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

During the research stages of my coursework I used the website QuestionPro that allows users to freely create a survey and then look at and analyse all the data received from participants. This was a critical part of the research process as it is when my group and I first started to form a clear idea of our demographic and when we began to make important decisions concerning the plot, characters and even release period. Because of the survey we were able to make well informed, balanced choices ensuring our film reached its full capabilities. The main reason we chose to do an online survey is because the most common age range that go and view Slasher films are adolescents and it is them who primarily spend most of their recreational time online and on social media. Once we had typed in the ten questions and chosen a design for the questionnaire we were provided with a link which we could easily upload to social networking sites such as 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' for all our friends and followers to fill out. QuestionPro calculated the ratios and percentages and presented all the information to us in an easily comprehensible pie chart. I then went on to use Microsoft Excel to create various attractive graphs and presented them on Microsoft PowerPoint along with a brief analysis and interpretation of the results.

In particular, the construction of my 'Fangoria' magazine front cover and film poster had to be completed using Abode Photoshop in which many of my skills were able to flourish given the complexities of my two texts. I had to create hyper real representations of the photos I had taken by editing them to a point at which they looked professional.

'Fangoria's main images tend to have an almost garish aesthetic making them eye catching and ironically tacky looking in reminiscence of the notorious video nasty era. I first had to use the magic wand and lasso tool to have the background removed and replaced with the colour black. Following this I felt that the black was too plain and so decided to replace it with an imported image of a dark forest to provide the whole cover with an eerie, spooky tone. I also added a filter to the image to reinforce the cheap, tacky look. The supplementary images used had to be cropped to fit into the film reel running down the left hand side of the page and they were accompanied by short feature stories so the audience had a clear idea of what each image represented. As there were so many text and image layers for both my texts it was tricky at times to have everything aesthetically pleasing. The colour of my film title typography was difficult to work with as when it was white not all the letters were decipherable and the same happened when the typography was all black. In the end, I decided it was best to duplicate the layer of text and have the forth most layer black and the other layer white creating almost a shadow behind it.

As for the poster I used the same form of typography to create the shadowy effect. As for the main image I used the same one that had been used on the magazine but without the filters. Also, there was a camera set up on a tripod which obscured the image but had the killer and final girl on the screen of the camera itself. The screen had a textured layer to make it look more pixelated but still decipherable. I then used 'Google images' to locate logos of various film festivals and pasted them at the top of the poster so the audience is aware of the quality of 'Knife Camera Action'.

The trailer is where most technology was required. My group and I used hand held battery operated lights to create and effective shot when the scenes were particularly dark and a Canon 500D camera in sports mode for all of the filming (and photos) but as some shots were filmed from the killer's camera we had to make it clear that these were different shots. We did this using Serif Movie Plus (a non-linear digital video editing) where we applied a red recording button and frame to all of the killer's footage so the audience could easily differentiate between any normal shots. Also for a few scenes they took place from the killer's perspective in the dark meaning that we had to use a night vision filter just for that added fear factor and tension. We also put the words 'REC' and 'NIGHT VISION' into the shot using a text tool. All our editing was conducted using Serif in which we were able to easily create montage sequences and install flashing black out screens between some shots to disorient the audience and make them feel like they are truly caught up in the action of trailer. We were able to view each piece of footage separately and manipulate it according to our own desires and vision for the finished product. We cut clips and slowed some down as well as speeding some up where was necessary. For some of the brighter shots we had tone down the contrast especially in one shot in particular where our final girl walks past a church in bright sunlight. During this shot we had also accidentally crossed the line which we managed to somewhat fix by flipping the shot. Using Serif it was also easy to shift shots around so that by juxtaposition they all portrayed a certain narrative which was not necessarily done in the order in which we filmed the footage.

After the editing was all complete, some sound had to be re-recorded and placed over the footage. We mainly recorded various screams and heavy breathing as well as a piece of dialogue we used as a sound bridge. We chose to re-record so that all sound was as clear as possible, especially the voiceover used at the start and end of the trailer. One piece of sound we spent a lot of time on was the merging of the voice of our benefactor with the killer's which accompanied the footage on screen.

'Youtube' and other social media sites such as 'Facebook' played a prominent role throughout the coursework. As well as just using 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' as platforms for my group's questionnaire we also used it to keep in contact with each other to make decisions when we were not all in the same place and to arrange meetings for filming or editing sessions. Furthermore, on completion of our trailer it was posted to 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' for our friends and followers to see. Once it was put onto 'Youtube' it received 122 views within three days which is quite an accomplishment for an amateur trailer.

I also used 'Youtube' during the research stage of my coursework when I had to analyse various trailer to form an understanding of what it was exactly that I wanted to create. When it came to the film poster and magazine analysis I had to use 'Google' and websites such as fangoria.com to locate the images and begin my annotations.

This website, 'Blogger', was used extensively to upload 'Prezi' presentations, 'PowerPoint's, images and text. It took a fair amount of time to do this as it was important the layout was cohesive and attractive meaning that (for example) image size and position had to be formerly previewed and then published to keep the blog aesthetically pleasing.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

During the research and planning stages of my coursework I used various processes to receive some audience feedback which helped me make key decisions when it come to the construction of my final trailer, poster and magazine front cover.

The first piece of research was conducted using 'QuestionPro'. This is a website that allows users to create surveys and then look at and analyse all the data received from participants. The answer to the initial gender question revealed that half our sample were male whilst the other half were female which was helpful as the Slasher genre is not aimed at a specific gender meaning that all the results for the rest of the questions would be helpful. It thus made sense to have some of our trailer filmed in line with the male gaze to appeal to the male demographic yet relatable female characters to still encourage a female audience to view our trailer. The general age range of those who had completed our survey were 17-19 year olds which encouraged us to make a film that had a 15 age rating as this widens our demographic significantly. The rest of the questions we asked helped to provide us with fundamental information in terms of decisions that had be made when constructing our main texts. The most preferred Slasher films of our sample were 'Final Destination' and 'Halloween' . 'Halloween' is one of the most famous Slasher films and is a classic in terms of its conventions (i.e. narrative, characters etc.) so it made sense for it to be particularly well liked whilst the choice of 'Final Destination' was intriguing. This is a film that subverts conventions of the Slasher film as the villain is death itself rather than an identifiable killer and there is no final girl. This led us to believe that in terms of structure, a formulaic film that occasionally challenges conventions would be ideal. Given this, we decided to subvert both Roland Barthes' semantic and enigma code by having most of the trailer shot from the killer's viewpoint and having the audience aware of who the killer is. Further questioning revealed that a neighbourhood everyday setting would increase the fear factor of 'Knife Camera Action' as nothing is more frightening than a violent atrocity taking place in a similar suburban neighbourhood to where the audience lives because it alludes to the idea that danger is always lurking around the corner and allows the audience to draw parallels between themselves and the characters in the film helping them to identify with the plot. A knife was also chosen as the killer's weapon of choice as it is an object seen in everyday life and an icon of Slasher films. The last question that really helped in the planning stages of my film was when most people go and see a Slasher film. The results revealed that winter was the most common season meaning that as I was making a low budget independent film it made sense to release it during the spring to avoid any competition with major films.

