Poster Ideas

These are some several digital drafts of my poster for my film production 'Conditional Love'. Some of the elements are superimposed images taken from Google whilst other elements have been created using Adobe Photoshop. These posters continue to be a working progress with them being basic ideas. I hope to influence these ideas as well as input more ideas and elements into my final draft.

 

All of the superimposed elements that have been used do not have any copyright infringements.

 

As the course progresses, I hope to add more drafts before submitting my final draft to the examiner as well as posting the result on the blog.

 

I would like to add images of the characters that are edited to appear as

if they are slightly faded in the white background or portions of the red tone.

 

 

I would like to replace the cartoon/animated characters with shots from actual actors.

I really like the idea of the superimposed silhouette of the couple arguing and hope

to use this idea as well as the contrast in element brightness to show the difference

in moods, i.e.; the use of low lighting to create a darker mood.

 

Although this is not the final photograph that I wish to include in this element, I hope to continue this idea onto my final poster draft because I believe that the crack in the photograph is enigmatic in that it exploits a specific character relationship. In this case, this once happy couple may not be anymore. This is an enigma code that I hope to achieve in my poster with my actors being shot in this position previously then their photo will be superimposed into a photo frame. The crack is an effect found on Google which I superimposed as a layer on top of the photograph to create the impression of smashed glass.

 

This is an idea which I have created during the last few lessons in class. The black effect in the background is to represent the inside of a plastic black bag. This representation allows the consumer to assume that all of these loving gifts have been thrown away as rubbish. This representation, particularly the photo, suggests to the audience that this young couple are not as happy as they use to be. I would like to continue using this idea but make a few adjustments such as make some of the elements darker and change the font.  

 



'Elephant' Marketing - Textual Analysis

As part of my pre-production research, I have decided to analyse several coming-of-age posters. The ideas from this analysis will influence my film's marketing campaign. The differences in dvd cover and film poster will also help me when it comes to product continuity. Whilst looking for films to analyse on IMDB, I discovered the film Elephant which was released in 2003 and directed by American film director Gus Van Sant. When I searched for images of the film's marketing campaign on Google, I found several of their posters. One issue that arose straightaway was the fact that there was a certain lack of continuity between these posters: it was as if the producer of this poster wanted to advertise two completely different films. It was this issue that I wanted to raise as part of my pre-production research.

 

Elephant is a coming-of-age film set in Portland, Oregon and its events are loosely based on the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The film chronicles events surrounding a school shooting and these events are based on the perspectives of two bullied high school children, Alex (played by Alex Frost) and Eric (played by Eric Deulen), who are soon revealed as the pair behind the school's massacre.

POSTER

 

When I first saw this poster, I thought that it was one of the least effective film posters that I had seen. This thought was based purely on the layout of the poster, particularly in the main third of the poster (where the photography is). Whilst the typography at the bottom of the poster may have had potential to be effective in terms of advertising the film to a large body of people, the consumer's focus is drawn away from that and is attracted towards the clumsily placed photography. It leaves the consumer wondering why there are two people randomly kissing in front of an orange elephant. It also makes us question why the elephant is actually in the poster: we ask if there is a deeper meaning behind its presence or if it's just there because the animal shares its name with the film title.

 

There are several elements in this poster that I think are really effective. The first element is the use of a white background. Apart from incredibly bright or fluorescent colours, white is an effective colour to use if a person wants other elements in a poster or another type of press text to really stand out. In the case of this poster, the white background really compliments the black title's typography at the bottom third of the poster. By allowing it to stand out, the consumer's focal attention can be drawn towards the film's important information such as the title, the age certificate, recognisable producers or writers within the cast credits and the studio credits. Another element is the way that the title's typography is presented. An informal font has been used to inform the consumer that this film's target audience is a younger audience. It also suggests to the consumer that the themes in the film are quite light-hearted. This will encourage people within that target audience to go and watch this film. It may also attract 21-30 year olds who might wonder what those light-hearted themes are and might want to find out if those themes will affect the film's events. However, the consumer who has read the film's synopsis may think that this font choice misrepresents the film's violent themes. Others may argue back that this film may be an alternative, less graphic representation of violence. They may add that the violence in this film may not be the main issue that affects the characters of this film and it could be other issues that face the teenage characters who live in a modern society such as peer pressure, drug abuse, failed romance, etc. It could be those issues that cause the violence to occur in the first place. The final element that I thought was effective was the different typography used when mentioning the director of the film Gus Van Sant. Bubble-writing in block capitals has been used to represent the director as being an individual who is fun and centres his films on light-hearted themes that make an impact on teenagers or a younger audience on a more personal level. The orange outline on the bubble writing is a form of continuity: it is the same colour as the elephant. This could signify that the director had a reason why he included the elephant in the poster. This continuity gives the poster a professional finish and encourages the consumer to go and watch this non-amateur production.

