'Here I Come' Trailer

Final Magazine Front Cover

Final Film Poster

Changes to Magazine Front Cover

 

I have decided to make a few final changes to my magazine front cover, in order to make it include more conventions of typical covers, making my text more professional and realistic. I decided to add in another photo from another thriller film, 'Love Me' as I found on the majority of magazine front covers there are often several images, such as on the Empire Magazine example below.

 

On my cover I have also changed the cover lines featured on the left hand side of my poster, making them shorter and more intriguing using certain lexical choice to increase audience engagement, such as 'Must See' and 'exclusive'. All of my cover lines are in white and red, fitting in with the colour scheme of my magazine, and of the thriller genre, connoting gore and mystery.

 





How effective is the combination of my Main and Ancillary products?

I have produced a voiceover for this task, which will play over my trailer, featuring images of my final poster and magazine cover. I have explained the effectiveness of my overall campaign, and how I have used synergy to combine my three products.

Below is the scripted version of voiceover as an alternate reading:

I attempted to include stereotypical conventions of the psychological thriller genre, as well as the typical conventions of the media product itself. I believe that using synergistic elements throughout my three products will help promote my film, as audiences will instantly recognise elements such as the font and main characters, and connect them to the film – repeatedly reminding them of the films release date and plot, therefore increasing revenues.

In each of the three of my texts I used certain conventions to place them in the psychological thriller genre, as this would aid in attracting the young adult target audience of my film. Young adults, between 15 and 25 would be most likely to be interested as they enjoy following complex storylines, and watching exciting and suspense-building films.

On my film poster I decided to forefront the Mother character, and then having a blurred image of the daughter in the background. My composition was inspired by the Gone Girl poster, as this is a thriller film with a similar plot, and aimed at a young, female target audience. I used Photoshop to blur the image of the daughter in the background, as this is suggestive of the plot, in which the daughter goes missing. The film would be revolved around the Mums search for her daughter, explaining why I have foregrounded her in my poster, with a mid-shot presenting her weak and distressed facial expression and body language. She is using a direct mode of address, creating the impression that she is pleading the viewer for help, emphasising her desperation.

Mothers and daughters are typically presented as happy, comfortable and normally in close proximity, therefore this composition immediately disorientates audiences – intriguing them as something is obviously wrong.

I didn’t want to include any shot of the antagonists in any of my three texts, as it wanted this to be left ambiguous to audiences. This highlights the crime-thriller genre as there is an unknown mystery that needs to be solved – attracting the young audiences who enjoy thrilling and complex storylines.

The Mother is wearing the iconic pink coat – a stylish outfit which would appeal to the young audience – which has been synergised throughout my advanced portfolio, with her wearing it in every appearance. Throughout my main product and ancillary texts the daughter is also shown in the same outfit throughout. Wearing a red bow, suggestive of danger, and a bright green coat, connotative of innocence and purity, increases her victimised appearance, causing audiences to feel empathetic towards the mothers situation. On my film magazine front cover, a high angle long, shot is used of the daughter sitting and cuddling a teddy. This is a typical childhood behaviour used when in danger, with her vulnerability emphasised using a high angle. Audiences would recognise the young girl from the trailer and film poster, making audiences have an increased interest in how and where the girl went missing – meaning they would have to watch the whole film to find out.

One of the main ways I have shown synergy between my texts is through the use of the ‘chiller’ font, which has been heavily featured in each of my texts. On my poster, magazine cover and trailer the title ‘Here I Come’ has consistently appeared in this font, meaning it would be easily recognisable for audiences. My trailer uses this font in the inter-titles, and my magazine front covers straplines also are presented in the thriller font. I believe synergising the font throughout my text has increased the professionalism of my texts, and therefore its effectiveness as a marketing technique.

