Candidate number

Luke Nicholls 3147

Evaluation

Here is the evaluation to my A2 Media Project. I created the evaluation on Microsoft Office Powerpoint 2003, and then uploaded the file to Author Stream. It is important to note that Author Stream has changed some of the font in the presentation - as seen in slides 11, 13, and 16 (pages 10, 12, and 15 respectively) - which makes the font pixelated and difficult to read. Nevertheless, I am very please with my evaluation, and my whole A2 Media Project.

Completed Film Website

Access the film's promotional website by clicking here.

Here is a link to my completed promotional film website. It is a very basic website, including teaser images, information on the forthcoming film, and the teaser trailer itself. I took into account the research I had conducted previous to creating the website. Although I could not match the standard these film websites have set, I have included some of the positive conventions I discovered; the website is consistent with the style of the film, using the same font for the title as seen in the teaser trailer, and the same simple, bold colours as used in the trailer. On each page is an excellent image representing moments from the teaser trailer of the film, and reinforcing the genre of the production. I also included institutional information at the bottom of the page, including the company credits and cast. As well as this, I have a countdown timer to the release date of the production to increase the excitement for the film. This website, although very basic, serves its purpose to inform and excite the audience about 'Face The Truth'.

Completed Magazine Cover

Here is the completed magazine front cover, promoting my new fictional film, 'Face The Truth'. I decided to use Empire as the magazine to promote my new film through, as it is the most popular and trusted film magazine on the market. As I was conducting my secondary research into film magazine front covers, I discovered the necessary conventions of a cover, and the conventions the best covers use. These included themed covers, where colours reflect the main feature, a character or actor is shown as the main image, and regular conventions such as puffs and taglines are also included, but reflect the main feature. In my own cover, I have included a picture of the main female protagonist - as recognisable from the teaser trailer - as the main image for the background, with her body layered on top of the magazine's title, while keeping all the colours consistant throughout. I have also included all the conventions used on traditional covers of Empire magazine, such as the official Empire logo, the tagline, the issue information, and further information to attract and inform readers such as the section at the bottom of the page promoting other films.

Completed Teaser Trailer

I have now completed creating my teaser trailer. I took into account all of the formal audience feedback I received following the completion of the rough cut, and requested some smaller audiences to view the teaser trailer throughout the processs as I was making improvements. I have now: included authentic institutional details at the beginning and end of the trailer; reshot the newroom scene; included a picture of 'Daniel Woods' and an institutional logo in the newsroom scene; increased the pace of the production; added fade to black edits to increase tension; removed some of the amateur sounds (knocking the camera, etc); and removed the final shot where the female hits the male. I have also done my best to retain the powerful moment where the audience realises the female has kidnapped the male.

This final cut is far superior to the rough cut, having applied all the necessary changes to increase the quality and accuracy of the teaser trailer in accordance to the suggestions I received through audience feedback.

Audience Feedback

I have now shown the rough cut to different audiences - including informed audiences such as the A2 and AS media classes, as well as friends, family, and other members of staff from varied demographics and media tastes - and received feedback and suggestions for improvements. Some of the suggestions I received included:

-Including more cuts - multiple audiences informed me that they felt the product far suited an opening sequence than a teaser trailer, because of the long takes and slow introduction. The trailer takes some time to get going, and they suggested that for a teaser trailer, there are more cuts to increase tension. -Having a faster pace - This was for the same reason as above; other teaser trailers they had consumed in the past were tense because of their fast pace. By editing the trailer to decrease the length of each take, I can increase the pace. -Reshooting the newsroom scene - Audiences noticed that the weather was bright as the news reporter was talking, which contrasted with the evening time darkness outside windows as the female walked into the kitchen. -Adding a picture of 'Daniel Woods' - They suggested that a picture of Daniel Woods is shown as the news reporter reads the article, to increase the impact of seeing the male in the kitchen later in the trailer. Some viewers did not realise that this was the male who was kidnapped. -Proper institutional page - Realistic-style institutions need to be added to improve the authenticity of the overall product. -Taking out the final shots where the female hits Daniel - Some viewers felt that this final shot was unnecessary, and almost comical. As a serious action thriller teaser trailer, any shots considered comical should not be included in the final cut.

Audiences did enjoy the sudden tension and enigmas which began from the shot where the female picks up the gun. They were not expecting this moment, and enjoyed the sudden tension and enigmas. Therefore, as I make changes, I will be sure to keep in this moment, to continue to please audiences.

It has been very useful to gather audience feedback; I have been able to discover areas of improvement which I had already discovered from my own critical viewing - such as the need for institutions - and areas of improvement which I had not come across myself - such as to increase the pace. I will now go ahead and make changes to the teaser trailer, to improve the overall quality and authenticity of the product, and allow it to more precisely meet the conventions of a teaser trailer.

Rough Cut

Here is the rough cut for the teaser trailer for fictional new film 'Face The Truth'. This is a basic version of the teaser trailer. I will now show this rough cut to varied demographics, and obtain feedback relating to the improvement of the teaser trailer. There are some conventions, such as the insitutional page at the end of the trailer, which still need to be added. However, overall I believe that this will be a good, early representation of the finished product.

The Shoot

I recently successfully shot the majority of my production. It has been very difficult to organise the cast members, and on two occassions I have been ready to shoot, before being let down by one or more of those I was relying on. This has resulted in the delay of the shoot. Moreover, I have only shot the main scene from the initial plans, which I previously referred to as the main events - therefore, this doesn't include the fast-paced cut scenes I had previously planned. I may leave out these shots, or replace them with different shots; because of the difficulty of getting this main scene shot, I want to shoot the rest of the production in as little time as possible, meaning I shouldn't rely heavily on cast members, or other people involved. Nevertheless, it is now complete, and ready to edit. From here, I will create a rough cut, before getting feedback, and making improvements.