Creating Synergy Between My Media Products

In order to create brand synergy between my products I will use the same fonts on all of my products. For example the title will be the same font and colour, I will then use the same fonts for other parts of text, like for the writing on my poster and the plugs on my front cover.


The colour scheme will be continuous throughout which will be based on my research of the horror genre; so this will mostly feature black, white and reds.


I will also feature the main character on all of my media products, for example, having Lizzy on my poster, front cover and the main character in my trailer.

Camera Workshop 2

Tracking Shots and Pull Focus Shots:

In this lesson we learn how to set up the tripod and dolly. We practised forward tracking, backwards tracking and we tried a pull focus as well. These can be used in my trailer to add different effects and to keep the viewer interested.

Camera Workshop 1

Over the Shoulder and Master Shots:

During one lesson we has a go at shooting over the shoulder shots and master shots. Here, I learnt about not 'crossing the line' and how to frame the shot using the rule of thirds.

Conclusion of Survey Results For My Magazine Front Cover

Question 1:
What kind of shot would you like to see on a horror magazine front cover?
The majority went with a mid shot, therefore for my front cover I will have a mid shot of my cover star.

Question 2:
Would you like to see both protagonists on the front cover?
No was the most popular answer so I will only feature my main protagonist on my front cover.

Question 3:
What colour scheme would you like to see on a horror magazine front cover and why?
I left this question open to my demographic to gain wider insight into what they wanted. The most popular answer was to use black, grey, white and a hint of red. I will include all four of these colours in order to please my demographic and to convey the horror genre well.

Question 4:
Would you like to see a busy or simple front cover?
The most popular answer was simple and therefore I will design my front cover on a simple layout.

Question 5:
Would you rather have a movie magazine with a 'Horror Edition' or an exclusive horror magazine?
My demographic went for a horror edition, therefore when creating a title for my front cover I will give it a universal movie magazine name and make it clear that my issue is a 'Horror Edition' issue. 

Horror Magazine Front Cover Audience Research Results

Horror Magazine Front Cover Audience Research

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What I Have Learnt From My Front Cover Research

When researching other magazine front covers I found that there were certain similarities that they all used in order to stay within convention and the genre. Here is what I found:

• Emphasis on the main character - generally a close up or mid shot
• Rule of thirds
• Masthead at the top of the page
• Cover line across the feature article photograph but not covering it too much - generally along the bottom of the page
• Plugs flush left and right

Horror Magazine Front Cover Analysis 3

Feature Article Photograph:

The feature article photograph is a long shot of the main actor in Shutter Island. The costume tells us a lot about the character and the film, for example, he is wearing a shirt and tie and a long jacket, typically associated with detectives and the gun in his hand suggests that the film is a thriller and that there is some sort of danger. The colours are basic, featuring mostly grey and white, however the background is blue giving a sense of mystery and the mist at the bottom also adds to this.

Masthead:

The font of the masthead is simple, easy to read and fits well with the rest of the front cover, creating a sense of strong house style. The masthead doesn't specify a particular genre, which suggests that the magazine caters for all audiences. 

Plugs:

The font used for the main plug works well with the rest of the front cover as it is distressed which suggests the theme of horror and the blood red colour stands out from the background image and also adds to the horror. There aren't many plugs on the front cover, which allows the feature article photograph to dominate the page.

Images:
There aren't many other images on the front cover other than the feature article photograph, which allows for the feature article photo to take dominance on the page. The two other, smaller, images feature two different films, not in the horror genre, which, when making my front cover, I will keep my front cover set to one genre to ensure that my demographic of horror fans can recognise the genre easily and enjoy the magazine more.

Horror Magazine Front Cover Analysis 2

Feature Article Photograph:

The feature article photograph is a close up that appears 3D as the image is placed over another image. It is an eye-level shot however, the model has their face down but they're looking up giving it the effect of a high angle shot, this effect would unsettle a reader and create a menacing look. The colours used are red, black and white, which is typical horror colours; clearly indicating to a reader what the magazine will be about.

Masthead:

The masthead is a bright yellow colour, which stands out from the rest of the front cover. It is distressed and splattered with blood, again indicating to a reader the horror theme. The masthead is also on a slant, which is against convention, again giving it an unsettling, unnatural vibe. It is very large and stands out from the rest of the writing on the front cover.

Plugs:

The plugs on this front cover are conventional as they are flush right and left. They are in a clear, white font and the typography is in all capitals, making it stand out and easy to read. The white stands out on the red and black background colours and the combination of these colours clearly represents the horror genre. The fonts used here are also used for the masthead and cover lines, therefore creating a strong brand synergy.

Images:
The images at the bottom of the front cover are screenshots from the horror films that they are advertising and that are featured within the magazine. This adds a creepy and terrifying atmosphere and also an insight into what will be featured in the magazine.

