Analysis of The Strangers advertising campaign. . .

I decided to analyse an advertising campaign of a film looking especially at the similarities between them. Looking at this would enable me to grasp an understanding of how to interlink my main task of a teaser trailer alongside my two ancillary tasks. I have chosen to analyse ‘The Strangers’ as this is a recently released film and belongs to the same genre as we desire to use.

The first similarity we notice between the three products is that two of them; the website home page and the poster have the same image. However, the website shows more the setting due to the extent of the width of the page. It consists of a long shot of what the audience would expect as the main character; a young female, with a mysterious masked figure merged into the shadows of the background. The environment of the background suggests that this figure is within the characters house and due to her body positioning and facial expression we would expect although she is alert, she is not aware of the figure being in the background. This creates anxiety in the audience as we associate the home with safety and security and to have a trespasser within the house without there consciousness brings us to believe we are not safe within our homes.  Having the masked figure hidden in the shadows of the room a great distanced away from the female character suggests that he is hiding and merely waiting for the right opportunity to attack. Like a vulture preparing to attack its pray. In all three of the productions the supposed ‘strangers’ are wearing masks. This means that their true identity is wished to be kept hidden; this also proposes that they are experienced in such events due to preparation. On the DVD cover we can see that there are three of these masked characters, outnumbering those seated with the back of their heads to the audience. The fact that the two characters are seated while the ‘strangers’ stand, surrounding them suggest that they have less power as well as chance to escape. Also, on the back of the DVD cover and on the website captions from the film have been used in order to tease the audience of upcoming events.

Although the title of the film is featured on all three of the productions as we would expect, the DVD covers title has different spacing and colour effects. This contradicts what I would expect to see as I would have thought that the title was the most iconic establishment of the film, instantly recognised by the public.

Only the DVD cover features the certificate of the movie, this enables access to both the website and to the poster to all of the population, this maximises potential promotional strategies such as word of mouth. However, still sticking to laws and regulations to who watches the full length film to eighteen. Other similarities between the production are that the poster and DVD cover include a slogan, although they differ in what they say, both bring the audience to fear. Other text featured from these is ‘based on true events’ this has a large impact on the audiences as it brings the events to reality, again causing them to fill vulnerable themselves. The two main actor/ress within the film are also shown; this promotes them as individuals as well as the film, fans of these particular actors may watch the film as the trust their past productions and expect it to the same standard.

The genre of the film is suggested throughout the three products through methods such as font colour and low key lighting. The colour schemes between the three are red, black and white. The red suggests danger, blood, anger; the black proposes death, mystery, and unknown, while white may suggest innocent and purity. The red and black are iconic colours of horror as they connote expected events and emotions to be witnessed within the film, however, the white suggests there may be hope for the innocent, although where white has been used it is always surrounded by low key lighting suggesting there is no escape.

The task has helped me to learn how I will be able to intertwine my main task and ancillary tasks using iconic features and similarities between them. Although, we can see clear differences between the productions, this is mainly due to them sticking to the codes and conventions typically used from product to products. I believe that the strangers have successfully created an advertising campaign as all the products are instantly recognised as the same film.

Advertising campaigns. . .

Navigation maps. . .

I decided to look at a navigation map of an independent movie website (The Open Door) as well as a mainstream movie website (Resident Evil) to get a more representational idea of how to create my own navigational key. This will enable me to make my website as efficient and easily navigated around as possible. We can see that the mainstream website has a much more complex map, including eight main pages with numerous sub pages. The coloured boxes indicate where you can use different paths in order to reach the same page. However, the independent website also has eight main pages we can see clearly that there is a lot fewer sub pages and each is more directly accessed.

Analysis of independent website. . .

 

Analysis of The Open Door

Representation of film – The genre of this film is Horror. This is demonstrated throughout the website effectively using many features and conventions. Each page within the site uses the same background demonstrating a consistent theme and clearly identifies the films iconic setting in order to best express the film and be easily recognised by fans. The backgrounds lighting fades from dark to light from bottom to top, this proposes that the darkness or evil is overcoming the good. When I first visited this website the bloodstains over the background stood out to me, this suggests that there will be a lot of pain and suffering within the film and seeing the blood stains on the screens as though we as visitors of the site are playing a passive role as it happens before are eyes, like a mirror or window into the film world.

At the bottom of each page there is an image of an isolated white van with some kind of raider or satellite on its roof.  The idea of the vehicle being isolated suggests that those within it have entered a territory where no others would venture, this leads us ask questions of why? what? and where? However, the fact that the van has this piece of equipment on the roof proposes that they are searching for something and there for a purpose, something from outside this world out of the belief of others. The backgrounds also consist of a full moon; an iconic image when explaining the paranormal or supernatural. For example, werewolf’s and vampires.

