textual analysis of student work

1. By Lottie Seaton
ANALYSIS OF STUDENT WORK

2. I chose to textually analyse this students work because they chose a similar
genre to the genre we intended to create our trailer around. Also the
ancillaries they selected were the same as ours so I could take some ideas from
what they had created and apply it to our own production. To see what
worked well for them and how we should consider creating our products.
WHY I CHOSE TO LOOK AT THIS
STUDENTS WORK?

3. FILM POSTER

4. FILM POSTER

5. The layout of the poster can be seen a stereotypical of many of the posters I
have looked at while completing my research around 80% of the poster is
filled with the main centre image and is the main focus of the poster which
fills the majority of the middle section of the poster with the other 20% of
the poster which is the top and the bottom section of the poster being red
and white typography including the previous work of the production company
film title and the credits.
POSTER LAYOUT

6. The colouring of the poster is a cool tone of blue with a high contrast between
the light and dark of the image this therefore contrasts with the other colours
present on the poster which is the bright red typography and white writing and
the contrast between the poster and the images and the writing. But the colours
reflect the type of high contrast colour schemes found in neo noir and horror
films. With the dark colours tending to reflect the dark themes present in the
films and red could symbolises danger or violence.
The main typography used on the poster is a bold red sans serif font for the title
and the credits at the bottom that makes the fonts seem less formal and
ultimately more suited to a horror genre. Also with the title there is black thick
lines coming from the top which makes the font seem more curved and clear.
COLOURING AND TYPOGRAPHY

7. From this poster and similar other posters I have looked at I think the idea of
a bold red sans serif font is something that should be considered when we are
planning what our poster should look like as the connotations of a red font
would link to some of the themes present in our trailer like crime, danger and
violence also if we intend to use dark colours it would make for a good
contrast with the dark colours to make it stand out.
IDEAS WE COULD USE IN OUR
POSTER?

8. FILM WEBPAGE

9. WEBPAGE

10. The layout of their webpage is very similar to another webpage I looked at
which is sin city: A dame to kill for the layout is simple but involves lots of
images the trailer is one of the first things you see on the webpage which
although stereotypical is effective at bringing the trailer to the audiences
attention. As arguably the trailer is one of the most important things in the
webpage so therefore the layout of the webpage is effective and is likely that
with more images than text that the audience is more engaged.
WEBPAGE LAYOUT

11. With majority of the webpage using images all the images are grayscale which
ultimately fits to the film noir genre with the use of high contrast black and
white colouring. The images as well as the limited text gives the target
audience researching a clearer idea of the story of the film and the people
involved in the production of the film also giving the audience a better idea
of the sorts of images associated with the film.
USE OF IMAGES

12. USE OF TYPOGRAPHY AND
LANGUAGE
The typography used is much like that of the
poster it’s a san serif font in a red colour. Arguably
it could be said that the red colouring is what
makes the typography seem more eye catching on
the black background. This is also shown by the
titles of all the sections of the webpage makes the
webpage easier and clearer to use.
The language used is minimal, but what is used is
clear simple and more informative as opposed to
persuasive the main use of language is when
mentioning the credits or describing other work by
the production team but ultimately text isn’t really
as significant as the images in encouraging the
target audience to watch the film trailer and them
the film.

13. The webpage also follows the theme that is conventional of film noir films of
using a colour scheme with a high contrasts to make certain elements stand
out and this is shown in the posters and the trailers and films. The use of the
black and white and high contrasting colours fits into the film noir genre.
However, as previously stated the use of colour of red is often used to
connote danger, violence and blood which are themes associated with genres
and subgenres of the film noir genre.
COLOURING

14. For our webpage I think we will used the webpage is mainly images as we
think it will be more engaging. We also think that it would give the audience a
clearer idea of what the film is about and will ultimately be more effective at
targeting our main target audience.
IDEAS I WILL CONSIDER FOR MY
WEBPAGE?

15. FILM TRAILER

16. FILM TRAILER

17. The trailer has used a series of high key lighting which the brightness shoeing
the contrast between light and dark and therefore unsettling the audience.
This is also conventional of the film noir genre. The use of the of the high
key lighting is also used to limit the shadow and is also is effective with the
dull and grayscale colour scheme.
The colouring used in the trailer the background colour scheme is once again
conventional of a horror film noir genres this gives the audience an unsettling
and more of a mysterious and dark feeling to the film trailer. The only other
colouring used in the trailer is the use of the colour red on the characters face
which is seen to be blood and a red in the costume, which could connote
danger, violence or blood. Which are themes associated with the genre of
horror.
MISE EN SCENE: LIGHTING AND
COLOURING

18. The costumes used in the trailer are used to reflect the status of the characters
they are playing with the characters who are playing the detectives are dressed
in suits and hats and there costumes are seen as formal and professional. This
is however a contrast to the other character who is seem as the villain who is
dressed in a cape and a waistcoat in red which makes the audience assume that
this character is the villain by the use of the colour red and the less formal
costume.
MISE EN SCENE: COSTUME AND
PROPS

19. The sound used in the trailer is consistent throughout the trailer with the non
diegetic parallel sound which has an older sound to it which links to the genre
of film noir in which most films were created in the 1950s and 60s.
The diegetic sound of the dialogue used in the trailer is used to set the scene
of the detectives searching to catch a killer. However the use of a monologue
at the beginning in the first person which is a convention of film noir and neo
noir genres.
SOUND

20. A series of cuts to black are used at the beginning of the trailer this is
effective as it speeds up the fast paced editing and unsettles the target
audience. Also with the editing the timing of adding in the typography is also
used to break up the trailer so only showing short individual shots of the
action and not telling a whole story much like a short film or film opening
would.
EDITING

21. The strengths of the trailer is the use of dark dull contrasting colours and the
fast paced editing with different cuts of different shots we would want to use
this because it fits with the conventions of the genre we are trying to create
and the themes present in our trailer.
STRENGTHS OF THE TRAILER