Film Magazine Front Cover

Empire Film Magazine - August 2008 Edition



Empire film magazine is one of the most consistent, high selling film magazines in the world and is very effective in attracting its target readership on a monthly basis and this edition is a classic example.

 From this front cover the image immediately strikes you and grabs the attention of the target readership as the most iconic feature. The image is Harry Potter from the new film “The Half Blood Prince” and is very effective in reflecting the narrative of the film and in particular the character himself. The image portrays the main character Harry in a distinctive fashion. His expression is serious and he seems troubled which is very relevant when referring to his personality and situation and also appears rough with his hair, cracked glasses and blood and bruises around his face. These factors reflect the narrative very effectively as in the film Harry is a troubled character that is constantly in danger. Profile lighting is used on Harry Potters face very that lights up half of his face and leaves the other side in darkness and its ironic as on the right side of his face which is in darkness he has a cracked lens in his glasses and blood and cuts whereas on the side lit up he has nothing too unusual. The wounds are caused by his “dark side” to Lord Voldemort and his death eaters. This effect reflects Potters personality very well as he is perceived to have a dark side which he has been cursed with although he is normal and wants to avoid these problems which relates to the light in his face. The sell line relating to the Harry Potter film is on the far right of the page near the bottom and is effective in grabbing the attention of the target readership. The phrase reads, “Bloody Hell, Harry comes out fighting,” which reflects the films narrative is effective in linking to the main image. It further answers the meaning of the image and gives details of the films narrative that will appeal to the target readership.

The masthead is also significant in relation to Harry Potter as it is portrayed in a bold fashion with bright red font which is distinctive brand identity of the “Empire” film magazine and relates to the character of Harry in certain ways. This is because of Harry’s nature of being constantly surrounded by danger and the fact that he is cursed and is wanted dead. Even though the red is used on a consistent basis for “Empire” film magazines, in this particular edition it relates well to the main image as red often illustrates danger and evil which are what Harry faces on a consistent basis in the new film.  The films magazine name “Empire” is significant in its meaning as it is consistently displayed in the strong red font which portrays elements of danger and evil.

As well as the lighting used for effect on the main character, the background is also significant in relation to the films narrative as it seems to be black which gives off the impression of mystery and uncertainty which are very common features in the new Harry Potter film.  There is also side lighting from the top right of the page on Harry Potters head which again contradicts the darkness and adds elements of light and a way out to the equation. The main sell line in the top left corner states, “Massive Preview Special” and it immediately grabs the attention of the target readership. There are various techniques used in the sell line to grab attention such as the uppercase letters in a large size in a white font which immediately appeal to the target audience. The words “Special Preview” are going to attract the target audience as it shows that it’s going to provide a brief look into the new Harry Potter film which is going to immediately attract fans of the film. The words suggest a special scoop about the film which means you can find out about the film before anyone else. The word “special” is a buzz word which suggests importance and preciousness. The significance of this sell line is also made more evident when you compare the other sell lines underneath which are not as bold or as clear. The layout of the other sell lines is very clear and effective as it makes it easy for readers to identify what is going to be in the magazine in a clear fashion which is an effective technique as members of the target readership want everything to be made clear to them.

The target audience for this particular issue of “Empire” is most likely going to be Harry Potter fans as the main image is what immediately what strikes out and grabs the attention of the readers therefore the most obvious reader is going to be someone with a genuine interest in the Harry Potter films and their going to be interested in the new film.  As the film is rated a 15, you have a wider age range and larger target readership because Harry Potter is a film in which appeals to people from most ages and is very effective in enticing its target audience.

Film Magazine Front Cover

Empire Film Magazine - January 2008 Edition

Empire film magazine is a British film magazine that is published monthly and is currently the biggest selling film magazine in Britain, consistently outselling its nearest market rival Total Film.

