Evaluation Question 1

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

Film analysis

Film Poster Analysis

Radio Trailer Analysis

• The use of a voice over is essential in creating a radio trailer, I used my AS Media teacher Steve to do the narration for me, as his voice was very suitable for what I was trying to achieve
• Although many often like to read audio trailers from a certain characters perspective, I preferred having an impartial, impersonal narrator that could simply list events as they happen
• Along with this voice over, I had several snippets of footage audio taken from FinalCutPro and imported into GarageBand, but also the acoustic loop we featured in the montage section of our film fading in, playing throughout the trailer and eventually fading out
•  I find impartial narration works particularly well in our case as being in favour of one of our two characters would defeat the message we were trying to get across, that stalking is not necessarily a sick deluded trait, but actually a psychological issue, it appears as a 'relationship' to them, despite how it appears to the victim, which we attempted to convey with the montage
• I found that the acoustic loop was particularly effective, with the set amount of beats and bars it helped to pace the narration, something I found when researching into various other audio trailers such as 'The Omen 2':
• I did not want to give too much away with my radio trailer but I did want to give certain things away such as the genre of the film in saying 'When love becomes an obsession'
• However I created a double meaning with the line 'And you can't get away', this idea of entrapment can work with both of my characters. Whereas Sarah is trapped under the stalking of the narrator, the narrator is trapped in his own psychological issues
• My trailer generally differs from the other radio trailers I have looked at, most have a passionate, and usually american narrative voice that is used to engage viewers, however as our film is somewhat a niche product, I decided that a calm English voice narrating the film simply and basically was all it needed; because although our film does contain some very tense and passionate moments, it is more than anything a lesson of understanding and sympathising with mental disorders
• The use of an almost POINT, EVIDENCE, EXPLAIN narrative whereby Steve makes a point and it is backed up with a piece of footage from the film became a style that I ended up carrying through my entire trailer, it is something distinct and particular to appeal to my niche audience, something I tried to achieve with both of my ancillary tasks
• Similarly to the majority of radio trailers I have studied, my trailer states distribution details in claiming 'AWAY - now showing in selected cinemas across the UK' Although my film is one that would often be exhibited on websites such as 'YouTube' and 'VMShorts' whereby it can gain recognition without the various payments that many films require, it could also be shown at cinemas as an almost pre-feature film video to grab the audiences attention, as well as displaying at various educational arts centres
• Using 2 pieces of speech from each character creates a balance between the two, enhancing the impartial narration. However beginning with 'It's been so difficult being away from you' in a smitten, calm tone to then 'My dearest Sarah' in a malevolent whisper conveys just how quickly love can spiral into obsession and how it can happen to a lot of people without their own realisation
• I feel that my trailer offers something simple and different that is perfect for my audience and the type of message I and the rest of Clueless Productions are trying to get across