KWAPONG+Abena

= = =Abena's A2 Media CourseworkA Teaser Trailer =


 * **This is our pitch.**


 * ** This is a comparison between three posters that were used to advertise the film //Takers//. **

__ Poster analysis __

Film posters are essential to get a message across to its target audience to entice them to want to watch the film. The film poster on //Takers// conforms to certain generic conventions of film posters.

Firstly, in one of the poster a sepia colour has been used to insinuate that the film may have a sense of authenticity about it. This is an effective use of colour as it evokes ideas of the present era but in a more mysterious way.

In contrast, the second image makes use of a cooler colour, like blue, to relax its target audience in some ways and to set a calmer atmosphere for the characters on the poster. Additionally, where all the men are seen to be wearing black suits, the man in the middle is wearing a white suit. This could connote he is the most innocent out of the other men. Nevertheless, the colours aid the audience to visualise a story in their heads.

Moreover, each of the posters shows an ensemble of characters, although each poster highlights a different significance of each character. The sepia image has four characters positioned at the top of the page; however the man who is second from the left has been placed at the forefront Regardless, the other characters appear to have a reasonably important role.

Likewise, the two men on the left seem confident as they look directly into the camera. This emphasises confidence which an audience may look at is as a cocky personality. On the other hand, the two men on the left seem to be more vulnerable. This could portray the characters to be sympathised for by the audience.

In comparison, the second image suggests that all the men are linked together, although some may have more of an authority than the others. In one instance, the man sitting down in the middle appears to be in charge as shown by his smug grin. An audience may take this in a negative light and label it as arrogance. In contrast, they could possibly sympathise for those who are positioned at the background.

The way in which the characters are positioned in the third image makes its audience wonder if the two men on the left are the opposition to the men on the right. Even the way in which the men on the left appear to be smaller in size suggest they have less strength authority even though they are armed with guns. This does not necessarily depict them as having less relevance in the film.

Furthermore, in the first image the men with the gun do not seem to have a connection with the four men at the top. The inconsistency of the two focal images may link but it may not appear as obvious to its audience.

The titles in all of the posters differ in various ways. The first image has a smaller title which perpetuates with the sepia scheme to shoe a consistency in the poster. The second image has a larger font which may appear bolder for the audience to see. Lastly, the third image once again has a smaller font while the black could insinuate a dark mystery as the suits insinuate a certain serious about the characters.

Tag lines tend to be a common convention in film posters and each poster displays one. The middle tag line reads ‘Everyone’s after something’. The ‘something’ could possibly be money is usually one of the key props and motives in a crime action movie. Additionally, the title, //Takers//, alone helps the audience to evoke meanings of what the tag line suggests.

Other generic conventions of film posters consist of the cast names. On all three posters this can be found at the top. However, sometimes the way in which it is set out can differ. In the second image, the names have been separated into three lines. The lines could possibly be lines of character significance. Hence the names at the top could be the four protagonists.

Moreover, full credits and a vague idea of when the film may come out is another convention which keeps its audience anxious.

In conclusion, the convention used throughout the posters help to evoke ideas for its target audience which is that of those who endure watching crime action movies. The use of colours helps to set an atmosphere for its audience, like the cooler blue which was possibly used to insinuate a calm atmosphere. Likewise, the way in which characters are placed is effective in the way it is used to mark character significance.


 * **This is an analysis of two film magazine front covers.**






 * **This is the link to my group's seminar**.


 * **This is a link to my research on the urban film genre.**


 * **Sketches**

This image was one of the main candidates for my magazine front cover as I saw it to perpetuate several stereotypes associated with the cast in an urban drama. The hooded jacket, jumper and jeans put emphasis on a casual dress sense. Additionally, the hooded jacket as a sense of fierceness to the model. When creating my magazine I cropped out the background as I wanted a more conventional look on the magazine. A clear background draws more attention to the model.
 * **Images**

I feel this image lacks any sense of emotions, hence I did not use it for my magazine. The costume is suitable for my genre, as well as the background in which I took the image. Nevertheless, the image is not central as the model stands more towards the right hand side. This tends not to follow the generic convention of a film magzine where the model is placed in the centre of the page.

My motive for this image was to illustrate my tag line "Our Territory Our Playground". I feel this image connotes this tag line well as it has been taken in a children's playground. However, I feel the image is not strong enough to be used for the trailer poster.

I tried to make use of the swings in the playground by placing the protagonist on the left hand side and the antagonist on the right hand side. The space in between the characters is significant as it exhibits segregation between the protagonists and antagonists. Nevertheless, I feel that the quality of the image is not clear enough to be used for my final trailer poster.


 * **Here is a print screen shots to show one of the steps I took to create my poster and front cover.**


 * **Trailer poster (Final)**




 * **Magazine front cover (draft)**

This is merely a draft of my magazine to give me an idea of what my final cover should include. I can identify a variety of issues which I will modify when creating my final cover. These include: With these problems identified I will drastically improve my final copy of the magazine front cover.
 * an unintentional spelling error of the word 'phenomenon' has been made
 * the date, issue number and price is too large
 * the font sizes in general vary is size
 * the colour scheme is too simple
 * the word 'LDN' stands out most, hence the emphasis on the masthead is lost
 * the quality of the image is very poor


 * **Here is a print screen shots to show one of the steps I took to create my poster and front cover.**



I feel that more modifications need to be made to this. These include:
 * **Magazine front cover (Draft)**
 * stretching "THE ULTIMATE MOVE PHENOMENON" so it stretches across the whole line
 * possibly adding one more headline to fill up some gaps
 * making the 'LDN' appear more bigger
 * retaking my image as it not as clear as it could be
 * changing the blue font of the headline "JOHNNY BRAVO PERSONIFIED...FOR THE MOVIE!"
 * making the head of my model cover the masthead slightly.


