Research on the Conventions of Thriller PostersAmber Wilkinson

Definition

• “A novel, play, or film with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage.”• http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/thriller

• “Thriller is a genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense, tension, and excitement as its main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods, giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and terror. Films of this genre tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced.”

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)• “A genuine, standalone thriller is a film that provide thrills and keeps the audience

cliff-hanging at the "edge of their seats" as the plot builds towards a climax. The tension usually arises when the character(s) is placed in a menacing situation, a mystery, or a trap from which escaping seems impossible.”

Conventions

Colour: I found that colour is a very useful tool used in thriller posters, it can portray the tone and mood of the film, as well as capturing the audiences attention. For example, red could connote blood, danger, love and violence.

Picture: ‘A picture tells a thousand words’ and that is probably why this tool is usually the main focus of any poster. One picture can evoke many meanings, for example, the picture of the woman on the 1960s ‘Psycho’ poster suggests a threat as she looks vulnerable, anxious and scared.

Font/Text: Fonts used in thriller posters tend to vary dramatically depending on what they are trying to suggest to their target audience. For example, if text is in bold it is probably to attract the audiences attention, however, text could be written in small, thin font, which appears creepy to the audience.

Conventions

Tag-lines and Reviews: These two tools don’t appear on all film posters but are often used to entice the audience. For example a quote from the film ‘Taken’, is used as the tag-line on its poster, it almost exceeds the image, however, it is used to make the film memorable. Reviews can entice and audience in a different way as they show the audience what others thought of the film, and if well know companies are recommending it then the target audience won’t want to miss out.

Directors, Producers and Actors: The names of these are often used on Thriller posters as a selling point for the film. If a famous, well-known actor’s name is on a poster it gives the film status as if this actor is in the film “it must be good”. The same idea can be applied to producers and directors.

Lighting: In thriller posters the lighting ends to be low key and is often used to cast shadows. For example chiaroscuro lighting is used on the poster for ‘Se7en’ to suggests that the two main characters, both, have a darker side.

The man in is shown in the centre looking directly at us suggesting he is more important then other two characters, which can also be suggested by the other two characters looking at him. Chiaroscuro lighting is used on this figure suggests that he is a character with a darker side.

An image of a pier can been scene through the figures as the title suggests this is probably where the film is set, Brighton. The way in which it is faded through the other images suggests a ghostly element to the film.This woman is better lit and is dressed all in white suggesting that she is a good, innocent character. She looks like an angel on his shoulder, suggesting that she represents his good side. This woman is on the right which also suggests she is good and pure.

This woman is dressed in red which could suggest she is evil or seductive. She is also on the man’s dark side and is not well lit, she looks like a demon or devil. The fact she is on the left also connotes that she is evil or sinister.

The tagline used could suggest what happens in the film but also could suggest each word links to each character in the order they are read. ‘Love.’ could be the woman in red. ‘Murder’ could be the man in the middle, and ‘Revenge’ could be the second woman.The pale background emphasises the darkness of the characters silhouettes but could also suggest and eeriness to the film.

The characters are all wearing dated clothes this could suggest the film is set in the past.

Poster Analysis

The stern expression the man is pulling suggests he is anxious, the fact he is looking back over his shoulder could suggests he is being followed.

Red writing could suggest blood and danger, the font chosen for this text almost looks like handwriting suggesting that the title is written in blood. Red also is a big contrast to the black and white background akin the title bold, and stand out.

The chiaroscuro lighting of the man could suggest that he has a hidden darker side. This is emphasised by the contrast created from using black and white.The whole image of the man is in black and white as this emphasises the contrast between dark and light. It is also perhaps an ode to film noir suggesting it has a femme fatale or maybe a mystery element to it.

The fact he is not looking at us raises the question ‘What is he looking at?’ It could suggest an element of mystery as well as suggesting danger.The names of the actors starring in the film are written in yellow text so that they stand out from the rest on the poster this is probably because the actors themselves are a selling point of this film.Poster Analysis

AloneWhy do we talk out loud when we know we’re alone?

Answer: because we know we’re not.

Cillian Murphy

Karen Gillan

Zachary Quinto

Sarah Michelle Geller

HighDefFilms presents Alone In Association with EpicWhoProductionsStarring Karen Gillian Sarah Michelle Geller Zachary Quinto Cillian Murphy

Directed By Amber Wilkinson Edited By Amber Wilkinson Written By Amber Wilkinson Executive Producer Amber Wilkinson Director of Photography Amber WilkinsonProduction Designer Amber Wilkinson Costume Designer Amber Wilkinson Casting By Amber Wilkinson Music By Amber Wilkinson

11/10/2014

My Poster

I have used black for the background as it suggests darkness and suggest something bad is going to happen.

The silhouette of the figure is in the centre as I wanted it to be the main focus of the poster. The main is faded so that the background can be seen through the figure which I did to suggest a ghostly creepy aspect to the film but also to suggest a see - through character.

The use of the red is to suggest danger, I only used it on this one line of text as it is the only sinister part of the poster and suggests a more sinister element to the film.

The simplicity and emptiness of the poster is also purposeful as it mirrors the the title ‘Alone’, this is to make the audience also feel alone.

My choice of font which looks chalky suggests the past and something old fashioned, it suggests the past but it could also be associated with school. This font is creepy and reminds you of being taught a lesson.