FINAL Evaluation of promotion pack

  Complete an evaluation of your publicity pack answering all of the following questions



What do you think your audience's expectations of your film's genre are before they watch your film  ? What are they expecting to see ?
( plot, characters, events, themes etc.)

What do you want the emotional responses of the the audience to your film to be ? What do you want them to think about ?
( excitement, terror,sympathy, happiness, laughter, social themes, relating to characters, etc. )




 Is your promotion pack ( including poster, storyboard and/or demo sequence ) an effective preview of the content and preferred  emotional effect of your film idea ?
Did your  target audience suggest any strengths, weaknesses or things that would be changed before the  film version ?
Can you think of any changes to make your film more effective ?


How would you encourage fandom and repeat viewings  for your film after it has  been released ? (Website,  fan page, re-release,viral social media campaign etc.)


Based on industry examples( see here for guide), give rough timeline of how and when your film would be released in various formats ( cinema, DVD, online etc.)

ORIGINAL FILM PROMOTION PACK : Storyboard sequence from film

Create a  storyboard ( 4 shots minimum)  storyboard  of a scene  from your original film idea. This could be the opening sequence or another suitable scene  from the film, and should be between 30 seconds  and 3 minutes in length.  Your storyboard should include ideas for camera movement and framing and any  music, dialogue and sound effects.

The purpose of this task is to give a taste of your film to your target audience. Show your storyboard to other students and ask for feedback.






EXTENSION :  If you have time , shoot a rough demo ( demonstration ) version of a scene using the ideas in the storyboard.  This rough version does not need to look exactly like the  final film
( costume, special effects, setting ,actors etc. ) but should follow the  dialogue , camera shots and plot that would be in your final film release.

ORIGINAL FILM PROMOTION PACK 2 : Production proposal

Create a blog post, word document or Powerpoint presentatation called PRODUCTION PROPOSAL.


1   Briefly explain how your poster campaign  targets your audience, uses marketing techniques such as use of stars , how your poster matches audience expectations of genre, your use of  colour and lighting, your choice of images, your use of text such as review, choice of release date and tagline, and any links  to other films or media products  to help sell your film to its audience.

What  other ways would you  promote  your film and target your audience?    e.g television, radio, billboards,  social media, vimeo or vine preview etc.





2    Select and analyse a production company and a distribution company   who could fund  the production of your movie and make sure it is shown in cinemas.

To do this , choose  a film on imdb.com similar in budget to your own , based on genre, use of stars, special effects, target audience etc.
Then click on company credits on the right-hand side. This should list their production company(who fund the film) and distributors( who get the film shown in cinemas).



A     Define the production company. ( If your film is a co-production, choose one of the production companies. Which of the following is it ?

Major studio (LINK) ( main Hollywood studios, bigger budget, mainstream cinema releases)
American independent studio ( not in above list,smaller films and budgets, more unusual genres )
British studio
Other international studio ( Bollywood , France , Nigeria etc. )

Research using google and  give some  brief facts about the company ( ownership of other companies, other films produced, size etc.)


B List the countries covered by the distributors.




  3  Research and explain in detail  what would make your producer  decide to fund your film idea  in a blog post or word document. Depending on your production type and location this could include:

Does your genre match what happens to be trendy or "cool" in the film industry at the moment?
( e.g  franchises and sequels, superhero films)

Your use of stars ( your lead actors'  celebrity status:  this may help sell the film to the producer)
If you have no famous actors , your film will be cheaper as your stars' wages will be lower.

How you would deal with any social, legal and ethical  concerns such as controversial elements or newsworthy elements of your film ( e.g violence, sex, use of religion, political issues )

Relationships to any other films,books or games etc. owned by the company  to help sell the product
 ( horizontal integration)

Any other financial considerations such as stars' wages,  special effects budget,tax breaks or cheap filming costs.

You should explain these points and give  specific examples.

ORIGINAL FILM PUBLICITY PACK 1 : FILM POSTER CAMPAIGN

1  Create a title and synopsis(summary) for an original  film idea. This should be in a genre we have studied such as zombie horror or romantic comedy , but can also be in a genre you know well.

This  synopsis ( 100-300  words ) should cover the film’s basic plot, genre, characters  , and its relationships or influences from with any other film or other media product.

2  Using Photoshop , create a poster that would be used to market and advertise your original film. This should be A4 size (  Create a document / International paper/ A4).

For the best grade, you poster should effectively demonstrate understanding of targeting audience needs and desires , and understanding of industry promotion techniques using stars, audience expectations and reception
( such as reviews and premieres ).

This poster should match industry standards , so look closely at existing film posters in college and online. Your poster must include :

Title , certification ( 15, PG etc ) , tagline , a review ,  appropriate release date and relevant factual information.

