Sometimes magazines do not focus on one
particular film but instead they have many, which this magazine is a great
example of. This magazine is called 'Scream' (the mast head of the magazine),
which automatically expresses the genre of the magazine being
mainly dominated by horror films. The use of the font is very
childish, due to the red dripping effect used upon it. When looking at the
whole magazine it comes across very childlike which contradicts with the target
audience it is aiming at- older audiences due to it being horror. The font used
and the phrase ' blood, guts, gore and more' is very cringey and would make the
majority of people to purchase an 'Empire' magazine of the shelf. However, the
use of the main image would attract some horror fans as they would be wondering
who this girl is and what is she doing. Stereotypically, the main image is
usually the main focal point of the cover, but in this case it is not. This is
due to the overwhelming amount of information on the cover. However, the use of
mise en scene if make-up makes the girl seem dirty and something you don't want
to mess with. The low angled shot makes the character seem as though she is
coming out of the ground, connoting that she may be coming from hell... The low
angled shot is also a close up which means you cannot see much therefore giving
little insight about the character and the location of the film. This could
increase the curiosity of the audience.
The taglines/ sell lines are very large
compared to many other magazine covers I have analysed. Within this cover they
are very overpowering which makes it hard to focus on one element of the cover.
This, to me, makes it unappealing and unattractive as there is so much going
on, therefore making the audience pick up another magazine instead of this one.
There is no unique selling point of this magazine which would make the audience
not purchase the magazine. The sell lines involves actors which are not very
well known compared to others. This could work as a disadvantage and an
advantage. The advantage is that it may make the audience want to read the
magazine to find out more about them. But more likely it would act as a
disadvantage as the audience wouldn't know them they wouldn't have much care
for them.
This magazine has a clear target audience,
the horror fan base, through the use of the dripping red font connoting blood,
and the use of the cover being dominated by horror films and phrases. This
magazine therefore isolates a large portion of the public as it only appeals to
the horror fans and male audiences due to the dark colour scheme. This is
slightly odd as many people think girls buy a lot of magazines. However, as this
magazine is a horror one, the colour scheme is perfect as the colours are dark
and nearly all the colours compliment them.
The title of the film 'Evil dead' is the
nearly as big as the mast head of the magazine which is fairly odd as the mast
head tells the audience what magazine it is. The font style used is sharp and
jaggered, which subverts the stereotypical style of font which horrors use as
they are traditionally simple and similar to roman Arial. This font makes the
film seem as though it is more action than a horror due to the slanted letters
and the hand reaching up.
The puff in this magazine is the
'Exclusive interviews'. This would attract the audience as they are exclusive
to this magazine.
The main image is one of the main
characters within the million pound profiting franchise, 'The Hobbit'. Even
though the main image is not directly in the middle, due the lighting, camera
shot and placement of the text, allows this to be the main focal point of the
magazine. The medium shot used allows the audience to see clothing (mise en
scene) of the character, which determines the time of which the film is set.
The use of the sword tells that the genre is an action adventure, fantasy as
weapons are the conventions of these films. We can tell that the genre is
fantasy through the use of the clothes and the appearance of the character. The
lighting used in this medium shot illuminates the sword and the characters
face, symbolising the powerfulness and dominance this character has within the
film (symbolic code). Another symbolic code in this magazine cover is that
having only one character on the cover implicates that he is one of the
dominating characters of the film. The actor who plays 'Thorin' is Richard
Armitage, which could be a unique selling point especially as he is very famous
in the United Kingdom, therefore a larger fan base. The darkness and patterns
of the clothes creates a sort of medieval atmosphere which would imply that
this film is set in a different time we are in. The body language and facial
expression of the character creates an enigma as he seems very frightened of
what he is staring at.
The mast head is fairly hard to see due to
the dominating character being edited over it. This suggests that the magazine
is so popular that the audience doesn't need to see the mast head clearly. Compared
to other 'Entertainment' magazine the font is usually white, however, this time
the font is golden. This golden colour compliments with the dark eerie colour
scheme. The colour gold connotes preciousness, royalty and high status, which
suggests that the film are these connotations but also that the magazine is
very popular and precious.
Above the mast head is the skyline, which
explains what the contents holds within the magazine. Having said 'Movies',
'Books', 'Music', and 'TV', opens the target audience of the magazine wide open
as this would appeal to all these audiences, even though the magazine cover is
heavily dominated by 'The Hobbit' film. The font used is thin but large which
would makes it easy to read, especially having it at the top of the magazine.
The anchorage text is used to bring back
the fans from the franchise 'Lord of the Rings', due to the phrase 'Return of
the Ring', being used. Having used this phrase could be seen as a USP the film
within the main image associated to one of the biggest profiting franchise in
the film industry. This would therefore bring the fan base from 'Lord of the
Rings' and 'The Hobbit' together. The font used is the same as the font used
for the skyline but slightly bigger and bolder, which keeps continuity of the
cover. Having this slightly bigger and in yellow fonts suggests that this
information is important. However, the brightness of the yellow slightly
disrupts the colour scheme as it very bright in comparison to the rest of the
colour used in the cover.
A puff is used to attract the audience to
buy the magazine, especially when they are exclusive. The puff used here is
'First look at the next film'. This makes the audience want to purchase the
magazine as they would like to see the 'First' glimpse of the film.
The main focus pull of this magazine cover is obviously the main
image of the antagonist from the serial horror franchise 'Scream'. This is the
main focus pull as the image is directly in the centre of the cover and the
colours used contrast from the background colour, therefore standing out
clearly and boldly. The image creates an enigma as the audience does not know
the identity of this antagonist, which would make them intrigued. The close up shot of the main image makes the antagonist very daunting and horrifying, which
would the audience feel as though this person is watching you; this would definitely
appeal to the target audience, horror fans. Using the mask for an antagonist
follows the conventions of a horror film, which automatically tells the
audience that the genre of the film is horror. The use of mise en scene of the
black cloak furthermore hides the identity but very similar to what the 'Grand
Reaper' wears, which symbolises that this antagonist is playing as God,
deciding who dies and who survives (symbolic code). The blackness of the cloak connotes to
death, murder, sadness and despair, which all describe the antagonist within
the cover. The lighting used in this image illuminates the figure therefore
making the main image stand out even more. Other magazines sometimes have other
images on the cover so it would attract other audience's to purchase the
magazine. In contrast, this magazine only has one character, which emphasises
that this magazine is aiming at the horror fans due to the mise en scene of the
iconic mask and cloak. The unique selling point (USP) of the magazine is the
iconic mask, as this would make all horror fans (target audience) want to
purchase and watch the film. This magazine does have its limitations, due to
having one image, as it narrows down who buys the magazine as it is only
appeals to the horror fans and to a certain extent a few action thriller fans.
This means that there is a vast majority of the public would not buy this
magazine as there is nothing else which will entice them into buying it as it
is mainly aimed at these audiences. The pink stars disrupts the atmosphere and
the colour scheme of the magazine. This poor use of editing makes the magazine
look tacky and even childlike, which totally contradicts the main image being
an antagonist of a horror film. The colour scheme of the magazine is fairly
dark due to the use of reds blacks and whites. This creates an unnerving
atmosphere which follows the conventions what a horror film likes to create and
achieve. However due to these pink girly stars, this atmosphere is disrupted
and therefore making the magazine seem very unappealing.
