2. SECTION A
When focusing on the different types of media that I used as research and planning for all products, I used
sources including: Microsoft Word, issuu, Photoshop, MS Publisher, the internet, DVD’s, and Audio-visuals.
As a main source, the internet, I used multiple sources within this media including IMDB and Google. These
sources enabled me to gain further information on specific films that I was interested in finding out more
about such as “The Orphanage” and ”Friday the 13th” and helped me to analyse films in depth.
When researching trailers, films, awards, techniques, the history of horror and already existing horror posters
and magazines, these sources helped me to be inspired and gain motivation. For one task, I used
chartmaker.com to make a pie chart based on the information we had received during a class discussion. After
using the internet for research based on the history of horror, I then uploaded my word document into a
media online program called “issuu” that presented my word document in a tidier and easily understood
format.
Another important source, as mentioned is DVD’s. When analysing specific films such as “Insidious” and “The
Blair Witch Project”, to name a few, I watched these films before analysing them to make sure I was aware of
all the techniques and conventions and to get to grips with how I can intertwine these methods into my own
trailer. As a class, we began the project watching films such as “Psycho” (1960) and the new (2004) and old
(1979) “Dawn of the Dead” films. Having watched these as a class, we began to analyse them individually on
word documents, focusing on snapshots from the films and using technical terms when analysing them to get
to grips with what to include in our own projects. These helped us understand the importance of camera
angles and lighting in particular, both of which clearly fed into my magazine cover, poster and trailer.
Just before shooting our trailers, we were put into groups and were asked to come up with initial ideas on
what we wanted our trailers to look like. To do this, we began by using Microsoft Publisher to design a shot
list, ready to guide us when we filmed. Having used this program, we then decided to use it again for our
shooting schedule, prop list and health and safety risk sheets as we found it was simple to use and looked
effective.
3. SECTION A
(CONT)
One YouTube video in specific that I found most influential was a short film by “Jovanka Vuckovic”, a director, writer and
visual effects designer. This film was called “The Captured Bird” and inspired me through my knowledge of the director being
female, showing signs that female directors are difficult to find but certainly represented in the film industry. Linking with the
idea of this, I also researched into films such as “Near Dark”, “American Psycho” and “Hitch-hiker” who are also produced by
females.
For our practice poster design, I sketched this myself on paper to then be scanned in onto the computer. Having scanned it onto the
computer, I designed my own grid on Word Document with the questions and answers in neat boxes to be put with the drawing.
For our mood board, once again, I created this on Photoshop using images I found on Google images. I used Photoshop for this task so
that all of the images were neatly aligned and had a great quality.
Lastly, when focusing on audio-visuals, I used YouTube for watching already existing horror trailers, as well as watching students’ horror
trailers and watching film interviews and director, cinematographers and producers talking about their productions. This source was
important for finding out more information based on films and productions for inspiration and gaining knowledge. Some trailers in
specific that I felt influenced me most include “Psycho”, “Survival of the Dead” and “28 Weeks Later”, all of which helped me focus on the
techniques needed to create suspense, shock and jump scares.
4. SECTION B
For the construction of my horror trailer, there were additional new media technologies that I used. These sources include programs such
as: Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Adobe After Effects Pro CS6 whilst I used other media devices including Handheld HD cameras and DSLR
cameras.
To begin the construction, we filmed all the footage on handheld video cameras that was all put onto one SD card. This SD card was then
inserted into the Apple Mac computers for the editing software “Adobe After Effects Pro”. This editing software was a fantastic way to
transform our footage into our existing horror trailer now, using tools such as cutting, fading, altering the brightness and contrast and
altering the speed, to name a few.
After finding the right royalty free soundtrack for our trailer on YouTube, we put this on Premiere and used the razor tool to cut the
pieces out that we needed. This tool was a great way of putting the jump scares in the appropriate places to match the action. Speed was
also a factor (see left image) where we sped up or slowed down certain shots (such as Cara shaking her head) to maximise an emotional
response. To create the right appearance of our shots and emphasise it is a horror film further, we decided to increase the contrast of
each shot and lower the brightness to add tones and shadows whilst obscuring close-ups of faces. (See right image). This technique
helped to create an uncomfortable and unfamiliar atmosphere.
Other techniques used for our trailer included the text that we positioned in between shots to add more information for the spectator.
This text (see left image) was positioned over the top of a brown faded background and had blood splatters being hit onto the screen as
the text appeared slowly. This font fit our trailer perfectly due to our psychological sub-genre and the connection of the white ghostly
sans serif font. This font was created on Photoshop and then added later on.
5. SECTION B
(CONT)
Other more simple effects used on Adobe After effects involved separating one shot with the
razor tool and then repeating the shot to add a flashing effect for a tension build up and
uncomfortable feel. This was used with a shot of myself in a plastic bag.
As addition to the music that we found on YouTube and inserted, we also found a scratching
noise that helped to emphasise the spine trembling shot of Sophie attempting to stop herself
from being dragged and scratching her nails along the wall.
For the ancillary products, the program used for both the poster
and magazine cover was Photoshop. Within Photoshop, there
were specific tools used (see left image) including the brightness
and contrast curves tool, the positioning cursor, the text tool to
write the billing block and film reviews on my poster and headlines
and cast names on my magazine cover and the paintbrush tool
that I used to create a tear running down the face on my magazine
cover.
For the font of “Delirium”, I used “Dafont.com” that allowed me to
find an appropriate “free” font, then copy and paste this onto
Photoshop. To add further effects for this, I also used an outer
glow and brush marks that was available on Photoshop tools.
The barcode on my magazine cover was one that I found on
Google images and also found the three outlines of the fill reel
from the internet, however used the desaturated tool to make
them black and white, as they were originally orange. Other bits
from my magazine cover and poster found on the internet through
Google images includes the 18 certificate logo and review stars
that I changed to orange/ gold.
All of the other text was written on Photoshop with the text tool, choosing specific appearances through tools.
6. SECTION C
When focusing on the different types of media devices that I used to enable me to evaluate my products, there are multiple sources
including: My blog (Blogger), Facebook, YouTube, Slideshare, Prezi and surveys.
Having my blog meant that I could upload all of my work that I have completed for the public to read. With the help of friends and
family, I gained feedback from them, stating what could be altered to improve my trailer. Some feedback quotes I received included
shortening the trailer and making the longer shots a lot quicker and paced more rhythmically to create more tension.
With this in mind, my trailer was uploaded to YouTube twice, at different stages so that I had feedback half way through the production
to develop it strongly in the next few months I had. With it being on YouTube, we had a class screening and the class wrote down
specific things within the trailer that they really liked as addition to others that they thought could be improved.
7. SECTION C
(CONT)
At the end of the product, a tally rating was embedded onto my trailer so that the public could rate how good they feel my trailer was.
Currently, with all votes, we have received all 8-10 scorings.
When evaluating my ancillary products, I decided to annotate them on Prezi to show my diversity when
using media technologies. This device was one I had never used before but found very clear and made my
annotations and analysis look effective whilst making it clear what part of the product I was talking about.
Finally, when uploading my evaluations and putting them into my blog, I will be using the program Slideshare to make the Powerpoint
document easy to read and follow.
