1. A way of advertising to its chosen target audience. It has to attract its audience it
terms of the conventions being suitable for the genre of the film.
It is used to promote the movie, to get the largest profit possible for the specific
film.
It can inform the audience, in terms of who is starring in the film, the genre, and
narrative clues, who directed the film, and often the certificate of the film.

2. The photo on the film poster is
central, connoting that this is the protagonist
character. The shot is a simple
midshot, however as she is giving a direct
gaze towards the camera it helps to portray
the convention of a thriller film.
The font of the movie title is not placed too
largely on the page, however it is still bold
enough to be seen at a distance. The colour
of the font connotes the genre being a thriller.
The colour black often connotes upcoming
disequilibrium's that will happen within the
narrative of the film.
In terms of mise-en-scene, the makeup and the costume
help towards giving narrative clues to its audience.
Having the tiara placed on the protagonists head
signifies the story of a dancer, as it’s a stereotypical
conventional part of a dancer’s costume. The dark
makeup in contrast with the red contacts of the
protagonist’s eye signify the protagonist also being the
antagonist character. All these mise-en-scene
conventions conform towards the film being of the
thriller genre.
The film festival reference is there to
reference the approved reviews. The
use of these references make the film
worthy of watching, as it was good
enough to win an award.
As this film has a large budget, on the
film poster they name drop. Having well
known and popular actors can help a Though the image is the most significant part of the film
film in terms of advertising.
poster, the use of having the directors name is apparent. The
more famous the director is would be important for the film as
it takes a part in who is interested in watching the film.
Conventions on this film poster give clues
to the genre of the film. One example
being the colours used. The light and dark
colours are binary opposites, and are
contrasted together to signify that
somewhere is the narrative the protagonist
is going to be the cause of the
disequilibrium. This is a good example as
for my short film, the protagonist is also my
antagonist.
The colours use on this film poster
contrast well. The white colours
and the red contrast the purity with
the danger. This also help with the
narrative clues of the film.

3. The audience are aware as soon as
they view this film poster that it is a
thriller based on the main image.
The main image is of the
protagonist character as he is
taking up the majority of the space
on the page. The characters face is
darkened to help signify the genre
of the film. The use of a direct gaze
in there to attract its target
audience. The fact that his
emotion is serious, the audience
can tell what the mood is going to
be. The expression of this
characters face also gives out
narrative clue that he is the
antagonist.
The way the image has been
constructed is so they blend into
one.
The colours on this film poster are there to signify the genre
of the film. Stereotypical to the genre of a thriller, is the
dark colours, such and the black and the deep blue. In
contrast to this is the colour orange within the image of the
fire, and again in the title of the film. This connotes the
danger within the film which is a stereotypical convention
of a thriller narrative.
The use of the tagline is anchorage for the main image, as
the side of the protagonists face is almost disappearing
into smoke. “Someone is missing.”
In addition to this, the tagline gives the audience an
insight to the narrative, and also helps in creating genre
clues. A disequilibrium of someone in the film going
missing, connotes the idea of a thriller.
The bold lettering within the font is there to
make a statement, and the fact is it too
capitalised reinforces that statement.
Capitalising texts is a stereotypical convention of
a thriller.
The fact that the antagonist/protagonist character is
a famous actor also help in terms of advertising. If
they’re aware of his pervious films and a fan, this can
lead them into watching this film.

4. We also can see here another tagline
based on the release date. This is
anchorage (Roland Barthes) to both the
release date and the main image, as it is
reinforcing the meaning produced within
the films narrative. The specific word
choices, “Everything you’ve known never
happened” connotes the title of the film
being “The forgotten”
The camera shot being a close up is
important to emphasise the genre of the
film to its audience. This is so that the
audience can see her facial expression.
The audience being aware of the status of
the character been the vulnerable female
gives narrative clues of what may happen.
The use of the blue filter on the image connotes the mood of the
film. Stereotypical thriller films do not have happy ending, they
often end with a disequilibrium. The colour blue chosen for the
filter could connote the sadness within the narrative.
The colours on this film poster connote the
genre of the film being a thriller. The shade of
blue is there to signify sadness, contrasted
with the white which is there to blend with the
title. “The forgotten” and the colour white
fading away from the image. The muted
colour palette is there to signify the mood
throughout the film.
The protagonist character on this film
poster is is giving a direct gaze to the
camera. Though her eyes aren’t there, her
facial expression helps to signify the genre.
This being the main image connotes that
this female is the protagonist character and
a stereotypical convention within a thriller
film is that the protagonist is a vulnerable
female. Therefore this follows the
conventions of a thriller.
The use of the word remember is the tagline for the movie. This
contrasts well with the title of the film as the two words are an
oxymoron. “forgot” = “remember”

5. The colors used on this film poster
contrasted connote a thriller
genre. This is because
greys, blacks and whites are not
associated with happiness. They
are associated with mystery which
is also a narrative technique that is
stereotypically used it thriller
films.
The fact that “8 films to die for” is placed on the film poster also helps the audience be aware of
the genre of the film. The use of the word “die” is there to signify a narrative convention within a
thriller film.
The lighting within the photo emphasizes the face
being pale, which associates with being ill and
broken. It too blends in with the grey
background.
The costume of the protagonist is all in dark colors
which is stereotypical for thriller films.
The name of the film “The broken” has
connotations of danger. The photo is
too, anchorage for the title as her face is
‘broken’
The facial expression on this film
poster connotes the genre of the
The use of a close up shot on a thriller film poster is often
film being a thriller as it isn’t a
apparent. This is because it is important for the audience
happy expression. There is fear.
to see the emotion of the character, often showing the
The expression of the protagonist
vulnerable expression of the victim, or the power evil look
is also anchorage for the tagline of
of the antagonist.
the film “face your fears” as you
can tell this character is vulnerable
and full of fear.
The fact that the protagonist character is female looking vulnerable, is it a clear
narrative clue that she is going to be the victim within the film. Using a female
character as the victim within a thriller is a stereotypical convention used.

6. Narrative Clues
The dark background suggests that the
themes within the film is going to be dark.
– Genre of a thriller.
The use of the skeleton reinforces the
type of thriller that it is going to be –
Physoclogical Thriller
The use of the repeated image of the
skeleton introduces the idea that
somewhere within the narrative there is
repetition – replaying of his past events.
The protagonist character has multiple
shadow around the outside of his body
which connote an ‘out of body
experience’ (time travelling).
The lighting that is coming through from the
back of the protagonist character connote the
time travelling aspect within the narrative of the
film.
Colours
Blue- dead bodies/ youth / innocence
Black – Darkness – disequilibrium
Red – Connotes the theme of blood/death/injury
The title butterfly effect signifies to the
audience that it is a thriller. The word
‘Effect’ signifies the after effects on the
characters towards the end of the
narrative.
The use of the title also being written in
capital letters connotes the film being of
the thriller genre as it is bold. This is a
stereotypical convention of a thriller film.
The fact that this film is a physcologicial
thriller, means there is almost a sense of
realism to the audience.
The protagonist character us dressed in
stereotypical clothes of a ‘university
student’. This will help play on the minds
of the audience watching as he appears to
be a ‘regular’ ‘everyday’ boy.
The lighting on the film poster is low key
which is emphasising there is a
disequilibrium within the narrative with
dark themes.