The mast head of the magazine is near the
top of the cover, 'Entertainment Weekly'. Having the placement and the colour
of the font being white, allows the masthead to stand out boldly therefore
making it easy to read for the audience. Due to the colour scheme, this makes
the mast head stand out. The typography is very bold and solid and furthermore
emphasising the boldness and importunacy of the title.
Above the mast head is the skyline, which,
as you can see, has many stories within it. In this certain skyline, they are
advertising other products such as a 'new book' or 'smartphones', which I think
also disrupts the theme of the cover. This is because it doesn't link with the
film in the main image and doesn't link with anything to do with films, which I
believe the advertisement should. On the other hand, it may provide a larger
audience as this advertisement may appeal to them. The font used is reasonable
small in contrast with the other, which would make the audience pick up the magazine
to see what they say. The white colouring also allows the skyline to stand out
from the background.
The anchorage text which gives a further
insight of the film is located at the bottom right of the cover. This allows
the main image to be the main focal point. This text allows the audience to
become intrigued as they give a little more information about the film, which
would make them want to read more about it. The use of using very famous actors
names, such as, 'Courtney Cox' and 'Drew Barrymore’ is a very clever USP as
they are very professional actors which would draw in an audience to read about
them and even to watch the film (technical code).
This cover has an absence of the puffs,
which in my opinion is good as the anchorage text provides enough curiosity for
the audience to purchase the magazine.
The skyline of the 'Total Film' is used to advertise another film 'Prometheus', which would increase the popularity of this film as it would allow the target audience of 'Spiderman' and this film to buy and read this magazine. This skyline also act as a puff as they are providing sneak peeks behind the film, which would appeal to the audience as they would to know what it could be, therefore more people would buy this magazine. The puff provides intrigueness, making the audience in wantign to buy it; a clever unique selling point. Having the title of the film in yellow font and the rest in white, allows 'Prometheus' to stand out therefore emphaisising the importance of the film. Also withint he skyline is a image of teo people, which suggests that they are part of this film. This gives the audience an insight of who is in this film, however, as they are placed within the corner of the magazine cover, it suggests that this isn't as big as the film within the main image.
In comparison, the 'Entertainment' magazine doesn't have a skyline in steady they have the word 'Spidey' in big, black bold letters. Having the absent of a skyline implies that the cover mainly dominanted by the film within the main image. This is reinforced by using the word 'Spidey' at the horizon of the magazine as this is an iconic name for the masked superhero within the centre of the cover. If I was to design a magazine I would probably use a skyline, to give my target audience an insight of either another film or our production as it would bring in more of an audience. However the cover will be heavily dominated by our production as that will be what we will be trying to sell. Also I would use bold font like both these magazines use, therefore making my skyline stand out, allowing the audience to be able to see it and want to purchase the magazine.
The masthead of the magazine says 'TOTAL FILM' which is in bold, white font. The word 'total' is within the 'F' of the masthead, which is a clever way of allowing more space for other elements to be applied onto the cover. It also looks very orthentic and would be recognisable if anybody saw it. The white allows the masthead to contrast from the background therefor emaking it eyecatching. Having the mast head sayiing 'Film' automatically tells the audience the genre of the magazine. Using the main image overlapping the the mast head, indicates that this film magazine is so popular people don't really need to see the whole name.
In comparison, the 'Entertainment' magazine also has the main image overlapping the mast head which suggests that the magazine is very popular as they don't need to see the full name of the magazine. the mast head is also in a white font whcih allows it to come into the foreground, however, it isn't the most eyecatching piece of font on the cover. This mast head is overpowered by the word 'Spidey', which is centred above the mast head and therefore suggesting the dominance it has not only over other films but over the magazine. Having this word in solid black colouring suggests that this is the unique selling point as this is such a big film, therefore the audience would purchase the magazine regardless of the brand of magazine. Furthermore, both these magazine mast heads have a similar design as they both have words within them such as, ' weekly' or 'total', which suggest this is a popular design to use; either for saving space for other elements for the cover or that it is attractive or even both.
The anchorage text used in 'Total Film' allows the audience to get an insight of the magazine. It says everything which is new about the film, which would attract the target audience; comic con, action fans. Having the repetition of 'New' emphasises the changes the film has and makes the audience want to know more about all this new elements to the film, therefore purchasing the magazine. In comparison to the 'Entertainment' magazine, the anchorage text has gone for the same approach of saying how new the film is and all the new elements which will feature in the film. The phrase ' And a daring plan for the franchise's future', makes the audience feel on edge with excitement as they want to know how, (enigma code), and therefore buying the magazine and even seeing the film.
The main image within the 'Total Film magazine uses a a slightly low angled meduim shot, which allws the audience to see all the vital elements of the character. Using a low angled shot also makes the audience feel less superior as they are looking up at him. On the other hand it could suggest the amount of power and dominance he has over people, or even that he looking over people in a protective sense. An enigma code used in this main image is why is he looking away from the camera; has he done something wrong, or is he hiding his identity? Having him facing away also allows the audiecne to see the iconic icon of a spider, which would attract all comic con fans, action fans and a lot of the male audience. This therefore is a unique selling point as it would make these audiences want to see it due to the how iconic it is. The 'Entertainment' magazine main image goes for a completely different approach, involving the heroine of the film. Having used a female within the image would attract the male and also female audience; male would appeal to the attractiveness of her and the female would appeal to the romance element which is created within the main image. By using the female creates an symbolic code as it suggests there could be a romance occurring in the film due to 'Spiderman' holding her in one arm; therefore an action film involving a romance genre. In both covers they show the iconic 'Spider-Man suit' which is again is an unique sellig point due to how iconinc the costume is. This also gives an insight of the genre, action, and that it involves superheroes. The female furthermore has very light blonde hair, which mkes her seem very innocent which is reinforced with the protectiveness of the superhero (enigma code). This appearance of the women follows the conventions of an action film as when a women is within the film, she is usually seen as desirable and innocent, exactly what the main image has achieved here. Unlike the the 'Total Film' magazine the 'Entertainment' magazine uses a deep focus , whcih allows the audience to see everything, even the background of the shot, which gives the audience a sense of where the film is set. However, the 'Total Film' magazine has no location for its background which therefore creates an enigma as the audience wouldn't know where the film is set. On the other had it could suggest that this superhero goes anywhere that needs help. Both main image covers are both very effective, in my opinion, as they both create enigmas and portray the film in a different ways. For example, the 'Total Film' magazine uses the lack of location or other characters to, firstly, give no indication of what could happen within the film and secondly, suggests that he is alone warrior and works best on his own due to the absence of characters and the tensed body language. In contrast, the 'Entertainment' magazine uses the female as the enigma as we don't actually know who she is and how she is involved withini the film. I would probably use the the 'Total Film' main image design as it creates many enigmas which would attract the audience into purchasing the magazine.
