It's important to remember that movie posters are advertisements. The goal of a poster essentially is to "sell" the movie—to make you want to see it. How does it do that? The poster may have the movie title in a big and bold font. Images of the movie's attractive actors are usually featured. In addition, the actors' names are probably included somewhere on the poster to remind you that the movie has big-name stars. Designs, colors, and fonts are used to appropriately reflect the mood and tone of the film. And the poster probably includes a catchy sentence or slogan that piques your interest and makes the plot seem intriguing.
The visual elements on a movie poster can convey powerful messages. The best posters may make you anxiously anticipate an upcoming release. The worst ones may not have a persuasive effect at all. By analyzing movie posters, you can gain a better understanding of the elements that effectively grab the attention of movie-goers and sell the movie's story—even before viewers see it for themselves.
Questions to Consider:
- Is the movie title prominently featured? Is the text easy to read?
- Are the main actors shown? If so, which ones? What do their appearances and expressions convey about the movie?
- What is the design of the movie poster? Does it accurately reflect the mood and tone of the film?
- What other images are included? What do you notice about the framing of the images?
- What text is shown on the poster? Is there a catchy slogan? If so, what does it tell you about the movie's story?
- Is there any other important information included on the poster?
- Why do/don't you think this movie poster is persuasive?
Framing
The positioning of objects, actors, and text within the frame of a poster to achieve a particular effect. For example, a movie poster for an action film might feature the main actor framed in such a way as to make him seem attractive, strong, and invincible.
Mood
The feeling created for a viewer by the director's use of details, music, and cinematography.
Slogan
A catchy and memorable phrase or sentence on a movie poster. An effective slogan should convey the mood, tone, and main idea of the film without giving too much away. It should capture viewers' attention and make them interested in the story.
Tone
The filmmaker's attitude as reflected in the movie—ironic, serious, and so forth.
The positioning of objects, actors, and text within the frame of a poster to achieve a particular effect. For example, a movie poster for an action film might feature the main actor framed in such a way as to make him seem attractive, strong, and invincible.
Mood
The feeling created for a viewer by the director's use of details, music, and cinematography.
Slogan
A catchy and memorable phrase or sentence on a movie poster. An effective slogan should convey the mood, tone, and main idea of the film without giving too much away. It should capture viewers' attention and make them interested in the story.
Tone
The filmmaker's attitude as reflected in the movie—ironic, serious, and so forth.
How to read a film poster:
1. Previous credits? one of several film poster conventions used as a form of guarantee and as a means of prompting audience expectations.
2. Positive quote: another movie poster convention is to use quotes from national newspapers with the same or similar demographic or from respected critics. Failing that, anyone who says something positive about the film can be quoted. References to aspects of the film not referenced in the poster can offer more detailed information about plot or character or style e.g. balancing the hardness of a thrillers title and dominant images in the poster with reference to love or humour?
3. The films star: you ought to be alert to the techniques used - technical codes of photography would refer to aspects such as distance (close-up, long shot. and so on), angles, focus, cropping, digital manipulation, use of lighting, and so on; in moving images you may wish refer to editing, mise-en-scene or use of camera.
4. The title: note position. size, colour and font. As well as demanding recognition, the font may suggest other connotations.
5. Colour saturation: red has connotations of passion, anger, danger, love - other dominant colours blue, yellow, green etc connote different things depending on context - cold, calm, cowardice, sunshine, nature, jealousy...
6. Certificate 15? : a requirement of the British Board of Film Clarification (BBFC) indicating that the film will include moderate violence and swearing. What might an 18 or 12A suggest about the content?
7. Costumes, props, iconography: Further help to establish setting and genre. Gothic horror you're after? look for fangs, bats, dark nights, the moon, and a Victorian or earlier setting...
8.'Intertextual references': any references to films in a similar genre?
9. Credits: another convention of the film poster - what do they tell us about the film?
Elements of a great movie poster design
Big movies are a huge business, as the recent success of films such as Avatarand The Dark Knight suggests. Billion-dollar revenue figures aren’t all that uncommon today in cinema, placing many major movies alongside companies such as Facebook when it comes to revenue. With so much riding on a film’s success, marketing one is a massive opportunity for creative designers. We’ve looked at some of the most effective film marketing materials out there – the promo posters that have been used on modern releases and older movies – and established some key elements that have contributed to their success.
