a2 media evlauation
TRANSCRIPT
A2 Media Soap trailer and
ancillaries Rebekah Carroll 3133
Aquinas College 33435
Ancillary Tasks
Soap Front Cover
Billboard
PlanningPlanning all done on blogger.com
http://rebekahc091424.blogspot.com/
Questions Q1: In what ways does your media
product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Q2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
Q3: What have you learnt from audience feedback?
Q4: How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation technologies?
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
QUESTION 1
Colour codes use develop challenge
Q1
Real media soap conventions
Q1
• It is a serialised drama that usually runs week-in, week-out, all year round.
• It features continuous narratives dealing with domestic themes and personal or family relationships.
• The plots are open-ended and usually many storylines are featured or even interlinked in an episode. Often they follow the same issue, with, for example, two characters dealing with the break-up of a relationship. The storylines in these cases run parallel.
• They are often set around a small, central area such as a square (as in EastEnders) or a cul-de-sac (such as Brookside).
• As a rule, British soaps are realistic or, at least, aim for realism.
Mise en
scene
• Lighting is basic e.g. Natural light or minimal light is used to create a gritty effect. This helps to create realism due to the realistic light levels.
• Costume and make up is also basic, casual clothing is used to represent the personalities of the characters.
Sound
• Many popular and well known soaps such as Coronation Street and Eastenders have a memorable theme tune that is played at the beginning and end of every episode.
• Sound is mostly diegetic due to dialogue.• Lyrics used often portray the story and create the mood the producers want the
audience to feel (major and minor keys).
Editing
• Scenes are generally short to maintain the viewers interest – (parallel narratives) so cuts are usually used to achieve this. Straight cuts are often used.
Camer
a work
• Camera work is realistic and avoids tricks of any kind: POV shots, slow zooms, close ups.
Real media soap conventions Q1
Also in Planning
Q1 Similar media products
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85EEdnfG-z490210
Skinshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuzUrNdpk9w&feature=player_embedde
d
Hollyoaks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAp0Z3_fyfU&feature=player_embedded
Downton Abbey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M3moEeErr8&feature=player_embedded
90210 TrailerQ1• Camera focuses on female
character- soaps conventionally aimed at women.
• Close up- can see emotions expressed- anger seen on own trailer (see screenshot below)
• Lighting bright on female character.
• Both female characters used in this scene.
• Can see faces of both characters better.
• Two shot- shows conflict between characters.
• Lighting is brighter- natural light used.
usedevelop challenge
90210 TrailerQ1usedevelop challenge
• Close up of male character looking off screen.
• Blurred background emphasises character in foreground.
• Shocked expression.• Brightly lit.• Colour red used- conveys
anger.
• BCU of main female character.
• Camera face on- see expression more clearly.
• Colour red used in background and lipstick.
• Gritty, dark lighting.• Looking off-screen also-
convention of soaps.
90210 TrailerQ1usedevelop challenge
• Long shot- sense of distance and loneliness.
• Characters framed in the metal construction- centres focus.
• Dark, natural light.• Both characters looking
down- sense of despair.• Costume- casual.
• Long shot also used- distanced from others.
• Colour red being used again- conveying emotions of anger/fear.
• Artificial light.• Lots of open space.• Character isn't framed but
is the only character in the scene- attention focused.
Skins TrailerQ1usedevelop challenge
• Blurred edges- gives sense of chaos and confusion.
• Male characters used.• Dark lighting- adds to
effectiveness as faces cannot easily be seen.
• Conflict is happening in a pub- stereotypical.
• Long shot used- see what's happening in the scene.
• Female characters used- soap convention.
• Dark lighting- violence doesn’t often take place in broad daylight.
• Conflict is in a college.• Long shot used- see what's
happening in the scene.
Skins TrailerQ1usedevelop challenge
• Blurred edges- gives sense of chaos and confusion.
• Background blurred- focus on characters.
• Indoor location- artificially lit.
• Faces cannot easily be seen- identities almost anonymous.
• Blurred edges- gives sense of chaos and confusion.
• Faces cannot easily be seen- identity almost anonymous.
• Outdoor location- natural bright light on face makes it harder for audience to recognize character.
Hollyoaks TrailerQ1usedevelop challenge
• Title cards used throughout trailer.
• Highlights what is happening in each scene.
• Zoom/Shake transition.
• Single words used in own trailer conveying different emotions in each scene.
• Letter by letter transition.• Title cards used throughout
trailer.• Highlights what is
happening in each scene.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
QUESTION 2
Logo- BrandQ2
•Freestyle script font used on soap trailer and front cover- creates brand identity.
• Easily recognisable and memorable due to its simplicity.
• Can be changed to any font size without pixilation unlike an image logo.
Main Characters• Red lipstick- convention of Borderline represents sexuality.• Also Emily idolises Sasha and so wears heavy eyeliner and lipstick.• Sasha- secretive, lost character.
• Heavy eye make-up
represents the
stereotypical “emo”.
• Hoody & converse, main
costume seen on Emily.
• Obsessive, confused
character.
Emily
Sasha
Other characters are
mostly female-
convention of soaps.