Ususally on magazines there are puffs, which are used to attract the audience to buy the magazine as there is exclusive elements within the magazine. The 'Total Film' the word 'Exclusive' and talks about the 'Spiderman film', which is unique selling point as they are implicating that the 'Spiderman' information is exclusive. Having this with the title of the film, suggests the importancy of it, therefore emphasis how exclusive it is. The 'Entertainment' magazine doesn't use puffs, which could be a disadvantage. However, due to the whole cover being heavily dominated by one film, a puff isn't really needed as not all the information of the film should be released. When designing my own magazine cover I would probably have one puff, such as a free poster, as it would attract the audience and it will link to our production as it could be one from our trailer we are producing. The only thing which could be a drawback is that the puff has to suit the colour scheme as if it doesn't it would make the cover look tacky and would not suit our target audience.
There are many sell lines on the 'Total Film' magazine which are advertising other films and information about the contents of the magazine. Sell lines , such as, '20 Greatest' and 'Total Recall', would attract even more popularity for the magazine as these audiences of these films would like to read and find out more about the film they like. These sell lines also have nothing to do with the main image of the cover, which the advantage is that it emphasises the vast amount of the information in the magazine. However having lots of these sell lines could disrupt the atmosphere the magazine is trying to create through the main image, which is a disadvantage too having this amount of sell lines. One of the sell lines, which is placed at the foot of the magazine acts as a sort of oxymoron or having very contrast things next to each other, for example, 'Thor does F1'. Having used these phrases would intrigue the audience as they would want to know what these all mean. The 'Entertainment' magazine has very minimal fonts on the cover, which may be due to keeping the continuty of the cover, or on the other hand, wanting to emphasies how massive this film is going to be, therefore no other sell lines are needed.
The font use in 'Total Film' is all very bold and ranges in different sizes, corresponding to the importantness of it. Having the font bold allows it to stand out from the background and makes it easy to read. The colour of the font mainly suits the colour scheme and atmosphere of the cover, except for the use of the yellow colour. This yellow font doesn't really suit the eerie and powerfulness atmosphere, which disrupts the continuity of the magazine. The font in the other magazine is white and black which compliments the coliur scheme of the magazine and therefore looks very effective.
Well done Charlotte your posts are very detailed and you analyse the effects of certain conventions that have been used.
Target: could you analyse the different codes used in the trailer, poster and magazine?
When you mention the diegetic and non-diegetic sound, could you include the term technical codes.
Also when analysing the magazine covers, could you comment on the camera shots used and their effect. You could also comment on the symbolic codes and the connotations of these symbols. How do they attract and engage the target audience?
Have enigma codes been used to tease and engage the audience?
DivergentThe skyline of the magazine contains a
look of information, not only for the film but for other news. Having input
other news such as music news, could also attract other audience into
purchasing this magazine, therefore making more money. This skyline isn't like
the traditional ones as usually they are a strip across the top with only one
piece of information. Using a different style skyline, it provides more
knowledge but also would stand out from traditional skylines used. The use of
the colours used suits the colour scheme as it does not disrupt the focal point
of the main image or any other elements on the page. The font used is
furthermore the same as the rest, therefore there is consist continuity within
the magazine. Having used two different colours though, allows them to contrast
from each other therefore making them stand out even more. The use of the red
connotes urgency and importunacy, suggesting that the phrase is an important
story which the audience should know or want to read. The masthead of the magazine is in bright
yellow and in bold lower case font. Having the title of the film (masthead) in
lower case suggests that the yellow is what allows the title to stand out. The
yellow allows the font to stand out from the background due the brightness of
the yellow. The yellow connotes optimism and happiness which suggest you'd be
happy to buy this magazine. However the main purpose of this yellow colour
would be for the masthead to stand out from the background but also so the
magazine could stand out from other magazines on the shelf. The anchorage text used promotes the
popularity of the film especially one of them, 'Is this the next Hunger Games?'
Using this would attract ' The Hunger Game' fans as they would want to know
what the film is about so they can judge if it is similar to the 'Hunger Games'
franchise. Comparing it to this franchise suggests that the film is promising,
therefore hoping more people would read this magazine and therefore watch the
film. Having the 'Hunger Games' in red allows it to stand out from its
surroundings and emphasises the greatness of the film. The other anchorage text
could also be a puff as they say exclusive photos and report from the script
are within the contents. This would attract the audience as they gain exclusive
items if you purchase the magazine. We presume the title of the film is
'Divergent' as it is place in front of the main image and is stretched across
the width of the magazine. The font is thin but in capitals, which makes it
stand out to the foreground. The use of white connotes innocence and purity
which could suggest these character in the main image are innocent due to the
placement of the title of the film. The main image is the main focal point of
the magazine as even though the image isn't directly in the centre of the
picture. Due to these two people being the only characters present in the image
suggests that they are the main characters and therefore the storyline is
mostly based on their journey or adventure. The use of the medium shot
allows us not only see what is in the foreground, the characters, but also
allows us to see the background, which appears to be a city, therefore giving
us an insight of the location of the film. Having the girl also in front of the
man suggests that she has more dominance over him, especially as he is looking
away from here. All these messages through the image makes me realise, when it
comes to me making a magazine cover I need to know how my image comes across,
especially the genre of the film. The genre of this action adventure due to the
use of mise en scene of the props of having knives in the girl’s pocket. This
means that the magazine is aimed at the action target audience. Having the
characters stand so close to each other suggests the closeness of their
relationship, maybe even suggesting a romance. However due to the turned face
of the man it could symbolise it couldn't work or something has happened.
Having the girl making full eye contact with the audience would make the
audience feel as though she is looking at them, maybe even threatening them to
buy it.
The ShiningThis magazine cover is very similar to the
previous analysis of 'The Silence of the Lambs' due to the layout and the main
image used. The skyline states 'The 500 Greatest movies of all time', which is
the same as the previous analysis, which suggest this is a series of covers
which are part of the 500. Having this at the top of the cover would attract
the audience as they would want to know the 500 movies. Having the font white
also allows the skyline to stand out from the black background, therefore they
contrast. The masthead 'Empire' is again in its
iconic font making the magazine recognisable automatically. The font is also
red which connotes importunacy and urgency which could suggest that there are
important films and information within the magazine. This colour also allows it
to stand out from the background making the masthead more eye-catching. This magazine, similar to the 'Silence of
the Lambs', has a black background which acts as a border around the main image
and masthead. This black background makes the magazine appear to be neat and
well edited as it holds the magazine cover together. The main image is of course the man who's
forcing his face between a doors. The use of having what looks like a broken
door suggests that this man has forced his way through, maybe chasing someone.
This could suggest that the genre is a horror or thriller due to the breaking
of the door, but also it is reinforced by the slogan used. The expression on
the man face could connote many things, for example, he could be angry by the
way he is showing his teeth. It also creates an unnerving atmosphere as he
looks like he's grinning due to his eager eyes, which could give an insight to
his character as being crazy. The character in the main image is an iconic
horror antagonist 'Johnny', who is played by a well-known actor called Jack
Nicholson. Having such a well-known actor as the front cover, is a unique
selling point as his fans would go and see the film and also buy the magazine,
because of him. Having such an iconic character and actor as the main character
would attract the audience as the fans for this actor would buy this because of
him. The puff is present to attract the
audience to buy the magazine as they gain something worth wanting. In this case
it is 100 covers of 'Empire' magazine, which all film fans would find appealing
as there will be many different ones. Having used a white background allows
this puff to stand out from the black background, meaning it grabs the
attention of the audience even more. The title of the film 'The Shining' is in
bold bubble writing like font, which allows it to contrast from the background
even more. The font and colour is the same as the font used for 'The Silence of
the Lambs' which I have analysed previously. This suggest that this could be
within a series of older films. Having the musty brown colour creates an eerie
atmosphere which makes the character even more unnerving. The slogan or saying from the film is
printed in black next to the man's face. This phrase says 'I'm not gonna hurt
ya, I just want to bash your brains in'. This reinforces that the film is a
horror, more so a physiological horror, due to the pain this man wants to put
the protagonist through. I think this is very effective as creates an enigma on
who he is saying to but also tells the audience what kind of genre it is.