 

If I was to change anything about this poster, I would have changed the presentation of the photograph of the young couple kissing. I would have created a fade finish on the photo so that it blends in more naturally within the background. However, Van Sant may have chosen this presentation of the photograph because he aimed for it to be blunt and not organised so that it captures the consumer's attention. Even though the photograph is representing not only the age range of the characters but one of the issues raised in the film too (love or teenage romance), I would have included a few more photos that could subtly represent more themes of the film such as the violence or terrorism. These photos would help the consumer to establish a better understanding of what they can expect from this film. Once again, the lack of representation could have been an attempt to capture the consumer's attention by creating an enigma code. The current structure of the poster leaves the consumer wondering if love and romance is a major theme or if it is an underlying theme of the film's main events. The final thing that I would change about this poster is the presentation of the film awards which can be seen in the top third. By showing a film award on your poster, this increases that film's chances in attracting a large revenue from the audience and the consumer. On this particular poster, the film awards have been adjusted to an extremely small size so that it is almost undistinguishable. This stops the consumer from realising that this film actually has potential to be really good and enjoyable. I think that Van Sant made this decision not to have enlarged presentations of these film awards because he wanted the consumer to go and watch the film in order to construct their own opinion of his work rather than rely on a second opinion or biased material to persuade or dissuade them from watching this film.

 

 

 

This is another poster that was used for Elephant's marketing campaign. This is a clearer, more professional representation of the film and, to me, it is the professional finish that appeals to me more than the previous poster. Instead of a rule of thirds structure, the same photograph of the young couple kissing is the poster's background.

 

The typography is the poster's foreground and, in comparison with the previous poster, is completely different and appears more formal. In comparison with the previous poster, the main film award has been enlarged and is more visible for the consumer to notice. The iconic Palme D'Or logo has also been used to represent the film under a positive light. The consumer now knows that the director of this film, Gus Van Sant, has been awarded the Palme D'Or Award for his directing in this film. The Palme D'Or is a major award to be received in the film festival season so this will encourage the consumer to watch this film and find out for themselves why the director of this film has won this award. This may also encourage them to discover more of his films and watch them too to see if they match up to the standards that this film sets. Whilst the previous poster used a formal colour and font to compliment the white background, this poster's title's typography is in block capitals and is purple. The darker shade of purple helps the title to stand out against the background and its large font size allows the consumer's focal attention to be drawn into the most important information on this poster. I think that if orange font was used, some of the letters could have been lost because of the bright natural light in the background. Like with any other poster, Van Sant would have wanted the title's typography to be as visible and as clear as possible because a title is the most important element in a film poster when it comes to individuality and that particular film standing out in comparison with other coming-of-age films.

 

The photography introduces the characters' age and one of the film's locations to the consumer. The characters appear to be younger than 18 but old enough to still be attending school. This suggests to the consumer that this film may also be targeted at an audience of the same age of these characters because some of the issues that could be raised will most likely be the most relatable to teenagers. The location used to shoot this photograph appears to be in an enclosed room in a school. This is an enigma code because this could be a location that has a major influence on the film's events or it could be a place that is important for one of the characters. Enigma codes are a way of drawing in the consumer's appeal. Another enigma code is the boy's body language towards the girl beside him. As she kisses him on the cheek, he appears deep in thought or estranged to an extent where he may not feel the same way about her. When put into that context, some could say that the girl, although she may be very close to him, is completely oblivious of his private life and the events that appear to be consuming the boy. That context makes the consumer wonder about the relationship between the two characters and it makes them want to see the film in order to find out if that relationship will make an impact on the film's events. A medium-close up of the two characters has been used with the male actor being in the centre of the shot. This type of shot allows the female actor to also be present in the image so that the consumer can not become confused as to who is kissing the male actor. The positioning of the male actor suggests to the audience that he is the male character. This also suggests to the audience that the approach towards the film's events could be shot on the basis of his character's perspective. The reason why the image has not been edited could have been because Van Sant wanted to create a naturalistic representation of his film. If effects such as fades or colour filters were used, this could have fazed that representation and it could leave the consumer wondering what time period or genre this film belongs to. If effects were used ineffectively, it could lead to a very poor representation of Van Sant's film and it could dissuade the consumer from watching this film based on the fact that they think the poster represents the film as being a parody or a humorous approach towards the events raised in the film rather than a serious drama.

 

 

 

 

'Kidulthood' Movie Poster - Textual Analysis

 

As part of my ongoing research, I have decided to analyse several posters of popular films from the coming-of-age genre. These posters will help me and my final project because any recurring patterns within the films' marketing campaigns will help to structure the marketing campaign for my own movie. It will also help consumers to easily identify what genre my film is by just briefly looking at my film's poster or DVD cover.

 

The second film poster that I am going to analyse is 'Kidulthood'. I decided to analyse this poster because it clearly establishes the genre, the film's social context and what age group is this film's target audience. During its time of release (2006), Kidulthood was critically acclaimed for being - according to the Daily Mail - 'a harrowing, uncompromisingly bleak but thoughtful look at the anguish of being young and poor in Britain' and - according to The Guardian -  'a rollicking UK youth ride, cinematically filmed, persuasively acted and bumped along by a fantastic all-British soundtrack'.

