Research: More Horror Magazine cover; The Shining

 

The Shining film poster analysis

The background colour of the poster is white which makes the main image and the text of the poster really stand out. Capturing the audience’s attention and directing it to the most important information on the poster.
The title is in black, which being the opposite of white makes it stand out beyond anything else on the poster, it is in bold front and capital letters showing its importance. It makes sure the audience know the name of the film so they are more likely to go and see it.
The director’s name is in red and slightly smaller than the title text it is placed above, this shows that it is slightly less important than the title itself. The red reflects the horror genre implying that, that is the genre of this film, as well as connoting danger and gore.
The main image on the poster shows a close up of a characters face that is looking out to the right of the poster with a crazed look of anger on his face. His facial expression and eye direction suggests he is looking at a victim (implying that he is the killer). This also suggests that, this image is a screen shot from a memorable scene in the film, and to what this film will later, become associated with.
The mystery of who the killer is looking at and if they survive or not is a persuasive technique used by this poster, to get the audience excited by this film and wanting to go and see it. The poster promises the film to be an escape from reality and scenes of blood and gore (connoted by the red on the poster). The attention to the poster is gained by the shock at the look on the characters face, who was also a well know actor at the time of the films release.
There is not tag line or other text on the poster suggesting that the image is enough for the audience to familiarise with and remember, for when the film is released and they want to go and see it.
The lack of information on the poster suggests that the poster is advertised to audiences in many ways, therefore the poster is not that important to the films success.

Research: More Horror Magazine cover; Scream

 

Scream 4 magazine cover analysis

This issue of the magazine gives the date down to the day, which suggests that the magazine is, released weekly, that and the fact that the magazine is called entertainment weekly. There is no price given on the front of the magazine which would suggest it is quite pricey, connoting quality. Furthermore there is no web address or method of finding out more print on the cover suggesting Entertainment weekly isn’t multimedia, or that everything you need to know or want to know is included in the issue. There is no tag line which implies that everything is said by the central image, which shows us clearly that the point of the magazine cover is to advertise and promote Scream 4. The cover uses well known celebrity names (connected with the film) as a persuasive technique to get the audience interested in buying the magazine. The masthead is white and stands out as the most important information on the page, as it is bigger and bolder then the other writing on the page. Above the masthead other articles are advertised, they showcase very different stories and so attract the audience by showing the diversity of the magazine, they are separated from each other by different fonts to make the information more assessable.
The main article’s information is a lot bigger than that of the article above and features next to its associating image. The text uses words such as ‘bloody’ and the ‘battle’ which associates with the genre attracting fans of horror.
The colour scheme is black, white and red, very traditional colours linking to the genre. This dangerous blood red inhabits the background connoting with all these scary things. The only image on the page is the figure dressed in black robes with the scar face mask on. This image heavily relates with the film which is known for its villains all taking on this same appearance. The audience’s attention will be attracted by the familiar face (or mask) that is the symbol for the well-known film franchise.
There are no other images on the page to distract from the main image representing the key article.

 

Research: More Horror Film Poster; Scream 4

Scream 4 film poster analysis

The poster is very dark, predominantly black which connotes conventions of the horror genre such as night, dark shadows and ‘the unknown’.
The white writing in the title really stands out against the dark background attracting attention and fixing it in the audience’s minds.
The red of the 4, the release date and the tag line connects them together, showing that this is a new film in the scream franchise. Red is a very typical colour of horror posters and associates strongly with horror as a genre, as it connotes danger and blood.
The main image on the poster is simple but easily associates with the franchise as it sources off the 2 main themes of the previous scream films. The mask of ‘ghost face’ is the trade mark of the film. When you look at the ghost face mask you immediately think of scream the film.
Having this on the poster makes sure the audiences associated this poster with the scream films. In this way it appeals to the existing scream fans.
The bottom of the mask has been edited to resemble a knife, the signature way in which all the victims are killed with a knife is therefore referred to reminding the audience that these are well established films.
The simplicity; lack of image and information on the poster shows that the films are so well known and have big enough fan bases to be able to keep the poster so simple that nothing is given away.
The tag line suggests that this scream film defies the rules of the previous ones. This is important because a lot of horror film franchises are very samey, so by letting the audience know that this film is different, it is made clear that it’s not ‘just another scream film’.
The intended audience is clearly the existing scream fan base and those who have seen the other films before.
The persuasive techniques used; tempting the audience into going and seeing the new scream film, finding how it differs from the others in the franchise.
The genre conventions such as sharp knives, concealed identity of the killer and colour red.
No characters are featured showing that the film is established well enough so famous actors are not needed to draw interest to the film.
Attention is gained by the familiar face of the mask. The production company is only featured very small and at the bottom of the poster showing it is not a major selling point of the film.

