Feedback for my logo

Planning my ideas

My company idea 

My two production companies Spyrona Pictures and Lucy Camera Action will fund produce and distribute my film.

My company idea is to create a sci-fi horror film about a girl who claims to find an alien race but no one believes her. She ends up becoming insane and kills off her friends. I have chosen this plot as I found from my questionnaire that teenagers want to see a new sci-fi and horror film, my main character is a female so my target audience, who are also females can relate to her. 

 My magazine will be called Resolution and will be a film magazine. It will be £2.50 and will be aimed at the same audience as my film. 

My poster will show all the main characters, the title, the date of release, the production company, actors and director.   

Development of ideas

After looking at trailers, I knew I wanted a slow start then a really fast pace in the middle showing random scary scenes.  Then becomes a slow pace again at the end. I will have at the opening a scene showing the characters talking and making plans, showing the audience the characters relationships and some of the plot. Then a disruption will happen and the flashing of scary clips will be shown, this will make the audience want to see the film, as it looks entertaining. Then at the end a conflict scene will be shown showing the characters have changed and may be in danger, this will make the audience feel for the characters making them want to watch the film to see what happens.

Most of the magazine covers I looked at just showed the main character in there iconic costume and expression, with a plain background. So the main character covered in blood with a sci-fi book in her and. She will be looking at the audience with a creepy look this will draw people to my magazine. The background will be black, so she will stand out.

My poster will have the main character looking into the camera, she will be wearing ripped clothes and have alien marks on her body. She will be in a dark creepy wood with her three friends in to background; also in the background there will be a dark tall figure. This shows the audience the main characters and gives them a code to the plot.

Logo for my film production company Spyrona Pictures

Here I'm planning what my logo will look like.

















Here is a video showing how I made my logo.

  


Here is the finished logo

Title ideas

Tagline Ideas

Film Company Logos

Universal



Paramount Pictures


Wanner Brothers

 

Film Main Influences

Here I have created a mood board made up of still images from sci-fi films that have influenced me. This board will help me to created a film in the style I want and give me ideas, for plot, characters and more.

Mood Board for Magazine

I have used a mood board to illustrate visually the direction of style I'm pursuing with my magazine. I have chosen these magazines to develop my design concepts. 

Mood Board for Poster

I have used a mood board to illustrate visually the direction of style I'm pursuing with my film poster. I have chosen these film posters to develop my design concepts. 

My target audience

  I have made a slide show of text and images, which shows my my target audience's hobbies, interests and more.

 My target audiences are girls aged 16 to 19, as my target audience where boys for my AS work, I wanted to do something different. My film targets those who love playing video games and watching films with their friends at sleepovers and eating lots of junk food. They enjoy reading sci-fi and astronomy books as their favourite lesson at school is science. They also enjoy going to the cinema with friends, they mostly watch sci-fi, action and horror films. As they are big sci-fi film fans they will own film merchandise, such as posters t-shirts, key rings ect.. Moreover they will love going on social networks/blogs like Tumblr to talk about there favourite films with others who share the same interests.

My audience will mostly be derive from middle class families with a degree of disposable income coming from either pocket money or a part-time job. This income of money helps them purchase film tickets, video games, books and film merchandise. They wear jeans or shorts with pattern tights and t-shirts, which carry humorous slogans or related to films. Musical tastes may be techno as it reminds them of sci fi.

Film Trailers Conventions

Trailer conventions:

• Most trailers include key moments from the film which are not placed in the sequence of the film, and do not give away any crucial plot details. 
• The title of the film is not usually put on screen until the end of the trailer followed by a release date. 
• Music is very important as it suggests the genre and plot of the film. 
• Some trailers have on-screen text gives information about the film, for example the title, tagline, the stars, release date and director. This lets the audiences know who they can expect to see in the film. Audience will often decide they want to see a film just because of the stars in it and who's directed it. 

