How Effective Is The Combination Of Your Main Product And Ancillary Text

In all three texts of my trailer, poster and magazine cover I tried to use different conventions and stereotypes in order to satisfy the audience. By creating synergy between the 3, audience members can easily link the three of them together. For example, by using a picture of the antagonist in both covers, this can be an indicator that it is the same film that is being promoted. The main aim of creating these texts, was to attract our audience which are from the age range of 15-35 who love adrenaline, excitement, fear and anticipation. 

Throughout the three texts it was important to include common elements of the thriller genre. By researching various conventions before pursuing the production, I had the knowledge of how other media products attract and satisfy their target audience. One of the main conventions that I used in all three texts, was low key lighting. Usually consisting of black, red and grey. These colours were also heavily used in other real media products within the same genre. The colours add a feeling a danger and anxiety within the audience, which is something that all thriller films and products try to achieve in order to meet the audiences expectation. For example, the red connoted blood which can therefore signify the level of violence expected in the film. As a result, those audience members looking for violence and action will be attracted to my three texts. 

I received feedback that the images I chose for the poster and magazine cover, build up anticipation as the audience are unable to identify the antagonist's face. I chose to include the antagonist on the print texts, because it shows the importance of the character in the film as he is seen to be the main character. Our USP is that our film has a heavy emphasis on the antagonist himself, rather than the victim. For example, when researching other media texts such as Se7en and Zodiac they tend to focus more on the investigation side of things and the perspective of the victim/s. However, by introducing the antagonist to the audience like what is seen in The Silence Of The Lambs trailer, the audience are left wondering about how the storyline may end up, making them want to watch the film even more. For the images on both covers, I decided to have the antagonist in a hoodie, which connotes to the audience that he is a delinquent in society and he goes against the social norms. Therefore suggesting that he could be dangerous. 

The narrative of our trailer, looks at how ordinary people can be targeted for a horrible crime such as the kidnapping that is briefly show. In the trailer, the audience are shown brief snapshots of what would happen in the real film. As a result, they can form an understanding of whether or not they would meet our demographic criteria. We decided to show each main aspect of the film in a small dose, ranging from the investigation, the victims and the antagonist's actions. I believe that the plot of our film will attract the typical audience of the thriller genre. It offers an insight into the normal, stereotypical life of a female teenager, whilst also looking at the pain and deviant the acts that are conducted by the antagonist. The narrative of our trailer reflects this, by using different editing techniques to match to the mood such as fast pace editing, to build up the the excitement and anxiety within the audience. 

In the trailer for Love Me, there is a relationship that is suggested between the Rosey and Daniella who both fall victim to the antagonist's actions. They are best friends, and the fact that Daniella has been let off, this indicates to the audience that she is involved in trying to get Rosey back. The audience are also shown a shot of a knife drop when the voice over says "your daughter has been kidnapped". The pink knife and female hand suggests that this could be the Rosey's mother. However, no relationships between characters are shown in the print texts. However, by using images of just the antagonist means that he has no friends and is a loner in society. This adds to the dramatic effect, as the audience are informed of his struggles, which can lead to violent outbursts that can cause harm.  

The main aim of my three texts, was to ensure that the genre of thriller and its conventions, were included. The main narrative of our production was that of a kidnapping. This is something that is stereotypically seen in other media films such as Taken. By creating synergy throughout all three texts, I was able to stay focused on making sure I can challenge and conform to various convention of the thriller genre. One way of doing this, was by using using similar fonts throughout. I purposefully chose fonts that created a feeling of unease. Furthermore, in the poster and magazine covers, the use of the red font is something that is seen in other real media products of similarity. In example, this is seen in the poster for Shutter Island.

In our trailer, we used various visual effects such as the use of black and white and the sci-fi filter. These were used in order to create a feeling of instability for the audience. These effects were also used in order to have low key, dim lighting throughout the trailer as this is a common convention in other thriller trailers. When showing the antagonist in the church, we used a dream filter, that altered the perception of the shot. As a result, the audience feel as though it is part of an actual dream, rather than something that could happen in real life. This also connotes to the audience that a sense of deja vu may occur. In the poster and magazine cover, I focused heavily on the colour scheme consisting of darker colours. To do this I reduced the amount of colour shown in the pictures, and by also altering the colour on photoshop. This element has therefore crested synergy throughout all three texts. In addition, I made sure this was a key element as I found it was such a common feature of the thriller genre. This changed the way I thought about taking the photos for my covers, as I made sure it was nightfall before I got the images. This is purely down to the fact that I needed to synergise the low key lighting in all three texts. In the trailer we also found that filming in winter time was a positive, as the sunlight soon faded and the damp weather added to dramatic effect. 

In the trailer and poster cover, I made sure that the institutional information was included. This was a common convention of all real media texts. However, I did not find it to be something that is included in magazine covers, so I decided that it would be unnecessary to include this in my magazine cover. Furthermore, the institutional information included the roles and people involved in the process of making the product of Love Me. It offers the chance for the audience to see the people who were included and gives those involved the opportunity to receive credit. I made sure that the information was located at the bottom of my poster, and at the end of the trailer. This was because during my research I found this to be a typical convention used by other media products. 

