After uploading the previous final piece we realised that the audio levels were too quiet so we have increased the volume levels so that the voice over can be heard more clearly.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Evaluation - How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stage?
I have used various new media technologies throughout the whole process of my coursework. Below I will state each one and explain how I used it and for what purpose.
Scribd.com
Scribd.com
- This is a document upload site which enables you to upload word documents and embed them onto sites such as this one.
- It's quite easy to use all you have to do is create an account on Scribd then just choose upload and select the document you want to upload.
- I've used this on my blog to break up text and make it more appealing on the eye.
- I have also used it for a genre research table that I have done as tables cannot be done on normal posts on Blogger.
- http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/11/genre-research.html here's an example of the use of Scribd on my blog.
- Being able to use a new media technology on my blog like Scribd means it allows me to produce a blog that i much more appealing on the eye.
- We chose to try using this concept of a Podcast to speak about what we'd done so far in the week and the plans for the week ahead.
- We saw it as something a bit different to put on the blog compared to us just writing notes, it would be a more interesting way of communicating to viewers of our blog.
- This enabled us to be more interactive with our blog.
- Here is our first Podcast: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/11/podcast-51109.html
Facebook
- We used Facebook to get our audience feedback.
- We uploaded our final cut teaser trailer onto the networking site and asked for comments from our 'Friends.'
- It was an affective concept to use as there is a wide audience.
- By using this networking site it meant we had a variety of feedback from different people from different backgrounds and also saved us time as if we couldn't have used Facebook we would of had to ask people personally to give us feedback.
- I've used Blogger to keep an account of my process in my coursework and to keep a record
of research as well. - This is an easier way to process my coursework as it is all done in one place which can be accessed on any computer.
- You can also upload videos and have a much more interactive way of presenting your coursework.
- Using a blog to present my coursework rather than simply writing it up means that it is more appealing and interesting to viewers and it's also easier to keep a constant live log of everything I have done.
- IMDB is a movie database website which has all sorts of details on a variety of films.
- There are details such as budgets, box office
figures, actors etc... - This website has been very helpful during the process of producing my coursework.
- The most helpful details I have got from the website are the budget and box office takings for films similar to mine such as Pride and Prejudice and Becoming Jane, I have used these figures in my intertextual research.
- If I didn't have access to these sort of details I would struggle to understand the genre that I have worked in (period drama) and therefore find it a struggle to produce my final piece with a detailed understanding in terms of my target audience.
- I have used Photoshop to produce my teaser poster, magazine front cover, improved magazine front cover and film poster.
- We took pictures while we were shooting our footage then used them to make our ancillary texts.
- There are allot of different tools on Photoshop that make it possible to create a professional looking poster/magazine cover.
- This is the film poster: http://www.g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2009/12/ancillary-text-film-poster.html
- This is the teaser poster:http://www.g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2009/12/teaser-poster.html
- This is the magazine front cover:http://www.g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2009/12/ancillary-text-magazine-front-cover.html
- This is the improved magazine front cover: http://www.g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2010/04/final-improved-magazine-front-cover.html
- For the magazine front cover we used the magnetic lasso tool. This allowed us to cut the main image of the main female protagonist from the background. Then we brought the image forward so that the image was over the title of the magazine. We did this as this is how the film magazine Empire presents the front cover.
- For the improved magazine front cover we also used the magnetic lasso tool so that the head of the main protagonist was over the magazine's name. This was done by 'cutting' the main protagonists head from the main image then placing it over the text slightly.
- We also changed the bottom banner to a different colour to fit in with the main image colours and we also changed the opacity to 85% to make it less harsh on the eye.
- The images used at the bottom of the magazine front cover all had backgrounds. We therefore erased the backgrounds so that the images wouldn't look out of place on the new background.
- To get the specific layout for the magazine front cover we used the layers pallet to arrange the layers.
- Without using Photoshop the ancillary texts would be nowhere near the quality they are and multiple images wouldn't bee able to be used.
- We edited and produced our original teaser trailer on iMovie.
- Its quite simple to use and has a variety of tools such as transitions that can be very effective.
- In one of my previous posts I have gone into more detail of the positives and negatives of iMovie: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/12/software_21.html
- Using iDVD meant we could produce a professional looking DVD.
- iDVD produces a 'start' page for your DVD so it comes up with he option 'play movie.'
- It just helps to finish off the DVD.
