Questionnaire for Drama Film Trailer

Questionnaire for drama film trailer

Please circle ONE answer  

1.       How old are you?

Pre 16                 16-17                 18-25               26+

2.       What is your gender?

                Male                       Female

3.       What sub-genre of drama film do you watch

 

Period Drama           Thriller Drama           Romantic Drama

 

4.       What type of target audience would you classify yourself as?

Mass-produced             Niche                    Alternative

5.       Do you seek out films or watch films because they are mass advertised?

 

Purposefully seek new films                 Mass advertised

 

6.       Why do you watch films?

Entertainment       Education      Personal Identification

 

7.       How important are the trailers important in persuading you to watch film?

Vital                            Partially                  Not at all

 

8.       Do you prefer a trailer to:

 

Summarize the film         Pick out the good bits         Set the scene

 

9.   Do you like interactive trailers e.g. voiceovers that to talk you to as the audience?

 

Yes                                            No

 

10   “Trailers should use the enigma code and leave an audience in suspense” Do you agree?

 

Yes                                          No 

 

11.   “Trailers for dramas should be coherent and self-explanatory” Do you agree?

Yes                                           No

12.   How many characters do you prefer a film to expose? :

 

A Lot                Select few                minimum amount possible
  

13.   What attracts you to a poster

 

The main actor             Range of cast                   Bold text                 Graphics     

 

14.   Do you prefer one image or a range of images to give you a sense of a film?

 

           One image                            Range of images

 

15.   On a poster do critic’s quotes make you want to watch film?

Yes                                       No

16.   ‘A poster with minimal graphics and texts are more effective’ Do you agree?

Yes                                     No

17.   How regularly do you read a film magazine?

 

Weekly                         Monthly                       When a good film comes out           Never

                     

18.   What articles do you like to read about in a film magazine?

 

Production                    Actor information               Director                            

   

Thank you for participating!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Alternative Film Magazine Analysis

 

 

As this magazine is for ‘Art house’ or alternative films the conventions of typical magazines are modified for a more unconventional effect. The magazine is published by the BFI which also produces a lot of the films that are reviewed in this magazine which is why its logo is enlarged in a separate puff so suggest its importance in the publication. 

The cover lines are in a hand drawn style font with bubble writing and arrows for a ‘doodle like’ effect. This reflects the type of artistic films which are featured in this magazine-such as ‘Submarine’.  The alternative international genre of film magazine is effectively portrayed through the main cover lines- ‘London Film Festival special: British Invention’ and ‘Venice’ to instantly inform the reader its genre of content.

The pale blue, red and orange-yellow compliment the white background because they stand out drawing the audience’s attention towards particular articles. An example of this is “Richard Ayoade on his debut ‘Submarine’”  with blue text and a humorous play on the words ‘Submarine’ making the’ I’ a telescope. This ties in to the main image thus making it more of a focal point than the text underneath.

Another broken convention is the main image.  Richard Ayoade who directed the featured film ‘Submarine’ is known for his role as the awkward ‘Moss’ in the IT crowd so instead of using an action shot of a film or a sexually posed photograph, this awkward stance by Ayoade portrays an unusual yet quirky tone for the magazine which resonates in the text on the right and left third.

By having no pictures by the cover lines or a range of puffs this makes the reader want to subscribe to the magazine so they can look inside and discover what the cover line is about.  The absence of pictures is in keeping with the magazine creative and different image because it removes a tacky and amateur finish.

The Sight and Sound masthead is on the left third so if it was stacked on a kiosk the potential audience would be able to see it clearly, grabbing their attention. The language ‘Festival special’ suggests the magazine is specifically focussed on festivals in this edition appealing to a minority film market that are looking to seek out films rather than see them on the big screen.

I intend to make my film an indie alternative film thus making an understated magazine is important, as shown by Sight and Sound, to remain in keeping with the films tone and message.

The Third Man Magazine Analysis

 

 

This is not a front cover but gives me a good idea of what a 1949 magazine was like for drama films such as The Third Man. Contrasting to the article for the film Atonement this does not use straight lines and a simple layout. The jagged edges and range of frames from the film footage provide a sense of unease and turmoil which is in correlation to the feeling of the film itself. 