In conclusion, I believe that my three texts have been successful in attracting my target audience, as I have managed to create synergy and provide stereotypical conventions of the thriller genre which can meet the audiences expectations. By evaluating the effectiveness of my texts, I have to consider the improvements that could have been made. Looking back, I would have changed some of the fonts of the magazine cover to make it look more bold and inviting. Also, I think it would have been good to have dialogue between characters in the trailer, which could have given the audience an opportunity to know the narrative more in depth and to form relationships with the characters. Nevertheless, I feel as though my 3 texts have accurately reflected the nature of the thriller genre. Even challenging the conventions in the trailer, meant that the production could be more unique and can offer the audience something new that they may like. My campaign has been great to understand what is takes to make a texts that can satisfy audience member, and I have developed crucial skills that I will use for the rest of my life. 

In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms Of Conventions From Real Media Products

Frame 1- Production company logo
This picture shows the production company logo that we used at the very start of our trailer. We decided to have this feature at the start of the trailer, in order to mirror the work of real media products. When researching into not only thriller trailers, I found that film institutions always promote themselves at some point in the trailer, in order to inform the audience as to who was involved with the production of the film. So, by including the name of our production company I believe that it made the trailer seem more professional from the get go giving our audience immediate confidence. The logo itself conforms to the typical conventions of the thriller genre itself, we thought that the dark low-key lighting would connote to the audience that the trailer is going to consist of sinister acts. In addition, the logo shows a dark isolated location, which is a stereotypical convention that is included in thriller films. For example, this is seen in the trailer of Zodiac.

As a result, our logo itself can make viewers feel anxiety and therefore increase the anticipation up to the trailer. Looking back at the research I did, large media companies such as Warner Bros, sometimes change their logo to match what film they are showing. For example, this can be seen in the trailer for Suicide squad where the production image is seen to be portrayed in a different way which gives an uneasy feel to the trailer itself. So, when deciding on our logo, we wanted something that could be matched with the nature of our film.

I believe we did in fact manage to follow the conventions of the genre by showing the audience an image of something they would fear in a real life situation. For example, in thriller films such as Se7en there is a heavy emphasis on the "good vs evil" concept that was shown between the detectives and the serial killer. This acts as a binary opposite, which to some extent is something that we included in our production logo. The high key bright white lighting, contrasts against the low key light of the background which acts as a juxtaposition. This indicates to the audience that there is a sense of good vs bad which is represented through the storyline of the film. Therefore, following and developing the conventions of real media products.

Frame 2- Storyline/plot
The image I used to represent our plot was the prop that we used where the audience could see a POV shot from the perspective of the detective. By creating a map of the potential victims of the antagonist's acts, the audience can comprehend his wrath and negative influence on other people that could potentially be in the film. The black and white effect connotes that the point in time where the detective is viewing the board, is in the past. This creates tension within the audience as it suggests that the kidnapping has already taken place and the outcome has already been destined. This is something that is a common convention of the thriller genre that is seen in other media products, for example the trailer in Se7en shows that the antagonist has already committed the crimes that forces were not able to prevent. As a result, this acts as a marketing strategy to attract those who are seeking a thrilling and exciting film plot. Our plot itself can be seen to be slightly relatable to real media products such as Kiss the Girls and The Perfect Guy as we took some inspiration from the two. This is because they seem to be best able to attract both male and females, as it includes the typical violence we usually see in thriller films such as Split and some sort or distorted romance that females would be more interested in. By including a sense of love in our plot, it goes against the stereotypical conventions of the thriller genre as it may not seem to give audience members anxiety and anticipation that danger might provide. Nevertheless, I believe by portraying our antagonist as a mentally ill man that conducts malevolent acts, we were able to take a contemporary twist compared to other media products of the same genre.

Frame 3- Settings and effects
Choosing the right settings was crucial in making sure our trailer was effective in making sure we use and challenge the conventions of other media products. For example, filming at night time created a more dangerous and sister feel to trailer. This was a typical convention of other thriller trailers, including trailers such as the one for Zodiac. The image shown for frame 3 features the ending shot of our trailer where a canted angled shot is used to show a swing, swinging. This was important in showing the dangers that can occur in a public environment, having a greater impact on the audience. Research into Kidnapped showed us how a park can act as a juxtaposition, as it can represent enjoyment and fun, however it can also host many dangers that all parents dread to think about. So, in this aspect Love Me does follow this convention that is also seen in Kidnapped.
Another setting that we included in our trailer, was that of a church. This was something that the group decided to add to the plot of the film when we went out filming for the second time.
Furthermore, when researching real media products I found that the use of religious imagery was used. As a result, this location allows the audience to realise that our antagonist is troubled and is seeking for guidance. To add to the effect of the church scenes, we used various filters to add unease within the audience. This was something that I didn't really come across when looking at other trailers of the same genre. This may have due to the fact large media corporations have access to better equipment and locations. Nevertheless, I believe that without these filters it would not go with the typical conventions of the genre as the lighting was too bright and it did not seem sinister enough. The filter we used for the picture above was labelled sic-fi giving a paranormal feel when viewing.