- We used this to record our soundtrack and our voice over.
- The recording quality is very good and is easy to use.
- Using this piece of new media technology was better than using a camcorder to recorded audio as it gives a sharper more precise finish.
- We used a Canon digital camcorder MD101 which we recorded onto a DV tape.
- It was easy to use and overall gave good results.
- The camcorder had a zoom, the footage filmed was clear and of good quality.
- However we have encountered one problem with the camcorder. After editing our final improved teaser trailer we realised there was a subtle clicking sound in the background. After testing the non-diegetic soundtrack we could rule out that the clicking noise wasn't from the downloaded soundtrack. We therefore concluded that although we have deleted the sound recordings from the footage the clicking noise was from the camcorder itself. Although the clicking noise is faint it is still a disappointing flaw with the camcorder which has affected the quality of our final teaser trailer.
- I have written further information about the camcorder on a previous post: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/12/hardware_21.html
- We used a scanner to upload our storyboard.
- Using the scanner meant that we could upload our first storyboard along with the pictures we drew to represent shots
- Here is the storyboard we scan into the computer then uploaded onto the blog: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/11/storyboard.html
- I used YouTtube to view teaser trailers for different films but especially the genre of period drama.
- I then analysed the trailers for my genre research.
- YouTube is an easy video search engine that is quick and efficient to use.
- If I hadn't of used YouTube I would of had to have searched for teaser trailers which would have taken more time.
- Although one problem was that if I wanted to use YouTube I had to use it at home as it is blocked on the school computers.
- We edited and produced the whole improved teaser trailer using Final Cut.
- By using this program rather than iMovie we could edit our final piece more effectively.
- To edit the clips we used the razor blade tool to cut the clip into parts then just deleted the parts that we didn't need.
- Another example of editing using Final Cut Express is that in one of our shots there was a mini bus in the background, by using Final Cut we were able to zoom in on the footage within the program so the mini bus co
uldn't be seen in the mise-en-scene. - We were also able to increase the brightness in two shots that were filmed at night which we deemed too dark for the viewer to see the character in the frame, this is something we were unable to do in iMovie.
- Also by using Final Cut Express we were able to incorporate a split screen into the improved final teaser trailer which was something we were unable to do in iMovie.
- This was a complex and time consuming process but I believe it adds something unique and interesting to the trailer.
- There are more details about the different techniques we used in Final Cut on one of my previous posts on Software: http://g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2009/12/software.html
Live Type 
- With iMovie you can produce your titles within the program where as with Final Cut Express you have to produce them in a separate program called Live Type
- We decided to upload footage that we filmed by accident of the sky and put the titles over it to create a unique way of presenting the titles.
- For the titles introducing the actors we had to upload the footage we wanted the titles on then add the titles on top of the footage, we then had to export the footage from Live Type back to Final Cut Express.
Free Play Music
- For the soundtrack for the improved teaser trailer we downloaded music from a copyright free website.
- This was fairly easy to do as we just downloaded it into iTunes then dragged it across to Final Cut Express.
Below is a podcast with details about the use of new media in our coursework process.
Below is a video of us demonstrating how to use Blogger and Final Cut Express:
Evaluation - What have you learned from your audience feedback?
We seeked audience feedback at different stages of putting our teaser trailer together. Once we had produced our rough cut we showed our teaser trailer to people in our class. Audience feedback is a vital process of editing and producing a film even big budget films. An example is Bridget Jones Diary. When a scene from the film was one where the male actor turns to face the camera and is wearing a stereotypical Christmas jumper was shown to a small American they didn't get the comical aspect. This made the producers realise that they would have to change aspects of the film to appeal to an American audience. Another example that is more specific to our genre is Pride and Prejudice. When producers showed the film to an American sample audience they didn't understand the ending of the film as their isn't a kiss between the main female and male protagonists. So from this feedback the producers filmed an alternative ending for the American audience which had the main male and female protagonist sharing a kiss to give clear anchorage that they were together.
This is some of the feedback we got and how we addressed the negative feedback:
Some of the shots are too dark.
Due to the problems with our location we were working to a tight time schedule. Therefore when we shot some of the footage it was darker than we would have liked. These are: the mid shot of the gentleman, the mid shot of the main female protagonist and the gentleman and finally the over the shoulder shot of the main female protagonist laughing. Again due to the time schedule we didn't have time to re-shoot these shots, we also considered starting to edit in Final Cut but after much deliberation we decided this wasn't an option due to time. Therefore we decided to use a 'wash in' transition so that the trailer fades from a white background to a dark shot. Doing this means that the viewers eye is adapted to the colour change slowly so that the content in the shot isn't as difficult to see.