I decided to include institutional information on the poster, and at the end of the trailer, however found that this was not conventionally included on magazine front covers. Institution information is important as it credits the crew, actors and company involved in making the film, and gives the audience additional information. On my poster, I also included a 5-star rating as this immediately attracts the audience, as it is a recognisable symbol of high quality – which I wanted to be associated with our film. Including quotes from well-known institutions will also attract the public, as they provide a trustworthy review that many audiences depend on.

In our trailer, we used many visual effects, such as inversing colours and using the luma key effect to dim the lighting. I decided to also use colour effects on my poster, putting everything but the mother and daughter in a black and white effect. This was not only to focus the attention onto the two characters, but also to reduce the amount of colour featured on the poster, consequently creating the effect of low key, dim lighting. This element of mise-en-scene has been synergised, with all three of my texts including low-key lighting. In my research, I found that this was a key convention of the thriller genre, as it suggests danger and mystery. The photos for my magazine front cover and poster were both taken on days with foggy weather, with the majority of the footage of the trailer also being filmed this way – in order to try realistically and naturally create this effect.

In conclusion, I believe that the combination of my three products is successful, as I have effectively used synergy, allowing the audience to recognise and remember my campaign. I have aimed to use stereotypical thriller conventions in my main product and ancillary tasks, consequently also aiming to effectively appeal to the young adult target audience of the film. I believe that my target audience would be interested in interacting with all three of the products, whilst also visiting the promotional Facebook page, and purchasing the ‘Here I Come’ merchandise, as these have also used the synergistic features explained previously.

What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

Trailer Feedback

As our target audience are mainly young adults we decided that a perfect way to attain feedback would be to post our trailer onto social media platforms. We decided to post our trailer onto Facebook so that people could provide both positive and negative feedback through commenting on the video. It meant that we could also reply to the comments, to ask extended questions, and find out their deeper opinions.

We were very pleased with the feedback we got through social media, as the majority was positive, with people mentioning key words associated with our genre such as 'spooky' and 'creepy' with people also expressing their interest in seeing the whole film. We also received constructive criticism such as to include more low key lighting, and increase the volume of the sound effects, which we acted upon immediately.

We also created a questionnaire which we handed out to members of our target audience, specifically to people in our sixth form with an interest in film and media. Our questionnaire included many open questions such as 'Could you give us feedback on what you thought of the ending of our trailer?' and 'What are your opinions on the music and sound effects'. Similarly to our Facebook feedback we got a range of feedback, with mixed comments such as 'I love that she is a young Mother, and you are addressing the issue' but then others saying they were a bit concerned about her age. Much of the feedback was the same as what we received through social media, allowing us to make certain decisions about what changes needed to be made, explained below.

Questionnaire Examples

Positive Feedback:

• The ending is very ambiguous and dramatic, with audiences not knowing who is on screen and what is the conclusion - "I want to see the rest of it"
• The build up of music and editing pace intensity, increasing the feelings of excitement towards the end of the trailer
• The relationship that can be built with the characters, and the unique and intriguing plot which perfectly suits the crime-thriller genre.

Negative Feedback:

• After presenting our pitch and showing our trailer to our classmates and teachers one of our main pieces of feedback was a concern about audiences feeling the plot was unrealistic due to the young age of the Mother.
• In the beginning section (equilibrium stage) sometimes the wind ruined the clarity of the dialogue and other diegetic sounds.
• The first section is possibly too much like a chronological scene - incorporate something creative to increase pace and non-chronological convention of thrillers
• Could possibly add in inter titles? Date of release? 
• Might be more professional to add in institutional information and age certification
• Sound effects could be louder and more varied
• Include more low-key lighting, as this is crucial of the thriller genre

Change 1: 

From the start of our planning process we know that we wanted to create a film with a real purpose, that sent an important message to audiences. As thrillers are conventionally aimed at the young adult target audiences we felt our message should apply to this age gap. A topic that is extremely controversial is the case of young mothers. Therefore, we attempted to create a trailer with the prospects of defying the criticism that comes with teenage pregnancy. We wanted the young Mothers determination at the end of the trailer to outweigh her irresponsibility at the beginning of the trailer, also showing development in her character. To make it clear that the Mothers age was intentional we decided to add in voiceover whispers of unknown people making statements regarding her age, however then contrasting this with footage displaying her utter determination. We also made the detectives concerns about her age clear, asking the question - 'and you are 18 I believe', meaning that if the audiences did have concerns they would be able to directly identify with this character, but are also able to believe in the young mothers abilities. We also decided to purposefully emphasise her youth through the use of costume, wearing a young and fashionable outfit, that the target audience would also be likely to wear.