Frame 4- Props and costumes
This frame shows the candle that we used in our trailer. We decided to use a candle as it was a prop that could give imbalance to our trailer which is a common convention of other thriller trailers such as Split. A candle is universally known, and people can use it for many different reason. The flame itself can connote a sense of danger to the audience, however it could also represent the nature of the kidnapping. We took a close up of the candle whilst having a dark background, to fully emphasise the its importance in the plot. Looking back at my research, I did not see the use of a candle in any of real media products of the same genre. So, this means that by using this we did in fact challenge the conventions of the genre, which is something that the audience might like to see.
Other props we used included the use of a knife where it can be seen being dropped. This, with the synchronous sound of thunder makes the audience realise the significance of the scene. A knife drop of similarity is shown in the kiss the girls trailer. Therefore, we used and developed the conventions of other media products in order to satisfy our audience and meet their expectations.
When evaluating what costumes we used in our trailer, I feel like we were effective in making sure that both female characters Rosey and Daniella, were wearing up to date trendy clothes. This is because this creates a sense of realism within the audience and it enhances the realisation that they are two normal, stereotypical girls. Furthermore, this is something that follows the typical convention of the thriller genre, as when relating it back to my research the victims shown in other trailer all wear stereotypical clothes in order to connote the the audience that this can happen to anybody. Resulting in a rise in fear and anxiety. Trailers showing this include Se7en, The Purge and The Girl On The Train.

Frame 5- Camera shots
The image I chose for this frame, is that of a low shot of our antagonist. I felt that there was a large importance in making sure we use the correct shot types in order to signify different meanings. This low shot of our antagonist is used to make him look big and powerful. As a result, the audience are informed of his dominance and strength that they may see in the actual film. On the other hand, we used high angle shots to show the vulnerability of our victim Rosey. Other media products tend to do this in order to show meaning through camera work, which may give the audience an unconscious understanding of what it represents.
We also used an extreme close up shot to show the emotion of Rosey when she has been kidnapped. Using an extreme close up was something that I did not think about using in my AS production. I believe that this shows the development I have made in this media course. The feedback we got from using the extreme close up was very positive, as it is not commonly used on characters themselves in other trailers of real media products of the thriller genre.
Another important shot type was the establishing shot we used. This is evident at the start of the trailer, and it opens it up to the rest of the production. This establishing shot was used to inform the audience of where the antagonist might be. Furthermore, this is something that is also seen in the trailer for zodiac. At the beginning, we see an establishing shot of the city where the film is set. As a result, the audience are aware of where the events take place, and this may increase their anxiety if they are in close proximity to the setting.
By planing the various of types of shots we wanted to use, we were follow the direction that other media products take, as they also have a wide range of shot types in order to interest and engage the audience. This is something that I found to be in every genre of film, as it is a fundamental aspect that all audience members want to see in order to meet their expectations.

Frame 6- Inter titles
The inter titles that we decided on using in our trailer were used to engage with the audience. We took inspiration from the real media product of Kiss The Girls where the titles come up separate to the footage, whilst having a white and black contrast of colours. However, I feel as though we developed from this as our text in our titles start to flicker, which synchronises with the fast paced jittery editing that we commonly see in thriller trailers. In addition, we do seem to challenge the conventions of real media products, because I did not see any titles that directly addressed the audience when researching various thriller trailers. They usually state the people involved, however we felt as though this did not go well with our trailer because nobody knows who we are as we lack star power. Instead, by asking the audience questions, I believe that they will be more engaged in the trailer as a whole as they will be thinking about how it can apply to themselves.

Frame 7- Introducing characters
The picture for frame 7 shows the characters of Rosey and Daniella who are the girls that fall victim to our antagonist.We used the from of conventions from real media products as it is important for the audience to see who is involved in the film, including the victims. This can be seen in se7en, where the audience are shown before hand the wife of the detective.

The scene that of frame 7 is where the two characters are walking towards the camera, shorts followed by a close up of the antagonist's footsteps signifying that he is stalking them and something is about to happen. This therefore builds up the anticipation which is seen in most thriller trailers produced by real media products.
Something that I realised when looking at various trailers, is that most of them have non-diegetic sound which we did not include in ours. This was because we simply did not have the acting skills to match the dangerous mood of the trailer. However, we used voiceovers of the characters themselves offering the audience more diegetic sound which adds to the dramatic effect.
Although we did not let the audience see the face of the antagonist, we challenged the conventions of real media products of thriller films by including him in the trailer. Looking at Se7en and Zodiac they both do not include the face of the antagonist which makes the audience feel more anticipation up to the lead up of the reveal. However, whilst this is very effective, the audience may like the change as they will be aware of the type of person the antagonist is, who seems to be someone they may see in everyday life. This creates more fear as the audience will feel as though this can happen to them.

