Question 2; How effective is the combination of our main product

and ancillary texts?

Megan Fellowes

My poster, radio trailer and Documentary all link together to create a clear and coherent package which covers the mystery behind dreams. I have done this by using the exact same style of font of Myriad Pro on both my Poster and Documentary to combine these two products together so viewers begin to remember the documentary and so watch it when it is first previewed as stated in the radio trailer.

The same voice over is used on the documentary and trailer as well as the tune that is behind the voice over which emphasises the topic of dreams. This combines these two products together due to the fact that when viewers watch the documentary at home they will be engaged from the mystery behind why we dream.

And when they are on their way to work for example, the radio trailer for awake inside a dream would begin and this would refresh the documentary in the viewer’s mind which links them together.

On the poster I have used a still images taken from the documentary itself, the first one reflects the topic of dreams such as the background of the sunset captured from the time laps in the opening sequence.

Another image on the poster that highlights dreams is the actor running down an empty corridor. This emphasises the idea that someone is ‘Awake inside a dream’ which is the title of our documentary and so this is suggesting that the actress asleep is imagining these specific thoughts as the background image is faded/dreamlike and so she is awake inside her dream.

Furthermore, this links with the documentary as the sunset is used in the opening scene as a time laps, and the actor running down an empty corridor is a slow motion clip which is now faded into the background of the poster combining them together. Not only does my poster follow the codes and conventions, but it also challenges them as the website is at the top of the print advertisement rather than the bottom like usual Channel 4 posters.

The print advertisement reflects the tone of our documentary as it uses bright colours of the sky which illustrates the topic of dreams. This shows the gentle relaxing side to dreams which links with our documentary, as there is a tune played throughout awake inside a dream which conveys a peaceful dream.

On the other hand, the image of someone running down an empty corridor makes dreams appear as isolated which links with the second tune played in our documentary which has a darker tone and illustrates that dreams are mysterious combining these products together.

The documentary uses direct address to viewers as it uses words throughout such as ‘we’ and ‘you’ in interviews with professionals for example with Abigail Bourgers asks the rhetorical question ‘why do we dream?’. This makes the viewers feel involved and grabs the audience’s attention as this implies that the documentary could relate to them and their experience.

This relates to the target audience because it is a mature topic which children would not enjoy. When topics such as sleep paralysis are discussed this emphasises that viewers aged 20-30 years old are more suitable to view our documentary due to the fact that it is a terrifying experience.

The documentary and radio advert complement each other as the same voice over is used throughout each product which links them together.

We also took clips from the documentary and used them in the radio advert as the radio advert had to engage the listener’s attention immediately so they therefore watch the documentary by giving them teasers. The clips we used were Vox Pops of 2 individuals describing their random dreams which will get listeners wondering what obscure dreams they have experienced and so they’ll be able to relate.

The script of our documentary and radio advert was designed so they were quite similar to each other. This was due to the fact that after people hear our radio advert, when they watch the documentary they’ll be reminded of the radio advert from the same attention grabbing opening sentence and voiceover.

The poster and the radio advert bring Awake inside a Dream together because the poster illustrates someone actually being awake inside their dream and so this reinforces what the documentary is about and so links with the radio advert as it is broadcasting it trying to persuade people to watch our documentary.

Also, there is scheduling information presented on both products which reinforce when and where the documentary will be aired to remind the audience.

Furthermore, the poster and radio advertisement links together as the dreamy music that is played behind the voiceover on the radio advert exemplifies the dream like images presented on the print advertisement such as the clouds and the isolation of someone running down an empty corridor in a dream.

The radio trailer would be played on National Commercial Radio Stations nearby so drivers can hear the announcement of Awake inside a Dream and so watch the documentary when it is played on Channel 4, combining the products together.

To conclude, the three products work successfully together to reinforce Awake inside a Dream such as the target audience of 20-30s can relate as they have had similar experiences from the ones in the documentary. Also, 20-30s are likely to hear the radio advert as it is aired on National Commercial Radio Stations which will be heard in cars whilst they are driving to work for example.