The document discusses various aspects of film trailers, posters, and magazine covers from a secondary research perspective. It covers theories around how these marketing tools are designed to entice audiences through mystery and attractive visuals. Key points discussed include using an attractive lead actress to appeal to audiences, following common narrative structures in trailers, and employing symbolic colors and layouts to provide context and intrigue for the target demographic.

1. Secondary Research
Lucy-Anne Richardson
A2 Media

2. Film Trailers
Teaching Trailer Secondary states that “the combination of moving image and
sound, especially when experienced through the advanced equipment of the
cinema auditorium, is an exciting experience”.
A trailer is designed to entice the audience into watching the entire film. It
does this by giving information but doesn’t tell you the ending. This can be
seen in Todorovs narrative structure as the equilibrium is disturbed. However, a
trailer wouldn’t show you the solution otherwise there wouldn’t be any point
in seeing the film.
Often, people watch trailers and try to look at certain aspects that would put it
in a particular genre, for example, blood would be assumed to be horror.

3. Using trailers would be a movie’s best advertising feature.
Although posters and adverts on TV are also effective, they
aren’t as exciting.
“Posters are important in capturing the initial interest of
the audience and drawing them into the cinema, but they
cannot convey the excitement and atmosphere of a film in
the same way a trailer does.”
Film trailers are mostly found on the TV and internet as
advertisements. However, one of the main ways in which
they can be seen is through the cinema. Before a film is
played in the cinema, there is about twenty minutes worth
of trailers/adverts for upcoming films.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gBeG31fX40

4. Film trailers often follow the same structure as the film itself. Looking
at Todorovs Narrative Structure (1969), we can relate this to almost
every trailer and film’s storyline.
Stage 1 – There is a balance/equilibrium.
Stage 2 – An action of some sort causes a disruption.
Stage 3 – The characters try to find a solution to this disruption.
Stage 4 – The characters try to overcome obstacles in order to fix the
disruption.
Stage 5 – Equilibrium is restored (usually a new equilibrium) and the
conclusion is shown to the audience.
This would be the usual structure of a film and a trailer is most likely to
follow the same path. However, the difference with a trailer would be
not giving the audience a solution/conclusion (stage 5) as this would
defeat the purpose of going to see the film.

5. Within my trailer, I have decided to use a young girl around the
age of Eighteen. The reasoning behind this would be from
inspiration from other films and due to my story. However, one
of the main reasons would be for visual pleasure for the
audience.
Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory (1975) would be evidence for
this as she believes the use of women within magazines, films,
trailers etc. would be for male attention within the audience,
even possibly an inspirational figure for women.
The use of an attractive female, or even an attractive male will
attract the attention of many viewers just because of their
appearance – especially if they are a celebrity.

6. Women are also used in films as they are seen – or have previously be seen
– to be weak and less dominant. So they are used for characters such as the
young, blonde girl in Scream to represent girls in general. However, more
recent films have been defying these scary, conventional elements and have
been using women for more dominant strong characters such as
Paranormal Activity 2.
Within this film, the woman sets out to find the solution herself rather than
being the victim.
I will use elements of Laura Mulvey’s theory by using an attractive young
woman to enable a bigger audience. I am also going to use a more
conventional character to portray the woman. For example, a blonde haired
girl screaming whilst being in the dark.

7. My genre is horror/thriller by using supernatural events such as a spirit. I want the
camera angles, Mise en Scene, acting, clothing etc. to be very mysterious and
potentially frightening due to my storyline.
Shadows – unknown characters Candles – horror convention.
Conducting research into Barthes' Enigma Code (1964) I have found that this
suggests a product – in this case a film trailer – will be mysterious in order to attract
the audience. The enigma code is never revealed until the appropriate moment,
which is usually towards the end.
I want the audience to ask themselves questions about why something is
happening and who is doing it for example. Then eventually find out the answer at
the end of the film.

8. Influences
From this secondary research, I have used theories in order to keep
to conventions and create the right atmosphere.
• Firstly, from Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory, I have decided to
use an attractive, blonde girl in order to entice the audience as
well as relate to her. My actress is blonde which is in keeping with
horror/thriller films as I want her to show innocence and purity.
• Like every other trailer, I do not want to reveal the ‘solution’ of
the story which is said by Todorov in his Narrative Structure. The
trailer I wish to create will go through these certain stages such
as a balance/equilibrium then be disrupted etc.
• Due to the genre of the trailer, I need to create an unknown or a
mysterious atmosphere. This is mirrored by one of the theorists I
looked at, Barthes Enigma Code shows this by the solution to the
problem being revealed at the correct/appropriate time.