Frame 8- Magazine front cover
By looking at other magazine covers which included films of the thriller genre, I managed to develop an understanding of the typical conventions that are used. I found that dark colours such as red and black were commonly used, so I made sure this was something that I implemented in my magazine cover. The dark colours also creates synergy throughout my media products. Other conventions include, a large dominating title, a barcode, any quotes, whats inside and other films that are featured in the magazine in the magazine. I tried to incorporate as many of these as possible in an attempt to make a successful and effective cover that can both attract and appeal to the audience. I used Google to research and view other covers, which I could always refer to when seeking for any creative ideas. Some elements of my magazine cover can relate to other genres such as horror and action, as features such as main image and the mist covering the bottom half of the cover, can attract other people who may not be a fan of thriller films into watching Love Me.

Frame 9- Poster cover
Like the magazine cover, I looked at other posters to give me an indication of what the common conventions are. They included similar ones to the magazine covers such as the use of dark colours and a main image of one or more of the characters included. The frame shows the poster I created, which included a sinister image of the antagonist with a large tree in the background. The fact that the tree had no leaves added to the anxiety the audience feels because of the fact that it looks lifeless which may give an indication of the nature of the film. This is a typical convention that other real media products in the thriller genre use to also create a sense of danger. I decided to challenge the conventions of some media products, as when I researched various ones of the same genre, most of them had a main image of one of the characters face. However, in mine the main image is still large and evident but there is also a heavy emphasis on the use of background. For example, the poster that I saw for One Missed Call had just a black background, whereas my poster has something that the audience can look at from the background.

What Have You Learnt From Your Audience Feedback?

Throughout the production of Love Me, we received various feedback which informed us to the positive and negatives of the videos we made. Furthermore, it was satisfying to hear what people liked about what we had made, but it was more important to consider the criticisms that the audience had. By listening to what people thought was good about the trailer, it gave us an indication as to what we should keep however, by considering the negatives we were able to change and adapt our trailer to make it create more anticipation and anxiety which is something that I found common in other thriller trailer. This would therefore, make our trailer more successful at conforming to the typical conventions of the thriller genre.

As  a group, we made a unified decision that we were to make at least one draft that we could use to see the initial reaction from the audience. This came to great use, because we did not get the chance to present the idea to classmates, as we decided to change our idea from 'Instinct' to Love Me.

The first draft we received various feedback from classmates, teachers and other people that we showed:



Positives

• Great change in pace towards the end
• Good use of titles that signified the genre of thriller
• Variety of shot types used, such as low angle shots to show vulnerability

Negatives

• Some useful shots are used that do not fit in with the theme of the trailer
• Too short, bordering on a teaser trailer
• No dialogue or voice overs used, therefore does not engage the audience as much because it does not disclose any information as to what the film is actually about
• More sound effects should be used in order for the trailer to create a higher level of excitement within audience members
• Needs more sound layering 

So, overall as we expected we needed to make improvements to our trailer. In order for our trailer to become more effective in attracting our audience, we took on board what was said and we went about making some changes.

Change 1

Firstly, by looking back at our research we realised that most of the trailers were around the 2 minute mark, so this was the sort of duration we were looking for as it would follow the generic conventions of thriller trailers, which would therefore be successful at satisfying our audience. To do this, more filming had to be done so we made sure we could get our hands on the equipment needed in order to film again. After this, by adding new shots and dialogue, we were able to extend the trailer to 1:27 which is shown below. 

Change 2
One criticism that we received in our first draft, is the fact that it did not include any dialogue which could range from voiceovers to diegetic sounds. In our second draft we changed this due to the feedback we received, so as a result we made changes that include creating a scene where three characters interact verbally and two voiceovers. This added depth which allowed the audience to understand what the film is about, without giving too much away. The voiceover was made to sound creepy, therefore following the conventions of the genre. We specifically made a scene where the detective informs the mother of the Rosey (kidnapped girl) of the awful news. This meant that the audience could be more engaged into what is happening as they seek to understand what is going on, which is something that we included as a result of the feedback we were given.

Change 3
When showing our first draft, the feedback we commonly got from class mates, was that there were some unclear shots that were included which didn't really make any sense. At first, we did not film enough shots so we found that we had to put some useless shots in just to fill up time. This was of course a mistake, which became apparent when receiving feedback. Even the fact that the audience picked up on this, was something that we learnt from because if there is not enough that has been done for the trailer the audience will notice. So, in our second draft, we kept the timeline like the first trailer but we made sure we included shots that had meaning to ensure that Love Me was portrayed in a sinister way.

Change 4
We decided to include more sound effects, as a our audience feedback included that there was not enough sound layering. After implementing the sound effects, we learnt that small sounds can make a huge impact on how the audience feel. For example, the thunder sound effect connotes the pain and frustration from the mother when she drops the knife in shock. Sound layering also keeps the intensity of the trailer, as we found when our audience felt they were more engaged in the acoustic side of the trailer in the second draft.

