Evaluation Question 7: Preliminary Reflections

7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the main task? 
We thought that answering this with a video would be easier,

Evaluation Question 6: Technology & Construction Process

6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of making this product?

Cameras, Tripods, and Premier Pro, oh my!

Since the start of production. It has been apparent to me that my skills and abilities to use different tools and equipment have grown and developed over time.

Planning:
Firstly, my ability to plan for productions has definitely improved, storyboarding, script/screenplay writing, and shotlisting are all really usedful and some were new to me, however I am now able to use and create all 4 of these things.

Production:
This is where technology was used the most, learning how to use the DSLR cameras and getting comfortable with them was a key aspect to the production. Since starting to use them, I have learned how to change lenses on the cameras for a longer or shorter range shot. As well as changing the DSLR's settings to produce a different effect or type of shot and becoming comfortable with the user interface on the cameras.

We also used tripods whilst in production, which was useful as it allowed us to have steady shots and improved the quality of our production greatly.

There were times during production where we considered using a shoulder mount, however it was decided that handicam was better as it suited the effect of a thriller and worked with conventions of the genre in a more effective way. For example, when I walk through the marketplace and use my phone, Mitchel was walking in front of me holding the camera.

Post-Production:
Considered to be "where the magic happens", I haven't really had much recent practise in Premier Pro, however you can see my sound-changing task as evidence that I can alter and edit sound in videos, and you can also see the same video to show that I can use titling and video cutting too. Whereas at the beginning of the production process, I only had light experience in those areas from my personal YouTube channel, which was done using a different software (PowerDirector) that I bought for my phone.

Evaluation Questions 4/5: Audience and Audience Attraction/Marketing.

4) Who would be the audience for your media product?
5) How did you attract/address your audience?
We decided to answer these two questions in a video.

Evaluation Question 3: Institution and Distribution.

3) What kind of media institutions might distribute your media product and why?

In my post about how we may market the film, I mention that we'd use Sony Distribustion in order to get our production to people. I did however note that as Through the Glass will be a small budget film, made by companies working in synergy with one another, then Sony (being a large company) may not take the job of distributing our production due to the high risk of failure to produce a profitable sum of money at the box office.

Therefore, I believe that a relitively smaller company such as Channel 4 distribution would better suit the task. This is also beneficial as it is easily accessible through Film 4, who are one of the companies involved in production.

Films such as Trainspotting 1 have used Channel 4 distribution to do this and then, after becoming a successful hit, have moved up to companies such as Sony Distribution, who took the job as the success of Trainspotting 1 meant that T2 Trainspotting was much less of a risk.

Evaluation Question 2: Representation of Social Groups.

2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our thriller opening, there isn't much in terms of diversity, the three main characters are white, male teenagers. As well as them being from England. There is obviously a lack of diversity in race, gender and age here, meaning that our production can only represent that one group.

I believe that race and gender isn't too much of an issue/topic here. As the opening that we made shows nothing that is unusual or typical for the area we filmed in. Not that there is a racial or gender-related divide between the population, just that it is usual to see things as they are in the production.

Through the Glass, however, has a fair amount to talk about in concerns to age. Our three protagonists meet up in town and walk round together which is fairly normal for regular teenagers. However, they decide to go into an antique shop, which teenagers don't tend to do. This obviously subverts dominant ideologies about teenagers and how they like to go to places that would be considered fun or exciting.

Evaluation Question 1: Forms and Conventions.

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

Our thriller is a combination of a sub-genre of the thriller genre (supernatural) and a completely different genre all together (comedy). This challenges the regular conventions of thriller films as it is rare for thrillers to contain funny parts as well as their regular 'seriousness'.This makes our thriller unique and different to other thriller films that have recently been released as well as upcoming and many past thriller films (especially in the supernatural sub-genre) which could attract a wider audience to come and watch it than it could have before as it is unorthodox compared to other films.

The protagonist is often a brave male who seeks to restore order to the world (or whatever setting they may be in, a city, country etc). In our thriller, the protagonists have no idea about what will happen to them or that they are going to be in danger when they enter the antique shop in the intro. They are regular teenagers who are going about their daily lives as normal until they go into the shop. They aren't really portrayed as brave at any point in the film nor are they connoted to be in any way, therefore challenging conventions of thriller films as the protagonist is normally shown to be brave or heroic early on in the film (for example the character is a police officer, connoting bravery straight away as soon ass they are seen by the audience due to their uniform and mise-en-scene of a badge and gun).

