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.

Research: Action Magazine cover; Captain America

Captain America magazine cover analysis

 

The date and price are grouped together at the top of the page in really small font so it is the last thing you see on the page. The date 'march 2011' tells us that the magazine is a monthly release, this is backed by the price of the magazine at £3.99 which is very high for a magazine price, however this high price does connote quality.

The tag line 'How summers biggest superhero went to war' suggests to the audience that the article that the article gives details on the storyline, this will encourage fans of the film to buy the magazine.

The phrases 'magazine of the year' and 'summers biggest superhero' suggest that this magazine is and features the biggest and most popular issues. They make the magazine seem more official and of better quality.

The use of the words 'plus!' and 'and!' Give the impression that there is a lot of information crammed into the magazine.

The masthead states the name of the magazine, half of which is blocked by the head of the main character. This makes both seem more important , the figure is made to stand out above everything else on the page and the whole magazine is made to look really well known and popular, enough so that part of the name can be covered and the audience will still know what the magazine is called.

The name captain America is big and white in the middle of the page associating with the character.

At the bottom of the page, a 32 page sci-if special tells the audience they are getting more for their money.

The colour scheme is predominantly red, white and blue backing the theme of America and matching the colours of the characters costume. The splashes of yellow in the page links back to the idea of summer.

The main image, features the main character, his stance and facial expression suggests he is determined and ready for some action. This connotes the genre- action appealing to the specific target audience, the character is very attractive which appeals to the female audience. The eye contact of the character is one of the attention grabbing elements.

Research: Action Magazine cover; Man of Steel

Man of Steel magazine cover                           
Being on the cover of a magazine that is based around film reviews and news is really good publicity because it sets the film above the others in the issue, as this is a monthly magazine it is all the more impressive. The low angle shot makes superman look superior. That, his attire and body language present him as manly. This attracts the female audience, furthermore by making him look undefeatable attracts audience who like action and combat by interesting them into seeing superman put through his paces and challenged. The setting shows destruction which suggests that there is a lot of action, this will again reach out to the target audience. The cover doesn't have much going on, there only features are the masthead and a few cover lines. This draws attention to the main picture making it look like the only important thing on the page

 

 

Research: Doc Film poster; Justin Bieber Never Say Never

Justin Bieber Never Say Never film poster

The colour theme of the poster straight away suggests the subject as the colour purple is associated with the singer in question. The pictures that make up the background suggest the film goes along the singer’s timeline as they range from baby pictures to him currently. This is a good selling point as the target audience will want to know all they can about the singer. This will therefore draw them in. The title is bold and fits within the outline of Bieber, it immediately draws the audience’s attention. The name of the film is bigger than Bieber's name suggesting that he is famous enough for people to straight away denote that the poster is based around him.

One of the selling points put on the poster is the fact that it will be shown in 3D, as 3D was relatively new at this point a lot is to be gained by advertising this fact.

The use of photographs allows them to show case what will be shown in the film, without giving away too much. It also allows them to imply that a lot will be included in the film as they don't concentrate on one 'scene'.

 



Research: Horror Film poster: Sinister





 

Sinister film poster analysis

The colours in the poster are all very dull and cold which draws attention to the dark red stain on the wall in the shape of the killers face. This tells the audience that the killer is the central character. The image makes the killer look supernatural; this suggests the sub-genre to which this film falls (supernatural horror). The cold colours connote the genre and make the overall look of the poster lifeless, this, enhanced by the cracked unfinished look of the background.
The way the killer stands out against the dead looking background suggesting he strives in such circumstances. The girl appears to be possessed, her posture, clothing and what she is doing suggests she has lost her mind or become evil herself. This will interest the audience to knowing how the girl is involved and whether she survives.
The picture is presented photographically to make it seem more real to the audience, making it scarier so they are more likely to go and see it.
The messages in the poster are visual, very little of the plot is given away, keeping the film mysterious.
The intended audience is likely to be young thrill seekers who like horror.
The poster tells audiences that this film is from the producers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious two massive hit films in the horror genre. This will entice the fans of those films as it is implied that if you enjoyed those films you will enjoy Sinister.
The film poster uses connotations with Paranormal Activity and Insidious and a quote from a critic praising the film to persuade the audience to go and see the film.
Horror conventions such as blood on the walls and a creepy looking setting are referred to in this poster along with the feature of a creepy child.
Attention to the poster is gained by the bold stain on the wall which is really eerie and makes people feel scared.
The poster does not feature an institution suggesting this is not a major selling point of the film. The poster looks graphic and well made, so quite expensive suggesting that posters are a big part of the marketing campaign.