These changes to our second draft can be seen in our second draft below. I believe that the feedback we received from this trailer, gave us the insight and opportunity to improve our trailer in the future. A result of this, is that we be engaging the audience more and will therefore satisfy them to a higher level.

The second draft feedback:

Positives

• More dialogue was used
• We found that our media teacher liked our voiceover
• Better than the first draft, as it is longer and informs the audience of more events in order to increase the chance they would see the film
• New shot types such as the over the shoulder shots showing the conversation between the detective and the mother of Rosie (the girl that went missing), was effective in engaging the audience as to what they were saying

Negatives

• No filters are used, which could increase the creepy ambiance which we wanted to connote
• Zoom in shots could be of good use, to give an almost rollercoaster effect to the audience. This would therefore increase the excitement, which is something that I found in other thriller trailers. A simple zoom in shot can enhance the engagement of the audience which allows us to charter what specific events the audience pay more attention to. 
• Include more low key lighting at the start of the trailer, as it is a typical convention of the thriller genre
• The detective (me at first) looked too young to be seen as a intellectual individual who has a lot of previous experience in solving kidnappings
• Tells too much of a story

Change 1
The change that seemed most important was making sure we had a good variety of filters that we could apply on our shots. This was something our teacher suggested when they felt as thought there wasn't enough low-key lighting at the start of the trailer. This was something that is not common in the thriller genre, as bright lighting does not signify danger. After experimenting with iMovie, we soon found how to access the different filters. Furthermore, this enabled us to include a flashback, and it also combatted the issue of the lighting being to bright. As a result, the consistency of darker colours, meant that we could create tension and anxiety in the audience throughout the duration of the trailer.

Change 2
After making this video we thought we had finished it. But after hearing our audiences feedback the faults that we could not see before suddenly became apparent. For example, after showing the class and media teachers, they all seemed to comment on the scene where the detective is seen to talk to the mother of the character Rosey. The common feedback was the the person who played the detective did not strike them to be someone in this profession as they were too young. This is something that we wanted to avoid, as one thing that I found interesting in the trailer for Se7en, is that the older the detective is, the more intelligent and wise they seem. As a result, this directly affects the level of anticipation the audience feel, because if they have faith in the detective it adds to the excitement when is comes to the process of catching the antagonist. So, we had to take out this scene as it did not follow the conventions of thriller trailers as it did not seem fit when looking back. However, not all was bad as we managed to get a shot of an older looking actor who volunteered to get involved. This was then used in the final video for Love Me. This scene also had to get taken out due to it not fitting in with the overall low key lighting throughout the trailer. This especially became apparent when we applied filters to other shots that we filmed during the day. Overall, hearing this feedback made the trailer seem more interesting and exciting, taking away the realisation that it was made on a low cost production.

Change 3
Another room for improvement also came from our audience, as they suggested to include a zoom shot in order to captivate the audience, We decided to implement 3 in fact but this was done on iMovie, we did not use the zoom option on the camera, which if we went back it would have probably been better to do so. This seemed to make our shots look more interesting and distorted, conforming to the typical conventions of the thriller genre. The zoom shot also made us realise that we can use it to manipulate what the audience see's, for example if there are any clues as to what could go on in the film a zoom shot into an object or someone can give subtle hints away as to what is significant. We did this when showing the detective in our final video looking at people who are missing, this connotes to the audience that there could be more than one person being kidnapped by the antagonist, or to just emphasise the fact he is the detective in the film.

Change 4
The voiceover was also changed from the second draft to the final video. Audience members felt as though it was not sinister and creepy enough due to the type of voices we have. To overcome this, we applied a voice change where we could make his voice seem muffled, to add to the anxiety this would make the audience feel.

The final product feedback:

Positives

• Most of the positives shown above
• Filters gives a more mysterious feel to the trailer
• Detective looked the part this time, as having a 17 year old detective does not go along with the theme of the trailer, and that of thriller films. Teachers said it looked bizarre which did not make the audience feel anxiety throughout. 
• Scream at the end was good, as it made people jump. The jump effect is something that I found was commonly used in the thriller genre. Whilst researching, I found that there was in fact a jump scare in the trailer for shutter island towards the end of the trailer. This gets the audiences heart rates racing, developing a level of excitement

Negatives

• No dialogue between characters

After the changes that were made throughout the production of the trailer, it seemed that the audience did in fact enjoy this trial the most. This indicated that their feedback was beneficial in making our trailer better at representing a thriller trailer. Furthermore, showing the great importance of the audience and their expectations, which all film businesses have to consider. We also conducted a small questionnaire where we asked audience members to rate our trailer out of 10. We found that is was an equal split between the enjoyment level and the gender of the audience member. Therefore, indicating that we were successful in making sure we attract both male and females to our demographic. 