The use of shadows and black and white text also give the article a very eerie and suspicious impression marketing the film as an epic suspense drama. They had no colour in the late 40s so the black and white is an iconic dated feature of film.

Equally to Atonement, this article on The Third Man advertises the film by advocating a star member of cast. The large mid-shot of Orson Welles is easily recognisable and is a draw for a film such as this one.      

 

This large headshot of Ava Gardener is the only aspect of this 1949 film magazine apart from the name in a mast head. Magazines for any genre of film have moved on massively from this as the magazines were more about the actors rather than their role in the film. This is a classic portrait shot from this time and presents a very elegant image of film as a particularly glamorous industry. However other conventions still remain such as the models direct eye contact with the camera and a bright masthead in the top left third to stand out if the magazine is stacked on a kiosk.   

This is England Magazine Analysis

 

Unlike main stream magazines this front cover uses a drawing for the main image which is effective in retaining ‘This is England’s’ alternative raw message. The aggressive facial expression of the main character on the front highlights the theme of anger in the film which is reiterated by the word ‘HATE’ in the background and the crude gesture, providing a dramatic element from the genre.

The name of the magazine 'Little White Lies'  is not in a large masthead so instead the front cover prioritizes promoting the film instead of the magazine itself.  The retro and rough ‘The This is England Issue’ print is fairly understated and compliments the simplistic cover as it is in keeping with the dated 80s skinhead vibe which is quintessentially the whole aim if the film.

The strapline ‘Truth & Movies’ suggests to the reader that this magazine looks at films without financial influence from American conglomerates and therefore perhaps portray a more truthful representation of life experiences.   

The cover lines are replaced by the list of cast and director under the heading UK Talent Special. This exposes the names in an understated way as the actors were not massive stars and thus little hype was required unlike the promotion of Keira Knightly for Atonement.

This front cover goes against a lot of the conventions in magazine production as the colour scheme is fairly dark, with no smaller graphics, puffs or cover lines which pushes how an audience receives information about a film. As the magazine is quirky and different, it appeals to an audience who are deliberately trying to find features on This is England rather than having to be drawn in by flashy colours or taglines.

I intend to create an alternative drama film so by creating a front cover that abandons layout conventions, it may attract an audience of students and young adults 18-25 that want a creative and original film.

 

Atonement Magazine Analysis

 

This magazine is portraying one of my chosen drama films is a very erotic way.  The main image is not a capture from the film so is suggesting and alternative sultry tone in contrast to the traditional World War romance which is depicted in the trailer and poster.  Keira Knightly’s bare back and wet hair with James McAvoy’s arm around her waist conforms to Laure Mulvey’s theory of the Male Gaze- where women are objectified for sex. This appeals to a more adult and male audience rather than an audience who want to watch a World War 2 based period drama.   This links to the tagline ‘Atonement Is Heating Up the Race’ emphasising the theme of sex in the film. The main image covers the majority of the masthead to make it stand out and make a large impression on the reader.

The dark, green and white colour scheme compliments Keira Knightly’s famous emerald green dress and dark hair. This makes her very desirable and as she is directly looking into the camera the readers’ eyes are instantly drawn to her beauty.  This means for this magazine cover the main selling point of this film is Keira Knightly and her passionate relationship instead of the war or the pivotal character ‘Bryony’. Thus again this attracts a male audience who may have not been interested with the period drama aspect, heavily focussing on the physical side of the couples love.

This edition of Entertainment Weekly is focussing on the Oscars. The main cover line ‘Will The Oscars Happen?’ and ‘Oscar Preview’ flash adopt a gossip spin on the film event. The rhetorical question grabs an audience’s attention as a cancellation of the Oscars would have very negative impacts on the Hollywood film Industry.  The main cover line and tagline underneath build the anticipation for the Oscars. The language in the tagline ‘Atonement is Heating up the Race’ intrigues a potential audience to want to go and watch the film as the language is very effective in marketing the film as a very big deal.   The Oscars awards films of a mainstream nature so the reader is instantly informed the origin of the films featured in the magazine are large conglomerates. This is supported by the smaller cover lines in the left third e.g. ‘Terminator’ and ‘Tom Cruise.’