The title of the film is styled in a gothic font; the gothic culture is also one that focuses on the belief of dark forces and supernatural proposing that what ever is acting as evil within the film carries these characteristics. More evidence is shown as the title ‘The Open Door’ merges with the darker top of the background representing the sky. Thus suggesting that a gateway or ‘door’ has been opened between ‘us’ and ‘them’.

On the home page a slogan is used, it reads ‘Evil stalks the innocent . . .’ This leads us to believe that there is no hope for good and that they and we are in a vulnerable position.

Analysis of mainstrain film websites. . .

Analysis of The Unborn

Representation of film - The genre of the film is immediately classified by the use of low key lighting and the colour theme used throughout the individual pages. The low key lighting creates a sinister sense to the pages while the red represents death, blood, danger and black suggests power, mystery and associated with the unknown. All of these connotations suggest the genre of horror. However, the use of white may represent that there is still hope for the innocent although still surrounded by evil (black). The title again suggests this as it is white against the dark background. The writing itself is very clear and has 'the' of the title situated within the 'O' of Unborn. This could suggest that something within the film is hidden from those within or those watching the film.

Each page of the website contains a different background to the next. However, on each page the background is never clear; instead it is blurred as if something is hiding from the viewers but still able to see us, putting the audience in a vulnerable situation.

Either side of the navigation bar on each page there are bloodstains representing a boarder, drawing viewers to the centre each page, highlighting the main features of the website. The navigation bar itself represents a 'gravestone'. This suggests that within the movie a character we as an audience come to form a relationship with will be killed, the fact that this is found on every page suggests that this character cannot escape death.

When navigating around the site to other pages a short extract of the film is shown. This is unexpected to the audience causing shock and fear, two emotions that a film of the genre depends on, as well as doing this, it acts as a teaser as it gives a taste of what to expect from the full length production. Other effective techniques used include sound effects, consisting of screams and whispers. Lastly, the home page has images that briefly appear and move around in the background creating an eerie effect that could possibly be linked to the narrative of the story being based around the un-living.

The majority of images used within the website apply a direct mode of address, this attempts to create a relationship between the characters and audience. I believe that the images used on this site are really effective. For example, the index page uses a close-up action shot; this camera technique enables the audience to clearly see the fear and emotion of the character. This makes the audiences feel more sympathy for them and ask questions of what it is that is causing such distress. Throughout the website a variety of characters are shown which means viewers become established with those who are involved in this sense of threat. Another example of an effective image is exposed on the home page. The image is of a young female who is bowing her head facing a large window in an empty room shown through a long shot. This proposes that the character is isolated from the outside world and leaves the viewers to think why this is? Also, by bowing her head it represents how she is ashamed or upset with her own or someone’s action. Again, planting questions to what this action is?

Advertising within website -

·         Institutions featured at the bottom of the page

·         Distribution of downloads (icons/wallpapers)

·         'Now Showing', trailer, teaser, T.V spots

Analysis of Saw 6

Representation of the film - Initially this website is similar to The Unborn in many ways. The genre of the film is straight away specified using low key lighting and exactly the same colour scheme; black, white and red. However, this website uses less white thus suggesting that there is less chance for the 'good' and innocent to survive or escape. This proposes the sinister story line of the film. However, while low key lighting is used consistently throughout the website, each page suggests a feeling of hope. For example, on the home page even though the path ahead seems obstructed, a bright light is breaking through a boarded door. When we explore deeper into the site we can see that this light breakthrough is either smaller then on the home page or not visible at all. This suggests that the further or deeper individuals in this film the characters get, the less hope they have.

The navigation bar featured on each page creates an effective and consistent theme of machinery and mechanisms throughout the website. This merges with the background of each page. Mise en scene features such as clogs and bolts portray this theme. Having watched the film myself I now understand that this is a link to the traps that jigsaw creates to exercise pain on characters within the film. Having this on the navigation bar suggests that it is us who have control over this exercise of pain.

Throughout the website there are no actual images of any people. Instead, each page features a different background all seeming to represent an abandoned warehouse. This is shown through props such as pipes and boarded up doors. This theme links to the core setting of the movie itself.

As we navigate around the site to various pages a short extract from the film is shown, this may represent how the viewer is moving from stage to stage throughout jigsaws game, or even that we as the audience play the role of the 'gamer', controlling they fait of those within the movie. This feature is also unexpected to the viewer so will generate fear, shock and panic. Negative emotions such as these are ones that the success of the film depends upon, teasing the audience of what the movie has to offer. Other unique features used are numerous sound effects such as heavy breathing and crashing of tools.

The title found on each page of the website suggests a lot about the film itself. The font looks as though it has been painted and aged. As paint can be accessed by everyone it suggests that the main villain in this could be anyone you know, a member of society. The ‘w’ in the title has also been edited to represent some kind of fork. This may relate iconic instrument of the devil, a pitch fork. This demonstrates the ‘evil’ motive of the film. The number is also in roman numerals creating a gothic theme, again relating to an interest in dark arts. 