Another use of audience feedback was when I conducted a focus group and asked for opinions on my film poster and magazine templates. This was especially helpful in gathering more qualitative data from my audience and finding out in more detail what exactly it was they expected and required from the three texts. I managed to discover what exactly my demographic find aesthetically pleasing and what they disliked within the designs. They generally preferred conventional layouts and ones that helped to easily identify that 'Knife Camera Action' was a genre specific Slasher film.

Once my focus group were content with the templates and had agreed with any further decisions I wanted to make I was able to confidently go on and construct my film poster and magazine in Photoshop accordingly.

The final piece of audience feedback we received was when we conducted a viewing of our trailer and asked nine people to fill in a 10 question survey based on what they saw:

What do you like about the trailer?

Answers to the initial question varied quite a bit. Many people were a fan of the action content (i.e. dragging and strangling scenes), camera effects (such as night vision and fuzzy TV screen effect), plot and non-diegetic music. These responses were generally gratifying as my group and I felt that most of these aspects were things we had definitely tried our hardest to perfect to make the whole viewing experience pleasant for the audience.

What do you dislike about the trailer?

The general consensus for this question was that there was an issue with the sound quality. A lot of the participants felt the non-diegetic music was far too loud and over powered most of the dialogue and voiceover making the speech hard to decipher. We were in fact limited by the equipment we had at our disposal which was worrying as by not understanding the dialogue or voiceover it meant that it would be harder for the audience to make much sense of the narrative. However, there may not have really been a problem with the volume as when listening with headphones or on a smaller device (i.e. laptop rather than electric white board) there are no issues.

What could be improved?

Apart from lowering the non-diegetic music, some people felt that the trailer needed to be more scary and use more blood which is an understandable comment as it is not until the end of the trailer that we see the villain wiping blood from his knife. One partaker felt the camera quality could be improved and someone else believed that the editing was too fast. However, upon watching it back the editing seems adequate and conventional of the average trailer in that it speeds up during the montage sequence to increase tension prior to the climax shot so it could just be interpreted that the editing did not suit that person's particular personal preference.

What aspects of the trailer make it a Slasher film?

These answers were fairly pleasing as most of those who completed the questionnaire seemed to understand that they were watching a Slasher film trailer.This was mainly portrayed by us through the use of a knife, blood and music (which was albeit too loud but still managed to convey the genre). Also, they all seemed to understand straightaway which character was the villain (one of Propp's eight character roles) helping them to comfortably interpret the narrative.

Do you think the sound compliments the shots? Why?

On the whole the response to the fifth question was a resounding yes. The sound was felt to work well with the shots, in particular the final shot which contains our villain viciously stabbing into something unidentifiable on the ground as we used some sharp bass sounds to accompany his motions. This was reminiscent of the violin screeching sounds used in renowned film 'Psycho' but almost modernised to attract the younger demographic. Also, the use of fast paced music in conjunction with the montage sequence was deemed effective as it increased tension and apprehension.

What would you rate our editing out of the following options?

The most common rating our trailer received was good, with only one person selecting okay and one selecting excellent. This result seemed fair as although our trailer was professional to an extent it was still an amateur piece of text that although successful had margins for improvement.

Could you understand the narrative and storyline?

The majority of people said yes to this question whilst others felt that they were only partially able to comprehend any form of narrative and story. The main reason for this was that the dialogue was somewhat inaudible. However, the juxtaposition of shots and acting still conveyed the main plot to a certain extent.

Would you go and see this film? Why?

These responses were generally mixed. A few people answered no, not because of lack of interest but merely because Slasher is a genre that does no greatly appeal to them; this was understandable as everyone has different tastes. Even though we asked for a reason to support this answer few gave one and those who did states that it was mainly due to the intriguing plot and use of camera effects (such as a flashing red recording button, night vision etc.).

Did this look to be at a professional level?

Only two people wrote no for this answer whilst the rest either said yes, to an extent or almost. This seemed like an apt response as we did not have use of the highest quality cameras or editing software but still used them as best we could in the creation of our trailer. I feel that the 'Knife Camera Action' trailer was somewhat professional especially considering that my group and I had to put ourselves in the position of independent British film makers.

What would you rate the trailer out of 10?

The average score we received was a seven. The ratings were not too widespread and seven felt like a well deserved number given how much time and effort my group and I had put into the construction of out trailer. We were generally pleased with all the results in the questionnaire and agreed with most suggestions for improvement i.e. lower non-diegetic sound, more use of blood etc. Overall, the responses were positive and satisfying after all our hard work.

The final piece of audience feedback received came from social media where we uploaded our trailer to 'Youtube'. Within the first three days we received 124 views and 7 likes which we were considerably pleased with given that this was a completely amateur project. We even received a comment within the first few hours that told us our trailer was 'really good'. The feedback was generally positive with no dislikes and left us with a sense of gratification after all our effort.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

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

The trailer I have created for the British independent Slasher film 'Knife Camera Action' is a standard, formulaic, non-linear trailer. Philosopher Roland Barthes' enigma code is set up within the trailer as a mystery is set up and propels the narrative forward. There is no resolution within the trailer as this would be giving away the ending to the film but there is a climax similar to the format of a film in which there is a montage sequence with fast paced music and quick editing to increase tension. This is a characteristic noticeable in all film trailers.

Similar to Barthes' sequential action code which depicts the events taking place in the narrative - the who, where, when of the story, philosopher Tzvetan Todorov's classic narrative is evident within my trailer. Even though the trailer is non-linear we still see an equilibrium, disruption and recognition. Some films may include various shots of the repair or new equilibrium sector out of context but I chose not to do this as felt it might give away too much of the story and instead chose to keep the ending a complete mystery and surprise for the audience.

I chose to follow some of scholar Vladimir Propp's character and functions and other common conventions of Slasher films in the plot and shots used in my trailer. There are a typical group of teenagers just like in 'Halloween' or 'Nightmare in Elmstreet'. By using these concepts I am following the dominant ideologies that almost all Slasher film adhere to. The final girl is called Charlie (a unisex name) and is not presented as an overtly feminine character. She is given a close up at the start of the trailer so that the audience know she is an important character who is going to feature prominently in the rest of the trailer and subsequently film. The killer is male like almost all Slasher films and is seen in one shot wiping a knife clean of blood. Knives are common Slasher elements and they represent a phallic imagery as at some point in the film the villain will likely thrust his knife into a (female) and symbolically rape her. In all Slasher films (like my own) the final girl and killer are an example of anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss' binary opposites which in this case is essentially good vs. evil. I chose to subvert the stereotype of having a brunette final girl and a blonde sexually promiscuous character. I came to this decision as I felt it made sense after challenging Roland Barthes' semantic code (as I will later describe) it made sense to dispute another ideology. But as this might seem confusing to the audience I had to make sure it was explicit that the darker haired girl (Sophie) fulfilled the sexually promiscuous role. There was one shot in particular in which Sophie is busy chattering on the phone and so mistakenly spills some milk. This makes her seem ditsy and inane. There is also a typical jock character within the teenage group. He is the pinnacle of masculinity and attempts to 'save the day' and be the bravest all to no avail. We have included some shots of this character in the trailer and through the use of dialogue have made it clear that he will be portraying the jock. Henry (the jock) says to Charlie 'Stay away from him (Michael), he's dodgy.' Henry here seems protective of Charlie as he is telling her what to do making himself out to be the hero when in fact we know that according to Professor Carol J. Clover it is always the final girl who will defeat the villain and come out victorious. The final character used in our trailer is the benefactor. Not all Slasher films use a benefactor but in films like 'Star Wars' and 'Harry Potter' the benefactor will provide the protagonist with a magical gift. However, 'Knife Camera Action' is not a supernatural Slasher meaning that this aspect has to be warped slightly in order to fit in with the narrative. The benefactor is the first character whose suspicions about Michael being a danger are somewhat confirmed. Within the trailer he reads a dark essay written by Michael detailing how he wants to kill his next victim (Sophie). In the actual film the teacher would discuss these suspicions with the group of teenagers and so give them the gift of knowledge rather than a physical contribution.