By not having any smaller graphics or puffs the main pull factors of this edition is evidently the ‘Oscars’ and ‘Atonement’ as these are two major events that would have large coverage on each. 

 

 

 

Similarly this article markets the film with Keira Knightly as the focal selling point. The tone for this article is much more sophisticated than the Entertainment Weekly but it still displays Knightly in a very desirable and attractive way. This shows that most media texts advertising this film use the star members of cast to promote the film rather than the directors or more minor characters like alternative film magazines.  The two dramatic film captures used as the images encompass eerie mist or crystal clear reflections to give it more of a professional cinematic experience. The article is kept very simplistic with straight edges and limited headings such as ‘the costumes’ in lower case to compliment the stylish impression of the magazine. This means the reader is drawn to the stunning pictures and attracts a reader who is more interested in the production of a film rather than the physical relationship that becomes a turning point in the plot of the film.

Submarine Poster Analysis

Submarine is another alternative drama film funded produced by Warp Films and Film4 Productions like This is England. The film follows a 15 year old boy in a year of school focussing on his personal life and new experiences that shape his choices of adulthood. The title film suggests an overwhelming feeling of emotions that often ways you down under the water, like a submarine. Consequently the poster has utilized this fundamental idea and created the impression of the protagonist being submerged under the water. The blue strip that takes up 1/3 of the poster draws the audiences’ attention to the main characters eyes emphasises his vulnerability as a youth in the big wide world. His vacant expression further supports the character's awkward personality which is very relatable for a teenage audience of the same age range (15-17).

However the film is also successfully targeted at the age group of 18-25. As a 'student' age group creative, alternative text appeals to a large proportion of this demographic and therefore by placing the film festival awards such as the London and Toronto Film Festival on the poster confirms its successful 'Indie' and raw nature. By having the reviews at the top of the page this manipulates the conventional layout positioning the title in the right half of the landscape. It could be argued that this is one of the first places the audience will look at as psychological studies reveal that most people look into corners of the rule of 3. This would mean that an audience would either look at Craig Roberts' eyes or the MAR in the bold red text.

The basic block colour scheme links to the simple beauty of the film which is part of the attraction. This cleverly represents the innocence and vulnerability that runs throughout the film.

For my poster using my protagonist's personality as focal point I can really portray the message of my film which has a very correlation with this film Submarine. By using an alternative layout and simple colour scheme I can appeal to my audience of 18-25 without over-complicating the visual and giving an incorrect impression of the film.

This is England Poster Analysis

 

 

 

The poster is a long shot of the majority of the cast. It’s demonstrates the collective mix of individuality that relates to the title of the film ‘This is England’. Their costumes are very in keeping with the set time period 1983 and their natural poses and shaved heads provide a raw reality untouched by many drama films. By tapping into an untouched subject in the drama genre this interests audiences as it is something new and unconventional, presented in a very rough way.
 

By using a flat estate and corrugated fence as a background this creates quite a harsh tone for the audience as a contrast to the sugar coated quintessentially British films that obscure British reality which is what makes ‘This is England’ a drama film. By photographing the young skinhead characters as the main image to promote the film, the poster attracts a demographic of 18-25 years because their defiant nature is relatable even if it has evolved. The imperative strap line ‘A time to stand out from the crowd’ is another technique that arouses young adult interest as it promotes a disobedient rebellion which is frequently suppressed today.
 

The title of the film is in capital letters and a bold font. The patriotic colours of red, white and blue symbolise the dramatic passion felt in the skinhead movement. Patriotism is a good way to appeal to an exclusively British audience as many people remember this tough time during Thatcherism. Many ex-skinheads will be able to relate to this image depicted by poster.
 

The combination of the title of the film 'This is England' in patrotic colours and the urban intimidating stances adopted by the characters also juxtaposes with the multicultural backdrop of youth in England during the 1980s.
 

As the director of this film creates smaller alternative films the choice of font reflects this. The understated spray of graffiti is in keeping with the photographed image and does not leap out at you. This keeps the prestige of the director in proportion to the size of the film and does not over shadow the initial impression of the poster.  
 

