4.) How did you use new media technologies in the construction & research, planning & evaluation stages?

2.) How effective is the combination of your product and ancillary texts?

A film distributor is a company who market and advertise films. I created three different products to advertise my film; a trailer, poster and film magazine cover. These are the same products a professional film distributor would make to advertise a real film. However they would reach bigger audiences and use broader promotional techniques than I did. For example, their trailer would be shown in a cinema, on television, on social media, etc. their poster would be displayed outside movie theatres, in bus shelters, etc. and their magazine cover would be displayed on an actual magazine inside shops. Alongside these products, they may also use flyers, websites or other methods of materialistic advertisement.

Having a film on the front cover of a magazine will significantly promote the campaign because people can still look at it even if they do not buy it and so it reaches a much wider audience.

Lots of advertising campaigns also release videos that are really popular and go viral online which massively increases the circulation of the campaign. 'Paranormal Activity: The marked ones' did this through a feature called 'Experience the fear' which they displayed on their film's website before the film was released. You walked around a house not knowing what is going to happen next. It was so realistic and really fun to do meaning that it draws in an audience and brings up conversation around the film which is an effective and free way to campaign.  

Another example of a popular viral campaign was a video produced for the 'Carrie' film. Secret video cameras were set up all over a coffee shop and objects, such as books, chairs, tables, and even people, were cleverly engineered so that they would move and fly through the air in what seems to be paranormal activity to viewers. Random people who entered the coffee shop were targeted by an actress who acted really angry and then supposedly used her telekinetic powers to make the objects move. From the video hits and comments it is clear that it shocked and amused many people. Through sharing on social media and word of mouth it became considerably famous.

It is important for a distribution company to make all of the advertising products be unified. This means portraying the film in the same way in every product so that audience completely understands what the film is about.

'Insidious' is a good example of this because the colour schemes all match. By using a magazine cover of Fangoria and a poster they were able to introduce two of the characters, as I did. Both appear possessed or evil in some way. The distributors needed them to look like this in order to draw in their target audience and other viewers.

Another very popular and common way that distributors gain attention for their films is through reviews. This is done through premiere nights in which all the actors attend, which brings their fans, many journalists and other media people are also invited so that they can spread the word from a professional point of view. These reviews get published to the general public which is very useful in gaining viewers both before and after release. Certain quotes and star ratings that are particularly supportive will also feature on the DVD cover. Customers take these into consideration before buying the product so a good rating is very necessary for sales.

How I made my horror film magazine cover and poster from mbrett123

3.) What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

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

Horror Film Trailer

Film Poster

Magazine Cover