Tuesday 23 March 2010
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
When creating a film, you need to make sure that all the aspects of the film and promotion are linked together so that the connections between the film and products are clear and obvious; this was clear when I was looking at existing products.
All three of our final products are linked in several different ways;
• Characters/cast – Our cast appear in all of our final products. Each image we chose we had chosen for a certain reason and specifically for each product. The images we show Alice (a.k.a Catherine) she is always staring forward, with an intense stare but also a hint that there is something vacant from her.
What have you learned through audience feedback?
What have you learned through audience feedback?
Audience feedback has been important in developing our media productions for the projects duration. Initially, we used Survey Monkey to create a questionnaire, which we also printed out to get hard copies of questionnaires returned, asking target audience members about teaser trailers, genres and narrative which provided valuable feedback. You can read the full results of our questionnaire here. The questionnaire results affected our piece of work greatly as it influenced our decisions when considering our teaser trailer for our target audience. Specifically, our question on what the audience expected from a teaser trailer had two popular selected choices; ‘an introduction to the plot’ and to ‘feel emotion’. These are shown in our teaser trailer, our story shows the new friendship and then the change that develops and encourages the audience to empathise or relate to Mary, the character in our teaser trailer.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?
With the increased use of new media technologies such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube we as a group were able to use a wide variety of new technologies during the different stages of the project.
Research
During the construction and research stages questionnaires were created were uploaded to Survey Monkey and Facebook. Using Facebook meant that we could access a wider variety of young people as we got our friends to answer the questionnaire.
Although this could be consider a biased view as mainly young people answered the questionnaire on Facebook, young people are who the film is aimed at so we felt that it was acceptable to have mainly young people answer the questions.
Having the questionnaire uploaded onto Survey Monkey means that the feedback that we received was electronically recorded making it easier for us. Having the new media technologies has meant that we could access a wider audience of people and record data in an easier manner.
Research into genre
When we had chosen our genre which is psychological horror, we needed to do more research. Using YouTube in particular meant that we could look at other media students’ teaser trailers and professional teaser and full length trailers. Amateur horror teaser trailers were the most useful that we came across as we could see what did not work and it gave us inspiration for our teaser trailer.
Planning
During our filming we updated our Twitter and Blogger to inform the audience of our progress. This meant that we could keep a record of what we had done and also if anyone was following us on Twitter then they would feel involved with the progress of the film. As we are targeting Binding at a generation of people who regularly use social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook we felt that it was crucial to keep regular updates on the progress.
Before we started filming, we created a storyboard so we had a clear idea of the camera shots we would be using. After we did the storyboard, we created a short video slide show of the entire storyboard, page by page. This was then uploaded onto YouTube and then embedded onto the blog.
Evaluation
Using new media technologies when the teaser trailer was completed we put our teaser trailer not only on our website but also onto YouTube so we could get feedback from anyone who came across the teaser trailer.
We also used new media technologies throughout producing our main and ancillary tasks. Using these meant that we can access a wider audenice using these.
Research
During the construction and research stages questionnaires were created were uploaded to Survey Monkey and Facebook. Using Facebook meant that we could access a wider variety of young people as we got our friends to answer the questionnaire.
Although this could be consider a biased view as mainly young people answered the questionnaire on Facebook, young people are who the film is aimed at so we felt that it was acceptable to have mainly young people answer the questions.
Having the questionnaire uploaded onto Survey Monkey means that the feedback that we received was electronically recorded making it easier for us. Having the new media technologies has meant that we could access a wider audience of people and record data in an easier manner.
Research into genre
When we had chosen our genre which is psychological horror, we needed to do more research. Using YouTube in particular meant that we could look at other media students’ teaser trailers and professional teaser and full length trailers. Amateur horror teaser trailers were the most useful that we came across as we could see what did not work and it gave us inspiration for our teaser trailer.
Planning
During our filming we updated our Twitter and Blogger to inform the audience of our progress. This meant that we could keep a record of what we had done and also if anyone was following us on Twitter then they would feel involved with the progress of the film. As we are targeting Binding at a generation of people who regularly use social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook we felt that it was crucial to keep regular updates on the progress.
Before we started filming, we created a storyboard so we had a clear idea of the camera shots we would be using. After we did the storyboard, we created a short video slide show of the entire storyboard, page by page. This was then uploaded onto YouTube and then embedded onto the blog.
