MIGRAIN -coursework

1. A2 Media Studies
Coursework
Research and Planning
Name: Fatima Al Humiri

2. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Meaning:
• Technical codes and symbolic codes are used to communicate meaning in films & shows. When
creating a film ,filmmakers consider the technical equipment used to construct the narrative as
every camera shot/angle, lighting and sound is specifically used for a reason. An example of a
technical code is a shot reverse shot , this is used in the film ’The Dark Knight’ to intensify the
moment and create tension between the protagonist and antagonist as the joker and batman
are represented as rivals .
• Another example of a technical code is an editing technique , a flashback is incorporated in the
film ‘Forrest Gump’ when the main character ‘Forrest’ begins narrating the story of his life to
random strangers. Flashbacks provide meaning by giving a greater insight of the characters past
life ,this allows the audience to feel more connected to the character as they’re able to observe
the characters journey and experience the characters emotion and setbacks.
• A symbolic code is related to the Mise-en-scene ,colour and the relationship between the
characters , these media elements can be adjusted and constructed in a certain way to create
meaning within the narrative.
Directors may utilize technical and symbolic codes in their film to :
• Indicate the type of relationship the characters may have .
• Indicate the genre the film/narrative/show it belongs to .
Lighting and sound -Lowkey lighting and a sinister soundtrack/ score -sound will easily indicate to
the audience that genre is most likely horror or thriller .This is because horror films have similar
codes and conventions as their general aim is to provoke feelings of fear ,uncanny and anticipation
within the audience . So , in this modern time it allows the audience to easily indicate the films
Genre , this allows the audience to assume what’ll happen next which makes a film quite
predictable and repetitive .
• Express the characters emotions
Facial expressions , body language , sound and camera shot can be used to help indicate how the
characters feeling . A director may use a close up shot to focus on the characters facial expressions.
If the character is shocked , the actor may furrow their brows and gape their mouth . To indicate
that the characters have a romantic relationship their body language would be open with a close
proxemics between the characters.

3. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Meaning 2:
Stuart halls reception Theory -The Encoding-Decoding model states that the meaning is encoded by the sender
and decoded by the audience or viewer. These encoded meanings can be decoded to mean something else to
match someone else’s ideologies and personal beliefs. There are 3 different positions an audience might take when
they read a message/text , dominant position , negotiated position and oppositional view. The Dominant position is
when the audience has little misunderstanding and disagreements of the message the media is attempting to
perceive as both the sender and receiver has the same cultural ideologies and beliefs .The Negotiated position is
when the audience is able to decode and understand the senders message but not fully accept the interpretation
of the dominant cultural and societal views as they might interpret it in a different way. The Oppositional viewer is
when the audience is capable of decoding and understanding the senders message but disagree with the message
due to their own social beliefs and biased representations of the text. This shows that a media text can be
interpreted in 3 different ways as -audiences don’t all respond in the same way ,so the audience may create
polysemic views and meanings for the media text . For example , looking at the film gone girl where Amy abruptly
disappears leaving her husband Nick, one reading could be that their relationship may’ve not been stable as she
didn’t inform her husband of her sudden absence . Another reading could be that may have physically abused his
wife as she left so suddenly with no explanation.

4. M.I.G.R.A.I.N –BBFC:
The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) has the legal right to remove or cut works if they don’t abide to the media text’s apparent
age ratings. It is the UK’s primary regulator of film and video and actually provide age appropriate ratings to film pieces. This is to ensure
that younger viewers don’t watch things they are not supposed to, like harmful or illegal material. Not only is this for physical copies of
films, but also for online material that could be made from independent film companies- their pieces would be found in streaming
services like Netflix. Recently, they started implementing age ratings onto Netflix shows and movies, and are hoping that other streaming
services would also adopt the new digital indicative symbols on the age ratings Research by the BBFC demonstrates a staggering 95% of
teenagers would like to have the same age ratings as those allocated to DVDs and cinemas- this makes it easier and more recognizable.
Furthermore, more than half of teens expressed concerns about watching content they don’t have any prior knowledge about- and say
that age ratings would help them comprehend the contents of the film a little better. Those who have had the unfortunate instance of
watching films they would ‘rather avoid’ describe themselves as being ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘anxious’. This was the case in the ‘Joker’
where a good chunk of the audience were left ‘disturbed’ with the emphasis on violence along with drug abuse and mental illnesses.
Those who were unaware of these contents were describing this movie as ‘gory’ and ‘creepily violent’. However, this is the case with
movies under the psychological thriller umbrella like Taxi Driver’ and ‘Silence of the Lambs’- which is why they are almost always labelled
with the R rating.
These age rating classifications are:
•U – Suitable for all
•PG – Parental Guidance
•12A – Only used for films shown in cinemas and suitable for 12 years
and over. However, people younger than 12 may see a 12A so long as
they are accompanied by an adult
•12 – Video release suitable for 12 years and over
•15 – Suitable for only 15 years and over
•18 – Suitable only for adults