 

ANALYSIS

 

The structure of this poster appears to be in a rule of thirds layout with the top layer containing an important element of typography, the middle layer depicting an even number of cast members casually standing or sitting looking towards the camera and the bottom layer showing the title's typography. This structure effectively creates three focus points for the consumer to look at; the quote at the top of the poster, the cast and the title of the film. This allows the audience to gain a clearer insight into what they can expect from this film.

 

The top third of the poster has a light background due to the bright, natural light from the sky in the photograph which is the poster's main foreground. This light background compliments the black font colour used for the review's typography. This choice of colour draws the audience's attention towards the very positive review given from a national body who have critiqued the film. Not only is there a five-star rating: the quote given by TOUCH magazine describes this film as being powerful, moving and unforgettable. These words are very positive (particularly 'unforgettable' which some may say is a hyperbole in this case) and this second opinion encourages the consumer to go and watch the film to see if the film actually is powerful or unforgettable just like the reviewer suggests. The five-star rating is given to films that are excellent or outstanding. This gives the consumer another reason to watch this film.

The centre third of the poster uses a relaxed version of  the rule of evens when it comes to the positioning of the film's main characters. The rule of evens is typically used when shooting an informal, casual photography of a group of people. This shows to the audience that the characters in this film poster are at ease or comfortable around each other. By positioning the two actors on the left of the third close together, this suggests to the audience that these two characters either have a close friendship or an intimate, romantic relationship. The relationship status is evident what with the male actor resting his left arm around her and the actress not responding in a negative way to his close proxemics. This could also be an enigma code in that their relationship could be a key influence in the film's events. There are several elements of the mise en scene that suggest to the audience that this group of young people are in a poorer area of society. Firstly, all of the male actors are wearing dark hooded jackets or jumpers. This type of clothing is stereotypically worn by gang members or people who are in a poorer area of society. Secondly, the actor on the far right is resting a baseball bat on his shoulder. A baseball bat is not only used to play cricket or baseball: it is also classed as a melee weapon. The actor's menacing glare towards the camera and his casual stance shows the audience that he is most likely using it as a weapon rather than a source of entertainment. This suggests to the audience that the film contains violent or intimidating scenes. It also suggests to the audience that this character could have an aggressive personality. Thirdly, the location of the photograph's shot appears to be within a run-down council estate. There are several elements of the mise en scene that suggest that this location is a council estate, e.g.; some of the actors are sat on top of concrete bollards, others are sat on a small concrete wall barricaded by a corroded iron guard and there is a faint, panoramic view of a run-down area just above the iron guard. This not only suggests to the audience the film's geographical context but it also suggests to the audience the film's genre. Council estates and apartment blocks are location code and conventions for a coming-of-age film. This, alongside the age of the characters in the shot, suggests to the audience that this film is a coming-of-age film. It appeals to fans of gritty coming-of-age films and it encourages them to spend money and watch this film.

 

The bottom third of the poster is where the title's typography is positioned. The bottom third's background is darker in comparison with the other two thirds because it is shadowed by the photograph's angle of light. The charcoal colour of the tarmac makes this third even darker. It compliments the typography's white font colour. This sudden brightness draws in the consumer's attention and it helps them find out the name of this film. It also helps them find out the essential information such as the release date, the age certificate and the studio's logo. It also allows the consumer to read the tagline which is 'Before adulthood comes...'. There is an ellipsis to confirm a dramatic pause. It is almost as if they want the consumer to fill in the blanks for them. As a result, this involves the audience and draws in their attention. The answer to this is the teenage years or childhood. This tells the audience that the characters in this film are either going to be children or teenagers. By viewing the characters in the main third of the poster, the consumer will soon realise that the characters in the film are teenagers or young adults. Teenage or young protagonists are a code and convention of coming-of-age films. This appeals to fan of this genre and it encourages them to go and watch this film. The difference in font size between the tag line's typography and the title's typography helps the consumer to identify what is the title and what is the tag line. The title's typography is all in block capitals except the 'i'. The 'i' emphasizes the word 'kid' in the film's title. The word 'kid' is slang for 'child'. 'Kid' is used as a colloquial phrase so that the consumer knows that this film is set in a modern-day society. The use of this colloquial phrase also suggests to the audience that the characters within this film are from a poorer background and have been raised in an environment where slang is used. This also suggests to the audience that other slang terms or even explicit language could be in this film. This appeals to people who enjoy gritty dramas where the environment is realistic and there is a naturalistic approach towards that film's themes or social issues. The word 'kidulthood' is not a word that is even registered in the dictionary. This is an enigma code because it makes the audience wonder what the phrase 'kidulthood' means and how it differs to being a teenager or a young adult. This amount of intrigue encourages the consumer to watch this film and discover what this phase in life actually is. Also in the bottom third are ways that the audience can access exclusive features that the film offers. There is a html address as well as a mobile number for consumers to text in order to access clips of the film. In terms of the age of audience, these elements of the poster targets the younger audience because it is younger people who tend to use their mobile phones more or browse around the internet on a daily basis. This is also a suggestion to the consumer that this film's target audience is a younger, teenage audience so it may discourage elderly people or parents of very young children from watching the film. Another feature that is in the bottom third of the poster is examples of artists from the film's soundtrack. In this film is music from Roots Manuva and Dizzee Rascal. By mentioning these popular artists, this attracts a different body of potential audience members: people who love listening to these artists and are fans. The choice of music (hip hop, rap and grunge music) also suggests to the audience that this film is aimed at a younger target audience. As a result, this could discourage people who are not fans of these artists from watching this film in order to prevent themselves from listening to their least favourite artist's music.

