What are my ancillary tasks?
Here are my two final ancillary tasks. Both my film poster and magazine review. To create my film poster I was able to use my photography skills, to enhance my work. Researching into existing thriller film posters also enabled me to learn the forms and conventions of these. To create my review, I split my work into the layout/styling of the magazine and the written review itself. This meant I split my research this was also to get an in-depth look into high quality, conventional products. I am very happy with my final products and feel they fulfill their purpose alongside my short film.
What is my main product?
For my main product I created a short film with a duration of 5 minutes. My short film was in the genre 'thriller'. My film is a dual narrative exploring an original and experimental storyline, challenging a conventional linear narrative. My film is called 'PULSE' and was created to look as professional and conventional as possible to build the 'realism' for the audience. I am extremely happy with our final film and feel it shows are skills and ability to the best possible.
How do they link to the film?
My ancillary tasks show many connections to my final film. This is through the genre portrayed, all reflecting that of thriller, to build a strong and united style for a viewer. Using similar fonts establishes a house style for the film, creating a brand image. By using the same character and costume on both products, as in the film creates continuity and a clear link to the film. Also as the poster visually portrays the plot of the film and the review writes about it they both have obvious links to the final film.
What out of the three products is the strongest?
Overall I am very happy with all three of my final pieces. However defiantly believe my short film itself is the strongest feature. Both myself and Abigail feel our film exceeded our visions and truly represents our skills. Yet, all three together create a very strong media campaign, of which contributes to the product as a whole. And without one of them it wouldn't be as effective as it would with all three, and together are vital for the product as a whole.
How do they promote the film?
The ancillary tasks combine with the film to promote it. This enhances the public awareness of the film and within the real industry would essentially mean a larger market, and larger final profit. I have visually created this promotion through my film poster, and written within my magazine film review. The products also don't give too much away, yet ensure it engages the reader enough to make them want and need to know what happens in the film. This images essentially catch the viewers eye to begin with drawing them in, then the persuasive written techniques used on both products ensure the viewer is intrigued by them and has been persuaded enough into watching.
How effective the combination of my ancillary tasks and main product?
Below I have created a Prezi, to display my work. Here I have given an insight into some aspects of my answer towards to specific question.
Final analysis:
Titles
As I have mentioned in m Prezi, the font chosen is a key element into creating successful products and establishing a 'brand' image for the film. This links onto the titles chosen, as not only the font but name also have to build the powerful promotion the film needs to be advertised in the correct way. The title says alot about a film and allows the audience to relate to the story of the film through this.
For the titles on the film and film poster I have used a similar design to portray the genre of the film (thriller). By using dark colours and eere fonts, it reflects the mysterious and sinister tone we wanted to create. By using the similar titles for the two products it emphasizes the synergy between the media texts, and creating the link for the audience.
However for the film review I used a separate font, to be more conventional of magazine film reviews, after discovering this within my magazine review research.
Narrative
As mentioned within my Prezi, the narrative of the film is split into two sections. The equilibrium state of 'normality' and the disruption of the mysterious kidnap scenes. The narrative is one of the most important aspects of our short film, also having no dialogue we really needed to sell and promote the film even more, to ensure the target audience we have an engaging story line.
This is reflected through the photography of my ancillary tasks...
The image on the left (used in my magazine review), is more conventional of a magazine review image. As it is not just a print of a scene within the film but a new photograph, however using the same actress/costume/location for continuity. This therefore establishes initially who is in the film. The angle and type of shot of the photograph links to the 'stalker' plot, by being behind the character giving a sense of following. Also the pose and expression of the model, reveals more to the plot showing her paranoia and anxiousness.
The image on the right (used in my film poster), I believe promotes the film perfectly by being a strong, conventional image linking back to my research within 'thriller' film posters. Straight away engaging the target audience of the thriller genre. This therefore reveals hints of the narrative to the audience, portrayed through the pose of having the hand over the character (yet not revealing there identity, to keep the mystery and element of suspense), and the facial expression of the character (her panic and fear).
The mise-en scene in both images also reflect the style and atmosphere of the film, through the simple and minimal backgrounds, increasing to the mystery.
The mise-en scene in both images also reflect the style and atmosphere of the film, through the simple and minimal backgrounds, increasing to the mystery.
Above is a section from my magazine film review. By using the rhetorical question it engages the readers attention, and essentially makes the think. They want to know what happens to the girl and why. Also by changing the colour and style of the font reveals hints of the obscurity and eerie plot.
Genre
Throughout my whole work process this year, I have constantly researched into everything before starting any production. This included my short film and ancillary tasks.
Before making my short film I researched into existing short films to establish initial short film conventions. After then deciding on targeting the thriller genre target audience I began to research into thriller short films. Shown below is a example of this. I then used this within my work and did the same with my final film.
For my film poster I researched again into many thriller existing film posters. Show below, an example of this and again doing the same with my own final product. This allowed me to compare not only existing products with my final task and how they have influenced me and how the use of conventions has made my product more realistic but shows how they all include similar links to on another between the three pieces of work, to show the all contribute to the final package.
For my magazine film review, again I did initial research into existing reviews, learning the basic conventions and techniques used to make a successful spread. Below shows how I have, for this evaluation question gone on to analyse and break down my own piece of work.
All show strong conventions of the thriller genre, creating a bond between the three projects, to establish one promotional package.
Studio Ident
Including the studio Ident on the film poster as well as at the beginning of my short film, creates a brand identity and sense of realism for the audience. This therefore compliments the film.
Colours
The colour scheme used within my film poster is not only conventional of existing thriller posters but conveys the sinister and dark plot of my film through the dark/dull variety. This is to signify the genre in a strong way, allowing the audience to associate it with my chosen 'thriller' target audience. It also becomes lighter around the face of the character to enhance to viewers opinion on them, and draw their eye to the facial expression of the character, to give hints of the plot. The white font colours used allows this to therefore stand out.
The colour scheme on the magazine again links to the thriller conventions and largely conventions of magazine film reviews. Red is an iconic colour for most famous magazines, including EMPIRE a top film magazine. However red is also associated to the thriller genre linking to 'blood' and violence. Therefore using red within my review, allows me to manipulate both associations into the one piece of work. This enhances the synergy between my film review and my other products.
The colours within my film are also conventional of thriller short films. By using low lighting we create the dark dull scenes we wanted. With minimal bright colour especially within the second narrative, to create the sinister, and gloomy atmosphere/setting.
Overall
I believe my ancillary tasks and final film poster work together in creating a successful promotional package, of which conveys a true media product. Whilst creating an overall 'brand' for the film. I am very happy with the final outcome of all three products, and have learnt a lot about advertisements, promotions and conventions of existing media products by creating them.
