My Evaluation on SlideShare

This is my Media Evaluation A2 which I Published onto Slideshare and then Posted it onto my Blog.

Said's media studies evaluation a2

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Media Evaluation of Question 3

This is a video of my 3rd question - How effective is the main your products and ancillary texts in my evaulation

My Magazine cover

I have decided to construct a Sight and Sound magazine front cover for my film rather than a empire magazine. My main reasons were that as my film is an independent film it is more appropriate that I would use Sight and Sound as they focus and analyze in-depth film rather than big blockbuster. I chose to create a black background as it connoted darkness and’ fear of the unknown’, adhering to the typical conventions associated with horror. The main image I used was of the masked villain holding a knife with blood-dripping. This is felt illustrated to readers that the film would include gore and will be horrific. The blood- dripping blended in the heading ‘FRIGHT SPECIAL’, almost like the masked villain was carving the title out with the blade. The position of the villain against the black background creates an image in the reader’s head that he came out from the darkness and the only visible feature is the bloody knife and of course the skull mask. The subheading used enticed horror readers as it says ‘With the imminent release of vertigo’s Vengeance we delve into the past horror successes over the last 100 years. I particularly wrote this to drag horror fans to buy the magazine as it will include a treat for them too such as extra analysis on successful films over the last century. On the bottom right-hand corner of the magazine it shows to readers what will be included in the magazine. The colour used was green to make sure readers could see exactly what they will be getting inside, whilst observing this particular magazine.

Over all the magazine cover that I created is quite simple but effective. It does not bombard readers with extravagent colours, but rather creates a sense of mystery due to the lack of visible features.

My Poster - Vengeance

The poster I have created for my promotional package is called ‘Vengeance’. I thought of this title because the connotations is holds are quite horrific. The title also left some mystery in the air as viewers don’t know why someone would want vengeance. The title is written in a red, which includes many connotations, most obviously blood, which was what I was intending to do. The font type I used was ‘Perpertua Tilting’. I used this font type as the message I wanted to demonstrate was a sharp edge to it almost like a an edge of a knife. Beneath the text written is ‘Based on a true story’. I decided to include this as I felt that it would drag a bigger audience to my film because viewers may become more frightened as they now know this film is ‘real’ and not ‘fiction’.

The slogan I included in my poster was ‘The lucky ones die first’. I believed that this slogan was the most terrifying out of all the slogans I could thinks of. This slogan was incorporated into my poster because I wanted to convey to audiences that it was lucky for victims to die first, as the ones who survive until the end have something gruesome lying in front of them. The slogan used is typical conventions of horror and particularly gore.

The main focus of the poster is the masked villain. It is the first thing which catches the readers eye as its right in the centre of the poster. The size of this image takes up about a third of the poster, as it wanted the villain to become the fundamental figure of which viewers remember my poster by. The face of the villain is covered by a ’skull’ mask. This was done to create distress and leave viewers in the dark as to who this person is. The image shows the masked face almost from the sky, looking down. This was done to illustrate that the villain is looking down at this prey almost like a predator. In addition it shows the villain in a powerful frame authority. The masked face is faded in the poster showing a sense of supernatural figure. It was important for me to include the masked villain in the poster and this is the main feature of my promotional package.

The background used in this poster was of a dark woods. As the woods is shown is the dark it creates an intimating factor to audiences which I fell encourages them to watch the actual film. This was incorporated into my trailer to create a sense of mystery and chilling feeling. The woods is typically associated with a no escape and is used in countless horror films to illustrate a place where the villain hunt. Furthermore am image of a woods in the night creates an eagerness of viewers to know why an image of a woods is shown on the poster.

In my poster ‘Vengeance’ I have inserted a four star film review from Film4 - a well known film channel. I felt that including the review into my poster gives my film some credibility, which encourages viewers to watch it.

Questionnaire - Vengeance

1 How old are you 14-17 18+

2 What is your favourite genre ?

3 From watching this trailer did you know it was a horror film ? why ?

4 Did you find the repeated shots of the 'bloody hands' and the 'blood dripping effective ?

5 Did you feel that the music fitted in well with the teaser trailer ? why ?

6 Did you feel that the music increased as the editing on screen got faster ?


7 Did the understand why the shots of the coin at the beginning and at the end were used ?

8 While the villan was walking under the tunnel, did you think the sound of the news report in the background was used cleverly ?

9 What was your favourite shot and why ?

10 Did you understand the titles and the messages they were conveying ?


11 Did you feel that the trailer left you wanting to see more ? why ?

12 What things could I have improved to make my trailer better ?

13 Do you think the shots used throughout the trailer engaged the audience ? why ?

My Teaser trailer - Vengeance

The teaser trailer starts of with the distribution name called ‘Vertigo Films’ commonly known as British independent distributors, which was exactly the type of film I created. Vertigo films are known for distributing British independent films such as’ London to Brighton’ and ‘its all gone Pete tong’. These films were created independently; similarly to how I created my film this was the main reason why chose this particular distributor to be included in my trailer and film. The first shot shown is a low angle of footsteps slowing waling in a room. While this shot is visible in the background a sound of a heartbeat is heard catching viewer’s attention to this particular shot. As this shot was almost shot on the ground, viewers are not shown the person, but rather his feet, which builds up some tension in the air. While the first shot is ending the music slowly fades in with the next series of quickly edited shots. These rapid shots include are a point of view shot of a victim breathing heavily whilst hiding in the cupboard, then the villain slowly walks past holding a visible butcher knife in his hand. The particular shot shows the difference in feelings example is the victim in the cupboard is frightened fro their life, while the villain is calm and collected like he has the situation under control. 