Similar to the psychological thriller 'Dead Man's Shoes' I have subverted the semantic code by using most of the footage shot from Michael's camera. This makes the audience uncomfortable and feel almost complicit in his actions. Given the use of Michael's point of view the enigma code throughout the whole film shifts slightly as instead of asking 'Who is the killer?' we' are asking 'How will they be defeated?' and 'Who will survive?'. This is what propels the narrative forward and keeps the audience's attention.

The evolution of films has been so vast that Slasher films that most films now produced are cyclical products of past films created. 'Knife Camera Action' is a self-referential post modern text as in the voiceover we have the killer talking to the audience about equilibriums and the codes of conventions of Slasher films. My film is almost a hybrid of the Slasher 'Scream' and the 1960 film 'Peeping Tom' in that the killer is obsessed with horror films and captures his victim's murders on camera like psychopath Mark Lewis from 'Peeping Tom'. We have a similar enigma code to semantic and enigma code to 'Peeping Tom' given the audience's awareness as to the identity of the murderer and the film's viewpoint. One major 'easter egg' I chose to use for the hardcore horror fans was to use the name Michael for our killer as this is the name of 'Peeping Tom's director.

One convention that a lot of Slasher films use is mise en scene. By having Charlie walk past a church she is portrayed as an innocent, pure character. She is also presented to us in a classroom setting and shown packing away her books in class making her seem studious and intelligent. Sophie (the sexually promiscuous character) is shot running or hiding informing the audience that she is a character constantly in danger and in need of saving. We used a classroom setting again to make clear that the benefactor was a teacher, we also had him sitting at a desk.

Apart from Michael's point of view and camera shots the editing was standard and mostly for what you would expect from a trailer. We use matched action to create a seamless effect and various examples of continuity editing to create a sense of realism for the audience and make our trailer seem professional. We use long shots and close ups of the characters as well as medium shots so the audience has a clear understanding of the mise en scene. We use a montage sequence towards the end of the trailer to create tension and show short, intense shots of what to expect within the film. There are some action filled shots during the montage sequence to allow an element of excitement. We use footage of Sophie being dragged and strangled, Charlie being chased and use other characters running and looking behind them. The montage sequence reaches a climax as we have the final shot of our trailer. It is a shot of the killer, Michael viciously stabbing into something on the ground but the camera is positioned so that we cannot identify who he is attacking. As a lot of trailers and horror films have a lot of scenes shot in the dark (which we included) we decided to add a caption on some of Michael's recorded shots that said 'NIGHT VISION'. This added a certain fear factor as the audience well knows everything (especially terror) is significantly amplified at night.

The music we use throughout the trailer accompanies the editing well. A lot of trailers have some soft, calm music at the start but we decided to use a series of sounds that are almost uncomfortable but still at a slow tempo. The sounds still convey that the start of the trailer is the equilibrium but they do not carry any noticeable melody. As cameras and recording are featured prominently in 'Knife Camera Action' we had the conventional 'This Winter' crackle on the screen reminiscent of when the television has bad signal. We also included some white noise to go together with this. The words 'Knife Camera Action' are presented in this way too. The music gets faster as the montage sequence begins and becomes darker and louder. As the trailer reaches the climax shot the music gets to an almost unbearable level and with Michael's stabbing motion the music seizes and instead there are three sharp thudding sounds to accompany Michael's gestures. The other sounds included in our trailer is the use of a voiceover. Rather than just using a mere anonymous narrator we decided to used the killer's voice as his identity is not unknown throughout the film because of the shift in semantic code. At the start Michael says, 'Every equilibrium has to be disturbed. But how it's disturbed is up to me. I'm the director and death is on my script.' It is clear from these words that Michael knows a lot about films and also that he has violent intentions due to this talk of death. At the end we have Michael's voice again saying, 'The codes and conventions of a Slasher film dictate that one has to die, one has to try and fight back and one has to survive. But I don't play by the rules.' Again we understood Michael has an interest in Slasher films and that it might even border on the obsessive. His grim talk of death indicated that he is the villain.

Other conventions that had to be included were the opening card, distribution logo and end card. The opening card and Film 4 distribution shot start the whole trailer and it is over these that we included the line from Peeping Tom where villain Mark asks the rhetorical question 'Do you know what the most frightening thing in the world is? It's fear'. The end card is also important as it contains the names of the principal cast and crew as well as a website name promoting synergy and ensuring that the marketing for the film has a multi-platform approach.

'Knife Camera Action's trailer is one that more challenges than uses conventions. We flip the semantic code and shift the enigma code as well as twist stereotypes and expectations. Overall, I believe my group and I created a professional trailer with a coherent plot and interesting narrative by using characters, representations and various conventions coded according to our own desires to make the trailer successfully.

The second media product I created was a film poster to accompany 'Knife Camera Action'. The main image details Michael holding a knife to the final girls throat. Positioned in front of them and obscuring them slightly is a camera set up on a tripod with the image of Michael and Charlie and the knife on the screen. I felt this made for a powerful image and as the film's whole premise is centred around cameras and the element of recording it made sense to have something representative of that within the poster; The title of the film itself accompanies the image well. Even though within the film the killer is identifiable I chose to have his face unidentifiable within the trailer to keep some sense of mystery until the audience actually go and see the film. The position of Michael's hand as he holds the knife is located so that it is almost like he is holding the camera signifying the fact that Michael is in total control of everything and of probably all the events to occur within the film. The use of a knife in the image helps to successfully convey to the audience that this is a horror film and more specifically a Slasher.

My group and I chose this typography as we felt that some of the letters had sharp points reminiscent of a blade. Also the 'O' looked like a target or the lines on a camera when it is being used to record. So just by fitting a red dot into the centre again I had successfully incorporated the recording element of 'Knife Camera Action' promoting the brand identity. The black letters shadowing the white ones make the writing pop off the page giving my poster the illusion of depth. The shadows also portray a sinister, eerie tone whilst having the white in front of the black signifies that in the end good will always triumph and come first.

The colours used here are conventional as far as Slasher films are concerned. The use of the binary opposites white and black represent the good (final girl) vs. evil (villain) and the red of course symbolises blood, carnage and violence.

The tagline 'Smile For the Camera' was written in red as well and the use of the word 'camera' accompanies the image of the camera as well as the film title. A lot of films use taglines as they provide a menacing hint at what to expect from the full film.

