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1. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G324 Advanced Portfolio Coursework
TEXTUAL ANALYSES
TASK: Textual Analyses
SOFTWARE: Word/Weebly
DESCRIPTION: You are required to complete 3 textual analyses (Poster + Magazine +
Trailer) FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE TEAM (4=12 or 3=9). In order to
complete this task, you must choose horrorposters from Google, horror
teaser trailers from YouTube, and horror magazines from the hub
(www.ctklms.com). The purpose of a textual analysis is to discuss the
connotations (meanings attached) to each element, with all points
being linked back to the horror genre. Please use the structures
supplied on the following sheet. There is no word limited for these
written tasks.
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate to the examiner WHY conventional horror content is
the way it is and to highlight similarities within the genre
A-GRADE
EXAMPLES:
http://officialhorizonstudios.weebly.com/textual-analysis.html
http://blackcrowproductionss.weebly.com/textual-analyses.html

2. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G324 Advanced Portfolio Coursework
Textual Analyses
For each analysis you must include:
 Film Title
 Release Date
 Director
 Production/Financing Company
 Principle Cast
 Sub-Genre
 Film Info: Origin? Adaptation? Sequel? Franchise? Re-make?
 Synopsis: What is the film about? (100 words max)
1. Horror Film POSTER
Discuss theconnotations and reasons for all the followingelements (consistently relate to horror):
Mise-en-Scene: Lighting, NVC, Setting, Costume, & Props,Camera: Framing& Shots, Colour,Typography:
Anchorage, Font Type, Mood & Styling,Specific Conventions:Tagline, Credits,Quotes etc.
Structure
Paragraph 1: Denotation.
Paragraph 2: Mise-en-Scene
Paragraph 3: Typography
Paragraph 4: Target Audience
2. Horror Film MAGAZINE
Discuss theconnotations and reasons for all the followingelements (consistently relate to horror):
Mise-en-Scene: Lighting, NVC, Setting, Costume, & Props,Camera: Framing& Shots, Colour,Typography:
Anchorage, Font Type, Mood & Styling,Specific Conventions:Masthead, Coverlines,SellingLine etc.
Structure
Paragraph 1: Denotation.
Paragraph 2: Mise-en-Scene
Paragraph 3: Typography
Paragraph 4: Target Audience
3. Horror Film TRAILER
Discuss theconnotations and reasons for all the followingelements (consistently relate to horror):
Mise-en-Scene: Lighting, NVC, Setting, Costume, & Props,Camera: Framing, Shots & Movement, Colour,
Typography: Captions,Mood & Styling,Sound: Diegetic, Non-Diegetic, Sound Effects, Voiceover,
Score/Incidental Music,Locations,Narrative:Story, link to the Genre choice,Editing: Continuity editing,
Montage editing, pacing,fast,slowetc.
Structure
Paragraph 1: Narrative
Paragraph 2: Mise-en-Scene
Paragraph 3: Camera
Paragraph 4: Sound
Paragraph 4: Editing
Paragraph 5: Typography
Paragraph 4: Target Audience

3. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G324 Advanced Portfolio Coursework
Movie Teaser Trailer- Textual Analysis
Before completing a movie trailer textual analysisyou must include:
1. The Film Title:
2. Year of Release:
3. Director:
4. Production/Financing company:
5. Principle Cast:
6. Films Origin/Info: Adaptation? Sequel? Franchise? Re-
make?
7. Synopsis: What is the film about? (100 words max)
There are certain areas that should help you to pull aparta trailer and analyzeits contents. Remember, what
are the connotations? Everything that is put into a trailer is putthere for a reason,what do they all connote?
 Mise-en-Scene: Lighting, NVC, Setting, Costumes, & Props.
 Sound: Diegetic, Non-Diegetic, Sound Effects, Voiceover, Score/Incidental Music.
 Camera Angles & Movement.
 Shot Size (ELS, LS, MLS, MS, MCU, CU or ECU).
Genre: what type of horror sub-genre is it? Does the trailer haveits own style and iconography that is common
to a particularfilmgenre? Are distinctgenre features reflected in the Mise en scene of the video?
Narrative: how is the story told? Is this narrativepresented in a fragmented, non-linear order? Do you think
this has been done to create mystery and leavethe viewer with a desire to see the filmbeing advertised?
Location: how does the trailer reveal location? Whatclues tell you so?
Characters: Who is portrayed in the trailer? How are they represented? Why? Do they support genre
conventions?
Voice Over: is there narration? If so,what is the style?
Theme: identify at leastone theme based on the trailer
Pacing: how is the trailer paced (fast,slow?) Does the pace change? What impactmight pacinghave?)
On-Screen Graphics/Captions: what kind of info is revealed? What is the style of captions (font, colour etc.)?
Editing & Post-Production (special effects): What form of editingis used? If fastcuts areused, why? Does the
soundtrack tempo drive the editing? Are digital effects or CGI used? What pleasuredoes this create for the
audience?
Music & Other Sound Effects: what roledo they play? Upbeat or Slow? Haunting tones?
Camerawork: Does camerawork convey particular meanings? (Shotsize/ camera movement/ camera angle)
Questions to consider:
1. How does the trailer begin and end? Was iteffectively edited?
2. What filmstudio is releasingthetrailer? Whatdo you know about them & their previously released films?
3. Why is this trailer beingplayed before the release? What is its purpose?
4. Do trailers tell you everything you need to know about the film? (Where can you get more information?)
Use the followingsites to find examples of filmtrailers:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/trailerpark
http://uk.filmtrailer.com/

4. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G324 Advanced Portfolio Coursework
http://www.youtube.com/

5. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G324 Advanced Portfolio Coursework
Movie Poster - Textual Analysis
Before completing a movie poster you must include:
8. The Film Title:
9. Year of Release:
10. Director:
11. Production/Financing company:
12. Principle Cast:
13. Films Origin/Info: Adaptation? Sequel? Franchise? Re-make?
14. Synopsis: What is the film about? (100 words max)
There are certain areas that should help you to pull aparta poster and analyze its contents. Remember, what
are the connotations? Everything that is put into a poster is put there for a reason,what do they all connote?
 Mise-en-Scene: Lighting, NVC, Setting, Costumes & Props.
 Camera Angles.
 Shot Size (ELS, LS, MLS, MS, MCU, CU or ECU).
 Main Image/Composition/Layout: Symmetrical/Asymmetrical.
 Focus: Soft/Harsh/Depth of Field.
 Colour:Connotations of Different Colours.
 Anchorage: Words/Captions,which help to understand context of the image.
 Type of Font:
o Serif fonts (small caps/feet/flick ups- connotetradition/old fashioned).
o Sans Serif fonts (no flick ups,and generally connote a more modern feel).
Conventions: Does the movie poster followany conventions of a specific genre of film?
Mood: Try to get a sense of the mood the poster conveys. Grim films tend to use disturbingimages intended
to evoke fear or anxiety. Epic movies convey a sense of grandeur, such as broad landscapes or a ship in outer
space.
Font/Names: Presentation of filmstars.If names appear above the title, or faces are prominently featured, the
studio wants you to know who's in it.Posters with no names, abstractimagery,or unknown characters,are
sellingsomethingother than the cast.
Credits: Look at the film's releasedate. Many movie campaigns slowly roll outtheir coverage, and the period
of time before the opening may clue you in to how the studio wants you to feel. "Teaser" posters released
early will often be mysterious or intriguing,intended to entice your curiosity withoutrevealingtoo much.
Posters later in the campaign will bemore explicit,possibly revealingdetailsaboutthe plot.
Colour: Pay attention to the colour scheme. Harsh or intense colours tend to represent a moody or dark film,
whilecomedies will havebrighter, more upbeat colours.
Tagline: Consider the tag lineor catch phrase. Action films stress excitement & adrenaline.Novel based films
may tout the original book,whilefilms by successful directors or producers may emphasizetheir earlier works.
Quotes: Examine quotes on the poster. Movie posters love to citevarious differentcritics praisingtheir film.
The advent of the Internet, however, has rapidly increased the number of critics outthere, and some are more
reputable than others. PraisefromEmpire magazine, the New York Times, or the Wall Street Journal carries an
air of respectability.Films thathave fewer good reviews to choosefrom will often look further down the
ladder for good quotes, citingsources you may be less familiar with.

6. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G324 Advanced Portfolio Coursework
Movie Magazine Front Cover - Textual Analysis
 Mise-en-Scene: Lighting, NVC, Setting, Costume & Props.
 Camera Angles.
 Shot Size (ELS, LS, MLS, MS, MCU, CU or ECU).
 Main Image/Composition/Layout: Symmetrical/Asymmetrical.
 Text/Typography/Masthead/Cover-lines, Dateline/Barcode/Selling
Line (USP)/Left Third.
 Type of Font:
 Serif fonts (small caps/feet/flick ups- connotetradition/old
fashioned).
 Sans Serif fonts (no flick ups,and generally connote a more
modern feel).
MASTHEAD (LOGO) The name of the magazine displayed in thetypeface in which itis designed. This is the
visual brandingof the title and is often done in a specially designed typeface to be
very recognisable& unique. The masthead is usually used on the contents page inside
as well as the front cover, & as a logo for advertising/brandingpurposes.
DATELINE Month and year of publication,often with the price.Note that a monthly magazine
usually hits thenewsstands the month before the cover date.
MAIN IMAGE In the caseof this front cover there is a singleimageof the character ‘Hellboy’. The
image is used in a classic way,the face is bigenough to stand out on the newsstand,
with the model makingfull eye contact.
MODEL
CREDIT/MAIN
COVER-LINE
This says:'You and Whose Golden Army?' This makes reference to the release of the
new ‘Hellboy’ film‘The Golden Army’. The photographer and model creditis usually
on the contents page.
COVER-LINES Empire magazine uses a lot of cover lines,which aredistributed around the main
image without detractingfrom it. A mistake often made is cover-lines thatrun over an
image that has many colour changes in it, rendering the words invisible.
LEFT THIRD The left third of the magazine cover is vital for sales in shops wherethe magazine is
not shown full-frontage. The titlemust be easily recognisablein a display of dozens of
competitors. The start of the masthead is importanthere, as areshort cover lines that
are easy to read.
BAR CODE Standard bar code used by retailers
SELLING LINE Short, sharp description of the title's main marketing point or perhaps setting out its
editorial philosophy.