More anchorage needed to show its a teaser trailer.
The rough cut doesn't have any non-diegetic music or title cards with text. As it is a rough cut we still had these to add however it made us consider that more anchorage was needed. So we added more title cards to signify the story in more detail and also to give the viewer a further insight into the main female protagonist feelings and emotions.
More anchorage needed to explain the story as there's no diegetic voice or non-diegetic voice overs.
When we began planning our teaser trailer we debated whether to have a non-diegetic voice over or not. We decided not to but agreed to consider adding a voice over if audience feedback suggested we needed one. This is what has been suggested that we need a voice over. We decided to use the main female protagonist's voice. Not particularly to tell the story but more to give the viewer an insight into her view of the story.
Final Piece
Although we've made changes to address the problems highlighted through our audience feedback there are still flaws in our final piece. Some of the shots we would have liked to have re-shot due to the lack of light. We would also of liked to have added some extra footage of the 'love triangle.' Regarding the soundtrack we would of liked to of had a piano accompany the flute as it would of added further drama to the teaser trailer.
Improved final piece
After producing our final product we decided that we would try and address some further issues that were highlighted through audience feedback and correct these negative aspects. After making this decision we decided to seek further audience feedback so that we could address as many flaws with the trailer as possible.
Below are some of the new points from audience feedback and how we addressed them in producing a new improved teaser trailer:
This is some of the feedback we got and how we addressed the negative feedback:
Some of the shots are too dark.
Due to the problems with our location we were working to a tight time schedule. Therefore when we shot some of the footage it was darker than we would have liked. These are: the mid shot of the gentleman, the mid shot of the main female protagonist and the gentleman and finally the over the shoulder shot of the main female protagonist laughing. Again due to the time schedule we didn't have time to re-shoot these shots, we also considered starting to edit in Final Cut but after much deliberation we decided this wasn't an option due to time. Therefore we decided to use a 'wash in' transition so that the trailer fades from a white background to a dark shot. Doing this means that the viewers eye is adapted to the colour change slowly so that the content in the shot isn't as difficult to see.
More anchorage needed to show its a teaser trailer.
The rough cut doesn't have any non-diegetic music or title cards with text. As it is a rough cut we still had these to add however it made us consider that more anchorage was needed. So we added more title cards to signify the story in more detail and also to give the viewer a further insight into the main female protagonist feelings and emotions.
More anchorage needed to explain the story as there's no diegetic voice or non-diegetic voice overs.
When we began planning our teaser trailer we debated whether to have a non-diegetic voice over or not. We decided not to but agreed to consider adding a voice over if audience feedback suggested we needed one. This is what has been suggested that we need a voice over. We decided to use the main female protagonist's voice. Not particularly to tell the story but more to give the viewer an insight into her view of the story.
Final Piece
Although we've made changes to address the problems highlighted through our audience feedback there are still flaws in our final piece. Some of the shots we would have liked to have re-shot due to the lack of light. We would also of liked to have added some extra footage of the 'love triangle.' Regarding the soundtrack we would of liked to of had a piano accompany the flute as it would of added further drama to the teaser trailer.
Improved final piece
After producing our final product we decided that we would try and address some further issues that were highlighted through audience feedback and correct these negative aspects. After making this decision we decided to seek further audience feedback so that we could address as many flaws with the trailer as possible.
Below are some of the new points from audience feedback and how we addressed them in producing a new improved teaser trailer:
- Too few set-ups within the trailer, make more of a love triangle
We addressed this by developing a new situation/set-up between the main female protagonist, the main male protagonist and his fiancee. We hope that this gives more anchorage of the plot to the viewer and adds more drama to the trailer. We also decided to make the main female protagonist appear more as a maid as this would create more drama and hopefully convince the audience to see the film. We decide to have the main female protagonist taking a letter to the fiancee of the main male protagonist with him stood beside her. We had the two main protagonists glancing at each other to signify a relationship between them.
- Not enough variety of shot types
We took this into account when we filmed the new set-ups and saw this as an opportunity to correct it. We decided to get further over the shoulder shots and varied the shots by having a mix of long, short and medium shots. We believe that adding these new shots has addressed this problem.
