Film Posters

As thriller appealed to me the most I decided to analyze three trailers and their film posters from this genre.
After doing some research on GOOGLE and looking at class notes, I found out that these are the main things a film trailer should contain:
- Distributors/film studio
- Typography (title credits)
- Visual Codes
- Speed/style of editing
- Sound effects/music
- Voice over
- Penultimate frame
- Last frame
- Narrative codes
- Star appeal
- Audience appeal

My first trailer:
Law Abiding Citerzen:
The trailer of Law Abiding Citizen begins with a very normal family scene of a father and a child sitting together, as the music is tense and upbeat we are able to tell that something bad is awaiting. The fact that a small girl is involved evokes fear in the onlookers as they fear for her life. The main charecter Jerrad Butler a very famous and well known actor answers the door and is attacked. As the daughter onlooks what is taking place the atmosphere becomes more and more tense. Throughout the short production the music stays upbeat and tense. The colours genrally stay dark giving an eerie effect. The mise en scene alters throughout the trailer but there is alot of fire and many people seen holding guns giving the viewer an idea that the genre is thriller. Alot of dramtic lighting is used when Gerrad Butler decides to take revenge on the invaders almost giving it a role reversal as he becomes the villan. A tag line appears about half way through the trailer saying 'a man who loses everything is capable of anything' this gives us an idea of the story line, but also leaves us in suspence. The penultimate frame is Butler on looking a huge disaster that he has created showing how destructive hes become in revenge. The last frame is the Date release promoting the film.

Law abiding ciziten film poster:

• This film poster is known as a Main poster as it contains the main information about the film.
• The title of the film is shown in white block writing that overlaps. The typogrpahy has the two main charecters names either side to show they are the most important. Gerard Butler is a well known actor meaning he brings box office draw to the movie.
• The main image on the front cover shows a man in black suit walking, he looks angry and like hes on a 'mission', overlapping that image is a faded image of Gerard Butler. His eyes are menacing and he is giving direct eye contact to the audience.
• The tag line says "How do you stop a killer who is already behind bars?" This leaves the audience questioning the story line. The fact that Gerard Butler looks so menacing in the image gives an idication that this tag line is most liekly about him.

Second trailer:

Inception:

This trailer begins with upbeat low pitch music the first image shown is of the Warner Brothers logo, this is a way of promoting the film as this is a well known studio for entertainment. A voice over then takes over the music and we see Leonardo Dicaprio face down in water, again this is further promotion as the fact Leonardo Dicaprio is in it will attract the audience. This scene also forewarns us that it is either going to be one of these genres, horror or thriller. The colours are dull throughout and lighting is fairly dramatic. At about 20 seconds in we are presented with an action code, a man unknown to us loads a gun and walks into a room. The audience is then left in suspense. The music becomes louder and the beat becomes faster adding more suspense. WE are presented with many obscene images of streets folding in halve. This again leaves the audience questioning why this is happening? for what reason? and how did it happen?. We are also shown Leonardo with a women, this leaves the audience questioning what happened with them? did she get hurt because of what he was doing?. Throughout the trailer words come up every so often the typography is silver metallic and quite small. The title of the film "Inception" is shown about ten seconds before the end of the trailer. Making the last image shown information about the director and release dates.

Inception film poster:

• This poster is what you would call a main poster as it contains the main information about the production personnel and distibutors.
• The typogrpahy is in red bold
  writing which contrasts with the blues and blacks that cover the background this makes the title visible and stand out to the viewer.
• 'Leonardo Dicaprio' is the other most visible writing on the poster. This is done to attracts peoples attention. Leonardo Dicaprio is a well known famous actor meaning that it attract attention also known as Box Office Draw.
• Another reason his name is in a larger font is to show the audience that he is most likely the lead Charecter. The fact the main image shows him standing there also shows he is the main charecter and gives star appeal.
• The main picture is peculiar and surreal it shows city buildings being submerged in water. This already gives you an idea of the genre of the film.
• Leonardo Dicaprio stands there alone. In he hand he is clutching a gun this action code again hints and the genre.
• Underneath 'Inception' in smaller white typography it says "from the directors of the dark Knight" this again is advertising the film. If the audience have seen the Dark Knight and loved it they would be more inclined to go and see something by the same producer.
• At the very bottom of the poster it advertises that the film is also avaliable to see in the IMAX cinema, the IMAX cinema offers the film in 3D this would be appealing to the audience as watching a film in 3D allows them to feel a part of the movie itself.
  

Third trailer:
2012:

The trailer begins with flashing images going along to the beat of the music. The music is a low pitch and holds a steady beat. We next see images of a television showing world wide catastrophes. A voice over runs along with all of this. The voice is a man's voice it is deep and serious. The colours throughout the trailer stay dull and dark leaving suspense. Between the new images there is writing, the typography is a silver medium sized font it fades out when the next picture is going to be shown. A new voice over begins about half way through this voice is wispy and has a more chilling effect. Writing that advertises the film takes place throughout, at 41 seconds in 'from the director of independence day' appears this is to show the audience the directors other films, this is a very effective way of advertising if the audience have seen the other film as if they liked the first film they will be more inclined to go and see another of the directors films. Throughout the trailer we see the world within the film falling apart, this gives the audience an idea that it the genre is thriller. At 1 minute 41 seconds we are presented with a image of the world falling into the sea, as the audience focus on this a plane fly's towards the audiences face giving it a very life like effect. As the trailer comes to an end 2012 appears in big writing and the last image left with us is the release date.

2012 film poster:

• This porster is known as a teaser poster. It only contains the basic information. This is done to whet the appetite of the film audience.
• The number 2012 being the title of the film is in large silver writing. This typogrpahy has a metalic look to it. On the number 1 there is a bright light almost like a sun. This could indicate to the audience that the majority of the film is set outdoors.
• The tag line at the top "who will be left behind" doesnt really indicate alot about the plot, but it leaves the audience wondering what it could mean. This feeling of suspence will draw more and more people to watch the film.