An example of a conventional trailer - Transformers 2007 

Film Poster Conventions

Poster conventions:

• An eye-catching image/images, theses pictures related to the plot, characters and the location of the film. 
• The title of the film, which has to be memorable and show the genre of the film, by using font and colour. 
• A tagline for the film, should be catchy and give the audience a clue to the genre, main themes of the film.
• Some posters have the names of the well-known actors, producer or director. 
• Endorsement from other media products, such as The Times giving their comments on the film, like "an unmissable film". 
• They sometimes put details of award nominations or awards they have won on the poster.  

The conventions of a magazine

Most magazines have these elements to them:

• Masthead - the title of the magazine, usually in a eye-catching font. 
• Menu - A list of contents inside the magazine. 
• Price of the magazine on the front cover 
• The logo 
• Secondary lead - a sneak preview of what's inside the magazine, for example a article or story. 
• Sidebar - a additional box next to the main feature of the magazine. 
• Splash - The main story of the front page accompanied with the headline. 
• Subheading 
• Box out - A coloured box behind some text, usually used to make the text stand out more. 
• Caption - Text underneath a image explaining it.
• Headline - The main statement/banner 
• Exclusive - The magazine, no one else solely cover a story making it exclusive. 

Analysis of existing products – Film magazine

Analysis of existing products - Film Trailers

Alien 1979 2:11mins

The trailer starts off with the logo of the “Motion Pictures Association of America”, which is an American trade association that represents the 6 big Hollywood studios.  This makes the trailer look professional and real (not fan made).

Then the camera moves slowly through space, showing the audience this film is set in the cosmos, possibly in the future and therefore, that suggests it’s a sci-fi film.  The slow camera movements along with the creepy soundtrack create tension and make the viewer uncomfortable. This has been done to hint that this film has horror elements in it, and also makes the viewer want to keep watching as not everything has be revealed.  Suddenly the shot changes to an unfamiliar land and bits of text appear, making the audience unclear of the words and the place. Then a shot reverse shot is shown of the land and then to the egg; this shows the audience that there is a relationship between the two without giving too many plot details. The shots get faster, making the viewer feel threatened by the egg.  Then we see close ups and medium shots of the egg, making us feel as we are examining the egg; we also see the text fully spelling “ALIEN”. This tells the audience the name of the film and makes them think about why the film is called that (about the plot) Later we see a close up of the egg and it suddenly cracks open; and as the non–diegetic soundtrack gets louder and faster, we are shown more shots of different things including spaceships, and people in space suits, confirming the viewer that this film is a sci-fi film. Then we see a close-up of a female character showing the audience the story is based around her. Then an eye line match shot is shown of the inside of a ship; the shot is shaking a lot, creating a feel of stress. The viewer then knows this main female character is scared of something (the egg). Then we are shown another shot reverse shot of her running inside the ship, that then turns to a medium shot of people in space suits exploring; this is a code to the audience that she is running away from them, wishing they had never gone. Then the shot reverse shot changes to different shots including an extreme close up of a cat and other random things. This creates a chaotic and no control feeling, showing the audience what this main character is feeling. While this is happen at the same thing the viewer is being introduce to more characters as shots are shown of different people. Then the shot reverse shot stops and the viewer is shown random fast shots of the characters as they are in distress and even a very fast shot of an unknown animal attacking a person.  Then an Extreme Wide Shot is shown of plants and a spaceship showing the audience this is where the film takes place. Then the tag line appears “In space no one can hear you scream.” This tells the audience this film is a hybrid as its both sci-fi and horror. Then the space background fades out and the title “Alien” is shown again, this time with the tag line. Then it cuts to the information about the film e.g. actors, production companies, director etc…

I think this trailer is different to most trailers as there is almost no diegetic sound, which most trailers use to tell the plot of the film and show the main characters; however Alien uses non-diegetic sound (soundtrack) along with random shots to do that.