Horror Magazine Front Cover Analysis 1

Feature Article Photograph:

The feature article photograph is an eye-level mid shot of an older man looking quite mysterious and stern. The photo is placed behind all of the text and the masthead takes away the attention of the reader from the image. This is unconventional for a front cover however, as it is a horror magazine this effect gives of the front cover a sense of mystery and the concept of mystery and hidden identity is a huge part in the horror genre; therefore fitting perfectly for this magazine.

Masthead:

The masthead is unconventionally over the feature article photograph taking attention away from the photo and making the masthead the key/main part of the front cover. The text is large and white; a colour used largely in the horror genre. The typography is clear and has an effect of dripping on it creating a spooky and uneasy atmosphere to it, fitting in the genre of the magazine well.

Plugs:

The plugs are conventional as they are flush right and left of the page. The colour scheme for them is yellow and white which fits in with the horror genre and fits in with the rest of the colours on the front cover, creating a strong sense of house style. The plugs are layered on top of red blood splatters, which also helps the reader identify the theme and genre of the magazine easily.

Images:
The rest of the images on the front cover are behind the feature article photo, the masthead and the plugs. They are mostly mid shots however one of them is a close up of a sharks mouth. They are all strange, terrifying and creepy which again adds to the horror genre of the magazine.

Conclusion of Survey Results For My Movie Poster

Question 1:
Would you want to see both protagonists on the poster?
90% of my results said yes, therefore I will ensure that my poster includes both of my protagonists as this will make the poster easily recognisable and link clearly to my trailer.

Question 2:
Where would you like to see anchoring on the poster?
The majority went with the setting however, the characters and the font tied second and therefore I will ensure that my poster includes all of these elements so that my poster is anchored and creates a strong brand synergy.

Question 3:
What image to text ratio would you like to see on the poster?
75:25 was the most popular answer and therefore I will make sure that my poster doesn't include too much text and that the image is the main focus.

Question 4:
What colour scheme do you feel would portray the horror genre the best?
I left this question open to my demographic so that I could get a wider range of answers. The most common answers included, dark colours such as black but also featuring some reds and white and even yellow was mentioned so I will try to include this into my poster.

Question 5:
Would you prefer the poster to be busy or simple?
The majority went with simple so for my poster I'll follow a simple design.

Horror Movie Poster Audience Research Results

Horror Movie Poster Audience Research

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What I Have Learnt From My Poster Research

When researching other movie posters I found that there were certain similarities that they all used in order to stay within convention and the genre. Here is what I found:

• Red, white and black colour scheme
• Small titles - generally at the bottom of the poster
• The release date
• Low-key lighting
• Use of one large image to grab the audiences attention - optical focus
• Captions
• Anchorage

Truth or Die Movie Poster Analysis

Purpose:

This poster's purpose is to entice an audience and make them want to watch the film. The close up of the girl in the sky screaming would be intriguing but also frightening, giving the film a terrifying atmosphere.

Layout:

Compared to the other posters, this one is the most cluttered and has several parts to it. The image of the house at the bottom of the poster sets the scene and location of the film and the long pathway before the house gives it a sense of distance and seclusion. The leafless trees boarding the poster also add to the creepy, eerie vibe.

Image:

The main image on the poster is of a young girl screaming. She is almost transparent creating the idea of the paranormal. The close up of her screaming makes the poster extremely intense. By placing the image at the top of the poster is creates a sense displacement as it's as if she has transgressed from life to death and she is now able to do immortal things; bringing a greater sense of fear the audience.

Colour Scheme:

The blues in the poster connote coldness and fear increasing the creepy atmosphere of the poster. The black also gives a sense of danger and terror.

Text Colour and Font:

The font is large and rough. The font is distressed and red is splattered over the white text creating fear and terror within the audience.

Target Audience:

The target audience for this poster would also be young people as it features a young girl on the front. Once again the colours used are not subjective and therefore would appeal to both males and female.

Ouija Movie Poster Analysis

Purpose:

The purpose of this poster is to create a sense of mystery and introduce the theme of the paranormal. The simplicity of the poster would interest the audience and make them want to come and watch the film.

Layout:

The layout is very minimal and includes a lot of negative space toward the top of the poster. This allows the audience to focus mainly on the text and image, which highlights clearly what the film is about as the film is called "Ouija" and the only image is of a Ouija board.

Tagline:

The tagline, "Keep telling yourself it's just a game" is place directly under the movie title. It is in a yellow font on a plain black background and therefore stands out a lot and draws the attention of the audience.

Colour Scheme:

The colour scheme is mostly dark giving it a sense of mystery and eeriness, however the pale yellow hints towards the supernatural and the colours black and yellow connotes danger.