Other aspects of the poster that had to be included were the names of the principal cast and crew. If a particularly famous actor featured in the film their name would be emboldened so that people who recognise their names and like their work would be more convinced to come and view 'Knife Camera Action'. However, as my film is a low budget, British independent film there were no big stars and so no names that could be used to entice the audience. The age rating has been put on as well as the BFI logo and various film festival logos so people can understand what stature this film is of and what sort of critics it attracts. The use of a website promotes synergy and provides a multi-platform approach for the whole brand.

The construction of my magazine front cover was slightly easier than my poster as here my focus group were very clear on what they liked and disliked and 'Fangoria' already has a decided layout that it is widely recognised for. This cover is generally conventional of 'Fangoria' magazines and successfully portrays the brand identity through use of main image, masthead, colours etc.

The 'Fangoria' masthead has a strong mode of address. It is always written in a red and black typography that has a certain slick style to it and is easy to read enticing the audience to pick up this issue. Even the word itself is indicative to the fact that this magazine is specifically made to cover horror films as two words can be discerned from within the name: 'fan' and 'gore' alluding to the type of people who would possibly buy this issue i.e. horror fanatics.

The general colour scheme of 'Fangoria's magazines is red, yellow and black. The red has obvious connotations of bloodshed, danger and violence whilst the black is a symbol for death, evil and mystery. The use of yellow could be deemed an unusual choice as it does not really represent anything clearly within the horror franchise. However, the yellow makes the whole colour choice seem almost cheap and tacky which is reminiscent of the infamous video nasty era where films such as the 'Evil Dead' whose film poser used similar colours were deemed as having the ability to deprave and corrupt any who watched them. Any readers who are able to make this connection would gain a sense of satisfaction at understanding this reference.

The main image is not completely conventional of 'Fangoria' as they normally use a still from a film instead of a posed photo which I have chosen to do. The first reason for this was because my film subverts conventions (the semantic code) and so it made sense to do something slightly different from the norm in terms of the magazine text. Secondly, this is the same image used on my film poster but it is unobstructed by the camera (which is the case of the film poster). By using the same image I felt that it would help the audience make a link between the two texts even if they were just glancing at either of them. The use of a knife in the main image reinforces that 'Knife Camera Action' is a horror film as knives are iconic symbols of Slasher films.

The three supplementary images are presented within the film reel positioned on the left hand side of the page and could generally considered as film stills drawing the magazine back into a more conventional design. Almost all magazines use supplementary images to show the audience what else they can expect from the magazine in case the main image is not enticing enough. The feature stories help to do this also. The images themselves have a sufficient amount of blood and gore to portray the brand identity and mode of address.

Overall, the magazine is quite conventional in its placement of the barcode, use of supplementary images. It is clear in its mode of address and the design is eye catching as well as informative. All three of my media products created manage to use and challenge real existing products conventions to form a coherent brand and texts that are clearly representative of the Slasher genre.

Knife Camera Action Magazine Front Cover

Knife Camera Action Poster

Knife Camera Action Trailer

Rough Print Designs

The responses I received from my focus groups regarding my poster templates largely influenced my rough design. My focus group made it clear as to which template they preferred most and because of their choices and comments the main image of my poster consisted of the killer holding a knife to the throat of the final girl which is positioned behind the camera and tripod. The main image is slightly obscured but can be seen through the screen reinforcing the recording and camera element of the film which feature prominently throughout. This image also featured a knife which is an icon of Slasher films and widely recognised with audiences to represent violence and bloodshed. It is a convention of a lot of Slasher films to include a weapon within the poster to foreshadow all the violence that the weapon will cause in the hand of the villain.

Our final girl is also used within the poster. Her position is below the killer as he is in control of the situation and she is weaker, more vulnerable than him. Some film posters such as ‘Scream’ have female characters on the cover but it is not completely clear from the aesthetics that they are the final girl which is also the case with my film poster especially considering that our final girl is blonde and not the conventional brunette.

The typography used has sharp points on some of the letters reminiscent of a knife’s edge. The ‘O’ in particular looks like the tracking on a camera screen which is why we put a red recording dot in the centre of it to reinforce the recording theme of the film. The colours chosen were the typical red, black and white that have become a convention of Slasher films. The black and white represent anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss’ theory of binary opposites especially good vs. evil whilst the red obviously symbolises bloodshed, danger and violence.

The slogan of ‘Knife Camera Action’ is ‘Smile For The Camera’ which is a well-known phrase yet when accompanied with the image of the knife takes on a chilling, eerie effect especially as it is in a red typography. The other piece of text in a red typography is the film’s website which is use of synergy and a multi-platform approach.

There were other conventions of film posters (not just Slasher films) that had to be abided by such as the names of the principal cast and crew which are normally positioned at the bottom of the poster as well as any film festival wins/nominations. I had neglected to feature film festival logos on my rough design but made sure to include them in my real poster.

The layout and design for my ‘Fangoria’ magazine is quite conventional especially to the ‘Fangoria’ franchise. This is shown with the film reel that goes vertically down the left hand side of the page. In the three gaps ‘Fangoria’ always uses supplementary images to show the readers what else to expect from within the issue if the main image is not enticing enough. These images are normally accompanied by feature stories that give more details as to what the images are offering.

The image used is the same one as the one on my poster without the camera on the tripod obstructing the whole image as there was not enough space on the cover for the camera to be included. The shot used is one where the killer holds a knife to the throat of Charlie (the final girl). The reason I chose to use the same image is because even if the buyer just glances at the cover they will glimpse the main image and understand that it is connected to the film poster they may have already come across in their everyday life.

‘Fangoria’ is a film magazine that generally uses the film’s typography within the issue as they are more about brand loyalty and giving fans details about the films rather than just making a profit. It is also a convention of this magazine to use the film’s branded typography i.e. in the case of ‘The Shining’.

The colour scheme is the standard one used within all of ‘Fangoria’s issues as the combination of red and yellow is reminiscent of the infamous video nasty era and will make well informed readers feel especially smart for making that connection. Other conventions of the cover have been followed such as having the masthead bigger than any other text, using a barcode in the bottom corner and having other information such as issue number, price and date etc.

Character Profiles

Location Recce

There are all the locations used during 'Knife Camera Action's trailer. The locations such as the school and kitchen were mainly used as part of the equilibrium stages whilst the more conventional locations i.e. the alleyways were used in chase scenes or scenes with violence. Most of our locations were reasonably quiet so we did not have to re-record much dialogue or wait for any particularly quiet periods of time to film. There were not many hazards of the locations as they were mainly inside and in public areas as opposed to secluded spots such as parks etc. The locations we chose to use were generally conventional settings of Slasher films which encourages our audience to identify our film with other similar Slasher films such as 'Halloween' and 'Nightmare on Elm Street'. The sites were all easy to gain access to and had choice availability making filming less difficult for us in the long run.

Call Sheet

Shooting Script

Storyboards

Knife Camera Action Synopsis

Michael has moved into a new neighbourhood. His parents died in mysterious circumstances and he has now moved in with his Aunt. The film is filmed mainly from his viewpoint and we soon see that he is obsessed with Slasher films.

Michael joins his new school and it becomes apparent that he is a lonely boy with few friends. Soon Michael becomes obsessed with a group of teenagers. He starts plotting their gruesome murders inspired by the films he loves so much.