The main focal point is the man's figure,
even though he not directly in the middle. Having this as the main focal point
automatically tell the audience that this is a horror film, which is due to the
use of mise en scene. The mise en scene of the mask, is a convention which is
stereotypical present within a horror as this is because it creates an enigma
as we do not know their identity. Having the mask present creates an enigma,
which would make the audience want to buy the magazine as it may provide
information about who and what the film is about. The medium shot used provide
minimal information about the film due to only being able to see the man. The
character is also looking straight down the camera lens makes the character
seem powerful and dominant due to the forever lasting eye contact. The eye
contact makes the audience feel as if he is looking at you, which makes you
unnerved, however it could be used to tempt you in buying it as he is monitoring
you. This character is an iconic character within the horror industry,
'Hannibal Lecter'. This would be a unique selling point as the audience would
know who this is so but wanting to know more.
The film is 'The silence of the Lambs',
which is illustrated by the font at the foot of the cover. Compared to other
'Empire' magazine this font is very different due to it being in bubble
writing, whereas the rest are in block colour font, which shows how this
magazine has developed over the years. The use of this bubble writing allows
the editor of the magazine to use two colours, one for the outline of the
letter and the other for the centre. The colour was is a musty brown colour,
which is similar to the colour of the mask, allowing the audience to know that
the phrase is the title of the main image. This musty brown colour connotes
dirt, stinginess and upset, which could be the atmosphere that is created
during watching the film. Having used this colour for the title of the film, it
complements with the colour scheme of all the dark colours used.
There is also a slogan or phrase from the
film saying 'Tell me Ma'am, when your little girl is on the slab, where will it
tickle you?' This is a very weird and disturbing phrase as we are assuming this
was said by the person in the main image; which is disturbing when a creepy man
is talking about your own daughter.
The magazine cover also has a black border
around the main image, which allows the red font to stand out. This black
connotes death and despair which could be factors which happen within the film.
This borders makes the format and the design of the magazine cover neat and eye
catching, as the border acts as a frame.
The puff which is used to grab the audience’s
attention, as they offer something for them. On this magazine they are offer
'100 covers', which would be a unique selling point as you are getting 100
covers of 'Empire' magazines in one, which is worth it. The puff has a white
background which allows it to stand out therefore catching the attention of the
audience.
The skyline of the cover is the phrase
'The 500 greatest movies of all time'. This would attract the audience as they
would want to know what they are and see if they would like any of those movies
within the contents. Having this for the skyline creates an enigma as you don't
know what the films are so it would make the audience by it, to see what they
are. Just under the skyline is the masthead of the magazine 'Empire'. From my
research, I have found out that 'Empire' magazine stereotypically puts the
masthead in the same position, which makes all the magazines associate with
each other.
If I was going to do a horror, I would
probably do a magazine cover similar to this as you can see the antagonist
clearly and they are the main focal point. I would however, may include a
protagonist so the audience could associate themselves with the magazine and
the film.
The main focal points of this magazine
cover is obviously the title of the film and the well-known actor Leonardo DiCaprio
which is standing in the centre. Having one of the main focal points Leonardo
would attract a large audience who likes the films he is in so they would buy
the magazine, therefore a unique selling point. Having him also on the front
cover shows that he will be the main character of the film due to him being the
only one on the cover but the way he is dominatingly standing as if he is more
superior as a slightly high angled shot is used. The use of miser end scene in
which the character is wearing and holding tell us that the genre of the film
is action so the target audience is mainly action fans. The use of the gun and
in a smart black and white tuxedo, reflects that this is an action film. The
suit also goes with the colour scheme in the main image, the man and the
background. This black and white sombre effect creates an eerie and dreamlike
atmosphere which could symbolise what the film is about. In the background of
the main image is an uneven pattern of high to low towers or blocks of some
sort, which could indicate the location of the film.
In the centre of the cover is what we
believe to be the name of the film, 'Inception'. We believe this due to the
placement of it as it is in front of the tall slender figure. The title
'Inception', suggests danger and urgency which is emphasised by the boldness
and connotation of the colour red. The background pattern is also on the font
which suggests that this may be an important factor of the film as it is
repeated. The font is the same colour as the masthead of the magazine which
suggests that it is as important as the masthead, indicating that this is one
of the biggest blockbuster films out, therefore intriguing the audience to
learn more about it. The masthead 'Empire', is in its traditional same font,
which is used in previous magazine covers I have researched, which suggests
that this font is associated with this masthead, therefore iconic. The font is
also placed behind Leonardo suggesting he is a very overpowering character or
film, which is taking over this magazine. Therefore to a certain extent lots of
information about this film inside.
The slogan of the film ' The Matrix meets
007 "on steroids!"' promotes the film especially to the target audience.
Comparing the film to one of the greatest film 'The Matrix', promises the
audience that this is no film to miss, which is a unique selling point as they
this would attract the audience to watch it. Also comparing the film to '007',
one of the most iconic figure around, James Bond' furthermore emphasis the
greatness of the film and would not only attract 'The Matrix' fans, but would
also attract the 'Bond' fans too. The use of having the slogan in white font allows
it to stand out from the background and therefore emphasising itself.
There are many sell lines on the cover,
which are advertising numerous other films, 'Batman 3', Toy Story 3', 'Let Me
In', 'Thor' etc. Having these present on the film magazine allows the audience
to see the other contents within it, therefore attracting all these audiences'
to buy this product. The title of the sell lines are in large, black, bold
font, which allows them to stand out from the background but also not allowing
the title of the film to dominant the whole cover. These sell lines are edited
at an angle, which creates an film the all of them are attracting to the figure
in the centre of the cover, which further emphasis the dominance this film may
have. This placement also provides depth to the cover making all the elements
on the cover stand out and become eye-catching. This cover is very factual compared
to 'The Hulk' cover I analysed earlier as that had very minimal information on
it. Underneath the sell lines is anchorage text, which gives more information
about each film. This automatically gives a little more insight of the films,
therefore attracting them even more.
The skyline of this magazine is 'The Dark
Knight Returns...’ which advertises a different film to the main image. Using
this as the skyline suggests that this is another huge film. All the film names
on the cover are all of the same genre suggesting that this film magazine is
mainly aiming at the action fan audience. This tells me that within my magazine
cover, if we mention other films they should be of similar genre, so it does
not disrupt the colour scheme or atmosphere of the cover.