Change 2: 

Wind was an issue in some footage in the opening of our trailer. As re-filming wasn't an option due to the availability of our child actress we had to record voiceovers that matched what was said in the original footage, to then put over the top in editing. However, we wanted there to still be realistic background noise, therefore imported audio clips we had of children playing, and also downloaded sound effects of children playing in the park. To the right is a screenshot of our editing software, of the sound effects layers we added in named 'giggle' and 'playing'. This meant that the wind did not distort the clarity of what was occurring in our trailer, however the environment was still realistic. We also used the 'audio gain' button to increase the volume of the diegetic dialogue, meaning it was more distinguishable amongst the non-diegetic sounds. 

Change 3: 

To speed up the pace, and to stop the first section of our trailer appearing too much like continuous editing, we decided to include extremely fast paced 'flashback' sections when the Mum has realised Rosie is missing. These were various shots filmed on the day of Rosie laughing, playing and giggling. Using the Fast Colour Corrector tool on Premiere Pro I was able to add a bluey coloured tint to these flashback sections - making it clear to audiences that they were not in real time. In editing we also experimented with making the flashback shots black and white, however felt this wasn't suitable when presenting a young child, as the black and white effect is normally associated with history and the older generations. We also thought that the black and white video effect wouldn't smoothly merge with the rest of our trailer, as the entire trailer is in colour.

We presented these flashbacks in groups of three, all lasting half a second, showing the panic of the Mothers memories and how she was having many thoughts about her Daughter at once. We felt this change helped to make a more interesting and visually intriguing trailer, particularly making the first section of our trailer stronger.

Change 4: 

In our first draft of our trailer we had no inter-titles except from the title sequence at the end. However after audience feedback we found that our target audience expected to see more inter title's, especially towards the end of the trailer. We wanted the inter-title to appear nearer to the end of the trailer so that it wouldn't interrupt the suspense that had been built previously. Therefore, we decided to add in an inter title giving an indication towards the release date, leaving audiences in anticipation and excited to see the full film. By not revealing an explicit date it also causes audiences to further research the trailer, possibly through the films social media platforms, or through viewing my poster or magazine front cover. We decided to transition in this inter title by using a fade to black, with it initially appearing over a low angle shot of tree branches, and then fading into its own inter-title with a black screen. This inter title shows synergy, using the font that has been used throughout the project, whilst also being placed on a black screen - similar to the final title scenes and police report section of the trailer.

After our initial title frames had occurred we then decided to include a concluding intertitle promoting our AS production, as this would entice another group of audiences. We also used a hashtag to signal to audiences that we were using social media as a platform for promotion, as the hashtag symbol has become a way for audiences to show their interest in a topic. This appeals directly to our target audience, as most young adults use social media in this way.

Change 5: 

Low key lighting is a key mise-en-scene element of crime-thriller films as it suggests mystery and adds a frightening element to the footage. Although we had enabled our filming was on foggy and cloudier days, some audiences felt that this was not enough. Consequently, as we were unable to re-film footage, we experimented on Premiere Pro with adding special effects in order to darken the footage. We felt that we could use lighting in a creative way and use it to signify the change between safety and panic in the trailer. Therefore, we decided that as soon as the child is shown to leave the park, the colour of the frames would change, to appear darker and more low-key. After showing this final version to audiences, they really liked this change from daylight to low-key lighting, as it helped them to understand the transition into the equilibrium stage of the trailer. The change in lighting, achieved through the 'Luma Key' effect, was described by our peers as 'un-nerving' which is the reaction we aimed to create. We also used the 'shadow/highlight' effect controls to lower the brightness to the level we were happy with.