Michael keeps his own private video recordings of these teenagers, capturing them during intimate moments and when they are most alone. Michael kills the first promiscuous girl of the group and her body is soon discovered - she has been strangled and stabbed to death. There is a chase scene in which the teenagers are being followed by Michael yet they do not know it is him.

The teenage group with some advisement from a high school teacher who is weary of Michael due to the gory essays he writes during his English Literature classes start to watch him back and eventually decide to break into his house. Once inside the house the teenagers discover the Aunt presumably dead for moths and Michael's room where he has stuck up photos of the teenagers as well as vivid descriptions of how he plans to kill each member of the group (all inspired from classic Slasher films).

Michael comes into the house with a knife to find the teenagers in his room. He ends up killing them one by one and filming it all on his camera like he had with the previous murder and chase scene. It ends with the two boys dead and Charlie (the final girl) attempting to kill Michael but failing. She escapes.

The film then cuts to a scene of the police searching Michael's house and finding him to have disappeared. Searches of the whole town take place coming up unsuccessful. Everyone assumes Michael has moved on.

The final scene takes place with Charlie alone in her house. She gets off the phone with her mother saying she is fine and does not need counselling after the traumatic events. We then have the shot taking place through the camera lens Michael uses. He gets to Charlie, they have a brief struggle and the camera falls to the ground in which we have a shot of Charlie's footsteps running away and Michael's rapidly following her. Film ends.

The Final Girl

The 'Final Girl' is an expression primarily used by Carol J. Clover in her book 'Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film.' The name refers to a female character in a horror film who is normally left to defeat the villain and come out victorious. This character will normally have a unisex name (like Laurie Strode in Halloween) and be depicted as someone plain, smart, sensible and virginal. She will normally be brunette (like Nancy Thompson in Nightmare on Elm Street) and be portrayed as quite a maternal figure which can be clearly identified in the film Halloween, where our final girl Laurie is babysitting and then protecting some children from the villain, Michael Myers. The reason behind the final girl not being portrayed as overtly feminine is because the audience for Slasher films consists of men and women so males as well as females have to identify with the protagonist too.

Professor Barbara Creed wrote the critical essay 'The Monstrous Feminine' which examines the stereotypical depiction of women as being abject creatures throughout history and film. Creed proposes two main questions in her essay, the first being: 'To what extent do such images (i.e. those of the hideous Gorgon Medusa or vicious Sirens and Witches) empower women?' and 'To what degree do they enforce misogynistic stereotypes?' These notions originally stem from the Oedipus complex theory in which it is stated that a child thinks that it and its mother are one entity. This is known as the pre-Oedipal space. This is a key developmental stage in life and, if disrupted, can have damaging consequences on a child's psyche. The psychologist Freud came up with the assumption that male children are attracted to their mothers but do not pursue these feelings due to an innate fear of castration. This then leads to adult men seeing women as a threat to their masculinity.

In terms of Creed's ideas, the 'Final Girl' character in Slasher films manages to represent both readings of the text in that she is a symbol of female empowerment as well as a figure of stereotypical monstrosity. Certain readings of Creed's essay can infer that the 'Final Girl' in a Slasher film will start out as a woman in the typical position of oppression and subjugation yet by the end of the film she will have transformed into a somewhat monstrous figure as she attempts to protect others and herself by murdering the monster who is preying upon her.

There are very few accurate representations of 'Final Girls' in Slasher films that do not use the 'Male Gaze' which is a theory discussed by Laura Mulvey who believes that in almost all forms of media women are presented in such a way that the audience and camera take on the role of a heterosexual man. The theory suggests that women are overly sexualised and represented in terms of pleasure rather than accuracy.

My film is one that subverts the typical codes of a Slasher film in that there is no enigma surrounding the identity of our killer. In terms of whether we wanted to subvert the character of our 'Final Girl' we decided it was best to keep her as conventional as possible. We have chosen to use the unisex name: Charlie and within our trailer we aim to portray her as a studious, pure character by using various shots of her at school and of her walking past a church to display her innocence. At no point in the trailer will we show Charlie starting to become the monster and assume the role of a killer as she overcomes her oppression as this is a feature that is better suited to the full film in order to avoid any spoilers.

The monstrous feminine theory is one that has a lot of basis in the media from Ancient Greek mythology such as the famed story of Helen of Troy who was an albeit beautiful character but one that was said to have launched a thousand ships and inspired a monstrous, bloody war to post-modern horror films such as Teeth and Carrie. I personally find Barbara Creed's opinion one that is substantial and well supported; the premise of females being portrayed as either disempowering or empowering is one that I have now come to identify within films I have seen, enjoyed and whose female character's origins I have wondered about and attempted to assess in a critical fashion. Her essay has caused me to consider what angle I wish to portray my 'Final Girl' and how I will successfully represent that in my Slasher film trailer.

Influences on the Horror Genre

Codes and Conventions of Slasher Films

Existing Media Research (Trailers)

‘The Shining’ trailer consists of one long take, low angle shot of the elevator doors which creates a tense ambience and eerie feeling within the viewers who are waiting for something sudden to happen as that is what should be expected in a standard horror movie trailer. The stationary state of the camera also helps to increase tension and trepidation as the minimalistic shot is almost too still. As for narrative this tells us the location of the film is a hotel given the furniture and elevator doors. The red doors provide some suggestion of the horror genre although it is subtle. According to Todorov's classic narrative pattern all films consist of an equilibrium, disruption, recognition, repair and new equilibrium. However, so as not to spoil the ending trailers rarely feature any of the repair or new equilibrium phases. This long take is essentially the equilibrium or the calm before the storm.

The general colour scheme of the lobby is quite dreary and grim. The browns and greys convey to the audience that this is not going to be a happy tale with a perfect ending. Roland Barthes' referential code involves explaining and informing. The mise en scene of the hotel lobby adds depth to the narrative, highlighting important aspects and details. Audiences interpret the referential code via their own knowledge, understanding and experience. The sudden onset of blood rushing through the lobby instantly fills the viewer with a sense of dread as we are given a quick impression that this film will include killing, fright and plenty of violence which is typical of a horror film. So although nothing much is happening in terms of characters or voiceover/dialogue both genre and narrative are being conveyed to some extent as the gushing blood foreshadows the disruption phase of the narrative. Other than this, the somewhat ordinary hotel lobby setting makes the scene much more tangible and chilling as most people have been waiting for a lift at a generic hotel lobby at some point of their lives.

The starting lonely piano notes are eerie yet simple enough not to distract from what the viewer is seeing on screen. The following non-diegetic build-up of music works well with the sight of the blood pouring into the lobby. The musical upsurge shows that there will be a climax within this trailer and the visuals prove it to be the blood covering the camera and tainting everything red making the audience feel that they themselves are now stained red and have been dragged into the horror of it all. The music is formally appropriate as it follows the expected structure of a trailer with the slow build up of pace. Whereas the choice of one long take is not formulaic the pace of the music is consistent with conventional trailer forms and helps the audience to identify this as a trailer.

The title of the film and other details scroll down the screen slowly in credit form in a plain white font building the up anticipation and keeping the focus on what is happening in the background without interrupting the visuals too much. The captions and credits are another formal conventional of trailers and although they are presented in an unusual way they do work to again convey that this is a trailer. They also highlight the selling point of the film i.e. the director and stars who will entice fans of their previous work to come and view 'The Shining'.

