Magazine Cover Drafts

 

The first poster is unconventional as it has 3 cover stars which means that it also goes against the results of my survey, as my demographic requested a close-up of the protagonist for the feature article photograph. Additionally, the blue colours do not connote the mystery genre very successfully and contrast with the red colour scheme that was desired by my demographic in my survey.

The second poster matches the results of my demographic survey, and therefore will be appealing to them. The black, white and red colour scheme successfully portrays the mystery genre as red connotes danger. The cover line is a unique interesting font that fits in with the mystery genre. Therefore this is the magazine cover that I will use.

The third poster is fairly conventional and also follows a colour scheme that connotes the mystery genre. The red cover line connotes danger and the font has a dangerous, mysterious feel. However, my demographic wanted a close-up and this cover uses a mid-shot.

Creating Brand Synergy

In order to create continuity between by triad of media products, I will the same/similar aspects throughout them. For example:

• The font will be the same on the captions in the trailer as the title on the poster and cover lines on the magazine front cover.
• I will use the same characters in all three products to allow the audience to become familiar with them.
• The colour scheme will run throughout all three products to create an overall house style: this will be dark, eerie colours with pops of red to connote danger.
• They will all connote fear and vulnerability through images of the protagonist so it is clear that she is in danger.
• The dramatic, fast pace of the trailer will be paralleled in the poster and magazine using very dark, low-key lighting to create harsh, dramatic contrasts.

Script

First Scene -  Inside the cabin (Daytime)

LIZZY

Hey, do you guys want to sleep round tonight? My mum said we

can stay in the cabin, have a few drinks and play some games…

AMY

Are you still talking to that creepy guy from last summer?

ALL

Cheers

ROSIE

What is that?

LUCIA

Don’t worry it’s nothing, go to sleep

(Night time)

AMY

Lizzy’s gone

Bedroom Scene

ROSIE

What are we going to do?

LUCIA

I don’t know

Park Scene

AMY

I miss her so much

ROSIE

I can't stop thinking about it

Torturing Scenes

AMY

Please don’t hurt me

LUCIA

Let me out

Living Room Scene

MUM

I need you to tell me everything that happened today

Storyboard - Final Draft

Changes made to storyboard:

1. I added film credits to the beginning of the trailer; this makes it more conventional and more realistic.
2. The addition of a 'boom' sound effect on the first shot means the trailer immediately grabs the audiences attention and is gripping.
3. A voice over allows me to anchor the story line and help the audience to gain a better understanding of the narrative.
4. I added reaction shots throughout the trailer as I felt the audience would not fully understand the diegesis without these. They also allow the audience to build up a connection with the characters, making them care about them and want to see what happens in the full length film.
5.  Adding close ups of the protagonists allows the audience to see their emotions on a more intense level, therefore intensifying their emotional connection.

Storyboard - First Draft

   

  

Brainstorming Plot Ideas

Camera Workshop

During the camera workshop we learnt the to never cross the line, for instance, if two actors are sitting opposite each other, the camera should always stay on the same side of them, so on one person's right hand side and the other person's left. A master shot is also necessary in order to provide the audience with an understanding about the characters' relationships.

We also learnt how to do tracking shots and arc shots by using a dolly attached to the bottom of the tripod.

Survey Results and Analysis

Question 1-
The most popular result on the survey was a close-up for the shot of the cover star, closely followed by a mid-shot, therefore, I will use one of these as they also follow convention.

Question 2- 
The majority of my demographic agreed that I should portray my protagonist as a vulnerable, weak character, which fits in with the storyline of my trailer, therefore I will try to create this effect when creating my magazine cover.

Question 3-
The most popular colour scheme was blue and grey, as blue has connotations of loneliness and is associated with mental wellbeing and instability. Grey also seems very eerie and creepy, therefore it will successfully convey a mystery genre.

Question 4-
A simplistic layout is the most popular response, therefore, I will use a stripped back layout, so the cover is not too overwhelming, and the audience can digest all the information being showed.

Question 5-
Some frequent suggestions for portraying a mystery genre were using low-key lighting, grey clouds/shadows and using eye contact and scared facial expressions.

Question 6- 
The predominant response to this question was to have a group shot of my main characters in the poster, therefore, I will take photos of all of them while on location and they are in their costume to give the audience an insight into the film and also their relationship, also to create synergy between my products.

Question 7-
An image to text ratio of 75:25 was requested by my demographic, therefore, the main focus of my magazine cover will be the imagery, and I will select the fonts and text to compliment the image.

Question 8-
The most popular colour scheme for the poster was black, white and red, as red has connotations of danger and fear.

Magazine and Poster Audience Survey

Create your own user feedback survey

'Shutter Island' Magazine Cover Analysis

Feature Article Photograph-
The long shot allows the viewer to become familiar with the character. The costume indicates that he is fairly serious as he is in a smart, professional looking coat, shirt and tie, however, a more laid-back side is portrayed as his top button is undone. The low angle shot conveys the characters high status and superiority connoting that he has a lot of power and authority. The uses of high-key lighting from above creates harsh contrasts and shadows on his face, creating a mysterious feel and therefore portraying the genre successfully. The background is cloudy and misty which enhances the sense of mystery as it creates an eeriness. Additionally, the blue colours uses connote sadness and loneliness, suggesting that the protagonist is vulnerable or in danger.

Masthead-

The masthead is in a bold, recognisable font which creates a clear brand image and therefore it can be positioned behind the feature article photograph but still stand out. The white colour contrasts with the rest of the page and therefore attracts attention. The font is fairly basic and therefore easy to read, meaning when viewers glance at the magazine they will know the genre and contents of the magazine immediately. This is heighten by the word 'total' as it makes it clear to the reader this magazine is just about films. The positioning of the masthead is also effective as it is directly behind the cover stars head which is where the audience would be naturally drawn to look at, meaning they are likely to read it.

Cover Lines-

The cover lines are a red font which connotes danger as it is a symbol of blood. Additionally, the font is bold and in block capitals to highlight its importance, however, it has a distressed look to convey the mystery genre.

Plugs-

The plugs also use a red colour to create uniformity and therefore establish a house style. They include information about what is inside the magazine, helping to promote it, without taking away attention from the feature article photograph. Contrasting colours are used to ensure the writing is all legible and user friendly.