1. attension- jump out from the wall
The four step formula - attenision, interest, desire, and action - has been used as the basis of thousands of successful movie advertising campaigns. The first step, and the one most important for designers, is attention - grabbing the attension of passers-by and encouraging them to look. This doesnt have to be achieved with provocative pictures or flashy graphics, although given their advantage at grabbing attention. By using the films characters or a major plot point, designers can establish some level of plot while still gaining the attension of anyone that views the poster.
2. iconography - showing without telling
The most effective movie posters are ironic, presenting the themes in the film without resorting to flat out saying what its about. They use imagery, whether a close-up of a character or item thats a major plot point, or a simple graphic, to establish the films plot. Combined with an eye-grabbing design, this can be an incredibly effective way to gain attension and create interest at once.
3. interest - create an incentive to see the film
2. iconography - showing without telling
The most effective movie posters are ironic, presenting the themes in the film without resorting to flat out saying what its about. They use imagery, whether a close-up of a character or item thats a major plot point, or a simple graphic, to establish the films plot. Combined with an eye-grabbing design, this can be an incredibly effective way to gain attension and create interest at once.
3. interest - create an incentive to see the film
When using icons and more abstract imagery doesnt work with your film - say, for example, its a serious drama or a thriller that cant be explained with the iconography - using an image that provides viewers with a idea of the story is a great idea. Many of the best modern film posters use pictures that put the viewer in the middle of a scene from the film, creating tension and a major incentive. The incentive is that in order to resolve the situation, the person looking at the poster needs to see the film and find out what happens.
4. Appeal - create desire with fans and non fans alike
With film studios cranking out comic book adaptations at a rapid pace, it the 'true fans' that end up last in the marketing line. Studios can rely on them to see their new releases regardless of its review coverage or promotional materials, since chances are fairly strong they're already aware of it. Great film posters, particularly those for adaptations, use this dual appeal to enhance their advertising.
5. Style - a look that's consistent with the film
whether you're marketing an art film or a blockbuster, style matters. Some of the most memorable film posters out there have used bold, unique artistic styles to their advantage. What separates these posters from their ineffective art-for-art’s-sake rivals is that they’re consistent with style, in both the movie’s promotional materials and throughout the film itself.
6. Lasting Appeal – a look that suits other formats.
Here’s the danger in getting too ‘arty’ and delicate with your film poster: it’s eventually, after release and theater shows, going to be shrunk to a fraction of its original size for the DVD release.
While a growing number of films now use different designs for their DVD cover than their in-theater promo posters, most of the classics and high-budget blockbusters still use the same poster for both.
7. Recognizability - if its a sequel, make it obvious
From time to time, the entire box office seems to be made up of sequels. There’s a good reason for it too – some of the most financially dependable films are sequels to successful franchises.
From films that dominated both the commercial world and the awards scene to purely commercial releases, few films can guarantee studios income like a good sequel.
That’s why sequel posters tend to be highly related to the first release, generally with a giant title in the top third of the canvas and instantly recognizable imagery throughout it.
Types of posters
-The teaser poster: this poster contains basic information to whet your appetite. It often does not indicate much about the plot, but may have a picture of the stars, and the name of the film.
- The main poster: this contains information about the production personnel, the stars, and the distributors.
-Video/DVD release poster: this one comes out when the film is released on DVD/video and often has all of the above plus short, one line reviews from relevant publications.
-Character poster: this one features the main character and has all the focus on the poster.
Concepts/terminology when analysing posters
5. Style - a look that's consistent with the film
whether you're marketing an art film or a blockbuster, style matters. Some of the most memorable film posters out there have used bold, unique artistic styles to their advantage. What separates these posters from their ineffective art-for-art’s-sake rivals is that they’re consistent with style, in both the movie’s promotional materials and throughout the film itself.
6. Lasting Appeal – a look that suits other formats.
Here’s the danger in getting too ‘arty’ and delicate with your film poster: it’s eventually, after release and theater shows, going to be shrunk to a fraction of its original size for the DVD release.
While a growing number of films now use different designs for their DVD cover than their in-theater promo posters, most of the classics and high-budget blockbusters still use the same poster for both.
7. Recognizability - if its a sequel, make it obvious
From time to time, the entire box office seems to be made up of sequels. There’s a good reason for it too – some of the most financially dependable films are sequels to successful franchises.
