Evaluation

How did your research into genre contribute to your production work?
After thinking through what I could do I decided on the horror genre. After researching into horror I discovered that there were only a few with a low age rating so I thought I would create something with a low age restriction. The only problem is that there are no real conventions of a low age rated film.


How did your research into institutions and regulation of the Medias influence your production work?
After looking into the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) guidelines, I was able to identify what I could and what I could not include to get the classification that I wanted which was a 12. After completing the trailer I would say that I would be able to get into this classification as there is no swearing, blood/gore or nudity/sexual references.


What pre production planning techniques did you employ? Where they effective and how did the help?
I have done a lot of pre production planning such as my storyboard and animatic, research into different trailers, posters and magazines and much more. The main pre production planning that contributed to my final production was my storyboard as it showed me how to structure my trailer, what shots to use and locations that would be best. The follow up of the storyboard was the animatic which just showed me in more detail on how the final production would look and if I need to change anything after physically being in the locations and taking shots of what would be shown. This process enabled me to see what areas need to be changed so that rather than shooting the entire trailer and then deciding it needed to be changed and reshot, I could identify this from my storyboard and animatic.


How have you used audience feedback to influence your production work while still in progress?
Whilst I did my storyboard I continuously got opinions on how to improve it and this is shown through my drafts of storyboards. I also got a few people to give opinions whilst I done my trailer editing to see how fast they thought I should be editing the trailer, I did not always take their advice though as I was trying to get a point across. When it came down to my poster and magazine cover, I got advice from my computing teacher as he does a lot of work using fireworks so he was a good person to get opinions off of, and when I completed a few drafts I got a few people from different ages to look at my posters and give opinions. These opinions are the reason that I have finished with the current final productions. 

What digital technologies have you used in the planning, research, construction stages?

 I have used many different digital technologies throughout my production. I used simple things like cameras and scanners, up to more knowledgeable programs such as fireworks, garage band and for the main production, iMovie.

 In the planning stages the first technology that I started off with was a simple scanner that I used to scan my first draft of my storyboard onto the computer in order to input it into my blog. Then when it came to re-drafting and creating my final storyboard I decided to make it neater and more professional so I decided to put the images into a table that I created on Microsoft Office Word. Once I had scanned the images into the computer I decided to use another technology that I had found whilst doing my research, which was a website called ISSUU.  ISSUU is a website which enabled me to put my images on in the format of a book;

This extra technology enabled me to give a better quality, and more professional, end piece. It is a simple thing but I believe it looks much better than my original scanning in of the storyboard.

 In planning I also created an animatic after creating my final storyboard. The animatic is a photographic version of a storyboard that is then uploaded and created into a film which gives a better feel of what the end production will be. So in order to achieve my animatic, I had to use a range of digital technology.  I started off by taking all the photos that where in the storyboard with my own home digital camera and then uploaded them onto the school Apple Mac and put them into iMovie which created it into a movie format.

 I didn’t use much digital technology in my research stage. The main research that I done used YouTube , I used YouTube to watch other trailers to get inspiration in what type of trailer I should make and what type of aspects I could incorporate. I also used the internet in general to help me find out what types of horrors have been created, especially with a low age restriction. Finally I used SlideShare to help me find information on different aspects of the horror genre. Once I had done me research I would either use my own SlideShare to display my research or I would simply type up the findings onto my blog.

Finally I will look at the digital technology that I used in my construction stages. Starting with the digital technology that I used to create my trailer. The first thing that I had to do is shoot my trailer, which I done using a HD camcorder that I borrowed from the school. Once I had recorded the footage, I uploaded it to the Apple Mac and then onto the iMovie as I did with my animatic. Once the footage was uploaded onto the iMovie program, I was able to start editing the footage to how I imagined it to look.  Once all the editing was completed I was able to start ctreating music for the trailer. To create the music I decided to use an Apple program called GarageBand. GarageBand enabled me to create whatever music I imagined to add onto the trailer for the non-diagetic sound. There were hundreds of different sounds and melodies that I could use, and I also used the built in mic to create the breathing and heartbeat that you can hear at the start and end of the trailer. Finally once the trailer was completed then I was able to upload it to YouTube and then import it from YouTube into my blog.

