Dead Set: Website Deconstruction

Here is a link to the Dead Set website:  http://www.e4.com/deadset/flash.html

• Very easy to navigate so appeals to a wide audience
• Red, black and white colour scheme and font style is consistent. These colours are relevant to the genre as they are commonly associated with horror. 
•   A warning message appears before you enter the site. This is effective for increasing the audience anticipation for horror.
  
  

  

  
  
  
•  When navigating through the website the page quickly shifts about every 8 seconds. This keeps the audience on edge and feeling uncomfortable-  I think that this could be inspiration when making our website as it is simple yet effective.
•  Features are relevant to the horror genre such as:-                

-          Loading logo filling with blood

-          Original image from poster firstly appearing in equilibrium but slowly being taken over by red tint and blood running down the building.

-          Changes to the centred image of the house when hovering over links. Lights come on, person become visible, had hits the screen.

-          Short cutaways of footage before the page requested appears.  This can be jumpy, making the audience feel uncomfortable.

-          Typical slow music that build tension when navigating around the website.

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• There are also features used that are relevant to the media influence aspect of the show under the cast and crew page of the website. This includes the concepts and layouts of character profiles such as:
  -Emails
  -Security Pass/ID
  -Newspaper and magazine coverage
  -Social networking site profile
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  This is effective for adding to the realism of the show because it makes the audience feel as if they are getting an insight in to the characters lives and the layouts that are used make them seem like real people rather than fictional characters on the show. Overall, this should also add to the horror element by making it more believable.
•  However, the only references to the real actors, producers etc. on the homepage. This could be considered as a form of promotion as there were some well known names. In particular, creator Charlie Brooker. By mentioning names the show is opened to a wider audience such as fans of Charlie Brooker’s work who may not have watched the show otherwise. Also, the E4 logo gets some recognition with the young adult target audience
  
  
  

  

  
  
• There are no convergence on the website or links to social networking sites to give the show extra promotion or coverage. This may be because it was only a 5 part TV series which was heavily advertised or because it was in 2008 when social networking was not as influential as it is now. However, I think that it will be very important for our film website to include convergence , unlike this one.