The document discusses the effectiveness of combining a horror film trailer with ancillary texts such as a magazine cover, poster, and teaser poster. Key points of synergy included using the main villain protagonist across all materials for recognition, maintaining a consistent dark color scheme and logo, and featuring quotes from Empire magazine to build trust. Woodland scenery from the trailer was also included on the poster. This synergy helped create an easily identifiable brand and increased awareness of the film. Room for improvement includes strengthening editing skills for future projects.

1. Question 2: How effective is
the combination of your main
product and ancillary texts?
By James Pinnock – A2 Media Evaluation

2. Magazine Cover
Here is my magazine cover. It
matches the dark conventions
associated with the horror trailer
and horror in general. The theme
has been changed of EMPIRE to
match my trailer which is a
common theme with EMPIRE
changing their cover dependant on
the starring film. The blood and
gore combined with the black and
red house style matches across al
products as it’s affiliated with
blood and the house style used
across all my products showing
synergy.

3. Magazine Cover/Trailer
The first element of combination I used was
the use of the main enemy protagonist in my
trailer and on the magazine cover. The bloody
magazine cover gives the indication he’s the
villain combined with the fact he is potrayed
as a villain in the trailer. This can be further
identified with the poster as he is used on
that as well. The masked villain is also one of
two characters identified in the trailer
ensuring people know who’s in it but shows
what one could be considered the main
character. The mask is also easily
distinguishable and as he is used across all
ancillary texts it means the character is
widely recognised.

4. Magazine Cover/Trailer
Another obvious yet important use of
synergy was the use of my logo on the
trailer and on the magazine cover. I made it
clear why I used the logo on the magazine
cover in the previous question but I used it
in both and throughout including the poster
as it makes the branding of the film and the
film as a whole more recognisable. With this
is didn’t challenge any conventions but built
up a consistent house style that people will
recognise eventually and help advertise the
product.

5. Film Poster
I maintained the dark eerie house style with the red writing
throughout my ancillary products and one of the main
protagonists featured once again. The most easily recognisable
character is also used making it very easy to identify the film
from simply looking at the character.

6. Film Poster/Trailer
Woodland is something used in my trailer
and quite honestly a major part of the
trailer as its used in the early establishing
shots. I used this on the poster as a slightly
faded out effect but the woodland is still
very much noticeable and shows the
synergy between both. It also carries along
peoples opinions of woodland associated
with horror adding to that earie effect.
This symbolises the major roll that the
woodland has in the film and how its
associated with both media products. This
is effective as it maintains a similar style
and gives a good indication to where key
action is going to happen.

7. Film Poster/Trailer
I have once again used the logo, as I have in all
the ancillary texts. This maintains the house
style and makes my main product more
distinguishable. The red and black/dark is also
used maintaining the house style and is
effective because of this. It also helps create a
easily identifiable brand to do with my media
product.

8. Film Poster/Trailer
In both texts I have used the review from
EMPIRE. This shows the positive opinion but also
shows that a trusted brand approves of it. It not
only makes the opinion more easy to remember
but if people only see one media product they
still become aware that the review is positive
and they can associate a brand they trust with
my trailer or poster. This is very effective as it
builds up trust with the viewer or the person who
sees the poster and when they see EMPIRE they
may even buy the magazine which features my
cover, this further establishes a positive opinion
of my trailer or ancillary products.

9. Teaser Poster/Trailer
The teaser poster I created had a very minimalistic look. I still used
conventions and synergy in it though. I once again used one of the main
protagonists, being the more recognisable one. I also used my logo and
the dark red and black colours as seen in all of my ancillary products.
This also included my tag line as seen in my main poster but more
minimalistic. This is effective as it further adds to the notice that the
trailer will get and make conventions found throughout my products
very easily recognised.

10. House Style
• The house style I used remained consistent throughout my trailer (reviews) and
ancillary products. This gave notice to my product and proved effective as it built
up a brand of my product making it easily recognised.
• The fonts I used also remained consistent except the bottom of the poster and
magazine cover sub heading where they were different for effect. The fonts used
once again maintained a recognised house style combined with colour making my
product furthermore easily recognised.
• The characters seen my trailer included a main protagonist and a equally
important villain. I decided to use my main villain in synergy with my products as
the mask was very easily identifiable and made it a lot easier to promote the
trailer/film.

11. What Would I do Differently?
If I were to be tasked this again I would improve my editing skills and work on
improving my skills a lot more in my own time. This includes syncing my music
better and adding cooler and more effective ideas. I still felt I learnt a lot in this
time and If I was tasked again could probably use other effects I have learnt but
didn’t use such as more advanced syncing etc. I did overcome issues such as
editing and did manage to look at tutorials on YouTube to help.