The circle on the main image, however,
disrupts the magazine cover due to the colour being gold. This is a silly
design which, in my opinion, disturbs the main focal point. Having it gold
suggests that it is important and precious information as these are what
connotes this colour. In my opinion this should it be in white or black font so
it would complement with the colour scheme of the rest of the cover, rather
than disrupting it. What I also feel is that the puff located at the bottom
lefty corner disrupts the magazine cover as the font is not the same or similar
to the rest. Having this makes the writing out of place, which is a poor design
the editors used. One more negative about the cover is that the email address
of the magazine and the phrase 'The world’s biggest movie magazine'. As it is
in white you can barely see it, which is disappointing as this cover is very
impressive except from these few negatives. This phrase should be in black and
bolder font so that the audience would know it’s one of the best film magazine
around. This could have been a unique selling point as the audience would buy
if they were interested in films, as it is the biggest one around.
This magazine is very unique and would therefore stand out from others
due to the unusual design. As you can see the main focal point is the green
figure ripping open the concrete in the centre of the cover. Having this figure
within the centre emphasises that they are the main character of the film and
will have the most dominance within it. We believe that the character is 'The
Hulk' due the font located at the bottom left corner. This font is in large,
bold, upper case format which is in two colours; white and green. The green
associates with the figure as they are obviously both green suggesting this is
'The Hulk'. Having used two colours for the title allows them to contrast from
each other, as the white allows the green to stand out more. This font could
emphasis the strength and power the character has due to the boldness of the
font; however as green connotes jealousy, it could imply that the character is
angry and annoyed therefore maybe the antagonist. This would make the audience
want to read the magazine to see if you gain any more information about this
character and film. The gritting teeth of the character implies he could be
fuming and is supported by the devastation he is causing, which creates an
enigma as the audience wants to know more about this character. The main image
doesn't reveal much compared to other film covers I have researched, such as
the 'Potter 7- Empire Magazine post', as you can only see the character and no
sign of the location, other characters or anything. This would intrigue the
audience as they would want to know more about this film due to the minimal
elements within the main image. The figure used suggests the genre of the film
as being an action, Sci Fi, genre due to the figure being green and due to the
strength and devastation they are causing which are all conventions of an
action or Sci Fi film.
As I have said, this magazine is very unique, which is due to the
ripping effect splitting down the middle and splitting the masthead of the
magazine, 'Empire'. Stereotypically, what happens in the main image, stays in
the main image and does not disrupt the masthead or any other elements within
the foreground of the magazine, however this cover subverts this as you can
see. The masthead 'Empire' is in red therefore making it eye-catching from the
rest of the magazine. From my research 'Empire' is usually red, which is
following the conventions of the traditional 'Empire', however through the
recent months they are beginning to make the colour suit the rest of the colour
scheme. Having this font red, to an extent, disrupts the cover due to the
colours contrasting and not matching. On the other hand, even though the colour
does not go with the colour scheme, it does allow the masthead to stand out and
there for make the audience pick it up and read it. This could explain why the
'P' is cracked, to add a further curiosity to the main image.
To furthermore make the masthead stand out, the editors have added a 3-D
effect and shadow to make it seem as though the title is coming out of the
page. Reinforced by the slogan 'Incredible! The World's First Fully 3-D
Cover!', it makes the audience want to buy the magazine just because of
the cover as it’s the first of a '3-D cover', which is an unique selling point
as it’s the first of its kind. The colour scheme used for this slogan is also
green therefore complimenting with the rest of the colour scheme used.
This magazine is furthermore different to other magazine cover as there
is no skyline on the cover. This skyline is traditionally at the top of the
cover, giving further insights of the contents of the magazine, therefore
attracting the audiences of those films mentioned. Not having a skyline could
be a clever way of making the audience pick up the magazine and buy it as they would
want to know what else is within it. However, it could also mean that they lose
some audiences as some people do not like a Sci Fi action film, so would not be
bothered to buy it as it does not interest them, as they do not know what else
is in it.
The bar code is also nicely placed vertically in the bottom right corner
therefore not disrupting the atmosphere of the cover which it has created.
Below the barcode is the word 'Unleashed!' This suggests that the character is
some sort of monster as it is like they shouldn't be out, which could suggest
that the green figure is escaping, enigma.
The skyline of the magazine reads 'OUR BEST PREVIEW
ISSUE EVER!' This is a unique selling point as it’s enforcing the audience that
this magazine beats all other previous issues, creating a sort of enigma as the
audience wants to know how it beats the rest. Having the skyline in bold block
upper case font allows this phrase to stand out, even though it is smaller font
than others on the cover. There are two colours used; silver and yellow
which contrast from each and with the background. Using the yellow on ' preview
issue' makes the skyline heading eye catching, meaning our eyes automatically
focuses on this due to the brightness and colour. The placement of this colour
is within the centre of the skyline therefore reinforcing the boldness of it
and furthermore making it even more eye catching. The use of punctuation, the exclamation
mark, emphasises the importance of how good this magazine will be.
The masthead, the title of the magazine, is below
the skyline heading which is at the top of the magazine cover. The red used
makes it one of the main focal points of the magazine due to the boldness,
brightness and size of the word 'EMPIRE'. This is the biggest font on the
magazine which lets the audience know that it is an 'Empire' magazine. Having
it large font makes it easier to read and to stand out from other magazines
which is also due to the colour used. The colour used is red, which connotes too
many things, such as; love, death, horror, romance, urgency etc. This suggests
that this magazines involves lots of genres of films due to this colour used.
Also the font is bold allowing the font to stand out from the magazine and
others if on a magazine shelf. This font is different to all the rest of the
font used present on the magazine, which makes the title of the magazine to
become eye catching and makes it iconic as the target audience will only
associate this font with 'Empire'.
The main image is obviously the main focal point
and is also the unique selling point of the magazine. The image reveals Daniel Radcliffe
who plays the iconic character 'Harry Potter' in the magical franchise which
dominated the film industry. Having the character in front of the title of the
film emphasises that this is the main focal point so the audience sees him
first rather than what magazine it is. It also suggests that the character is
more important and has more dominance over the title due being in the
foreground of the magazine. Radcliffe is also staring into the lens of the
camera creating an effect that he is looking at you and is attempted to
interact with you through the magazine. The use of mise en scene gives us an
insight about the film and genre. The wand automatically tells the audience
that the film is fantasy and action genre therefore its target audience. The use
of the circle rimmed glasses and the scar are iconic to the films as this is
what we associate these with, which is why it is present within the image. The
use of clothing reflects the mood of the atmosphere as they set the colour
scheme of the magazine. The dark colours; blacks and blues, connotes death,
despair and sadness, which gives us an insight of what could happen within the
film. However 'Harry Potter' isn't the only character within the image; there's
three other characters, which are on pieces of shattered glass. Having these
characters smaller and not within the centre of the cover emphasises that
'Harry Potter' has dominance within the film and is the main character we are
meant to fall in love with and to follow his journey. Furthermore, having these
three characters in shattered glass suggests that the relationships they had
with each other will become shattered in the film, meaning this glass creates
an enigma, therefore intriguing the audience to read the magazine in case you
find out what it's on about. It could also suggest that due to Daniel being
more dominant he could have caused this shattering of the glass and
characters.
