When creating any media outlet, addressing the forms and conventions is a very important aspect to the success of it. The encoder of the media must aim to form something that the decoder therefore will enjoy and want to either read or watch again and again. Looking at these forms and conventions is something I and two other had to address when creating a film trailer and me solely when producing a magazine cover and poster. However rather than keep to the exact forms and conventions we chose to use, develop and challenges these forms to create something unique to the film market.
Before these forms and conventions can be addressed, providing an idea and a genre was the most important aspect and something that needed to be created in order for the encoders to understand and want to watch. After producing an idea it was clear this are trailer would be a 'Romantic/Drama' and in order for us to create this we would need to use, develop and challenge these forms and conventions.
Before I go on, here are some forms and conventions available;
· Captions
· Music
· Narration
· Shots of key cast
· Montage (Fast Paced Editing)
· Non-Linear
· Stars (Actors)
· Music
· Title
· Voice-Over
Within this list, we aimed to look at each and try and incorporate these where we thought necessary and whether or not we could change and develop them. Firstly I will talk about the trailer.
The first forms and convention used to support the genre of the film was a 'voice over'. In the initial stages it showed the main character (Rob) walking down a graveyard walk way wearing a suit with a glum look on his face. To support this we decided to use a voice over which read out a note to 'Alice', his long-term girlfriend who has died (reason for being in a graveyard), explaining that this is the end between them. The voice over supports and signifies a dark dramatic mood of death as well as romantic traces of love. Our inspiration for the film came from 'Trainspotting', a trailer which used a voice over at the beginning but for different reasons.
This shows the shot used when the voice over was happening.
(Click to enlarge)
Furthermore, using this quote and scene at the beginning adds to the convention of a 'Non-Linear' trailer because Alice does appear within the trailer later, even though she is signified to have died at the beginning.
Moving on, the next scene shows both Alice and Rob sitting on a bench, but with the image as 'Black and White'. Though we wanted to go for a non-linear pattern, we did want the encoder to understand the basic plot of the film but at the same time not giving too much away. With that in mind we wanted to signify the past in Black and White with the scenes involving Alice, and the present in colour. This can allow the audience to see Rob in a positive state before she dies and get a feel for the film and his emotions.
Here shows the black and white scenes used, all of which involve alice in one way or another.
(Click to enlarge)
'Captions' was something that was used throughout the trailer and in two different ways. One way is feedback and within a lot of trailers reviews are shown indicating a short paragraph and rating of the film, giving the audience an idea of how it is seen to the media and whether or not it is worth seeing. With that in mind, we aimed only to do this once with a short Daily Mail review 30 seconds in to the trailer, stopping any bombardment of information away from the story.
Captioned Review within the trailer.
(Click to enlarge)
The next was through the use of rhetorical questioning, with little snippets of information that ask the audience and test them for solutions. This helps make the audience think and develops the use of just normal captions and allows them to be much more involved and hopefully result in going to see the film. The caption below shows this with the notion of 'What happened?' and 'Why it ended so bad?'. This will hopefully give the audience a sense of intrigue and therefore attract them to the film.
Here shows an example of the captions used within the trailer.
(The white gap in between demonstartes the on screen change. )
(Click to enlarge)
Staying with the captions the main 'Actors' of the film needed to be shown, however rather than just having a black screen with the actors names, we decided to develop this and provide fade shot of this slowly, with the picture fading away whilst the actors name faded in. Keeping this in mind, we decided to only hold one actors name in the trailer challenging mainly trailers that hold information about a number of actors. The idea behind this was to focus on one sole character and provide a trailer around him rather than anyone else. By following him see's the romantic and dramatic side of him helping support the genre and give the audience something to understand.
Here shows the images fading effect used for the actors name.(Click to enlarge)
Within the majority of trailers, a montage of small clips are present towards the end of it to demonstrate the different stages within the film. On top of this is either music or a voice over, allowing the clips to flow and provide an enticing ending. Like mentioned this is something seen within the majority of media products, and in order for ours to look similar to these, we had to incorporate one. Choosing the clips for this was tough and like our film inspiration 'Trainspotting', we chose a few random clips giving no unnecessary indications away. To help these clips flow, we incorporated a voice over argument between Rob and Daryl (drug dealer), that added tension and drama to the clips.
On top of choosing the clips, focussing on the encoder was important too as we needed to provide a montage that enticed and both reflected the genre of the film. Through the use of the clips we added a glum outlook that added to the drama as well as a strong passion and romantic sense when the voice over argument is taking place, hopefully resulting in the genre being noted by the audience.