Most trailers feature various examples of Roland Barthes' narrative codes. The semantic code of most horror films (particularly Slashers) is depicted from the final girl's point of view. However, this trailer makes it unclear whose viewpoint the events are being perceived from. Instead the trailer is created to make us feel like we are actually there and experiencing this sudden onset of blood in what was an ordinary hotel lobby. Another of Barthes' codes: the symbolic code involves semiotics and the reading of the connotations of signs which transforms them into symbolic representation. The blood represents carnage and death but given the incredibly high volume of blood and the fervour in which it enters the lobby we can intimate that there will not just be some violence within the film but a multitude of sadism and brutality.

‘Prom Night’(2008) is an American Slasher film directed by Nelson McCormick. It is a remake of a 1980’s Canadian Slasher film also called ‘Prom Night’. The film is a typical formulaic example of the average Slasher film in termsof plot, characters and narrative codes.The protagonist Donna Keppel is the object of a perilous obsession in the eyes of her former teacher Richard Fenton who viciously murdered her entire family. The film takes place after this atrocity and is mainly about Donna attending her senior prom and Fenton’s return in which he goes to bloody lengths in his search for our final girl. By closely analysing the mise en scene, editing, sound and camera, I should be able to gather a clear sense of narrative and genre from this film.

The primary shot of the trailer is a green card which contains the rating (PG-13) and details of the various inappropriate materials deemed unsuitable for those under the age of 13.The production and distribution logos then follow immediately after the green card which is a common convention of all trailers. The upbeat music portrays a sense of youth and frivolity which is enhanced by the words ‘Class of 2008’ on a shot of what seems to be a yearbook cover. So far nothing has alluded to the fact that this will be a Slasher film containing violence and murder until we are presented with a card with the words ‘The Preparation’. The words alone are not threatening but the typography and black background indicates that the audience should be in anticipation of some violence and brutality. The wide shot of three girls getting ready at a beauty salon instantly allows us to identify that they are getting ready for prom and this event will be a major factor in the progression of the film. Given that the blonde girl (Donna) has the most screen time-especially in the initial shots, we can easily assume that she is the protagonist and therefore our final girl.The use of the champagne colour in Donna’s dress indicates a sense of luxury and putting her in the position of being the main girl out of her three friends.

The non-diegetic upbeat music at the start of the trailer of a familiar tune revamped and sung by a modern band alludes to the fact that this film (like the song) has been remade into a newer, modern version. The positive non-diegetic song also acts as an indicator to the audience that we are currently watching the equilibrium section of the film in accordance to Todorov’s narrative theory. The words that appear on the screen: 'The Preparation', 'The Anticipation' and 'The Celebration' are all positive words which is why they are almost a paradox to the black background they are presented on and the thin, plain font.

The various close ups and medium shots of the six young characters helps the audience to identify that due to their screen time these are important characters and that they are clearly (due to the name of the film) at prom. The dialogue and cheering combined with the music helps to portray a jovial atmosphere which makes the threat of characteristic Slasher film violence seem very far away. As the music suddenly fades and an adult starts to announce prom king and queen we find ourselves gripped by what is happening when the lights suddenly flash out. The use of some black screens is very effective in the seconds that follow as we are unsure of what is clearly happening adding to the suspense and intrigue of the trailer.

Also the use of a collective gasp from the crowd and hushed sounds with no music creates an even more fearful portrayal as suddenly we feel as if the happy equilibrium is gone and instead (from the black screens) we interpret there will be a lot of confusion and disturbance to the cheerful beginning.

As it seems that the lights come back on at prom, there is a fast paced sequence with quick, urgent editing which is broken up by flashing white screens and various black screens which again reinforces the confusion going on on-screen. The diegetic screaming and scared whispers all add to the horror of the trailer and one boy who we identified as a main character at the start is calling out the name of his girlfriend alluding to the fact she is missing, hurt or dead. The setting of all these shots appears to be one hotel which gives the audience a strong idea of what to expect if they see the full film; an almost maze like plot with people constantly running from the source of all this horror.

The use of a voiceover (from what seems to be a detective) helps to somewhat ease the confusion and we get a brief explanation of what to expect by going to see this film in the cinema. He also refers to the hotel confirming that the majority of this film has one setting. As no trailers are linear we receive all this information further towards the end of the trailer even though most of the details being talked of appear to be way into the past. As well as this some shots like a stretcher with a body bag has a black and white filter on it confirming that these bits are from the past. The use of interweaving dialogue amongst the voice over adds to the fear factor i.e. people calling each other's names etc.

The eerie music comes to an abrupt halt when the protagonist Donna is left alone asking who else is there. There is a moment of silence before a very creepy voice (possibly the killer or villain according to Propp's character types) calls her name and says, 'I missed you'. The juxtaposition of this piece of dialogue with a blank screen keeps the identity of the villain a mystery not permitting the audience to have any other pieces of information about him other than his voice. This is clear use of Roland Barthes' enigma code which drives the narrative forward and explains what will keep the audience watching until the very end, the question: who is the villain? And also in most cases: Will the protagonist and supporting characters survive? This then moves on to more fast paced editing (the montage sequence) and the words 'It's a night to die for' creating tension and excitement in the audience.

There are no one line reviews in this trailer meaning that anyone going to see it will probably be interested just from watching the trailer rather than based on a good review from a magazine etc. that they trust. The white typography of the name of the film and murky purple/black background, not featuring any red which is a common colour in Slasher films. Instead the whole shot alludes to a sense of darkness and mystery drawing the reader further into the plot.

The final 'scare' shot of Donna is very powerful. All the reader can ascertain is that a man is reaching out to grab her and all we can hear is her following scream. This tells us that the film will be filled with terror, violence and screams of horror just like the one resonating with us as the trailer ends.

The British, independent film ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ is not strictly a Slasher film even though it contains a lot of that genre’s conventions. Instead it is identified as a psychological thriller. The film was released in 2004 and directed by Shane Meadows (who also directed ‘This is England’). Roland Barthes’ semantic code which refers to character and characterisation is disrupted in ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ making it an unconventional film as we almost feel sympathy for the villain as the majority of the film is based on his viewpoints of events. The main plot follows a soldier coming back from the war to his home where he begins to seek a violent revenge on the men who in the past had viciously bullied his disabled younger brother. I am going to closely examine the mise en scene, editing, camera and sound of this trailer in order to identify how successfully they have conveyed genre and narrative.

A conventional way for most trailers to start is with the logo of their distribution company. ‘Optimum Releasing’ distributed ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ meaning their logo provides the first shot of the trailer. The story officially begins when we are presented with an establishing shot of a forest. Instantly the audience is aware of where the narrative will mainly be taking place. The next shot takes us to a more pastoral location reminiscent of the countryside. Wide shots like these are often used to show both location and people featured in the shot to provide some detail and context. Richard and his brother are the characters in this vast shot. The green army style bag carried by Richard allows us to assume (but not confirm) that he has some possible relation to the army or to war. His brother Anthony is instead dressed in mainly blue clothes which commonly represents calmness and passivity as opposed to the wild element that Richard’s green connotes. Even though the two are presented to us as binary opposites, the closeness of the paths they are walking along allows us to assume they have an understanding, familial relationship. The rural setting and walking has now intimated to us that the brothers are on a journey (physically, mentally or spiritually).

