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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.