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.

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

HD Video Camera: One of our most crucial pieces of technology was our HD video camera, allowing us to film a large amount of footage, with a variety of camera shots, angles and movements. The camera was accessed through our school meaning we were able to use it for the lengthy period of time that was needed to capture all of our planned shots, in various locations at varying times. The High Definition element meant that we could shoot clear and smooth pieces of footage, adding to the professionalism of our trailer. The camera was small, light, so we were able to carry it around, and useful in that we could replay videos after we had filmed them. We would often bring the camera into school, to film in high-key/day-time lighting, and then plan to go out straight from school, as it would get dark around 4pm, and the transportability of the camera meant that this wasn't difficult. The zoom button on the camera was extremely useful for us, as we experimented zooming in and out with many shot types, such as the shot with the coat hanging on a telephone wire. This meant that we could film interesting footage, that increased or decreased attention on particular events/objects.

We used a variety of hand held shots, and shots using a tripod. We purposefully included hand-held shots to create chaos and panic, fitting the crime thriller genre, and to symbolise the panic that the Mother is feeling then her daughter goes missing. An example is a short hand-held P.O.V shot of an unknown character running through the woods, a location which repeatedly appears in our trailer, and is near the crime scene - suggesting danger. We were also able to use a large tripod from the school, which enabled us to film steady and stable shots. The tripod had many adjustment levels, meaning we could film from a variety of heights and angle, such as often using high angles when displaying the Mother after the disappearance, in order to make her appear as a vulnerable victim. 

Me and Simatra also used the HD Camera in the planning stages, using it to make our target audience video, and to record our initial ideas pitch.

Voice Recorder: A voice recorder was used several times in production. The first was to record our main character 'Alissa's' hide and seek-style countdown, as this would be played as a voiceover throughout the final. We felt that using a countdown would encourage audiences to watch until the end of the trailer in order to find out what the finale is. Instructions were given to Alissa as to what tone of voice to use throughout the countdown. We wanted the start to be playful, as this section would be featuring over the 'equilibrium stage' of our trailer, but then when the daughter goes missing we instructed for the terror and fear in her voice to increase. However, towards the end of the trailer, when the countdown gets closer to 'ready or not, here I come' we wanted a determined and raged tone in her voice, implying that she will do absolutley anything to find her daughter. 

Digital camera for photos: After planning the shots I wanted for my poster and magazine front cover I decided that hiring out a Digital Camera from the schools photography department. The high quality cameras would allow me to take professional photos, making my poster and magazine front cover more realistic and professional.

iPhone: My iPhone was one of the main technologies I used throughout my research, planning and construction stages of this task. The iOS technology meant that I could download apps in order to help with communication with my group members, such as Facebook Messenger. The calendar app was useful as it allowed me to set reminders for when to bring the equipment in, and reminders of what days we had planned to film. The camera was useful in keeping track of my planning that was done on paper/whiteboards etc, as it meant that I could easily take a photo and upload it to Blogger. We also used the iPhone camera when creating our storyboard, as we felt taking photos instead of drawing would allow us to carefully plan the composition of our shots in the some of the real locations that we would be filming. From my iPhone I could also access the internet and Youtube which aided me in my research, by watching trailers and look at other posters and magazine covers. 

Adobe Premiere Pro: All of our editing was done using an Apple MacBook Pro, using premiere pro editing software - premiere pro. I had a reasonable amount of experience with premiere pro, having used it for our AS production too, however, often researched ways to broaden our editing skills.
As we had filmed approximately 250 pieces of footage, premiere pro allowed us to import all of these videos, re-watch them all together and delete the ones we felt were unnecessary. We were also able to import several sound effects and music tracks, and see if they suited our footage, and then easily delete them if we felt they weren't.
The software allowed us to add several layers of audio and video, cut our footage to desired lengths and also add effects such as the 'Luma Key' effect and reversing the footage - as seen with the close up train shot. It enabled us to add in basic transitions such as 'fade to black' and increase/decrease the speed and volume of our clips. The software allowed us to easily build up pace in editing towards the end of the trailer, increased the speed in which our footage occurs and the volume of music. Inter-titles could also be added by inserting a new title page, meaning we could experiment with how, and when, we wanted our titles to occur.
However, as our editing was only available from one laptop it would involve finding times to meet in, both in and outside of lessons, to edit together - or making plans for me to go home and edit certain sections in the evenings.