Advertising within website

• Tickets and show times
• Other various networking site such as twitter and face book
• Other related movies ‘Season of the witch’
• Downloads – I-phone apps, wallpapers, icons
• Trailers, teasers …

Navigation around both of the mainstream websites

Both the websites contain very similar navigation maps to each other, once you have entered the site from the index page you are exposed to a very similar layout. The home pages are very simplistic including only a background, title and navigation map.
From here the websites contained five main pages, all of which include a navigation bar and title. Thus showing that this is necessary requirement a movie website should include . For example, both websites include an about, cast and crew, gallery, downloads and media/video page.  Most of the pages followed very similar conventions and layout. However, slight differences were visible. For example, the gallery, although both contain the same  conventions they are demonstrated in a different way, Saw 6 website

Codes and conventions of chosen genre

Choosing a genre?

A genre is a type or class, it can be described as a category of artistic composition marked by using a distinctive style, form or content. 

Genre is one of the most important decisions we had to make as a group, it had to be one which not only interest an audience, but one that we all had a knowledge and understanding of.

We decided that the best genre to do would be a hybrid between horror and thriller.

Purpose and conventions of a teaser trailer

Purpose of a teaser trailer

-          Entice the audience

-          Persuade them to watch the full picture

-          Advertises upcoming movie

-          Establishes the genre

Codes and conventions of a teaser trailer

-          30 to 60 seconds – keeps the audience on toes and does not give too much away

-          Name of film and release date – So they aware of the film and when it comes out

-          Suspense throughout – leaves on a cliff hanger

-          Does not give plot away, almost like a taste of certain extracts/ scenes offering a variety – keeps audience guessing (Doesn’t follow a narrative structure)

-          Quick edits used throughout

-          Style is straight cut and jump cuts

-          Typically horror or thriller

-          Typically used for major motion pictures productions

-          Often features a voice over

-          Features cast list – May attract fans of particular actors/actresses

-          Identifies the main protagonist – form a relationship with the character

-          The personality of protagonist is suggested

-          Identifies the production institutions – advertises other productions of the institutions

-          Very little text featured or clip then text format

-          Minimal dialog

-          Usually released from six months before picture is released

-          Use music and silence effecively

-          Fast paste imagery

-          Movie image shown briefly before end

Differences between a theatrical and teaser trailer?

There are many variations between the two. Firstly, theatrical trailers are typically longer, this is because they follow a strict narrative structure giving a lot of the plot away. Although this gives the audience time to become familiar with the film and its contents i would argue that some give too much away. While teaser trailers do not follow any real narrative structure or typically reveal any actual footage from the film, its purpose is not to give anything away but only to tease and entice the audience with the 'best bits' of the upcoming film. Another difference between them is that teaser trailers are released much earlier before film release. This allows the audience to sooner become aware of the film and then re-familiarises them using a theatrical trailer closer to date. Usually only larger production companies will promote their film using  a teaser. Teaser trailers are typically first distributed online, while theatrical trailers tend to be shown straight into theatres.

What will i be doing and who with?!

Once our media class were all familiar with the task at hand, we were asked to split into groups of no more then four. I grouped with fellow media students Chris Mahoney, Ellie Gocher and Guiliano Rapoz in whom I will complete the main task.

Out of briefs we were given we have chosen to produce:

A promotion package of a new film, to include a teaser trailer, together with two of the following three options:

·         A website homepage for the film;

·         A magazine front cover for the film;

·         A poster for the film.

We chose these briefs as we felt it would allow us to best demonstrate are abilities collectively. I think a major advantage as a group is that we are all good friends so this should enable us to work well as a team, as well as all having individual media talents to contribute to the production, construction  and research.

Strengths as a group – hard working, experienced actor in the group, good editing skills and software availability, good media knowledge and understanding, all experienced in both team work and filming projects, we have worked together as a group previously, live close to one another, use of a car, good funds and equipment.

Group targets – openly listen to each member of the group’s thoughts, feelings and ideas, good time management, too get along, to produce professional and realistic piece.

When choosing the brief we also had to take into consideration the ancillary tasks.  These projects will be carried out individually to demonstrate our independent skills. Out of the tasks I have chosen to produce a website and a film poster as I felt that these would enable me to best demonstrate my capability.

Outline of course ...

I will use this blog as a method of presenting my final portfolio, the reason I have chosen this method for presenting my work is because I feel I have gained a good understanding of how to use it effectively and best present my work. My portfolio will consist of the following objectives; research, construction and evaluation. I will now go into these assessment objectives in greater detail.

Research (A04) – Here we I need to show the ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research and finding used in both the main task and two of the three ancillary tasks.

Construction (A03) – I will need to show my ability to plan and construct my final media products, in doing this I will need to demonstrate appropriate technology and creative skills.

Evaluation (A02) – In this objective I will apply my knowledge and understanding in evaluating my final media productions and demonstrate how meanings and responses are created.