Common elements throughout film promotion packages: The Smurfs

The Smurfs Promotional package

Throughout promotions packages for films there are a certain things that run consistently throughout giving the film and the material a consistency. These elements can be all sorts of different things and it is this I am now going to analyse. I am going to use the film the Smurfs (to be released Aug 2011) as my example and I will analyse different elements of the promotion package to find these common elements.

Font

Here you can see the font is very similar between the film trailer and the poster. Both use the light blue text in the cartoon style font. This is good as it not only fits with the promotions package but also with the film its self (as the Smurfs are lighter blue and cartoon characters). The trailer also has white writing which also features on the poster this shows how the two products have a certain presentation style that people can recognise and associate with the film. It is unusual in the trailer that the institutional information has been changed to incorporate the Smurfs theme this in not usually done as normally companies have certain graphics that they display at this point in the trailer, creating brand identity, but in this film this is not the case.

Image composition

Images throughout the promotions package tend to be similar, again creating identity and something people can recognise. ­­­­In the images above you can clearly see the resemblance and more specifically the use of the image with more than one Smurf and an inner-city setting. This is clearly used to help people relate to the setting of the film. This clearly runs through the posers released to promote the film, all of the trailers and is heavily featured on the official website about the film.

 Colour

Through the whole promotion package, this is the use of the colour blue. Blue is a big part of the Smurfs franchise and this is particularly evident in all of the promotional material released.

Overview

It is clear to me from this analysis that one of the main elements in the promotions package is that there is a clear consistency throughout and the style established is clear, relevant and look good.  It is also clear that though all of the different elements are different; it is clear that they must all look and be composed similarly.

Analysis of film poster: Zookeeper (2011)

I have analysed this film poster using the A-L-L acronym, then added a few notes.

Sound used in Film Trailers

Types of Sound used in Trailers

·         Diagetic Sound

Diagetic sound is what you would expect to hear. It is sound that is directly linked or caused by the action on the screen. This could be things such as a door closing or a gunshot but is not specifically sound effects, dialogue also counts as diagetic sound at times and other sound that is caused on the screen can also be a part of the soundscape.

·         None-Diagetic Sound

None-Diagetic sound is sound not linked to the action on the screen and is not expected. This could be a music soundtrack to the images, narration or sound effects not linked to the pictures on the screen.

·         Music

Music is mainly none-diagetic but can be diagetic, but in whatever context it is an essential aspect of a film trailer. It can be used to create atmosphere and mood for the trailer as well as set the tone of the movie, allowing the audience to gauge their level of interest in the film. It is very unusual for a film trailer not to have music used in it.

·         Dialogue

Dialogue is characters speech. This is typically diagetic, however if the sound is Narration the chances are it is none-diagetic. Speech in trailers is usually used to give a basic outline of the themes in the play and sometimes give clues as to the plot, again allowing viewers to become interested in the film.

·         SFX

Sound effects, though mainly associated with action movies, are a big part of the soundtrack of a film in general, and especially [part of a trailer however they are used well when the audience does not know they are being used. For example if the sound recording of a door slamming was not good enough quality or not what the director/editor wants a sound effect can be dubbed over the action, creating the desired effect.

Sound used in Trailers can be affected by…

·         Genre

·         Narrative structure

·         Narrative point

·         Setting

·         Audience / Target audience

·         The Point in the trailer

As if I’m not there - Teaser Trailer Analysis

Analysis of teaser trailer

"As if I’m not there"

 I will do a basic analysis of what narrative and information about the film can be deduced

Notes and observations:

-The woman has a number tattooed on her wrist

-There are two states of the film

·         A happy free state when things are bright and beautiful

·         A sad and miserable state where it is dark, dirty and miserable

The main characters,

§  a young woman in her 20s

§  A Younger girl ( Sister / Daughter to older girl)

§  A young man, balled, and dark

§  An older man with longer hair and a beard

§  Another older man with whom the woman sleeps

Setting:

Ø  Eastern Europe?

Ø  Mountains and large open spaces

Ø  Busses and small confined rooms

Ø  Darker moments set at night

Ø  Lighter/happier moments set during the day

Mise en scene

Clothing

§  Poor, basic and dirty clothing. Suggestions of low status

§  Head scarves and cultured clothing

§  Scenery seems simply for setting and unrelated in the trailer in trailer

§  Casting seems appropriate and actors convey genre well

Trailer:

BBFC Classification Research

We did some research into the BBFC classification system to help us specify an appropriate target audience. As the plot involves drugs, alcohol and depression the group was split as to where the target audience should be placed. I personally thought initially that the film would be aimed at 18+, however this is what the BBFC say on the portrayal of drugs:

12/12A: "Drugs- Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail."

15: "Drugs - Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable."

18: "Drugs - where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals."

Welcome

Welcome to my A2 Media Blog.

Similarly to my AS Media Blog I will be updating this blog regularly with the latest developments on my research and my project.