Relevant background and images , including at least one original image.

EXTENSION :  Create a full poster campaign and show your understanding of different target audiences by  creating alternative posters which appeal to different audiences or focus on a different element of the film.

3   Show your poster and film synopsis to at least two members of your potential target audience and get feedback via a short series of questions . These could include :

Is this a film you would want to see ?

Is the genre of the film clear ?

Is my poster an affective advert for the film ?

Is my main image effective ?


This preview of content to the audience should allow you to make any changes before the production stage  if their feedback suggests the marketing techniques you have created are insufficiently effective.


Write a short blog post summarising what your audience have said about the effectiveness of your poster and film concept.

ASSIGNMENT TASK 2 : Auteur presentation

Task 2: Film Theory- The Auteur  Study 

    Select a film director of your choice that can be considered  an auteur.  

An auteur is a director with a creative signature. 

Instead of the most important elements of a film occurring through audience expectation and rules and conventions of genre, it can be stated that some directors have an individual creative signature that is more important to the film. This means that the director's use of genre conventions ( settings,characters,narrative and themes) and film techniques( colour, lighting,special effects, music etc.) is so unique and personal  that we can recognise their work. They may also use the same actors in different  films. 

Examples of auteurs  could include Edgar Wright ( Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End ) , Quentin Tarantino, George Romero and Martin Scorsese.

Look at www.imdb.com for information about your director.

      TASK : Create a visual presentation justifying and explaining why your selected director can be considered as an auteur by studying their background and creative signature and giving a wide range of specific  examples from their work. This should involve close analysis of at least two of their films.  You should also use images, such as screenshots from the films, to support the points you make.

You should focus on the  following information about your chosen director

details about their creative influences ( other directors,artists etc.) 

filmography and any relevant background or biographical information 

casting ( use of same actors/types of role).

use of genre conventions : settings, characters, narrative and themes 

film techniques : use of colour and lighting, special effects,  use of camera, editing techniques, camera, music and sound 

ASSIGNMENT TASK 1 ZOMBIE FILM ANALYSIS ( Genre conventions)

Using the notes you have made in class, the blog resources and your own research and ideas, complete an  analysis of the genre conventions  of the zombie horror genre , using examples from at least two full-length films and one short film.  


This analysis should give a detailed explanation of how your chosen films have created and follow genre conventions, use conventions and features from other genres , and subvert, change or add to the conventions and elements of the zombie horror genre.  For instance , you should make clear that Shaun of the Dead is a hybrid genre film , because it combines conventions from romantic comedy and zombie horror. In the films you have seen there are also conventions from action, war movies, teen comedy and road movies.

This can be in the form of a word document, a blog report with links to videos , or an audiovisual presentation using video and  voice recording.


Make sure you closely analyse specific moments and scenes from your chosen films to support the points you make.
Your work  must  include detailed analysis of how your films use, follow or subvert ( change) the following conventions  :

Setting initial location, initial situation ,  past/present/future, urban/rural/, other locations 


Narrative  main story elements ( zombie outbreak, chaos and social breakdown, survivors team up, place of refuge, new family formed)

linear or non linear narrative ( linear= story of film is unbroken , nonlinear=line of narrative broken up by flashbacks, flashforwards etc.) 

open or closed ending ( can be combination of both )

Characters ( Human/non-human) Human  character roles : hero,heroine,false hero, villain , expert etc. 

 Zombies : traditional features such as undead, limited intelligence , eating human flesh, killed by destroying brain, spread by biting etc. 


Technical conventions : Mise-en-scene Props and costume, use of camera and editing, colour and lighting, music and sound . ( e.g guns, uniform, closeups, establishing shots, fast cuts, zooms and fades, use of colour red, sound effects, soundtrack etc. )

Themes 
Emotional themes and social  issues raised , dealt with and referred to  in the films.
e.g family relationships , the breakdown of society, trust, the failure of authority, friendship,love,  the role of women in society, human greed, survival of the fittest , the morality of murder, attitudes to death etc. 

Zombie films : films and sequences

                                          
                                              Dawn of the Dead ( Romero 1978 ) Intro

                                         
                                               Dawn of the Dead ( Romero 1978 )  Roger's death

  Dawn of the Dead ( Romero 1978 ) FULL MOVIE

                             Shaun of the Dead  : housemates

Shaun of the Dead  : Shop walk 2
                                           

                                             Shaun of the dead  Walking to the shops 1 and 2

                                        And these two important scenes  one at a time here  

                               Shaun of the dead : meeting a zombie

                                         

                                                         
                                      28 days later  : Jim's rampage

                                              

                                           
                                                  Zombieland (opening scene) ( 2009)

Zombieland ( Pacific Playland )

                                               Cargo ( 2013)

Task 1 : Analysing Genre conventions help

ZOMBIE MOVIES : ANALYSING GENRE CONVENTIONS

Zombie films are a subgenre of horror films , so some horror conventions are also found in zombie films. They also take some  conventions from action, war and disaster movies.