Q2
Q2
• Used the same fonts, colour and logo according to the E4 style guide.
http://www.channel4.com/about_c4/styleguide/e4styleguide/e4-brand-guidelines.pdf
Billboard Analysis
• Conventional two shot and glow around main characters- same characters on FC as on billboard.
• Borderline logo simple and memorable- used on main product also.
• Primary colours- convention of soap magazines effective as they are bold and stand out.
• Cheap price- similar with real products.
• Male characters- balances out gender bias in main product.
Q2
• Main characters females- soap convention.
• Buttons attract readers attention- as well as block capitals.
• Conventions from main product kept- red lipstick and “emo” stereotype.
• Brand identity of Borderline.
Front Cover Analysis
What have you learnt from audience feedback?
QUESTION 3
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation technologies?
QUESTION 4
Q4
Construction
Video & Still CamerasQ4
Adobe Premiere Elements 8Q4
Adobe PhotoshopQ4
Microsoft PublisherQ4
Q4
Research
Youtube.com I used YouTube to study a variety of soaps & TV dramas to pick
up on soap conventions, camera shots, sound, mise en scene etc. From the new drama, Downton Abbey I could see that through
costume and setting, genre is portrayed to the audience using these simple but significant codes. Also lighting can vary from natural lighting, artificial and candle lit scenes.
Q4
click to view trailer
• Candle lit dinner- gives an opulent feeling to the dinner and conveys the characters as wealthy.
• Costume looks expensive and hair and make-up is immaculate.
• Candle light can also be used in “dark” scenes for example to light a persons face or create eerie shadows- this is more suited to soap operas.
Youtube.comQ4
Please click to view trailer
I also looked at the Hollyoaks trailer from 2009 as I wanted to aim my soap trailer at young women and men aged between 15-22 years. Hollyoaks has a similar demographic and so I found it useful to analyse this trailer.• Two shot is very common in
soaps.• Makes audience feel like they are
in the room watching the conversation.
• Costume, hair and make-up reflects characters personality.
• Soaps often are set in a small neighbourhood.• This is shown by the small streets and
houses.• Stereotypical young teenagers look worried-
may have done something wrong.
Youtube.comQ4
I used YouTube to look for different songs that be suitable for my soap trailer. This was useful as I could look for acoustic versions of songs and also view users comments about different songs and evaluate this.
Songs I considered:-• All around me- Flyleaf• Over my head- The Fray• You found me- The Fray
Comic soap trailerQ4
Similar productsQ4
Audience ResearchQ4
Blogger.com
Planning
StoryboardingQ4
Existing productsQ4
Blogger.comQ4
Evaluation
PowerPointQ4
Q4Slideshare.com
•Uses lower case•Consistent fonts and colours specific to E4’s brand identity.•Suited to a younger audience- shortens January to Jan.
•Colours bright and eye-catching.
•Genre/audience is clear- young actresses and actors so audience can relate to them.•Stereotypes of teenagers used- confusion, mischief, sex etc.
Roadside billboard
•Mise en scene- costume is casual/fashionable reflecting teenagers today. •Hard to see costume- faces are clearer making them the focus.•Couple kissing brightly lit- artificial lighting.•Both female and male characters- good gender balance.
•Main narrative as both characters are brightly lit.•Other narratives possibly (boy in sunglasses)
Other examples of skins advert- E4 logo positioned in bottom right hand corner mostly in all adverts.
Soap Opera Definitions• Narrative- a message that tells the particulars of an act or
occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program.
• Audience- target group is the primary group of people that something, usually an soap/drama, is aimed at.
• Language/Dialects- A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a way of speaking that differs from the standard variety of the language.
• Regions and accents- In speaking, an identifiable style of pronunciation.
Different regions: London & Manchester (different accents)
Location shots & Shot list
• Locations
• College- toilets
• My house-
bedroom
• Alleyway
• Outside of
college
• Order of shooting• 1)College• 2)Outside of college• 3)My House• 4)Alleyway• Schedule• 5th Nov-8th College• 8th-9th outside of college• 11th My house• 11th Alleyway
Shot list
• Bold eye-catching colours convention of soaps.
• Uses a mixture of upper and lower case to emphasise text e.g. Christmas BABY?
• Mostly women on FC, the target audience of soaps is women so the audience can relate to the characters.
• Costume not easily seen as headshots used.
• Costume relates to storyline.
• Lighting is usually bright and artificial.• Stereotypes e.g.
young teenagers pregnant.
Codes & Conventions- existing front cover
• Enigma to attract audience- mystery, questions.
• Soap magazine logo- usually in red and in top left hand corner.
Codes & Conventions- existing front cover
• Soap magazine logo- usually in red and in top left hand corner.
• Drop shadow to emphasise name.
• Main storylines have the largest text and colours outlining the text.
• Anchor text relating to images.
• Mostly women on FC, the target audience of soaps is women so the audience can relate to the characters.
• On this FC men are the majority.
• Enigma to attract audience- mystery, questions.
• Costume not easily seen as headshots used.
• Lighting is usually bright and artificial.
• Bold eye-catching colours convention of soaps.