This is the front cover for the Empire film magazine from January 2008 and is very effective in enticing the target audience. The main image on the front cover is of the joker from the film “Batman – The Dark Knight” and is prominent on the cover and immediately grabs the attention of the target audience. The jokers head is strategically placed where part of the magazine title is displayed covering the letter “P” which is significant because anything that covers the main title of the magazine must be important so its adds significance to this main image of the joker. The image clearly relates to the main sell line being “Meet the Joker” as it is displayed with the comical font in green that clearly relates with the main image of the joker who also is wearing a green waistcoat which gives a comical element to the mount. The image suggests that the genre of the film has elements of evil with the mysterious joker as well although the film itself is an action/adventure film which is not easily picked out through the interpretation of this front cover. There is a contrasting image of the joker on another film poster for “The Dark Knight” which displays the joker in an evil way holding a gun, striking a serious pose whereas in this poster the joker seems less evil however does display an expression of intent to something which looks dangerous. The use of camera on this cover is very significant as the joker is captured in a medium shot displaying his whole body looking straight directly at him in the centre of the page which adds significance as his whole body is being displayed which allows the target audience to gain an understanding into the jokers character and personality. Top down lighting appears to be used with light being put down on above the joker offering an interesting contrast as half there are elements of light and darkness about the character and it provides a controversial view about the joker. For example with the jokers face, half of it is in darkness and the shade whereas the other half is lightened up which can give the audience the interpretation that the joker has elements of light within as well as darkness which is effective in keeping the target audience thinking.  The elements of mis-en-scene relating to this character are very significant when identifying the characters personality and nature. The joker is displayed like a clown but with evil elements that can be drawn up because of his expression and way in which he is portrayed to the target audience. His costume can be related to as a clown with his green waist coat and bright blue trousers and multi-coloured socks although his facial make up is significant in portraying the evil nature of his character with the jokers facial expression. The black make up around the jokers’ eyes offers a contrast to the white face and gives off elements of evil and danger in which will make the portrayal of the joker seem dangerous.

From the name of the film being “The Dark Knight” you can understand that the magazine itself is one in which likes to advertise films with a dark and mysterious nature as the name of the film suggests. The masthead itself is portrayed very clearly in a red font which is very significant in finding out more about the magazine itself as the colour red gives off the idea of danger and blood which are common relations to the colour. So therefore the evil nature of the joker appears like a common convention for the magazine. The size of the masthead itself is large, which is a common feature with film magazines such as with “Total Film” also implementing the same strategy so that the magazine itself is made clear to the target audience. However there is a significant feature in this particular magazine cover with the main image of the joker taking over part of the title itself with the jokers head going partially over the masthead. For example in the August 2008 edition, Harry Potter is advertised with Harry himself taking up most of the page but not going over the masthead whereas with this magazine the jokers head is over the distinctive masthead which is not common for “Empire.” This therefore gives the target audience the impression that the image is very important and it makes the film seem a lot more significant and adds power to the image which will further entice the target audience to the magazine if it’s good enough to shadow the magazine title itself. The masthead is effective in attracting its target readership being people with a genuine interest in action films as well as horror and more however the red font adds a dangerous element which will predominantly attract members of the target audience with an interest into danger.

There are a few significant sell lines on this magazine front cover that are effective in enticing the target audience with the main one being “Meet the Joker” which is prominent and features just below the masthead in a clear but comical fashion relating to the clown theme presented with the joker. It’s an effective caption because it entices the target audience into wanting to find out more about this joker and what his intentions are. Another significant sell line features at the top of the page above the masthead adding importance which states, “The Dark Knight – World Exclusive” with the iconic Batman symbol which is an effective way in capturing the attention of Batman lovers especially with the symbol being portrayed in the centre at the top of the page with back lighting around the significant symbol. Also the words “World Exclusive” are going to interest the target audience as it means this is a new film in which the target audience are going to be interested in watching. This in particular sell line is very effective in luring in the target audience because the target readership can relate to the Batman symbol and the new film and want to know more. There is a very effective sell line which features right in the middle of the page in a spooky font in white saying, “He’s a cold blooded, mass murdering clown” which is a very good reflection of the character in a brief summary. This single statement is very effective in luring in the target audience because it makes the joker seem extremely dangerous and heartless and will further entice the target readership to want to know how the joker will fare when he comes up against Batman. The phrase relates to the jokers expression where he seems content on evil and committing crime which will give the target audience a clearer interpretation about “Batman’s New Nemesis!”  The phrase describing the joker is effective in reflecting the interests of the target audience being danger and mystery which are accurately portrayed in this particular front cover.

The colours used for the sell lines mainly consist of white as well as pink and green which are significant in different ways. The white is used to add significance to the sell lines whereas the pink and green relating to the clown theme of the joker as they are common colours related to clowns and they are bright colours in which are going to strike out and grab the attention of the target readership. The colours are effective in luring in the target audience because they provide something different which will entice the target audience because clowns often relate to bright colours so the magazine can get away with the strong use of pink and green and the different funky font styles which are used to great effect. The different sell lines lure in the target audience effectively through providing interesting conventions in which are going to grab the attention of the target readership rather than boring them with common uses of the common colours red, white and black.

