Auxiliary task - Pictures for Poster

Once we had conducted our initial research, we had decided that we liked the imagery of the forest that was used on the Blair Witch Project poster which is why we took our first initial photographs within a forest setting. Like the Blair Witch Project, we made sure that there was a central character that was positioned deep within the forest in order to create suspense and enigma.

When we researched other horror film posters, we found out that the main villain was always present on the poster which is why we too wanted to include the ‘outsider’ on the poster. In order to create a similar effect that was used on the Blair Witch Project poster, we increased the ISO on the camera and then adjusted the contrast levels of the image in Adobe Photoshop to create an inverted look.

We used a number of different camera shots including a POV shot so that it looked as if the person that was in distance of the hooded figure was the one who actually took the picture. The purpose of this shot was to make the audience and viewers feel as if they were there in the forest.

Alongside increasing the ISO, we also adjusted the cameras settings so that some of the pictures were taken in Black and White to reinforce the darkness of the genre. We also attempted to make use of the rule of thirds to ensure that the audience were instinctively drawn to the most important and iconic areas of the image which creates more of an effective poster.

Film Magazine Analysis (3)

The main focal point of the magazine is the extreme close-up of the jokers face who has heavy eye make which signifies his sinister look and indicates to the viewer that he is the ‘bad guy’. This is the only image that is used on the magazine which reinforces the dominance that the film has over the Empire magazine. The Joker is an easily recognisable character and by having an image of him in full costume, the viewer is able to link the joker to the film that he stars in which is ‘The Dark Knight’

The masthead has a green outline which makes it stand out against the Jokers face. Above the mast head, there is a strap line that says ‘2 covers to collect’. This provides the reader with a choice of two covers of which they can purchase. A colour scheme of black, white and green has been used. The green could represent mystery, the black could represent darkness and the red could represent evilness. Other films are advertised on the cover but these strap lines have a smaller font size which indicates that this particular issue of Empire magazine is solely focusing on ‘The Dark Knight’ Words such as ‘amazing’ and ‘special’ have repeatedly been used on the cover in order to attract more viewers into purchasing the magazine.

Film Magazine Analysis (2)

Film Magazine Analysis - Empire Magazine

We have decided to analyse a variety of different Empire magazine covers and identify the conventions used so that we are able to portray similar conventions on our magazine cover. We chose Empire because it is a British film magazine that reviews both mainstream and art films. It is also a well known and popular film magazine and we believe that we will be able to gain some inspiration from Empire magazines.

The title of the magazine ‘Empire’ is in dark red which could possibly represent blood which provides the viewer with an indication of the films genre. It could also represent danger. The title is bold and is in capital letters which is eye-catching. Just below the title, you can see Empires website which has a smaller font size. The website is shown so the individual knows where to go if they would like to find out more information about what is in the magazine. This also in dark red which reinforces consistency.

The letter ‘P’ in Empire is covered by the jokers head. This has purposely been done in order reinforce the success of the film. Part of the masthead has been covered up by the main image. This shows that the magazine publishers are confident that the viewer will still recognise the name of the magazine, despite part of it being covered up. Above the magazine name, it says ‘World Exclusive’. This also portrays the success of the film. The magazine date and price has been printed in small writing and so is not as easily visible.

The magazines main focal point features an image of Heath Ledger who stars as The Joker in the film ‘The Dark Night’. He is a well known actor and so, viewers will be able to familiarise themselves with the film. The long shot used within the image allows the viewer to witness the joker’s iconic dress code and face paint. The use of bright colours such as the lime green and the purple are eye catching and makes the magazine stand out. The joker is looking directly at the camera and his posture creates an eery atmosphere. The jail bars used within the background represent his dark character.

The font used for the headline ‘Meet The Joker’ is a comic style font which represents the original genre of the film ‘The Dark Night’. The strap line below this says ‘He’s a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown’. The font used for this strap lines makes it seem as if the words have been carved in and the use of alliteration adds to the realism. The batman logo has been positioned in-between the strap line above the mast head and this is an iconic logo. The strap lines have a white font colour and this is so they are able to stand out against the picture of the joker. The font of the strap lines is the same font that is used for the magazine title and this reinforces consistency. The ‘Plus’ indicates to the viewer the other articles and film reviews that are featured in the magazine. The barcode in the bottom left hand corner is a common convention of a magazine.