Evaluation
Using new media technologies when the teaser trailer was completed we put our teaser trailer not only on our website but also onto YouTube so we could get feedback from anyone who came across the teaser trailer.
We also used new media technologies throughout producing our main and ancillary tasks. Using these meant that we can access a wider audenice using these.
Thursday 11 February 2010
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media texts?
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media texts?
Our teaser trailer conforms to the generic conventions of the horror genre in various ways.
1. Binary opposition is presented through the comparitive shots of "Mary" looking frightened and "Catherine" looking evil. An example of this lies in the wide shot of "Mary's" hands covered in blood and "Catherine" watching her through the window (0.26 seconds in the trailer).
This physical barrier of the window also seperates the two symbolically, by showing that they are on different sides of good and evil. The comparisson between "Mary's" diegetic sound of screaming and sharp body movements to "Catherine's" stillness and angry facial expression clearly shows good and evil.
2. Gore is also incorporated in our teaser trailer by the use of fake blood, which is another generic convention of the horror genre.
3. The mise en scene also allowed us to show binary opposition. The costume and make-up choices for both of our actresses helped to reflect their character, for example, Alice's neutral make-up represents her evil side. We used a location typical of horror films; an ordinary looking street. The suburban feel of the location reflects other horror films such as "Nightmare on Elm Street", which is set on an ordinary street. We developed this however, by also including forest locations to further push the idea of surburban life.
4. Paranoia was explored in the teaser trailer, shown through the long shot of "Mary" running in the forest, apparently being chased by no one.
Vulnerability is also shown in our teaser trailer through the wide shot of "Mary" tied to a drain pipe as "Catherine" watches her through the window.
A collapse of moral order is shown when "Catherine" rows away from "Mary" in the boat in the tracking shot. This is through the idea of her leaving her stranded and not showing friendship towards her. "Mary's" diegetic sounds of shouting after her also reflects the betrayl and situation she has been put into.
5. A taboo subject that we explored in our teaser trailer was the boundaries between life and death in our plot. The idea of one of the friends actually be dead is a taboo subject in itself. Also the ideas of corruption of young adults and innocence is generally a taboo subject.
6. We attempted to make the film continue to play on the viewer's mind through the diegetic sound of "Mary" screaming "Catherine" at the end. This sharp sound occurs quickly and hopefully will shock the viewer and create a sense of unease.
Our poster also uses these conventions to allow the viewer to immediately indentify what genre the advertised film is.
1. The fear of someone watching you is present in the poster through the image of "Catherine" looking straight at the camera. We experimented with many different facial expressions and photographs before choosing a shot. Some of these experiments included her grinning, smirking and just looking straight into the camera with no emotion, which was the shot we chose in the end. This adds an eerieness to the poster and reflects the genre's conventions.
2. We also played on the idea of the audience feeling dread/suspense through the image being in black and white with blood red writing for the title. The combination of red, white and black connotes danger, evil and gore. These are all typical colours used for horror films, as we discovered in our poster research. The contrast between the red and the neutral colours and draws the viewer's eye to the most important part of the poster, the film title.
3. The forest landscape behind our actress also reflects the typical horror location we chose. It creates a sense of being surrounded, through the enclosed space created by the trees. This also serves to reflect our title and the themes of constriction.
4. We also included a review from a specific film magazine, to make the poster as realistic as possible. We chose Empire magazine as it is renowned for it's film reviews, complete with a direct quote on how the film is of the horror genre - "A reinvention of the classic ghost story".
Our website also reflects the conventions of real media texts. Firstly, we were able to put it live onto the internet, making it as realistic as possible.
1. We continued the colour scheme of red, black and white into the website. This allows us to give the message to the viewer that it is a horror film.
2. Further description of the website design can be found here. Only half of our actress' faces are shown on the website, to create a sense of mystery and unease that is often used in horror films, such as in this poster. The themes of dread/suspense is also reflected through "Mary" looking at "Catherine" with a frightened facial expression. The viewer immediately reaslises that "Catherine" will be evil and that there is a reason for "Mary" looking frightened. This also reflects the binary opposition of good and evil between the contrasting facial expressions of the two actresses. These are both central ideas used in horror films.
We also chose to surround the trailer in vines, to clearly reflect the title of the film and the constricting friendship explored in our teaser trailer.