There is a good balance in relation to the text to image ratio as the main image of the joker is very prominent and immediately grabs the attention of the target readership as the main sell point although the use of text is significant and effective. The fact that the main image of the joker peers over the main title of the prolific magazine shows you just how important the image is in this front cover. The top down lighting used on the image is effective in adding significance to the poster and the positioning of the character in the middle of the page is effective in outlining the jokers importance although the use of strong colours in the sell lines are evident and used for effect to further enhance the importance of the sell lines as well as the main image.

Film Trailer Analysis 1

“A Nightmare on

Elm Street"

 

'A Nightmare on Elm Street'

 is a horror movie in which produces all the conventions of the “slasher” genre and is very effective in enticing the target audience. After watching the trailer  it’s easy to establish that the movie is a “slasher” as there is a main killer being “Freddie Cruegar” and victims that are clearly being attacked in their sleep. Throughout the trailer there are shots of the killers’ sharp claws that are used to kill the victims in their sleep. This becomes apparent in the trailer when the young girl falls asleep in the bath and “Cruegars” claw approaches her from the water. This indicates the sub genre being a “slasher” movie as well because of the sharp claw which is a weapon associated with “slasher” movies.

From these clips of the killer, the audience can clearly interpret the sub genre of the horror movie and it has effectively used the conventions to intrigue the target audience. In terms of mis-en-scene the lighting used throughout is very dim and dark which gives off an uneasy, evil nature to the audience. For example at the beginning of the trailer when Freddie himself was running from the people that wanted to kill him it was dark and the audience could sense and feel that something unpleasant was going to occur which it did when they burned Freddie in the house. The fire strongly showed evil and you could sense it unravelling in the flames as the target audience. The large house shown in the trailer is another feature which strongly relates to “slasher” movies as well as the young girls used which are common techniques in enticing the target audience as it provides a sexual element for the male target audience.

The actors used throughout the trailer were significant in enticing the target audience. There were a variety of actors but very distinctively you could establish there was a series of girls who were victims of this ferocious killer which would attract members of the male target audience. There were also very young girls used who seem innocent and uncertain of what is happening which is a very traditional technique used with “slasher” movies to entertain the target audience. To add to the effect of innocence among these girls there are two young girls featured in the trailer who add significance as there is a continued use of young girls singing in the background which can relate to this part of the trailer. Straight away in the trailer, the setting is set, where the camera shows what appears to be an old industrial site when suddenly the there is a strong use of non diagetic sound where Freddy runs around the corner before you can understand he is on the run. The narrative of the film is made clear as he is burnt by a group of people who clearly want him dead for a crime that he might not of even committed however the background to the killer is now set and the audience can begin to understand the film. After this opening action scene, the taglines emerge which brings an end to what had happened in the past almost and then quick cutting begins to occur to indicate the aftermath of this tragic death. There is a continued series of cuts that flash from scene to scene which grab the audience’s attention as different settings appear and different elements that are enticing the target audience further and further into the film as the narrative is slowly unveiled effectively. The setting in which the trailer begins in the industrial area is very effective in setting the tone for the film as being evil and dangerous with the dark nature of the industrial area shows. The chasing pack who are after Cruegar at the beginning of the trailer have weapons such as baseball bats which show their intentions and immediately give off a cruel impression of the film which consequently leads to the mob throwing what appears to be a fire grenade that devastatingly burns Cruegar to death which sets an horrific tone to the film and grabs the attention of the target audience immediately. As you see Cruegar burn to death, the facial expressions of the mob are very distinctive especially with one of the women in the mob who looks very upset and hurt as she sees this traumatic death unveil whereas the men seem to look very serious and as if justice is being served. This use of facial expressions is very effective when relating to the films narrative.

The camera is used effectively from the very beginning of the trailer as the camera cuts from different viewpoints of a certain location through quick cutting. The setting shown is dull, black and has elements of mystery that portrays a situation where society does not want to be and the way in which the main killer Cruegar appears into this mysterious location is very effective in showing the dull nature of the film to the target audience. Through the different shots at the beginning of the trailer you can see the way the director is trying to give off a strong representation of the area which appears to be a derelict site which clearly is not somewhere you will find people. It adds the element of mystery and darkness to the film through the different shots of this old, derelict industrial site.  There is a strong use of distinctive close up shots where the characters expressions and personality can be clearly distinguished which immediately gives off a evil mood and tone to the film as the mob burn Cruegar to death with some showing strong emotion and others a sense of justice. Nevertheless the technique is very well done in giving off a strong tone and meaning to the film. Through close up shots the element of excitement is more distinctive among the target audience as they feel more involved through theses close shots of the characters getting a real interpretation of their personalities. The cameras’ strong tendency to use the show the location through the different shots whilst also including the characters is continued throughout the trailer. Around half way through the trailer there is a long shot of Cruegar where the lighting is significant in amplifying the figure in the background of the shot whilst also showing the location which appears to be a boiler room full of pipes which again adds an element of mystery and danger which is a good effect in enticing the target audience. The use of camera continues to use the distinctive use of close up shots of the characters which helps the target audience feel the excitement of the film more and add further elements of danger which further intrigues the target audience.