 





Film Pitches

Before even the pre-production stages of a film can begin, a producer or writer needs to present their ideas to a distributing company or film studios. This is because the studios/distributing company have enough money to fund your idea and transpose that written idea onto screen (whether this be the large cinema screen or just a small television screen). These studios and companies receive hundreds of ideas every day so it is important that an idea is produced in a way that is clear and concise. The best way to do this is to produce a pitch consisting of 5 lines (or 25 words). A pitch should introduce the main plotline, characters and any themes that could provide an interesting enigma code(s) for the members of the studios/company reading your pitch.

 

 

This is my pitch for my film:

 

'A 16 year old boy becomes the victim of an abusive, tumultuous relationship under the hands of his girlfriend'

'Get Real' poster - Textual Analysis

For my final media project, I have decided to change my genre from thriller to a teen drama due to feedback from a focus group on my script that I produced as a homework task. Although my initial idea was to produce a psychological thriller that would gain audience appeal through the power of character emotion, I soon realised that this was quite difficult to pull off for a targeted young adult audience. However, I still wanted to keep the abuse story theme because I thought that this was an interesting idea to develop. It is also an issue in society that affects all kinds of people who have experienced any form of abuse or witnessed others suffer at the hands of an abuser(s). With it affecting society on a large scale, it is relatable to the audience on a more personal level and, as a result, they would hopefully find it a realistic, respectful approach to a personal matter.

 

Teen drama is a sub-genre of the very broad drama genre that has a plot and themes which specifically target a younger audience. Examples of teen dramas include; Kidulthood (2006), Elephant (2003) and Paranoid Park (2007). However, the teen drama that I am citing influence from is Get Real (1998). The reason why I am choosing this film as an influence for my marketing campaign is because the poster's visual codes represent the themes of the film clearly but still maintaining an enigma code as to how those themes will affect the events as they progress. The poster also introduces the main character, Steven Carter, which signifies that the film is based either on a first person narrative or the photography is based from his perspective on the film's events. Me being a teenager myself, this film appealed to my emotions on a large scale and this is what I hope to achieve from my film.

To help me for future assignments and as inspiration for my own project, I have decided to analyse the film's poster.

GET REAL (1998)

This poster is a brilliant example of an effective teen drama poster in my opinion. Although some consumers may feel that the tagline is too long, I believe that it effectively represents the film's target audience and it signifies what kind of themes and issues this film is going to explore. The larger tagline above the title's typography lists issues that affect teenagers. This represents the film as being a text that specifically targets that young, teenage audience. The list ends with a question. This means that that list has a purpose and it is actually a rhetorical question. This makes the consumer feel more involved with the film so makes them feel almost obliged to watch it to see how these issues are tackled in the film. It is also written in an informal language to help attract the younger audience and to prevent the film from being represented as being formal and very serious.  This informality is also represented through the font that has been used. It also suggests to the audience that this film's setting is based in a modern-day environment rather than it being a period drama. The title's typography is larger and in a red font to help it stand out more against the yellow background. The lack of proper grammar (such as the capital letters and the removal of the full stop) hits hard at the consumer because, to me, it is more like a statement rather than a title. The title is an imperative as well which is also a form of involving the audience. The second tagline underneath the title's typography tells the theme of the film: the term 'out' in this case is a colloquial phrase used by society to describe a person who is confident and free to openly admit their homosexuality (whether they are gay, a lesbian or bisexual). This suggests to the audience that homosexuality and society's perception of it is the main topic that is explored in this film. The tag-line also introduces the lead character: Steven Carter. It also introduces the age group that he belongs to and one of the main locations that provide this film's setting when it says, 'School's out'. Not only does it tell the audience that this film is targeted at an audience that is in the same age group as Carter but it also suggests to the audience that the film is based on his perspective.

The only photograph that is used is a shot of the legs that belong to people dressed in similar uniforms. When people think of school, they automatically think of a smart uniform. This is a continuation of the film's setting. The black and white colour scheme allows the person in the middle to stand out. The clash in colour scheme has purposely been done so that it delivers a message to the audience - that message being that everyone should be allowed to be different without being judged upon. The actor, whose costume is in colour, also crosses their legs to continue delivering this 'standing out' message. This is an enigma code because it makes us wonder whether that actor is Steven Carter or if the photograph applies to the audience on a larger scale in that the issues raised in that list secretly affects many people sat in the same classroom.