Stef
Our teaser trailer conforms to the generic conventions of the horror genre in various ways.
1. Binary opposition is presented through the comparitive shots of "Mary" looking frightened and "Catherine" looking evil. An example of this lies in the wide shot of "Mary's" hands covered in blood and "Catherine" watching her through the window (0.26 seconds in the trailer).
This physical barrier of the window also seperates the two symbolically, by showing that they are on different sides of good and evil. The comparisson between "Mary's" diegetic sound of screaming and sharp body movements to "Catherine's" stillness and angry facial expression clearly shows good and evil.
2. Gore is also incorporated in our teaser trailer by the use of fake blood, which is another generic convention of the horror genre.
3. The mise en scene also allowed us to show binary opposition. The costume and make-up choices for both of our actresses helped to reflect their character, for example, Alice's neutral make-up represents her evil side. We used a location typical of horror films; an ordinary looking street. The suburban feel of the location reflects other horror films such as "Nightmare on Elm Street", which is set on an ordinary street. We developed this however, by also including forest locations to further push the idea of surburban life.
4. Paranoia was explored in the teaser trailer, shown through the long shot of "Mary" running in the forest, apparently being chased by no one.Vulnerability is also shown in our teaser trailer through the wide shot of "Mary" tied to a drain pipe as "Catherine" watches her through the window.
A collapse of moral order is shown when "Catherine" rows away from "Mary" in the boat in the tracking shot. This is through the idea of her leaving her stranded and not showing friendship towards her. "Mary's" diegetic sounds of shouting after her also reflects the betrayl and situation she has been put into.
5. A taboo subject that we explored in our teaser trailer was the boundaries between life and death in our plot. The idea of one of the friends actually be dead is a taboo subject in itself. Also the ideas of corruption of young adults and innocence is generally a taboo subject.
6. We attempted to make the film continue to play on the viewer's mind through the diegetic sound of "Mary" screaming "Catherine" at the end. This sharp sound occurs quickly and hopefully will shock the viewer and create a sense of unease.
Our poster also uses these conventions to allow the viewer to immediately indentify what genre the advertised film is.
1. The fear of someone watching you is present in the poster through the image of "Catherine" looking straight at the camera. We experimented with many different facial expressions and photographs before choosing a shot. Some of these experiments included her grinning, smirking and just looking straight into the camera with no emotion, which was the shot we chose in the end. This adds an eerieness to the poster and reflects the genre's conventions.
2. We also played on the idea of the audience feeling dread/suspense through the image being in black and white with blood red writing for the title. The combination of red, white and black connotes danger, evil and gore. These are all typical colours used for horror films, as we discovered in our poster research. The contrast between the red and the neutral colours and draws the viewer's eye to the most important part of the poster, the film title.
3. The forest landscape behind our actress also reflects the typical horror location we chose. It creates a sense of being surrounded, through the enclosed space created by the trees. This also serves to reflect our title and the themes of constriction.
4. We also included a review from a specific film magazine, to make the poster as realistic as possible. We chose Empire magazine as it is renowned for it's film reviews, complete with a direct quote on how the film is of the horror genre - "A reinvention of the classic ghost story".
Our website also reflects the conventions of real media texts. Firstly, we were able to put it live onto the internet, making it as realistic as possible.
1. We continued the colour scheme of red, black and white into the website. This allows us to give the message to the viewer that it is a horror film.
2. Further description of the website design can be found here. Only half of our actress' faces are shown on the website, to create a sense of mystery and unease that is often used in horror films, such as in this poster. The themes of dread/suspense is also reflected through "Mary" looking at "Catherine" with a frightened facial expression. The viewer immediately reaslises that "Catherine" will be evil and that there is a reason for "Mary" looking frightened. This also reflects the binary opposition of good and evil between the contrasting facial expressions of the two actresses. These are both central ideas used in horror films.
We also chose to surround the trailer in vines, to clearly reflect the title of the film and the constricting friendship explored in our teaser trailer.
Stef
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Evaluation questions
This is the key for our evaluation questions. Where a question has been answered, it will be in the colour of the question.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
What have you learned through audience feedback?
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
What have you learned through audience feedback?
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
Tuesday 2 February 2010
Binding is now on Digg!
