the name of the
film.
Beneath it we also have the release date
of our film. Because it is placed just
beneath the title the audiences attention
will be drawn to the date just after the
title, meaning they are more likely to
remember it.
Poster Inspiration

6. When deciding on our background we
had to be a little creative. The
backgrounds we tested didn’t seem to
look appropriate or fit with the
silhouette’s that we had created, they
just didn’t look professional and we
weren’t happy with the outcome. So we
had to turn to the crime genre to think
about what we could do. After
experimenting with several different
backgrounds we decided on a striped
one. This represents the type of
background which we see on a mugshot
once criminals have been caught.
Despite the police playing a very small
role in the film there is a key theme of
the group trying to avoid the police in
order to keep themselves safe.
Poster Inspiration

7. Magazine Inspiration
We struggled whilst deciding on what background to use on our magazine, and after
feedback from one of our teachers we decided to find a background which was
reflective of our film. We used a shot of a city with dull, grey colouring to reflect the
genre of our film. We used an image with some depth so as to draw the audience in
to the model. This reflects the danger aspect in the film and makes the model the
main focus on the page.

8. During our research we found that the company which had the
most magazines which were similar to our genre was Empire, so
we decided to use their magazines as a template, particularly the
Tron and Inception covers. We used the same masthead and we
made it the largest text on the page to improve recognisability
for audiences which is a typical convention of magazines.
Magazine Inspiration

9. The type of image we used is
also stereotypical for a magazine
cover. We used a close up of one
of the main actors in our film,
drawing attention to them and
highlighting their importance in
relation to the film. The image is
slightly to the right, giving
enough space for the straplines
on the left hand side of the
page. The model we have used is
wearing simple clothes and he
looks like a normal boy which is
exactly how we wanted to
present him. In order for his
group to get away with crimes
he had to look unthreatening,
but beneath this there is clearly
something a little dangerous
which we can understand from
the smug look on his face. The
model is wearing black as this is
typical of thieves as it helps
them blend into the shadows so
that they can remain hidden and
unseen by the people around
them.
Magazine Inspiration

10. Like other magazines we
used a puff to draw
attention to extra
information on the page,
which other magazines have
to highlight the access to
special information that
they have.
We have used a variety of
straplines on our magazine to
advertise other films that the
magazine will talk about. Our
straplines were placed on the
left side of the page, reflecting
the typical ‘C’ layout of magazine
covers which allow the details of
the magazine to be seen when
the magazines are stacked on a
shelf in a store.
We also included several other
items that are conventional on a
magazine cover. We included a
skyline at the top of the cover,
giving extra details about the
magazine and article; a little ‘Plus’
section to give details about what
will be included in the magazine;
and a barcode at the bottom of the
page.
Magazine Inspiration

11. Trailer InspirationThe main trailer we used for the creation of our trailer was ‘Murder By Numbers’ as we felt that the general plot presented in the trailer was
similar to the one that we wanted to create in our own as they both had similar genre’s.
The main plot of our trailer was said to be similar to that of ‘The Hole’ during which one of the friends in a group pretends that they are
trapped in a basement and the group eventually begin to turn on each other in desperation and doubt.
When we showed the first draft of our trailer to our peers we were given a variety of feedback. One of
these points was to include the details of the production company of our film. This is stereotypical at the
beginning of films as it helps audiences to identify who has helped to produce a film. The short clips that
are placed at the beginning of the trailer can become quite famous and because Castle Rock had
produced Murder By Numbers, which was similar to our trailer in genre and plot, we felt it to be
appropriate production company for our own film.

12. Trailer Inspiration
We used a similar establishing shot to the Murder By Numbers trailer- the main setting for the rest of the film. In both trailers this will be
the main setting for all of the action and is key to how the crimes could have been committed. In Murder By Numbers we understand
that murder could easily be committed in such an isolated location, and in Voices it is understandable how five teenagers could get away
with stealing, because they are in a location where it is commonly accepted that the people will be ‘up to no good’ and people generally
keep to themselves and ignore any ‘dodgy’ behaviour. These areas also aren’t highly policed, so it is understandable that it would be the
location chosen by the group to hide from the police and stay off of their radar.
In our trailer we also used intertitle’s as they help to give the audience clues as to what will happen throughout the film. This is a
convention of a trailer as they are used to help the audience understand what is happening in the trailer. Because the clips in the trailer are
non-chronological it may be understandable that the audience aren’t able to properly understand the plot. But intertitles allow for extra
details to be added, and on their own they tell a story so that, even without the clips or music, people should be able to understand the
plot of the film. The intertitles are scattered throughout the clip, adding detail where it is necessary to break up the shots. The intertitles
will create suspense and mystery for the audience will increase their interest in the film so that people will want to go and see it.