The non diegetic sound used at the beginning of the trailer matches well with the scene itself as the action begins. As Cruegar runs from the angry mob the non diegetic sound is used gives of the feeling of action which is very relevant to Cruegars’ escape. In contrast the use of diegetic sound is relevant at the beginning of the trailer as it gives the audience more of an understanding about the characters where Cruegar appears to have been accused of something in which he never did. Through the use of diegetic sound here you get an understanding of fear on Cruegars’ perspective as well as anger and hatred from the mobs viewpoint. This dialogue is telling the past to the story which is very important for the target audience so they can understand the film and its ads excitement through the characters strong emotions. Throughout there is the distinctive use of the non diegetic sound of a young girl singing which combines with dialogue and voiceovers to add further effect throughout for the target audience. The combination of the voiceovers with the young girl singing is very effective in enticing the target audience further as it adds an element of mystery to the film as it goes against danger and evil with a young girl singing which is going to confuse the target audience. The music is peaceful however which contrasts the nature of the psychopathic killer Cruegar and the use of dialogue over the top gives the audience more of an understanding about the films narrative which will further intrigue the target audience to want to watch the film.

As the trailer goes on there are various techniques which add elements of tension and danger for the target audience. The fast paced cuts used throughout are very effective in adding tension as they correlate well with the sound which adds danger and excitement for the audience. There is only one significant strap used in the trailer which displays the directors’ name after the beginning of the trailer once the history of the clear has become apparent. The editing remains consistent throughout as there are a continued series of fast cuts and the occasional use of a dissolve which adds tension to the trailer. From watching the trailer throughout you can see that each shot never lasts more than about three seconds which is a common technique used in trailers to keep the audience captivated and focused on the film and it reflects the films narrative with fast paced distinctive cuts which relates to the killer himself being a character who is constantly on the move.

You can conclude that the overall effectiveness of the trailer is to a very high standard as it fully captivates the interests of the target audience and reflects the films narrative very effectively. It used typical conventions and techniques for slasher film trailers to great effect and is very clear and easy for the target audience to relate to the film and therefore watch it.

Film Poster Analysis 3

“Nightmare on Elm Street”

The 2010 remake of “Nightmare on Elm Street” is a clear and very effective example of a representation of slasher movies.

The main colours that feature in this poster appear to be black and different shades of red which are both significant in enticing the target audience. The use of the shades of red across the poster is very effective in creating a sense of graphic violence and danger which are common links to the colour. Black is also featured in the poster effectively adding a dark element of mystery and evil to the equation further enticing the target audience. The colours are conventional for a slasher movie film poster. The film title is placed at the bottom of the page which is a common technique used in horror movie posters to emphasise the visual image further. The font is old fashioned in a red font which combined with the films name with “nightmare” in it creates a more dangerous effect. The term “Nightmare” seems to be emphasised in the title so that the audience can clearly see and understand the evil nature of the poster and the film. There is another common technique used above the title with the comment; “Welcome to your new nightmare” strategically placed in white above the main title to provide a contrast to the evil and dangerous nature of the red font. White is visually noticeable on black, but is also ghostly looking. The way in which it contrasts the main title with white font gives off the impression that the title is more important and the tag line is put in white to maintain the audiences focus on the main title however the tag line does strike the target audience very effectively and raises questions about the film. It brings up elements of mortality and a way out which are very contradictive compared to the strong black nature of the poster.