5. M.I.G.R.A.I.N –BBFC 2:
When the Lego Movie was released in 2014, it was a hit with the younger audience. The whimsical and
comedic nature of the film completely conceals the mild violence that is subtly intertwined throughout the
whole movie. This is why the BBFC has given it a rating of U- the fast action paced sequences that are highly
geared towards the younger members of our generation so the tone is kept light and chimerical. There is no
use of realistic weapons like guns, there is no blood, pain or injury- therefore there is no discomfort generated
by the audience. Since these are legos, the unrealistic punches that are thrown are ridiculously comedic due to
the unrealistic nature of the story. From what has been observed, the most ‘violent’ sequence was when the
mentor was beheaded by a flying coin. This didn’t set off any warning bells in the heads of parents or children
as the mentor, Vitruvius seemed unperturbed as he carried a full conversation with Emmet, the main
character, before cartoonish crosses appear on his eyes signifying that he is dead. This wasn’t seen to be
disturbing in the slightest as the audience would have been familiar with the sight of Lego toys’ heads being
easily pulled off and reattached without damage to the toys, and so would not be alarmed by the image of a
Lego character missing his head.
Another children’s film that was renowned for its eerie vibe was Coraline- this fantasy thriller was given a
rating of PG by the BBFC. This is due to the plethora of hair raising scenes that would have been frightening to
most children like the high pitched score that built up when the spider hand was trying to grab Coraline into
the well, the transformation of the beldam, the button eyes of everyone in the other world, the ghost children,
circus master is just a sac full of dust and rats. However, the creepiness is assuaged by the comedic moments
and silly songs sung by their colorful neighbors, and the dancing mice. Most importantly, the emphasis on the
triumph over the Beldam and the overall happy ending somewhat makes the film a lot more child
friendly. Although there was no bloodshed, no gore, or anything inappropriate, the slight mild language (when
the other mother comments on the ‘rat crap’)and the instance where one of the eccentric neighbours came
out naked except for a few glitter stars stuck over her body instigated the examiners to avoid rating the film
with the U. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is the fact that the film is set in Coraline’s home and revolves
around, which to most of the younger audience symbolizes comfort and safety.
A film with a PG classification is described by the BBFC as offering ‘General viewing, but some scenes may be
unsuitable for young children. Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A PG film should not disturb a
child aged around eight or older.’ It was also put forward that more sensitive youngsters would be more
affected by the film, and so this acted as a warning to parents.

6. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Genre:
Genre Theorists (who, what, examples): :
Genres can be identified by the codes and conventions used, these distinctive features
allows the audience to be more familiar with what’s relatively seen in that specific film
genre. These features are associated with a genre style , so the narrative may feature for
example , a particular setting ,character types and technical and symbolic codes . Looking at
a real life media text , The technical code of lighting and sound is a typical media convention
focused in the horror genre to create a sinister and unsettling atmosphere , to ensure that
the ’horror film’ does what its expected to do ,which is to evidently frighten the audience. So
, Genres generate expectations and requirements that audiences subconsciously and
consciously expect to be met, such as the hero overthrowing the villain, the love interests
finding their way back to one another or the damsel in distress scenario . Due to this we find
that these expectations and requirements are conventional in media texts .
Steve Neale's Theory is made up of two parts , repetition and difference , he believes that a
Genre is often made up of conventional elements that audiences are familiar with .For
example, in a horror film we often see the repetitive conventional elements such as lowkey
lighting , a sinister atmosphere & a horror score or soundtrack . This sense of repetition
makes it easier for audiences to recognize and identify what film the Genre belongs to .
Genres are notable for subverting the repetitive conventions and stereotypes to
differentiate from existing films , doing so the film will fully engage the audience as its
something they’ve never viewed before . An example of a film that conforms to Steve
Neale’s Genre Theory is Lights out . The film lights out shows repetitive horror conventions f
We see this in the horror film lights out, red-wash lighting and blue wash lighting is utilised
when the protagonists come across the antagonist . In lights out we see that diegetic sound
is used when we hear the police siren as the police approach the house , we also hear the
protagonists desperately screaming in the basement for help . This links to Steve Neale’s
Theory of Repetition and difference , he states that conventions and generic codes are
repeated in all genres.

7. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Representation:
Representation is how media texts portray gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality, and other social issues to the audience. Essentially the Media can
mold our understanding and perspectives of what is happening around us. This makes media texts from magazines and advertisements to full-
feature movies very powerful in terms of influencing our views and attitudes about a certain topic. There are key elements that play key roles in
things that are represented through the media.
Stereotypes are widely circulated ideas or assumptions related to a person or a group, the way in which media texts are displayed online
influences how people think about the targeted subject or group in films .an example of a stereotype displayed in a real-life media text is the way
Latina women are idealized for their curvaceous physique.
An example of this is represented in the popular American show ‘Modern Family’ where women are sexually objectified for men's pleasure. An
example of this is shown in the popular American show ‘Modern Family’ where one of the main protagonists ‘Gloria Pritchett’ is hypersexualized
and exoticized. This is demonstrated when Gloria is generally seen wearing provocative clothing such as low cut shirts & figure-hugging dresses,
this is displayed in the images. This links to the Alvarado's racial stereotype theory where the media categorizes people in racial themes based on
their different cultures. Latino Americans are seen as ‘sex symbols’ in the media, this idea is represented through their explicit clothing which is
deemed as inappropriate and unacceptable to Society’s expectations and perceptions. A report found reinforces the fact that Latina women are
sexualized in the media due to the numbers ‘’36.1 of Latina characters were depicted in sexualized attire’’ this means that ethnic women
revealing more skin are essentially categorized to be the ‘exotic’ character over females from all other races. Therefore the Latina character
‘Gloria Pritchett’ evidently conforms to the Exotic category in the Alvarado stereotype theory . This also conforms to the Male Gaze Theory
where the female theorist Laura Mulvey believes that women are sexually objectified in the media and are viewed through the male's
perspective.

8. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Representation (2):
• An example of a stereotype displayed in a real-life media text is the way women are
underrepresented in the media . Essentially in films women are rarely casted as the main
roles, this is proven to be true with the statistics that ‘Only 35% of films included 10 or
more female speaking roles’ whereas ’82% of films had atleast 10 male characters with
speaking roles’ this highlights the underrepresentation of gender inequality In the media
that may perpetuate harmful stereotypes such as the common stereotype that Men are
chracterized to be superior to women. An example of a film conforming to this stereotype
is ‘The Men in Black’ (1997).
From this ‘Men in Black’ film poster we can already presume that
the men in the image are most liekly to be the main characters as
the film poster evidently matches the title of the film. Due to the
fact that the gender is clearly shown in the image and the men
are in dressed in black suits . Another reason we can suggest that
the film is based on men is that no females are represented on
the film poster –which purpose is to give some sort of indication
of what the film is about. The Poster clearly conforms to the
stereotype as we can see that the men are associated with
conventional elements of dominance and power. For example in
the first image the men are see wearing black shades and in the
second image we see them holding some sort of large weapon .
This makes them seem more intimidating and threatening to the
audience .

9. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Audience (1):
The User and Gratification Theory was developed by Bummer and Katz , they believed that media users play
an active role in choosing and using the media that best fufills their own needs. There are 5 different reason
why the audience choose to watch what they want.
1. Information & education : some audiences utilize media texts to gain a greater knowledge and
understanding aboutnwhats currently happening in the world . An example is that political audiences
who want to be more informed and educated on the presidential elections may take advantage of
newspapers , news programs ,current affairs documentaries and social media to gain a deeper insight on
which presidential candidate is leading the election in this case , Donald trump versus Joe Biden .
2. Entertinament: some audiences utlize the media such as viewing films to satisfy their emotional needs
or to escape from reality. Audiences may choose to watch certain media texts that distracts them from
the real world possibly a fantasy film such as ‘Harry Potter’. Audiences may choose to watch a certain
film to feel a particular way such as a feeling of nostalgia possibly a chilhood film like Toy Story.
3. Personal Identity: Some audiences may utilize the media to compare their personal experiences with
whats being represented. Some audiences also take pleasure into indentifying and relating to characters
that share similar values and experiences. This may cause audiences to mimick the characters behavior .
An example that links to modern society is when audiences such as teenagers , utilize media texts such
as ‘Buzzfeed’ to read about their peronsal zodiac signs so they can gain a deeper insight into ones self.
4. Integration & social interaction: Some media topics may provoke an interaction between the audience.
An example of a media text that is likely to provoke an immediate recation is football news as active
audiences are able utilize social media platforms such as twitter ,by sharing their different opinions and
views on which football team had played the best .
5. Escapism: Some audiences utilize the media to escape and distract from their real lives by visualizing
themselves living through the characters perspective . For example a common way to relive stress and
set backs could be achieved by playing videos games as it forces you to concentrate on whats happening
in the game.

10. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Audience (2):
Hypodermic Needle Theory
The hypodermic needle theory was earlier developed in the 1920s and the 1930s as one of the
earliest ways the researchers discovered how to influence audiences by utilizing the mass media
.Its a linear communication theory that suggests that media messages are directly injected into the
minds of passive audiences . This is because passive audiences are more likely to be inclined into
accepting the messages the media text is representing ,as they have a weaker mindset in
comparison to active audiences that don’t passively accept the message but are instead actively
involved in figuring out how accurate it is with the support of questions and research .This is
especially threatening towards vulnerable audiences such as children as they’re more likely to be
influenced by what they’re seeing . This Is shown to be true with the ’Bobo Doll experiment’ , in
1961 Bandura conducted a controlled experiment to investigate if social behaviors can be acquired
by observation and limitation. The experiment involved exposing children to two different adult
models , an aggressive model and a non-aggressive one. The children would then be placed in the
room with a bobo doll and were observed to see if they would imitate the adults behavior. Th
results of the experiment were that who observed the aggressive adult model acted in a far more
physically aggressive way than those that observed the non-aggressive model . This shows that
children are able to learn and imitate the social and physical behaviors of adults .
Another example of the hypodermic needle being shown is in the film Scream (1996) , the gory
slasher image imitated real life in the murder of Rita Castillo . Castillo was murdered by her son and
nephew after they finished watching Scream which supposedly inspired them to kill and convict
murder . In the film teenagers are knifed by killers dressed in grim reaper costumes who are
obsessed with horror movies .So the two teenagers reenacted the disturbing scene by stabbing
Castillo 45 times with four knives and a screw driver .This shows how films subconsciously
manipulate you mind into doing things without you realizing ,especially in a passive state where
you’re more inclined to be manipulated . In this case children are easily influenced by films so
watching certain films may encourage this type of violent behavior.

11. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Ideology:
An ideology is a system of principles and attitudes of beliefs that a group
or society considers to be true or relevant. These are the ideas that are
held by media producers; their vision is what is conveyed to the
audience so their ideas and perspectives will also contribute to
influencing the viewers. The editor’s ideology could influence the way
stories represent topics such as an article about a celebrity like
Constance Wu. Her recent outburst had sent many gossip sites buzzing-
some sites expressed their anger and repulsion at her post and
mockingly rebuking her by quoting her post in a mean manner. Overall,
they had painted her in a very bad light, describing her as ungrateful and
a diva. These images show Constance Wus reaction to her show being
renewed for another season.
Dominant ideologies are the values and beliefs shared by the majority of
people in a group. They’re beliefs we live by in our day to day lives and
do not question and have become the natural and common sense thing
to do . Dominant ideologies include beliefs about gender roles, the
economy and about social institutions. For example , Consumerism has
been a dominant ideology in the western world for a long time , it’s a
world belief that a persons worth is decided with the amount of material
possessions they own , it gives us the idea that we become happier by
consuming more goods.

12. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Narrative:
Vladimir Propp was a theorist that did excessive research on characters based off of fairy tales and folklore. He argued
that stories were actually character-driven that the plot is affected by the sort of characters that are involved in the
scene/ the whole story. His theory holds a sense of verisimilitude because just like how our actions affect our future,
the characters actions and decisions affect the overall plot and outcome of the story. Propp perpetuates that these
characters could be classified into specific categories/ roles in the story and they would have a shared personality. For
instance, the villains would be greedy, ambitious, determined, and evil with aims of controlling the world or destroying
the hero or both.
Villain: They are characters that struggle to stop the hero
Donor: Gives the hero a tool/ device/ help to complete their quest
Helper: They are the sidekick that helps the hero complete their ques
The princess: They are used as the driving force for the hero usually, and is usually married to the hero as a sign of gratitude and love.
False Hero: The character that seems to be good but the story reveals that they are evil.
Dispatcher: The person who sends the hero on their quest
Hero: The character who follows the quest
Vladimir Propp’s theory can be implemented in modern media texts as well, like in newspapers, politicians are often
painted as villains, and people who tend to do charities or people who do daring rescues (like firefighters) are portrayed
as the heroes-

13. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Narrative:
• Todorovs Narrative Theory:
• 1.introduction to characters ,everything is at a state
of equilibrium.
• 2. is. the turning point in the narrative , the
audience will be aware of a disruption
foreshadowing in the film and interrupting
equilibrium
• 3. protagonists have become aware of the
disruption that has occurred
• 4. The protagonists attempt to repair the
destruction and hopefully restore equilibrium back .
• 5. a sense of equilibrium will return or a new
equilibrium will be restored , new characters for
example.
Todorov Theory applied to Toy Story 1:
1.In the initial image we see the toys have come to life, in the
Mise-en-Scene we're introduced to the main protagonists : slinky
dog, Mr Potato head, Rex , Little Bo-Peep, etc. In the Mise-En-
Scene ,The protagonists are crowded around Sheriff Woody who
is holding a microphone , from this we can infer that he's in-
charge of the other toys ,we can also suggest this because he's
namely 'Andys favored toy', this powerful title overpowers him
from the rest of the toys . What looks like to be a 'serious
meeting' discussing Andys birthday party, Woody fears Andy will
receive larger and attractive toys that will replace the existing toy
clan and especially replace woody with a new favored toy . This
emphasizes how emotional the toy world is and reflects how
frightened toys are from being replaced as they're intimidated by
the arrival of new toys.

14. M.I.G.R.A.I.N – Narrative:
• 2. In the image above we see the 'Buzz Lightyear ' action figure gifted
to Andy , this 'new toy' causes a disruption to the toys ordinary world
. This arrival of a new toy shocks woody as he had convinced himself
to the toy clan that 'no ones getting replaced' so a sense of fear and
intimidation build up to woody as he's worried that , Andy will love
and favor the new toy more.
Woodys neglect increases as his place of honor on Andys bed is is
given to buzz whilst Andys friends knock woody under his bed,
symbolizing him entering a new world.
in this image we see woody and Buzz lightyear
communicating in the Mise-En-Scene, Andy is only
aloud to bring one toy to 'Pizza Planet' which irratates
woody as theirs a chance of him not being picked to
go.
In this close up shot of woody,we see a clear representation of his facial
expressions ,his eyes are squinted and his eyebrows are raised. This
creates an sinful appearance and could suggest to the audience that
Woody is planning an 'evil scheme' , this exposes Woodys resentment and
anger towards buzz and paints a negative light over woody, reflecting the
personality traits of a 'true antagonist' which would make the audience
feel uneasy and irritated as we don't want Woody to do anything bad
because of his loyalty to andy and we don't want him to turn unpleasant .

