question 1
in what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In a movie genre of horror, there were ideas produced in original material that have enticed and been kept in tradition. From such traditions come common conventions which are an unauthenticated law of theories and ideas which aren't obliged during horror trailers. As a group we debated theorists collaborating with horror, taking the theorist we wanted and including them into our trailer enabling for a finished piece that followed some, however not all conventions. We established with conventions to allow for our media form to be similar to a traditional horror piece, however its essential to elude some conventions to allow the audience to acknowledge the individuality of the trailer. By not eluding conventions, the horror trailer will be passed down, and will sink into other cliche horror trailer as a conventional form of media.
A theory that our group decided to involve was with Wes Craven's, as his theory says horrors become successful in stereotypically safe places, like family homes, which is where Craven typically sets his films. His theory also includes an absence of authority, like an absence of parents, which separate the feeling of security from the life of the main characters. This can also apply to hospitals, police stations and similar places. Even places full of people are used, such as in the Scream series when the protagonist is attacked in a barn being used for a party. Therefore within our trailer, we used his theory to enable the audience to feel a desensitization towards the characters and the situation they're in; also with the remaining questions being why is ZOE (Melinda) haunting her best friend, who? How? What?.
As a group we wanted Jozie (Rebecca) to be haunted after trying to summon her best friend Zoe and a series of unfortunate events happening to her by Zoe. These unfortunate events being her mirror revealing Zoe with a distorted face, moving objects and such. We thought this would fit into the sub-genre being paranormal and at the same time would make the audience feel unwary of the character. Wes Craven enforces that most successful horror's includes the absence of security, being the parents, which the audience see the vulnerability of the character creating an atmosphere of suspense and mystery.
In terms of inspiration of our trailer, FROM ME TO YOU, we wanted the title for itself to intrigue the audience to see our film and to ask themselves who is me? and you?. We wanted to chop some things in different varieties of films such as Woman in Black, Paranormal Activity essentially the Bloody Mary scene, Ouija and such. Using these inspirations, we wanted as a group were able to look at traditions of paranormal based horror films which enabled us to debate at what areas of different paranormal horrors we wanted like to involve within our trailer. One main inspiration aspect that we chose to incorporate in our trailer was paranormal activity of moving objects controlled by a female. In the tradition of horror, females are commonly stereotyped as weaker and more unguarded than males; therefore we wanted to contradict this stereotype to allow our audience to see the insight of this contradiction and keep them engaged.
Our aim was to relate with horror theory of Craven, that the subject of the trailer was to eliminate the security to make the character feel vulnerable, then to allow unfortunate events happen to this character for the audience to again feel a desensitization towards Jozi.
|
The next to last theory which we looked into was 'Men, Women and Chainsaw' as it relates to the cliche horror scenario of a final girl. Most horror films that are based on traditional values have a final girl, a female subject who is close to death but never dies. In our trailer, Jozi would be who in fact doesn't die, suggesting to the audience that she is the final girl. In a traditional trailer horror stereotype, the final girl is the subject is blonde and fair skinned and so-called impeccable in the eyes of the cliche horror audience. However, as a group chose to involve with the final girl theory, but with the girl defying some of these cliche looks by having brunette hair yet fair-skinned. We eluded elements of the theory by using a black haired female who has the opposite race to fair skinned. Giving the spotlight towards the final girl, however then its switched when the opposing girl is the one haunting the final girl. Giving the final girl, and overall trailer plot a new level of horror, representing modern day horror with a difference in final girl, making a horror which an audience can view.
|
Clover also connects with Wes Craven theory of safe places, while Clover addresses that its common in scary places she also explains how many four wall as can be a 'safe place'. Within tight walls, those four walls can feel both safe and a trap to the subject. In terms of security, the four walls addresses by Clover guards the subject from external beings, caged of those four walls. Yet, should those four walls be breached and exposed, what was once a secure area will now become a prison for the subject for whom is not able to escape to freedom. Within our trailer, 'FROM ME TO YOU' we searched at this theory found by Carol Clover and Wes Craven and choose to involve this into our trailer. The mass of our trailer is based within rooms of a modern house, these four walls are secure areas for the subject in the start of the trailer, yet as Zoe continues with her activities, the same room turns into a prison for the subject- who starts to be dangling within those four walls. In conclusion, Clover's and Wes Craven theory of secure area and four walls was one which was simple to involve into our trailer to add effect and ambience.
