Marcelle- Evaluation: Q2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillery texts?

We aimed to combine and link between our products as much as possible, so that our audience would clearly be able to link the three. We did this by using similar sartorial codes, colours, graphics, actors and similar comedic poses/ actions. We also made sure we had the same information for the audience across the three such as the same action points, tha same release date and similar soundtrack information. However, as they are three completely different forms, we had to abide by their sepereate formal conventions. This meant we couldn't implement as much of the films 'brand identity' onto the Film Magazine, and also had to link the style of music used in the trailer to the general asthetic of the other products, to evoke the same feel of the brand throughout.


Sartorial Codes:
On all three products we used the same or very similar sartorial codes for the actress. On the poster she is wearing both her 'Geek' outfit and her 'Street' outfit:

The images together on the poster implies the transformation she will take in order to become a street dancer. However, in both images she is still wearing her thick black geek glasses, to suggest the actress doesn't quite fully transform. This transformation is also expressed on the Magazine cover, where the actress is also pictured wearing the 'Street' costume for continuity and to similarly connote this idea of a failed transformation as the actress again has the black glasses on too. However in the trailer, we do not use the same specific sartorial codes, but only parts of it, such as the common use of the black glasses, the red braces and the same hairstyle, linking more to the geek persona of the character and directly referring to the 'Geek' outift on the poster. We also reproduce the 'Street' costume by using the same basic componants of the actresses outfits, such as the shorts/jeans, a t-shirt and a hoody, to make sure we represent the actress as a street dancer in the same way.


Colours:
We used a similar colour palette across all three products. For example we used the gradiented blue, pink and orange background on both the poster and the trailer title slates, to clearly link the two products.

However, as the film magazine cover is of a different form and is a product that the film company generally wouldn't produce. We chose to represent that by using a different colour scheme on the actual magazine cover, but in order to show continuity, we incoporated the hot pink for the magazine puff, the 'PLUS' near the bottom cover lines and for the selling line typography on top of the masthead. We also used a yellow colour to link with the orange gradient in the trailer titles and the yellow plaster on the geek glasses logo.

Images/actress poses:
For continuity we chose to only feature the main actress across all three products. This makes it easier for the audience to recognise and remember the actress and therefore the products, because there are less distractions and not many other characters to focus on.

We used similar camera angles when presenting our actress. To keep shadow and lighting consistent we used a low angle shot of the actress on the poster and on the magazine cover. However, more implictly, we also used a low angle shot of the actress in the opening scene of the trailer when the actress is introduced as the geek.

We used similar poses in our products for the actress, so the audience can recognise the actions and are more likely to think of the other products when they see it. Our actress made a 'gangster' pose her signiture pose (above). We used this pose on the magazine cover, to create movement, excitment and to emphasise the theme of dance for our film. This pose was also used in a different position on the poster, to create continuity, and again it was used in the trailer, when the actress jumps up being transformed into an urban streetdancer. 

Graphics:
We also linked specific scenes in the trailer to the graphics on the poster. Our rain scene, where our actress was dancing in the shower was the inspiration for the use of the black ink splodges that connotes rain, water, movement and also links to a convention in dance films where they often incoporate people dancing in the rain outside.

Unedited version of the shower scene:

We also featured the 'Geek to Street' logo on both the poster and as the trailer title at the end, so the audience can easily assosiate the two together. However, the logo isn't used on the magazine cover, highlighting our emphasis on making the actress character part of the brand identity.

On the poster we also linked the idea of the geek character staring at a dance competition poster in the beginning scene of the trailer, by featuring a similar graffitti inspired poster on the film poster, drawing the audience in, by placing them in the geek characters position.

We also tried to create a sense of movement across all three, to create continuity and to link the three products by using the water/ink graphics and the dancer at the bottom of the poster, the interesting angles created through the picture on the magazine cover and the quick edits between scenes in the trailer. This implies it's a dance movie, fast paced and exciting, which is presented through all three.

Music:
The hip hop music for the trailer also links to the other products because it creates an uplifting and urban atmosphere. We connected the ancillery products by featuring a brick wall in the background and using the colour orange on the poster to create a similar urban feeling and also used the actresses gangster pose and sartorial codes to link with the hip hop theme.
Film information:
We placed the same actions points, referring the audience to the Geek to Street Facebook and Twitter pages, on both the trailer at the end and at the bottom of the poster. We also made sure we had the similar pun of the fake soundtrack on the front of the poster and at the end of the trailer. We put our PGM production company logo on the poster and trailer and also made sure we had the same release on the poster and the trailer.