Question 2} How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Introduction- To successfully make a media product promote, distribute and sell well to its audience, it is essential that the product is marketed effectively through various different ways (also known as the 360 Branding). For my A2 Advanced Portfolio, I have produced a horror trailer. I also created two ancillary print work a horror film poster and a horror magazine front cover to go with it, this is so that it will promote the film further. It was important that I made sure these three media texts linked well together and were effectively combined to promote my main product (horror trailer). I done this by making the products noticeably similar for the audience to recognize the link between them.

Colour Scheme

The colour scheme is one of the key elements for any media products, especially when promoting the product by marketing through other media texts. As my trailer fits in to the horror genre, the choice of colours was important for the audience to identify and understand the genre as well as the purpose of the three products.

On my horror poster and magazine front cover I have used the colour scheme black, white and red continually in both products. These three colours follow the convention of the horror genre as they are very commonly used in all horror media print works. I used black to connote the ‘unknown feeling’, darkness, death, the hidden, sense of being unsafe, and an air of mystery. I used white to connote ghosts and represent purity, and create the feeling of sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism, also used on typography behind a dark background to make it visual and standout. I used the colour red to represent blood and danger, to connote evilness, torture, murders, death,

gore, violence and anger.

The continuity of the colours scheme combines my horror poster and magazine really well. This is because the consumers would immediately able to see the link between both of these products and relate them together through

the use of colours. I think this will promote my main product by sending messages out to the consumers that it is a horror genre movie, which it would lead them to watching the trailer.

In my horror trailer I also demonstrated the colour scheme black, white and red. This is through the costume and changing the colour temperature of the scene. The characters wore clothing in the colour black, white and red, this links to my magazine front cover as the consumers will get the first glimpse of the characters clothing. In addition, I edited a scene where it flashes to black and white when the antagonist character is crawling up the stairs. This represents the antagonist characters personality by connoting she is dangerous and evil. The editing of the scene reflects my horror poster as I used the main two colours black and white all over.

Antagonist Character

The antagonist character is the main convention to promote a horror product, it can sometimes be the other way round with not only the villain but the main hero character in the trailer/film as well (The Women In Black). The antagonist character will be the most recognized and remembered in a horror trailer/film along with its marketing products. So therefore it is important that the links between the main product and the other media products are clear and noticeable to the consumers, in order for them to identify the antagonist character its films name.

In my work I have featured the antagonist character on all three media products, to make the character the centre of attention, as this will make the trailer well known. My antagonist character is a female who has been possessed, she is mainly seen standing with her really long hair over her head- almost covering most of her face, and her arms are slumped. The hair connotes mystery, hidden identity, evilness, which implies to the audience that the antagonist has an unusual, demonic face; making her scary and interesting enough to be remembered well. My antagonist is similar to the character Samara from the horror movie ‘The Ring’, she is very recognisable just by being seen with her long, black, wet hair, which is one of the successful, popular horror films.

In my poster the consumers will see the first glimpse of the antagonist character form the trailer. The antagonist is standing behind the gate which connotes she has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, this relates to the supernatural horror genre of my trailer. Her direct eye contact will make it disturbing for the consumers to look at and make her look frightening, which gives a hint to what might be expected in the trailer. In the trailer she is usually looking down with her heard and the audience would not able to see her face properly due to her hair covering the face. However right at the end of the

trailer the antagonist face is revealed with an extreme close up shot, so the audience will recognise the face from the film poster.

Also in my poster, the positioning of the antagonist is that she is standing, hidden within the leaves and the gate, below are snapshots from my trailer, showing the antagonist is doing the exact same there. This really shows the connection of the poster and the trailer to the consumers.

In my horror magazine front cover, it includes all the characters from the trailer. The dominant image gives a clue to the consumers of what the trailer could be about, as it already shows the conflict relationship between the antagonist and protagonists characters. The closeness of the three characters at the front connotes to the audience that they are innocent, vulnerable, and have a tight bond. On the other hand the far distance of the antagonist lurking behind them without them knowing, tells the consumers that they are the target and the protagonist characters may not be safe. I tried to make her stalking technique iconic by using it a lot in the trailer, which illustrates the dominant of my magazine. The magazine connotes the characters are always followed by the antagonist character, and that it has latched on to them. This will make the audience want to watch the trailer/film to find out what will happen to the three protagonist characters.

