Film Posters

MEDIA STUDIES

• First we will look at film and the industry

• As always make notes and keep for revision and the final report.

GENRE

• Genre means type i.e a type of media text with certain characteristics or conventions

• Give some examples?• Cross genre or hybrid genre means a mix of genres e.g ‘Alien’.• What are the genres of the film ‘Alien’?• Genres are constantly changing• Give an example of a recent genre?• Why are they important?• Look at some film posters what genres are suggested?

NARRATIVE

• The narrative is basically the story.• There are theories that analyse narratives.• Todorovs’ theory broke down film narratives into specific stages.• Equilibrium.• Disruption..• Recognition of disruption.• Attempt to repair disruption.• Reinstatement of equilibrium• Another version of this is…………………………..

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

• Hero/herione

• Disruption…....Hero’s Quest…..Return to normality

• Agent of change

• Use this model to show an example of a movie

• Can you use it for a James Bond movie?

REPRESENTATION

• The way in which people places or events are re- presented to audiences.

• Many representations of people e.g women, teenagers ethnic groups etc. are often stereotypical.

• Stereotyping is labelling a group or person in a certain way usually unfairly (negative)

• Can you think of any positive stereotypes

INTERTEXTUALITY

• Is the link between two media texts.

• E.g when watching a Film or TV programme you recognise a reference to another film or programme.

• Can you think of any?

Conventional shape -portrait

Pixar subsidiary of Disney

Strapline clue to genre/narrative play on words/ pun.

Central image? Appealing to audience

Pose? Mode of address?

No Production credits-Teaser ?

Serif font Classy food french? – branding, logo?

Style. Connotations. Restaurant sign french? Play on words Ratatouille.

Release date- holidays.

Setting ?

Foreground, tiles ?

Knives Knife thrower Kitchen Knives. Heightened /exaggerated perspective focuses on Rat. Fork Cheese Stereotypical food of Rat mouse.

Brand logo, safe family viewing

LOOK AT ‘MEDIA KNOW ALL’

• Blockbusters

• We will look at analysing a Film poster.

• Watch the video of the making of Judge Dred• Making of Incredibles, Cars, etc. Bonus Material • Take notes and make references to them in your report

TASK FILM POSTER PRODUCTION THEME: ANIMATED FILM

• Create a Poster campaign for a new animated film. It could be a CGI, Claymation or 2D drawn film.

• Write a synopsis (treatment) for your film, max two paragraphs • What is the sub-genre of Film ? e.g. action comedy• Who will be the target audience ? (Primary/Secondary)• When will the final release date be? Explain why?• Find out what other (real) films are to be released at the same time (competition).• Annotated analysis of a film Poster with similar genre.• Produce ideas for a new Poster campaign (design and produce a poster and

teaser posters for your new film.)• Annotated analysis of own Poster/s.

ANIMATION• Use the link to the Media edu site for some detailed history and links for animation.

• Animation is one of the earliest forms of film-making.

EXTENSION TASK• Web page/ site design• Create a front page (and pages if you have time) for your new film.• You can produce this using a web design software like

Dreamweaver or as a Powerpoint presentation.• I will give brief instruction during a lesson but for detailed training

you can attend a Masterclass after school or any after school session on a Tuesday 3.30-5.00 see me.

• It is of course possible to produce your whole project as a website. This can then be put on to the school site when finished.

REPORT

• Finally a 400 -700 word report• Your report should evaluate your task in relation to the aims

of the project. • Comment on ideas for promoting and distributing your film

and any issues that your production might raise for it’s audience. E.g. How will it attract that target audience?

• Does your poster show the genre/s of the film? What aspects work particularly well? Why?

• What else is there about the film that will attract the audience: Director, Stars, Soundtrack. etc.

RESOURCES• Useful websites

• http://www.imdb.com/

• Video in class ‘Marketing Judge Dred’

• GCSE Media studies text book

• School website - Media Studies. Look at previous years work on Posters page

• Mediaedu Site- animation login mediastudies1,

Password media1

KEYWORDS• Genre, Cross genre

• Conventions

• Narrative

• Stereotype

• Representation

• Intertextuality

KEY TERMS; USE THESE IN YOUR ANALYSIS WHERE APPROPRIATE

• Typical

• Codes and Conventions

• Signifies or Connotes

• Stereotypical

• Camera shots – CU, VLS POV etc.

• Symbolic codes are hugely significant. You should identify the range of symbolic codes and explain why they have been used by the makers of the text. You should use the word SIGNIFY or CONNOTE when describing symbolic codes. Eg. The skull and cross bones symbol on the flag signifies pirates.

• Body language e.g his body language signifies he is scared.

• Gesture

• Dress

• Setting

• Composition: rule of thirds, perspective,

• Colour

• Typographic codes: fonts, plain, bold, italic, decorative, serif / sans serif

• Anchorage. How do the words used give the image meaning.

• Mise en scene, a useful word here which often describes many symbolic codes. Eg the mise-en-scene shows an urban setting.

• Denotation and Connotation ( same as signify and signified)