 

Research: More Horror Film posters; New and Old

Old to New

Since the 1980s technology has changed massively, this means that new more adventurous ideas can be explored and more outrages and graphic films ideas can be considered. Ideas now of what is scary and realistic are very different from back then; therefore the film posters are also very different.
Back in the 1980s it was all about colours that connote horror; reds, greens and black. This way the film posters would be scarier making people want to watch the film more. The more outrageous and obvious the poster was the better it would look so the more it would appeal. In the film posters they would give a lot away about the antagonist and how he would kill his victims. The posters are mainly cartoons or drawing as these were the most realistic, as technology was very poor then.
    

 
Today more simple posters are used with mainly black and white colouring, if other colours are used it will normally be only the one or different shades of the same colour. Now the aims of the posters are made to be sinister by being simplistic as well as not revealing too much about the antagonist or how and why they kill the victims. The main styles of the poster are photos edited to appear more eerie, due to improvements in technology companies are able to make them look a lot more realistic. The film posters from now also have more promotion on them, for example the names of the most famous actors/actresses in the casts. This are used as unique selling points for the films.
  

 

Research: More Horror Film poster; The Strangers

 

The Strangers film poster analysis

The colours of the poster are very warm which is contradictory of the genre; this however does make the dark masked figure look even more sinister. The colouring could also be used to lull the audience into a false sense of security.
The character in the middle of the poster appears to be the victim as her facial expression and posture makes her look vulnerable. Her bare feet suggests that she is in her home which makes the presence of the masked figure even more menacing.
The room is very dark suggesting the film is set at night; the shadows suggest mystery and the unknown. The mise-en-scene of the room portrays a normal home which would relate to that of the audiences. The film is automatically scarier as the audience is able to visualise the plot happening to them in their own homes.
The masked figure is typical of the genre, his position; concealed by the dark shadows means that the audience are unable to tell what he is, drawing on the fear of the unknown.
The intended audience appears to be those who do not scare easily, people who enjoy other films of the genre.
Conventions such as strangers in the victim’s homes and having hidden identities are referred to in this poster.
This poster doesn’t seem to offer an escape from reality as the audience are likely to be reminded constantly that the plot could happen to anyone throughout the film. This is re-enforced by the tag line which prevents self-reassurance that everything is fine; that there is ‘nothing to fear’. This makes the audience themselves feel vulnerable so they can more clearly see themselves in the shoes of the victim.
Beneath the title the words ‘inspired by true events’ tells the audience that some of the scenes in the film have happened in real life. This makes the film all the more believable making the audience more susceptible to fear.
The title has smudged letters that shine out of the page attracting the audience’s attention and making sure they know what the film is called.
At the bottom of the page there is a web address urging audiences to find out more about the film, that way the production company can use more than one type of media to their benefit, trying to persuade the audience to go and see the film.

Research: More Horror Film poster; The Ring

The Ring film poster analysis

The white, black and blue of the poster give it a cold and sinister feel. The black shadows around the centre figure make it seem as though something is hiding in the shadows. The white text stands out against the dark background capturing the audience’s attention.
The figure in the middle is also lit up against the dark poster showing that this is a central character. The hair over her face gives off the same shadow effect produced by the black around the outside of the page; interest to what the girls face looks like is triggered. This suggests that the film is supernatural and implies that this character is the killer, making the audience more interested in going to see it.
The whole look of the poster is distorted with a slight static TV effect. This gives the impression that this image is on a TV screen, giving an insight into the plot.
The ‘O’ of the word ‘Two’ (in the title) is larger than the rest of the text in the title.
The message of the poster is predominantly visual there is very little writing on the poster (only the title and the tag line). The tag line again brings up the idea of a circle, linking in with the title and the large ring behind the head of the character.
The is no mention of famous actors, directors/producers or production companies showing that they are not a main selling point of the film, suggesting that the plot itself is strong enough to attract attention.
Attention to the poster is gained by the shadowy figure as interest causes the audience to try and work out who the person is or what they look like.
The tag line is built to create even more intrigue around the plot and what happens. All this makes the audience more likely to go and see the film.  