- It could be shorter as it is a teaser trailer not a 'normal' trailer
We took this into account and the improved teaser trailer is 1min5secs which is nearer to the average length of a teaser trailer. Although as we have added more shots to this trailer we have cut the length of each shot meaning it is a shorter teaser trailer.
- Consider using two pieces of music, it could help to emphasise emotion
Originally we had one piece of non-diegetic music over the trailer. Feedback suggested this didn't work as it was a too simple piece, also after looking again at other teaser trailers we realised they usually use two pieces of music. Therefore we decided to use two different pieces of music from a copyright free website. We believe this helps to heighten emotions in the trailer.
- Consider framing of shots
We have addressed this by shooting more over the shoulder shots which create affective framing. We framed one shot with a double over the shoulder shot which the main female protagonist can be seen through, this signifies a love triangle to the audience. We also used tree branches to frame the first shot of the the improved teaser trailer.
- Could add more pace towards the end of the trailer to add drama
We have done this by shortening the length of the shots at the end of the teaser trailer and also included faster transitions. The non-diegetic music at the end of the trailer is also faster therefore giving the impression to the audience that the pace of the trailer has increased.
- Didn't think the titles worked
We have addressed this by removing the written quote titles. After much consideration we decided that these added too much confusion to the trailer and also slowed the pace too much. We have also improved the title cards and the actors names by making them more interesting. We have put the title 'For All I Know' and 'Coming Soon' over footage of moving branches in the wind. We also placed the actors names over footage of the actors themselves. By doing this we have quickened the pace of the trailer and we hope this will keep the audience interested in the teaser trailer.
- Jerky shots
To ensure we didn't have any 'jerky' shots in the improved teaser trailer we cut the shots so that the 'jerkiness' cannot be seen anymore. In terms of filming our new footage we checked the tripod before we used it to ensure it wasn't faulty and then used the tripod to ensure we had a steady shot where possible. Obviously the rotating shot couldn't be shot using a tripod however the shakiness of the camera adds to the effect of the shot type.
- Some shots are too dark
This point was picked up on in our initial audience feedback. However we were unable to correct it as we were using iMovie and it didn't have the facilities for us to lighten the footage. Although when we decided to improve the trailer we also decided to use FinalCut which is a more sophisticated editing program. Therefore we were able to increase the brightness of the shots that were deemed too dark.
For our new improved teaser trailer we received audience feedback not only on the finished piece but also the drafts. We decided to film the viewing of one of the drafts and we also recorded what they had to say about the trailer so far. Here is the link to the video - http://g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2010/02/audience-feedback-for-2nd-draft-of.html
Below is some of the points audience feedback picked up on the improved final teaser trailer:
We also collected audience feedback for our film poster and magazine front cover as they are very important pieces in terms of a marketing strategy.
Below is a video of audience feedback. We screened the original trailer and then the improved trailer. We asked them to establish what they thought had improved and what they would do to the new trailer to improve it further.
Below is some of the feedback we received for the film poster:
- The spacing of the writing could be improved
- Consider adding the film website address
- Not enough font variation
- There are no quotes from reviews
Below is some of the feedback we received for the magazine front cover:
- Framing could be improved - consider putting the stories down the pillar
- Is the image right? The image is a bit dull
- Too many plain areas - more detail needed
- Need to add website address and issue number
After receiving the feedback for our magazine front cover we realised that our cover didn't fit with the codes and conventions of film magazines front covers. Therefore we decided to develop our magazine front cover further.
Below is the feedback we received for our new improved magazine front cover:
- The colours chosen for the text and blocks for the pictures link with the main image used, it brings all the different aspects of the cover together.
- The main image is a allot brighter than the previous main image, it attracts the eye of a passer by.
- One criticism was that the film titles at the bottom of the cover could be spaced out more effectively so that the titles can be seen more clearly.
Evaluation - How effective is the combination of your main product and the ancillary texts?
Producing a teaser trailer is in fact just another marketing strategy to make your film successful. To accompany our teaser trailer we developed a teaser poster, a main film poster and a magazine front cover.
A teaser trailer is a form of media that would typically be shown either on TV during ad breaks, in the cinema before a film (of a similar gene to that being advertised) or on websites such as YouTube. So therefore teaser trailers accommodate the interactive market.