Poster Feedback

I received various feedback from my teachers and peers about my poster. I found this feedback particularly helpful as it enabled me to create the best poster I possibly could. 

Positive Feedback:

Draft Poster

• Really liked the picture including both of the characters
• Audiences liked the font and date of release

Things to change:

• Add some more colour in some way
• Make the title stand out more

Change 1:

Initially when making my poster I aimed to keep a very minimal, dark and eerie colour scheme, as I felt that this would be suitable for the crime-thriller genre. However, after recieving audience feedback, and also carrying out extended research I found that it more more conventional for posters to include a range of colour, to attract attention from audiences. Using the Nightcrawler poster as inspiration, I decided to change the star rating to gold/yellow. I felt that this would be effective as gold stars are connotative of brilliance and good work, therefore audiences would apply this idea of excellence to my poster and my trailer. I also felt that the yellow acted as a suitable contrast to the darker background colours, directing an initial point of focus when audiences see the poster. 

Change 2:

Some audiences stated that to improve the poster I could make the title more prominent. They stated and I agreed that it could be difficult to see the Film name, as it is black, and blend in with the dark background and black branches. Therefore to overcome this issue I used the blending options on Photoshop to provide a white 'Stroke' effect around the text, meaning it could be seen much easier on the dark grey background. The main purpose of a film poster is to attract the attention of the public, and provide information about the film - therefore meaning the title is crucial, as this needs to stick in the publics mind. Having a large, prominent and eye-catching title is a key convention of film posters in general, therefore I think this change drastically improved my poster.

Change 3:

I originally included the quotes 'thrilling' and 'nerve-racking' on my poster, as I felt these words linked directly to the genre and consequently would attract the target audience. They are both positive statements that would be linked to enjoying the film. However, after feedback from my class I decided to add in who said the quote, as this is a form of star power - because audiences would recognise 'The Times' and 'Empire Magazine' institutions, and trust their opinion on my film/trailer. This is a convention commonly used on film posters, as it provides an insight into the quality and reviews of the film, a factor that many audiences want to be aware of. 

Final Poster

Magazine Front Cover Feedback

Although changes that were recommended to be made were minor, they ended up really improving the final appearance of my poster, allowing me to include more conventions of a typical magazine front cover. 

Positive Feedback:

• Good name of magazine - positive connotations that link with film industry
• Liked the use of a plug and incentive of 'Free Cinema Tickets'

Negative Feedback:

• Too empty - needs more added to it eg. coverlines
• Could include more than one image - promote other films
• Bottom section is too empty, enlarge font of add more text

Change 1: 

My feedback suggested that I could add more coverlines to make my cover more vibrant and to give more information about what would be included inside the magazine. However, it was difficult to add more text without it covering the main image or interfering with other text. I thought that the right section of my magazine would be the best place to put these coverlines, as there was sufficient space to add in text and a photo without it covering the girl in the main image. Using the words 'exclusive' also entices audiences as they feel superior to those who do not know the information inside. Also, the use of an actors name would act as star power, gaining another group of audiences, who are fond of the actors other products.

Change 2:

Adding an image linking to these new cover-lines was my next alteration. I included a close-up of the main character from another thriller film, called 'Delirium', which included conventions of the genre such as low key-lighting, and dark, mysterious costumes. I decided to place a white border around the photo, as it blended in more suitably due to the colour scheme being mainly white, black and red. I feel that adding the extra cover-lines and image improved my poster, and increased the professionalism and realism of its appearance. 

Change 3:

Feedback also suggested that I added something, or increase the size of elements at the bottom of my magazine. I then realised that the space underneath the film title was too bland, and did some extended research into what real magazine include in this bottom section. In this research I found that the use of a plus sign, and then providing additional information was conventional, therefore attempted to recreate this is my own cover, which I feel was a success. I added a red plus sign, similar to the one seen on the right, as this fits with the colour scheme of the magazine, and then included information about another similar genre film - Love Me.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms of conventions from real media products?