Research: More Horror Film poster; Mirrors

Mirrors film poster



Red is the stereotypical colour of evil this along with the general cold colour theme, suggests the film is a horror. The title is the biggest text on the poster and so draws the audiences eyes straight to it and makes sure they know what the film is called. It is positioned right at the top of the poster showing how important it is. The 'R's in the title are turned to face each other as if they are reflecting each other. This is very clever because it links to the concept of mirrors, and suggests that reflections have an important role in the storyline. The writing above this is slightly smaller and in a cold grey it tells us the name of the main character that is very famous, this puts him as a main selling point of the film. The tag line states 'there is evil on the other side’; this writing is broken up by the reflection of the young boy in the water, suggesting that he may be the cause of the evil. There is very little other writing on the page which draws more attention to the picture, implying the film doesn't need any more advertisement, making it appear superior. The majority of the poster is low lighting, this represents the evil, and the characters are shown in higher lighting which suggests they are the goodies. The two adults are standing above the child which would suggest their dominance, however there contrasting body language appears apprehensive towards the child who appears at ease, suggesting his dominance.

The mise-en-scene suggests danger and mayhem as water covers the floors and their clothes look damp and worn. Nothing on poster appears to be obviously created by special effects, this gives the impression that what we are seeing could actually happen in real life. This makes the film more believable so it’s scarier.

Research: More Horror Scream 4; narrative analysis

Scream 4 narrative analysis

In the following ways the trailer for scream 4 fits Tovorov’s Theory of analysis. At the beginning of the trailer the town appears to be celebrating the anniversary of the capture of previous murder sprees that haunted the town previously, this is an unorthodox equilibrium but it still appears to be ‘normal’ for this town. The disruption is marked when one of the characters receive a call from our murder, using the same intimidating style of the previous films. The mood of the trailer reflects the fear portrayed by the characters telling the audience that the film plot of about to take a dive for the worse. The recognition of the disruption and attempts to restore the equilibrium are evident as we see the arrival of the police and our characters start to talk about the killers tactics and how it is different than before, this is clever as it tells the audience that this isn’t ‘just another scream film’. Again there is no sign of the reinstatement of the equilibrium, leaving the audience in suspense.

Unlike most other films, Scream 4 does not appear to fit with Propp’s theory of narrative, we do not have a clear hero, donor or princess. The only characters we can identify are the villain, the masked killer and the helpers, the police men.  

Research: More Horror analysis; Mirrors

Mirrors Trailer

The first scene of a trailer shows a normal family who appear to be normal and happy, this shows us the equilibrium. The lighting is bright and everything implies that the family are normal and unsuspecting. This makes the film all the scarier because the audience are able to relate to the characters. This makes them feel that what happens to the characters could happen to them as well.

There is such a dramatic change in light intensity that it puts the audience on edge and signifies the end of the equilibrium.

A lot of horror films feature a haunted house or somewhere where all the horror is based. This is introduced to us in this trailer showing the audience that the film is a horror, and giving them a sense of foreboding. The lighting in the warehouse is very dim and dark which makes it seem really mysterious and put the audience in suspense. The dark room, shattered windows and broken dusty furniture are all conventions of horror.

The dialogue starts to suggest the cause of the evil as it is mentioned that someone had an obsession with the creepy windows. This is a typical horror convention as very often obsession plays a big role in why the murders are committed. Creepy sounds start to kick in warning the audience that we are about to glimpse our villain, by associating this music with the killer in the trailer when the audience watch the film the sound can be used to scare them and get a reaction. Haunted screams then kick in, this gives the feel that there is something in the room, this fits in with the theme of mirrors really well, the camera shots pan quickly from one side to the other disorientating the audience, making them feel as if they are in the room with the character.

A message begins to appear on the mirror; again this is another convention of horror films as messages are often featured on mirrors or walls as warnings.

Between these shots fast pace editing shows enough of the scene to give the audience an idea of the storyline but not enough for too much to be given away, this makes the audience want to go and see the film.

As is common in horror films the next stage of the trailer shows the family being dragged into the mayhem. The horror comes away from the stereotypical dark haunted hall and into the open in everyday life putting the characters in an even trickier position; the audience will be interested to find out how the problem is solved.

Flashing scenes and cleverly edited sound effects shows the audience the situation as it gets worse and worse. As the images flash faster we come to the climax of the trailer which is accompanied by suspense building music that builds in volume, this ends with a gun shot and the main character shouting 'What do you want?' this draws the audience in as it makes them think about the question and consider the answer for themselves.

The institution logo and credits that come up on the screen are very cleverly edited. The institution logo is backwards, as if reflected in a mirror, this keeps bring the audience back to the idea of mirrors and makes sure the concept and the name is firmly in their minds. The credits are edited into the images so they are noticeable but not in the way of the action, this just captures the eye of the audience.

Planning: Chosen Genre: Horror

We chose horror as our genre because we believe that collectively we have a lot of knowledge an understanding of the genre, through personal enjoyment and our studies last year.
In horror there is lots of opportunity to use fast pace editing and a large variety of shot types to achieve the desired impact on the audience. We also have lots of ideas for our plot, and content of the trailer. Most target audiences of horror films are 15-25s, an age group that we occupy, so when it comes to planning and feedback we have lots of people to consult, giving us a deeper understanding what the wider target audience wants.