 * **This is an analysis of the film //Kidulthood//. Also, here is the link for the trailer** []

__ Trailer analysis __ In 2006 the film //Kidulthood//, from the urban film genre, was released by Revolver Entertainment (a marketing-lead, all rights film distribution company based in the UK). The film highlights the struggles in the life of teenagers in this current contemporary society.

Trailers are essential in the way they help to give its target audience a brief idea of a film’s content. Likewise, the //Kidulthood// and //Bullet boy// trailers are aimed at a teenage audience as it is more apparent for them to be able to relate to the situations. However, it can also give parents an insight into the world of their children, through the clips that are shown.

Furthermore, there are several generic conventions which are exhibited throughout the trailer of Kidulthood to help enhance a greater audience understanding. Each clip last for a few second as a full teaser trailers tend to range between 30-60 seconds. Likewise, it is essential to fit in a variety of footage in order to create an effective impact. In Kidulthood, a montage of clips illustrates the conflicts in which the character will experience during the film.

In addition, editing is used to put emphasis on focal issues such as drugs. A slight blur is used in the clip were two girls are seen to be sniffing drugs. The blur accentuates the effect to which drugs have on a person’s mind and body. It is almost as if things become misty in the addicts mind. In contrast, fast forwarding has been used which could possibly suggest that this particular issue may not have as great a significance in the film, as the audience may initially think, hence the clip does not need to be as long in length. Moreover, there are a few occasions where strobe lighting effects have been used. In one instance, when one of the protagonists is repeatedly stamped on, we see a strobe lighting effect to exhibit the intensity of the character’s danger. Consequently, towards the end of the trailer, the strobe lighting effect is used once again to show the impact of someone being hit by a bat. However, this effect could have been used to keep its audience in suspense to who may have been hit. This is conventional as trailers are merely to give the audience a feel of what may occur in the film.

Additionally, the use of lighting is essential as it helps to set different moods and meanings. The scenes that clips that are shown to occur in the dark are more severe in the fact that the characters could get in a lot of trouble if they do them in broad day light. This gives the film more realism as in the contemporary society in which we live, knife and other teenage related crimes predominantly occur in the evening. Nevertheless, some of the more subtle clips occur in natural light. This shows that certain teenagers are obscure to caring about landing themselves in trouble.

The use of sound is a generic convention within trailers which helps to evoke audience meaning. Rapping is used throughout the //Kidulthood// trailer as it gives an urban vibe, as well as the DJ decks we hear at the beginning of the trailer. Also, there is a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. A diegetic scream has been used to emphasise danger and possibly to emit fear amongst its audience. On the other hand, non-diegetic sounds that are used are rather rhythmic to show a consistency in the reoccurring problems of teenage life. Likewise, a crescendo helps to keep its audience in suspense as the climax builds up.

In some ways trailers are more visual than auditory; however the limited use of dialogue helps to assist the visual and greater understand of characters. Sometimes dialogue can be used to give protagonists significance. ‘It’s cos you’re so buff yeah’, this quote from the trailer highlights the colloquial language in which teenagers of today use. The word ‘buff’ has many insinuations, although in this sense it means beautiful. The quote ‘Use a condom sweetheart’ stereotypes the British as being a promiscuous society, but also it shows bad parenting in the sense that parents allow their children to have sex at a young age. The viewers who are parents may find this quite offensive.

At one point in the trailer the music is paused so that the audience are drawn attention to the dialogue. This is effective as the dialogue in which is said retracts from the severity of the issues by being quite comical.

Urban dramas are known for their topical issues and friendship seems to be the focal issue in //Kidulthood.// Through camera shots the issue of friendship is expounded. Several two shots are used to show a close connection between friends. At the same time wide shots have been used to show how the antagonists may react to the protagonists. Furthermore, an over the shoulder shot is used where two of the characters are seen to be vulnerable, although this shot can be looked into with more depth. There is a saying complies that ‘one should watch their back as you never know what may hit you’, consequently the character is hit on the head after the use of an over the shoulder shot. Additionally, a tracking shot is used to give the characters closer affinity, but also to keep so the audience keeps up with the pace.

Furthermore, the use of mise-en-scene helps to conform to several stereotypes that are associated with an urban lifestyle. Casual clothing such as hoodies and caps are worn by several characters to perpetuate stereotypes. Likewise, the clips occur in a variety of locations, like a corner shop, council flat and on the streets. Council flats tend to be stereotyped with working class people. Therefore, it could be possible to say that the working may endure in such a film. School uniform is also iconic when it comes to the urban genre as they tend to revolve around the life of school teenagers.

The USP of the trailer could possibly be the ‘one liner’ that is used, ‘BEFORE ADULTHOOD COMES’. For those whom are oblivious of the fact that //Adulthood// is the sequel to //Kidulthood// will be left to provoke an understanding to what this may mean. It could insinuate that teenagers go through a lot before they become adults, and so by viewing the film its audience can see the things that may occur in adolescent years.

Lastly, the title is effective in the way it makes use of capital letters and a small cased ‘i’. This is not a grammatical error, but merely a reflection on the colloquial language that has become part of an everyday contemporary society. Also, a release date has been used and the film distributor has been shown to give its audience relevant information which could make them anxious about wanting to see the film. The cast names which are shown at the end are in a small font to symbolise that there are not necessarily renowned actors.

In conclusion, the //Kidulthood// was extremely effective as in made the use of several conventions together with the use of representation so that the audience had a brief understanding of what could occur in the film.


 * **My questionnaire sample & questionnaire analysis**




 * **Teaser trailer (LDN)**

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 * **Evaluation**

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