Poster
We decided to have the Zoe being surrounded by shattering glass on a black background to allow the audience to focus wholly on the character and the boldly white and red written title 'FROM ME TO YOU'. Furthermore, we decided to have the close-shot of Zoe's head, to present to the audience both internal paranoia of her own reflection on society, and also for the audience to also focus on the detains of the glass surrounding Zoe.
As a group we wanted to include traditional horror posters in terms of basic features, though we wanted to make a distinct image, with the overall result being that the poster being similar to existing posters in order to attract to the aimed audience. The reason for why i chose this poster 'FROM ME TO YOU'. Is because we wanted our audience to question 'Who is Me' and 'Who is You'; which will engage their minds. Moreover, Melinda's face facial expression is distorted and she looks terrified, which we felt inspired by the movie poster 'Mirrors'. Also the face seems to be coming out from the darkness behind her, which we found to be intriguing and would send negative connotation which is traditional in horror. Melinda in the poster stands out as her eyes are widening in fear which indicates that she is being scourged in some way. Furthermore, the cross on her forehead indicates face symbolizes higher power, which in the trailer Melinda dominates Rebecca's house after Rebecca attempts to contact Melinda after her passing. The title is another tint of red this poster contains. However in our poster, we didn't add the title 'From the director of' and such, as we wanted our audience to familiarize the names. We thought would make our poster stand out from the rest. |
representation shown in the trailer
In a horror trailer, elements of representation is shown to allow an audiences recognition to be changed in terms of character, setting and deeper reasoning. As a group we discussed the representation which we wanted to portray to our target audience and we came across a matter experienced by many distinct in a modern day society. In the trailer, the particular event of Jozi seeing Zoe in the mirror in her state, sets a recognition of Jozi's paranoia. Within our trailer, we wanted to aim to deliver a message to our audience- meaning the inner paranoia females experienced today's common and that its about overcoming such emotions rather than rejecting to fight the problems. In this generation of society, females experience consternation in terms of the bodily figure, facial features, hair and wholly identified by others, in conclusion to this, as a group we wanted to describe such a message in order to enable for those effected to acknowledge that its a problem that can be dealt with. In our trailer, we wanted a happy, normal beginning of these two female friends to allow the audience to see the normality of a horror before a terrifying series. As the trailer goes on, after Jozi séances Zoe through the mirror, this is where a series of suspenseful eerie events occur to build tension in the atmosphere and keep our audience engaged.
movie cover
We included with traditional magazine covers by using masterheads, these are the main title of the magazine and are essential as without them, the magazine couldn't be promoted to our wider target audience. Furthermore, our magazine has a skyline which is the writing at the top as the cover above is the masterhead. This shows our traditionalism with past down magazine covers. Our magazine cover follows with common magazine covers as it includes a slogan, a phrase that briefs the magazine and shows its distinct image. Our magazine contains a bar code and straplines which allows for the sale of the magazine and provides more information about the main headline proportionately. The magazine conforms traditional magazine styles as we've a house style. The magazine has a kicker, the phrase placed above the main cover line on a magazine. Moreover, our magazine follows it has a plug- the information about the essence of the magazine. As a group we wanted to added a flash to follow with traditional magazine covers- this is the text or picture in a box, circle or other shape on the cover. To follow, we included puffs which are words and phrases on the cover of the magazine used to elevate the status of the magazine. Our magazine has a direct address, the actress on the front cover is searching directly into the lens of the camera. Then, as a group we wanted to follow with traditional magazine platforms by containing a cover price for retail sale. Overall, as a group we followed every way possible to make sure that our magazine looked traditional, therefore realistic.
|
The magazine cover is from the Empire, as we believed that this title was more professional and successful in the eyes o blossoming films.
|
MR
JS
JS