How Effective is the Combination of Your Short Film, Magazine

Review and Film Poster?

The Meaning of the Film• The meaning that I wanted to portray in “Fathers Day” was that not

all relationships between father and son are secure and immune from family crisis and heartbreak. My intention was to create an unease with the audience whilst they were watching the thriller film, which I believe I successfully established.

The Meaning of the Poster• The film poster that I created, successfully highlights to the audience

the two Protagonists very clearly, with Martin being in the right hand side just in the centre and George on the left. Martin is very clear in the poster whereas George is very dark and smaller. This indicates to the audience that having Martin centre the narrative is going to be about him. Martin also looks extremely perplexed and that something serious is distressing him. From this the audience could guess that he is hiding from something or looking for a place to go.• I have also added finer detail to the poster such as a stained glass

window in order to enhance and highlight the mystery of the film and perhaps add the idea of religion.

The Meaning of the Review • The photograph used in the film magazine is both strong and effective.

It is a medium close up of George as he is entering the house. His facial expression is the key element in this photograph. He looks threatening and it is clear he is highly motivated as to exactly what or who it is he looking for. It makes him appear very powerful and suggests to the audience that he might be the protagonist. We do not know if it is his house he is entering or somebody else's. • The majority of film posters in current use today have an improved

selling rate largely due to the addition of a tagline. ‘Today is his day’- is a very chilling and broad tagline- one of the reasons why I believe people will want to view my film.

The Similarities • A continuous theme that runs throughout all three of my products is the

unknown as to what is going to happen next. For example, the content of the film poster does not unveil who is good and who is evil. During the film we do not actually know what the characters have done to deserve their fate. In the magazine, it is unclear as to why George is entering this house, what exactly is his purpose in there? These are all questions that the audience will be asking themselves.

The Unique Selling Points of the Poster• My poster shows Martin very clearly in a red tint with George in the background

(still in a red tint colour). This is effective at selling the film to the target audience as the red denotes the danger of the film and, therefore, drags people’s interest in to find out what the narrative is about. The interest continues to determine the overall outcome for the two characters. • With Martin clearly in the forefront, the audience will automatically look at his

image and notice that there is another character in the background. • The font of the poster is sharp and succinct. It was not my intention to imitate

another film poster. I was striving for originality and quality that my audience would not have seen previously.

How Does the Review and the Poster Sell “Fathers Day”• The review will sell the short film by itself by informing the readers the content of

the film and also by the use of names and fun facts. In addition, I also included a piece in ‘suggested film’ that if the readers have seen they will enjoy this film also. • The poster contains the actor’s names in bold print. Therefore, if anyone has

seen Adrian Annis in the Harry Potter films they will want to see more of him in his next film. • Both the film poster and the review have a red and sinister look about them. It

was my intention to incorporate the same colour throughout and have an effective similarity. They have a dangerous look about them and for people who like watching threatening films, this one is for them.

Real World Application • I believe my poster would be a very effective way to advertise my short film. It is

eye catching, and contains a simple and punchy film title. In addition, the tagline is a superb selling point. • My review will encourage people to watch my film because overall it is detailed

and effective. The image enhances its appeal and the synopsis explains the storyline perfectly. However, in order to attract a wider audience range, I believe a radio trailer would successfully enhance the selling point of this film.