Research: Romance Film poster; The Holiday

The Holiday film poster

 

The colours of the poster are predominantly warm without being garish, the high lighting suggests happiness.
The white strip across the middle of the page really makes the title and text around it stand out, written in black bold font.
The title is in the biggest font, making it very eye catching positioned in the middle of the page, this makes it clear what the film is actually called. The overall colouring of the poster has a light and festive feel suggesting that this film is one of the annual classics, to go with films such as Love Actually.
The two pictures show the four main characters, being split by the title suggests that there is differences between them, either they are long distances away from each other or don't know each other but live similar lives. As the two couples are in the same position it suggests that in the film they have similar roles. The loving expressions on the faces of the characters in question suggests the genre and tells the audience the film is about love, this also suggests a happy ending which will appeal to the target audience. This is reinforced by the colouring of the poster. The images on the poster look very realistic which suggests to the audience that what happens to the characters could happen to them in real life which gives the feel good factor to the audience.

The film poster advertises the film as well as stating who the director is and the actors/actresses that play the main characters, show casing what the films has to offer the audience. Famous faces such as Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet will attract wide audiences from other films that they have starred in.

The poster doesn't have a tag line which suggests more is given away by the pictures then the wording. The wording is ordered in hierarchy, the most important text being the biggest and the least important the smallest.
  



Research: Comedy Film poster; The Hangover

 

 

 

The Hangover film poster

The background and main theme of the poster with the gold bright lights and the lit up film title appear to represent the highs of being drunk. The bright colours of reds and golds are warm happy colours making their setting appear happy and exciting. However the colours of their clothes (dull) and the contradictory main image of the characters seems to represent the after math. The consequences and anti-climax of the events of the previous night are shown by the loss of a tooth of one of the characters and their general shabby appearance. The picture is presented photographically making it seem as if it could have happened in real life.
The messages of the poster are primarily visual and simply suggest that the plot sees the characters going through rough situations.

The strap line 'SOME GUYS JUST CANT HANDLE VEGAS' links with the picture and suggests to the audience that the film is comedy. This tells the audience the location of the film without having to include it in the main picture, Vegas is a popular location for comedy films so is well established within the genre. Conventions such as the location, wear and tear of the characters and implied comical personalities of the main characters are all addressed and represented in this poster.

The intended target audience of this poster is likely to be young people and those of a similar age to the main characters so they can relate the character’s mishaps to things that have happened in their own lives.

The poster promises an escape from the real world and the ability to relate to the main characters. Attention is gained by humour in the appearance of the poster and the tag line uses humour to link in with the general look of the poster and the genre.

'FEEL IT JUNE 5TH' speaks to the target audience (15-25) engaging them by using their lingo. The main text is in capitals and arranged in size according to importance. This draws the audience’s attention to the text in order of hierarchy.

The commercial expressions on the faces of the characters are typical of films from the comedy genre it suggests trouble and conflict from a comedy perspective.

The poster features a strap line at the top which tells the audience another film from the same director. This will reach out to fans of the film 'Old School', suggesting that if they enjoyed that film they would like the film in question as well.

This poster does not feature the names of the main actors suggesting that they are not a major selling point of the film (however this film may be the launch of their careers).
The institution company is not featured on the poster showing that it is not a main selling point of the film.

 

 

 

Research: Fantasy Film poster; The Hobbit

 



 

 