However a film needs a presence elsewhere too. For example on Billboards and advertised in
magazines (type depends on the target audience of the film) such as Closer and Look for the genre of our film and our target audience. This is wear our main film poster would appear.
Another market that also has to be addressed is the audience with a great interest in film, those who buy specialised film magazines, our magazine front cover featuring our film addresses this audience.
It also has to be considered that a film featuring on a film magazine front cover means that the film has been publicised enough to be 'worthy' of front cover space. This means that this type of publicity confirms that your marketing strategy has been successful so far. The genre of the magazine your film is featured in is also important. For example if we were to produce a magazine front cover with copyright images we would have featured films that were of a similar genre of our film such as Remember Me and Eclipse which are romantic dramas. This again would link to reaching the target audience of the film.
The teaser trailer, main film poster and magazine front cover all have the same basic aspects that will attract the target audience. They all link together as a 'brand' for the film and if put into action would hopefully attract the target audience efficiently and effectively.
The podcast below gives more detail about the teaser poster, main poster and magazine front cover.
A teaser trailer is a form of media that would typically be shown either on TV during ad breaks, in the cinema before a film (of a similar gene to that being advertised) or on websites such as YouTube. So therefore teaser trailers accommodate the interactive market.
However a film needs a presence elsewhere too. For example on Billboards and advertised in
magazines (type depends on the target audience of the film) such as Closer and Look for the genre of our film and our target audience. This is wear our main film poster would appear.
Another market that also has to be addressed is the audience with a great interest in film, those who buy specialised film magazines, our magazine front cover featuring our film addresses this audience.
It also has to be considered that a film featuring on a film magazine front cover means that the film has been publicised enough to be 'worthy' of front cover space. This means that this type of publicity confirms that your marketing strategy has been successful so far. The genre of the magazine your film is featured in is also important. For example if we were to produce a magazine front cover with copyright images we would have featured films that were of a similar genre of our film such as Remember Me and Eclipse which are romantic dramas. This again would link to reaching the target audience of the film.
The teaser trailer, main film poster and magazine front cover all have the same basic aspects that will attract the target audience. They all link together as a 'brand' for the film and if put into action would hopefully attract the target audience efficiently and effectively.
The podcast below gives more detail about the teaser poster, main poster and magazine front cover.
The video below gives more details about how the magazine front cover, poster and final teaser trailer work together:
Evaluation - In what way does your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In the process of developing our teaser trailer I have researched many different teaser trailers from horror to romance. Then as we decided to concentrate our genre on period drama I specialized my research on this genre.
In general, a teaser trailer's main aim is to purely advertise a film and its release. It is stated that the length of a teaser trailer is approximately 30 to 60 seconds long but while looking at other teaser trailers this doesn't seem to be a fixed rule. For example The Duchess teaser trailer is 1.49 minutes long. Our teaser trailer, in total is 2.07 minutes long which is possibly a bit too long so if we were to improve our trailer this is something we could look at, shortening the length.
Another factor that I discovered after researching teaser trailers is the importance of including narrative enigma's. So therefore we included some narrative enigma's in our trailer one being: does the main female protagonist end up with the main male protagonist? We hope that a narrative enigma as influential as this to the plot of the film will attract our target audience and convince them to see the film at the cinema.
Looking at teaser trailers that were of a similar genre as our teaser trailer was the most vital piece of research I did as they had the biggest impact on our trailer.
These are aspects of our trailer that were influenced by my genre research (I will also state the influence the research had on our trailer):
Editing
After looking at a variety of period drama trailers I realised that the editing is always smooth and never too fast.
Although I did realise that as the trailers develop the speed of the clips and transitions do pick up pace and we tried to incorporate this into our trailer
Another factor that I realised was that the transitions in the trailers are always fade ins and outs we also incorporated this into ours except for the dark shots when we used wash In's but this is still a subtle transition so I believe it still fits with the conventions of a period drama teaser trailer.
After looking at the trailer for The Duchess I realised the importance of framing shots, so we concentrated on this for example using the trees in the woods to frame the main female protagonist and using the pillars at the Ball scene.
When we decided to improve our teaser trailer we took inspiration from the 500 Days of Summer teaser trailer. For example the beginning scene where there are two shots of the same situation but just from different angles. We incorporated this in our trailer so that the audience felt they were seeing the situation from both characters point of view. We also took inspiration from the trailer to include a split screen in our trailer.
