a2 media evaluation question 2 - how effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary...
TRANSCRIPT
E V A L U A T I O N Q U E S T I O N 2
D A N I E L O ' C O N N O R
How effective is the combination of yourmain product and ancillary texts?
ICONOGRAPHY
My trailer and ancillary products all use iconography. The main
symbols of End:2110 are the mask and the note. We decided to
go with a masked killer as it has worked well for previous films
and TV shows such as Scream & Scream Queens the masks
are recognisable to most people. For the case of Scream, people
have now adapted to referring to that type of mask or similar
styles as a 'Scream' mask it has become part of culture.
End:2110's mask could eventually have a similar effect with
people recognising the unique mask. All of the products I have
created work in synergy to help increase the importance of the
mask as they all feature the masked killer. I think this was a good
move to make as the mask will almost become an icon for the
film.
" T H E V I S U A L I M A G E S A N D S Y M B O L S U S E D I N A W O R K O FA R T O R T H E S T U D Y O R I N T E R P R E T A T I O N O F T H E S E "
The Mask
ICONOGRAPHY" T H E V I S U A L I M A G E S A N D S Y M B O L S U S E D I N A W O R K O F
A R T O R T H E S T U D Y O R I N T E R P R E T A T I O N O F T H E S E "
The Note
Another icon that is continued throughout all of my products is the note. This is show in
the trailer with the characters receiving notes saying 'End:2110' and then it is shown
across my other products as the title and logo for the film. I have kept the design of the
title the same throughout all of my products in order to create a recognisable brand. The
colours and font are the same throughout. End:2110 is also quite a unique and specific
title so it is likely it will be easily recognised. This also keeps doors open for if the film was
to become a franchise 'End' could be the brand followed my different numbers or text
after the colon. End:2110 is quite a vague title as well and can be interpreted in many
ways so it would intrigue audiences as they would want to know what the text and
numbers mean.
CROSS MEDIA PLATFORMSMy ancillary products are across 3 different media platforms video, magazine
and poster. The fact there are 3 different products to promote the film means
that there is a higher chance of awareness being created. In a way, all 3
products compliment each other. The trailer gives the audience an idea of the
narrative, the magazine front cover intrigues the audience and creates more
anticipation as the headline is 'Who is behind the mask? The theories being the
film that has got everyone talking'. The poster then adds another level as that is
mainly about time and emphasises the horror factor of the film. This shows that
my 3 products work in synergy with each other to create something bigger
alone they are just a trailer, magazine and poster but together they create
theories, excitement, intrigue, scares etc. Across all of the platforms, the font
and logo is the same which keeps the audience aware that each one is for the
same film.
CONTINUITY However, when you take into account the magazine front cover, the
continuity is weakened a little. There is an element that is kept
throughout all 3 products which is the killer the character is featured
heavily across all products which emphasises to the audience that he
is the scare factor. However, I have deliberately decided to break
continuity with the colour of the killers mask. In the trailer, the killers
mask switches from being a manipulated red or to the natural colour.
On my magazine front cover, I have only darker the killers mask but
not actually changed its colour whereas with the poster, I decided to
make the mask red. This does keep some continuity between the
trailer and both of the products as the mask continues to switch colour.
However, I decided to make the mask red on the poster as the main
aim of my poster was to emphasise the genre and red connotes
danger and fear. This suggests to the audience that they should fear
this character. I decided not to manipulate the image on my magazine
front cover as it is rare that film magazines have heavily manipulated
images. I did experiment with the colour of the mask on the magazine
but felt it worked best being just a darker version of the original image.
CONTINUITYI have kept continuity throughout my products especially between the poster and the trailer.
I did this because a recent tradition has developed where a poster for a film is released at the
same time or just a few days before as the trailer. For example, this has recently just
happened with The Legend of Tarzan. Films often have many trailers before their release so
it shows that this poster and trailer were meant to be released together. I have kept continuity
by featuring memorable and key scenes from the trailer on the poster the knife, the
argument scene and the injured head. Instead of taking the images directly from the trailer
and manipulating them, I recreated the images with the same cast members and then
manipulated the new images. I made all 3 images blend in with the backdrop of the clock so
it looked like they were part of that image. I think this decision was quite effective as it directly
linked the trailer and poster together and emphasising the importance of these moments.
