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

During my research I found the Internet Movie Database website extremely useful as it gave me the release dates, cast, crew and earnings of the production of the chosen film I was researching.

I also used a simple google images search to get my magazine covers which then directed me to websites such as Total Film and Fangoria. One being a bestselling movie magazine and the other a specific one for the horror genre in which I was looking at.

As well as this I researched the meaning of Fritags Triangle to help me understand the points of action within films and the code and conventions and what sorts of titling and shots my film would require.

To carry out some of my planning I create a Grid of Nine analysis chart, of three different films of the horror genre. I used YouTube to find the clips, along with printscreen and paint to edit them into Mircosoft word. Finally I used slideshare, which is a social sharing site to put this on to my blog.

During the planning of my products I used a Panasonic Lumix camera to take pictures of my locations to conduct a simple location reccee. However instead I decided tomake a video of my location and to do so I used a HD flip camcorder, and uploaded my video to the web 2.0 program YouTube. Linking it back to my blog, powered by blogger. I also used slide share to upload my poster and magazine cover ideas, and my shooting schedule. To construct my film I used a Canon Legria FS200 Camcorder and a Philips external microphone to create the effect of live sounds and to also make them sound clear.

Formy audience feedback I handed out questionnaires and uploaded my findings to a document and slideshare product. Throughoutthe construction of my poster and magazine cover I used iMovie and Photoshop.On iMovie I used things such as clip and sound trimmer helping me get things tocertain lengths and volumes as well as the use of text and transition buttons.

On Photoshop I used as number of different things to help me distort my image change the color and cleanly edit around it. I used it to brighten my imagesand dim the backgrounds. For both of these ancillary products I used Microsoftword to complete my final versions, as it was easy for me to use and had everything I required to make these products.

Finally, I used blogger to power my blog as it’s a free social networking site letting me document my ideas as I went along, and of course YouTube allowing me to getmy products seen by people other than my friends and family and by a much broader and wide audience.

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

Throughout the making of my main product and my ancillary text, I was constantly thinking of a way to link the three products through colours, images and text.

Firstly, a way I have link all three of my products is through the use of image. The main character played by Daniella Bick is present in all three of my products. I felt it was important to keep her visible throughout all of the products as it clearly shows that the products are linked. This is conventional within the media industry as a majority of films will display the main character or characters on at least two of there products, mainly things to do with advertising.

I decided to use costume to show that my ancillary texts linked in with my main product. Daniella wears a red coat, again visible in all three texts. For me it was important that I had the coat visible throughout as it kept the characters sense of innocents. Also the colour red represents danger, and with my products within the horror genre it signifies that there is some form of danger ahead.

I tried to link my text, however my fonts a different to suit each product instead I used the colours of the text to link. I stuck to a colour palette of red and white, the red as it represents danger and white because it gives a sense of innocence and purity to the products.

To try and sell my products I used a number of different ways to market them, mainly present in my magazine cover. I used conventional techniques that are present in a lot of todays media products such us pugs and banners which draw in the audiences attention and make them want to know more. 

Also I used tag lines to entice my audience, this could be classified at my USP (unique selling point) as its unique to my product and offers something that other magazines may not. another USP would be the exclusive interview I offer with the director of 'Senses' again making this unique to my magazine and drawing in the attention of my target audience.