Lighting
In our teaser trailer we have scenes both at night and in the day time.
This seemed to be the case with other period drama trailers.
The lighting at night was important, so after viewing teaser trailers that featured a Ball scene (The Duchess and Pride and Prejudice) we decided that some outdoor lighting would be appropriate. However we would have to be careful due to the time setting of the early 19th Century. So we had to ensure the lighting was subtle, as though it were candlelight.
Characters
There are three characters in our teaser trailer.
Our main female protagonist is your stereotypical role, such as Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice. She is portrayed as a genuine character which will appeal to the target audience. But also she may appeal to the male audience due to the male gaze. This is the view the directors may have had in mind when they cast Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice.
The main male protagonist is a dominant force in the trailer who may split the audiences opinions. This is something we hope will attract our target audience as he is portrayed as mysterious, in the trailer the viewer doesn't get to find out that much about him. This is a similar to the role that Mr Darcy plays in Pride and Prejudice. You could also look at the female gaze as an attraction for a female audience.
The less influential character in the teaser trailer is the gentleman's fiancee. The preferred reading for her is that she is a shy young woman who is oblivious to the situation around her. This would hopefully create sympathy for her from the audience.
Representation
After looking at other period drama teaser trailers I've realized that they only seem to represent the upper class. We have challenged this convention by also showing the lower class. We show the class through costume mostly but also the mise-en-scene. For example the grand house in the mise-en-scene and the pristine countryside. The costume consists of glamorous dresses for the women and a crisp cravat for the main male protagonist.
Soundtrack
All the period drama teaser trailers have non-diegetic music which is instrumental. The music is almost always classical either piano or strings. We chose to use classical music as well however originally we used the flute rather than the piano or strings. Although we then decided to re-do the soundtrack. We decided to use a copyright free website to find the new soundtrack. We did this to ensure a professional finish. Inspired by other trailers we decided to use two pieces of music and merge them together to add more pace and drama to the teaser trailer.
Not only have we produced a teaser trailer, we have also produced a magazine front cover and a film poster to accompany it. There are aspects of these two texts that have been influenced through research.
Film Poster: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/12/ancillary-text-film-poster.html
Magazine front cover: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/12/ancillary-text-magazine- front-cover.html
Improved magazine front cover: http://http//g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2010/04/improved-magazine-front-cover.html
Modes of address/language choice
After looking at a variety of posters and magazines I've realized the importance of addressing your target audience correctly. Each poster and magazine adapts to its audience so it can appeal to them in every way possible. For example we have used similar colours that are featured in the main image for the text. We hope that this would attract the eye of a passer by and then rely on the featured films on the cover to encourage them to buy the magazine then hopefully entice them to see our film at the cinema.
Our film poster is a little more understated than our magazine front cover. The images on the poster signify upper class through the clothes and the mise-en-scene. The tag line 'sometimes love can't be denied' gives anchorage of the the theme of love which again will hopefully attract our target audience.
Layout
Our magazine front cover layout is very similar to that of Empire's .
Although we have added aspects that will help to attract the female more such as the layout which we have kept quite simple, not cluttered so therefore more appealing on the eye. We have also kept the layout of our film poster simple even though we've used two images however we have kept one image dominant and the other blending subtly into it so its not too harsh on the eye. Like all film posters we have kept the production detail text small in white at the bottom of the poster so it doesn't intrude on the images and distract the viewer from the main area - the title and tag line.
Below is a podcast explaining our research process
In general, a teaser trailer's main aim is to purely advertise a film and its release. It is stated that the length of a teaser trailer is approximately 30 to 60 seconds long but while looking at other teaser trailers this doesn't seem to be a fixed rule. For example The Duchess teaser trailer is 1.49 minutes long. Our teaser trailer, in total is 2.07 minutes long which is possibly a bit too long so if we were to improve our trailer this is something we could look at, shortening the length.
Another factor that I discovered after researching teaser trailers is the importance of including narrative enigma's. So therefore we included some narrative enigma's in our trailer one being: does the main female protagonist end up with the main male protagonist? We hope that a narrative enigma as influential as this to the plot of the film will attract our target audience and convince them to see the film at the cinema.
Looking at teaser trailers that were of a similar genre as our teaser trailer was the most vital piece of research I did as they had the biggest impact on our trailer.