Here are these clips used for the montage. (Click to enlarge)
The final forms and convention used within the trailer was 'Music' and something that gave us many problems throughout the entire process. When planning our trailer we decided on one song and this was 'Gary Jules - Mad World', a song which we thought would fit well with the mood of the song. This was used for our First Draft and our Second, however upon feedback we had a re-evaluation that it didn't provide the trailer with a good enough tempo and was almost too dreary. Taking this into account we found a new song that we agreed fitted better and provided a better tempo, but at the same time gave a romantic and dramatic feel through the tune and beat. This was 'Justin Timberlake - Cry Me a River'.
The other aspect we had to tackle was how to incorporate the song and how we would use it. Main trailers use their song to cast over clips, with the song being faded out for talking scenes, however we didn't want to split the song up as we agreed the trailer doesn't have enough talking scenes to allow for breaks in the music. with that in mind, we decided to play the song throughout as it worked well with the clips and especially with the montage at the end.
As well as the trailer, I personally had to produce a magazine cover and poster both in relation to the trailer. Like the trailer I had to know a good understanding of forms and conventions of these both, therefore having to research and gain a good knowledge of both magazine covers and posters.
Through carrying out appropriate research allowed me to know what is needed within a magazine to be successful and how I can incorporate these within mine to appeal to the overall genre.
Focussing more on the magazine cover, here are some of the forms and conventions I included within the vCity magazine cover;
· Masthead
· Plug line
· Snippets / Features
· Issue Date
· Price
· Barcode
· Colour
· Website
· Images
Within any magazine covers, images are something very important and none more so than for mine. For any magazine the image is the first thing the eyes are drawn too, therefore having an eye catching image is something that needed to be looked at very closely in order for it to look like a real media product.
Within the trailer there is seen to be one initial main character (Rob) and its clear that he will be pursued for the entire trailer. However with the storyline another character is seen prominently and this is the drug dealer Daryl, who is involved with Rob's addiction throughout. With this in mind, he can be seen as a main character and I therefore decided to use him for the magazine cover. Main magazines covers hold the main character but with Daryl being slowly unearthed as a main character, I thought this would spread the advertising and marketing of the trailer and allow the audience to see someone else other than Rob. My inspiration for this came from Harry Potter where both Ron and Hermione are seen on many magazine covers and posters, even though there are not the initial main character.
Picture used for magazine cover.(Click to enlarge)
Moving away from the main photo image, there is one more image I incorporated within the cover. For any magazine to be successful it needs to be easily recognised within its field, and some of the initial feedback I possessed from my 1st draft explained that a film image could be added to easily understand it as a film magazine. With that in mind, I produced a timeline and developed someone thing that gives the trailer more publicity on the magazine with small clips being available on it. Having this easily recognises this as a film magazine and allows the encoder to know exactly what they would be getting for their money.
This is the film reel used at the bottom of the cover. (Click to enlarge)
In conjunction with the image, the layout within the magazine is also important. Displaying pieces like exclusive reports and features is imperative when advertising the magazine, as it’s this which makes it feel like a ‘real media product’. From here, it’s up to me as the encoder to make vCity develop these elements, and therefore challenge other magazines for consumer approval. This was done through offering features and reports of other films and actors.
As well as exclusive reports and features, smaller aspects of forms and conventions were needed to allow my magazine cover to look real. The top of the magazine shows the which edition it is and how much it would be, allowing the encoder to know exactly when it would be released and for how much.
Here are the features avalible within the magazine.
(Click to englarge)
The next form and convention used was involving the website link and where I should place it. After much research I found many magazines like 'FILM' where they place there's under the masthead, so I decided to take this on board and follow them. I did the same for the magazines full name with them now both being designed to fit under the masthead.
Above indictaes where abouts I placed the website link and the full name of the magazine.
(Click to enlarge)
The final form and convention for the magazine I will talk about is the masthead. After looking into FILM and EMPIRE magazines, it's clear that both of these wanted to have a bold masthead that covered the upper part of the page. After testing this with my image I found it didn't work very well with the masthead text overpowering the image on a too greater scale. With that in mind, I decided to challenge this form and convention and produce a smaller masthead that fits better with the main image. Furthermore the masthead is still bold but at the same time at a size that doesn't overpower my main image.
Above shows the comparions between EMPIRE's and mine.
(Click to enlarge)
With my trailer and magazine cover completed, all that was left was the production of a film poster. Like the previous two is was up to me to understand the forms and conventions and create a list that I needed to include, develop or challenge. These were;
· Strong Title
· Persuasive Writing - E.g.-Reviews.