The main character, the killer of the film “Freddy Kruger” features as the main visual image in the centre of the film poster giving the audience a clear representation of the creature that lurks in the film. The representation of the killer to the target audience is evil and dangerous. The pose of the killer makes him seem more mysterious because of his head down with the hat being used to cover part of his face which is effective in not giving to much away to the target audience and maintaining the audience’s attention and intrigue. It immediately strikes you from this poster of the nature of the killers’ face which appears burnt and very bony which add to the suspense and chilling nature of the character. His faces’ appearance seems more monstrous and less human because of the scars on his face. There are prominent uses of dark, black lighting on both the characters face and jumper which also combines with the use of white on the side of the figures face and outlining the characters jumper which add an element of supreme power to the character through how he is emphasised in the poster. The lighting coming from behind, being the backlighting is sinister and maintains mystery, especially as it looks smoky. It gives different impressions to the audience about the character, almost as if the character is evil and cruel and a danger to all yet there is an element of mortality and humanness which adds more tension and meaning to the character, further enticing the target audience. The distinctive use of red is also evident with the characters jumper which appears ripped up and scruffy and gives off the impression that the killer does not care about its appearance and does not want to fit into society. The scruffy effect of the character used is a conventional technique for a killer to have ripped clothes as it makes them seem ugly, abnormal or destructive. Strategically placed in the centre of the page are the killers’ hands which are effectively the most effective part of this poster in conveying meaning about the character showing his danger with his weapon as a source of destruction. The way in which the characters hands are together adds the impression that the killer has an element of plotting and adds further elements of mystery. Very distinctively you can see the weapon in which is used throughout the film being what appears to be a very sharp claw. There is a large emphasis on this claw as it is displayed in the centre of the page with white lining around the side to add emphasis to the weapon as well as a tint or spark which gives off the impression to the audience how sharp the claw is and it also signifies its power. The use of back lighting on the character is very effective in bringing him to the front of the cover and it’s exposing his dark nature through the light and further making him stand out to the target audience. The use of the killers’ fedora hat is very significant as it features as the killers’ iconic symbol along with his claw throughout the film. It gives the audience the impression that the character is ashamed of his true identity and wants to remain distant from society and elude himself from being clearly identified. It is conventional how the killer is ashamed as it is an effective technique for the characters personality to be hidden. It maintains their identity being mysterious and scary. Most slasher movies don’t want to give away too much about the killers’ identity in the film poster and therefore use techniques such as props to hide part of the killers’ identify so that it raises questions about the killer and entices the audience into wanting to find out more and consequently watch the film.

The design of the poster is very effective and used in many slasher movie posters. It features the killer, prominent in the centre of the page and shows what appears to be the murder weapon very effectively. Its use of lighting is very common with different shades of red and common uses of black and white. The design gives a medium close up shot of the killer which really engages the character with the audience so they can start to appreciate the creatures’ evil nature. The poster is clearly trying to make the audience aware of the title with the word “nightmare” being portrayed in a very clear fashion and therefore it is trying to reflect this in the poster by displaying a form of nightmarish creature in a close up that. The evil mood and setting is portrayed in this film poster very effectively. The slasher genre conventions are referred to very effectively as it features a killer with a weapon which is used in the film very clearly giving the representation of a slasher movie to the target audience. The use of the sharp claw is a distinctive trait used within slasher movies which lovers of the sub-genre can refer to and this will further entice them into wanting to know more about the movie. In this poster attention is gained through a more shocking, image with the killer appearing as a disfigured monster that clearly will entice the target audience into the movie wanting to know more about this mysterious character. There is an element of surprise as well for the audience as the figure looks abnormal and will therefore terrify some members of the audience and interest others into thinking what this creature is capable of doing.

I think the poster is very effective in persuading the target audience to want to watch this film as it portrays distinctive conventions of slasher movies to a great extent and is very persuasive in enticing the target audience. Straight away, from a first glance at the poster, you can identify the killer in a graphic, evil fashion that gives off a clear representation of the killers’ evil nature. The colours used in the poster are very traditional when analysing slasher movie poster as red, black and white are possibly the most common colours used. When slasher movie lovers see this front cover they can understand what they are getting from this movie and can relate to it as an interest as well as some others can relate back to the 80’s classic and see this remake as a very powerful piece and therefore are going to want to find out more and because of the chilling nature of this movie poster, it’s going to entice the target audience. 

Film Poster Analysis 2

“The Hills Have Eyes 2”

Immediately from looking at this poster for “The hills have eyes 2,” you can see that it’s set the scene effectively in the background which links very clearly to the title.