These are aspects of our trailer that were influenced by my genre research (I will also state the influence the research had on our trailer):
Editing
After looking at a variety of period drama trailers I realised that the editing is always smooth and never too fast.
Although I did realise that as the trailers develop the speed of the clips and transitions do pick up pace and we tried to incorporate this into our trailer
Another factor that I realised was that the transitions in the trailers are always fade ins and outs we also incorporated this into ours except for the dark shots when we used wash In's but this is still a subtle transition so I believe it still fits with the conventions of a period drama teaser trailer.
After looking at the trailer for The Duchess I realised the importance of framing shots, so we concentrated on this for example using the trees in the woods to frame the main female protagonist and using the pillars at the Ball scene.
When we decided to improve our teaser trailer we took inspiration from the 500 Days of Summer teaser trailer. For example the beginning scene where there are two shots of the same situation but just from different angles. We incorporated this in our trailer so that the audience felt they were seeing the situation from both characters point of view. We also took inspiration from the trailer to include a split screen in our trailer.
Lighting
In our teaser trailer we have scenes both at night and in the day time.
This seemed to be the case with other period drama trailers.
The lighting at night was important, so after viewing teaser trailers that featured a Ball scene (The Duchess and Pride and Prejudice) we decided that some outdoor lighting would be appropriate. However we would have to be careful due to the time setting of the early 19th Century. So we had to ensure the lighting was subtle, as though it were candlelight.
Characters
There are three characters in our teaser trailer.
Our main female protagonist is your stereotypical role, such as Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice. She is portrayed as a genuine character which will appeal to the target audience. But also she may appeal to the male audience due to the male gaze. This is the view the directors may have had in mind when they cast Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice.
The main male protagonist is a dominant force in the trailer who may split the audiences opinions. This is something we hope will attract our target audience as he is portrayed as mysterious, in the trailer the viewer doesn't get to find out that much about him. This is a similar to the role that Mr Darcy plays in Pride and Prejudice. You could also look at the female gaze as an attraction for a female audience.
The less influential character in the teaser trailer is the gentleman's fiancee. The preferred reading for her is that she is a shy young woman who is oblivious to the situation around her. This would hopefully create sympathy for her from the audience.
Representation
After looking at other period drama teaser trailers I've realized that they only seem to represent the upper class. We have challenged this convention by also showing the lower class. We show the class through costume mostly but also the mise-en-scene. For example the grand house in the mise-en-scene and the pristine countryside. The costume consists of glamorous dresses for the women and a crisp cravat for the main male protagonist.
Soundtrack
All the period drama teaser trailers have non-diegetic music which is instrumental. The music is almost always classical either piano or strings. We chose to use classical music as well however originally we used the flute rather than the piano or strings. Although we then decided to re-do the soundtrack. We decided to use a copyright free website to find the new soundtrack. We did this to ensure a professional finish. Inspired by other trailers we decided to use two pieces of music and merge them together to add more pace and drama to the teaser trailer.
Not only have we produced a teaser trailer, we have also produced a magazine front cover and a film poster to accompany it. There are aspects of these two texts that have been influenced through research.
Film Poster: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/12/ancillary-text-film-poster.html
Magazine front cover: http://lornasa2bloggy.blogspot.com/2009/12/ancillary-text-magazine- front-cover.html
Improved magazine front cover: http://http//g324lornakennedy.blogspot.com/2010/04/improved-magazine-front-cover.html
Modes of address/language choice
After looking at a variety of posters and magazines I've realized the importance of addressing your target audience correctly. Each poster and magazine adapts to its audience so it can appeal to them in every way possible. For example we have used similar colours that are featured in the main image for the text. We hope that this would attract the eye of a passer by and then rely on the featured films on the cover to encourage them to buy the magazine then hopefully entice them to see our film at the cinema.
Our film poster is a little more understated than our magazine front cover. The images on the poster signify upper class through the clothes and the mise-en-scene. The tag line 'sometimes love can't be denied' gives anchorage of the the theme of love which again will hopefully attract our target audience.
Layout
Our magazine front cover layout is very similar to that of Empire's .
Although we have added aspects that will help to attract the female more such as the layout which we have kept quite simple, not cluttered so therefore more appealing on the eye. We have also kept the layout of our film poster simple even though we've used two images however we have kept one image dominant and the other blending subtly into it so its not too harsh on the eye. Like all film posters we have kept the production detail text small in white at the bottom of the poster so it doesn't intrude on the images and distract the viewer from the main area - the title and tag line.
