Evaluation, Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and the ancillary texts?

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As a group we intended to address how peer pressure affects young adults. Our film focuses around a typical geek, who gives in to this peer pressure to fit in with the popular kids at a party. I believe that our film addresses the situation effectively, getting the message across with the use of typical teenagers as the characters and a typical house party setting. Our audience is able to relate to the story, learning how easy you can be tricked once under the influence alongside fitting in with others around you.

When creating our film poster, we spent a lesson in the photography studio deciding on the best way in which our characters should be situated for the poster. We then used photoshop to transform the photos we had taken into our completed film poster. When creating the poster we realised that we needed a phrase that would represent our film, which is when we decided on ‘How far would you go to fit in?’ The phrase not only concludes the film as a whole, but it makes the audience consider the hidden message about peer pressure further. Our poster consists of reds and blacks, creating a horror feel to our film, which although that isn’t true the sinister message within our film is represented in the colours we have used. The characters within our poster are of our two key characters, Fiona and Alice. We considered using a photo with Chris also, since he is revealed as the attacker. The fact that Alice is standing behind Fiona with her hand placed on her shoulder allows us to see who is in control. Alice has a wicked grin on her face as she grips Fiona, who is looking off to the side, unaware of what Alice is doing to her.

To create our radio trailer, we used Final Cut Express, consisting of music, narrative and clips from the film. Our trailer allows the audience to get a better understanding of what our film is about with the mix of these three forms, allowing our audience to receive an authentic radio trailer. When creating the script for our radio trailer, we decided to intermingle it with the clips we were using from the film. The middle of the trailer grabs your attention when the narrator states ‘We all want to be part of the popular crew’ after a clip from the film states, ‘it’s a laugh you won’t regret it’ The mix of clips and narrative allows us to link together the idea that the main character is going to change who she is to fit in. The radio trailer progresses much like the story itself, with Fiona saying ‘no, no thank you’ to the drugs only for her to re-evaluate later saying ‘don’t be a spoil sport’ in between these two clips from the film, our narrator uses the iconic phrase for our film, ‘how far would you go to fit in?’ alerting the audience to the fact that trying to fit in has its consequence, which are shown in our film. This sinister trailer again may make the film seem like a horror, however it simply emphasises the fact that fitting in isn’t everything.   

Our ancillary texts are a very effective selling point for our main production, since they allow the audience to gain snippets of what will happen in our film. Our audience will be intrigued as to why we have put a sinister twist on our poster and radio trailer, making them want to see the film. The main link between all three products being our key phrase, ‘How are would you go to fit in?’ even if this is never said within the film, the storyline is based on the idea.