Event Horizon Trailer – 2:16

The trailer begins with the logo for its distributer; Paramount. The shot the audiences are shown is of a male character (Sam Neil), showing the viewer he is the main character. The medium shot of him is upside-down giving a clue to the viewer that he might be a villain. Then the shot zooms out and twists at the same time, showing he is in a spaceship, this movement of the camera suggests this character might not have much control in the plot. This shot also shows the audience it’s set in space and that it must be a sci-fi film. While this is happening, a voice over of a female is played; there is an echo sound effect on her voice. This echo is a code to the viewer, suggesting these people on this ship are alone and no one can hear them. Then the audience is shown a shot reverse shot of the male character and a spaceship showing the audience he has something to do with that ship e.g. he build it or he flies it. Then the viewer is shown a scene from the film of the main character talking about how the ship works and then a conversation with another character telling the audience the plot of the film. “Where has she been for the last 7 years doctor?” “That’s what we here to find out” giving a clue to the audience about the plot.  Then there is another voice over, but this one is not from the film; it explains them exploring the ship and that they are not alone because different shots are shown of the crew in the ship and Sam Neil in distress. Then the shots get faster, showing action and horror scenes and dialogue telling the audience the plot but not telling them everything (making them want more). By watching this trailer the viewer knows that the film is about a crew that explore a lost ship and find something inside it that tries to hurt them. This trailer makes the viewer want to see the film as they are curious of what this thing is and what happens to the characters.

Area 407 Trailers 1:44

This film uses hand held camera work throughout its trailer, creating a real feel to it, making the audience believe this did happen and could happen to them. The audience is shown a girl talking to the camera showing she’s the main character in this film. She is talking to the camera as if it’s a person, making the audience feel they know her and care for her as a character. She moves the camera around showing the other characters in this film and also the setting (a plane). Then the camera goes fuzzy and lots of quick random shots of horror elements are shown e.g. people screaming. This is a code to the audience that this film is a horror film and tells bits of the plot (the plane crashing). Then it cuts to writing: “In 2011 flight 37A crashed in a restricted government area” This makes the audience feel as if this really happened and they need to watch it, as it’s important. Then the trailer continues with fast shots and scenes showing the characters change location and an unknown animal. This trailer goes through the film showing bits for the viewer to find out about the film but not too much, by the random quick shots. 

Analysis of existing products - Film poster (Sci-fi)

 The target audience is 15 years and up as the whole look of the poster gives off a horror element. Most teens like horror as it gives them a thrill and they are fun to talk about. Also most horror films are rated, which means younger people would not be able to watch it. This gives teens the sense of being older.  So this film could contain scenes that younger viewers might find upsetting. This poster is different to the other posters because there are no stars/actors shown, like in alien.  But in Star Trek the poster shows five actors, which could mean that they are the stars of the film. This could mean that the star in Cloverfield is not human but the creature.  Clover field is set today but other sci-fi films are set in the further like Star Trek. This is because sci-fi means science fiction, so they can be aliens, robots and space ships in film and we accept it and don’t question it. The poster also does not tell us a lot about the narrative. The intertextuality in this poster is the city being destroyed like in the old Japanese horror films like Godzilla. Godzilla is a well-known sic-fi film, this gives the audience a clue to the genre. The name Cloverfield gives us a clue to the plot of the film because it tells us it’s organic as well as the green background. The broken statue of liberty could be an enigma code as a destruction of that could destruction humans. I think this is not a conventional sci-fi film poster, as there is not any actors, spaceships or aliens. I think it’s more of a disaster movie because of the destroyed city. The mise-en-scène of the special effect of the burning city and the damaged monument make this poster eye catching which draws the audience in. The stature of liberty is a code for freedom and as it’s been broken this show that the freedom has been took away. This can suggest there is a world war happening in this film, which could link, will sci-fi. In most sci-fi films aliens and humans are at war. The Tagline tells us what the genre might be sci-fi as the typography looks like computer text, which leads to sci-fi as in new technology.   

“Something” tell us that its nothing we have seen before maybe an alien or monster this would suggest that this is a sci-fi film. “Found us” tells the audience that it’s not from earth and has been looking for us. 

