Within this lesson, my classmates and I reviewed and discussed the importance of how a film is advertised and what forms of distribution the consumer is presented with everyday; whether the consumer actively seeks the information (through film magazines, newspaper film critics reviews etc.) or the product comes to them (passive consumption) through forms such as television advertisements and newspaper advertisements.
One way of deconstructing visual and textual messages is through the use of semiotics. Semiotics allow the audience to identify the many elements used within a text and become aware of how media texts communicate with the consumer. In total, there are three levels of semiotics; syntactic, representational and symbolic.
Syntactic Level
This is the most basic level of analysis; it identifies the denotations and describe what the text is actually presenting. By focusing on the immediate impression, the consumer is able to question presentational elements such as the use of colour, layout, dominant elements and how it effects the consumer themselves.
Representational Level
This level examines the meaning of something or someone. At this level, the relationship between key concepts, ideas and concepts within a text (i.e. film poster, film trailer, Arthouse or Mainstream film magazine) should be acknowledged. As well as this, representational level makes you consider the linking of elements in layout, editing etc.
Symbolic Level
This level revolves around how the consumer can search for hidden meanings or connotations that relate to ideology ( a system of ideas and ideals which form a persons opinion) and institution (an organisation founded for a religious, educational, professional or social purpose).
Sign systems have two elements - signifier and signified. The signifier is the thing represented by a sign. The signified is the concept being represented. Many signs tend to be polysemic in the way they carry many signifieds just from one signifier. For example, the signifier of a knife dripping blood on a horror poster has many signifieds associated with it (I.e. torture, death, pain, injury, hurt etc.).
In order to understand the importance of film promotion in its many forms, my classmates and I analysed three theatrical trailers and the covers of Mainstream and Arthouse film magazine covers as well. Not only this, we also acknowledged the similarities and differences between the two forms of distribution and the key features that were reoccurring such taglines, colour schemes, mise-en-scene, character stance and positioning etc. The trailers my classmates and I analysed were Peter jackson's final instalment of 'The Hobbit' fantasy trilogy 'The Hobbit - Battle of The Five Armies', David Fincher's thriller 'Gone Girl' and Alex Garland's Sci-Fi/Thriller 'Ex Machina.
It is important that genre is established in a trailer as it grabs the attention of audiences that studios know will want to see the film. For example, if the film is from the horror genre, admirers of horror will want to see the film when it is exhibited compared to someone from another audience demographic who are more interested in then latest romantic comedy. The trailer’s voiceover or text on screen will sometimes quite overtly compare a new film to a previous, successful film that the studio released in the same genre (e.g. "From the people who bought you…"). When choosing moments from the film, the film studio will often choose a range of sequences (action, romance, comedy) to show that their film has ‘something for everyone’.
Typical narrative structure is often broken down in this way:
1. Opening (establishes setting and introduces character)
3. Problem: a dilemma or series of complications. Characters are faced with an obstacle to overcome a mystery to solve, or often more than one
4. Events: a series of events/action as characters try to overcome obstacle, solve problem, discover truth and so on. Further complications may arise in the process
5. Resolution: the protagonists are victorious, problems are solved, truth revealed
6. Ending: characters reflect on events, reinstate relationships and look forward.
Occasionally people complain that film trailers give far too much information away. An effective trailer avoids any suggestion of resolution and ending, perhaps just a hint that the protagonist is going to learn an important lesson. The intention is to leave audiences wanting more, not feeling they have seen all the ‘best bits’ already. The key events are often put in non-chronological order so the actual film will not be too predictable.
Once key moments from a film have been chosen the editors who cut the trailer refer to editing conventions that can provoke the intended emotions and begin to tell the story. The following are some examples that can be seen in horror, action and fantasy:
1. Long shots to establish character, setting and the 'dilemma'
2. Fades to black that suggest shifts in time
3. Transitions accompanied by booming SFX, building tension and placing significance on the text on screen – often white on black
4. Short shots and quick cuts of some of the most exciting moments from the film, the ‘events’ that lead to resolution but not necessarily in chronological order
5. Quiet music to establish story, menacing music to highlight villains, build to a crescendo
6. Sudden moments of quiet and silence between and after music and SFX, which have equal impact on mood and pace.
- 'This Season'… (creates a sense of anticipation)
- 'From the people who brought you…' (refers to established audience)
- 'Based on the unbelievable true story…'
- 'Based on the bestselling book…'
- Star names (actors or director)
- The title (often heard and seen at the same time to cement it in viewers' minds)
- Official website so audiences can find out more
One man's destiny…
…They will find hope where they least expect it
…She will face her biggest challenge
...It will change their lives forever!
...Experience a new kind of fear