The hobbit film poster analysis

The main colours of the poster are dull greys and greens. Even the clothes of the featured character don’t draw much attentions being dull reds and beiges, they are also blackened out in some places. This therefore focus’ the audience attention onto the characters face and his sword. The sword is bright silver and appears to shine suggesting the object or what it connotes (e.g. conflict) has great importance to the plot of the film.
Attention is drawn to the actual character whose eyes look right out of the poster into those of the audience addressing them and making them personally feel a part of the film. This almost makes it their obligation to go and see it. The expression on the characters face sparks intrigue as he wears a look of mystery and determination. The audience wonders if this is linked to some sort of fight (connoted by the sword).
The background displays dark clouds with patches of golden sun light creeping through (matching the title colouring). This appears to be a metaphor for the plot of the film inducing that the storyline goes through moments of darkness and light.
The gold of the golden sun light matches with the title colouring and lights up some of the main characters face, linking them all together (the hobbit being a name for the main character) suggesting that he is crucial to the plot and the initiation of the moments of light in the plot of the film.
The image of the poster is presented graphically and photographically making the film seem more real to the audience.
The messages in the poster are primarily visual; the creators have kept the film surrounded in as much mystery as possible. The use of metaphors within the image of the film poster appears to be the way more information about the film is given.
The simplicity and mystery of the poster appear to suggest that the film has a very large target audience, however the feature of the sword and connection with the Lord of the Rings trilogy (mentioned on the poster) already gives the film a fan base.
The main persuasive techniques used by the poster are; firstly direct eye contact of the main character coupled with the serious facial expression and secondarily the mention of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was a massive hit and so will draw in a large audience suggesting that if you enjoyed LotR you will enjoy The Hobbit.
The film title connection (to LotR) and the appearance of the character (clothing) indicates the genre (fantasy) and all conform to the conventions of the genre mainly in suggesting it takes place in another world and includes different forms of life. The sword also conforms to the convention that there are often large conflicts as major parts of the plot.
The only person featured on the poster is a very famous actor, however the absence of his name from the poster suggests that he is not a unique selling point.
The poster promises an escape from reality as the film appears to be set in a different world.
Attention seems to be gained by the familiar face of the star and his eye contact, this works as a persuasive technique drawing the audience in.
There is a line of text at the top of the poster which is second biggest in size (after the name) but is still quite small and tucked into the top of the poster. The film date is also quite big, this white colouring stands out from the grey background making sure the audience knows when the film is coming out.
The poster tells you very little about the institutional context of the films production suggesting that it is not a large selling point of the film. It also suggests that the film has more than one Production Company (connoting a large budget).
The poster appears to be a very important part of the campaign as it appears to be quite expensive to create and produce.

Research: Action Film Poster; Man of Steel

Man of Steel film poster

The majority of the main image in the poster is blurred out which immediately draws the audiences eyes to the face of superman (the only bit in focus), giving him sole prevalence and suggesting that he is the only thing that is of true importance to the poster.
The location appears to be a city setting, this is very typical of action films (especially superhero films) as city setting suggest large amounts of crime giving the superhero a big role. Furthermore cities are always the target of villains as this is where they are likely to get maximum reaction impact.
The setting of the city is presented in dark cold colours such as black and grey, these dull colours suggest the city is in trouble or going through a dark time. The contradiction of this with Superman's bright costume make him look like the saviour, in the corner the shining sun gives the effect the Superman is shining making him look even more iconic, almost angelic. The character of superman appears to be flying over the city, this is an iconic part of all superman films/comics so using this to advertise the new film will really connect to the existing fan base.
The film title has the (again) iconic superman symbol which connects back to the original comic books. This is presented in the biggest font as it is the most important text, it will immediately draw the audiences eye.

The next biggest text is the list of main actors/actresses, fans of the actors behind the main characters may be drawn into seeing the film even if it is just in support of their favourite film stars.

Research: Documentary; narrative analysis

Documentaries can be analysed against theories of narrative such as Todorov’s and Propp’s and may follow some of the rules however not for the same reason as fictional films. For most documentaries such as Justin Bieber Never Say Never, the attraction to the film is the desire for knowledge about said famous person (in this case Bieber), therefore they don’t not need to use plot theories to entice audiences.

Research: Horror Insidious; narrative analysis

 

Insidious trailer narrative analysis

The trailer suggests that the film plot of insidious conforms to the rules of Todorov’s theory of analysis. The equilibrium is unusually not how right at the beginning of the trailer but in what appears to be a flash back, which shows a typical happy family, very relatable to audiences. The shots are slower pace and light. A sudden change in lighting make the trailer much darker as things start to go wrong for the family, this marks the disruption and recognition of said disruption as our characters grow wary and faster editing and more varied shot type puts the audience on edge. The attempts to restore the equilibrium are shown as Elise (a specialist in the supernatural) is called out to aid the family. Specialist equipment and a slightly lighter tone to the shots bring the audience hope, however this is quickly dashed as he lighting goes darker then every before and the reinstatement of the equilibrium is not shown in the trailer leaving audiences in suspense.  

The trailer shows evidence that the film also conforms to Propp’s theory. As the first character we see, and the one who is given prevalence, it is suggested that the father is the hero. Later on in the trailer we also see him to be the most active and the character involved in the action. The villain is she to be an evil spirit who tries to take over the son’s body. We have a donor who is Elise as she comes to help the family bringing her specialist equipment and knowledge to their aid. She brings with her our helpers who set up the equipment and also help to restore the equilibrium. Our princess is the son who is the prize for the parents beating the villain.

Planning: Romance The Vow; Narrative analysis

The Vow narrative analysis

This film trailer both conforms and deviates from Propps theory of narrative.

The man character Leo is the hero, he tries to restore the equilibrium that was lost when his wife lost her memory. This is his quest, and distinguishing him from the victim, he is the texts main character; this is evident from the trailer.