Mise-en-scene (Location)

For a media product it is important for the promotion of print work products to ensure that the mise-en-scene is repeated and kept the same. For example, on a film poster the make-up, costume, props and background location has to appear the same in the film, to effectively show the link between them. If this does not appear the same in the film the consumers will not recognize the poster again or remember the film as much, which will make them really confused.

On my horror poster the location is an ordinary house back garden. This will be one of the main locations of the house in the trailer. The garden is where the disruption is caused, and will mostly relate to the antagonist character the most. This is why I have chosen this location for my horror film poster as well, the audience will able to see the connection with the antagonist in the trailer and on the film poster. The location makes the poster look creepy as it does not give too much away, the only key features stand out is the garden gate, the shed behind the antagonist and the leaves on the side. This gives a hint to the consumers that the poster location relates to the antagonist, and when watching the trailer this will be shown.

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The Typography

The typography needs to memorable to its consumers for them to identify the media product, especially the title font of a movie. The use of logos and masthead fonts are easily recognised and remembered by the audience depending on the originality of the style of text, and the success of the media product/conglomerate it belongs to. The marketing products need to have the continuity of the same style of font used for its main product, as well as the right typography to represent its genre/ purpose.

I decided to name my horror movie title ‘Ominous’ this is because I think the meaning will suit the narrative of my trailer really well. The font I used for the title was "Feast of Flesh", I chose this style is because I it looks like someone has painted the letters, as you can see brush strokes on the edges. I used the colour white, (most commonly used on horror mastheads) as it stereotypically represents ‘ghosts’. As my movie is a paranormal horror genre I felt like this was appropriate. Also the use of lower case and upper case, and the different size of the letters, makes it look mystery and spooky. This connotes unknown as it will makes the audience not know what to expect in the movie, which will make them want to watch it. The title represents the insanity and insidious of the antagonist character in all three products.

On my poster the film title is clear and obvious to the consumers by using a large, white font. I have put my own unique twist to it by adding and editing a ghostly, foggy effect to the letters, this will make the audience recognise the title even more. In my horror trailer I have added the films name at the end, it is the same style of font. The background I used for the title has a white misty, foggy effect, this emphasise the letters and leaves a cold, eerie atmosphere at the very end of the trailer. On my horror magazine the cover line of my trailers name subverts the convention. This is because I used a different style of font, which the letters are really thin and stretched. This style of font has a chilling side to it and it plays with the audiences eyes, as the letters have a reflection behind, which relates the antagonist of latching on to the protagonist characters. But I still feel this links with the trailer as I used the same for the released date on ‘Coming Soon’.

Tagline & Sell lines

Media companies use tagline and sell lines and other typography to market their products. This is a key technique stagey to get media products promoted to its consumers. It is important that the same slogan or cover lines is used on the print product as well the main product. This will link all the marketing products and represent its actual model. The consumers then will remember and recognize the products through verbal communication on the products.

In my trailer I have made sure I included the tagline and the sell lines that I used on my poster to link both of them. The tagline ‘What Began With One… Will End With Many’, creates an eerie atmosphere to the poster. The consumers would immediately know this relates to the antagonist, by connoting that no one is safe and there will be a chain of dreadful events. I created a tagline that hopefully stick into audiences’ mind when looking at the poster, and interest them into watching the trailer. The tagline appears in the trailer at the point where the antagonist character builds up the tension. Also the sell line ‘From the Producers of The Dark & the Devils Eyes’ at the very top on my horror poster is in the trailer. If the audience sees that the ‘Ominous’ trailer has had the same producers of other horror films (that I made up ), this will promote my trailer furthermore to the audiences as they will assume that they are successful horror films, and will be intrigued to watch the new film (my main product- horror trailer).

On my horror magazine I have also shown the combination of the sell and cover line used on my film poster. For example, instead of using my poster tagline under the films title ‘What Began With One… Will End With Many’, I have said ‘Must Watch But Not Alone’ in the exact same font and style. This will encourage the consumers to buy the magazine as well as persuading them to watch the trailer. It also sounds creepy and scary just like the tagline.

Conclusion-In conclusion, I think all three of my media products I produced link well together. Their combination would make the movie itself very noticeable and memorable, and make the trailer successful. I feel that my horror poster and magazine promotes the trailer really effectively, as I showed the connection between them. They look differently to one another but the features I've spoken about are what are shared.