Next I will be looking at the digital technology that I used for my poster and magazine cover. I started off by getting the images; I decided that I would take screenshots of my trailer, one from the house scene looking at the Happy Birthday banner and another from inside the forest. I then put these images into Macromedia Fireworks to edit them. I found that Fireworks was a very good piece of software to use to edit my images. Then once I had edited the images to the way that I wanted, I input them into Microsoft Publisher to add the final details. Then once the product was finished then I saved it as an image and then import it into my blog.

 Finally I will look at the main piece of digital technology that I used. This piece of technology is my blog; I have used the website Blogger. I found blogger to be a very easy blogging system to use and like how easy it was to personal each part of the blog and how simple and fast it was to input information into it. Overall I used this digital technology the most as it was my main documentation but I also found it the best and easiest to use.

In what ways does your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media products use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media horror products in many ways.  The first very basic way that I have used the stereotypical horror production is the plot, which shows a group who drive out and they get stranded in a remote location where they decide to then split up and get picked off one at a time. This is a basic storyline for most horrors, whether it is a classic horror or a new contemporary horror.

I will now evaluate how my media products use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media horror products. I will be looking at each section depending on where it comes in the production.

The first convention that I have chosen to achieve is the way that the trailer starts. Every trailer starts with a warning guidance at the beginning of the trailer. So to make my media product as realistic as possible I have added this slide in.

 Straight after my viewer guidance, I have added my company logo. A company logo is used in every movie trailer so I have created my own logo to make it look as I wanted it to, however putting the company logo straight after the guidance isn’t always the way that trailers are structured however i did not want to ruin the tension that I have tried to build up in the beginning few sequences so decided to challenge the usual layout conventions.

 In the image below is the first real footage that I will look at. In this shot you see from the stalkers eyes, which is often done in horror film of the 21^st century. I have chosen to start off the trailer in this way as it will always keep the viewer of the edge of their seat as they want to know as to how the group has ended up like that. The fact that I show this scene at the train tracks at the start and then come back to it at the end does not follow the conventions of a horror film, however I wanted to draw the viewers attention early and then keep then keep the tension in the way that they want to know what has happened. This tension is built up by the non-diagetic sound that I have recorded of someone breathing and included a heart beat over it. This style of background sound is usually used in horrors at it draws the viewer into what is going to happen, so this is another way that I have followed the conventions.

 After the train tracks scene, there is a load bang and it fades into black. Then the trailer goes back to what is represented at as the start of the film. It starts off by having a close up shot of a Happy Birthday banner which will signify to the viewer the background knowledge of the day and what may be happening. Then the shot zooms out to show a fairly small house in a normal neighbourhood which the viewer will be able to relate to which will give the feeling of security and this will draw the viewer in more as they may realise that this scenario could happen to them because they come from the same background. The idea that the viewer can relate to the scenario is a common convention in a horror as they will fear for the character more if they believe that it could happen to them.

 The group then get in the car, which is a regular family car so this should keep the viewers attention as they should continue to be able to relate to at least one of the characters. However as the group get into the car, it gives the audience a suspicion that something may happen to the car, possibly they crash or break down .This is dramatic irony (when the audience knows something the characters don't) which will add to the tension. This is added to by a reflective shot of the mother who gets into the driver’s seat, this makes the viewer wonder what may happen to her as she is specifically targeted in the shot, maybe she dies or maybe she kills them? The viewer will be asking themselves these types of questions in their mind which will help to build up the tension.

  The next shoot that the viewer will see is the car in a very rural forest which is a normal convention for a horror. The scene shows the group travelling down a long straight road in a fairly dark forest where there are no other cars around. This type of location will start to let the viewer know what will happen as they will know some characteristics so they will be waiting for something to happen.  And as expected the car breaks down in the rural forest, which is known as the complication which has to be in every horror. The complication is the scenario that happens that will cause the rest of the film to happen in the way that it does. For example if the car had not broken down then nothing would happen to the group so the complication has to take place. This complication will solve some of the questions that the viewer will have asked themselves which is good as it will also raise new question so that the viewer is always drawn into what is going on. The sense of security that the viewer had at the neighbourhood is now gone and they will be worrying about what is going to happen to the group.

