What I have learnt from my audience feedback?

Me and my group have had a lot of audience feedback from our peers, siblings, teachers and even people in the film industry. We have had all different types of feedback, some before our trailer was complete giving us the chance to change some things in order to make our trailer better. Some of the feedback was given to us after the trailer was complete, this allows us to take these things on board and tell us what we will do better in the future.

The feedback and advice given to us while making our trailer were things such as: Changing the music so it matches the theme of our trailer more, and more fades and dissolves to that they scenes flow together better so it tells a better story, and also we were told to re-arrange the clips so that it makes it seem more like a real trailer and tells a story.

Feedback from our teachers

Re-arranging the clips - The purpose of a trailer is to tell a story but not tell too much so the target audience can go and watch it in the cinema. However a film trailer does not need to be in the same order as the film, from this our teacher gave us some feedback and said that we should re arrange our shots more and mix it up more. This helped us in so many ways and made our trailer much better. We also moved the clips around so that the music can be more effective in certain scenes.

Fades and dissolves – After we moved around the clips and they were in the correct order we needed to add some fades and dissolves. Fades and dissolves were found on the iMovie programme , they are used to make the clips flow together better, once these were added our trailer came together. Some of the fades were black which creates more a atmosphere.

Changing the music – We were giving a wide selection to use in our trailers, but they music in a trailer is very important because it needs to match and correspond to the theme of our trailer. It also sets the mood , pace and tempo. We originally used a hip hop provided to us by Awate but we were told from audience feedback did not go with the theme of our trailer which is investigation and the idea of what is known and unknown. The music we chose also clashed with our dialogue as it was louder, from then we found a new song which went better with trailer.

A trailer should consist of certain things and should do many things

•Good control over the camera and tripod, meaning the camera shots have got to be very good.•Variety of shot sizes•Very good mise en scene, makeup and lighting•Good use of shot transitions so that it flows together well•Recording and editing sound with images appropriately•Choosing a sound track appropriate to the form and convention•Does it tell the story well, do you know what is going on?•Is the film genre clear?•Is the films emotional hook appropriate for the target audience?•Does the trailer make you want to go and see this film?

Feedback from people in the film industry

We had the amazing opportunity to meet and get feedback from people in the film industry. People such as: Christine Blundell – A make up artist who has worked on many films such as Sherlock homes and happy go lucky.Femi Oyeniran – An actor who has been in films such as Kidulthood, Adulthood and Anuvahood.Ade Rawcliffe – The manager of channel 4Georgia Kaufman – Head of marketing at LionsgateMatt Wakeman – CEO of incendery pictures

There feedback was very important as not only did they tell us what was done well but what can be improved, advice from people in the industry was very important because they know exactly what they are taking about. The gave us feedback via a questioniarre.

Feedback from people in the industry

Georgia Kaufmann said that our attention to framing, including composition of appropriate elements was excellent and our variety of shots was proficient. She said that our use off special effects including after effects was excellent. However she said that our use of make up effects and mise en scene was only basic so next time we know that we should more of an effort with the make up and costume, maybe making some home made blood using syrup and food colouring which Christine Blundell showed us. She also said that we could have explained the plot better so maybe next time we will take a variety of shots so that it tells more of a story.

She said that from watching our trailer it was clear that is was of the horror genre, she got this from the dark lighting within the film and many other things. She said that is has an emotional hook is appropriate for the target audience however we could have shown more shots of the school to make it more clear that it was targeted to that audience. She also said that it does not want to make her want to see the film so from this we could have thought of a more original idea.

Femi Oyeniran an amazing actor who has been in kidulthood also gave us feedback. He said that our shooting material was all excellent from the various types of shots and also the shots sizing. Differently to Gerogia he said that our use of make up and mise en scene was very good. However he said the our choice of music and sound was only basic, from this we got the idea that we should choosen a better piece music that better matched our trailer. He also said that our use of shot transactions were good and could have been much better. He said that the after effects within the trailer and he also said that he loves opening spinning globe which is in film distributor.

He said that he understands the plot fully and he knows exactly what the trailer is about. He also said that from watching the trailer he knows who the film is directed at and that the films emotional hood is appropriate to the target audience. He also said that he would actually go to the cinema and watch the film.

Christine Blundell an award winning make up artist also gave us feedback. She said that the camera shots were good but they could have been much better, she said that the shot sizes were basic. From this I got the idea that towards the end of the trailer the shots should have got smaller and closer together. Differently to Femi she said that the music and sound is appreciate to the form and conventions of the horror genre and the theme of our trailer. She said that the editing was proficient

She said she completely gets what they film is about, and that the genre of the film is very clear through the camera shots, editing and after effects. She said that our after effects which were the spinning globe, writing on the chalk board and the blinking eye were outstanding. She also said that she will go and watch the film in the cinema and from the trailer she got who the target audience was .

The Audience Feedback Sheet

Feedback from my family members...

Not only did we get feedback from teachers and industry professionals, I also got feedback from my family members.

My Brother – He said that he understands the plot clearly however he would not see the film in the cinema. He also said that the genre was clearly displayed. He said that the camera shots were good however he said he would have liked there to me more close up shots. He said that the editing was brilliant but the end should have been much more faster and the shots should have been more short and closer together. He said that the sound matches the trailer however does not match the genre.

My Sister – She thought the sound was good but the music should have been more scary but like the laugh at the end. The editing was good but it could have gotten more fast at the end. She thought the camera shots were good, good shots, good lighting. She said that she does not like the horror films but if she did she would watch it. She understood the plot some what and that the genre was clearly portrayed.

Feedback form my peers...

Feedback from people my age, my peers is very important because they know what we like. We got some of our friends to watch our trailers and give us some feedback.

My peers all pretty much said the same thing, that the camera shots were really good and there was a Varity They said that the sound and pace shots work well together however better music could have went with the trailer. Tension and mystery builds up at the end which is good and the effects in the trailer were good such as the eye at the end.Another media student said that the genre is clearly displayed through the flashbacks of Grace our antagonist. In addition the use of after effects at the end of the trailer build up tension, fear, as well as generate excitement to see the piece.

In conclusion I think that all the feedback before and after has helped us many ways. Before, because it helped us with our trailer and allowed us to improve it. The camera shots, editing, after effects, sound and music would not be as good as it is now with the feedback from our teachers, peers and family. The feedback given to us after will help us later on as now we know how to make it better than it is now. Hopefully when I am in the film making business later in life and can take this feedback and constructive criticism and it will help my project better.