The use of the film festival awards shows that the film has received critical acclaim. There is also a review from a professional media body below the festival awards. This creates a positive perception of the film and it encourages the audience to go and watch this film for themselves.

Factors of Media Representation

 

GENDER:

 

 

This is a still image that captures the girls’ dancing in the video.

In Britney Spears’ music video for ‘Work It B***’ (November 2013), women are represented as having lower respect in the social class than men and that their sole aim is to please the man and create the male gaze. This is represented in a number of ways. Britney Spears and the dancers are wearing barely any clothes to flatter their figures and to please the male eye. They also dance provocative moves which represent women as the gender who are the most sexually suggestive. The video is completely ironic when compared with the song’s lyrics because the content of the lyrics express female empowerment and it tells women that in order to have success in life, they have to work hard. When you compare that ethic to this video, it completely turns that ethic on its head and suggests that a woman only needs to flaunt and wear barely any clothes in order to bag a man.

AGE:

The action thriller Escape Plan (2013 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone) has main characters that are countertypes of the older generation. People stereotype elderly people as being frail, weak and not being able to take part in a lot of physical activity. However, Stallone (who is 67) and Schwarzenegger (who is 66) have characteristics that are the complete opposite to stereotypical traits. As the film progresses, the pair perform a lot of intense stunt work during fight scenes and as the two actors are in their 60s, this shows the audience that not all old people are weak and cannot do the most basic of tasks without

keeling over in agony or breaking a hip.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1211956/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 

PARTICULAR EVENTS (ROYAL EVENTS/SPORTS EVENTS/POLITICAL RIOTS):

This is a still image of a scene that occurred during the London Riots.

In this picture that was captured by an editor from The Guardian’s website, the 2011 London riots are represented as being a violent affair that is caused by masked hooligans. This does not represent the full picture of the London riots and the image has been carefully chosen by the press to represent the event as being a disgusting perception on British culture and society. This picture does not represent the reasons why the riots occurred in the first place so it lets people assume that the riots were just an excuse for people to damage properties and to destroy shops, not because of a death that horrified the hooligans involved.

ISSUES (POVERTY/DISABILITY/WAR):

 

 

 

 

 

This advert from Clarks is advertising the range of shoes that are available in its new collection from sports shoes to smart shoes and stilettos. One of the models is disabled. This advert is a positive representation of the disabled society as it shows that disabled people are just the same as everyone else. This representation gives a positive, friendly impression of the company and it encourages people to visit their stores and buy products from the shop.

 

ETHNICITY:

This is the front cover of Playstation 2’s version of Final Fantasy XII (2006).

Released in 2006, all of Final Fantasy XII’s characters are white. This is evident in the game’s front cover. This is a representation of white people, without causing offence, the dominating race. Even though the game was released during the twenty first century when segregation and prejudice against black people is looked down upon by society, the cover still fails to illustrate society’s perception of racial equality. It is as if the producers of the game are assuming that gamers do not think that playing a black character is cool.

NATIONAL & REGIONAL IDENTITY:

On the British political panel show, Mock the Week, there is a section or a round that most of the contestants take part in where they are given a particular topic and they have a minute to prove that their topic is the funniest in order to receive points for their team. On the eleventh episode of series 5, comedian Michael McIntyre was given the topic ‘The North and South divide’ to talk about. His discussion of this topic represents Northern people as being less articulate when they talk when compared with people from the South (where McIntyre is from). His representation of Northern people, although quite comical, could have been taken as an offence towards that part of society because he creates this perception that they are quite slow and retarded in the way that they speak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67CbRALCdO4

My Project's Major Influence - Priest (1994)

For my project, I have decided to produce a project based on the Thriller sub-genre because I have always been interested in dramatic films that have a dark twist. A film that belongs to this sub-genre can also include serious themes and explore social issues that affect the everyday lives of that film's target audience. When I was first introduced to this project, I always wanted to create something serious because the final product had a higher chance of appearing more professional and formal. Plus, I was worried that if I did a comedy project, the final product may appear sloppy and will not appeal to the audience as much as I hoped it to. This sub-genre spawns from the Horror genre and, although the idea of producing a horror film sounds fun, I was worried that the creation of gore effects may not be as effective and professional as I had hoped. That was the main decision behind me wanting to do a thriller film.

 

I have decided to analyse the poster and the DVD cover for 1994 Antonia Bird's Priest because I believe that these texts are really effective at appealing to fans of the Thriller sub-genre and attract fans of other genres to go and watch this film. (This film is not to be confused with the 2011 fantasy horror film of the same name.) I have also had the opportunity to watch this film online and I think that it is a very great film that captures and maintains the audience's attention right from the start.

 

Priest stars British actor Linus Roache as Father Greg Pilkington, a closeted priest whose beliefs in sexuality are frowned upon by members of the Church. When a young girl confesses to him that she is the victim of her father's physical and sexual abuse, Roache has to put his own battles aside as he  encounters an emotional struggle of choosing between everyday morals or the values of his religion.