This is England was made of a very small budget with an independent film company. This means the success of its distribution is largely based on word of mouth and reviews so by putting the awards and quotes given to the film at the top becomes a good way of effectively convincing an audience the film is well worth a watch as it has been given critical acknowledgement.

The Third Man Poster Analysis

 

 

The text in this poster is the most important technique to catch the audiences’ eye. The bold capital letters for the title ‘THE THIRD MAN’ takes up almost half of the page and over laps the sewage water. The other half is predominately filled up with the actors’ names. This suggests the actors are one of the most important selling points as when this film was made they were unable to create special effects for the image so retaining the audience’s attention was down to the actors and the emphatic title of the film.  

The image for this poster is two drawn pictures combined into one.  This is because in the 1940s there were no computers and therefore to obtain and professional finish an artist's impression was a lot more effective with no other printing methods. The dark shadowy man holding a gun wading through black water in a tunnel suggests mystery, criminality and suspense. This compliments the danger and anger which is implied through the red sky line of Vienna in the picture.  The use of red, also suggests the onset of nightfall so all of the connotations of red represent a broken city trying to rebuild its confidence in humanity and culture from the devastation of World War 2. The Viennese city sets the backdrop for the film but keeps the outline of the buildings very vague to remove any real focus. This makes the city rather anonymous so ties in with the theme of spying and crime shown by the dark figure.  The dark figure is positioned on the cross of the bottom right third to appeal to the psychology of where the audience looks. If he was in the middle it would suggest he was the third man but creeping on from the sides gives the image a touch of uncertainty. The pale dull white boarder helps the black and red picture stand out and focus the audiences’ intrigue.   

By 1949 (the time The Third Man was released) the director Carol Reed had also directed Odd Man Out and another Graham Greene ‘The Fallen Idol’ and had won BAFTA’s for both of them. So this critically acclaimed director has his name featured twice to inform the audience the film is likely to follow the other 2 film’s formulas, attracting the pre-made support base. Carol’s prestige is highlighted by the decorative font for the large version of his name as it contrasts with the big bold print of the actors’ names.  

Atonement Poster Analysis

 

 

The main focus of this film poster is the division of the two images where the title ‘Atonement’ is found. By splitting the page into thirds with the two images occupying the upper and lower third and a pale barren landscape scene as the middle third.  The poster makes it clear to the audience that this film encompasses the hurdles and separation that love faces.  What makes this film poster a dramatic genre rather than a romance is the fact that the couple are unhappy, separated and looking away instead of being together deeply ‘in love’. This suggests there is going to a dramatic twist in this couples relationship. This will appeal to the audience who want to watch cinematography of people’s lives without this sugar coated sweetness that love does not always follow.

The old fashioned type writer font for ‘Atonement’ in black capital letters gives more impact than over complicated and decorative text. The simplicity embeds the title of the film in the audiences’ mind as it provides a tone of severity.

The strap line ‘Joined by love. Separated by fear. Redeemed by hope’ uses the syntactical patterning of repeating the word ‘by’. This emphatic effect works well with the font for ‘Atonement’ as they both compliment the dramatic content. This leaves the audience with a small amount of information but gets the message across at a fast immediate pace so the audience instantly understand this drama includes the passion of human kind.   

One of the key selling points of this film is the two high profile actors James McAvoy and Keira Knightly. By having their names above the title of the film this suggests their importance as a massive draw for potential audiences. The poster therefore supports this by using large headshots of the two characters to demonstrate the main focus of the film.

Both Pride and Prejudice and Atonement were directed by Joe Wright and made by Working Title. By stating this, this attracts their target audience of people who watch period dramas. This is because the audience can assume both films will entail similar traits such as style, music and choice of casting. Likewise as the film is based on the ‘best-selling’ novel this makes the authors involvement ‘Ian McEwan’ prominent in attracting fans of his other work or people who have read the book. It also gives the audience re-assurance that the film is based on something that has been a success which would lead more people to go and see it.