The setting of this poster is significant in conveying an opinion about the slasher movie with what seems to be a desert setting in what appears to be sunset. This impression is given off through the colours used in the poster with the sky being portrayed in what appears to be different shades of orange. This gives off a clear representation of the setting which appears mysterious and links very well with the title. The two characters featured in this poster appear very dark and it’s difficult to get a representation of them through this poster.  They must however appear dark for a reason which is most likely so that they appear more sinister, dangerous and so there character is hidden to some extent so that you cant unravel too much about the film from the poster. You can clearly see that the figure at the back of the poster is pulling what appears to be an innocent person away into the hills. The audience can understand that the creature in the background is a killer and the way in which it is dragging what appears to be innocent human shows how brutal and harsh this creature is. You can also see that there is no face displayed which gives off the impression that the corpse has lost its identity. The apparent killer appears to be dragging what looks like a corpse being lifeless and hopeless which immediately adds to the elements of danger about the killer. From the setting in the background you get the representation of a isolated place, situated far away from society and appears to be the wilderness in which is unknown. This is a common convention of slasher movies where the setting is isolated from society. This will intrigue the target audience as they will want to discover what lurks in this mysterious place and what goes on whereas as it is the second episode of “The Hills Have Eyes” fans from the first episode can clearly relate the poster with the previous film with the setting and the brutality of the killers. The killer in the poster uses what appears to be a rope attached to the victim who is covered in a material and just brutally dragged across the rocky, sandy floor. The way in which you cannot clearly identify the killer other than from its costume being what appears to be navy clothing indicating something of the creatures past indicates to the target audience that the creature is reserved and would rather remain unidentified. Killers’ identities conventionally remain hidden which adds elements of mystery and fear. The fact that both characters are unrecognisable adds more intrigue to the film, and it makes the film all the more attractive for the target audience wanting to find out more.

The film title is traditionally positioned at the bottom or more centrally on the page, significant for slasher movies so that the main image is very clear and gives off the predominant message about the film However in this poster the title is somewhat significant how it is illuminated and bursts out at the target audience in white font. Often in Slasher film movie poster the image over powers the poster more than usual to provoke fear. This is unusual because from first impressions of most slasher movies you hardly recognise the title whereas in this one it strikes out as one of the most significant parts of the poster. The two words “Hills” and “Eyes” appear to be emphasised and are clearly represented in the poster giving the audience the impression that ferocious figures are lurking in the hills looking down upon innocent victims who are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Also in the title, the “2” is prominent as it shows that it is the second instalment of the movie which is going to appeal to fans of the first episode.

The design of the poster is very effective in setting the mood for the film in the way it appears to be dusk when these creatures appear and target their victims. Also the way in which the scene is set in an environment with the mysterious hills in which the killer in the poster appears to be taking its prey. This is very effective in giving the target audience a clear representation of where the film takes places and gives a brief insight into the nature of these evil creatures. The slasher conventions are referred to very effectively in this poster with the killer seemingly dragging an innocent victim away through the use of a rope which will obviously cause pain and it indicates that the killer is heartless and brutal in its approach to people. This kind of representation can clearly be related to slasher movies. Attention is maintained through the main visual image with the disturbing nature of a victim being dragged away into the unknown with no insight to what might occur in these hills which will further intrigue the target audience into wanting to watch this film. The setting is used very effectively in this poster as it really does set the scene for the film and also reminds viewers from the first episode very clearly of the setting which will further entice them into what will happen in this film.

In this poster you could argue that the messages are mainly portrayed both visually and verbally as the main image itself is significant as it takes up the large majority of the page however the title is prominent in how it is portrayed to the target audience through the use of the white font which strikes out at the target audience. The way in which the message for this film is portrayed in a verbal way might be to remind views of the first film of the series very clearly so they can identify the film immediately and subsequently draw them into this new film. Nevertheless the visual image in this poster is very powerful in the way it is presented through incorporating the setting with two characters very effectively whilst not giving much away about the film. It just provides small insights to the film which are exactly what are going to persuade the target audience to want to watch this film through displaying correct and powerful conventions of the slasher film type movie. From the brutal nature that the film poster is displayed you can identify that the target audience will consist of thrill seekers over the age of 18 because of the nature of a slasher movie. They will seemingly have a passion for graphic violence and a “cat and mouse” type of film where the killers pick of their victims one by one until there is normally one left which is a conventional method of slasher movies implemented.

Overall the poster is effective in persuading the target audience into wanting to watch the film through implementing very effective conventions of slasher films that will immediately appeal to slasher movie lovers. The way in which the poster is portrayed not giving too much away is a key factor as it raises questions for the target audience that they will want to know and therefore want to watch the film. Because it is the second episode of the sequence in the “The Hills Have Eyes” series, fans from the first episode can immediately relate to the setting of the film as well as the title which is featured prominently so you can conclude that the film poster does fulfil its purpose of enticing the target audience to want to watch the film effectively.