15. Analysis of Joker Trailer (1):
• We first see a longshot of a suburban city that’s filled with buildings in the Mise-en-scene, this could suggest that the joker film is
set in new York as the city highlights its infrastructure. The simple score sound matches the slow-motion of the train and the quick
transitions ,this begins to build up tension and give the feeling that time is being slowed down however the use of quick transitions
juxtaposes to the sense that time is being slowed down. This links to Stuart Halls reception Theory where the media text can be
interpreted in polysemic/different ways such as the dominant reading which is how the producer wants the audience to view the
media text ,the oppositional reading is when the audience rejects the preferred reading, and creates their own meaning for the text
and the negotiated reading is a compromise between the dominant and oppositional readings where the audience accepts parts
of the producer's views, but has their own views on parts as well . One reading could be that although time is being slowed down in
the world a sense of equilibrium can be found through the score sound connecting with the control of motion. Another reading
could be that the juxtaposition of time is contradicting the opinions of the joker .This is shown in the mise-en-scene when a woman
of a coloured ethnicity uses diegetic sound to tell Arthur(the joker) to stop bothering her son. Although , this reflects Arthur in a
negative way where it looks as if he's deliberately attempting to harass her child , he hasn’t done anything wrong to show it . This is
shown in the shot reverse shot , We see Arthur using hand gestures to cover his face and play ‘pee ka boo’ with the child , Arthur
uses facial expressions and body language to entertain the child , he uses hand gestures to cover his face when he exposes his
face he gasps as a playful way to scare the child . This suggests to the audience that Arthur isn’t a conventional antagonist as he
enjoys entertaining and playing with the child ,which shows that he’s somewhat pure and human ,Which is a complete contrast of
how Villains conventionally act and feel . In the shot reverse shot, we see that child innocence is represented through the diegetic
sound of the child laughing , which represents purity and lack of knowledge as the child is completely unaware of who Arthur is and
whether Arthur is a good person. We begin to hear a voiceover of a woman telling Arthur that she has some bad news for him as
soon as we hear this a medium shot is used to show Arthur hysterically laughing at a high-pitch for a long duration as he walks
along the corridors . We can immediately tell that something is wrong with Arthur as he's laughing for no complete reason , this
suggests to the audience that he's mentally unstable as he’s unable to control himself from having random episodes of laughter .
This is shown when he abruptly stops laughing and becomes silent , his facial expressions become blank as his mouth is no longer
gaped anymore and is now closed , as if Arthur is a completely different person when he's able to control himself which sounds as if
he's been possessed by some sort of evil which is similar to the traits of a villain , this is reflected through the use of lowkey lighting
in the mise-en-scene which emphasizes the sinister and eerie atmosphere . This links to Steve Neale’s Theory of Repetition and
difference , he states that conventions and generic codes are repeated in all genres. We see this in the Joker when they use
conventional technical codes that belong to the horror genre such as ,lowkey lighting. A medium shot is used to show Arthur
sitting down in a hospital room , which suggests that he's visiting someone significant to him as he seems to be watching over the
patient . In the shot reverse shot , we see this old-fashioned tv that appears vintage this is because its hanging from the ceiling as
well as the tv is relatively small compared to the modern TVs so the Joker film most likely base their set before the year 2000s . A
shot reverse shot is used to show Arthur shocked as his mouth begins to gape and he slowly picks himself up to watch the tv , the
shot reverse shot shows us that Arthur is on TV sharing a personal story related to his dream about becoming a comedian , from
the shallow focus shot we see that Arthurs facial expressions change from shocked to content which is represented through his
wide smile showing teeth and wide eyes , this suggests that Arthur is very pleased and fascinated by his TV self this moment allows
us to really see Arthur for who he truly is . A shot reverse shot is used to show the tv, we see a man who appears to be the host of
some sort of TV show mocking Arthurs idea of comedy , a shallow focus medium shot shows Arthur's facial expressions becoming
blank and disappointed by his deception on TV.

16. Analysis of Poster 1:
We can see that his suit visually
stands out on the poster .This is
because his suit is quite vibrant
and colorful as the colors ,maroon
gold and green are worn.We can
suggest that each color has been
chosen for a reason that may be
related to Arthurs chractertsics and
his backstory. The range of colors
used will surely attract a larger
target market making them
prominent from competition.
The color maroon symbolizes
confidence this relates back to the
Jokers optitmistic character , for
example in the middle of the poster we
can clearly see that the joker is dancing
without a care in the world. This
suggests that the joker doesn’t conform
to ur typical chracter types which makes
the joker stand out from other
conventional antagonists , this also
another feature that makes the joker
film stand out from competition
The USP of this film is the well-known and
respected actor ‘‘Joaquin phoenix’’and the
psychological thriller elements .By using his
name on the Poster it will attract a lot of
attention from his loyal fan base as well as
others who rate him as a exceptional actor so
It will increase the quality standard of the film
relative to competiton. Th actors name is
written in a bold white font that stands out
from the neatural colors in the background
making it recognizable to all target markets .
The title graphics have been placed directly
on the steps , it has been placed in a way
where its not covering anything in the
background so the writing is clearly
structured.
The large font makes it easier to read for all target
markets . The white lettering symbolizes purity and
innocence which juxtaposes to the codes of
conventions of a psychological thriller . However it
conforms to the jokers stance , which suggests that the
poster is capture of him dancing .
The layout of the poster is A4 and
is distinctly portrait. The
positioning of the actor in the
center of the poster may
subconsioucly lure target markets
to look directly at him. The stance
and body language of the actor is
very eye-catching to stare at as you
wouldn’t conventionally see this in
psychological thriller posters or
competition in general giving this
film another USP.
The layout and positioning of the
green bright light is directly placed in
the lower center where its powerful
against the dark setting of the stairs.