 

ANALYSIS OF THE POSTER

 

 

 In my opinion, I think that this poster is effective because it captures the serious, formal emotion of this media text really well.

 

 This has been created through the photography of Linus Roache's character. A big-close up of Roache has been used as the poster's focal point. This tells the audience that his character is the main character. The rule of odds method that has been used shows that his character is the most important person in this film. This method also creates a dark, tense mood. This helps the audience identify the film's serious content. Although the majority of this poster's lighting is fairly low key, lighting from the centre defines half of Roache's numb, monotonous facial expression. His facial expression signifies that the film does not rely on humour to entertain the audience. Therefore, this tells the consumer that this film is not a comedy. The use of costume signifies that there is a particular theme to the film: the white collar band that Roache is wearing is a typical costume convention that a priest wears. Therefore, this tells the audience that the film's events and plots are influenced by the fact that Roache's character is a priest. His dark, black robes also gives the title's typography definition. There are no special, visual effects in this poster. This not only represents the film's naturalistic theme but it also prevents any attention being drawn away from Roache's face.

 

In terms of the poster's typography, there are elements that help the audience to identify what they can expect from this film. The 'T' in Priest is in the shape of a cross to represent the film's religious theme. The fact that there are several elements that portray this theme tells the audience that religion plays an important role in the film's events. The old-fashioned font relates to the film's influential, ancient rituals. This, alongside the tag-line below the main title, is an enigma code because the content of the tag-line (One man is about to challenge two thousand years of tradition) turns the old-fashioned ritual feel onto its head and makes us question if he will actually be able to defy those rituals and come out stronger. This degree of suspense thrills us and represents the film's genre.

 

If I was to change anything about this poster, I would have removed the second tag-line at the top left (next to Roache's face) because I believe that the previous tag-line is powerful and effective enough on its own so it makes this other tag-line seem less relevant and more like a description for the film's scenario. My definition of a tag-line is an enigmatic statement that can easily be remembered by the consumer. This extra piece of information does not fall under my definition of a tag-line. Also, the white font and the hazy orange background clashes and it is initially quite difficult to read.

 

ANALYSIS OF THE DVD COVERS

 

 

 

 

The front cover of this DVD is one of my personal favourites of all film covers because the photographic elements have been carefully placed to effectively highlight the film's darker themes. Although there is a certain lack of continuity between the front cover and the poster above, the second tag-line from the poster has been paraphrased and used in this cover as the main tag-line for the film. The tag-line's yellow font, which matches the colour of the light source, stands out amongst the black background. This colour is also used for the reviews as a form of continuity and to signify that the producers believe that they are as equally important (in terms of attracting audience interest) as the tag-line. The reviews are very positive in order to appeal to the audience and to grant them a positive second opinion.

 

There is another slight difference between the poster and the cover - the title's typography. Although the same type of font has been used (including the same cross detail for the T that is an influence of the religious theme), the font in the cover is white with a subtle red glow to allow the consumer to be able to read it. If the cream/yellow colour (like in the poster) was used, the consumer would have difficulty distinguishing it. The colour red gives the consumer connotations of love, lust, blood, warning and death. This is an enigma code because it creates suspense and warns us of events to come. The suspense intrigues the audience and makes us want to go and see the film.

 

I like the front cover's photography because it applies the rule of thirds method except in a diagonal form.  This equally positions the elements of the image and allows the consumer to identify key focal points in the cover. This gives the cover a professional finish and is a form of audience attraction. The image's lighting is low key and its only natural source of light comes from the stain-glassed window at the top of the centre third. The choice of lighting not only creates a dark, intense atmosphere but it also gives Roache's closed body language and estranged expression definition. This allows the consumer to connect with him and to feel his emotion. The stained-glass window is a reference to the film's religious theme: a typical feature of a church are the stained-glass windows. The director (or the person who instructed Roache) has been careful in creating a subtle expression from Roache because if it was over the top, it would misrepresent the film and it could portray the film as being a parody or not serious at all. However, Roache shows the powerful emotion through his face to represent his character's situation and his mental battle with his emotions.

 

The back cover continues the colour scheme that is used for the front cover as a form of continuity. There are even more reviews on the back cover that have been highlighted in yellow to make them stand out amongst the black background. Even more positive reviews from several national bodies suggest that this is a film that can not be missed so, as a result, appeals to the consumer. For the blurb, the first letter is yellow to draw the consumer's attention to that particular section of the cover. This could also be a reference to the film's religious theme because in the Bible, the first word of every chapter always has a very large first letter (as shown in the picture below). When placed into that context, the creator of this cover could have done this to emphasise the importance of this section of the cover. (The blurb is often a section of a DVD or VHS cover that is either over-read or even ignored because of other 'distracting' elements that could be on the cover such as stills of action-filled scenes or visual effects that form a part of the background image.) The last sentence in the blurb [...see this unforgettable big-screen hit for yourself!] uses an imperative that involves the consumer and encourages them to see the film for themselves.

 

An extract from the Bible where the first letter of verse 1

is larger than the rest of the text.