· Eye catching image
· Release Date
· Actors
· Production Company Text
· Film quotation
When starting any poster, trying to create a strong image is something very important and an aspect that can make or break it. The aim for any image is to be eye catching and with a good range of detail to attract people in to look and admire. With that in mind I carried out some research and found many just focus on the characters and nothing more. Eventually I came across 'Shutter Island' and I was intrigued to see a location as well as a character based clearly on the it. With this clearly challenging the usual forms and conventions for a poster image, I too wanted to follow this and therefore produced an image that had faded a characters head into a location. I feel by providing the encoder with more to look at, this would entice them more into seeing the film.
After finding two images that worked, I needed to provide my poster with a 'gloomy' outlook that the dramatic genre entailed and therefore decided to enforce this into black and white. I have used the black and white contrast within the trailer, so decided that this would benefit and provide a strong connection between the two.
Here are the comparions between Shutter Island and mine.
(Click to enlarge)
Along with an eye catching image, a strong masthead title is needed to really enhance the poster. Like the image, the masthead is something that is easily seen and therefore needs to be attractive and well established. Within that in mind I decided to increase the size of the masthead, something that is always seen with a film poster, allowing the audience to know what the tile of the film is.
With regards to the location, I have gone for a different approach and unlike most film posters, have challenged the normal form and conventions of having it within the middle of the page, and have decided to locate it in the bottom right hand corner of the page with the rest of the information. This I think gives more space for the images and gives a less cramped look.
Here is the design of the title. (Click to enlarge)
The next form and convention used is the use of the actors name and the placement on the poster. Like 'Shutter Island' I decided to develop the usual forms and conventions and have placed the actors name above the masthead in the corner. Though Shutter Island keep the information within the middle of the page, I do however like the symmetrical pattern so have used this to have each actors name above either side of the masthead to give a balanced feel.
Shot of the actors name above the masthead. (Click to enlarge)
Like mentioned, in every poster a release date has to be present in order for the audience to know exactly when they can see the film. For many convention poster, this is kept towards the bottom of the page by the production credits ready for the decoder to see as they scroll down the page. With me already having information towards the bottom of the page, I decided to use this form and convention and place the release date directly below the masthead but above the production credits. This way the date can be seen easily for the encoders to understand.
Release date located under the masthead. (Click to enlarge)
Within every real media poster, production credits are always available highlighting who has worked on the film. With me aiming to make my poster hold attributes of a poster, I therefore integrated these at the bottom of the page. To make sure my credits matched with real media poster, I researched the fonts used and found it to be 'Steel Tongs'. With this in mind, I downloaded this font and formed a set of credits that matches the look for a number of posters.
Production Credits located at the bottom of the poster. (Click to enlarge).
Like any trailer, reviews are essential to the advertising and marketing process, as its these which give people the confidence to spend their money on seeing the film. With this in mind, I felt this form and convention needed to be included within my poster as it will show the decoder the reviewed success of the film. However from my research it was clear that the majority of posters don't use reviews on the posters, therefore I have developed and challenged this convention and given my poster two reviews based at the top of the page.
Reviews located at the top of the poster. (Click to enlarge)
The final form and convention used is the quotation for the poster. On the majority of film posters, a quotation is used to entice the audience into an insight about the nature of the film. Carrying on with 'Shutter Island', the quote for this is 'Someone is missing' and therefore makes the decoder think who is this person missing and perhaps why. This acts an enticing tool and encourages them to go see it. With regards to my poster, I wanted to stick to this form and convention and use a quotation also. When thinking of a quotation, I had to take into affect the genre and whether or not I can produce something that reflects the basis of the film. After seeing that I managed to distinguish the drama side of the film with the black and white imaging, I thought focussing on a romantic love side would allow the overall poster to meet the required genre.
After reviewing the plot, I needed to reflect Rob and his pain of missing Alice and something that allowed the decoder to understand his love for Alice. As the plot entails, it talks about how through drug taking he meets Alice in his dreams in a happy place. Though this isn't seen in detail within the trailer, I feel by placing this in the poster adds a different side and something that the potential audience will be interested in seeing. After much deliberation I came up with 'Can love really over power reality?' but after feedback suggested that this was too wordy for a poster, I cut out the word 'really' and left it as 'Can love over power reality?. The meaning behind this signifies the fact that can his love for her change the fact reality has in fact taken her from him, suggesting that he can perhaps see her in a way not possible, linking back to the plot.
Here is the final quote used within the poster. (Click to enlarge).
After reviewing all three products, it's clear as I've gone though I've tried to put as much thought and deliberation into the process aiming to provide three media products of a good standard. By looking at the forms and conventions for each product, it allowed me to enable research into the film market and find aspects that I could use, develop and challenge. By using all these aspects, I was able to produce three unique products that could hopefully challenge within the film market and hold their own as respectable real media products.
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