QUESTION 2How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Introduction• My advanced portfolio consists of a main products and

two other ancillary products; the main being an opening to a documentary and the others being a radio advert and a double page spread (DPS) magazine article, both to support and advertise the main product. All three products are used in combination with each other, sometimes for effectively than others. The use of experts, titles, music, images/graphics, colours and mise-en-scene are in place to try and create a link between each product and therefore create an effective combination when all together.

Experts• To promote the content of the documentary, we decided

to feature the same expert between each product. The documentary features an interview with Gavin, the DPS features an image of him with his name stated below and a quote from him in the main body, and the radio advert features a sound bite from his interview. This creates a direct link between each product so that the audience will understand that each product is support the other, and will encourage them to view all three of them. These links being consistent between the main product and ancillary texts make them very effective in my opinion.

• Gavin is consistently referred to as an expert, which in return gives the audience the impression that he is important and trustworthy. Therefore through the use of text, and some mise-en-scene elements such as clothing (college logo), we are successfully using an element of mediation for effect.

Titles• The title of the documentary, Teens in Sport, is mentioned in

the main product and the ancillary products. Between the DPS and the documentary, the exact same title graphic is used; it was originally painted for the documentary, and it was then masked around and used for the DPS. This is an exact graphical link between the two products which makes an extremely effective combination as the audience will have no problem seeing the link between them. The radio advert has the name “Teens in Sport” explicitly mentioned which creates a link between the radio and the other products, and although it may not be as effective as the other link, it is an effective combination none the less.

• The style of the title, being painted by hand, gives it a childish feel which helps connote to the audience that the documentary is about young people – in our case teenagers. This is our preferred reading, and I believe it would be difficult to decode the title in any other way, which adds to the effectiveness of the presence of this title between then products.

Music• The same music was used on the main product, and the

radio advert; the song being “Willy Wallbanger”. When the audience hear the song on advert, they will remember it as it is catchy in my opinion and also distinct sounding compared to usual music. When the documentary plays on TV, the music will remind the audience of what they learned from the radio advert which will increase their further understanding from the documentary. Using the same music between both products make an effective combination.

Images / Graphics• The radio advert cannot be compared in this

example, however the documentary and DPS definitely can be. The images used on the DPS are taken directly from the documentary itself, creating an exact direct link between the two products. This is used to highlight the key aspects of the documentary, such as the experts, vox pops, the different sports featured and also location where they occur. The effective combination of the two products means that the DPS properly advertises the documentary, giving the audience a good yet concise insight into what will be in the documentary which should excite them about watching it.

Colours• Similarly to before, the radio advert cannot be

considered in this comparison. I don’t believe the colours used between the DPS and documentary creates an effective combination, as there’s not really a colour scheme. The only likeness is that the colours used are bright in some scenes, for example the boxing expert interview, and the sporting clips which is also seen in the screen shots of those scenes in the DPS. Also the title colour scheme of red and gold is consistent between the products, but that alone doesn’t create a colour scheme. If I were to recreate the products, I’d ensure that a similar colour is consistent throughout all products. For example I were to use blue, I’d make it appear in titles, graphics, text as well as feature it as mise-en-scene in scenes were possible.

Mise-en-scene• In retrospect, we could have included mise-en-scene in our

radio advert by using sound effects, however we simply just used music. Mise-en-scene was more effectively used in the DPS and documentary however, including props, lighting, clothing and setting. There are links between the these two products directly, as there are screen shots of the documentary featured on the DPS. This means that elements of lighting for interviews, setting and clothing for sports and props for background footage are all featured on both products and therefore the combination creates an effective link. The DPS has its own features however; on the cork board there are badges and emblems that represent both sport and teenagers.

• Audience passively understands that the objects link to the sport and also an age, which unconsciously helps them to understand the location and the subject that is being discussed.

Binary Opposites• Throughout all of the three products, there has

been a conflict which helps to drive the narrative of the documentary – that being teens against school. This conflict creates conversation for the audience, and makes them question whether teenagers are given enough time for sport, or school is too much for them. This engages them and attempts to make them actively think about what they’re watching. There was also more binary opposites that linked all three products, such as boy vs girl. Boys are seen to be performing “manly” sports, such as rugby and boxing, whereas girls are seen inside, with dainty outfits on that are very feminine. This can clearly be seen on the documentary and the DPS.