Talia Donoghue analyzed existing film posters and magazines to inform her own designs for ancillary products promoting a mystery thriller film. She found that consistent typography, prominent imagery, taglines, and credit blocks were important conventions used in posters. For magazines, dominant imagery, mastheads as logos, and information on other films were common features. Talia plans to incorporate these conventions, such as consistent fonts and positioning credit blocks, while also adding modern elements like hashtags to establish branding and engage audiences across media platforms for her hybrid genre film.

1. WHAT I HAVE LEARNT
FROM MY RESEARCH…
Talia
Donoghue

2. FILM POSTERS
 From analysing three existing media models of my ancillary
products, there has been several features/conventions which
have influenced my own product.
 By specifically looking at posters which are hybridised in
similar genres to my own, it has been beneficial to gain
knowledge of these particularly as I would want to relate to
my audience in the same way.

3. T YPOGRAPHY
 From thoroughly researching these film posters I have
identified that the typography plays a big role in establishing
the brand identity of the product, and has to be the most
dominant feature on display.
 This has shown me that throughout all my production pieces I
will ensure that the same font is used to ensure I build up a
sense of branding, perhaps even a logo. This will then make it
more recognisable for the audience as they can easily identify
the film. For example, ‘Catching Fire’ title developed into a
logo due to its consistent usage.
 The size, capitalisation and colour palette of titles/phrases is
also vitally important. I must ensure that the colours contrast
with the background colour to make it eye -catching, and use a
consistent colour scheme to develop a house style.

4. CREDIT BLOCK
 Two of the three posters I analysed had a billing block in order
to show the institutional aspects to the
production/distribution of the film, as the other was a poster
for a television show.
 This is a feature I shall definitely use, and will also position
this in the same place as each poster had the billing block in
the bottom third, which will mean my piece will follow this
convention.
 I particularly like the font used on the Catching Fire
poster, and is used commonly on many others, I shall research
this and try to incorporate it in my own as it looks very
professional.

5. SLOGAN
 Each of the posters contained a slogan, which is also known as a
tagline which gives the audience an insight to a little of the
storyline however only intrigues them without revealing too
much.
 The tagline of the Pretty Little Liars poster stated ‘never trust a
pretty girl with an ugly secret’ this is a similar genre to my
own, so here are a few I have come up with:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
‘You’ll never be alone.’
‘Their always watching.’
‘Honesty is always the best policy.’
‘It’s not over till I say it is - anonymous’
‘She knew too much’
‘Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.’

6. MAIN IMAGE
 Main image was used as a
background image on all three
posters.
 All used direct mode of address which
is something I intend on using, as it
creates a connection with the
audience.
 The main image of the scream poster
I thought was very ef fective as it
acted as anchorage to the masthead.
This is something I hope to create, by
developing connotations of the image
to relate to the title of the mystery
thriller film.

7. EXTRAS…
 Basing this focus on the Catching Fire poster analysis, I really
liked the idea of including a feature that relates to social
media networking, as this has recently become a new
platform for institutions to build their audiences.
 Similarly like Catching Fire, by using a hashtag it will create a
well-known connection to Twitter, this will also be useful as I
intend to make Twitter and Facebook profiles alongside these
ancillary products.
 I was also interested in the character posters idea, as this
adds to further promotion and branding of the film. It will also
be significant to fanatics who are particularly interested in
collecting items of a film they are entertained by.

8. FILM MAGAZINES
 Through researching, I discovered that there was very minimal
features of the thriller genre in the most well -known film
magazines such as TotalFilm, Sight&Sound and Empire.
 Therefore it was very dif ficult for me to find beneficial
research, however what I managed to find has become great
help.
 Firstly, looking at the Hobbit from Empire enabled me to
understand the usual conventions of a film magazines, Total
Film also but with a slight reference to a similar genre of my
own. And lastly, looking into a magazine based on the horror
genre has also contributed to influencing my ideas.

9. MASTHEAD
 The masthead would be regarded as the name of the
magazine.
 Each of the ones I looked at had consistency with regards to
positioning, font and size, the only thing which altered was
the colour, as it changed to fit in with the house style of that
edition.
 For my magazine I intend to make it creative so that it acts a
logo/iconography to the audience that they can straight away
identify the magazine.
 I have also been influenced by the change of colour to relate
to that particular theme, I may consider doing this also or
perhaps have a dif ferent creative purpose to it in order to
identify the genre. E.g. use blood to show it is a thriller.

10. MAIN IMAGE
 Much like the film posters this was one of the most dominant
features of the page, and tended to be a shot from the film
itself.
 However, I shall not follow this as I want to take shots in a
dif ferent location to show a variety to the audience, especially
as I am only showing a trailer, this other location could
potentially be one used within the full film.
 I feel that props is especially important for my hybridised
genre so that the audience can be informed on what type of
film this is.
 I may consider using props such as cobwebs, blood and
mobile phones to add to the post -modernist image as well as
the genre.

11. PUFFS/COVER LINES
 On all the film magazine front covers’ that I analysed, they all
included information on other films/actors as well as their
own. This shows that the magazine includes a variety of
information for all types of fanatics.
 I feel that the other cover lines I include will depend upon
whether I go down the route of solely basing my magazine on
thriller films, or just create a mainstream magazine where
each edition can be based upon dif ferent genres/films.
 It is likely that I shall use the mainstream approach like
magazines such as TotalFilm and Empire as they definitely
achieved a higher readership and circulation than Fangoria.

12. INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS/SLOGAN
 Another feature which I recognised in my research and shall
take influence through to my own product, would be the
conventions of institutional features such as website
address, barcode, issue number etc. as these help to establish
the fact it can be sold/purchased and a way for the audience
to gain an interactive experience through the website.
 These are features I definitely intend to incorporate into my
own piece.
 Slogans were also used, for example on Fangoria ‘first in
fright since 1979’ which clearly establishes the genre of the
magazine. This is ef fective however as I am more keen on
producing a magazine which visits a variety of genre I shall
have to consider a more significant phrase.