13. Trailer InspirationSimilar to Murder By Numbers we also began our trailer by
introducing our characters. This will help show the audiences
who they should be expecting to have the most screen time
throughout the film. It also allows for audiences to gain an
understanding between the relationships between the people.
In Murder By Numbers we see two main characters who are
obviously best friends and a police detective who we
understand to be trying to find evidence which incriminates
them in their crime.
In our trailer there are a variety of the shots together, presenting
them as a group, however we also have individual shots of
them. This presents them as a group however highlights that
they have individual talents, and perhaps don’t have deep
relationships past their thieving.
The main characters are shown to have different qualities. The
first shot shows a boy who’s clearly very involved in being a thief
as he is wearing a mask; the second boy seems isolated which
suggests that he is a loner within the group; the girl in the third
shot is interested in the money; the boy in the fourth shot is
presented as being focussed on finding the killer and he is the
only one who is doing work which is related to the crime which
suggests he might be in control; whilst the boy in the last shot is
clearly in distress which shows that he might not be cut out for
a dangerous life.

14. Trailer Inspiration
We have a variety of shots throughout our trailer which act as clues which
will lead to the killer. These clues are placed randomly, so that the audience
aren’t really sure what they are hinting to. This is conventional of trailers in
the crime genre as they are presenting the audience with a variety of facts
which they cannot understand the relevance of. This leads to the audience
questioning what they could mean, and reflects the confusion faced by the
characters in the actual film.
There was also a shot involving a board in our film and in the Murder By
Numbers trailer. Both comprised of a collection of items, in our trailer it was
pictures of suspects, and we see different people/qualities being eliminated
in both trailers. This is a convention of crime trailers as it suggests that the
people are trying to find a criminal with very few clues, and are having to
work slowly and with a process of elimination to try and catch the person
they are looking for.
We also had a scene that involved an interrogation. This is typical of a crime
film as it suggests that the criminal has been caught, yet there doesn’t seem
to be a way to prove it. This creates tension for both the characters and the
audience as it reveals that the identity of the criminal is known, yet there is
something blocking action being taken which can lead to frustration since
action will have wanted to be taken.

15. Trailer Inspiration
Both trailers have a very short extreme close up of an eye. This allows for the
audience to be drawn in to the characters emotions, in both there seems to be the
reflection of shock or fear. This is typical of the crime genre as it suggests that a
danger is drawing near, and even though the characters can see it coming it does not
necessarily mean that they can stop it. This will make the audiences feel concerned
for the characters and they will develop a desire to know what they have seen that
scared them. The shot is quite random in the flow of the clips, leaving the audience
to wonder where it will appear in the film and what it is a reaction to.
In both trailers there is one shot where there is a long shot of the characters with
their backs to the camera, both focussed on something. In the Voices trailer the
characters are around a computer whilst in the Murder By Numbers trailer they are
facing a large fire. This presents the characters as being quite closed off and
secretive, as you cannot see their expressions or what they are doing. It also helps to
give an idea of the setting of the film, which becomes quite regular.
In both of the trailers there is also a section of editing which is very similar, when
shots which are related are broken up by the screen fading to black. This creates a
conventional sense of confusion and mystery as you are not given a lot of time to see
the characters as the screen quickly turns dark. This presents a possible danger
which is approaching and reflects the shots: a person being followed and someone
appearing to carry a body.
Both trailers also have the title of the film appearing near the end. However it is not
the last shot on the Murder By Numbers trailer and it is followed up by a few more
shots. However the final intertitle of Voices is one of the last shots on our trailer as
this is stereotypical of all film trailers. It means that the name of the film will be the
last thing in peoples minds so that they are more likely to remember and then go on
to watch it the film if it is later mentioned. Our final intertitle also has the logos of
the production and distribution companies which is also conventional as it is
expected that they should have that form of promotion.

16. Trailer Inspiration
We have edited our trailer so that each of the shots is darker than when it was
originally filmed. It is typical of crime thriller films to have dull colours as it creates an
appropriate setting which could potentially lead people to commit a crime. Originally
the shots were too light, and by adding the filter layer over the shots we were able
to properly reflect the dark theme of the film.
We also made sure that the mise en scene throughout our trailer was correct. Our
characters wore dark clothing which is typical of thieves, and they also wore masks
so that they could hide their identity. The characters are quite young, and it is
stereotypical of the slightly nerdier boy characters to want to have this element of
dressing up as it may make them feel like heroes.
However this dark clothing and the masks also presents them as being cautious and
actually quite intelligent, which is not typically expected for teenagers, especially
those involved in crime. This is similar to the characters in Murder By Numbers, the
main characters are both incredibly intelligent at covering their tracks and hiding
their identity.
One of the only unconventional elements that we decided to include was the use of
two sound tracks. It is conventional for a trailer to only use one sound track,
however we were not able to find a track which had the right level of mystery and
suspense at the beginning of the track which eventually built up to being something
quite dramatic as the drama acted out built. We faded the two music together over
one of our shots to signify a change and the suddenly pressing danger that the
characters have to face.