From the trailer we infer that the villain is not a character in this film but the memory loss, in some scenes it appears that the wife becomes the villain due to the memory loss as she stands in the way of the equilibrium being restored.

The trailer doesn't show much evidence of donors or helpers as it is common in romance films that the trailer is completely based around the two characters who are in love. However from what we seen in the trailer the nurses at the hospital may act in these role, if only in small ways.

The wife Paige is mainly presented as the princess, as she is threatened by the hypothetical villain (the memory loss). Our hero spends his time trying to save her from her peril. But the trailer doesn't reveal whether he succeeds, this entices the audience to watch the film to find out what happens.

The narrative of this film also fits to the conventional narratives suggested by Todorov, these are structured into 5 stages.
The trailer shows the state of equilibrium right at the beginning, the high lighting and brighter colours represent their happiness. The fast pace editing shows different parts of their lives, suggesting that they are always happy together and that things couldn’t get any better. This is a typical convention of most romance films, often when the characters are at their happiest everything starts to go wrong.
This takes into stage 2 the disruption of the equilibrium, from this point on in the trailer the lighting is a lot darker and the music turns slow and sad.

This is closely followed by the recognition of the disrupted equilibrium and our hero realises that his princess doesn’t remember him. These show slower paced shots which reflect the feeling of the characters, as we reach stage 4 where our main character attempts to repair the equilibrium.

The trailer does not tells us whether stage 4 follows into stage 5 and the repair of the equilibrium, this leaves the audience in suspense and tempts them into going to see the full.

Research: Comedy The Hangover; narrative analysis

 

The hangover narrative analysis

The trailer shows clear signs that Todorov’s theory of narrative, the equilibrium at the beginning is shown as all 4 main characters are well, clean and all intact, which by the middle of the trailer vastly changes. The music and lighting is used to build up and up to the climax making the audience feel good and as if they too are on a night out in Vegas. The disruption is marked by the collapse of the feel good music, imatating the anti-climax of a hangover from the night before. The appearences of the main characters change from looking quite dapper the night before, to looking a complete mess linking with the drop of the music, this marks the disruption of the equilibrium. A change of music and camera shot editing lowers the mood of the trailer as the characters try to right all the wrongs they did the previous night, the lower tone is contradicted as things start to go wrong for the trio giving the trailer its comedy element. This shows the characters  recognising the disruption and attempting to repair it. The trailer leaves the audience in suspense as the reinstatement of the equilibrium is not revealed in the trailer, making the audience want to see the whole film to see how it ends.
The trailer suggests that the plot of the film some what follows Propp's theory of narrative, the hero's; are the three male characters looking for their friend who is due to be married the next day, making the lost friend the princess. Las Vegas is suggested to be the villain as it is in the way of them finding their lost 'princess'. The various people the ask for information would appear to be the helpers and donors.   

Research: The Hunger Games; narative analysis

Hunger Games narrative analysis

The film 'The Hunger Games' conforms and deviates from Propp's theory of narrative and Tzvetan Todorov's theory of narrative, this is show in the trailer. The main character Katniss is the hero (or heroine) this fits with Propp's only varying slightly as normally the hero is male. She is set apart from the others as she resists the power, this causes a disruption to the equilibrium this represents stage 3 of Todorov's theory. The princess is Primrose, Katniss' younger sister who she saves from having to compete in the games. This however does not occur at the climax of the film and does not involve romantic interest which was included in Propps narrative, showing that the film deviates from the theorem. The Trailer shows the villain to not be a single person but the 'government' however it is not the villain who creates the disruption (as suggested by Propp) it is the heroine, this gives the film a unique selling point. The trailer also shows essence of helpers and donors to aid the heroine (as suggested by Propp).

This film appears to fit Todorov's theory as the equilibrium is disrupted by the 'goodies' and it is the 'baddies' who aim to repair and reinstate the norm. However the trailer suggests that the equilibrium is not restored at the end of the film, this unlike in most films is a good thing. The flip of this theory gives the film its unique selling point as it deviates from the normal narratives but still includes some essence.

This film shows both similarities and differences from the two theories which is made clear in the trailer, this will capture the audience’s attention and intrigue them to find more about the alternative plot.

The film is surrounded in mystery which will tend to suggest a sequel, this follows the Enigma Code. The trailer suggests the use of snares (deliberately avoiding the truth), equivocations (incomplete answers) and jammings (there is not answer to the problem) in the film which require the audience to be active, this gets them involved more to enhance the viewing experience and make the audience more likely to go see the film after seeing the trailer.