The Antagonist will have a secret identity that the audience may know but the main characters/ protagonist(s) wont be aware of, but will have met the protagonist(s) at some point which has fueled his need to go after the protagonist(s) to begin with. Our thriller uses this convention here as the antagonist is a ghost and the three characters have no idea who's ghost it is or what its motives/goals are.

The audience should already expect the film to be scary in some way or another because of trailers advertisement showing clips of the film. It's important to ensure that the comedy factor is not to be overused throughout the thriller however, as it will dismantle any suspense we try to build, which is not good and will spoil the film.

Suspense is essential to the thriller genre. Providing the viewer a feeling of fascination and excitement mixed with anticipation and tension.
The audience connect with the characters in different ways according to their own unique personalitites and attributes. This could make them feel more enraveled in the story.

It is entirely possible that we could have done more extensive research into how other supernatural thrillers are presented and made. Although Mitchell was inspired by the movie "The Eye" to take on the idea of the glasses. It would have made our thriller more accurate and better presented to have looked at other films that have already been made that cross comedy and horror. A film franchise that represents this is the "Scary Movie" franchise, and although these are more on the comedy side, they include themes and references to supernatural thriller films and use conventions of thriller films.

Marketing for 'Through the Glass'

Through the Glass, Our Marketing Campaign:

Production Companies: Film 4, Creative Scotland, Cloud Eight Films and DNA films.

Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing

Our main goal here is to use as many modern-age marketing strategies as possible to provide a higher chance of appealing to a teenage audience.

We believe that an appropriate budget for the marketing would be £1.2 Million. This will help cover for the following:

Social Media Advertising¦£200,000: Social Media marketing will be the most beneficial and effective form of advertising for us and our production, this is because our target audience is set to be predominantly teenagers. The supernatural comedy thriller will be able to reach our audience through sponsored videos, these will include details on the production's release date and perhaps feature some famous actors in to portray star power to attract more of an audience. Furthermore, we will use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to post videos that are set in promoted posts on those sites as well as maybe a Snapchat filter which could put the glasses on and and then makes the ghost appear behind the user.

Outdoor Promotion¦£300,000: Having the opportunity to advertise our thriller in the public will shine lots more light on the film, making peer to peer marketing increase. This will not only hit the teenage audience but let everyone know about to it since it’s in full exposure, so this may be the best method of marketing by tradition. This will range from movie posters at cinemas, at petrol stations, on public noticeboards/ billboards and other various areas that are visible to people during their regular routines/ frequencies of activity.

Television adverts (as well as pre-video trailers on sites like YouTube)¦£250,000: Perhaps £150,000 on TV and £100,000 on YouTube. Over marketing the trailer on YouTube may become a nuisance, and will turn people off, so we will offer YouTube £100,000 and let them advertise with the money we offer for some period of time. This will ultimately hit all audiences on TV and teenagers on YouTube, an alternative option is to ask that YouTube uses an algorithm to show the advert before videos that contain similar content (i.e comedy, supernatural themes etc).

Promocodes on Beverages¦£100,000: By marketing in this way, we’ll be able to target teenagers directly who tend to purchase fizzy drinks and food for example proficiently. Promotion codes featuring 10% off cinema tickets or, free pass on Now TV for example.

Magazine/Newspaper Adverts¦£150: Although this isn’t directly at teeagers, parents may suggest this film to their teenage children if they see it. This further develops the idea of peer to peer marketing which is the best method of Marketing. These don’t need to be much, just a small section on a page discussing a potential synopsis of the film and a few early reviews from other broadcasting companies.

Equivalent Amounts: 20% on Social Media, 30% on Outdoor Promotion, 25% on Television Adverts, 10% on Promocodes and 15% on Magazine/Newspaper adverts.

These new marketing strategies push cross-media convergence, this is because it’s being advertised on multiple platforms for the highest level of exposure possible. Moreover, synergy will be evident here and multiple stores will stock products with 'promocodes', and also social media sites will have the film being advertised. Ultimately, these companies will be having an unintentional synergy in supporting the marketing and promotion of Through the Glass.

Marketing in the Future:

Since Through the Glass is big on its musical side and soundtrack, we believe it would be good to have a soundtrack be copied onto iTunes as well as onto CDs and Vinyl to give availability to the film if it becomes successful. We feel like it may also be good to perhaps have a video game and even have merchandise for big enthusiasts of the film. however, a videogame would have to follow a different storyline with different characters and could either be set prior to or after the events of the film, therefore expanding the 'Universe' of the film and adding more story to it.