The next shot exposed to viewers was of an image of an ‘unknown’ caller on the screen of a phone. I used this shot as I felt it built suspense in the air as to whom the person calling and why it was significant at the beginning of the trailer. The shot after is a low angle shot of a stranger opening a box. Again this is held briefly roughly two seconds not to give away the identity of the person who is opening the box. Just before the face of the stranger is shown the audience are taken away abruptly to the following shot creating a growing suspense. This shot is a long shot which shows two policemen walking to their car leaving the crime seen then driving off. I added this shot into my trailer as I felt that raises many questions such as why is there a crime scene? Who got injured or dies? These types of questions are a vital aspect in created an effective teaser trailer, as audiences always want to find out the answers to these unanswered questions.

The first titles shown are the words ‘IT’S TIME’. As the title became noticeable the sound slowly increases building up to a climax. This title was chosen as it symbolizes to the audience that something quite significant is about to be shown, but rather it becomes an anti-climax is the image shown is a zoom-out shot of the forest, which I used to illustrate to viewers that the forest it a important factor of the trailer and also it is included to give audiences an extra insight to this particular setting. The trailer then cuts to a title with the words ‘EVERYTHING WILL BE REVEALED’. This title was shown to illustrate to audiences that they will be allowed to see the meanings and motives of the plot. Of course this is impossible to show given to time frame of a teaser trailer, but it does not stop audiences believing what they will see. The next shot gives viewers some insight in terms of the plot. A masked man rapidly gets closer to closer to the camera, while in sound in the background is a news report saying ‘A man arrested at a local hotel and charged with the death of three people. Viewers are given a clue that the man being talked about is the masked villain on the screen shown to them, although can not be 100% sure. 

Again viewers are taken away abruptly to more tiles this time showing the text ‘BEWARE OF WHO’S WATCHING YOU’. Straight after a shot of the villain wearing his mask can bee seen on the reflection of a knife. This was integrated into my trailer to throw viewers off track as they were expecting the villain to be closely observing his victims, but rather this shot show the villain being watched while he wears his mask. In that split second a spinning coin is shown to viewers. This was done to indicate to my audience that time is running out for the victims, although this may not be realised by viewers.

The next title shows the words ‘THERE’S ALWAYS A BEGINNING’. Viewers are thrown off-track as they were not expecting to see those titles in the middle of a teaser trailer. This particular title was included to help the audience understand how and why the villain becomes the villain. In that same second the never settling intense music I used reaches its climax as shot of a door is being kicked upon while the skull face mask is thrown at the faces of viewers. It was added to startle viewers while watching the trailer as I felt viewers would not be expecting a fast shot in that particular moment just after the titles appeared.

  Seconds later a series of repeated extremely quick shots are shown to viewers. This shot shows blood dripping form a knife onto the screen while a bloody hand is shown. I felt this was very important to include as the shot is at perfect pace with the music. In addition the blood dripping onto the screen creates a shock amongst audiences the blood in the faces of viewers leaving a vivid image in the viewer’s head of how gruesome blood can be when you can’t avoid it. The shots of the bloody hands were the focal aspect of that shot as the image of the hands was surrounded by darkness creating greater emphasise on the victims blood, leaving the more sensitive audiences to squeal. The next shot shown is of a mirror with the word ‘HELP’ written on it with blood. This was done to portray to the audience that there is no escape for victims and reinforces the power held by the villain as viewers are shown a victim’s sign for help go unnoticed.

The final title shows the text ‘AND AN END’ which I felt automatically signals to viewers that they will see the final slice of action. The final shots show the music suddenly; creating anticipation, while they are left staring at a black screen, then all of a sudden the mask villain appears from nowhere raising its knife towards the audience almost like they are the victim, which creates a sudden fright amongst audiences. This cliff-hanger was an effective way to end the action as I felt that it creates a desire for the audience to watch it the actual film. 

The final act of my teaser shows the earlier spinning coin come to an end. This coin was added at the end to signify that time has run out. The Film title Vengeance is finally shown at the end. The heart-beat sound is heard while the title is exposed to connote to viewers the tension is never ending until the last second. The title is written in red which has obvious connotations such as blood, fear which I intended to do, bringing back the traditional horror titles to life.

I felt that my trailer was effective in teasing my audience. The reasons are that it raised more questions than answering leaving most viewers in disarray. The plot of the trailer was not given away as from time to time a completely different shot would be shown to viewers throwing them off-track. Also the length of my teaser trailer was about a minute, which didn’t create boredom as it was short enough for viewers to become engaged without missing a second of it.

HALLOWEEN H20 TRAILER

While considering my trailer I looked at Halloween H20 trailer and found it very helpful. The shots used in this trailer include rapid editing which leave viewers disorientated. A particular shot in the Halloween H20 trailer I decided to incorporate in my trailer was the quickly-edited shot of the masked villan gradually getting closer to the camera. This leaves viewers raising questions such as Who is he ? I felt this shot was effective as it created suspense and tension as in a blink of an eye the villan moves about 20 metres forward. Although I used this praticular shot, I added a background news report to give viewers nsight to who this masked person may be.