Film Poster Analysis 1

“Friday the 13^th”

The first impression of this film poster of the slasher movie “Friday the 13th” is the dark, evil nature about the setting. The main colours featured are black, red and white which are all significant in certain ways in enticing the target audience. Firstly the red font for the main title adds significance and gives off the distinctive traits of the colour, being danger and blood. This is an effective colour to use in horror movies because it has clear links to graphic violence and blood which are distinctive features when trying to entice the target audience. The use of the colour black in this poster is used to a large extent which gives off a clear impression to the audience. The colour black suggests mystery, darkness and uncertainty along with evil which are distinctive traits which are going to entice the target audience. The colour takes up the majority of the poster with it appearing around the outside of the figure along with the profile lighting used on what appears to be along killer. It makes the character appear dangerous and also very mysterious to some degree along with the mask on and the black colour of his costume. In contrast to the dark and mysterious illusion of the poster there is also a somewhat way out of the darkness with the use of the colour white. It appears distinctively above the figures head and through the trees and gives the target audience the illusion that there is a way out although you can clearly see the gap is small which again gives the audience the impression that there is little hope of freedom from this hell. Therefore you can conclude that the colour white is a very contradicting colour which gives off different impressions to the target audience effectively. There is also evidence of back lighting, which almost creates a silhouette, which makes the killer seem more sinister or suspicious.

The main figure is represented graphically in the centre of the page which adds significance to the character. From looking at the character you can’t get too much of an insight into the figure because of the dark, mysterious portrayal with the dark colours. The dark colours are conventional for killers as it gives off the representation that the killer has an element of mystery or something is hidden. The use of camera is used very effectively with a low angle shot looking up at the character which makes the figures representation appear more powerful, dangerous and important to the target audience. Whilst the camera is also used to add power to the figure, there is also the distinctive long shot used with the camera so that the audience can’t unravel too much about the killer. The way in which the killer is portrayed with it’s body language is classic in promoting the movie as it portrays a straight, serious pose which gives small details away such as ferociousness because of the pose with the weapon but conceals elements of personality about the character which is effective in enticing the target audience. The killer seems to be holding a weapon of some sort but yet again you cant be too sure what it is which adds more mystery to this killer and further entices the target audience. It appears still, sharp and deadly-looking which are all conventions of slasher weapons in which intrigue the target audience. His body language looks intimidating and suggests his strength as his chest if puffed out and his arms appear outstretched. In the background behind the figure, it appears misty and dark in what appears a forest which is strategic as this is the setting of the film as well. This use of a mysterious, dark background makes the representation of the figure appear more evil and devastating in the way it may lurk around in the darkness which is a common trait in slasher movies.

Although the main image in the poster is visual being the killer powerfully reflected to the audience in the centre of the page, there is a very effective use of verbal text that contrasts the representation of the killer. At the top of the poster there is the text displayed; “Welcome to Crystal Lake” in upper case white text. It is clearly presented and provides an important message to the target audience. It seems a welcoming message but it raises many questions and predominantly gives the target audience an insight to what might lurk around “crystal lake” being what is visually presented as the killer. Therefore you can say that the main messages in this poster are a combination of both visual image and verbal text. The text is also in white which contradicts the dark nature of the poster and provides a light which can be interpreted as a way out or maybe even indicate that the text is a lure into the unknown. It is however, very effective in raising questions for the target audience which further entices them.

I believe from the structure of the film poster and the way in which the film is represented the poster in intended for thrill seekers and individuals who have a genuine passion for classic slasher movies. The poster gives off clear traits that represent slasher movies with a mysterious killer with a weapon in the darkness that seemingly lurks around an apparent area which in this case appears to be Crystal Lake. I think the poster is most effective in attracting people in the late teens and early twenties because of the very distinctive traits of the slasher movies which genuinely predominantly interest people in this age bracket and its likely to be predominantly males.

Attention in this poster is clearly gained from the overpowering visual image of the killer in the centre of the page which is immediately going to appeal to viewers and successfully attract fans of the slasher genre However the tag line as mentioned before at the top of the page in the white font provides mystery and uncertainty but it provides a setting and answers quite a few questions as well as raising some. The poster accurately reflects the mood and tone of the film being dark and evil as the representation of the killer clearly is reflected as a dark and evil character. The fact that the film is to be released ironically on “Friday 13^th” adds elements of realism to the film where it can add horror for some viewers and appeal to them successfully.

Personally I think the poster is very persuasive in trying to attract the target audience as it provides a clear representation about the movie to the target audience and very clearly sticks to the traits of the slasher genre. The structure of the poster is very effective in that it provides mystery to the film and also a small insight through visual text and the combination are very effective in making the target audience want to find out more and watch the film. Some critics could say that it’s too straight forward with just a killer on the poster but the way in which the killer is portrayed graphically through colour, camera and composition is very effective in raising questions to the target audience and thereby creating a very effective film poster and creating a mood of fear and terror.