Research: Horror analysis; Sinister

Sinister trailer analysis

The trailer is quite typical of the genre, with the lighting, music, editing, camera shots and mise-en-scene all conforming to the conventions of horror. The music at the beginning is soft and creepy building up to sharp sounds designed to make the audience jump. Towards the end of the trailer a ticking sound like a clock suggests time is ticking down, leading to the climax of the trailer. The lighting of the trailer is dark at the beginning setting a creepy tone, so when the trailer becomes lighting at the initial equilibrium the audience are left with a feeling of foreboding, so when the lighting returns to darker again the audience know something bad is going to happen. The camera shots and editing is very fast paced showing a lot of the action but only briefly so not too much is given away. The trailer refers to typical horror conventions, such as; children being more affected then adults, the family moving into a new house and the antagonist being surrounded by mystery.

 One of the first things we see is a long shots of a house at night, the camera slowly zooms in making the audience feel edgy, a non-diegetic news report reveals that a week early murders linking to the house were committed, the shot then cuts to the same house shown in the day with a moving van outside (a horror convention) this is clever because it shows symmetry suggesting that the dark house and the new report may be the ending for this new family to.
The next shot that I think is particularly clever is the shot of the single box in the dark attack, the editing and music tell the audience that the card board box signifies the beginning of the scenes of horror. The characters reaction to it makes the audience weary and when he opens it the trailer takes a turn for the worse.
A medium shot of the pool shows the antagonist moving around under the water, the distortion of the image due to the water and the darkness leaves the audience wanting the know more about the appearance of the killer as only his face is slightly lit up. Revealing only enough so the audience recognise him throughout the rest of the film. Because the shot is brief and the character is surrounded by mystery the audience are more inclined to watch the trailer a second time.
Later a similar shot gives of the same persuasive technique as a shot  at floor level shows a hammer being dragged along the floor, the flash of the shot means that audience do not take in the whole scene prompting them to view the trailer again.
The last scenes of the trailer flash on and off in time with the ticking like sound that connotes that time is running out and the sound of a beating heart, as it stops we come to a close up of the characters face which is sweaty and contorted with fear, the sound stops and everything freezes as if time has run out. A sharp sounds makes the audience jump and a flash of the face come into the screen making the audience jump and leaving a lasting impression on them as the trailer ends.

Research: Romance analysis; The Holiday

The holiday trailer

 The trailer sets the scene by showing the snapping points of the 2 main characters lives that stimulate the events of the film. The main characters are very likable and going through tricky situations that women can relate to. This reaches out to the target audience (of predominantly women) as they can see themselves mirrored in the main characters. The audience therefore are emotionally connected to the characters and are made to want to see the film to see how the characters handle their situation.

Soft faced pace music in the background lightens the feel of the trailer and suggests comedy elements to the film, this is backed up in the way the characters react to their extremely negative situations. The voiceover gives more insight to the plot and helps create a picture in the audiences minds.
Here a medium shot of one of our characters shows her reaction as the shot zooms in to a close up of her expression as it changes from joy to the opposite. This makes the audience feel like they are experiencing the same hurt panic, making it a very effective way to get the audience involved in the film as it makes them feel connected and involved in the characters situation.
The mise-en-scene of both characters surroundings are the complete opposite, which contradicts their situations as these are very similar, this means that a wider range of the target audience will see themselves represented in the characters, which is one of the main reason that people watch such films.

The trailer uses typical romantic clichés such as 'as one door closes another door opens' to suggest to the female viewers that what is happening to the characters in the film could really happen in real life, this gives the feel good factor which is then linked to watching the film, hence forth making the audience more likely to enjoy it and want to watch it.

As the trailer continues the music gets louder giving the trailer a lighter feel, possibly mirroring the moods of the characters as their situations improve by the entry of new love interests.

During the phone conversation between 3 of the main characters fast edits and close up images show facial expressions and show more of the comedy elements of the film. This also gives an insight into the drama of the film, the abrupt stop of music draws more attention to this.

Close ups of the main characters are presented on screen with the names of the actors/actresses next to them, showing that they are a key selling point of the film and attracting fans of the individual actors/actresses.

Actresses such as Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet are well known and established within the genre, so are likely to attract a large audience.

The screen then cuts to the film title with a white background so it stands out to the audience and makes it stick in their minds.

The nationalities of the main characters being American and British attracts audiences from both countries, especially as it shows very stereotypical scenes from both countries. American is shown as hot and sunny with large houses and movie star lives, and England is shown to be snowing and cute with little towns and cottages with open fires.

Romances films tend not to follow narrative theories as closely as action or thriller films, however this film does show slight similarities to Propp's theory. However on the whole it seems to have an original plot that doesn't stick to the rules or stages of most narrative theories.