Text Colour and Font:

The main text is a pale yellow, which conveys mystery and contrasts with the black background. The font is large and clear making it stand out and easy to read.

Target Audience:
This poster would most likely appeal to younger people as the lack of information on it would entice them to want to watch the move to find out more. The colours aren't subjective to either gender and therefore would appeal to both genders increasing their demographic.

Hush Movie Poster Analysis

Purpose:

The purpose of this poster is to entice an audience and make people want to go and watch the film. The poster exerts fear and gives it a sense of danger through the expression on the protagonist's face and through the transparent effect used on the killer; also giving it a sense of mystery.

Layout:

The layout allows the audience to focus mainly on the image put in front on them as there is minimal text. The woman's face is foregrounded which highlights her as the protagonist. The close up also intensifies her emotion and the fear in her eyes is clearer to see.

Tagline:

The tagline "Silence can be killer" is placed directly in the middle of the poster allowing it to be the main focus of the poster. It is a short and snappy line, which creates mystery and suspense.

Colour Scheme:

The image is very dark which connotes danger, fear and the unknown. The are also hints of white giving it a ghostly, eerie feels. The lack of colour in the image highlights the dark genre of the movie.

Text Colour and Font:

The main text colour is white which conveys purity and innocence. This juxtaposes with the over all dark and mysterious colour scheme and the orange colour, used on the tagline, connotes deceit and distrust therefore hinting to the audience a theme in the film and giving them a little more insight into the film.

Target Audience:
This poster would appeal more toward females as it portrays a strong female lead; however, it could also appeal to males. The demographic is most likely young adults/adults, as the protagonist seems fairly young and therefore would be more relatable to those people.

Design Brief Based Off Of My Survey Results

• Have a fast paced trailer
• Have an old/haunted house as the primary location however, I will be having an abandoned building as my primary but to keep my demographic happy a haunted house will be included as a secondary location
• A female protagonist as this is more relatable for my demographic that I'm aiming at. They also want her to be brave, kind, strong and independent 
• Include eerie sounds and music
• Include over the shoulder shots, tilted angles (which I'm not going to use), point of view shots and close ups
• Low-key lighting
• A more conventional trailer
• Action and slasher as a sub-genre

Conclusion of Survey Results For My Trailer

Question 1:

Would you prefer the trailer to be fast pace or slow pace?

Fast pace was most preferred as it builds tension and action within the trailer. Therefore, when shooting and editing my trailer I will ensure that the clips are short and the trailer moves along at a fast pace.

Question 2:

What setting/location do you enjoy seeing in a horror trailer?

Old/haunted house was chosen the most by my research group as it can create a creepy and eerie atmosphere. Forest/woods was the second most chosen and therefore I am considering that for a second location to help the narrative. However, I will be using an abandoned buildings one of my locations because I think that this will heighten the eeriness of my trailer and create a higher sense of danger.

Question 3 and 4:

Do you prefer a female protagonist or a male protagonist?

My survey showed that my demographic would prefer a female protagonist because (as said in question 4) they feel that they can relate more to that character and because they enjoy watching a female lead more so than a male lead, as it is not as common.

Question 5:

What sound and music within a horror trailer would be effective to create tension and fear?

I asked my demographic to pick two answers for this question. The top two were eerie sounds and music and minimal dialogue. This will create a tense and creepy atmosphere and the minimal dialogue will allow the audience to concentrate more on the action but also keep up with the narrative.

Question 6:

What traits do you like to see in the protagonist?

My survey mostly answered brave, kind and strong and therefore when casting my protagonist I will choose someone who can portray this well to please my demographic.

Question 7:

In your opinion what are the most effective and thrilling camera shots used in a horror trailer?

For this I asked my demographic to rate the camera shots from 1-8, the highest scoring shots were over the shoulder, close ups and canted angles; therefore, I am going to make sure that my trailer includes these shots. These are conventional for horror trailers as close ups are intense and allows the audience to see the fear in a character's face much clearer and canted angles gives the shot a sense of psychological uneasiness or tension. However, I have decided not to include the canted angles because my demographic wanted more of an action horror rather than a psychological horror.

Question 8:

Do you expect high-key or low-key lighting in a horror trailer and why?

The most popular answer on my survey was low-key lighting as it creates tension and gives the trailer a creepier atmosphere.

Question 9:

Do you prefer a conventional trailer or a more unique trailer?

Conventional was preferred most because then the audience can follow the action more and sort of know what to expect.

Question 10:

Which sub-genre of horror do you like the most?
Again, I asked my demographic to rate the genres from 1-7 and the top two were action and Slasher, therefore, when I'm considering my plot and my shots I will ensure that I incorporate both these genres in order to satisfy my demographic.

Horror Trailer Audience Research Results