Below is a podcast explaining our research process
Monday, 21 December 2009
Software
To edit our teaser trailer we used IMovie06. There are many different t
ransitions that can be applied to your project on IMoive. For producing and editing our trailer we found this very useful as we wanted it to be smooth and affective. We used fade in's and out's to achieve this. We also used a wash in transition for some shots as starting with a white background looked better than starting with a black background where the shots were taken in the dark.
ransitions that can be applied to your project on IMoive. For producing and editing our trailer we found this very useful as we wanted it to be smooth and affective. We used fade in's and out's to achieve this. We also used a wash in transition for some shots as starting with a white background looked better than starting with a black background where the shots were taken in the dark. Using IMovie06 also made it easy to upload audio recordings such as the voice over and non-diegetic music. To do this on IMovie you simply just drag it into your project and place it alongside your footage. It's also quite easy to cut audio content and to turn the volume up and down for effect, this was an important editing tool to have as sound is an important aspect of a teaser trailer.
There are some editing tools that aren't present on IMovie06 that would make a difference to our final piece. On IMovie you can't crop shots. In one of our shots there was someone in the background, it was a perfect shot but we were unable to use it as we couldn't crop the mise-en-scene. Another problem we had is that some of our shots were taken at night and they are too dark in our opinion. It would be useful if IMovie had the facility to lighten a shot.
After we decided to improve our trailer we also came to a decision to use Final Cut Express to achieve a more sophisticated and professional look for our teaser trailer. Final Cut has many advantages over iMovie as it allows you to use editing tools that are unavailable on iMovie. These include the ability to incorporate a split screen, zoom in to a shot already taken and to adjust the brightness of a shot.
We used many transitions to give our teaser trailer the desired effect. There were allot more options for transitions in Final Cut although some were not suitable for the style of our trailer. The transitions help to connect the different shots therefore telling a story. However some of the shot we left out transitions as it speeds up the trailer and adds drama. 
Also for the first scene of the trailer we used a filter. We decided we wanted a shot where the camera focuses on the male protagonist and his fiancee then blur and focus on the branches that frame the shot. After researching this we discovered this had to be done on the camera not on the program used for editing. However after experimenting with the different filters we decided to use 2 shots of the same scene, put a filter on the first shot to make it appear slightly blurry then leave the second shot normal with a subtle transition between them. Although this didn't have the exact same effect it did have a similar effect which works effectively.
Also on Final Cut we were able to use a zoom in tool which wasn't available on iMovie. When we filmed the scenes on the front lawn at Ilkley Grammar School we were unable to avoid a mini bus in the mise-en-scene so we had to come up with a solution or not use the clip but this wasn't really an option as using the clip was vital for the audience to understand the plot. We therefore used the zoom in tool so that the mini bus wasn't visible.
When we edited the original teaser trailer we encountered a problem with the lighting for the 'ball scenes'. We had to solve this problem by using transitions that would lighten the scenes slightly. However we decided to use these clips again in the improved trailer so as we were using Final Cut we could adjust the brightness of the clips. This has made a huge difference to the trailer, although the clips do appear slightly artificial it is an improvement from having them in there original colour.
Adding audio to our footage on Final Cut was relatively easy. All we had to do was drag the audio from iTunes to Final Cut. Then all we had to do was cut the audio, like how you cut the footage, and drag it to the appropriate parts of the footage.
One other technique we were able to use in Final Cut was to use a split screen. This was very difficult and complex to do. We had to drag the other clip we wanted to appear by the side of the clip and place it above it. We then had to crop one of the clips and pull the other clip over the clip. This meant we lost one side from each clip but this was able to be done due to the framing being centred.
Although Final Cut is a cutting edge piece of technology for editing it does have its disadvantages. It's a very difficult program to learn to use and takes a while to get used to as it's much more advance than iMovie. Using the split screen is very complicated to edit and you have to loose part of the image of the clip which is a slight disadvantage and needs to be taken into account when filming the clip wanted for the split screen.
To compose our film poster and magazine front covers we used Photoshop Elements 2.0. This was an effective program to use to reach a professional end piece. The tools available allowed us to manipulate the original images we used and also allowed us to adapt text. However we did decide to improve our original magazine front cover by changing the layout and colour slightly. It was fairly easy changing aspects of the cover using Photoshop Elements 2.0.
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