Evaluation Question 4: How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Defaced Trailer - Focus Group

Defaced - Trailer

Evaluation Question 3: What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Evaluation Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary tasks?

Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Defaced Magazine Cover - Final Draft

This is the final outcome of my magazine cover and I am pleased with it. I have firstly adjusted text colours to match the image colours of 'Charlotte' that I proposed to use. One key adjustment I made in particular was making the highest coverlines white, so that they stand out more than if they were red, which can then lead the readers eye to read the rest of the coverlines.

Next, I have enlarged and changed the colour of the main coverline of the film, to again increase its presence, and have also outlined all text in the bottom half of the page white, so that it doesn't blend in so easily with the background. I have maintained a colour palette of red, white and black for the magazine, similarly to the AS task and real media texts.

The main image was used because it represents 'Charlotte' on the floor, in a position of fear, with a close-up on her face, as firstly this is conventional on magazine covers, but also as it relates to the main coverline directly, whilst not revealing too much about the plot or character, maintaining a sense of enigma. The dead leaves on the floor are also integral, as they subtly suggest death, due to their state, as well as the season when the plot is set, and also when it will be released.

Defaced Magazine Cover - Draft 2

In this second draft, I have firstly added more coverlines. The intentions being obviously to add more interest to the page, as well as to keep to immediate conventions of magazine front covers. I've secondly added a banner at the bottom to attempt to provoke further interest for other potential readers who might not have been attracted to the rest of the page, or ones who have. It is coloured differently, to separate it from the rest of the cover, to ensure it stands out. Finally, the main addition to the page is the coloured, gradient background, whereby I plan to add an image of one of the main characters, Charlotte, to represent the film on the front. This is because she is an integral protagonist, who is the most innocent of all the characters featured in the plot.

Defaced Poster - Final Draft

I have now completed my movie poster and am very satisfied with it. After feedback from my peers, I had concluded that certain adjustments had to be made for it to be as conventional and realistic as possible. This meant changing the font and layout of the billing block, changing the date to a more appropriate one, as stated in my Prezi analysis and placing in conventional logos, such as the ones seen in the bottom left hand corner.

Defaced Poster Analysis

Defaced Magazine Cover - Draft 1

Defaced Poster - Draft 3

The poster now closely resembles my original draft, which was received well. This has also had similar reactions by peers and requires a final edit whereby the image will blend in more with the poster, as currently it is obvious it is an image that has been cut out.

Defaced Poster - Draft 2

My second draft was done in Adobe Indesign, to present ideas for choice and colour of text mainly. The main image is yet to be taken, but will closely resemble the original draft. Things I may improve on include the font for the billing block, as this is a conventional font with all movie posters, and possibly the addition of actor names at the top, if audience feedback suggests it.

Defaced Poster - Draft 1

Defaced - Animatic

Horror Film Poster Analysis

The first example here is Nightmare on Elm Street, which is a classic horror film that was remade in 2010. The font colouring and the use of "nightmare" suggest a horror genre but doesn't describe why in too much detail. The use of the word "sleep" supports the idea that this horror's fear factor is related to sleeping and nightmares, which are common with everyone in reality, projecting fear for the audience.

The image isn't completely clear, although despite the darkness obscuring him, it is understandable that the villain/monster featuring in the film is the figure displayed at the back, and is referred to in the tag-line as "he".

The girl in the foreground is represented as a victim, and makes the audience believe that she is in danger as she is unaware of the threat behind her.

There are no credits on the poster as it creates ambiguity and intrigue for who is featured but also because its a classic horror film that had a lot of recognition on its original release and therefore can afford to leave details out.

The second example is more conventional as it features a singular face as the image, which is common with most horror posters, but its is hard to distinguish if the person featured is the antagonist or the protagonist or a victim. There also is not much evidence, except the screaming image, to suggest a horror genre, but this is solved with the use of crediting the director from the horror/gore classic "The Hills Have Eyes", which immediately supports and suggests the theme of this film.

The font again is red and rather similar to the first example, but is much simpler by using one word, "Mirrors". This begs the question how the mirrors obviously used in this film, are portrayed as a horrific element, and again like earlier, mirrors are common in everyday lives and therefore creates more intrigue and fear as to why they are threatening.

It features the main actress' name, the film's creator's name and a billing block, suggesting that it is a new, original type of horror film compared to the first example, but still features some recognisable figures, adding to the USP.

                                          

The final example is of a successful horror film called "Drag Me to Hell" which immediately because of its vulgarity, suggests a horror genre. It again features a person who like the second example, is clearly suffering, except this image displays what it causing that. It may not be clear what or who the arms belong to but the use of the word "hell" combined with the fire effects at the bottom, suggest some forms of demons, giving more of a clear insight than the former examples.

Like the first example, this poster uses mise-en-scene of houses, suggesting the film takes place in suburban America, a conventional location. The tag-line meanwhile is much more detailed than the first example. It gives a brief description of presumably the main character featured on the poster, and although it starts positively, it ends by referring to "hell", implying that even the most happiest and successful of people can be made to suffer. This creates sympathy for her as the audience have somewhat of an understanding of her.

Finally it conventionally uses a billing block with no precise date, but does state "coming soon".

Some elements in common with all three posters are the fact that they all state the title near the bottom, they all have some form of release time but most importantly, they all feature a female as the apparent victim, creating a stereotype of vulnerability.