HOW DO YOUR CHOSEN FILMS FOLLOW THESE CONVENTIONS,AND DO THEY  ADD ANYTHING NEW,OR CONTAIN VARIATIONS OR SUBVERSIONS ?

Setting

Apocalypse/outbreak . ( may have happened before the film begins )

The reasons for this may be explained or they might be uncertain.

Modern times.   Domestic setting/workplace/Western city/country/entire world.

A large part of the action is often set in a closed space where the characters are trapped by the zombies ( farmhouse, shopping mall, pub etc.)

Characters ( Human/non-human )

Human :

Hero ( often soldier or someone with good practical skills, decent ,brave )

Heroine ( usually blonde , vulnerable but may be stronger than appears)

Expert ( scientist or religious figure, gives audience vital information and background )

False hero ( one of the survivors , turns villainous, cowardly or crazy, or is simply not as competent as the hero)

Villain . (the main threat apart form the zombies. Often a figure of authority such as a politician or military leader. May be desperate to restore order to society in immoral way, act in immoral way because society has broken down, or simply hates the hero. Usually dies horribly at the hand ( or teeth) of the zombies.

Nonhuman : Zombie.   

A reanimated corpse whose main desire is to eat the flesh of the living.

This reanimation may have an external cause or can be activated by being bitten by another zombie.

Traditionally moves slowly , but may run. Does not speak , but moans  or wordlessly howls. May be stronger than appears. All races ,colours, and  ages.

Costume : depends when  reanimated. Uniform, pyjamas, funeral suit.

Usually quite stupid, but may show occasional flashes of cunning.

Can only be killed by the destruction or removal of the brain.

Like to gang together with other zombies, but don’t seem to communicate with them in any clear way .

Can contain a small memory of humanity , causing them to go to certain locations or try certain activities.

Technical conventions 

Props and costume 
Similar to action movies : guns and weapons of various kinds , radio equipment  to show  importance and difficulty  of communication with fellow humans, military uniforms. Tinned food. Fuel. Costume often shows social position of human characters at time of zombie outbreak …housewife , criminal, everyman, soldier etc.

Zombie costume usually shows tattered or bloodstained versions of normal human clothes from all social positions and situations to emphasise  that zombies = the undead  version of all humanity.

Narrative (Story)

linear/non linear ?

Open/closed ending ?

Apocalypse or zombie outbreak

Main character’s initial escape ( often female)

Other isolated ( and very different) survivors team  up together

Backstories of survivors ( flashback /narration)

Development of outbreak and breakdown in society

Details of outbreak ( exposition) given to audience by expert

Survivors trapped in closed environment ( shopping mall,pub,farmhouse) surrounded by zombies

Closed environment is breached due to amount of zombies, or by actions by false hero or villain

Final standoff with zombies  and possible final escape.

Aftermath ( end of outbreak). Not always present in narrative.

Themes

Including .....family relationships , racism, the breakdown of society, trust, the failure of authority, friendship, the role of women in society, human greed, survival of the fittest , the morality of murder, attitudes to death, consumerism and Western society, definitions of heroism, mankind's place in the world, human nature.

Introduction to genre and conventions

FILM GENRES  AND CONVENTIONS

Film genres are types of films such as horror, action , drama, romance and comedy.   Different audiences ( e.g boys between 15 and 18, women over 40, fans of romance novels  ) will tend to like different types of film.

There are also hybrid genres ( films which are a fusion of different genres e.g  scifi horror , crime comedy  )

and subgenres  ( different types of film  within genres  e.g high school comedy)

Conventions are characters, objects , stories  events, settings  and themes that  you would expect to see in particular film genres , which are often shown in film trailers to  give the audience an idea about the content of the film.  For example, conventions of crime films include gangsters, guns, violent scenes, criminal investigations, unhappy endings and revenge.


Genre ?
Conventions?

Horror has its own subgenres and links to other genres such as fantasy, action and thriller.

One subgenre is zombie films .

One subgenre is zombie films . The earliest of these tended to be about people raised from the dead by one evil magician. 

The genre changed and started to develop its  conventions. These were mainly created by George Romero in his original Dead trilogy of zombie films. Classic films have been remade and conventions  are still  being altered and  added to .

The zombie genre is influenced by other genres and some of its films can be described as hybrid genre films. Here are some examples.