 In the shot below, the group is exiting the car as the mother who has gone off to find help has not come back so they decide to try find help themselves. This will lose the finally bit of security that the viewer may have felt as they no longer have a car to be in and they trek off the road into the forest where it will hard to be found if anything happens to you. This will build up more tension as the viewer will be worrying what may happen to the group and as they are now able to relate to one of the characters, they will wonder what they would do if they were in the same situation. The viewer will be able to notice that the lighting is fading and it will soon be night in the forest so this will add to the insecurity and will remind them that just a few hours ago in the day when the sun was higher in the sky that everyone was safe in the small village.

  The next few scenes are following the group through the forest. The first shot that I really like is a high angled shot as the group are walking through the forest and they are still completely fine and they look like they aren’t worried or anything. This is not true though and the viewer will realise this and will know that6 something bad is going to happen, which is once again dramatic irony. This shot will just alliterate to the viewer that the group are safe although not for much longer!

 The next shot that I like that show the group are completely safe but will also add tension is the one below. This is a reflective shot of a puddle as the group walk past. It is showing that the group is still safe but it also shows that it is starting to rain. This added rain would usually not mean much but a convention of a horror is that the murderer strikes when it is raining, so this may start to create tension as the viewer may believe that the first murder is soon to strike.

  The first bit of real fear build up that the viewer should experience is when you are viewing from the eyes of the stalker as they are behind a tree, watching the group walking through the forest. This scene will then once again answer questions that the viewer had about what would happen and if they were attacked. However it will create new question about how they will be attacked who is following them.

 Then it cuts to a clip where you can see the oldest male who is the main character as it is his birthday so you would assume he is the last to be killed, as he is running through the forest, possibly fleeing from the stalker or possibly to save a friend? It is unaware and will give the viewer more questions to ask themselves which is a very common characteristic that I have tried to create in the entire production, as it keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat to as they gain more and more tension.

 In the shot below is my film title. This is the most basic convention of any film trailer. It has to tell the viewer what the film is called or they won’t know what they want to go see. I have used a cracked style font to add a bit of uncertainty and I believe it adds a horror type aspect to it. As well as a film title, a trailer has to include when it is going to be released so that the viewer knows when to go and see it. So I have also included this screenshot below. The title for when the film is released is in bold writing and will be displayed in two stages; firstly it will have a swipe over with the text ‘HITTING YOU’ which I believe is a good choice of words as the main character is at the train tracks so it could imply that he is about to be hit by a train but then it follows a few seconds later by the text ‘THIS SUMMER’ which then tells the viewer when to start looking for posters about the film.

 Finally the trailer returns to the opening scene where the main character is being followed by the train tracks. So this will signify to the viewer that it is the end of the trailer and that this location will probably play a key part in the actual film. The character begins to become suspicious about someone behind him as he gets to the other side of the train tracks so he turns to see if he is being followed and as he turns to see who the stalker is, a train goes by, leaving the viewer on a cliff-hanger on what happens at this location. This cliff-hanger will draw the viewer in to see what happens. I believe the cliff-hanger idea to be a development of horror media productions as it is more a convention for a situation comedy or a soap, so more television programs but i think it works really well to finish off the trailer.

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

 I started my production process in a conventional way by shooting the filming piece first and then following it up by the poster and the magazine cover, which made the entire process much easier and this also enabled me to use shots from the trailer to use in my poster.  By using the same images from the trailer, in the poster this made it very easy to link the production pieces together. I have used a very memorable shot of the Happy Birthday banner at the top of the poster so that it makes it easier for the viewer to link together, however I put the image into partly black and white to add effect but it is still the same image;

 The second image that I used was the one when the group is being watched from behind a tree by the stalker and the main character is about to turn around as I believe it to be a very important point and it shows that there will be some tension and that something may happen. It also shows the viewer who the characters are so this will be lined back to the trailer and show that they are a young cast who are easy to relate to, judging by their clothing that they are not upper class people, they are just regular teenagers

 The poster is very easy to link to the magazine cover as the same image is used. I have just added more details onto the magazine cover that would usually be found on a magazine. So all the productions are very easy to connect to each other, it’s just a matter of extra details on the poster and magazine cover so that they look more realistic and eye catching.

