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.  

 



Codes and Conventions of Coming-Of-Age Films

As part of my pre-production research, I decided to compile a list of codes and conventions of coming-of-age films. This list will be very useful to me when I am producing my script as well as applying elements into my marketing texts, i.e.; my posters and my DVD cover.

 

This list has been compiled with assistance from primary research such as the recurring patterns from the textual analyses of marketing campaigns and opening sequences of coming-of-age films and from secondary sources (websites and news articles). This list not only contains typical character traits and typical locations that would feature in a coming-of-age film. It also includes a typical coming-of-age film's narrative structure.

• The plot of a coming-of-age film usually revolves around a relationship between two of the characters. This relationship is usually the influence behind key events of the story.
• Sub-plots: abuse, sex, bullying, drug use, first love, rebellion, society’s view on virginity, pregnancy, life at home, transition made to become mature, loss of innocence, acculturation (the psychological and emotional effects of society, how people adapt into society), stressing the ability to make wise decisions or judgments, gang culture.
• Themes include: romance, variety of characters (particularly humorous), the importance of friendship, exploring the party lifestyle, situations that the audience can relate to, drama
• Typical main characters are young people approaching 16 years old or 18 years old and a child-like trait, which was present at the start of the film, disappears as part of the characters' 'transformation'. Male characters are very stereotypical: they seek for 'one thing' (sex). The characters tend to have strained relationships with their parents.
• There are distinctive types of character such as; 'the girl next door'/the sweet innocent girl, the rebels/people who rebel against the law, the geek who lacks social skills, misfits, the jocks who intimidate the main, male character/try to liaise with the lead female character, etc.
• Urban, contemporary music is used for transitions between shots and cuts (particularly hip-hop and rap music when representing gang culture)
• The target audience for this genre of film is 15-21 year old females. The typical age rating varies from 12 to 18.
• There is often a moral or hidden message, which influences the conclusion, that encourages the audience to reflect on their past behaviour or their views on certain issues that affect a modern-day society.
• Typical locations include: school, parties, rough neighbourhoods, areas of outstanding beauty (countryside), a character's bedroom, abandoned areas of the countryside, council estates and apartment blocks.
• Typical shots that are used are: montage editing, minimal use of transitions (fade ins or cuts), inter-titles, date recapped at end of the film, low key lighting, focus pulls, slow motion, internal monologues/narration, scenes of intense dialogue, over-the-shoulder-shots for conversations and cross-cutting.

 

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

 

INTRODUCTION: Introduce the main characters and the setting to the audience whilst establishing a conflict or a problem and doubts that are underlying factors of that conflict.

 

ORDEALS/COMPLICATIONS: Insert events that complicate the problem. Ensure the drama gradually increases until the film reaches the climax.

 

CLIMAX: The most dramatic section of the film.

EPIPHANY/KNOWLEDGE: The protagonist discovers something about themselves that makes them realise that things need to change.

TRANSFORMATION: As a part of the conclusion, a part of the protagonist's life has been changed because of the effects of the climax and of the epiphany. This is usually a positive ending but can be negative depending on the severity of the climax.

 



'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.

 





'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.