This could also tie into iconography as these scenes may now be features that audiences
recognise and associate with End:2110 the trailer and poster work in synergy to increase
the iconography and brand awareness of End:2110.
NICHE VS MAINSTREAMNiche My trailer has quite a niche appeal it doesn't really have the qualities of the typicalmainstream horror film the biggest selling point of my film isn't a supernatural factor and the
trailer isn't filled with jump scares. It is likely that End:2110 would follow a similar release
pattern to the likes of other independent, niche horror films such as It Follows or The Witch. It
Follows had a limited release to begin with and then expanded as time went on, I am proposing
that End:2110 could have a limited release for its first weekend (October 21st) and hopefully it
will get impressive 'per theatre averages' which will lead to headlines and more interest so the
film would expand nationwide the following week. Spectral Films is an independent film
company and we are using Blumhouse Productions to help distribute the film we could go with
the Blumhouse Tilt branch of the studio which is designed to help smaller films.
Mainstream Even though the trailer may have a niche appeal, I believe that my magazineand poster help to make the film have a much more mainstream appeal. I say this as I am
featuring the film on a very mainstream film magazine 'Empire'. My poster is also influenced by
other mainstream horror posters such as 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown'. The poster isn't
as niche and stylistic as the trailer and has more common features of the horror genre (scare
factor, blood, gore, weapons etc).
Overall, my ancillary products work in synergy with each other to make End:2110 quite amainstream brand which would hopefully make it to appeal to more people a different
marketing stratgrgy with the same trailer could easily make the film have a nicheappeal.
MARKETINGLike I previously said, this trailer and poster would be released on either the same day or a few
days a part the poster would likely be released first as a way of building some anticipation and
intrigue before the trailer. These would probably be released around late Augustearly
September. Early September would be a good time to release the trailer as it is when school
starts again and the film is about a group of school friends and some scenes occur within
school. The magazine would then be the October issue and would give more exclusive
information and could spark theories and get people guessing who the killer is.
Social media will be key to the success of the film and making it appeal to the mainstream. The
film could be mentioned by social media accounts of Blumhouse, Spectral Films and the talent
that are involved in the film. If it is within budget, we may be able to invest in getting celebrities
to tweet about the film which would create more awareness. Youtube would be the way the
trailer would be released there would be a red band version (the trailer we have provided) and
then a green band trailer which will have the gore edited out and the violence toned down. This
means that the trailer would be available for a wide amount of people to view.
Empire is sold in all major supermarkets and newsagents and has a large circulation it is also
released internationally. The poster would likely have to have the knife edited out of it for it to
be shown on the sides of cinemas, buses, billboards, train stations etc.
MODERN DAY HORRORS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz6KOsePEHs
Chris Stuckmann, Film Critic (almost 600,000subscribers) 'The Problem With Horror Movies
Today'
Stuckmann explains the problems he exists believe between horror movies and modern day
audiences. 'Imagination is a word that studios, horror film makers and as a result, audiences have
completely forgotten about'. This suggests that horror films are becoming generic and the ones
that do try to break boundaries are rejected by audiences. Stuckmann believes jump scares have
'no real effort put into' them and they are the 'cheapest tactic used in horror films today'. 'If your
audience begins to associate everything frightening in the film with loud noises and sound effects
then the film will build to nothing'. This suggests that audiences have come to expect jump scares
in horrors and if they are not there, the film isn't classed as scary audiences have 'forgot what
true horror is'. Stockman then looked at examples of recent horror films. The Babadook was
shown 'major appreciation' from 'mature and discerning fans' for the films 'lack of cheap jump
scares'. This suggests that horror fans and audiences that enjoy films with a niche appeal can
appreciate stylistic horrors but mass mainstream audiences cannot.
MODERN DAY HORRORSStuckmann also explains how 'most good horror films are mismarketed to try and appeal to mass
audiences'. This is true in a way with End:2110 we included a jump scare to please modern
audiences but I also made my poster very conventional to the genre in order to please mass
audiences. The 2004 film 'The Village' was marketed as a 'creature feature' but the film ended up
being a period romance this disappointed audiences and led to word of mouth being very poor.