Film poster cover feedback:

Positives

• Good main image
• Effective font 

Negatives

• Bland towards the top
• Main text should be bigger
• Darker red for the main text
• Could add a star rating to fill up space 

From making this poster, I learnt that dark colours and creepy fonts, best represent a thriller film. Throughout the development of making this poster, teachers and students always seemed to compliment the features that create a sense of anxiety. For example, the "will she be saved" cover line is in a font where it looks like it has been calved by a knife. The red colour font also connotes blood and danger to he audience, which is something that adults and students liked when looking at my poster. This indicates that creating a feeling of anxiety and danger in a poster is crucial in making sure it is effective at representing the thriller genre. 

Film magazine cover feedback:
On the right shows the direction I started to take for my magazine cover, however after then looking sat thriller magazine covers on the internet and receiving feedback from my teacher, it was clear that I needed to change most aspects in order to conform to the conventions of a thriller cover.

Positives

• Some good fonts used
• Mist is effective

Negatives

• Does not look like a thriller movie cover as it does not conform to the conventions of the genre
• Top half not as good
• Usually in magazine covers, the audience can see the main image and who it is

Change 1
I went about changing the colour scheme of my magazine cover. I decided to use the colours of red, black, white and grey which were the type of colours that I found to be present in other magazine covers promoting thriller films. This was because having feedback from a teacher and a student, they did not feel that what I was working towards (shown on the left) represented the thriller genre. Moments like this helped me develop my knowledge of the genre, and how I can use conventions to attract our audience.  After hearing feedback that the colours were not dark enough, I learnt that this is in fact essential as bright colours do not give the audience feelings of fear and anticipation. As a result, after finishing my final cover shown on the left, the same teacher said it looked a lot more sinister. Furthermore, her initial feedback therefore helped me make my magazine cover better at compelling the audience.

Change 2
The image on the left was criticised by media students for having too many different fonts. Looking at the cover on the left now, you can barely even see what is shown in text on the right hand side. This is something that isn't common in media magazine covers, as they need to show text that will catch people's eye. Also my media teacher said it is best to not put text over the main image, as this is not a convention of any magazine covers. This is then something that I found when looking at other thriller magazine covers on google images. Furthermore, I believe by changing the fonts, the magazine cover on the right looks more eery and professional due to the change in colours to show more black and red.

Other Changes
One problem that became evident is that the first cover shown on the right just did not seem to show the general conventions of other thriller magazine covers. To overcome this, I practically started again as it was not working out. As I was struggling to make it work, the feedback and conversations I had with our audience, helped me understand and think of new create ways in which I could make a cover that could connote instability and menace. To do this, I changed the complete top half, by altering the fonts and colours of the masthead and the cover line. In addition, having downloaded a danger slanted font from urban fonts, I was able to use a font where 'Love Me' looks more menacing and scary. If it wasn't for a group member recommending this, I wouldn't have realised I could have done this and applied it to my cover. I decided to keep the misty effect, as the audience felt like this gave the cover a feel of mysteriousness, which is something that is common in other magazine covers. However, features like the bubble effect containing text had to be changed to make it look more professional, as the audience felt that the first one I made was a strange shape and did not seem to match the nature of our productions. So, by changing the size, colour and shape the audience then felt that it did in fact have a successful place in the cover, as it followed the conventions of the genre and it clearly showed the text inside.
I mean, one member of our audience suggested that the cover on the left looked like a fishing magazine.

So, throughout the production of Love Me, the audience feedback we received was crucial in making our trailer and my ancillary texts better at representing the thriller genre. In addition, this came down to factors such as the camera shots, editing, sound, mise en scene and photoshop work. By working with new technologies such as iMovie and Photoshop, I was able to respond the feedback we received. For example, when the class made a recommendation to lower the volume of the traffic passing in the second draft as you could not hear the voice over properly, I could easily bring iMovie up and change this without having to connect to Wi-Fi at the school. As a result, as a group we were able to change our trailer to meet the audiences expectations, which is one of the most important parts of making a trailer and film. I thoroughly believe that the feedback I received, helped me better understand how to challenge and conform to the typical conventions of the thriller genre in order to increase the audience satisfaction rate.

How Did You Use New Media Technologies In The Construction, Research, Planning And Evaluation Stages

Throughout the whole of the production process for Love me, I used various media technologies in order to help me research, plan and execute Love Me as a thriller film that would captivate the audience.