17. Analysis of a social
media page-Twitter :
The joker graphic title is mirrored in the cover
page as well as the profile picture to show that
they’re linked. A vibrant logo is used as the profile
picture. The background of the logo gives of this
ombre effect from the colors light blue to violet .
The graphic title is effective against the logo
background , this is because white distinctly stands
out clearly against dark color shades like violet.
This makes the logo eye-catching and aesthetically
pleasing to look at which may attract a larger
target market . The color violet symbolizes ,
innocence relative to the white for ‘joker’which
symbolizes innocence as well . The colors may have
been deliberately chosen for a sole purpose of
grabbing attention and giving the social media
page a USP.
The joker with a tick shows that this is their official
instagram page . This is important for the film
industry as social media is free and accesible on
any device , this means its easy to replicate this
information to give false information instead . So
the blue tick proves its authenticy and allows the
audience to know the information is accurate .
The @joker hyperlink connects
all the social media pages as it’s
the offical instagram and
facebook hyperlink too. So , fans
have multiple social media
options to recsieve more
information about the film.
The heading links to the official film poster . From this the audience are able to
recognize who the main character is ,which could interest them if they recognize the
actors or are a fan of them . This is very important in the film industry as this free
advertisement will give the audience their first impression of the film itself . The
variety of colors depicted such as , green ,white ,red and orange, in the header as
well as the logo-background may make it difficult to indicate thr genre. However , the
joker is a well established character in many films so the audience are somewhat
aware of the film. At the same time, these colors are similar to the conventions and
genre codes of a psychological thriller
By having the option to like ,comment and
retweet . This gives the marketing campaign a
clear indication of how successful and popular
the film is ,which is great for marketing purposes.
The #joker gives people the opporunity to press
on the handle and receive some more insight &
possibly information about the film. People are
given the option to freely comment and share
their opinions under the post which increases
interaction with the marketing campaign ,this is
an example of pull media as thoughts and
opinions can be gathered from the audience .
By having the option to sharethe
hyperlink or retweeting their posts ,
allows the opporutnity to create the
two step flow as the audience can
freely advertise and spread the
word about the film to a range of
audiences.

18. Branding:
We can see a clear sense of branding through
the three social media platforms: twitter,
instagram and facebook . Looking at the three
social media pages we can clearly see that the
logo is mirrored in all their profile pictures , we
canly instantly notice that a bold white font is
used to convey the title of the film , this makes
it much more recognisable to audiences
making it difficult for them to forget about the
film . The color of the title is white which
symbolizes purity , which juxtaposes to the
conevtnions of a psychological thriller . Yet the
white lettering boldly stands out against the
purple background , which again creates a
sesne of branding.
We can see that the blue tick is represented on
all the social media handles, which clearly
shows its authenticity and ensures the
audience that the information isnt false or
misleading.So audiences are likely to follow
the handle as they know it’s the offical
account. This is also important for the
marketing campaign as they control what
information is bein released at what time so
this can be used to excite the audience and
prepare them for the release of the film.
We can also see that a hyperlink is repeated in
the bio of all the social media pages which
makes it easier and more accesible for
audiences to directly look at offical trailers,
posters and merchandise.
If the social media pages are scrolled
down we can clearly see that
advertising is emphasized , the posts
are all related to the film to spread
awareness and promote the film
freely to their extent, which is really
good for marketing the film .
We can see that the same
heading is being used on
twitter and Facebook page,
but not Instagram as it
doesn't give the marketing
campaign this option. So
Instagram fans may feel
confused and informed about
this teaser poster presented
in the other social media
platform headings .

19. Analysis of Ladybird Trailer 2:
We first see a medium wide shot of a teenage girl , adolescence is clearly represented
through the girls appearance as her hair is dyed pink , pink symbolizes innocence however
the girl may have not intended to appear this way in front of her mother as
stereotypically girls want to be treated like adults . From the upbeat soundtrack we can
instantly assume that the film conforms to the conventions and genre codes of a teenage
drama –Genre . However , the positive mood created quickly changes when the girl and
her mother argue about typical matters such as travelling for college. A shot reverse shot
is used to show the argument intensify as the transitions quicken , this is shown when
body language and facial expressions emphasize the exaggeration when the mother is
lecturing her daughter . A medium shot is used to show the mother exaggerating her
movements , she uses hand gestures whilst expressing her feelings on the situation ,
although she leaves one hand on the steering wheel to not lose control of the car .This
first suggests that the mother is likely to be out of her mind as she's risking her and her
daughters safety to make her point . A medium shot is used to show the girl open the car
door with no hesitation , she immediately falls into the streets as if its more painless than
hearing her mother speak . This instantly suggests that stereotypically the girl and her
mother don’t get along . A medium shot is used to show