How have you used audience feedback to influence your production work?
 Throughout my production process I received audience feedback from many different age groups and different media knowledge levels. This feedback was a very important aspect of my final productions as it helped me gain a bigger picture of what the audience wanted and they may have had a broader image than I could achieve.

 In the production of my trailer, I got audience feedback most of the way through. When I drew up my first storyboard I continuously got opinions from people who were with me and they helped my decide locations as I had already explained to them the outline of the film. Then once I had completed my first rough draft storyboard I aimed to get an opinion from a few people who knew more about media so I asked a couple media teachers and some people in my class as well as someone from the film studies group. Most of the people that I asked said that it was a good draft however it was too much like an opening sequence so one of the teachers said that possibly I could do a scene that was correspondent in two places, for example at the start and end. This idea I thought was very good and other people thought so too, so I started to re-draw my storyboard, trying to make it more like a trailer and less like an opening sequence. Once I had re-drawn toe storyboard I went back to the same people and a few friends to get some more feedback. It was very good overall so I decided to move on and take photos for my animatic. As with the storyboard, I got a few peoples feedback after getting them to watch the animatic to see if they agreed with the locations and the types of shots I was intending on using, however the feedback used for this was from media students so that I got a better opinion. Then finally after I had shown a range of people I decided that all the shots where good and I went and shot the trailer. Only once I had started editing did I get feedback again. This was my final process so this feedback was the most influential on how the final production would be edited. After each major shoot I would edit and then get people feedback on how they thought it looked, and then once the entire trailer was put together I got a more experienced view from a teacher on how realistic it looked and how to make it more realistic. She said that it needed faster editing in order to give the best intensity so I got a few people if they agree and the conclusion was that it needed faster editing. Then once I was happy with the final production, I got some class mates opinions and then made any final changes and completed the trailer section.

 For the poster and magazine cover I did not have as much feedback but I did have a fair amount of helpful feedback. The main feedback that I found particularly helpful was from my computing teacher who used to use fireworks for his job in a previous job so his opinion was very helpful and he could actually tell me the best way to improve it and he knew that it was possible, where as some of the other suggestions where almost impossible to implement.  So at the start of the designing of these products I created a very basic poster idea which was used for one of my two ideas. The basic poster that I made, I presented to my class and I explained exactly all the details behind my thinking and then got feedback. Most of the people thought that I was thinking in too much depth and it would be hard to portray what I was trying to achieve, purely from the image. This feedback is the reason that I created a second, more basic idea then I showed to to my family, friends, and teacher to see which they found best and why. Most people did not understand what I was trying to achieve in the first idea with the good/happy half and the dramatic/ high tension half so that poster was not going to work which was disappointing as I put a lot of thought into it but I couldn’t get it across. Once I had created my final image for the poster I started work on adding extra details and then getting people ideas again to see what they thought was good and bad. The main problem I had was the names of the cast so I went back and changed all the surnames but kept the originals, as well as changing the layout a little. After completing the poster I got a few final opinions and they were all good so I went ahead and started work on the magazine cover which I chose to have the same image as the poster as it looks good and I believed it worked well, then I added some characteristics of a magazine and created a publishing logo and presented it to an audience. I was very pleased to find they were happy mostly with the magazine; they just wanted a little more detail so this was added and completed.

 Finally once all three sections where completed I got a few opinions on the items as a group to get opinions and they thought that all the products went together really well, which I am pleased with and left all them as they were. This long, timely process has enabled me to get a much better product which many people have contributed opinions to and in some ways improved the products as they were thinking into areas I was not so I believe that they have definitely  helpful and definitely added to my productions.