The placement of the shattering glass surrounds the
sell line which creates a sort of border making this sell line stand out. The
phrase 'Potter 7' states the iconic name of the main character, which would
make all 'Potter' fans want to read the magazine. Having it in white
furthermore contrasts with the background colour, making it readable and eye
catching. This white colour used connotes purity and innocence which could
reflect the characteristics of the character. The sub heading or anchorage text
‘Friendships shatter. Evil Unites, The end begins', reinforces and partly
explains the use of the shattered glass, but there is still an enigma of what
and why this happened, therefore intriguing the audience to read the magazine.
This sub heading also put tension to the magazine as it is the beginning of the
end, which would make people want to read it to see if any secrets are spilled
within it. Having the font in yellow, connotes danger and urgency which gives
an insight of the atmosphere which would be in the film.
There are three sell lines on this poster which
mention different films, indicating there are more film knowledge within the
magazine. All the sell line have words which associate with the film such as
the words 'Heroes', 'Legends' etc. Although they are not directly associated
with the film, they do link to it as 'Potter' is seen as these words. These words
are bigger than the subheading making them stand out, encouraging the idea of
the character in the main image. These words are also in white and grey making
them stand out from the background. These sell lines not only aids to promote
the film in the main image but it also promotes other films, making the
audience who are not interested in this magical franchise, be intrigued by the
other films.
At the foot of the magazine is another unique
selling point as there are 'exclusive' items and information within the
contents. This would make the audience want to buy it as it they would want to
know these exclusives about this film and the other films stated below this
heading. This colour scheme contrasts from the rest of the magazine's colour
scheme, therefore making them stand out from each other. The use of the yellow
colour for the phrases 'James Cameron's Sanctum' and 'Source Code' allows them
to stand out from the rest of the text suggesting this is more important
information than the rest. Having 'James Cameron' in yellow would attract the
fans who love the creations he has made, therefore gaining more popularity of
the magazine.
The initial opening shot of the trailer shows this man holding a present, turning round to face the camera, in response to a woman's voice calling 'Dad'. This medium shot gives us an insight of who the character is and an indication of the location of the film. This shot allows us to see the man turning around in the centre of the screen, wearing a grey suit with a white shirt. This use of mise en scene suggests that the character is an average working man, which would allow the audience to associate with him as a large niche of the audience would be in a similar suit like him. The use of the white shirt makes him seem innocent due to white connoting innocence and purity. Having the character holding a big present in his hands, furthermore increases his sweetness and shows that he cares for the person who gift it is. The audience feels this way towards the character as stereotypical you wouldn't see a man holding something so childish, which also suggests, due to the wrapping surrounding the box, that the gift is for someone much younger than him, maybe a son or daughter. This shot also allows us to see an indication of where this film is set as you can see a big pale house with freshly cut grass and bushes in the background; suggesting that it is a fairly well off place. Motif is also used in this shot as the weather suggests that is a place of happiness as it is sunny and creates a warm
atmosphere. Having the man in the opening shot emphasises that he will be the dominant character within the film as he is the first person you see in the trailer. This suggestions is supported by him standing in the centre of the frame implying that the story line will be mainly based on him. The dialect also gives us an indication that this character has a family by the woman shouting 'Dad', therefore sympathising with the character even more as people are fathers themselves. The expression on the man face suggests after the calling suggests that he hasn't seen the lady for a while as eyes are longingly staring in her direction, implying he may have had lots of work, symbolised by the suit.
A black transition introduces the forthcoming shots, where a young woman is running into the man's arms, which we presume is the mans daughter. We are thought to think this due to the closeness of the two characters, whereas the distance between the lady next to him is quite a distance suggesting they are not as close. Although there is a distance between these two characters, the lady is standing in the foreground implying that she has importance within the film. The close up shot of the father and daughter hugging emphasises and supports the suggestion that they have a close relationship. It also suggests that this lady would have significant within the film as her face is the main focal point of the shot. The use of dialect also gives us an insight that it is the daughters birthday. The non-diegetic music involves a woman softly singing, creating an image of angels singing. This emphasises the innocence of the lady as you can hear the music more dominantly when the close up shot is present. This background music also creates a blissful and cheerful atmosphere, which is reinforced by the use of the sunny weather as well.
Another one of black fade in transition are used, which creates a feeling of someone remembering a course of events as they are revisiting memories. The dialogue used here, by the daughter, tells the audience that the main location will be Paris, which is reinforced with the long high angled shot of Paris and the iconic Eiffel Tower. Parents can also relate to it as they are always nervous for them when they are going abroad on their own, which is reflected by expression of the fathers face looking scared and nervous. The non- diegetic is continued into this next shot and increasingly getting louder, creating a calming atmosphere with a hint of despair, signifying that the father has to let his daughter grow up and that she's not his little girl anymore, also another element for the older audience to relate too.
The institution of 20th Century Fox' alternatively flashes onto screen with a plane taking off. These flashes are synced with a sound of thunder, suggesting that a storm is brewing, and it is associated with the daughter who's going to Paris. It could also signify the disturbance of the equilibrium of the film.
The screen goes black for a few moments, creating tension and suspense within the trailer. A dramatic noise is suddenly played suggesting drama and creating an unnerving atmosphere, that something bad might be occurring. The shot used here is a medium shot layered over with a close up shot, creating a jumpy but zooming effect, as if emphasis the importance of the contents of the handbag. Having the phone in the centre of the shot emphasises the significance of the shot, that this call is very important as the diegetic sound of the phone ringing echoes the flat. As the phone continues to ringing two shots simultaneously jump onto the screen, one being of the father holding the phone to his ear pacing around and the other of his daughter about to be up the phone. Having these shots present on screen at the same time shows the different points of views both character are feeling. Firstly, you can tell that the father seems distressed and nervous due to his body language being tense and pacing around the room. The use of mise en scene of the clothing suggests that the character is sad and upset as the these descriptions all connotes for this colour. The other point of view you see is from the daughters, which is a long shot, allowing us to see her and the location she is in. The sue of mise en scene through the use of clothing suggests youthfulness and sweetness as she is wearing pink trousers. Having these two shot next to each other as if comparing the two shows the gradient of happy and sadness. The use of a dim lit shot on the left symbolising a sad, worried atmosphere in comparison to the white well lit location the girl is in, creating a happy and not a care in the world kind of atmosphere.This split screen format o the screen continues allowing the audience to see both sides of the conversation at the same time, therefore seeing each character reactions to the responses.
The non diegetic music begins to increase in sound and have loud beats and thuds in it, building up the tension and suspense of the trailer. This music creates the atmosphere of the shot where there are black figured people carrying out a struggling women. This makes the audience's adrenaline heighten through the use of the close up, medium and low angled shots all bring played on the screen at the same time, making there to be no main focal point, clever! Having no main focal point means the audience can not focus on one thing therefore making them feel uneasy and unnerving as they may think they have missed something. The use of the low angled shot makes the people walking in seem more superior than the audience as it is like we are looking up at them. Also using the close up shot of their shoes, gives us minimal visibility of the identity of them, therefore creating an enigma. The use of black clothing stereotypically makes the audience know that these people are bad as usually people breaking into houses wear dark clothes so they can hide in the shadows of the house. However, this time of day subverts to the stereotypical time for a break in which people usually fear as it mostly occurs at the dead of night. Having this occurring during this time makes the audience feel scared as the film is suggesting that not all bad things happen at night. The black colours of the clothes symbolises evilness and badness, and having the people entering through a door suggests as if evil is entering so watch out. The medium shot used also gives minimal visibility as the wooden structures of the window is blocking the view, suggesting it is from the girls point of view. The girl who gets taken is also wearing white making her seem innocent and therefore making the audience feel sympathetic for her. On both these shots a lighting effect is added so the shots look as though they had flashed. This flashed like effects further suggests that it is some sort of memory as they are trying to recall certain things but are struggling.