The colours on this poster are dark, which could link will horror as most horror films have dark colours. Alien is a hybridity film, which means it has more than one genre horror and sci-fi. Alien has the same colour scheme green and black. The green egg links with aliens and the darkness suggests horror.  The mise-en-scene of the colour scheme makes the audience think of organic, like an alien. Green and blue is a convention of nature and sea. Which makes the think there is a living creature.

I think the target audience judging by the poster it’s about 12 and up but people who are 40 and up might be the target audience because of the old TV program that the might have grown up with. The poster looks like it could be an action, sci-fi and romantic film. The spaceships and the expositions pictures tell us it’s an action and sci-fi film. The picture of the women and men makes us feel they might be some romance in this film. The main characters are looking at you, which inverts you in. this makes you want to watch the film because you feel apart of it. Each character is looking at you in a different way, which shows their personality. The spaces ships are codes to tell us it a sci-fi film this is because most sci-fi films are set in space and have new technology. All the colours on this poster are dark, which makes us feel that is might be a horror film like Cloverfield. “Star” Makes us fell that its going to be on space which links will sci-fi. The typography is metallic, which could suggest it’s a sic-fi film. The tagline “the future begins” tell us it’s in the future which leads us to thinks it’s a sci-fi film. 

I think this films target audience is over 16s as they might be some horror elements in.  I think they might be a war going on and in most war films there’s is lost of blood and guts. The sign as an unfamiliar image on it, this could be alien. The creature looks like it has targets on it. This could a target practise to shout at what ever it on the sign. The sign it ripped and has built holes all over it this suggests that maybe there’s a war going on. Possibly between humans and aliens. Most sic-fi films are about alien’s vs humans but the target practise suggests war as if we are going to be shown us fighting. Not many sci-fi films do this. They mostly show normal people trying to fight them off because we can relate to them more. The mise-en-scene of the UFO does suggest that this film is sci-fi as most sci-fi films have advents technology in them.  The typography of the name is in captures and in an army text. This suggests that there is a war going on. The name means a zone of regulate housing in/of certain areas of towns. It’s a region marked off for administrative or other purposes.  This could suggest that aliens have come to earth and have stayed in the district but people are not happy about it, so there’s is a war going on. I think this is not a convention as I think this looks like more of a war film. The built holds and bared wire suggest war or a battle is going on. The alien picture show that it meant when some elements of sci-fi  

Conventions of a sci-fi and horror films

I want my film to be mainly sci-fi but with horror elements in it, so I had a look at a book called "101 sci-fi movies you must see before you die"and the horror version, so my film would have a sci-fi and horror feel and look to it. 

Famous sci-fi films

Star Wars, Repo Man, Terminator, Aliens, Predator, Back To The Future, Signs, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Thing, Escape from new york, Jurassic Park, E.T, Fantastic Voyage and Transformers.

Conventions 

Location

In a isolated place 

On a space ship
On a different planet
In a City
On a Island
In a small town

Character
Usually the main character is ether a young boy like in E.T or an older man. It is rare that that they have a women as the main character in sci-fi films.

Plot
Most sci-fi films are about aliens trying to take our planet/killing us all. There are some films where the main character befriends the alien and helps them in some way, mostly to get them back home.

Props

Alien body parts/full suit, weapons, space ship sets, new technology, alien plants and rock.

Famous horror films 

Psycho, The Shining, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, Frankenstein, Dawn of the daed, Halloween, The Birds and Evil Dead.  

Location

House, woods, castle, graveyard, school, a isolated place and a small town. 

Character

Usually in horror film they is a group of main characters like in Scream. 

Plot

Ghosts, the Devil, Murders, Zombies or Monsters try to kill off the main characters. 

Props

Fake blood, candles, dead bodies and Monster suit. 

Representations in science fiction

Representations of women Science fiction has offered women the opportunity to break away from the stereotypical role of the heroine as a helpless "princess" who needs to be rescued by the hero. Ripley Scott's Alien 1979 were given lead roles who had real power and strength and were often central to the meaning and development of the narrative. It could be argued that such women play the hero role rather than the heroine.