Frame 1: Our title

The first frame of my analysis is our choice of title, Here I Come, and how this is presented in our trailer. We choose this title because it directly gives an insight into our plot, as most audiences would associate this statement with the children game of hide and seek. In research I found that the topic of children heavily occurs in thriller films, such as in 'Kidnapped' and 'Taken' as they are considered the most vulnerable group in society. Therefore, our title gives an instant indication that the subject of childhood is likely to be involved - something all audiences can relate too, as everyone will have experienced some form of childhood. Here I Come is said in our trailer user the Mother's voice, therefore implying that she is going on a mission to find her daughter, and although this is not explicit from just looking at the title, it causes audiences to question who is saying it and why. The use of the personal pronoun 'I' also causes the audience to desire to know who the 'I' is, generating another point of interest. Here I Come is also a bold declarative statement, which shows no sign of hesitation, symbolising the Mother's determination. The title still leaves some ambiguity and openness, for the audience to create their own interpretations of the meaning.

Our title does challenge the fact that the majority of titles are one or two words, such as 'Se7en', 'Gone Girl' and '1408'. However, we felt that the connotations that would occur, and the threatening effect that is suggested, outweighed the disadvantages of having a longer title. Also, as it is a frequently used statement, we felt it would still be memorable. 

Deciding our font was an important task, as it would be used throughout the whole of our project, creating synergy between the different elements. We chose the 'chiller' font as we felt it perfectly matched the thriller genre, but also matched our plot. The font has a look as if it has been handwritten, again representing how the Mother could have written the statement on her desperate quest to find her daughter. The handwritten-like title also appears in capital letters, emphasising struggle but also perseverance - the Mothers main emotions. The title is placed in white over a black background, which is the stereotypical layout, seen in the Se7en title above, and can be seen in other thriller films such as The Strangers and The Purge. In our trailer, the title appears in segments, with each word having its own inter title page, and then a final page combining the three. We felt this would have more of an impact, as the audience focus on each separate word, being forced to consider the meaning behind it, whilst creating an intimidating effect.

Frame 2: Storyline/plot

Frame 2 is of the suspect/kill board we made, filming as if the Mother had created it. This is one of the main points that audiences will realise the Mother is taking matters into her own hands, despite being previously told by the detective to leave it to the police. It also introduces the idea that there are suspects who need to be questioned, a convention of the thriller narrative. Yet, it many thriller films audiences see the antagonist directly tormenting the victims, therefore ours challenges this idea, as throughout the trailer audiences are unaware who took the child, why they did it, and how they done it. This means that audiences are more likely to sympathise with the mother, as they are in the same situation as her, unlike many real media products that use the concept of dramatic irony. Our trailer conforms with the convention of leaving the trailer on a cliffhanger, as this entices audiences to see the film in cinemas to find out the outcome. We achieved this by showing cuts and rope on an arm - which is ambiguous in whether it is the Mother or Daughters arm, increasing feelings of panic. 

Frame 3: Settings

In filming we visited several different locations to film, all of which are typical settings that a middle-class viewer would recognise. These are our target audience, as this class of people are most likely to visit the cinema in their spare time, with friends and family. We felt that the audience needed to be able to relate to the protagonist Mother in order to empathise with her and the situation. These settings present the Mother and Daughter as common people with 'normal' lives, making the disappearance of the girl even more frightening, as audiences believe that it could happen to anyone. Home settings are used to again portray the Mother as a normal citizen, however in this setting she is drinking alcohol and not sleeping, making audiences uncomfortable as the house is usually a secure and comfortable environment. Many thriller films are set in house settings such as The Strangers and The Purge.

Using a park setting, usually connotative of enjoyment and happy memories, juxtaposes the setting and its connotations with the disappearance of a young child. We manipulated the idea of a park through shooting footage there on a foggy day and then using effects to lower the brightness, again contradicting audiences conventional views of a park. 