As you can see (image after the jump), 'Binding's You Tube video has been added to Digg.com, allowing us to share our teaser trailer with the world. We currently have 3 diggs within the first couple of minutes. Digg also allows users to comment. Please digg us!
Monday 1 February 2010
POSTER
We have finally managed to upload our final poster!
Previously the title was white, however, we changed the colour to red to signify blood. This is a generic convention of the horror genre.
The quote from Empire is also in red so that the colour scheme is continued throughout the poster. Empire is a very popular film magazine; one of the most read in the country.
The actresses' names are at the top. We gave them equal billing as they are both unknown. However, we used Alice for the final poster as the film primarily revolves around her.
The poster also uses the ideas shown in the teaser trailer of 'Catherine' staring. We used the image in the website, poster and teaser trailer.
Thursday 28 January 2010
Website is up!
Our website is now finished!
My role in creating the website has been to design and make the website with Stef. We used the images that Nat edited as well as adding our own colour effects. We sourced the pictures for the links and used hyperlinks so when the website went live, they would work. We took a decision to make a change from the original design by adding individual red boxes for the tab bar instead of a continuous vine. This decision was made as we decided that it look to overpowering and there would be too much vine. We used the title that Nat created for the film.
Jack then took the website that Stef and I had created, embedded the YouTube video and added vines around it. He purchased the domain name bindingfilm.info and put the website live.
The website that Stef and I made, with help from Nat and Jack reflects our teaser trailer, through the colour scheme as well as the use of photos of the actresses.
Helena
My role in creating the website has been to design and make the website with Stef. We used the images that Nat edited as well as adding our own colour effects. We sourced the pictures for the links and used hyperlinks so when the website went live, they would work. We took a decision to make a change from the original design by adding individual red boxes for the tab bar instead of a continuous vine. This decision was made as we decided that it look to overpowering and there would be too much vine. We used the title that Nat created for the film.
Jack then took the website that Stef and I had created, embedded the YouTube video and added vines around it. He purchased the domain name bindingfilm.info and put the website live.
The website that Stef and I made, with help from Nat and Jack reflects our teaser trailer, through the colour scheme as well as the use of photos of the actresses.
Helena
Tuesday 26 January 2010
Finished
Today, Stef and I rerecorded the girls' dialogue for the teaser trailer. We had to do this as the sound that was picked up by the camera was not loud enough and so meant that it was difficult to hear, especially with the non-diegetic background music playing.
We then edited the recorded speech so the onscreen characters were lip-syncing and our teaser trailer is now finished. Tomorrow we will burn it onto a DVD and then uploaded it to YouTube.
Helena
We then edited the recorded speech so the onscreen characters were lip-syncing and our teaser trailer is now finished. Tomorrow we will burn it onto a DVD and then uploaded it to YouTube.
Helena
Monday 25 January 2010
New Media
I created a new Facebook group for our film with the title of the film in it, as the previous group was created when we did not have a film title.
I also created a new Twitter account for the film as the previous twitter account had the wrong film names and not all tweets were appropriate for the film.
These will help promote the film as well as the poster and website.
Helena
I also created a new Twitter account for the film as the previous twitter account had the wrong film names and not all tweets were appropriate for the film.
These will help promote the film as well as the poster and website.
Helena
BBFC 12 Logo
Through our research, it was deemed appropriate to display a BBFC logo displaying the certification of the film. As the designs show, this will be in the footer.
Guys: Is this what we want? As you can see, no background. (Images after the jump)
Black and white:
Jack
Guys: Is this what we want? As you can see, no background. (Images after the jump)
Black and white:
Jack
New producers...
We have decided to not use Hammer Productions for our teaser trailer as it does not truly encompass the type of film ours is. Instead, we are going to use Lionsgate and BBC film. BBC film suits our teaser trailer is not a big budget one, meaning it could easily be a BBC film. Lionsgate was used as it is known for producing horror films. Here are the logos for these two companies:
Stef
Sunday 24 January 2010
Hammer Productions
I was looking for the Hammer Productions logo as we decided that as Hammer Productions is a well known horror film company and would be suitable for our horror film. I found this logo which would go well in our website.
Guys, is this the Hammer Productions logo we were looking for?
Stef
Original website
Here is our original idea for the website. This was the first rough draft we came up with and we have made a few developments since.
The title "Binding" will be at the top of the website. This will be the logo that Nat created, that will also be on our poster and teaser trailer.