From films that dominated both the commercial world and the awards scene to purely commercial releases, few films can guarantee studios income like a good sequel.
That’s why sequel posters tend to be highly related to the first release, generally with a giant title in the top third of the canvas and instantly recognizable imagery throughout it.
Types of posters
-The teaser poster: this poster contains basic information to whet your appetite. It often does not indicate much about the plot, but may have a picture of the stars, and the name of the film.
- The main poster: this contains information about the production personnel, the stars, and the distributors.
-Video/DVD release poster: this one comes out when the film is released on DVD/video and often has all of the above plus short, one line reviews from relevant publications.
-Character poster: this one features the main character and has all the focus on the poster.
Concepts/terminology when analysing posters
Denotation/connotation
Words, sounds and visual images have denotative or literal meanings. A dictionary definition of ‘rose’ is likely to describe it as a flower, usually with a thorned stem, having a variety of colours and emitting a pleasant scent. In our culture, however, the rose has a large number of associated meanings, the majority of which connect with ideas of romance: ‘My love is like a red, red rose’. Be prepared to explore these associations or connotations as they are
likely to yield a good deal of insight into the preferred reading of the media message, whether it is a newspaper front page, poster or magazine advert. If you are unsure of the significance of an item in a text you may want to carry out a ‘commutation test’. Here, you would substitute something similar for the original and see if there were a significant effect. For example, the Rover advert shown on TV recently has a driver taking delivery of a piano. Since the Rover 25 is supposed to feel bigger than it is, she mistakenly believes that
it will hold a piano. It won’t. Was the bulky and heavy piano chosen at random for this visual gag? If we replace it with, say, a tea chest, does the image lose any of its meaning(s)? If the answer is ‘yes’ you may wish then to explore what connotations a piano might have (culture, wealth, sophistication, musical ability) and how the advertiser may be attempting to position the target audience in a certain way. Flattery will get you anywhere.
Technical codes
You ought to be alert to the techniques used by media producers: technical codes of photography would refer to aspects such as distance (close-up, long shot, and so on), angle, focus, cropping, digital manipulation, use of lighting, and so on; in moving images
you may wish refer to editing, mise-en-scène or use of camera. If you are working on print media, discuss font style and layout, for example.
Anchorage
A picture is worth a thousand words, so the cliché goes. But rarely do pictures appear without some text, (whether spoken or written), which serves to establish or anchor an interpretation. In a newspaper, sub editors will apply headlines or captions to a photograph; in a documentary, a voiceover may serve a similar function. To highlight for yourself the
importance of anchorage, try looking at pictures with, and without, accompanying text, or with alternative text. Intertextual references Note any visual or verbal references to other media in the text.
Purpose/message
Why was this text produced: to inform, educate, entertain, to
persuade us to buy something or support a particular cause? Is
there an underlying or hidden message? What evidence do you
have for this?
Representation
Consider the image or portrayal of groups in society. Adverts, by dint of limitations of space, time and the need to make an impact, tend to trade in simplifications and stereotypes. Be prepared to discuss representations of, for example, gender, class, nationality, sexual orientation, youth and age (the elderly, for example, are often depicted negatively, if at all). Close cousins of the above are the concepts ideology and values, which refer to ideas about the way the world is and ought to be. At their most effective, ideologies assume the status of commonsense, natural explanations of the world. Part of your job is to identify any social assumptions contained in the texts you are analysing.
Tone and register
What tone is being adopted? Remember that in human communication roughly 70% of the message is through non-verbal communication, 23% is tone and a mere 7% is through the words used. Is the tone humorous, solemn, laddish, coy, sentimental, or what? Even accents have cultural connotations: voiceovers delivered by a Scot, a Geordie, a Londoner or someone from the West Country are all likely to be ‘read’ slightly differently by the audience. Register refers to the vocabulary, style and grammar used by speakers and writers according to a certain situation. There are thus degrees of formality: bloke, man, guy, gentleman or ma, mam, mum, mummy, mother, mater.
Effect and effectiveness
To what extent does the text achieve its purpose? Advertisers will employ a battery of market research techniques to measure the audience and market response – from sales figures, surveys and
focus group gatherings. Film companies are likely to mount test screenings to test audience reaction.
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