Drama films usually encompass the struggles of human experiences e.g. Race, Poverty etc. and so this film looks at the destruction of World War 2. The image of James McAvoy pictures him in a poppy field in an army uniforms covered in mud. However as they have also depicted Keira with a 1930s hair style and printed shirt this therefore represents the hardship of war on both sides- how it not only impacts the soldiers but their loved ones at home. This coding attracts audiences who enjoy war stories and therefore instantly makes the potential audience question whether it will be a happy or sad ending because war has many out-comes. The poster does not focus on when James McAvoy’s character is in a tux or his work clothes so by using the theme of war in the poster this technique will subtly draw the audience to want to watch the film to discover this particular outcome.   

This is England Trailer Analysis

1.    At the beginning of the trailer there are 9 clips of events or things that occurred in the 80s. These are cut to the beat of an upbeat Ska song. The clips effectively set the 80s tone for the audience as it gives them a quick overview as to what was going on elsewhere, putting this film into context. 

      2.       The main character in the film is a young boy called Shaun and the story is how he became a victim of bullying to a member of the skinhead crowd in northern England. To portray his vulnerability the composition of the bully’s head shot has other people in it to show his dominance. In contrast the young boy is on his own with his backed turned. The contextual references made throughout the trailer e.g. the one in this clip -the bully ‘Woodstock’s that way pal’ reminds the audience of the period this film is set in. The swearing in the second shot- pictured below- demonstrates the rough area in which children are brought up in, retaliating with crudeness. 

 

      3.       The vulnerability of Shaun is further portrayed in this headshot in the underpass. Again he is the only one the camera shot whereas the other skinheads are grouped together. When a skinhead asks who is picking on him he replies with ‘Harvey’ in a really timid voice. The audience empathizes with the young boy so the trailer is effectively setting the audience up to root for Shaun and therefore want to discover what happens to him.

      4.       The boy’s transformation is filmed in black and white and uses a freeze frame effect to edit the different shots. Similarly to the beginning, the footage is cut to the beat so each frame is almost like a photograph. This documents the event as the photograph effect really captures the boys happiness.

 

 

 

 5.       The medium long shot of the group of skinheads suggests a sense of family and protection.  During the 80s the skinhead movement clubbed together to oppose the suppression they faced so this camera shot displays the range of individuality in ethnicity, age and all with the same desire to step out of the crowd.  This is a good representation of one branch of the skinhead movement and another side to England. Social deprivation is clearly presented through the settings so the trailer gives the audience a glimpse into this semi-biographical experience in England 1983.

  

 



6.   The use of a black out as an editing technique represents a definitive change of tone in the film- the exposure of a new dangerous character substantially moves the plot on.     

      7.       The music also changes from an upbeat positive Ska song to a post punk electric guitar with a really gritty nasty feel. This is accompanied by the sinister snigger of the character’s face. The trailer then begins to show the nasty side to skinhead movement and from this point escalates in pace to suggest how out of control Shaun's involvement with these men has become.

 

       8.       The interruption of the editing's increasing pace by critics quotes delays the action drawing the audience further in. As I mentioned earlier, the trailer positioned the audience to empathize with the young boy so this sinister development makes them want to go and see it; to see if the young boy is ok in this eye opening world.

 

       9.       The low angle shots of the gang leader entrenches the impression of danger. The characters exclamation of the ‘phony war’ that Thatcher ordered in the Falklands touches on the unglamorous anti-war movement that became violent.  

10.       Dramas usually include social problems such as race. The stereotypical urban right wing portrayed in the trailer juxtaposes with the other races living in England. The stereotypical connotation of a person from Indian descent working in a shop is presented in this trailer. This headshot shows genuine fear on the shopkeepers face and in this next generation which has become politically correct, the shock factor of this racism impacts on the audience making them want to see it for themselves.

 

 

      11.       From this high angle shot the identity of the young boy is blurred with this very adult world. The camera shot depicts him as one of the dominant skinheads, who has lost his youth and vulnerability which was presented in the first half of the trailer.  

   

 

      12.       As the violence increases, the cuts get faster to reflect the chaos in this angry world. The shouting becomes more frequent and at the climax the trailer uses the scene where the main thug stamps on his victim but instead the underside of his boot leaves the screen black and acts as a segue to the ending of the trailer.