Other settings such as train tracks, and electricity poles were used, as they are known for being dangerous areas, suiting the crime-thriller genre. However, these settings are also used as a juxtaposition with the park - which was once safe but is now a dangerous area. Settings linking directly to the crime-thriller genre are seen, such as police stations and detective offices. These are seen in most crime films, such as Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. 

Frame 4: Props and Costume

For frame 4 I have used a close up of some of our main props - alcohol and tablets. I chose this shot as it challenges the conventions of a typical protagonist, as they are not often involved with alcohol etc, however we felt it would be a perfect way of highlighting the Mums desperation - but also irresponsibility - a factor that prominently recurs throughout the plot/trailer. However, these props are often involved in crime, the news, and are known as dangerous substances, therefore fits the crime thriller genre.

In our trailer there is a close up shot of the mother drinking alcohol, wearing the pink coat which is seen is every shot. This character wears a pink coat, not only because it is a stereotypical outfit, but also because pink connotes femininity, and is also a symbol of love - depicting the love for her daughter. We also felt the coat would be recognisable and a memorable element we could use across our trailer, poster and magazine cover, showing synergy. In Before I go to Sleep, a real media product, the main character - Christine - wears a pink dress in times of weakness. However, we want to challenge this, by making a stereotypical female colour, showing vulnerability, and making the pink coat a sign of strength and power. 

Frame 5: Camera and Editing

Before filming our trailer we carefully planned all of our camera shots, movements and angles, as in real media products there is a typically large variety, making it more intriguing for audiences. Frame 5 showing our main character sitting at the interrogation table, with spotlight lighting, however not on her face. A high angle shot is used here, to emphasise her isolation and her own feelings of helplessness, which is a conventional method used when presenting the victim of a crime. We also used many P.O.V shots, from unclear characters, again disorientating the audiences, a method seen in many thriller such as in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. P.O.V shots again let the audience relate directly to the trailer and the Mother fear, as they feel as part of the trailer. Close ups and extreme close ups are used in the trailer, such as of the Mothers hands to show her impatience and planning, and also the injuries at the end in attempt to leave the audience frightened and in suspense. Fast-paced editing is used throughout the trailer, with it building towards the end. This is very conventional of real media products, as trailers often build to a climax, but then emphasises this climax by slowing down the pace of editing and music. Our editing was also put in time with the increasing music pace, as this is nearly always used in trailers. This technique is seen in the Gone Girl trailer, showing how our product uses conventions of real media products. Our trailer is also edited in non-chronological order, a stereotypical convention of the structure of trailers in general.

Frame 6: Introducing characters

Throughout our trailer, only three characters are introduced, one of which could be considered the main character. This already challenges the conventions of real media products, as more characters are typically involved in the narrative. We didn't want many characters in our trailer, as we felt they would distract from the plot - and the relationship between the Mum and Daughter. The lack of character introduction also meant that we could focus on developing the Mums character, with viewers feeling involved in her personal mission.

In Here I Come we decided to introduce the Mother and Daughter's loving and strong relationship, with this frame being the very first seen in our trailer. This allowed us to juxtapose their love, with the horror of the child going missing. Giggle sound effects and dialogue between the two is used over this shot, showing their close bond, and the enjoyment of each others company. There are several shots after this displaying the Mother and Daughter together in the park - a relatable scenario for the majority of audiences. 

The antagonist is never introduced in our trailer, leaving the audience in anticipation, which is somewhat conventional, as antagonists true identities are rarely presented - hidden through the use of masks, hoodies etc. This is especially conventional of crime-thrillers as the aim of the narrative is to eventually track down the criminal. An example of a real media product that uses this is Se7en, in which the antagonist isn't introduced until near the end of the film. 

We introduced our detective in low-key lighting, using an over-the-shoulder shot from midway through an interview with the Mother. He wears a suit, and glasses, emphasising his important and professional occupation - and importance within the narrative. We wanted him to also be a likeable character as he would track and support the Mothers journey, therefore presented his sympathy by making him avoid eye contact with the Mother in the interview.

