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:
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
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.
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.
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
- 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
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.
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