 Representations of aliens Sometimes taking "human" from, sometimes robot, sometimes imaginative life-forms from other planets, aliens allow film-makers to explore different patterns of behaviour, language and customs. The essential thing about aliens is that they are different from us. it is not hard to see that aliens are often used as a symbol for themes of belonging and for being different. They can also be a way for film-makers to explore social problems, such as prejudice, in a subtle way.

My questionnaire

I want my target audience to be around my age, as it will be easier to data from them (ask questions). I made this questionnaire, to find out what people want to see in a new trailer so my film will be successful.

Gender? 
Male       Female
14               16



Age?
16    17    18      
 2      19      9     

 Favourite genre of film?
Comedy   Action   Adventure   Drama  Horror  Sci-fi  Thriller  
  1            5             4               2        7         8         3




 Do you like______ in a trailer?
Slow pace                  Fast pace
   12                                   18



Do you like voiceovers in trailers?
Yes                No
16                 14



How many characters do you feel should be in a trailer?
5       10      15               
12       9        9


Would you like the characters to speak in the trailer?
Yes                     No
19                       11


Do you prefer short trailers or a longer ones?
Short      Long
14            16


Evaluation 

As you can see most people like sci-fi and horror films, so I will be making a hybrid film (sci-fi and horror film). Most people also wanted to see a long trailer with a characters speaking in, a voiceover and showing 5 characters. I will try may best to try and make my trailer have all of theses elements.  

Focus group

After coming up with my plot idea for my film, I talked to my target audience in a focus group to find out what they thought of my ideas. They really liked my plot, they said it was different and they would see it at the cinema. This is great news as I have a film plot that my target audience are excited about.

Well know directors (Style Influences)

M. Night Shyamalan

Born in India but raised in _Pennsylvania, M. Night Shyamalan is the son of two doctors. His passion for filmmaking began when he was given a Super-8 camera at 8, and began to model his career on that of his idol, Steven Spielberg. I’m a big fan of M.night’s films including The Sixth Sense and Signs.

Steven Spielberg

Spielberg was born in Ohio, to a Jewish family. His mother, Leah Adler, was a restaurateur and concert pianist, and his father

was an electrical engineer involved in the development of computers. He spent his childhood in  New Jersey, where he saw one of his first films in a theatre. Spielberg made amateur 8 mm "adventure" films with his friends when he was a teen, the first of which he shot at the Pinnacle Peak Patio restaurant in Scottsdale. He charged 25 cents to his home films and his sister sold popcorn. Steven Spielberg made me want to make my own films after I watched Jurassic Park and Jaws as a kid. 

John Carpenter

John Carpenter was born in New York, his family moved to Kentucky, where his father was the head of the music department at Western Kentucky University. He attended Western Kentucky University and then USC film school in Los Angeles. My favourite John Carpenter film is The Thing the acting, setting, special effects are all amazing. 

What makes us want to see a film?

The product (film) - A movie needs to have a clear genre and style that will appear to people, stars and directors that may have a fan base and special effects, these features of a film all make is what to see a film.

Placing - When the film is released it very important, blockbusters mostly come out in summer as the film is aimed at families and this is when the summer holidays are so family will have more share time to go to the cinema.

Promotion - If a film has a good advertising thorough, websites, toys, posters, trailers, magazines, toys and games, it makes people more aware of the film.

Publicity - Like promotion this makes people more aware of the film and therefore making it more poplar. Types of publicity are star interviews, making of the film documentaries, reviews, word of mouth and new stories.

The advantages and disadvantages of trailers

Advantages 

• 
  

  A film budgets can be thousands or even millions of dollars/pounds to produce, so it's very important to everyone involved it making the film for example directors and producers that the movie is success.

  
  

  A trailer shows the audience clips of the film, so they can decide whether it's something they would enjoy seeing and not. Trailers are good as audiences mostly enjoy watching them before the feature film.

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  Disadvantages 

  
  

  Some argue that movie trailers aren't that effective because the audience are getting drinks or popcorn and are therefore not viewing them. Audiences can get annoyed that they have to sit through trailers that they're not interested in viewing.