Having researched existing title sequences i was able to produce a list of the conventions i wished to use, it was never my intention to develop or challenge the conventions of real media products, as my research showed that these already conformed to a successful formula to which i was happy to adhere.
This is a screenshot of my analysis of the opening to Grange Hill from 1978.
Conventions Of Opening Sequences To Children's TV Drama's
• The use of bright colours ( In most cases)
• Bold font used for the shows title
• Title is shown on screen for a considerable time.
• Characters are introduced - Usually from a mid shot or close up perspective so the viewer can easily recognise them in the programme.
• The use of up beat music - Captures the attention of the intended audience.
• Animation used ( Mainly in shows aimed at younger children)
• Gives clues to setting to the show.( If not show you)
Whist the subject matter does not lend itself to the use of too many bright colours, this being the `trials and tribulations` of everyday life in a modern secondary school. I have been able to incorporate this convention into the logo as well as the name captions of each character, together with existing school displays such as the bright pink poster outside the drama room.
To draw the viewers eyes and hold their attention I have enhanced the show’s title by the use of a bold font which remains on screen for a considerable amount of time to allow the children to absorb the information shown. I have chosen to introduce all my characters from a mid shot perspective, this allows the viewers to easily recognize them in the subsequent episodes.
My research showed that other similar programmes have used `upbeat` music as part of the introduction. I have therefore chosen to use a piece of music which I composed using Garage Band comprising of an upbeat drum sound combined with an 80’s style synthesizer reflecting the when children’s TV dramas first begun. Its bubbly composition lends itself to the hustle and bustle usually seen within the environment of a school setting.
Another convention I have identified from investigating real media products is that in the title sequence the viewer is given clues ,(if not shown directly), to the setting of the show. In my title sequence I have chosen to show those watching, the setting of my programme by the use of both establishing shots from outside the school and mid shots of corridors and stair wells allowing them to immediately identify with my chosen location. The only convention of real media products I did not use was animation this would have proved tricky and time consuming and thorough my research I found out that animation is mainly used in shows aimed at younger children than my target audience.
These screen shots demonstrate how I have used the conventions.
The conventions of a DVD and magazine cover are very similar.
Conventions of a Children's TV Drama DVD Cover
• The use of bright colours - catching the children's eye.
• Large font - Stands out to the viewer.
• Funky Font - `child like` something that would appeal to them.
• Large Picture- Central almost as a focal point- viewer drawn to this.
• Extensive Boarders- Something the viewer would relate to.
Conventions Of A Children's TV Magazine
• Bright Colours
• Large Picture
• The use of Borders
• Information about the content of that issue.
• Large Font
For my ancillary tasks (DVD and magazine cover) i have chosen to again use the conventions of existing products in order to produce an accurate representation of similar real media products.
To ensure the DVD cover also followed the conventions, i enhanced the cover with the use of bright colours. This attracts the viewer and enables it to stand out from other DVD’s. A further convention used is the large central picture relative to the subject which the viewer would be drawn to. My intentions were to incorporate synergy by using the same logo over all three products, however due to technical limitations i was unable to achieve this. Therefore for both my ancillary tasks i have used a large font (keeping with conventions) and kept as near to my title sequence as possible. Even with this difficulty both my ancillary tasks have logos which are brightly coloured and would stand out to the consumer.
In order to ensure the target audience is aware of the content of the DVD, I have utilised brightly coloured child like star shapes each containing relevant information such as “Bonus Features including deleted scenes and cast interviews”. The DVD cover also includes the relevant legal information e.g. age classification from the BBFC and the branding for the channel.
The magazine cover closely follows the conventions of the DVD however the layout is slightly different in that the picture featured is to one side and the information about that issue is listed next to it. This echo’s that of existing formats of children’s magazines. The other difference between the DVD cover and the front of the magazine is the addition of other images relating to school life e.g. pens, scissors, ticks and envelopes following existing conventions or real media products.
Whist conducting my research of current media, it was evident that there is a marketing trend that exists over the range of products linked to the same programme. An effective example of this is the range of products for the TV show `Tracy Beaker`. The title sequence, magazine and DVD cover all have a picture of the main character (Tracy Beaker) the same style of writing and the use of bright colours and shapes which are consistent throughout the product range.
I decided to incorporate these conventions into my designs and did so my making sure that the title logo was the same on each product and that bright colours were used throughout not only to be consistent but to attract my target audience. As well as this all three featured different pictures of school children to promote the programme. Although it is important to be consistent across the product range, my research also established that differences are necessary to distinguish between the products. I brought this to my designs by using different backgrounds, shapes and wording as well as different colours and styles to allow my target audience to separate the products. Overall i feel that the combination of my three products has allowed me to create an effective set of texts by incorporating similar elements linking the three texts together. Whilst each product is different it still represents the same series which would advertise each other allowing a higher percentage of the target audience to be reached.
Feedback for DVD Cover
Feedback for Magazine Cover.
As audience feedback is a vital part of an evaluation I have posted both my ancillary tasks and my main product on to the social networking site Facebook. As can be seen from above i have received very positive responses. A large number of comments have referred to the professionalism of the main product and there has also been positive references made to the variation of shots. The feedback also mentions the good choice of characters featured in the titles. I have also been commended on my “good use of sound effects”. Of the 15 comments received for my main product only 2 have included constructive criticism regarding the size and font used for the characters names. After taking this on board, next time I would use a larger and bolder font.
My second ancillary task (Magazine cover) received 10 comments. The majority of people liking this more than my DVD cover, stating “the background picture looks really good”. 2 comments referred to the graphics on the cover as well as the use of logos. One comment liked how the picture was “slightly off centre” which was my intention. The only minor criticism was that the “photo is a bit pale” however this was necessary due to the glare on the original picture. Overall my audience feedback was very good and from this I have learned that out of the 36 comments (over all three products) only 3 contained constructive criticism which suggests that I have satisfactorily completed my brief.
Throughout this process I have used a variety of different media technologies, including, Google and YouTube which I have used many times before. However for this project I used Blogger for the first time. This allowed me to upload pictures and videos to enhance my written analysis which is not possible on paper. I found this to be a much clearer way of presenting my work, not just for myself but for the reader as well. Another advantage to using a blog is being able to access it wherever you are through other forms of media rather than sitting in front of a computer. I could use my iPhone to add to and check my blog for any updates or comments. Also having the capability to connect by blog to my teacher’s one gave me the opportunity for quick and easy feedback. The only disadvantage to Blogger was the connection issues at the beginning of this unit. For a short time, i was unable to access my blog from school which meant i couldn’t upload anything during lessons. However this issue was dealt with promptly and I was able to continue with my work.
I also used YouTube as a media technology during this project. Although I have already used YouTube before, this work has widened my knowledge on using the site not just as a means of watching videos but as a research tool as well. During the research and planning stages I was able to use YouTube to research existing children’s TV dramas, and easily uploaded them straight onto my blog allowing me to analyse them.
Another media technology I have used for the first time this year is the editing software Final Cut Pro. This is a step up from iMovie allowing for a wider variety of more advanced techniques including freeze frames and adding text over still images. Final Cut Pro also provides smoother edits between shots whereas iMovie gave a less professional finish. I found Final Cut Pro relatively easy to use and the progression from iMovie was evident.
For the construction of my ancillary tasks I used Photoshop. This programme allowed me to create products that had a professional look with a retail quality finish and competitive to that of the current market. This quality of finish was brought about by the introduction of Photoshop which enabled me to create the products to a high standard.
Having been given the opportunity to use these advanced programmes I have been able to create 3 products which I feel comply with my original brief and the finished outcomes are ones that I am proud of.