James Wan is a horror film director working today creating films such as Insidious and The
Conjuring. Even though both films include many jump scares, Stuckmann believes this is justified
as the terror is generated from things that are actually supposed to scare you. Wan knows what
modern day audiences find frightening but also respects mature audience members by avoiding
false scares. Stickman's main point is that audiences need to 'reevaluate what good horror is'.
End:2110 has quite a psychological feel to it and doesn't rely to heavily on jump scares in
comparison to other horror film trailers. The box office numbers are what studios are looking at so
in order for End:2110 to become the highest financial success possible, the film may need to be
mismarketed slightly with a very conventional poster that includes many of the typical horror
features (which is inspired by other horror posters) and having a niche film featured on the cover
of a mainstream magazine. My promotional package has to appeal to mass modern day
audiences so some compromises have had to be made in order to make it both a critical (style,
quality) and financial success (public pays to see the film). So far from my audience feedback,
67% say they would pay to see the film based on the trailer and ancillary products which suggests
I have been successful in making a niche production go mainstream.
IT FOLLOWSLike I previously said, End:2110 would follow a similar release pattern to 'It Follows (2014'). In
the UK, It Follows was released on February 27th into 190 locations this is quite small
considering the number 1 film that week was playing in 589 locations. Before its UK release, It
Follows was shown at many film festivals and was featured as part of Odeon Screen Unseen
('Exclusive preview screenings with a twist! You book in advance but you don't know what film
you're about to see until the curtains go up'). Odeon Screen Unseen occurs throughout the
UK so It Follows, a small and niche film was able to reach a wide amount of people.
The main aim of my promotional package is to make what would be quite a niche and
independent film that could easily go under the radar have a mainstream appeal (a poster with
lots of horror conventions and a mainstream magazine with a stylistic trailer). End:2110 would
preview at Odeon Screen Unseen a few weeks before its release (early October) which would
generate buzz about the film. End:2110 would also premiere at London Film Festival on
October 5th 2016 the film may win awards at the festival and the first reviews would come in
(hopefully they would be positive). Like It Follows, the film would open smaller on its first
weekend October 21st and then if it does well, it would expand on October 28th.
YOUNG AND RUBICAMYoung and Rubicam developed a theory that suggested that there are 7 different types of people in
the world the theory explains why certain people like certain things. Based on this, I believe the
audience for my film would be...
EXPLORERTHE
"These people are driven by a need for discovery, challenge and new frontiers. Young innature, if not in reality, Explorers are often the first to try out new ideas and experiences. They
respond to brands that offer new sensations, indulgence and instant effects. In short,difference is what they seek out. Their core need in life is for discovery."
I believe my products work together in order to appeal to this type of person. The trailer for
End:2110 is quite unconventional and has quite a niche and stylistic feel to it it isn't the same as
your average mainstream horror trailer. This would appeal to The Explorer as it is something
different and challenges the genre. Even though Empire magazine is quite mainstream, the fact
that it is a thriller special challenges conventions which may interest 'The Explorer' as they like
things that are different and this issue of Empire would be. The poster for my film includes lots of
shadows and edited images which isn't a common thing you see on horror posters they are
usually quite simplistic. This is another example of how my package as a whole is different and
why The Explorer may be invested.
POSTMODERN AUDIENCESI believe that my promotional package would appeal to postmodern
audiences. This is because there are elements throughout all of the products
that could be considered postmodern. Postmodernism is the idea that nothing
is new and that everything is a copy of a copy. A postmodern reading may be
carried out on our trailer that sees intertextual references Sin City and
Hitchcock films may be pieces that audiences see references to. Sin City
because of the use of red and black and white and Hitchcock because of the
use of shadows and tension building. This suggests that our trailer would be
appealing to knocking, educated audiences who are have a good knowledge
of film (famous directors like Hitchcock). When combining my magazine front
cover, postmodern audiences may appreciate the fact that I have used an
old/common format (Empire magazine) but done something new with it
featured a genre that Empire wouldn't usually feature. My poster includes
intertextual references to my trailer (the shadows) but could also be seen to
have references to films by Hitchcock once again. Postmodern audiences may
also appreciate the whole film noir style of the package film noir was a style
that was very common in the past but not so much now. Postmodern
audiences may like how I have used an old idea such as film noir and
modernised it by mixing it with common features of the horror genre today (e.g.
jump scares, music that is not jazz).