Abobe Photoshop: Photoshop was crucial for me, as both my poster and magazine front cover were created using the software. We also used Photoshop when creative our production company logo. Using Photoshop was initially quite difficult, as I had never had real experience using it in the past. However, I used the internet to help me in using the tools, meaning that I could create my poster and magazine cover how I envisioned. Photoshop enabled me to add text in our synergised font using the 'Horizontal Type Tool', add a variety of photos, and also manipulate the way they appeared through editing.
I used the blending options on Photoshop to change the colour and appearance of my poster. I used the quick selection tool to select the mother in my poster image, and cut her on to a separate layer. This was so that I could manipulate the colour of the background without affecting her appearance. I experimented with changing factors like the contrast, and brightness settings to make my main photos more sinister - matching the thriller genre.
In my poster you could initially see a grey jumper that Alissa was wearing underneath her coat, and this hadn't been present in our trailer. In order to hide the grey jumper I used the clone stamp tool to blend the colour of her neck over the jumper, to make it all look like skin.
Although photoshop has a large variety of font options, I decided to use the 'chiller' font throughout my texts in order to create synergy. To make the title 'Here I Come' stand out I used many different blending option such as a white Stroke and a drop shadow to ensure that it was clear on the dark background of my poster.

Blogger: I found using this blogging website very easy, useful and practical. I was able to access the website from many different devices, including school computers, my own laptop and also my iPhone, meaning it was easy to add blog posts to present mine and my groups ideas. Being able to add photos and embed files meant it was easy to keep track, and keep revisiting research and planning. The different 'Save' and 'Publish' options were practical as it meant that I could work on several different unfinished pieces of work at a time, and revisit to improve posts. 

Powerpoint/word: I used Microsoft Word in planning to collate ideas before finalising my concepts on the blog. We used Microsoft Powerpoint to create a presentation for our pitch to our class about our initial ideas. On the Powerpoint we could create different slides for each topic - such as narrative, characters and mise-en-scene ideas.

Emaze: Emaze is a new creative website which is 'the next generation of online presentation software', and I used for one of my planning tasks. The site allowed me to import pictures, synergise the use of font text and change the fonts when making a presentation about the psychographics of my target audience.

Social Networking: Working as part of a group meant that effective communication between us was vital, and allowed us to share research, ideas and also share links to group work - such as the pitch links etc. Social Media sites such as Facebook meant that we could quickly communicate, and set the conversation so that notifications appeared whenever someone spoke in the group chat. We also heavily used social media to promote our trailer, and also the gain audience feedback. We created a Facebook and Twitter page on which we posted behind the scenes photos, and also our final trailer. Using social media was the perfect way to target our young adult target audience, as Facebook and Twitter are most popular with these age groups. Making pages dedicated to films is a very common way of marketing a film release, with Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train both having their own Facebook pages. It is a cheap and easy way to reach a mass audience, and post regular and interesting information that audiences would be interested in. Therefore using this new media technology would be very beneficial in promotion our full film, merchandise and receiving audience feedback, as seen below.

YouTube: YouTube was created in 2005 and allows users to upload, share, comment and view videos. YouTube is a main platform for film promotion, with the majority of film trailers being accessible on the site. YouTube was helpful for me when researching other crime-thriller trailers, with me being able to embed them on to my blog, making analysis much easier. We also used YouTube to upload our pitch and target audience videos, as well as our final trailer for 'Here I Come'.

Other Websites- Several websites helped me in producing my poster, magazine cover and trailer. Freeplay Music and Freesound.org allowed us to download sound effects and music for our trailer. These websites are huge databases of royalty free sound and other audio files. We also used websites to download the 'chiller' font onto the laptop we were using to edit because it was not already programmed onto the editing software.

