The document analyzes several film posters and discusses conventions used in film posters based on focus group feedback. Key conventions highlighted include having the film title in the largest font at the top, credits and release information in smaller font at the bottom, and featuring the main actors. Focus groups found crime/thriller posters most appealing when they included money, weapons and intimidating characters posed in action shots on a dark background.

1. Research into Film Posters

2. The lights in the background help give a feeling and shows the setting of where the action would/will happen. Very stereotypical of a Americanised thriller/horror. The fire at the bottom of the poster gives a representation of hell due to the stereotypical image people portrait hell to look like, the fire overlapping the main image of the female. Representing her future. The poster creates a representation of the film being an enjoyable but not scary. This is signified by the animated flames, hands and the background which is very cartoon like. The claws are dragging the girl down, and controlling her which anchors the title ( DRAG me to hell). The writing is a classic feature to film posters it’s a very strong convention it gives you a storyline and gets the audience involved. Very advertising. Analysis of the Film poster: Drag me to hell

3. The font is giving a representation of the genre, its bold and kind of funky showing and interesting film with could have twists and turns to it. This is the main image, the haunted house signifies the genre of horror/thriller. The cloud cover and white bright shadowing of the dark house shows the house representing this is the main place as it is almost highlighted. The “HOUSE” is in red giving a strong representation of danger and also with the splattered effect it gives a sense of blood. The writing shows a storyline and gives the film poster a target audience. The forest/woods is very stereotypical settings of a horror film. Analysis of the film poster: The Last House on the Left

4. The title Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels is in the centre of the page which the audiences initial focus is, also the title is overlapping all of the key images on the page, the font is a strong representation of the film and its “old school” bold. The images on the page are of 4 blokes all in action shots which all give there a strong representation, of the gun, money cards and the undoing of the top button due to the pressure there under. The actors names also stand out, as the main 4 characters they have made the film poster, from there names being on the cover we know that thy will have a key role in the film also this is a convention of film posters to put the names at the top of the page. The tag line is key in this poster as it signifies excitement and potential law breaking danger, also the tag line is narrative to the film. The background gives a old western feel to it, and with guns; cards; money and different grouping of friends all fighting against each other this theme is backed up well. Analysis of the film poster: Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

5. Analysis of the film poster: Snatch The title is one of the main objects in this poster, the short lower case lettering work well and the basic black in colour font goes well on the white background as it stands out. The slogan and credits is a convention of all film posters and its placing on the page is always a convention on most film posters. The 6 actors and the dog take up most of the page, as they are the key actors in this film therefore they follow the convention of the main characters being the main image on the film poster. Coming soon is a strong convention on any film poster it gives a sense of anticipation other common uses that refer to coming soon is the poster has the date on it.

7. Audience analysis of existing posters

8. Focus Groups about posters A focus Group is where a any amount of People (usually small) get together and give there personal opinion on the product that is being shown to them, this is a form of qualitative data at the end questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other members of the focus group. For research into our project we hosted a small focus group on film posters, from these focus groups we will evaluate, then depending on our results we will put the most recommended and best features of other film trailers into ours.

9. Drag Me To Hell First thing you see? Hands - Takes up screen Fire - Woman - Title - Screaming You would you go and see this film? Hands hell - know what’s going on Fire - Screaming Why would you not want to see it? Title - Not very stereotypical Stereotypical feature’s? Damsel in distress - Supernatural Target audience? Teens - Male - 18+ - 15-18 16-25 - Not females Focus Group: Poster of Drag Me To Hell

13. Focus Group Evaluation From the Evaluation our production company has picked up a lot of tips as the participants was of a high percent(%) of our specific target audience so therefore we gathered a lot of information on what people want our film poster to be like, we will try and followed the preferred and key conventions in all of the products we produce. Results come up with, out of the three genres we based our film trailer on was Crime/Gangster/Thriller and based on the focus group crime was the most popular and had the biggest anticipation, therefore we have based a huge empathy on this, even though the three genres are closely linked.