Camera- The Canon EOS 600D

I have never been one to buy into good quality cameras, so before experimenting with this camera, I did not have much of an idea as to how to use one. However, after somebody showing us the basics of how to use it we were well on our way for the construction of our trailer. The first task was to get hold of this camera, it was simple to get as I went to the photography department for the school, and was able to rent one out for the weekend. After the first weekend of filming, we realised it was going to take a few more days to finish of the rest of the filming. This was due to the fact as we were filming new ideas came to mind which means we did not get all of the shots we needed in order to make the trailer. But, this was no issue as the school was very supportive of our production, so we managed to rent the camera for a few extra days by signing a sheet. A plus side for going through the school to get this camera, was the fact that it was free of charge which meant the cost of production was very low. This piece of technology was very good at picking up images in low-key lighting which was essential for our trailer as it follows the conventions of the thriller genre. The HD camera also allowed us to make smooth and high quality footage that could be used in our trailer. The camera was arguable the most important element for our production. This is because we were able to get various shot types with this camera in order to show different representations. The camera itself came in a case, with a spare battery and all of the pieces that were needed. Moreover, it was light and easy to carry around whilst filming. As a result, we saved time as we did not have to worry about the transportation of the camera, it could be taken anywhere due to its small size. The camera had a few features that we found interesting, for example we discovered that the camera could zoom without losing the high definition. Therefore, using this feature meant that we could film more diverse shots which appeal to the audience. The camera also came with a tripod which further allowed us to make great use of it. This way the shots were more steady and we were able to do different shot angles such as low angle shots which could be done by alternating the tripod as it was adjustable. In conclusion, this made our trailer more effective as low angle shots showed the antagonist as more powerful to the audience. However, we did use hand held shots in order to allow for unsteady shots, which we found added an uneasy and imbalanced feel that is often found in thriller films.
Here are the features that I found on the internet for this camera:

iMovie- 

This was the editing software that was used to construct our trailer. I had previous experience with the program having using it in our AS production of Stella Fellas, however after looking into the software more in depth it meant that I could use more features that I was unaware of. I used iMovie on a Apple Mac computer. It was easy to understand and it offered various effects that could contribute to making our trailer fit the thriller genre. For example. it offered a variety of filters for shots, resulting in a more diverse trailer. For example, we used a black and white filter in order to show a flash back to the audience, which is a common convention in films. After looking through iMovie I discovered that it offered a "scary" template that we could fill with the appropriate footage. Moreover, this meant that we could have access to titles that were very eery and distorted. We chose to include this in the trailer because we believed it perfectly conformed to the conventions of the thriller genre. It is very engaging and it adds to the overall quality of our trailer as it makes it look more professional. This is one of the problems we tried to tackle, we wanted to make sure we made a trailer that did not look like it was made on a small budget. After transferring the template into the timeline, the software allowed us to crop shots, to cancel out any unnecessary backdrop. We were also able to sound layer in order to make sure we had fitting sound for our trailer. Bangs, lightening strikes and more sounds were used that were all on offer on iMovie. This made it much easier to access different sounds, as we would not have any issues with copyright. As a result, it saved us from having to get free music on the internet, instead we had all the sounds needed in this software alone. iMovie also had a variety of transitions that we could use, ranging from fade to black, fade to white, cross cut, ripple effect and cross dissolve. Moreover, these effects allowed us to make a smooth trailer, and each transition had a meaning and purpose in the trailer. For example, the fade to black was used to connote that something dark and dangerous was going to happen, which increased the thrill of the trailer. It was a pre-warning to the audience that something is going to happen for the worst.

Photoshop

I used Photoshop to make both my magazine cover and poster for Love Me. At first, I found it difficult to use the software, as I wasn't sure how to make my ideal final product. However, after asking other people and watching Youtube videos I had a better understanding on how to use the different tools to make it look how I wanted. For the poster and magazine cover, it was important to make sure when the audience look at it they immediately associate the poster with a thriller film. One problem with our production, is the fact that if not represented in the right way, it could come across as a romantic film, which is not the case. With the many features photoshop has to offer, it made it easier to create what I envisioned that had the potential to create synergy. One way I did this, was by having our antagonist as the main image in both covers so the audience could associate both the poster and magazine cover with our film. This was something I found when researching other films, they usually had the main characters shown in both covers. I used various effects of photoshop, such as altering the colour and contrast of the image, to conform to the convention of the thriller genre by having dark colours and lighting such as black and grey to annotate an eerie ambiance to the audience. Furthermore, by having the ability to layer on photoshop, I could successfully build my poster and magazine cover around he main image, including the masthead, coverlines and the head line. As a result, I could create covers that gave the audience a chilling effect, which could also lead to the audience feeling a certain level of anxiety. This means that I conformed to some of the conventions of thriller posters and magazine covers, because this is the effect it gave me. 

Blogger is the software that I used to keep a record of my research, planning and evaluations. As a whole, it is very easy and straight forward to use which made it a more simple task to make sure I kept on track with updating my blog. I found myself using blogger not only on my computer, but also on my mobile phone. Moreover, this allowed me to use my phone to update or create any posts at any given time giving the opportunity for fantastic accessibility. As a result, Blogger made it much easier to note down anything that would have helped me in the different stages of the production. The most important aspect that was beneficial, was the fact that the software allowed for my teachers to view what progress I have made and make any comments that could be of beneficial to me. Overall, I much preferred Blogger to the Blogspot that I used last year for my AS production of Stella Fellas. This is because the layout is easy to work around, and through technological convergence I managed to download the Blogger app on my mobile phone which came to great use when uploading posts wherever I was. Overall, the software was clearly laid out which enabled me to manoeuvre around the site with ease, and it also allows you to change the date on blog posts. Moreover, I could make my blog in a order which is chronological, creating a better read and portrayal of the production of Love Me. 