The dialogue used within the next shot makes the tension exceedingly worse, as saying 'Someone's here', frightens not only the audience but the father on the other end of the line, as this is his worst nightmare, as he cannot do anything as he is in a different country to her. This is a very relatable feeling which parents feel when their child goes away, therefore the audience can associate with this character even more. Both the shots are close up shots of the father and daughter, allowing us to see both concerning and scared faces, furthermore allowing the audience to sympathise with them. Having one side of the split screen bigger than the other emphasises that the father has more dominance than the daughter within the film. This split screen format continues but the use of fast editing in present showing us what the girl is seeing from her point of view (point of view shots) to seeing how the father is reacting. This fast cut editing creates further tension as they shots are going past fast, making it hard for the audience to pick up on specific elements in the shots. The shots used during this fast editing are mostly close up shots, which emphasises the expressions and emotions of the characters but building even more tension as we cannot see surrounding features, such as if the black figured people are in the house the daughter. However, the volume of the music decreases and the beats are removed creating an eerie but realisation mood to the scene, forcing the audience to pay more attention to the trailer as they want to know what happens next. The fast cut editing continues as the father tells the girl what to do, 'Got to the next bed room, hide in there'. This dialogue the father is saying seems to be cut from the film so it act as a kind of voice over, letting audience know what is happening, however, cutting out parts from the film which the audience want to know as they want to the know the build up to this decision.
The use of fast cutting editing distorts the viewer as there is no focal point to concentrate onto. The fathers voice is overpowering the music making the audience listen to him, however as the three shots come onto screen, the non diegetic music increases in volume and has a high screeching pitch to it, making it sound chilling and tense. Also the three shots are close ups, creating tension within the trailer. The father then says 'This is very important', where the all three shots zoom inwards suggesting what he's about to say is 'very important'. There is a slight pause before he says 'They are going to take you', which as soon as he says 'you', the three way split screen disappears and shows the daughter being dragged from the bed. Having the position of the camera directly in front of the girl, makes the audience want to grab her hand and help her but instead they feel helpless, like the father. The scream of the girl, echoes, leaving the audience with a chilling shrilling scream in their heads.
The screen fades to black suggesting despair and shows that the daughter is gone. To a certain extent, it could suggest the hanging up of the phone as there is no more split screen. The music changes to a piano piece, which reflects the emotions of father (sound motif ) as being devastated and despaired. Shots lasting milliseconds long flicker on screen and then focuses on the fathers who is still sitting there. This fast flickering of shots, makes the audience intrigued therefore creating an enigma as they do not know what is happening and want to understand. The medium shot shows the father motionless which makes an comforting atmosphere as you would expect him to be running around phoning the police, but instead he's just sitting there doing nothing, but still on the phone, why is he acting like this?
The father starts speaking down the phone, making it sound like it has a lot of significance due to the tone of his voice: 'I don't know who you are, I don't know what you want, if you are looking for a ransom, I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquire over a very long career, skills which make me a nightmare for people like you, if you let me daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you...'
This speech is used as a narrator as it is played over many shots, making the audience not only focus on the shots but mainly focusing it on his voice. They editors of this trailer has synced up the speech very accurately with high precision as what the mans husky voice says also happens within the shots, telling us that this what he has said is the film in a nut shell.
While the father is saying this speech the non diegetic piano is used to sympathies with the character, making him even more likable even though he is being very threatening. The shots between this speech creates countless enigmas such as who is tied to the chair, making the audience want to see the rest of the film. Also a lot of the shots are close ups there for not giving much away, potentially creating even more enigmas, therefore attracting a bigger audience. A vast majority of the shots involves this man showing he is the main character of the film, and we are looking at the event through his eyes more than the girl was have been 'Taken'. Through the use of props and stunts, such as guns, weapons, explosions and many more , that the film is an action, letting the audience know that the film is aiming at the action filled fans of the world. The fast editing makes it very difficult to see whats going on therefore intriguing the audience to watching not only the trailer again but also the film. As the speech gets to the end the shots are rapidly flashing onto the screen increasing the tension and building up the audience adrenaline, which is reinforced by the fast tempo music.
As it reaches the climax of the trailer the music tempo slows down and a close up of the father still on the phone becomes on show. The use of very dim lit lighting shows he is still feeling devastated, however after the speech, it portrays to the audience that he is angry and is not messing around. The quietness of the music makes the audience sit on the edge of the seat as they want to hear what else is going to be said. Having a man on the other end saying 'Good Luck' and breathing deeply down the phone makes the audience feel scared of who it is but the most asked questions would be who is he, why is he doing this and where is the girl? ENIGMA GALORE!
The title of the film powers onto screen as the noise of the withheld dial tone still plays, making the audience how is he going to find her? The title 'TAKEN' is all in upper case emphasising that the film is about someone or something being taken. Having the letters in all upper cases shows that whatever has been taken is very important and significant due to the boldness used as well. The font is white and has a textured element to it, as if its been scratched, which makes it more intriguing and stands out from the background. Underneath the title is a who the film is by, suggesting that the fans of this person's films would go a see it as they like productions. Having the title at the end of the film, ensures that the audience watches the entire trailer so they could find what the suspense filled thriller is, very clever placement. It also makes the audience remember the film as it is the last thing you see of the trailer.
Deliver Us From Evil (2014)
This poster is very cleverly formatted as you can see from the title at the top of the poster. The title of the film is ' Deliver us from Evil' which automatically says that the film is a horror. Due to the layout of the title and the 'D' being a capital letter, makes the title also reads the word 'Devil', which from just that, makes you know that the film involves demonic activities which are very frightening as we can not prove this exists. The font is also white, which creates a sense of fear as the title is texture as if it has been worn away. Above the title are the names of the most famous actor within the production, which would a be selling point as fans of these actors would want to go and see it. At the header of the page is a sentence which says that this film was inspired by actual events, which makes the audience associate with the film as this could happen to them. However as this is fairly small font it means that it may not be as important information as other parts present on the poster. The slogan says ' You haven't seen true evil ', suggesting that this is going to be the most horrifying horror film you've seen, which gives horror fans hope that they will get an adrenaline rush from it.