20. Analysis of Poster 2:
The lettering of the title ‘Lady Bird’ is written in an elegant type of
font. It gives the impression that the font is quite old fashion and royal
which suggests that it was inspired through the creation of royalty .The
title graphics is colored white , white symbolizes purity which
emphasizes the youth and highlights the theme of child innocence
showcased in the film.
The layout of the poster is A4 and is clearly a potrait frame . We can
see that the character is the focus on the poster , as shes directly
positioned in the middle , attracting attention towards her . From the
mise-en-scene we can infer that the girl is quite sophisticated and
graceful . Her body posture is upright , yet her facial expressions seem
blankless. As if , shes a statue who is in no control of her emotions .
We can signfy that the background is based in
a church as the cross- sign is a semiotic that
represents christianity . However the
background has been edited for a shallow
focus to only draw attention to the girl
.however the church may attract an older or
religious audience as they are quite
committed to going to church, this gives the
film a USP as we are able to focus entirely on
the main character of the film.
We can see that a colorful strip is
bordering the film poster . We can see
that the varity of colors may have been
chosen to reflect on the adolesence . A
range of playful colors my have also
been picked to somehow hint the genre
of the film without being too forward
and evident however the use of the
color palette clearly shows that. The
film is realted to the youthwhich would
invite interest to a teenage audience
specifically teenage girls as a female Is
being depicted on the poster .
The USP of this film is the well-known and successful
actress since adolescence ‘’Saoirse Ronan’’, and the
relatable teenage /drama elements in the film , which
would’ve attracted a young teenage audience . By
making her the focus of the poster it will draw a lot of
attention from her fanbase as well as others who rate
her as a great actress, so the poster will stand out from
the competition and set the bar on the quality of the
film
The directors name is viusally
very small on the poster
comapred to the primary focus
of the poster which is the
graphics title above the smaller
texts. Although the attention is
drawn to the title , the
directors name is bolded in the
sentence to give importance to
the directors work.

21. Analysis of Social Media Page 2:
The lady bird logo is mirrored in the
header as well as the profile picture .
However the profile picture only shows a
snippet whilst the header reveals the rest
of the image . The lettering of the title
‘lady bird’ is written in some sort of old
fashioned style over a off-white
background. the color red fits into the
secondary color palette that is filled with
vibrant bright colors . So the red ‘lady
bird’ font boldly stands out against the
simple background .Which makes the logo
appear more recognizable and clearer for
the audience to read and remember the
film . The color of the font may have bee
specifically chose to draw the attention of
the audience from competition thus
giving the film a USP. Red symbolizes love
. The theme of love is conventionally
portrayed in teen/drama –Genre . if you
look closely you can see a thin black font
that's related to who directed the film .
The directors name is slightly bigger than
the rest of the sentence so some attention
has been put into it however the primary
focus is the title of the film ‘lady bird’ .
The heading is linked to the
offical movie poster as the
same colorful strip borders the
poster ,so the audience are
able to make a link to the
offical movie poster
A hyperlink is available in the bio
so people are able to acess the link
and find multiple media platforms
such as amazon and itunes where
they can watch the film at a high-
quality , the page also gives you
the opportunity to select the
diffferent social media platforms
of the offical ladybird page. The
@ladybird hyperlink connects all
the social media pages as it’s the
offical instagram and facebook
hyperlink too. So , fans have
multiple social media options to
recsieve more information about
the film.

22. Branding:
We can see a clear sense of
branding through the three
social media platforms: twitter,
instagram and facebook .
Looking at the three social media
pages we can clearly see that the
logo is mirrored in all their
profile picture however the full
image of the film poster is only
avaialeblt on the tiwtter header
where itlle draw a lot of
attention . we canly instantly
notice that a bold red font is
used to convey the title of the
film , this makes it much more
recognisable to audiences
making it difficult for them to
forget about the film . The color
of the font is red which
symbolizes love and is a main
them and convention in the
teen/drama Genre.
We can see that the
facebook header plays
the trailer of the film .
This allows facebook
users to instantly watch
the trailer in a
convienent and easy
way withouy having to
leave the site and search
the link.This will prompt
people to view the
trailer as its allocated on
their offical facebook
page .