As a group, we used PowerPoint to present our initial idea for Instinct. As a result, we were able to pitch the plan, and receive feedback from the class. In addition, it is a straight forward software that allowed us to use images and text to help portray what our idea was. However, this did not come to good use as we completely changed our first idea. Nevertheless, this decision was changed due to the feedback we received. It seemed the plot did not quite add up as the black outs could not be explained as even we did not know where we were heading with it. All of the group had experience in using PowerPoint which enabled us to make it how we imagined. However, looking back at the presentation now, I believe we could have including slides that explained the plot, mise en scene, sound, editing and camera shots in more detail. This would have given the viewers a better idea of what the film was about. 

Social networking sites:

Facebook and Facebook messenger messenger 
The majority of the communication throughout the group and with the actresses, as through the use of Facebook Messenger. By creating a group, we were allowed to communicate together, which allowed us to plan and organise the planning process and the execution of our trailer. As a result, we were more organised, for example when the day came to film everybody knew when and what time we had to meet. We also created a Facebook page to advertise our film, this made people aware of our trailer and by posting on the page, it meant that people could give any feedback they wished to give. This could range from people saying what they liked about it, and what they may thought could be improved.

Snapchat
This app was used at some point in the planning process. We used snapchat to keep in touch with the actresses Shania and Isa. Furthermore, Snapchat has became a huge success and more and more people are getting involved in using it so we used this as an opportunity to further inform the girls as to what is happening. 

Twitter

This media technology was the software that was used to promote our film. Henry sent out a tweet in search for anyone who is interested in volunteering with our project. Shania then replied soon after saying her and Isa would get involved. This is something that made us realise how media technology effects us in life, because none of us knew them well. In addition, this is something that really helped us to connect with people who we wouldn't really expect to communicate with. 

YouTube was used during both the planning, and final stages of the production of Love Me. As a group we decided to make as many drafts as we could, which could enable us to receive feedback to make improvements. As a result, the final product represents the thriller genre best, as we made sure each time we revisited filming and editing, we would challenge and conform to thriller conventions. Youtube also made it easy to upload videos, as I had previous experience using it from my AS production. In addition, this meant that teachers and students could watch it from school, allowing us to receive any feedback. This was something that before February 2005, people were not able to do because this was when the business was founded. With this in mind, it is a reminder that new media technologies such as Youtube, are allowing easier access for film companies to promote their films.

Prezi

Founded in 2009, Prezi has grown massively in popularity with over 75 million people being part of the community. This is a visual storytelling software which is typically used as an alternative to PowerPoint presentations. I used this to show a slight plan as to what costumes was to be used in the trailer. As a result, I could use this software to create a map-like, schematic overview that showed what different character were going to wear. By planning out what each character was to wear, we were able to make sure that we stayed to typical conventions of thriller films, for example we avoided using any bright coloured clothing such as yellow as it does not contribute to connoting danger in the trailer.

Bubbl.us

During the planning of our trailer, I used bubble.us to plan and map out our initial ideas. As a result. we were able to consider different components that make up a trailer. Their common tag line is "brainstorming made simple", which is something that this media technology offered us. Furthermore, this allowed us to create something in quick timing which therefore meant we could make sure we got everything down that the group discussed. 

iPhone
Throughout the whole of the production from research to now evaluating what we have done, the iPhone was the most commonly used piece of hardware that was used by all members of the group. This is down to the fact that the iPhone has everything you need, from the access to social media apps through to opportunity to search anything on the internet in less than 20 seconds. Every member of the group has an iPhone which enabled us to keep in contact by using iMessage when necessary. In addition, we used our phones to use all of the social media apps, so this piece of media technology was essential in making sure we kept in communication with each other otherwise it would have made it a lot more difficult to plan and execute. Even down to the fact that when the Shania and Isa came off the train, by calling them it made it easier to meet them at the right time and place. As we used a Apple Mac computer, we were able to transfer various items from my iPhone to the computer which helped us save time. 

Voice Memos
This is an app that is supplied by Apple that is accessible on an iPhone. We used this app in order to record the voiceovers in our trailer. After we were happy with the dialogue, it was then transferred to iMovie where it could  be put into place. By using this software, we also used to record the match strike in the trailer. As a result, we were able to add a diegetic sound that connotes heat and danger, but also love as candles are stereotypically seen to represent love. This is something that I found in researching into the film "the perfect guy" where they use he concept of love in a thriller film.

Soundcloud

I used sound cloud whilst researching different sound that could have been used in our trailer. By watching other thriller trailers and then looking at various sounds that I found, it gave me a basic understanding as to what sound was used in order to conform to the conventions of the genre. Soundcloud offers a vast range of songs and sound effects which came to great benefit when I was trying to look for various sounds such as thunder and lightning. As a result, after making a subscription I had access to many sounds that I could listen to on my phone or computer.