Film Noir Adverts - Research

I researched into looking at film noir adverts and I didn't find many as examples for me to watch. Typically film noir is a genre used for films and is more popular. I wanted to look into the examples of adverts with the genre of film noir because I wanted to highlight all the codes and conventions used within the advert and compare to what are used within a film. Due to adverts having a small time frame from 30 seconds to 1 minute, I think it would be a challenge for me to try and use as many codes and conventions I can. Moreover, it is important that I take into consideration each and every convention as I want my advert to look effective and for it to be evident that I chose film noir as my genre. 

Film Noir: Codes and Conventions

Before I would start filming, looking into the codes and conventions is going to enable me to correctly film particular shots that are stereotypical in a film noir. 

• Low and high angles are used in film noir very often, this makes it almost uncomfortable for an audience to watch
• Extreme close ups - I think I will be using a lot of extreme close up's because I am planning on my advert to be seductive and intimate 
• Reflections and views obscured through objects
• Mise-en-scene: rainy and dark settings
• Low key lighting
• High contrast images
• Sound: jazz music, breaks of silence, sudden noises, ambient sound of surrounding

Lots of these conventions I will be applying to my own advert as these codes and conventions are what makes a film noir. I am going to take some test shots this week to practice extreme close ups and lighting. Firstly, I am going to practice spraying perfume as closely as I can across the camera to see how close I can get for an audience to visually see it. I want to practice these shots first because if the do not work, I have to come up with another idea that has the same effect as a perfume spray. Moreover, if it works, I would like to keep these shots and see if it would fit with the rest of my advert style. 

Film Noir

I am thinking about making my perfume advert in the style of film noir. I recently only came up with this idea when I thoroughly thought about the style and the presentation of my perfume bottle/name. I want my perfume advert to be subtly seductive but not too raunchy as my perfume is classy. As the name of my perfume is a french name, the idea of a film noir advert seemed to suit and relate to my theme. I think this will challenge me as creating an effective film noir piece can be very difficult. I have also decided quite late which means I am going to have to make a lot of decisions quickly. I am going to research a little more into the codes and conventions of an effective film noir so I can hopefully apply them when making my own advert. At the end of AS, in class we looked into film noir for a while, specifically we looked at the film Gilda which came out in May 1946. This is a very good example for me to base my advert on as the main character is a lot like how I have planned my female character out to be. I am going to watch the film again and make notes on the evident codes and conventions. 

Evaluation Questions Analysis

I have decided to look into the evaluation questions to ensure that I am thinking and linking back to them at all times. If I start to make references to the evaluation questions linking them to my blog posts, when it comes to writing up my evaluation, it is going to be a lot easier for me as I would be able to take parts that I have already written from my blogs throughout the course. 

These are the four evaluation questions:

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
• How effective is the combination of your main ancillary texts?
• What have you learned from your audience feedback?
• How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Questions three is a more comfortable question for me to answer because as part of one of my research tasks, I had to create a survey to gain feedback from an audience about what they expect from a perfume advert. So, when answering this question, I would be familiar with the concept of audience feedback and know how to respond to it. I have already learnt a lot from gaining audience feedback before even making my final product, it has enabled me to approach my main ancillary tasks with a lot more confidence. Knowing what my target audience expects to see from a perfume advert, I am able to apply their needs into my own final product. 

Selected Brief - Adverts

My selected brief that I have chosen to develop is Adverts. I have made this decision through research and analysis of each individual brief.  

http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/the-evolution-of-advertising-how-consumers-won-the-war-for-their-attention



Top 10 Most Effective British Adverts

 I watched this YouTube video of the top 10 most effective British adverts to give myself an insight of what makes an advert effective and memorable. Moreover, the adverts evident in the video are all apart of the same genre, I found this helpful because it has given me information about the codes and conventions I would need to follow if I was to work in this genre for my advert. 

Survey Results

As part of my research, I made a survey containing a variety of questions which will help me when developing my initial ideas into an advert. I made this survey because I wanted to inform myself what an audience expects and wants to see within a perfume advert. By collecting the results of my survey, I am able to take these results into consideration and apply them when making my advert. This would ensure that I am meeting the audiences expectations.

Analysis of my Survey Questions

Advantages of my age range being 17-20 years old:
- I am a young female person myself therefore I know and understand what my target audiences expectations and needs 
- I am able to take a more modern approach when making my advert
- More young people tend to watch a lot more TV

Disadvantages of my age range being 17-20 years old:
- It is quite a small range, limited amount of people
- Creating my advert around this age range may not attract an audience any older 
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The majority of my survey responses were taken by females. As I am making a perfume advert, it is instantly more appealing to the female gender. Additionally, my main and only character is a young female therefore a female audience would easily be able to relate. I am going to aim my perfume advert edging more towards the female gender as I feel I would be able to conform and create my final product to the best of my ability this way.