      13.       After the climatic racism, violence and abuse the black screen cuts to a very minimal section with critic quotes and other clips from the film. The solo acoustic guitar, ‘fade out’ editing and no dialogue removes all the hatred and danger from the trailer and allows the audience to contemplate the social corruption they have just seen. This creates a larger impact as the fast juxtaposition exaggerates the effect of all the violence and noise so leaves the audience with a lingering feeling of being overwhelmed.  In this shot the plain background of a backstreet allows you to focus on the quote rather than an over cluttered background. 

 

      14.       As the film is set in a specific period, one of the main attractions of this film is the soundtrack as it will be very distinctive and nostalgic for some of the audience. So by making this clear on the final cut the audience will want to go and see the film for the story as well as the music because it was so legendary of its time.

 

The Third Man Trailer Analysis

1.       The opening shot for the trailer is a slanted camera angle of a medium long shot. This is quite a dated technique (observing the release date of the film) but effectively creates an uneasy feeling of tension as the audience’s viewing of the trailer is slightly obscured. As the figure runs through the alley way the zither soundtrack plays sequences rising in semitones to emphasise the effect created by the slanting camera shot.


    

 2.      This film relies on lighting. The shadowy figure blocking the source of lightly in the dimly lit sewer, informs the audience this film is a story based on the power of suspense and dramatic post war scandals that consumed a lot of war destroyed cities.

 

       3. Drama film trailers focus on emotive facial expressions as it relates the film screen play to real human feelings and emotions. In this head shot of Anna Schmidt she is not looking at the camera with a tear in her eye and the voice over says ‘desired by one woman’ to demonstrate how she is only focussed on her man. This presents the dramatic effect of the theme of love in the film.

 

 

      4.       As I mentioned early lighting is key in the derelict film setting in Vienna. As the film is in black and white the shadows add mystery and fear to the post war setting. After the Second World War many people were involved in dubious rackets so had to hide in the ‘shadows’. The large scale of the shadow in this shot creates tension as the object is positioned to come round the corner. The gargoyles in the foreground of the shot add to this dramatic atmosphere, giving an eerie and grotesque depiction of the underworld of post-war Europe.

5.       As the film is set in one place the trailer uses an establishing shot to capture the location.  This makes it clear to the audience where the film is set.  The lighting is a lot brighter in contrast to the darker shots and therefore the trailer is able to create tension by juxtaposing the 2 sides to the corrupt city.

 

 

 

6.       Again the use of a headshot in the trailer captures the dramatic response to the action with in the film. The crescendo and repetition of one note in the zither music coupled with the voice over ‘uncertain of its future’ used are effective non-diegetic ways to utilize the enigma code allowing the audience to want to resolve the dramatic uncertainty. 

      7.       This creative long shot draws the audiences’ eyes to the dark hole at the top of the stairs. This intensifies the dramatic effect as it suggests the ‘unknown’ and what could be lurking in dark Vienna in 1950. Again the use of the shadowed figure adds an atmosphere of mystery teases the audience to whom the third man is. 

 

      8.       By using this clip where the main character reveals his character in dialogue ‘I’m just a hack writer who drinks too much, falls in love with girls’ gives the audience some context to their protagonist. As the dialogue shows he is American this appeals to this nationality.

      9.       The use of music in this trailer is contrapuntal to the subject matter. The lilting zither music sounds almost like a pleasant ditty but is given a sinister twist with the suggestion of criminality from the third man. This adds tension to the dramatic genre as the audience are unsure how to react. In this screen shot the low angle shot of the carousel and theme park rides contrasts to the dark alleys so highlights the juxtaposition between the footage and the pleasantness of the ditty. The characters costume is clearly from the 1950s so conforms to the genre of drama films as re-creating dramatic personal experiences in a realistic way. 

      10.       This high angle shot captures the stair case setting. The single street light is a good way of using natural surroundings to create reality. As this is an old film the editing technique which is frequently used is a quick fade out. By repeating this technique the trailer flows at a rather fast pace to keep the audience engaged.   
       

       11.       The final cut is a layering of the tunnel background, two prints of a man and the ‘THE 3^RD MAN’ title with the same music played at the beginning of the trailer to tie it all back in and leave the audience with  a feeling of unresolved suspense.