Frame 7: Special Effects

We used various distorting special effects to highlight and represent the abnormal event that has occurred. The frame I used to demonstrate this is when we used a slight low-angle close up of playground equipment, first in normal colour, but then inverting the colour of the footage. This was to symbolise the sudden change of mood in our trailer, from normal to twisted and frightening. Similar effects were used, such as flashes of white over the printer shot, and a short period of reversed footage of the train. I think this challenges real media products, as I did not see this in any of my research, however we decided to use it to disorientate and confuse audiences, and in feedback we found that this was effective.

We also used subtle transitions such as fade to black, especially prominent at the end of our trailer, as in research into real media products I found this was a main device used to smoothly transition from one shot to another. 

When the news report voiceover is played, we used inter titles and sound effects to create a typewriter effect. As Premiere Pro did not have the option to make the text appear gradually, I had to create separate title for each word, and edit them in time with the speech. Although this was time consuming, we felt this was an effective way to transition between the 'equilibrium' and 'disequilibrium' stage of our trailer, and also clarify/reinforce that the daughter is missing.

Frame 8: Magazine Cover

For frame 8 I used a screenshot of the bottom right section of my magazine, as I feel this section most complies with the typical conventions of a magazine cover. It includes a small image of another media product - Delirium - which is also a thriller, with a close up of the star actor as the image. It shows a section of our title, shown in the same font as in our trailer and poster. This shows synergy between the products, which is conventional of real media products. The title of the film is larger than all other text, except from the magazine name. It also includes the barcode, price and issue number, all necessary for the front of a magazine cover. Colour used a typical of the thriller genre, with black red and white being prominent on my cover, intriguing audiences who are fans of other thriller, horror and crime films. I researched many other magazine films when creating mine, such as Empire and Total Film, taking specific elements as inspiration. I aimed to make my magazine cover look as realistic as possible, using different sizes and types of font, images and a puff. On my magazine I used cover lines promoting both our own film, and other films of a similar genre. My main photo is of the young girl on the floor, using a high angle shot. When taking the photo I asked the girl to not use direct mode of address by looking in the camera, as it creates ambiguity, and makes her look weak and vulnerable, using the teddy as a comfort. The young girl will be a likeable character that audiences will hope will be safe, therefore using her on my magazine cover will interest audiences in reading the contents, due to her star power. Using Adobe Photoshop I had to edit the contrast and shadow levels, as on the day of shooting it was quite sunny. The darker image effect is conventional of the thriller genre.

Frame 9: Film Poster

For my film poster, I used a screenshot from the central bottom section of my poster. I believe the photo I have used conforms with the conventions of real film posters, using a face-on mid shot of one character, and long shot of the other. When taking this photo I wanted to forefront the Mother, then have the daughter in the background and use photoshop to blur the view of the girl - symbolising how she is missing. To emphasise the two characters I placed the rest of the photo into black and white, creating a low-key frightening look. I wanted Alissa - the Mother - to show a direct mode of address, to show her determination, and also engage with the viewer. It is set in a forest/park like setting, a recurring location in our trailer, allowing audiences to make links. However, my poster does challenge the fact that there is normally only a mid/long shot of one main character. My justification for this is that the use of composition gives an intriguing insight into the plot, making viewers question why a child is in the background of the photo, and out of the frontal characters view.

Researching other film posters, such as the 'Homecoming' poster to the right, made me decide to include the date of release in the bottom of the poster, as this is seriously important in wanted audiences to go to watch the film. 

My poster also fits the conventions of real media products by including a star rating, and quotes from institutions giving their reviews on the film. This is seen in the poster for Insidious. I wanted to include adjectives linked to the thriller genre, such as 'terrifying' as this would help appeal to the target audience. I felt the use of yellow acted as a suitable contrast to the faded background, creating a point of interest when first seeing the poster.