The document discusses the effectiveness of combining a film's main product (trailer) with ancillary texts like a poster and magazine cover. The student created a trailer, poster, and magazine cover for their crime/gangster film coursework. They analyzed real examples to understand how to portray the genre and attract the intended audience. The poster, cover, and trailer work together by featuring the same central character image to create synergy across the products and engage audiences. While the student believes their products are connected, they note the magazine cover could be simplified for greater visual impact.

1. Q2.How effective is the
combination of your main
product and ancillary texts?

2. My A2 media studies coursework required me to make a film
trailer which would go together with an ancillary task of making a
film poster and magazine cover for the film. Crime/Gangster is
the genre of the film, and so I put together the codes and
conventions of a crime/gangster and the unique selling point of
my film into three different products. I did this in order to make
the film expand and attract and keep the audience engaged and
interested in the film. This will increase the effectiveness of the
whole package I will show how the combination of the two
products with the trailer portray effectiveness.
It is very important in which the ancillary texts portray what the
films genre is and to which audience it will attract. For many films
especially big blockbusters where lots of money has been spent
on them they will produce posters and advertising which will
appeal to the widest range of people possible to get their large
desired audience, or have many different posters to promote the
film

3. After researching and annotating a real film poster(I researched
the poster for Gangster squad- view the poster annotation on the
next slide),the purpose of a poster became clear to me and the
purpose is to advertise the film through the title, the images
portrayed, the actors’ names, the design/colours and the tagline.
Using these elements to make the poster sellable, attractive and
connected with the other products. The next slide is my analysis
of the Gangster squad poster.
The Film Poster

4. Gangster squad poster analysis
The title is at the bottom
of the page which I think
is not ideal but it is in the
boldest font which
immediately attracts the
attention of the reader.
Name of the main actor
in bold. This is to get the
attention of the target
audience as they have a
high interest in the film.
The background of the
poster is a scene from
the movie. This gives
the audience a hint as
to what to expect to
see in the movie.
This is the slogan for the
film and its short and
catchy. The slogan
targets the minds of the
audience causing them
to think.The colour of the title is white
and it catches your attention as
soon as you look as the poster.

5. My film poster
Even though the film poster is
simple, I believe its quite effective
because it attracts the audience and
is associated with the film trailer
and magazine cover. This is mainly
done through the image of the
character in the middle of the poster
, which stands out in the poster as it
is the central image and it’s the first
thing you see when you look at the
poster. This catches the eye of the
audience, and it provides synergy by
being the image on the magazine
cover and featuring in the trailer.

6. The magazine cover
After researching, analysing and annotating magazine covers for
films especially Total Film Magazine (I researched and annotated
the magazine cover) I discovered that the cover should include
the USP of the film and the main characters so that the audience
can make links between the cover, poster and trailer. I choose
‘FILM’ magazine to create a cover because it is a famous film
magazine in the UK, and is the best in terms of attracting a film
audience.

7. Magazine cover analysis
The title of the film
being promoted.
A barcode is included on the front cover so it can
be processed when purchased and therefore the
presence of a bar code denotes professionalism.
It is positioned at the bottom right of the
magazine so it does not invade the left side and it
does not steal focus from any other feature.
The masthead is the biggest text on the front
cover and is in the boldest colour so people
will be drawn to it as it stands out above
everything else. It does not appear inferior to
the central image.
The magazine includes the web
address so that the target audience
of film lovers can find out more
exclusive news about new releases
and more. It is placed above the
main title in the same colour
font, yet it does not steal any focus
from the masthead, central image or
cover lines because it is in a small
font. The website is the name of the
magazine so is easily recognisable
and easy to remember.
The menu strip at the bottom is one of
the last things that the target audience
looks at because of its positioning. The
text is the same font as most of the other
text which doesn’t make it stand out
because it fits with the rest of the layout
as well as the fact that it also fits in with
the same colour scheme that has been
established.
The tagline of the magazine reads
‘World exclusive’ which will attract
potential readers because it
guarantees quality as I states its
popularity.
In the feature article photo the person is
looking directly into the camera which
engages the target audience as they have
eye contact with the character that
features in the magazine. This would
attract the audience the target audience
of film lovers as it appeals to their
interests.

8. My magazine cover
I think that the magazine
displays effectiveness in
combining with the other
products, as it continues with
the image of the man in the
middle, it adds emphasis to the
thriller genre of the film and it
gives the reader reasons to buy
the magazine. I would change
the layout of the cover to make
it more simple so that it is more
eye catching and less crowded.