Annotating my own Magazine Front Cover

Main Theories Which Can Be Applied To Our Trailer

Tzvetan Todorov
I believe that Todorov's narrative theory can be fittingly applied to our trailer/film 'Here I Come'. The theory states that most narratives begin with a stage of 'equilibrium' in which life events are normal, and nothing is unordinary. This state of equilibrium will be clearly established when the Mother and Daughter are happily playing in the park (eg. long shots of playing on swings, laughing together etc). This state of equilibrium is then disrupted by an event (the daughter leaving the park, and audiences not seeing where she goes), after which the disequlibrium is recognised (Mother realises the daughter is no where to found found and calls the police). The rest of our trailer is about the Mother trying to restore equilibrium by finding her daughter, however we have decided to leave the outcome unknown, as using a 'cliffhanger' is conventional of trailers. However, the film ending would established whether equilibrium was restored - the final stage of Todorov's narrative theory.

Roland Barthes 
Barthes suggested that there are 5 codes integrated into any narrative. Our trailer makes specific use of a couple of these. The first is the Hermeneutic Code which is how a story hides the truth from the audience. This is typical in crime-thriller films, and we do this by not displaying who the antagonist is or how the child went missing. We then go on to drop clues throughout the trailer, helping to create a mystery that audiences are motivated to solve. This links strongly to the Enigma code, which is how tension is built up, leaving audiences lusting to know the outcome. The end of our trailer is a main enigma, as it presents a severely beaten and cut section of an arm. This leaves audiences in anticipation to see who is it who is hurt, how it happened, and who did it to them, building suspense towards the release of the film.

Stereotyping
Our main character is a blonde, pale, attractive, young female, stereotypical of the victim in a crime-thriller/horror film, as these, and children, are arguably the most pitiable group of society. Teenagers are often portrayed as irresponsible alcoholics, which we have incorporated in our trailer, obviously through the fact she looses her child but also through shots of her with alcoholic bottles. However, we later show the bottle being smashed, symbolising how she is resisting these influence in attempt to keep strong enough the complete her mission. The trailer also presents hope of her finding her daughter, explaining how she is determined to fix her mistake, and take on the responsibility of finding her daughter.
McRobbie states that women are stereotyped as weak, and inferior to men. Although at the start of the trailer, a stereotypical Mother is presented, who cares for her children, and is inferior to the male detective, our trailer progresses to challenge this - presenting a strong and determined woman who defies a mans orders, challenging McRobbie's beliefs. Laura Mulvey also states that women are only used for two parts in films, either 'the virgin' or 'the whore'. However, we also challenge this theory, by presenting a brave Mother who takes risks to find her daughter.

Levi-Strauss
This is the theory of binary opposites, with the most frequent being the battle between good and evil. When applying this to our trailer, it is made clear to audiences immediately that the Mother and Daughter are good people, shown by clear presentations of them having fun and laughing on a day out at the park. When the daughter goes missing, audiences will interpret that someone has taken her, presenting an ambiguous depiction of 'evil'. The topic of missing children is very sensitive, and is considered disgusting by the majority of audiences, therefore audiences are forced to create their own representation of evil, hoping that the good-willed Mother will have the strength to beat evil.

Creating Merchandise for our Film

In order to experiment with our branding and font we decided to create merchandise as part of our distribution process. Before doing this we carried out research into thriller films merchandise such as the merchandise for Insidious 2 seen on the right. We decided to use the Chiller font, as this has been synergised throughout all of our texts, meaning audiences would be more likely to recognise, and buy it. We found that t-shirt were a very popular form of merchandise, and felt it would a product that would appeal to our young adult target audience, using a white colour meaning it could be easily worn by anyone - with any outfit. As clothing is also worn out in public places this would be another form of promotion as people would see the t-shirts on people who purchased. 

We also decided to create mugs as these are small and common items, which would be easily afforded by our younger audience. However, as mugs are such an everyday item it means that all fans could access the mugs, regardless of age and gender, meaning our merchandise appeals to a larger audience.

As our Here I Come film title, font and colour scheme has been consistent throughout our project we also decided to generate stickers involving the title on its own - meaning fans could stick them wherever they wanted to, such as on cars and bedroom walls.