9. Film Posters Illustrated film poster
from the 1930’s
A film/movie poster is used in order to advertise an
upcoming film. Often, it is an image of the main actor
within the film itself with the title and tag lines at the
bottom such as release dates as well as distributing
companies. However, previously, film posters would
most likely be illustrations due to lack of technology
and software that we have in the modern day such as
Photoshop and Mac computers.
Film posters is an effective way of advertising a film as
it can be released on many different platforms. With
the impact of the internet and broadband, the web is
now perhaps the biggest advertising strategies as it
reaches the entire world enabling a wider audience.
Film posters can be displayed through websites
(reviews, at the end of a trailer etc.) as well as on
billboards and magazines.
Main actress shown
2012

10. In relation to pragmatics (connotations) there are many aspects within a
film poster. Firstly, the poster needs to have a purpose and the audience
needs to know from looking at it what it is and why it is there. You would
need to ask yourself many questions such as the reason it was produced,
whether it was to persuade an audience or convey a particular message.
The audience should be able to understand and be swayed by the poster
in order to go and see the film it is suggesting.
This links in with hidden messages
which may be inserted in order to
create some sort of mystery or to give
the audience more inside information.
This can be done with connotations/
denotation. The denotative meaning
would similarly mean a literal meaning
by saying exactly what it is whereas a
connotation would be something
associated with it. An example of this
would be colours. Many colours have
certain meanings such as yellow which
would connote happiness/sunshine
where as red would connote love/
passion or even blood/anger. This is an
effective way of creating a certain
atmosphere or insight into the genre
perhaps.

11. From research carried out by Tom Brownlee in Media
Magazine, we can see these elements within a film
poster are important to it’s overall success. Also, the
layout of the poster is often very similar due to
conventions. For example, the use and placement of the
title, as well as a positive quote, using previous credits
(actors) in order to give the film extra justification and
the colours used.
One of the main elements would be who will actually
be viewing the product. The film itself would have a
target audience to begin with so this would be the
same with the poster. This would include the
audiences’ age, gender, nationality, interests, socio-
economic status and their overall personality.
For example, the target audience of The Godfather
could be seen as adult males whereas The Twilight
Saga would be aimed at teenage females.

12. Influences
I have decided that film poster and magazine cover will be
relatively similar with regard to logistics – makeup, position,
location etc.
I want the model – who will be the main actress – to look
directly at the audience in order to make them feel
uncomfortable (diegetic gaze).
From looking at Media Magazine, Tom Blownlee stated that
the layout of the poster is very important. The placement of
the title will be at the bottom of the poster alongside the
information such as companies, actors’ names and release
date.
The poster will be simple as having too much will confuse the
audience and take away some of the scary atmosphere that I
want to produce.
Another convention stated in Media Magazine is the use of
certain colours for example. The background will be light at
the top leading into darkness which is similar to The
Possession poster. This will connote the darkness/evil taking
over her body. Also, the use of a different, bold colour such
as red for the release date really stands out and connotes
danger/blood which is part of the story line. I could possibly
use red as it is a similar storyline or another bold colour.

13. Film Magazine Cover
Film magazines such as Empire or Total Film incorporate
new or upcoming films within the magazine and are fixated
on the front cover. The purpose of a film magazine would
ideally be to persuade and sell the film they are advertising.
The front cover usually involves a singular image of the
main actor/actress within the movie. This would mainly be
to advertise the film itself but also sell the magazine
through the use of that certain person. This person would
most likely be famous and attractive. Drawing on Laura
Mulvey’s Male Gale theory, attractive men and women are
used within the media such as actors, on posters and
obviously film magazine covers. People would not only be
enticed to buy the magazine – or see the film – but they
would also aspire to be like them.

14. The composition of the cover will almost
always follow certain conventions and are
similar to other magazines of its genre.
These conventions include the use of the
rule of thirds in which the readers eye
automatically goes to certain points on the
image for example.
The image on the cover can differ with
regard to the models position and logistics
such as makeup and location.
A close up or mid close up would be used in
order to show the audience the facial
expressions which could give some
background information into the film. This is
similar with logistics. As you can see in the This image also
film cover of Robert Downey Jr, his position shows a diegetic
is upright showing he is quite respectable or
thinks well of himself. Also, his clothing gaze as the model
represents a certain era which links in with is breaking the
the film. On the other hand, if it were a long ‘fourth wall’
shot, it could be used to show the body of because he is
the model etc.
looking directly to
the reader.

15. Many covers have hidden meanings or show the audience context of
the film. For example, connotations in colours and fonts enable the
reader to know the genre or perhaps the emotions the film entails.
Red – Love, passion, anger, blood
The target audience would be essential to a magazine as they need
to target a certain readership – in most cases. This can differ the use
of certain colours and images. They could do this by looking at
demographic data by collecting surveys.
Twilight – Teenage girls, stereotypical feminine
colours.
Or insight into the film by using red or gold for
the change in vampire eyes.
Len Ang (1991) suggests that you should make a profile of the
audience to enable you to create the correct magazine/cover. This is
known as ‘imaginary entitles’ which is when you have an assumption
of the audience.

16. Influences
• From doing this secondary research, I have decided to
use the actress from the trailer is she is what the film
focuses on. She will also be attractive (Laura Mulvey) in
order to entice the audience. She will be looking
straight to the reader (diegetic gaze) in order to
intimidate/make them uncomfortable.
• I have also looked into logistics such as her makeup.
From looking at trailers such as The Possession, the
young girls make up suddenly changed which looked
really unrealistic. I won’t change the make up too
drastically, but will subtly make her look drained and
perhaps older – if she is taking on a different spirit.
• The location will definitely include a forest as it is
accessible, it doesn’t cost anything and can create a
scary atmosphere.