The man bending over in a chair is one of the main focal points of the poster due to the use of lighting and mise en scene. The lighting illuminates the character, portraying him as innocent, which create an enigma of why is an innocent man being kept like this? This innocence is supported by the use of clothing as its white, which connotes to innocence and purity. The piece of clothing the person is wearing looks as though it is a strait jacket, implying he is crazy and needs to be kept under control, as you wouldn't want to be around him if he's not wearing it. However this contradicts with the use of lighting and the colour of the jacket as they symbolise innocence, therefore creating many enigmas; who he is, where he is, and why him? If you look at the his skin you can see that there are deep cuts on the back of his neck, suggesting he is being tortured; or to a certain extent the scratches look similar to the writing on the floor of the room. The man is also wearing denim jeans which suggest he may have been taken from his everyday lifestyle as patients in an asylum always wear uniforms, which are the same as each other. Furthermore, the high angled shot allows us to see the whole location, but most of all it makes the character seem small and less superior, making us feel sympathetic for them, more so for the man than the long haired lady. This shot also creates a sense that someone, in this case the antagonist, is watching over these people, creating a further enigma of who? This high angled shot also allows us to see the other character, which is crawling on her knees towards the camera of this picture, making you feel unnerved by her. As she is facing you, it creates a sense that she is looking at you and is coming for you, scary! The lady is also hold a ring full of keys, firstly suggesting she may be guarding the person with her or that she has been isolated from humanity so long that she acts like some sort of animal. How her body is contorted makes are seem unnatural and frightening, implying she could be a scare factor within the film. You can also see that there are strange markings on the floor which are not English, suggesting it is either a different language or a language of the evil. Having this in the centre in of the poster implicates that these markings could have significance within the film. The lighting used in the poster only illuminates the character on the left, therefore decreasing the visibility around the rest of the location, making the audience more intrigued in where they are.
The Strangers (2008)
The picture has very many enigmas which makes the audience feel uncomfortable and unnerving. First the long shot allows us to see the whole room and the location of the film, a household. A household is seen as being a safe haven, a place to feel safe and relaxed, away from troubles happening around; however you can see this isn't a safe place to be. Firstly you can see a lady standing on her own in the middle of the room, portraying her as being the main character of the film. The way she is standing reveals that she is very tensed and on edge, emphasising her fearfulness she has within her and on her face. Although she has a sad expression on her face, it creates an enigma on what she's scared about, as what you should expect her to be frightened of is the person standing behind her. The use of clothing subverts the stereotypical clothes which usually are wore by the protagonist as she is wearing a checkered shirt and jeans, which could make it even more relatable as she is wearing very ordinary clothes. However the lighting in the picture makes the lady seem innocent as the light is on her and shadowing the other character who's standing in the shadows. The character in the background is very unnerving and is automatically seen as being the antagonist. The use of the mask shows that the character doesn't want his identity to be known, but having this mask increase the tension and horror as we do not know who the intruder is, another enigma. The use of a brown suit suggests that the character could be anyone as they are wearing everyday clothing, which makes it increasingly terrifying. Having the character in the background and in the shadows suggests that they are evil as they are surrounded in darkness.
The slogan used 'We tell ourselves that there's nothing to fear, but sometimes we're wrong', emphasises that we are not safe anywhere, which would the audience feel very uneasy about their homes everything they do. This font is also in a worn colour font suggesting that it might have happened a long time ago. In comparison, the title is in lower cases and has blurred edges, which makes it seem very eerie and disturbing. The lower case letter subverts to the convention of a poster as usually there is at least one capital letter within the title, which would make this film stand out. Underneath the title is the words 'Based on true events', which makes the whole film more relatable as this phrase suggests that this could happen to the audience. Also above the title are the names of the actors which would make the audience know who was in it, this could even be classed as a unique selling point, as people who like these actors would then go to see the film... if they dared...
Sinister (2012)
As you can see this film has the producers of 'Paranormal Activity' and 'Insidious' which is written in white font at the top of the poster. Having this at the top would make the audience read it as usually you read a something from left to right from the top. This would increase the popularity of the film as these films were very popular when they were released. The white also allows the font to stand out from the background, so the audience can read it. The title on the other hand is in black font, similar to the font used for 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', however this font has drip marks under the letters, making the audience feel unnerved by the title. The title itself 'Sinister', implicates evilness and that something harmful is going to happen or happened, therefore stating that the film will be a horror.
The slogan under the title says 'Once you see him, nothing can save you'; this creates an enigma as nobody knows who 'him' is. This slogan makes you feel uneasy as not knowing this enigma, it means you never know if you've seen him or not.
The background appears to be a white room where the paint is slowly cracking off. This creates an unnerving atmosphere as the dirty colour white suggests its a typical horror location. Continuing on, the main focal point of the picture is the dripping red blood on the wall, this advocates that it is a horror as they follow the conventions of a horror. In the blood you can see a horrifying face, which makes you have a closer look in case you misinterpreted the poster. This face could be associated with the slogan stating 'him'. The girl is very intriguing due to the use of mise en scene used. The girl is wearing what looks like pyjamas, which are white, which make the audience feel sympathetic for her, as white connotes innocence and youthfulness, which suggests that the girls ages is reasonably young. Also having the character blonde reinforces the innocence of the girl as stereotypically they are seen as more innocent in horror films. The characters body position is also very limp as if she is in a trance or sleep walking, which makes it hard seeing her face. As we are unable to see her identity, it suggests that she hasn't got a main part in the film. Also her hand is touching the wall with the blood on making it seem uncomfortable as someone of that age or anyone touching blood is very disturbing, enhancing the scare factor. On the floor there are old unrivaled video projector tape which suggest that they have some significant as they are in the foreground of the picture. As they are unrivaled it suggests that someone or something doesn't want anyone to see them.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
The dominant colours within this poster is red and black, which both connote death, evil, blood and despair, which these are the conventions of a horror film. This low angled shot makes the audience feel sympathetic for the girl in the foreground as the figure behind her is standing behind, as he is overpowering her and is seen as more superior than her. The expression on the girl face, revealed by red lighting, shows she is scared and frightened, however it look slightly vacant implying she is unaware of what horrors stand behind her. Using the red lighting suggest she has been taken to the evil side, suggesting she has no escape from the grasp behind her. The use of the black clothing (mise en scene) connotes that she has been taken over by the evilness surrounding, further making the audience feel sorry for her as she is at his mercy. The shadow casting over her and furthermore emphasises the power the figure has over the girl. However the casting shadow could be mistaken for a puddle of blood surrounding the girl, implicating the girl is already dead. Due to the light the figure does not show any expression, therefore giving the audience no insight of the character, creating an enigma. We are to believe this is the antagonist of the film due to the sharp claw like glove glistening in the light, implying this is the weapon he uses for killing people, conventions of a horror. The body language and pose the antagonist has shows his dominance suggesting he has a main feature in the film. The only two pieces of clothing we can visibly see is the clawed glove and the hat. The hat look as though it is covering his identity, which suggests that he wants to his identify sealed from everyone except his victims.
The location doesn't give any hints of where the film is set, however, having used a narrow corridor, it suggest that the girl has no way to escape. The slogan, however, gives us an insight of the location, 'He knows where you sleep'. This suggests that the location of the film is mostly based in the dreams, but of who?
The title is in large, red simple font which takes up a large portion of the foot of the poster. The red connotes death and blood, implying that there will be a lot of blood split in this film. In nowadays a lot of the time the font is white for horrors, as it creates an eerie and spooky effect, so this colour subverts to the conventions of a horror film in nowadays. Having the format of the font larger than the rest of the title, implies that this film would give you nightmare, or on the other hand, this man only comes in his dreams, which this theory is supported by the slogan of the film. The rest of the font is in white font which conforms with the stereotypical font which horrors nowadays use today. This allows the font to stand out from the black background, but also creates an eerie effect.
