Here is my film poster analysis of Before I go to Sleep and The Eye for my A2 Media Coursework

1. Iconography:
A blackshadow iscast around the edge
of the mainimage.Thisiseffectivein
connotingdarknessandmystery
aroundthe characters.Dark coloursare
alsoiconicof horrorand thrillerstories
suggestingthe filmmaybe quite dark
and somewhatsinister.
Typography:
The textstatesthat the filmisbased
on an “international best-selling
novel”.Thispromotesthe filmonthe
ideathat the plotissuccessful across
the worldas the bookand filmare
synergisticinhowtheypromote each
other.
The Eye line:
The eye follows a
path that directly
crosses the
women’s facial
features, therefore
immediately
drawing the
audience’sattention
to her, identifying
her as the main
character of the
film.
Alignment:
The three faces that
make up the main
image are
positioned so that
their eyes are
aligned. This is
effective in creating
a symmetrical
appeal to the poster
that makes it easy
on the eye and
slightly unnerving.
This may suggest
the film is both
entertaining and
disturbing.
Image Divisions:
The main image is
divided into vertical
panes. These split
up the characters
faces making them
seem distorted and
threatening. Each of
the male characters
have two panes but
the female
character has three,
suggestingshe isthe
most important.
Main Cast:
A major USP of the
film is its high
profile British
actors, Nicole
Kidman, Colin Firth
and Mark Strong.
These actors have
the capability to
bring in large
audience, which is
whytheyare in bold
white font that
contrasts with the
black background
Title:
The filmtitle “Before Igoto Sleep”is
large and boldincomparisontothe other
text,inorderto catch the viewer’seye.
The title isthe same as thatof the bookit
isbasedon, showingcross-media
synergy.“Before”and“Sleep”are larger
and inred fontagaininferringdangerand
possiblybloodshed,linkingtothe tagline.
Billingblock andReleasedate:
The billingblockislocatedtowards
the bottomas, althoughitisa
conventionof filmposters,itisnot
as importantas the otherfeaturesin
promotingthe film.Below the billing
blockisthe release date “October”
Typography:
The majorityof
the text,including
the title,tagline
and billingblockis
confinedtothe
bottomthirdof
the poster.This
ensuresthatthe
mainimage of the
three famous
actors – a major
USP of the film – is
the most
prominentpartof
the posterand
therefore larger
than the textand
not obstructedby
it.
Tagline
The tag line uses
directaddressto
pose the question,
2who doyou [the
viewer] trust?”
therefore including
the viewerinthe
story.The textis
dividedlikethe
mainimage
suggestingthe
audience should
picka side totrust.
Trust iswrittenin
redinferringone
character is
dangerous.
The Main Image:
Depictsthree faces;
onlypart of each
face is visible and
directaddressis
usedto bothentice
and unsettle the
vieweranddepicta
disturbinggenre.
The faces are of the
three mainactors in
the filmandare
therefore very
recognisable, this
makesthe poster
effectiveasitused
the star powerof its
actors to draw
viewerswithoutthe
needof textthat
may give awaythe
plot.

2. Iconography:
The eye has longdark eyelashesinferringthat
the personisfemale because of herfeminine
features.Thisisechoedbythe feminine
eyebrowinthe toprightof the poster.From
thisthe viewercaninferthe eye isthe main
character’splayedbyJessicaAlba.
Iconography:
The majorityof the posteriswhite andwashedout.This
isimportantas it contrastswithand drawsthe viewers’
attentiontothe mainimage. The restof the person’
face is white andsuggestof innocence. The brown eye
isthe onlypart of the image withcolour therefore
connotingthatit isabnormal and possibly sinister.
Iconography:
The white
background creates
a highcontrast with
the dark colourof
the eye,thismay
have beendone for
tworeasons,Firstly
it highlightsthe
iconicimage of the
eye as itis the
eponymouseye
referredtointhe
title.Secondly,the
use of colour
appearsdark and
unnatural
The Eye line:
Intersectsthe eye
directlydrawingthe
viewer’sattention
to it,as the iconic
aspectof the film.
The eye line draws
attentionto a white
glare on the eye
which depicts the
eye as startled and
fearful. The hand
points in the same
direction as the Eye
line. Thisiseffective
in guiding the
viewer across the
image.
The Main Image:
The main image is
positioned on the
top third of the
poster,immediately
making it more
prominent. The
image isan extreme
close up of a brown
eye against a
washed-out white
background. The
eye is iconographic
of the title the eye
therefore drawing
connections
between the eye
depicted and the
importance of it as
“the eye” referred
to in the title. Four
fingers appear to
emerge from
behind the bottom
eyelid. This is
unusual and
disturbing, giving
the viewer a sense
that the film has a
supernatural
aspect. Veins are
prominent on the
right of the eye and
the fingers appear
to be grasping the
eyelid tightly
suggesting the
character is
stressed. From this
the audience can
inferthat the film is
full of suspense.
Typography
The textis confined
to the bottomthird
of the poster,
suggestingitisnot
as importantas the
image.FromthisI
can inferthatthe
filmpromotionis
veryvisual-
orientated, asthe
image isthe most
prominentfeature
on the poster.
However, the use
of star powerin
“JessicaAlba”can
alsobe seenasa
USP.
Typography:
“JessicaAlba”istypedina thinbrown
fontand positionedabovethe title,this
suggestsshe maybe a more important
sellingpointthanthe conceptof the
film.The brownfontresemblesthatof
the eye inthe main image therefore
suggestingthatitisher eye,this
immediatelysuggeststothe audience
that JessicaAlba’scharacteriscrucial
to the storyline
BillingBlock:
The billingblockis
locatedtowards
the bottomof the
posteras, although
it isa conventionof
filmposters,itis
not as importantas
the otherfeatures
inpromotingthe
film.The billing
blockismade upof
thinblacktextthat
doesnotdistract
fromthe main
poster.
Title:
The title “The Eye” isin uppercase
letterswithaboldblackfontand
positionedcentrally.Thismakesiteye
catching,withoutdistractingfromthe
mainpurpose thusensuringthe
audience knowsthe tile of the film
whenitis released.“The”and“Eye”
are differentweights,intermsof
fonts,therefore showingthat“Eye”is
the most importantaspectof the title.