Sunday 3 October 2010

HWK: To research a recent film that has been released on DVD, and compare Film Poster, DVD Cover and other material I can find.

Paranormal Activity Teaser Trailer




Film Poster
DVD Cover

Comparing the Three

Throughout the three pieces the trailer, Poster and DVD cover show similarities that I will briefly explain in this blog post.

First of all we are introduced to the certification of the film which is shown for a lengthy period, and advises people under the age of 17 to be accompanied by an adult. Real life footage shows people walking into the cinema and settled with their attention to the main screen. On top this text at the bottom left appears continuously to explain briefly to the viewer of the unexplained actions. The movie starts and we are introduced to the two main characters who discuss these freaky events that are happening to one of them at night. We are then moved on to the horror where unnatural and unexplainable events take event. The trailer at this point has frequent slides where there is just text, and then we are shown the movie action followed by the audience’s reaction. This editing pattern is continually going on, and speeds up to a much faster rate revealing more unnatural footage. This is then stopped at a sudden Holt signifying the end; the ending reveals the title ‘Paranormal Activity’ in the font style adopted by the film. The second word in the title (activity) jolts with lighting action and so do the edits during the end. The edits are emphasized with heavy slams to add effect and to scare the audience at the intense moments.

Comparing the film which is a motion picture media product to a print based production is difficult; however both show visual conventions of a horror genre and show similarity. The DVD cover and the poster both share the main picture viewing the couple gazed at the open door, which is a screenshot from the actual footage. Modified slightly to a blue tinted frame the colour connotates coldness which denotes the genre slightly, and then the title ‘Paranormal Activity’ is in capital letters and stamp font which stands out to grab the attention and suggests that it is the title. The red font of the title connotates blood and evil, this colour is stereotypical of a horror film. White font is used in the quotation text from the critics who are very complimentary of the film. The white colour suggests innocence and the truth, which is important when an opinion is conveyed like it is.

The film, poster and DVD cover all have the same colours. The point of these media’s is to connect to the audience and instantly suggest that the genre is horror. The colour connotations suggest the genre and having repeated them the same throughout the products establishes that. The identical theme on each media product also connects them to being one commodity to be marketed, giving it a sense of identity.


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