 

The size of the images on the back cover are small so that they do not take over the foreground and stop the consumer from looking at the other elements. It also shows that they are equally as important in terms of attracting consumer appeal as the other elements on the cover. All of the images are of Roache. This emphasises that he is the lead character and is very important in the story. This also shows that the film is taken from his perspective or view of the events. The central image captures Roache hugging another actor intimately and with deep despair. This is an enigma code as it intrigues the consumer and makes us wonder why he looks so upset. This interest encourages the consumer to watch the film and find out what is upsetting him.

 

CONCLUSION - WHAT HAVE I LEARNT?

From this particular film campaign, I have learnt that it is important for a layout to be consistent whether this is on a small scale or if every element is re-used for each way of promoting the film. I have learnt that if continuity is used on a small scale, it is important to re-use the most iconic element because people who may have already seen the film in the cinema will be able to remember it when they see it again in shops or online.

 

I have also learnt that every element of an advert is equally important when it comes to promoting a media text and gaining appeal from the audience. It is because of this that emphasis must be placed on the elements' importance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Warner Bros Studio Tour Evaluation

 

 

 

On the 7th of October, we went to the Harry Potter Studios Tour at Warner Bros Studios, Watford in London. This was an opportunity to gain a large insight of what happens 'behind the scenes' of a film (in this case, the eight films that make up the Harry Potter franchise). We also were given the opportunity to learn more about the marketing department of the film industry and what techniques of advertising will make a film stand out from all the others.

 

WHAT WE DID ON THE TRIP

 

At the start of the tour, we watched a series of interviews with some of the films' crew which included an interview with David Heyman (one of the franchise's recurring producers). These interviews consisted of opinions and answers surrounding the first film: The Philosopher's Stone. This was interesting because it gave us an insight on how the idea of adapting a - what was at the time - recently released children's story about a young wizard was taken onboard and spawned one of the most successful movie franchises ever. We then entered a small cinema room where we were introduced to the studios by the three leading actors; Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. They explained to us their experiences of growing up with the community of thousands of people involved in the films, calling them their 'second family'. This short clip included montage of backstage footage of the trio interacting with fellow actors, camera crew and production staff stating how each member of the community was important to the making of the films.

 

As soon as the screen rolled up, we were taken aback by the iconic doors enclosing the Great Hall.

Once these doors opened, this was the start of the tour of costumes and props. This idea of introducing us to the 'world of Harry Potter' was really original yet fab because this location was one that I can picture in my head clearly and associate with the films. At the front of the hall was a nostalgic collection of costumes that the main teachers of the school wore. Once we were given the freedom to explore, we walked into the main studio area which was the home of many of the franchise's props. Ranging from the ice sculpture that featured in The Yule Ball in The Goblet of Fire to the entrance door to the serpent's lair in The Chamber of Secrets, each prop was used in at least one of the films. Some of the props, particularly the costumes, frequently featured in the franchise (one example is the magical revolving staircase that was used in the foyer leading to the house rooms in Hogwarts). After a short time to take pictures and briefly explore, we then met one of the tour's guides, Will, who gave us a lesson on Marketing. (This is explained in further detail later.)

 

After the lesson, we then went outside to the refreshments area which also housed some of the famous vehicles and buildings. This was an ideal photo zone with places including the Weasley's Ford Anglia, the purple double decker bus that Harry travelled in at the start of The Prisoner of

Azkaban and Harry's house at Privet Drive. We were also given the opportunity to buy a glass of Butterbeer. Then, we entered the second soundstage through the Creature Shop: a room that contained some of the masks and mannequins used in the films. There were also the animatronic heads of creatures and characters that were used (as the rest of their body was most likely created using CGI). Then, we walked down the main alley of shops in Diagon Alley. This was a great photo opportunity and one of my favourite moments of the trip. After capturing elements of the street, we walked into a gallery of artwork and sculptures of pre-developed CGI characters and locations. We then entered a room which only contained this gigantic model of Hogwarts which was used for panoramic shots in the films. This model was absolutely spectacular as seen in the picture below. The final room that we saw was the Ollivanders wand box room dedicated to every single person who contributed to any of the films - actors, production, camera crew, art department, musical department, etc. Each person had their own wand box with their name printed on the edge of the box.

 

MARKETING

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this lesson on marketing because it expanded my understanding and appreciation for other areas of the film industry too. Will's extensive talk on how many career opportunities were available just from one small prop such as a polystyrene piece of debris used in Deathly Hallows Part 2. I learnt that there must be at ten different workers who were responsible for this prop: from designing the prop, the transportation of the prop to the shooting location to the people who are in charge of positioning the prop in the correct position for each shot.  

 

Before any marketing campaign, there has to be a pitch for an idea. The idea of producing a film just for fun may appeal to amateurs but not for serious film producers who hope to receive a long-term return. Therefore, they have to pitch their idea to a distribution company such as Warner Bros (the company that funded Harry Potter), Universal and Paramount. We were taught a key method to use when planning a pitch. This is the list of factors that should be mentioned when selling an idea to company figures:

• The film's genre(s)
• Two main actors that will be involved in the film (actors that are capable of portraying characters from the genre, audience may not approve of Jason Statham appearing in a rom-com for example)
• Basic plot summary (not a synopsis!)
• Period of film (when it is set)
• Enigmas behind plots (can sequels/prequels be produced?)

