What Is Public Service Announcement (PSA) Format?

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Public Service Announcement
Public Service Announcement (PSA) format is a useful and appropriate way to create awareness of information. The creation of an effective PSA will be looked at as a basis for the independent film.

A PSA is considered a message for public interest, which is spread by the media at no cost to the viewer (Goodwill [sa]:1). PSAs are a form of advertising to create awareness about an issue and come in different types of media formats such as: video, radio and posters (Goodwill [sa]:1). A voice over, for videos, is commonly used in a serious and condescending manner and a specific action usually appears at the end of the PSA such as calling or contacting via email (Goodwill [sa]:1).

Public Service Announcement History
PSAs are effective when there is a clear, understandable issue to present (Communications to Promote Interest [sa]:3). The target audience is important to identify as it helps to choose the correct medium and level of maturity (Communications to Promote Interest [sa]:3). Language must be simple and effective to get the message across (Communications to Promote Interest [sa]:4).

Propaganda versus Public Service Announcements
It is important to understand the difference between propaganda and PSAs to clarify the purpose of the independent film. Propaganda does not let one think for themselves, thoughts & ideas are drilled into one’s head (Enemy Propaganda 2013: 2). A PSA allows people to rethink what they are doing and aims to change one’s habits and thoughts, attitude and behaviour without being forceful. (Goodwill, B. [Sa]:1).

Propaganda is usually based on lies or half-truths bent to the advantage of the one advertising it, and consist of mostly controversial topics (Enemy Propaganda 2013: 1). PSAs are based on truth and statistics (Goodwill, B.
The detail is for a purpose and emphasises the theme of shooting and epidemics. Science fiction has inspired the video with laser-like lines and the use of plexus (lines connected by dots). Text is revealed efficiently in the note with black lines (as you would get in a prison cell).

Glitches add an agitated feeling to the environment and text is treated to react to the glitches. There is a clever use of land masses, seen close up, which end up spelling the word ‘Complex’ at a distance. The perspectives of the shots use 3D camera work creating the illusion of depth of field.

The trailer informs viewers of an epidemic and world spread virus as a warning to potential gamers of the context. It encourages viewers to want to be a part of a change in society killing the infected people and finding fellow uninfected survivors. This message is close to that of a PSA. There is a voice over that speaks most of the time with the visuals making it engaging to watch. Keywords pop up and work with effects in the

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