Research: Horror Magazine cover; Sweeny Todd

Sweeney Todd magazine cover analysis

The date on the cover makes it clear that the magazine is a weekly release as the release date is given to the day. Furthermore the fact that the magazine is called ‘Entertainment Weekly’ can make us pretty sure that it is a weekly affair.
The price is not displayed on the page, suggesting it is dear, so implying the magazine is of good quality.
The familiar face and name of an A list celebrity is used as a persuasive technique to get people to buy the magazine. The phrase ‘the inside scoop’ suggests that you can only find out information from this magazine, about the article in question, therefore if you don’t buy the magazine you will be missing out.
The mast head is big and bold in blue, which stays within the colour scheme but still stands out as the most important piece of text. The next biggest writing states that the magazine features inside information about 39 new films, this will really attract, information hungry film fans. The magazine uses film jargon to show film fans that they know a lot about film.
The colour scheme is cold with splashes of red connoting danger, blood and gore, which links in with the well-known story of Sweeney Todd. The main image is of the character played by Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), he looks into the audience’s eyes from out of the page and wears a scowl on his face which coupled with his white face and blackened eyes makes him look sinister and like our villain. His hair is wild and black which matches his overall shabby appearance.
Again there are no other images on the page to distract from the main image.

Research: Sci-fi Magazine cover; Avatar

Avatar magazine cover analysis

The date is given as the month and year suggesting the magazine is a monthly issue, furthermore the price at £3.99 gives further evidence as four pounds is very expensive for a magazine. The price is in very small text so it is the last thing the audience will see, in this way they will already be drawn in by what the magazine has to offer, so the high price will matter less.
Under the price is a simple, so memorable web address that allows keen customers to find out more about the magazine and its article.
The tag line emphasises how long the film took to make, connoting quality and lots of special effects, it also suggests that the film will be a long lasting success; ‘how long will we feel the force of James Cameron’s sci-fi epic. This is also a persuasive technique as the writer refers to them and the audience as the same and uses words like will, making the audience feel included and implying that there is no question about whether people are going to see the film or not. Furthermore it makes anyone who is not going to see the film appear to be part of the minority group, or abnormal.
The mast head states the name of the magazine; it is big and bold and so draws the audience’s attention, its stands out white against the blue background, as does most of the other writing on the poster. The name of the film is the next biggest item of text and is featured in the middle of the page underneath the large image of the main character, highlighting its importance. Other writing around the page gives information about other articles and features of the magazine, different colours and text sizes helps separate helps separate the information, making the information more assessable and easier to read.
The colours of the page keep directing the audience’s attention back to the theme of the poster, avatar, as the page is predominantly blue, a colour associated with the film due to its blue skinned main characters.
The character in the main image looks directly out of the poster right into the audience’s eyes attracting their attention, he is leaning forwards in a way which connotes mystery and a readiness to act. This sparks interest, as audiences would be keen to know what goes on in the film, that fact that there is very little else going on in the image implies that the character and its association is enough to entice the audience in as we should already be familiar with the film as concept. There are no other images on the poster again highlighting its importance, as there are little distractions to draw attention away from the central image.

Research: Fantasy Magazine cover; The Hobbit

 

The Hobbit magazine cover analysis

 The magazine comes out once a month which is made evident by the layout of the date (only the month and year is given). The price is very high at $11.99 which explains why it is so small, so it is the last thing the audience will see, in this way the audience are already drawn in by the persuasive techniques used on the page.
The mast head is unusually not the largest text on the page but still stands out as the most important text as it is bolder, in a different font and in gold which in itself connotes the best, the number one magazine. The other writing is in white, so it stands out but not in the same way as the main title. The audience’s eyes will be drawn to the text above the masthead, telling the audience that the issue is a collector’s item. This straight away makes it a must have for big fans of the hobbit which as well as connoting great quality also tells the reader that they can trust the information given in the magazine (which are notorious for bending the truth).
The hobbit is written in the largest font towards the middle of the page, so the audience know immediately what the magazine is about. The fact the name is so big and one of the first things you see tells us that this is a huge selling point of the magazine and a major thing to draw the audience in.
The text underneath the title states that this is the ultimate guide putting it above all others including manuals purely dedicated to the film. This makes the audience want the magazine even more. The main image on the page is the same as the image that appears on the official film poster. This makes the magazine appear equally official and in league with the production team who created the film.
There are 3 smaller images on the page displaying other characters of the film suggesting that the magazine covers a lot. While the images are attentions attracting they don’t take away from the main image.