So far the shots and the calm, gentle non-diegetic music have not made it obvious that there are any Slasher film elements within ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ or alluded to the fact that this is a thriller film. These opening shots are essentially the equilibrium in terms of Todorov’s classic narrative pattern. The two characters are probably in their everyday environment, going about their normal lives allowing the audience to gain a sense of character and the relationships between them. The positioning of Richard and Anthony in the next shot is quite revealing. By having Richard in front of Anthony it suggests he is protective and almost defensive when it comes to his brother and also that his brother is younger.The use of the environment and nature is key in this shot as the tree is almost an extended metaphor for Richard himself as it is solitary and secludedjust like himself without the companionship of his deceased brother.

The woods (that are a common element and location of Slasher films) are used again in the following shot even though they are being portrayed to us in the same genteel way perceived by the audience earlier. One way narrative is enhanced in most trailers is by the use of a voice over and captions. ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ uses these to build on structure and sequencing giving the audience a clearer perception of plot.The first caption ‘A Brother’s Love’ confirms that Richard and Anthony are brothers as does the home video of the two as children. This home video is very important in helping the audience to empathise with Richard given the atrocious, violent acts he will commit later. We are then presented with a close up of Richard and then Anthony alluding to their deep, emotional connection.

'This is England' is a famous film known for its elements of British social realism and Shane Meadows has tried to feature topical issues from modern society and current ideologies in order to transpose some of this genres features into 'Dead Man's Shoes'. Such as family relationships (particularly fraternal) and the cruel, unjust treatment of those with disabilities With the next caption there is an abrupt shift in the tone of what we have seen so far, finally bringing in the fundamental elements i.e. eerie non-diegetic sounds associated with a Slasher film. The use of dialogue from our protagonist helps to add a sense of narrative to the shots. The even editing now gives way to a more quick, irregular pace intimating that there will be some disruption and emotional upheaval as the film progresses.

By using a flashback to arrange the story out of sequence we are given a look into past proceedings. However, as all trailers are edited in a non-linear fashion a black and white filter has to be used to make completely clear to the audience what is happening. The audience is instantly apprehensive of the gang men featured in a shot following the flashback and we understand that these are the potential enemies of Richard.

The use of a mask is a classic Slasher film convention used in films like 'Halloween' and 'Scream' as it hides the villain's identity and creates a psychological fear of the unknown and un-encountered. The mask means that Roland Barthes' enigma code has been used to set up a mystery, development and resolution. The enigma propels the narrative forward as it must be solved. The vast majority of film narratives will end with the central enigma being solved. Albeit as much as this applies to the conventional Slasher film it does not apply to 'Dead Man's Shoes' as within the trailer itself the person behind the mask is revealed to be Richard. The use of the colour red at this point signifies violence and peril which we are now at the edge of our seat in expectation of. A montage sequence which includes fast paced editing and shaky camera work is used to build up to the climax and build tension.

It is at this point that we meet one of the gang members. After this close up, there is a shot of Richard with the gang member followed by extreme close ups to increase the intensity of the shots. The mise en scene and positioning of the characters makes it clear that this is a confrontational scene. This is a key example of one of Claude Levi-Strauss' binary opposites i.e. good vs. evil. The use of a red filter on the next shot connotes violence and bloodshed (typical of a Slasher film). The main premise for the film is the question 'What is evil?'. Throughout the whole film we are introduced to characters like Richard and the gang members who blur the dimensions of what a truly evil character is. We find ourselves surprised to sympathise and somewhat justify Richard's transgressions even though his actions taken out of context are undeniably evil.

The use of a montage sequence is something every film trailer does. The editing and music all speed up to create a sense of tension and prepare the viewer for the climax moment. Scenes in this sequence generally consist of violent images enhancing a sense of narrative. Like the binary opposites of good and bad seen earlier there are also those of hero and villain/killer.Propp's character types are almost blurred here as we see a mix of good and bad characteristics in most of Richard's actions allowing the audience to think carefully about the role he plays and its unconventionality. The use of a voiceover gives the audience a sense of motivation for Richard's behaviour not just in the trailer but in throughout the whole film.

A lot of trailers will conventionally feature a short few word review and even sometimes a rating. 'Dead Man's Shoes' has done this and it is very effective in that a fan of the reviewer will take note of the review and make the decision to go and see the film on account of this review. Film festivals can also be used in this way to make the film seem very popular which is a boost many independent films require.

The use of red, white and black in the typography reinforces the Slasher elements of the film. Again there are the typical connotations of violence and bloodshed, black vs. white, good vs. bad. The directors name is used to draw in fans of his previous films (i.e. 'This is England'). The end card is then displayed with all other information and a website to allow synergy and a possible multi-platform approach.

There are many formal aspects of the trailer that are conventional. Trailers are always edited in a non-linear fashion yet still have to portray a sense of narrative and story. Film critic Pam Cooke states that a film is 'a linear narrative of cause and effect within an over-all trajectory of enigma resolution.' This does not apply to trailers as in order to not spoil the film there can be no indication of a sense of repair or resolution. There is also a conventional montage sequence used that involves quick paced editing and jump cuts to that build tension eventually resulting in a climactic scene which in the case of this film is the shot of Richard holding a gun to the head of someone whom we cannot identify lying on the floor. The mystery surrounding this will convince the audience to see the full film. Most Slasher films have a final 'scare scene' to end their trailer but as this is not a horror film (it only has some conventions of a Slasher film) the trailer ends with the film title, director name and end card.

The use of an everyday environment is common within Slasher films. By using British streets and aesthetically average flats we are presented with a plot that could seemingly be taking place right in our neighbourhood. This resonates particularly with the audience adding an extra fear element to the film and giving it a high sense of verisimilitude.

Although the narrative itself is unconventional and different the trailer is commonly structured like other films and is intriguing and enigmatic in its attempts to draw in audiences.

Existing media research (magazines)

The masthead for ‘Fangoria’ is bold, curved and a bright red reminiscent of the colour of blood. The name itself sounds similar to not just the word ‘fan’ as in fanatics of horror films but also the word ‘gore’ which is an adjective often used to describe horror films and more specifically murder, bloodshed and violence. Both the words fan and gore relate directly to the magazine’s demographic – huge enthusiasts of horror films.

Underneath the ‘Fangoria’ masthead the buzzwords Monsters, Aliens, Bizarre Creatures have specifically been used to draw in the demographic whom this magazine is specifically aimed at. Fangoria’s audience would be considered niche as it is aimed at a lot of horror fans in their teens, 20s and 30s.

‘Fangoria’ does not usually feature blockbusters or major films so using a Stanley Kubrick film as a cover story is something unusual for them. More unusual is the lack of clutter on the cover as normally there are buzzwords and feature stories scattered on the cover but the editor in this case obviously realised that the name Jack Nicholson itself would be enough to draw in intrigue and potential purchasers of this issue.