If a successful pitch is made, a company can then fund an idea and help it develop into a film. One of the departments where funding is crucial is marketing.

 

There are many forms of marketing, e.g.; posters, trailers, P&R stunts, features in fictional programmes and other films, social media, fan-based events, etc. We were given brief descriptions of the less obvious forms of marketing. P&R stunts are interviews with actors for an audience (whether that is in print or in movable text such as the news or factual, cultural programmes). Fan-based events are cult gatherings dedicated to fans of fiction. The event does not have to be based on that particular film that a marketing department wish to promote. The event can be ideal to attract new interest for the film because if the film and the event fall under the same genre, producers are highly likely to receive a large amount of appeal from people who enjoy that particular genre. Another form of marketing is sponsoring where product placement allows a partnership between a film and a company such as Coca Cola or Apple to occur. By featuring an advert for/a competition relating to a film on the packaging of a product, the film can legally feature that product in scenes.

 

One type of marketing that we received an example for was a teaser trailer. This is a minute's preview of a film which usually contains many enigma codes. The usual structure that producers of these trailers follow is that the plot dramatically reaches a climax before disclosing any further information to show the title sequence and other important details like the date of release/premiere or a tag line. To suit the place where we were, we were shown the teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This trailer followed the structure through the increase in music volume and conflict between the cast before the memorable melody and the typography that has been used in all of the films. This trailer highlighted an importance for consistency in campaigns, particularly if the film will spawn sequels and prequels.

 

Another, and less obvious type of marketing, is a tag line. This applies to final sequels of films because fans can easily distinguish a finale when a tagline uses the word 'end' or 'finish'. It can also appeal to audience members who have not seen the previous films and choose to before they decide to watch this final instalment. A successful tag line is one that is still recognisable by a wide audience years (even decades) after the film has been released. Some tag lines are now considered a part of cultural nostalgia, one particular example being Star Wars'  'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away'.

 

MY TOP TEN MOMENTS OF THE DAY

 

Here is a list of my top ten favourite moments of the day (no particular order):

 

 

1. The model of Hogwarts because it was just absolutely spectacular and an example of great artistry.
2. Diagon Alley because it brought back many memories of the films and this room made me feel like I was an extra.
3. The amount of small props that I saw highlighted the importance of every single prop within a film. One prop that highlighted this significant importance was the labelled packet of cufflinks that were a part of Kenneth Branagh's costume in The Chamber of Secrets.
4. The Ollivanders Wand Room because it was a dedication to every single member of the cast and I feel that this sense of community and loving co-operation was one of the biggest reasons why the Harry Potter films were such a huge success.
5. The 'Rock' prop discussion during the Marketing lesson because it helped me to appreciate the huge number of career opportunities that are available in the film industry and it helped me to think about my future in an industry which I wish to pursue a career in.
6. The Ice Sculpture that featured in The Goblet of Fire because it was such a beautiful prop.
7. The darker costumes because they were tailored so that audiences can distinguish the mysterious, evil characters in the franchise.
8. The pre-developed sculptures of Hogsmeade because it helped me to appreciate the artists who provide the ideas behind the fictional locations and the computer-generated characters.  
9. The effort made for Hagrid to be his incredible size: I never realised that they used an incredibly tall extra who wore an animatronic head of Robbie Coltrane to do the stunt work and the physicality of the character. I thought that Robbie Coltrane was just wearing stilts.
10. The inside view of some of the classrooms and scenes because it allowed us to feel like a visitor to some of those areas.

 

CONCLUSION

I thoroughly enjoyed the Harry Potter trip not only because of the sights but because of the knowledge and skills that I gained from the experience that will help me for further media projects. I learnt that consistency is extremely important for an idea's success. Suddenly changing even the smallest area of a character's costume in a sequel can be picked up by audience members and this lack of continuity can discourage them from watching future sequels. Without the loyalty of die hard fans, profits in the long-term may eventually develop into a loss.

 

I also learnt that every element of a film needs to be planned and produced thoroughly. Evading important stages could lead to huge, costly mistakes and when in such a competitive environment, gaining funds from a major distribution company is so difficult to achieve in the first place. From visiting the studios, I realised that even for the smallest of props, a huge amount of detail and work has occurred in order for that prop to be shot in the film. Being able to mass-produce that amount of detail is also very important and, once again, links to my previous point of consistency.

 

I thought that the method taught to deliver the perfect pitch will help me when I'm producing my future projects because planning an idea's genre(s) and basic plot will help me to list and include codes and conventions that will influence my future work. These two factors alongside the time period/era will hopefully help me to focus on the most important reason of a media text's success: the audience's response.

 

 

 (OWN PHOTOGRAPHS)