Evaluation

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I feel that our trailer and ancillary texts use many of the conventions of real media products because throughout the production we have looked at similar media products to give us guideline and indication of what are the typical horror conventions. In the trailer we have used many transitions to make it continuous and engaging like other horror trailers. We have used lots of fade to black as well as quick cuts between shots because while analyzing the trailer for Eden lake we found out that the trailer is constructed using lots of quick cuts instead of long scenes. Moreover, the music we have used is very typical for horror trailers because of its tempo and eerie, scary melody. This shows how we have used conventions of horror trailers because we have used a Remix of Halloween- a well known horror production.

We have also developed some of these conventions by using music effects downloaded from youtube such as screams, thunder, heartbeat etc. Similarly, we have developed conventions through the use of special effects such as slow motion and video filters. These techniques are not so common in horror trailers, however they made our trailer more brutal as the viewer feels the horror and terror in the story. One way in which we have challenged trailer conventions is through the use of JPEG images in the video. We have used Kenny's scary portrait for several times as well as a black background with blood drops. In-cooperating a JPEG portrait in the trailer is very unusual but effective as it creates tension and suspense among the audience. The pictures are very effective because they make the trailer more visually attractive and interesting.

Our magazine front cover is uses conventions of other magazine front covers mainly through its layout and main image. They layout is very typical for magazine covers because the mid shot image is positioned centrally and all the text is positioned centrally so that the image is the focal point. We have also included text which is very appropriate for magazine front covers as we have used emotive words and film terminology. For example there is an article for the best horror previews of 2011. We have developed and challenged magazine cover conventions by inserting a blood drop into the second 'O' of the title of the magazine. This is challenging the conventions because not many magazines use special effects like this. However, I believe it worked well for us because the blood drop connotes danger and horror as well as links to the genre and title of the film.

We have used many conventions associated with horror film posters including the layout, colour selection, font and text and central image. However, as the poster is created to advertise the film and reach its audience we had to make it different from other posters so that the film is more competitive and successful. We have therefore chosen a landscape format instead of an A4 portrait because the picture looks more detailed and effective in landscape. Another way in which we have developed horror conventions is to include a sell line- a powerful statement in the poster. This feature is sometimes included in posters to convey the genre and reflect the story of the film. I think that by including such a statement we made our poster more scary and mysterious which fits in with the horror genre. We have also tried to challenge the conventions of horror posters by using a macro lens to capture the eye in more detail. Looking at other eye posters I realized that most of their images are close ups, however not as extreme as our.Moreover our image has another image inside which connotes that the girl in the eye cannot escape from the boy watching her. This is liked the narrative of the film because our story evolves around voyeurism, obsession and escape.B challenging this visual aspect of horror posters we created a media text that is more attractive and reflective of our film.

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

I feel the combination of our main media product (the trailer) and  ancillary texts are very effective and successfully advertise the film.
 We ensured there was continuity between all three pieces such as the protagonist Kenny who has a split personality and is main focus on both the poster and the magazine.For all the pictures taken during the project we have used the same make up and hood for Kenny to ensure that these elements help the viewer recognize him. To make our main character very shocking and iconic for the film we 'gave' him diabetic retinopathy- a diabetic illness which leads to eye bleeding. This element of a bleeding eye is reflected in all of our productions as we used fake blood in all the media texts, to suggest that Kenny is crying blood. This is also iconic because blood is a symbol for danger and terror .

It is clear that our ancillary texts support the trailer because besides the common picture of Kenny, we have also used the same colour selection in all three productions- red, black and white. This will eventually help the viewer connect the three pieces and link them to the film. Furthermore, we have ensured that the title of the film is clearly visible in all three pieces. This explains why we have chosen to select not too complex and confusing font. Furthermore by including a tagline on the poster we have reflected the scary aspects of the film i.e. voyeurism and obsession.