This document discusses analyzing posters for their narrative elements. It defines key terms like plot, story, explicit and inferred events. Plot refers to what is directly presented, while story includes both explicit and inferred events. Posters can convey narrative through action and enigma codes that pose puzzles for the audience. These codes leave questions and engage interest. Students are asked to analyze the North by Northwest poster in this way for a homework assignment.

1. Poster Analysis
Using posters we research to inform ideas about
genre and narrative. Evaluating and analysing posters
for semantic and syntactic content.

2. Video guide – basic poster analysis

3. BORDWELL & THOMPSON
"The term plot is used to describe everything visible and
audibly present in the film before us" (Bordwell and
Thompson)
"The set of all the events in a narrative, both the ones
explicitly presented and those the viewer infers,
composes the story" (Bordwell and Thompson)
In other words, the story is the combination of the entire
sequence of events that is shown as well as everything
that we conclude has happened but is not shown.

4. In summary
Plot:
The explicit presentation of narrative (story) events
along with additional non-diegetic material
score, etc.)
Story:
All the events - both those that are visually
represented and those that are inferred by the
audience from the plot.

5. Definitions
Explicit: Expressing all details in a clear and obvious
way leaving no doubt as to the intended meaning –
So, what the audience actually see and hear in the
film.
Infer: To conclude something on the basis of
evidence or reasoning – So, what the audience
presumes has happened based on what they see
and hear in the film.

6. Narrative, therefore, is. . .
The way the story is communicated to the audience through
semantic and syntactic codes.
Does this mean a still image, such as a poster, can be said to
have a narrative?

7. Narrative, therefore, is. . .
The way the story is communicated to the audience through
semantic and syntactic codes.
Does this mean a still image, such as a poster, can be said to
have a narrative?
The answer is yes, but we need another
theory to help us describe this:

8. Action Codes: Images or sequences which work
as a form of a Visual Shorthand making complex
Ideas immediately apparent and carrying the
story forward.
Enigma Codes: Images/sequences which control
how much we know in the story, engaging and
holding audience interest. They present puzzles
which demand to be solved.
And The Action/Enigma Codes

9. More on the Enigma Code
An enigma code works to keep setting up little
puzzles to be solved (and not only at the beginning
of a story), to delay the story’s ending pleasurably:
e.g. how will Cary Grant get out of this
predicament?
Enigma codes can be described as minor or major.
Film posters operate on this basis as they convey
the basic information, but leave the audience
guessing.

10. Apply his ideas to the example text
What elements of the North By Northwest poster
act as enigma codes (or clues) that leave the
audience with questions or
puzzles to solve?
Draw and fill in the table below:
What are the codes (or clues)? What questions do they leave the
audience with?

11. Composition and narrative
• The following our the basic composition techniques used in both
photography and cinematography. You might have learned these at
GCSE.
• The point of going over them is to consider how the technique can
have an impact on the audience’s grasp of the narrative.

12. 12
Read
through the
sheets!

13. 13
Read
through the
sheets!

14. 14
Read
through the
sheets!

15. 15
Read
through the
sheets!

16. 16
Read
through the
sheets!

17. 17
How does the
use of thirds
affect our
ideas about
the narrative?
How does it affect
our view of the
character’s
situation/feelings?
What other
composition
techniques
have been
used?
BONUS – how
does the
composition
reveal the genre?

18. Other Semantic elements
So far, we have looked at how syntactic elements are embedded in a media
text, but we also need to think about the semantic:
• Shot type/camera angle (see sheet)
• Dominant colours
• Mise-en-scene
• Lighting design
In groups, take an element each and explore the ideas in the poster. Try to
link semantic codes to:
• Meaning
• Narrative
• Genre codes and conventions

19. Homework – due on blogs 21st September
Write up your ideas about North By Northwest as your first piece of
poster analysis.
Refer to enigma and at least one genre theory.
Focus on exploring the narrative of the poster and identifying genre
conventions, alongside a discussion of basic meaning.
You will need to discuss the marketing/organisational aspects of the
poster (as seen in the video), as well as the image.
Keep things clear and simple, aiming for max. 400 words/2 hours work.