1. Mind Map and
Research
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio
Name: Joe Dolan
Candidate Number: 2043
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
Generation of Ideas for Ancillary Product 2) –
Poster
2. Theme Ideas
• Dark, Gloomy Theme: This theme would complete a horrific scene that would
make the audience feel uncomfortable like there's no escape or hope with a
sense of danger about it. My aim is to focus on the sense of danger effectively
and capture it through a dark vignette and a sense of misunderstanding of
what is to come. This them has been used frequently, therefore the audience
may find they are used to this and the sense of uncertainty may not effectively
capture the audience.
• Humour, Funny Theme: Another way to illustrate this poster would be
through a comical, light hearted approach so the audience is able to relate
with a humorous nature. This presentation would represent the humorous
nature but also come across in a serious drama approach with links to the
soap opera so the audience can still relate to the soap and withdraw
information.
• Romance Theme: One of the most popular elements of a soap opera is
romance as it allows the audience to take perspective of the romance and can
help easily take sides with a certain character. If a character is also seen as
attractive the younger audiences may fantasise with the male/female
character and want to pick their sides as they are either a role model or just
someone they are attracted to. A very common theme to use is the “love
triangle” of which follows a love format where someone has a romance with
someone else and arguments occur because of this.
6. Images Ideas
• Love triangle with the male attraction in the centre with
two female eyeing him up – This can interestingly illustrate
this males decisions and how he has to make it fast as they
are both attracted to him. The tension is specifically built
through the woman and how the love will end badly.
• Female isolated and scared- This can illustrate how the
female is inferior and is unable to cope with the issues that
she comes across.
• Drug addict looking corrupt and in danger- This idea is that
a man looking rough is laid on the floor with empty bottles
of beer surrounding him. He looks as though he needs help
but there is nothing for him.
7. Tagline Ideas
• “He’s behind you….” This represents the idea of stalking and how someone
could be behind you; yet you are oblivious to this. Women are the most
vulnerable to these sort of people who may suffer from an illness
therefore they are less able and are seen as inferior (“Men act women
appear” John Berger- 1972). Woman are put in these situations as they
are seen as weak or vulnerable and therefore men act on this as they are
seen as defenseless. “Me or Her?” A common tagline is related to
romance and how men are represented as unmoral and how they seem to
cheat on their partner. This is an anti-stereotype as the woman seems to
be in charge and laying her rules down therefore this would be an
interesting idea to use.
• “Where is she?” This is a great cliffhanger idea and how the victim who is
lost could be anywhere and the uncertainty is overwhelming towards the
characters as they are unable to relax therefore it is an interesting idea as
nobody is able to answer the question.
8. Other Ideas
• Point of call information – This is crucial for a poster as
it is important for it to include information on where to
purchase or what date that it releases otherwise the
customer would not be “Informed” (Katz)
• Synergy with social media – Including links and names
of the social media that the magazine uses is also a
way of broadening their target market and can also
provide the point of call information on that giving
them the idea of where to find this. Also this can
include the younger audience as they are commonly
associated with social media and therefore will be in
touch with this.
9. Conclusion
• Next I need to: Make sure I get a SLR and take
professional pictures that suit my magazine and theme.
• I need to organize/arrange my work along with photos
I take, like the background of the pictures according to
the location I choose. Also editing my Photoshop front
cover would be important and looking at different
photo filters that would work with my theme and
pictures and also vignettes.
• I will make sure I use Photoshop as it is the most
professional software I can access, also use a high
quality camera and edit it with time and effort.