Focus Group

I intend to plan a focus group in which I can use to identify more about my target audience and also it will give me a better understanding of how to produce a quality movie trailer. The focus group will be made up on 6 members representative of my target audience and myself where I can ask them all a series of questions that will help me identify what to focus on in my “slasher” movie and what interests them. The benefit of getting feedback from a focus group is that you get more of an understanding of what the target audience enjoy and thrive upon in movies and therefore can implement these factors into the movie trailer. The group will be made up of 3 girls and 3 boys from the ages of 16-18 who are studying a-levels. These students will partially make up the target audience and therefore they will provide relevant and useful feedback about what to include In the “slasher” movie trailer.

Introduction To Sub-Genre

The sub-genre I will be exploring and using to create a movie trailer, magazine and poster is the “slasher” genre. The slasher sub genre is very distinctive in its style as it tends to produce a lot of graphic violence and gore which interests a large percentage of horror movie lovers. The slasher movies involve a psychopathic killer stalking, and killing a sequence of victims in a graphically violent manner often with a distinctive weapon. There are hundreds of slasher movies out there that have been very successful through implementing the correct conventions of the slasher genre such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Hills Have Eyes.” The target audience are predominantly male and sometimes female that has an interest in watching graphic murders as plots are constructed around giving the audience the experience of watching the killers’ murders take place. The deaths’ are therefore violent and graphic, which is an effective technique in “slasher” movies to hold the audiences’ interest.

It’s not only males that can relate to these “slasher” movies though because of the graphic violence, women also can show great interest because of the characters used. In slasher movies there is often a innocent, good looking female character which interests members of the female target audience as it intrigues them to what will happen to her and therefore you have a large number of the female target audience who can relate to these slasher movies. However you are obviously going to interest the male members of the target audience if there is a young, female, good looking character being used as a victim as it provides a sexual element for the male target audience.

Target Audience Profile

The gender of my target audience is predominantly going to be male because of the slasher theme instigating gore and graphic violence. This sub genre would interest the male audience because of the conventions involved and the horrific nature of the scenes whereas a high percentage of the female audience will not be as interested in this type of horror. However there are some females who will be interested in slasher movies and not bothered about the graphic nature of the film. There is however a strong male section of the target audience who make up the large majority. The target age for my horror film will be between 18-30 as the graphic nature of the film makes it unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. The younger generation of the target audience are likely to be in full time education or possibly college or work whereas the 20+ section are likely to be in full time work such as an office job as a main example. As it is a slasher movie and not a psychological, the idea is pretty straight forward and does not require any unravelling which would occur in a psychological thriller therefore the target audience education does not really take much significance. Thrill seekers are therefore likely to feature in the target audience because of the young characters involved.

The target audience are likely to be thrill seekers who are interested in horror and its conventions. The male members of the audience are likely to be confident, have a good sense of humour and thrill seeking characters that have a good interest in horror.

The target audience’s interests will vary as you can have confident and reserved characters that enjoy horror movies. The target audience clearly share an interest in horror movies and therefore could be interested into mystery. Other interests for the male target audience might include video gaming, socialising and sports which are somewhat related to the characters in horror movies as they are often young people with these interests portrayed in the movies. Whereas female members of the target audience could be interested in fashion, beauty and socialising which are interests’ related to female characters in slasher movies as you sometimes have the “innocent” female character featured.

Original Brief



The task set for A2 Media Studies this year, is to produce three pieces of media within the same promotional package. I’ve been assigned to create a movie trailer using the genre of horror, as well as creating a poster advertising the film and a magazine front cover with the same purpose. All three pieces will be designed to follow the codes and conventions of the horror genre. I will also complete the planning for the project via the blogging method at blogger.com. This blog is where I will base all my research and will guide me through the project of design and creation.  

Importantly, I will firstly need to gain a greater understanding of the horror genre and therefore will watch trailers and films following the codes and conventions of the genre as well as researching into the different directors. By watching as many horror movie trailers as possible ill be able to distinguish between “slasher, psychological, gothic” movie trailers and look for particular traits in the different types of movie. In order to complete a film poster I will have to research into different film posters from the horror genre to again look for more traits and ideas. The same principles apply to the magazine front cover where I will need to research into movie magazines such as “Total Film” and “Empire” magazine.  Through good research I know that I will follow the codes and conventions of the horror genre and implement the correct traits in to my three pieces of media.

I believe through good, solid planning the task is a lot simpler and can be carried out to a much higher standard than without. The task set is exciting and is a window of opportunity for creativity and careful thought, I am very much looking forward to embarking on this. I believe the use of the blog will not be much of a hindrance as I used the same method in my AS practical project and therefore know the structure in which to set out the blog. I believe creating the media pieces will be the greatest challenge as it will be interesting however it requires great patience and thought in order to make it a success.