Like most magazines there is a main image that relates to the cover story. In this case it is Jack Nicholson who is the main character in ‘The Shining’. He is glaring at the camera in a threatening manner in what seems to be a shot from the film. Main images used on ‘Fangoria’ covers are almost always shots from films in which the image has something to represent gore and horror. ‘The Shining’ typography is the one from the film posters themselves which shows that ‘Fangoria’ is more about brand loyalty and giving fans details about the films rather than just making a profit. It is also a convention of this magazine to use the film’s branded typography.

There is also a film reel going down the left side of the page which is used on all of ‘Fangoria’s’ issues to further reinforce that this is a genre specific film magazine and will have content specific to horror films.

The use of the colours red and yellow clash quite distinctly in the design of this cover. The red is a stereotypical horror film colour used to represent bloodshed and violence whilst the yellow is an unusual choice for a magazine mainly about the horror film genre. The most likely explanation is that the two colours that seem somewhat tasteless and inelegant indicative of the infamous video nasty era in which films with extreme amounts of gore and violence were banned as they were believed to have the power to deprave and corrupt the masses.

The barcode on the magazine is in the bottom left hand corner of the page which is a convention of all magazines, not just film or genre specific ones.

The use of supplementary images is a technique used by most magazines as it shows what else to expect from within the magazine. Supplementary images are common characteristics of most magazines but the use of them within the film reel is something exclusive to only ‘Fangoria’. It is a part of their brand identity and a use of iconography. Also, the banner going across the top of the page with various features lets us know what else to expect. These act as methods of enticement to draw in people who may not be fans of the main image but see something of interest to them mentioned in the supplementary images or in the banners.

This is a typically formulaic magazine front cover as it has a cover story, main image as well as cover stories and supplementary images. There is a typically positioned barcode and the use of buzzwords is a characteristic of most standard magazine covers. The masthead is the important thing on the page and accordingly is the biggest piece of text. Most magazines follow this formula in their layout but I am going to go on and examine a more subversive text for my next magazine analysis.

The ‘Little White Lies’ magazine does not use a conventional layout for its cover. It also is not of a conventional shape – It is more square than rectangle and is different in the same way the niche audience who read ‘Little White Lies’ are different from the mainstream audience. The position of the white circles, masthead, barcode and other details never chance position making it easier for fans to identify that this is ‘Little White Lies’ magazine; The main image is generally a minimalist themed hand drawn close up.

The masthead is positioned at the top of the page and as it is the easiest way to identify the magazine it should be in the biggest font but is of a similar size or even slightly smaller than the ‘Let the right one in’ typography insinuating that rather than indorsing their own brand they want the audience’s attention to fall directly to the film they are promoting on their cover. There are no cover stories or supplementary images which is atypical as magazines normally use them to show the audience what else to expect from within the magazine and entice them with more than just a main image and cover story which is what ‘Little White Lies’ does in all of its issues. There are also no smaller images meaning that someone buying this issue would not know what else to expect other than information about the ‘Let The Right One In’ film.Even the barcode, date, issue number and price are positioned unusually as it is right above the masthead instead of thecommon position in one of the two bottom corners. As ‘Little White Lies’ cover a range of independent and major films the only way to gather any sense of narrative or genre from their cover is from the typography and image. The red and white colour of the typography are well used colours in the horror genre and through common use have come to represent bloodshed and violence. Also, the almost handwritten rough writing is almost chilling and eerie. Other than this, the main and sole image of the page screams horror. The use of blood on the close up of Eli from the film brings a sense of danger and carnage to the magazine confirming that ‘Let the right one in’ is in facts a horror film although just from the cover we cannot easily identify its specific genre.This is a little girl who is representative of innocence and purity covered in blood which is a key use of anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss’ theory of binary opposites which reveal the structure of media texts. Without the red it is doubtful that any sense of genre would be successfully conveyed. The use of the black hair/background is also effective in that it makes Eli seem like she is standing in the dark, surrounded by the unknown. Facing and exploring the unknown is a common trait in horror films particularly Slashers where the villain sometimes wears a mask to hide their identify and to force the audience to contemplate their own fears and what would truly frighten them most once the mask is removed.

The main image for almost all magazines is normally photographed and photo shopped yet ‘Little White Lies’ choose to use a drawn image in all their issues probably to reinforce the fact that this is magazine is aimed at a niche audience who do not follow the crowd and may have eclectic and different taste from their peers. Also, the use of a hand drawn image is reminiscent of the time when film posters and magazine covers were hand drawn a reference most probably understood and appreciated by this demographic who are most likely mature young adults who enjoy the informative, detailed aspect of films rather than the celebrity and gossip dimensions.

Despite being a mainstream movie magazine, ‘Empire’ does successfully use some conventions of horror movie magazines in its layout, typography, colours, style etc.

‘Empire’ magazine has more of a formulaic layout. The distinct masthead spans the top of the page, blocked slightly by the top of the main image indicating that it is a high status publication that is recognisable even with a slight obscurity blocking its masthead.

There are no supplementary images which is not too unusual as most very well-known magazines such as the ‘NME’ do not use smaller images, instead they will have a lot of text hinting at what else to expect from within the magazine. The cover stories are written in various texts and colours which makes the cover aesthetically pleasing and generally eye catching suggesting a wide range of content. The writing going across the page is written is such a way to appear as though it has been etched into something like a wall for example. The combination of the text and typography have a chilling effect on the reader. The typography used for the words ‘Meet the Joker’ is reminiscent of newspaper cuttings which are used by criminals when they want to send something written without any risk of being incriminated. This reinforces that the Joker is a criminal and someone who cannot be trusted within ‘The Dark Knight’ film.

The person posing for the main image is normally only shot with a close up or a medium close up but for this particular cover it seems they chose to use a full shot of ‘The Joker’. This could be because he is such an imposing character and they wanted to display him in a fully threatening manner. Also, the mise en scene of the cover is attempting to portray a certain sense of narrative. The joker is positioned in front of what seem to be cages indicating that he is isolated and inside the cage or is outside and has trapped someone (Batman). There are shadows of people behind him which are not particularly clear representative of the notion that there is going to a lot of intrigue, mystery and commotion within the film as a whole.

The side line above the ‘Empire’ masthead has been specifically picked to entice fans of ‘The Dark Knight’ film. As ‘The Batman’ franchise is widely popular, ‘Empire’ magazine has ensured sales given that hard core Batman enthusiasts would surely buy this issue. Also, the use of the ‘Batman’ logo is attempting to draw in the fans as well.

‘Empire’ attracts mainstream audiences as they always feature blockbuster films with big budgets and big audiences.

By including the name of their website ‘Empire’ magazine are attempting to have a multi-platform approach to promoting their magazine; They are using web 2.0 to expand their brand. This is also an example of synergy in which the audience who read the magazine will visit the website and those who interact on the website will be inclined to read the magazine. This is a smart approach to marketing a brand as audiences are now fragmented and so having some form of brand promotion on multiple platforms would reach even niche audiences.

After analysing these three different texts I have learnt that they have all used certain conventions coded differently as well as different modes of address to appeal to their own demographics. As my target audience are teenagers I do not need to create as subversive a front cover as ‘Little White Lies’ but instead I will attempt to recreate a ‘Fangoria’ front cover which uses more colour and supplementary articles to entice its audience. Also, ‘Fangoria’ is more likely than ‘Little White Lies’ or ‘Empire’ to feature a low budget British independent film.