Directly beneath this will be a vine running accross the entirety of the page with leaves attached. These leaves will have titles to links such as "News" etc.
Our teaser trailer itself will be embedded in the center of the page and will be surrounded by leaves and vines to carry on with the binding theme of the film.
We were going to have just one of our actresses on the side of the page with only half of her face showing, an idea we were going to continue to the poster, however, we changed this to include both actresses either side of the website. Lexie who plays "Mary" will be looking at Alice, who plays "Catherine", at the other side of the website. "Catherine" will be looking directly at the viewer to make them feel a sense of unease.
Undeneath the trailer will be the "Hammer Productions" logo, the certificate 15 information and any other further information such as the date of release etc.
On the right of the website will be links to our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts so fans can keep up with the film's progression.
This plan may change as we carry on to develop the website but this was the rough idea we had!
Helena created this plan and I helped her to add a few things and the drawings. I also tooks the photos to be used. Nat cropped out photos and edited them onto the website and Jack created the vines around the teaser trailer.
Stef
Friday 22 January 2010
Start of the website
With our final design (shown below) we have started to create the website.
Stef and I created the template and layout of the website in publisher. We decided to go for a black background due to the title being black and white as continuity is important for the genre.
Nat edited the pictures so that they could be used in the website and this is the stage we are currently.
An idea we had for the website was for Alice (on the left) to be made black and white or the colour to be dimmed. This is the basic outline so far and we will add more in to make it reflective of a film website such as the age certificate. We will also add links to Twitter, YouTube and Facebook as the majority of films advertise this way as well using a website.
Helena
Stef and I created the template and layout of the website in publisher. We decided to go for a black background due to the title being black and white as continuity is important for the genre.
Nat edited the pictures so that they could be used in the website and this is the stage we are currently.
An idea we had for the website was for Alice (on the left) to be made black and white or the colour to be dimmed. This is the basic outline so far and we will add more in to make it reflective of a film website such as the age certificate. We will also add links to Twitter, YouTube and Facebook as the majority of films advertise this way as well using a website.
Helena
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Photos for poster
We took the photographs for our poster and website yesterday. These are a few of those taken that will be transfered onto a forest background to create our poster. We took shots of both the actresses together and also individual shots that can be used on the website. We took a few ones of Lexie looking in different directions in case we change the positioning of the two actresses. This will help us to save time as if we come across any problems, we have a variety of shots to choose from.Stef
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Binding
After a long time deciding we have finally chosen our film name. When deciding, we each had our own ideas on what it should be. As a group we decided that we only wanted the title to be one word, so therefore this word would have to encompass the narrative of our teaser trailer. We wanted a title that would link in with the idea of two people being joined together, but one that suggests the potential evil of the friendship. We finally decided on "Binding", because binding relates to friendship becoming too close and the bonds of friendship. Binding also links to the idea of ivy constricting and eventually killing plants such as trees.
Now we have our film name, I have finished the title design. This will be used in the teaser trailer, poster and website. This is because in real films such as Jaws the title will be used for all products. It links all of the products together.
Now we have our film name, I have finished the title design. This will be used in the teaser trailer, poster and website. This is because in real films such as Jaws the title will be used for all products. It links all of the products together.
Friday 8 January 2010
Website idea
We have now finished our teaser trailer and have begun properly working on our ancillary tasks; a website and poster for our film. In light of this, I have designed a website design.♦ The black background is meant to give a creepy and scary feel to the website and reflect the fact that it is a horror movie. Black connotes evil and mystery and we want to draw the viewers in.
♦ The combination of dark blue and black gives an eerie look the website. The links on the links bar would be outlined in midnight blue to connote evil and the horror genre.
♦ Our designed title would be at the top of the website to immediately remind the viewer of the film.
♦ Our teaser trailer would also be embedded on the website and would play automatically when the website is accessed. This will work to hopefully draw the viewer in and make them want to see the film.
♦ The soundtrack from our film would be playing as you browse through the website. A control panel would be at the top of the page so the viewer can choose between a variety of songs to listen to.
♦ Ratings from renowned film critics and magazines would be listed next to the film trailer such as Empire magazine etc to show how well the film has done, adding realism.
♦ Links to our facebook, blogger and twitter accounts would also be available to go to.
This is just one idea for now.
Stef
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