Evaluation Question 4

How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages?

Arcane Evaluation Question 4

Evaluation Question 3

What have you learned from you audience feedback?



Evaluation Question 2

How effective is the combination of your Main Product and your Ancillary Tasks?

Evaluation Question 1

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

Arcane Evaluation Question 1

After exporting our video from iMovie, there was a glitch in the video which has caused our music from our trailer to play over the top of a section.
The following transcript is what should be heard:
"One of the conventions we challenged was the idea of having a voiceover. We found that generally in a teaser trailer, the voiceover was speech from part of the film, which is proven in the trailer for Man of Steel.
(Voiceover) One day, you're gonna have to make a choice.
This adds to the air of mystery and grabs the viewers attention, however we found this was not necessary or suited to our trailer.
(Voiceover) Stay safe.
(Voiceover) What do you want from me?
We tried using a voiceover and found that it took away from the look of the trailer, so decided against it. We do not feel that this hindered our trailers appeal as it meant that the audience are more focussed on the shots and what they are being shown."

Thomas Schatz Genre Theory (1981)

Thomas Schatz believes that there are only two genres:

Genres of order (western, gangster, sci-fi etc)

Hero - Individual, male - dominant
Setting - Contested space which is argued over (ideologically unstable)
Conflict - Externalised, against others (expressed through violence)
Resolution/ending - Elimination (death)
Thematics - The hero takes upon himself the problems, contradictions of his society and saves us from them
                  - Macho code of behaviour
                  - Isolated self-resiliance (either through his departure or death, the hero does not fit in with the values /lifestyles of the community but maintains individuality)

Genres of Integration (Musicals, comedies, domestic melodramas etc)

Hero - Couple or collective e.g. family
Setting - Civilised space (ideologically stable)
Conflict - Internalised - between themselves (expressed through emotion)
Resolution/ending - embrace (love)
Thematics - The romantic couple or family are integrated into the wider community, their personal antagonists resolved
                  - Maternal, familiar code
                  - Community co-operation

'Genres of order' is the genre that relates to 'Arcane'. Throughout our Teaser Trailer we have featured each of the above elements, although some elements e.g. Resolution cannot be shown or revealed in the Trailer, ultimately adding more suspense and mystery for the viewer.

Rick Altman Genre Theory (1999)

Genre offers audiences 'a set of pleasures'

Emotional Pleasures - The emotional pleasures offered to audiences of genre films are particulary significant when they genreate a strong audience response.

Visceral Pleasures - Visceral pleasures are 'gut' responses and are defined by how the film's stylistic construction elicits a physical effect upon its audience. This can be a feeling of revulsion, kinetic speed or a 'roller coaster ride'.

Intellectual Puzzles - Certain film genres such as the thriller offer the pleasure in trying to unravel a mystery or a puzzle. Pleasure is derived from deciphering the plot and forecasting the end or being surprised by the unexpected.

Our Teaser Trailer relates to the 'Intellectual Puzzles'. One of the conventions of a teaser trailer is the 'mystery' that it holds for the viewer. The purpose of the film is to help the viewer 'unravel a mystery or puzzle', and so throughout the whole film the viewer will understand and establish the majority of our plot.

Tom Ryall Genre Theory (1978)

Ryall proposes the theory that the types of conventions found in genres can be grouped within the following categories:

Iconographies - Symbolic symbols associated with the genre
Narrative - Structure, open/closed
Representations - Characters/Stereotypes
Ideologies - Beliefs and ideas of the 'ideal' concept, themes

If we recognise the genre of a text it enables us to feel at home and we gain enjoyment from "spotting the conventions" (repetitions) and making comparisons with other films of the same genre.

If a text deviates from the conventions, it can confuse us, but at the same time we enjoy seeing the rules broken, providing that the film-maker doesn't go too far.

Genre offers audiences a structure enabling us to feel secure in our knowledge.

Audiences like the anticipation of watching for the predictable features.

- Our Teaser Trailer does hold the convention of keeping the story-line a mystery to the viewer, nevertheless Ryall's theory does apply to our trailer. Throughout the trailer, we have applied many Action/Thriller conventions e.g. Located in a built up city, victim and a villain, chase scenes etc, which is ultimately what the audience will be expecting. However, to create an increased element of surprise, we have gone against and contradicted certain conventions to ensure that we keep the viewers entertained throughout.