Film Poster Analysis

Rocky Horror Picture Show

In this poster for the rocky horror picture show, there are many aspects that can be taken into account.A film poster includes a lot of things to make it fully detailed and to give the audience information about the film.

The picture in this poster gives a lot of information about the film. The red lips show the risque themes within the film and give the audience the string idea that there will be sexual themes within the film and that it may make people feel uncomfortable. The image of Frank N Furter laying on the lips also tells of what to expect within the film. The transexual themes are made clear as he is dressed quite obviously as a transvestite. His extremely large heels, skimpy outfit and exaggerated make up make it quite clear that he is a transvestite. This is done ot make sure that the correct type of audience is attracted by the film and that people can see what the film contains. The images on the film poster are, like this one, often taken directly from the film as audience members then get a sneak peak of the film and the characters and what they do.

The title of the film is written on the film poster. This is done because the name of the film needs to be out there so that people know what it is called. This can also give clues as to what is in the film.Some people may recognise the name of the film if it has previous popularity on a different platform, like book or stage show, so including the name can bring in remaining fans, making the film more money. The title is written in a dripping blood font, which could tell the audience that the film will contain horror and gore within. This also helps to bring in a wider audience as people may expect it to be scarier and so want to go and watch it.

At the bottom of the poster is this selection of tiny writing which is used to give credit. It tells the production company, the stars of the film, credit to the music composer, the screenplay writer, the music producer, the associate director, the director and the producer. These things all help to advertise the film as they may be people or companies that people have heard of before and seen, however they are also there to give credit to the people behind the filma as they have put time and effort into the film and deserve to be recognised.

One thing that is not included in this poster is a release date. This isn't good as a releae date can be helpful in letting somebody plan to go and see the film as they will know when it is available for viewing. It also doesn't include an age rating which isn't very helpful as people will not know if they are old enough to see the film and may not bother going, or may go expecting to see it ad find out that they are too young, having a wasted trip.

Music and Sound

Music and Sound Within Comedy:

The style of music in a comedy can varie, for example in a spoof the music may be slightly daft, or well known, popular music, where as in a comedy such as Laurel and Hardy, In where there is very little speech and the music takes the film, it sets the pace, the tone and the mood. Music is a very important aspect to film it can dertermin what could happen next. Laurel and Hardy are an extremely wellknown comedy act and were well known for there slaptick comedy. There acts were bascially just them doing funny things, and the music playing behind them made it even funnier.

Music and Sound Within Horror: 

Horror another extremely competative and popular genres out there, however the music is very diiferent to comedy, for a troditional horror the music is quite heavy and dark, where as a thriller you could say its a little slower and lighter based more on the high pitched tone, Helping to create suspence and fear. The film above 'Hills Have Eyes' the music played in this is played throughout, its Quite heavy and the tone is dark and thrilling. It is comepletely different to comedy yet again it sets the style and purpose of the film. It sets you up for what is about to come.

Both together Horror and Comedy:

When you combine the two together it creates something completely different. It can be difficult but if done right look really effective. The music in a comedy horror is usually fast and a little rocky. For example ZombieLand in this clip they go to a super market in hope to find a twinkie that alone is comedy, but the music which is heavy toned, Brings in the horror element even though what they do is funny.

 

Methods of Film Distribution

Film distribution is the process in which film distributors have to carry out so that they can make films available for viewing by audiences. Film distributors can make films available for viewing in many different ways. These include:

STANDARD RELEASE

During the standard release of a film, there are two 'release windows'. These are the 'theatrical window' and the 'video window'. Firstly, during a standard release, the film is made available to exhibit in cinemas and this is when the film is at the 'theatrical window', the period of time in which films are available to be viewed in theatres. Then, after a time period of around 16 and a half weeks (around 4 and a half months) the film is then made available on Blu-ray and DVD. This is when the film reaches its 'video window'. After a number of months it is then released to PayTV services and then is aired on free-to-view TV. Many films are distributed in this way as it is the most efficient way of making the most money out of the film.

SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE

'In Your Eyes': released simultaneously

A simultaneous release is where a film is distributed through many different media at the same time (Cinema, TV, DVD, etc.) This can prove to be an advantage for consumers as it means that they can choose which media platform suits them and this makes the film more accessible. This also is an advantage for the production companies as they only have to create one marketing campaign. However, box office figures are affected when a simultaneous release is carried out as the number of people going to the cinema to watch the film will be reduced due to the availability of the film through other media platforms. The most recent film to be distributed in this experimental way (as of October 2015) is a paranormal romance film called 'In Your Eyes' which was released in 2014

American Pie: Band Camp
released straight-to-video

STRAIGHT-TO-VIDEO RELEASE

Hence the name, straight-to-video releases is where films are not released in cinemas and are distributed through Blu-ray and DVD straight away. This distribution method is perfect for independent film companies and short film makers as the video release market has become a lot more profitable recently.  

 

Horror Comedy: Music and Sound

MUSIC AND SOUND WITHIN HORROR:

In the horror genre, music and sound is a vital element which helps create a tense or terrifying atmosphere and this is important as it makes the film more enjoyable for the audience. A feature that makes horror soundtracks different from a soundtrack of any other genre is the fact that the music is unsettling and this creates suspense and fear within the audience. When creating a music soundtrack, you need to make sure that the audience are always in a state of discomfort. This is what makes horror films so tense. A way in which this is achieved is through constant changes of pitch, pace and volume. This creates discomfort as their are constant changes and therefore the audience cannot watch comfortably without the music changing unexpectedly. This also creates a sense of shock and surprise which is a definitive feature within horror films. Another way in which music and sound within horror is different from any other genre is the use of silence. Silence can be a very chilling way to create suspense and tension. It is also a good way to help emphasise diagetic sound that can be heard by the characters. This is because the sound effects dominate the soundtrack and this is very good way to lead up to sudden climaxes and create jump-scares, which are an iconic feature of a horror film. A final way in which horror soundtracks are effective is through the use of build ups. Within music, there are a lot of types of build ups that are commonly used within horror soundtracks and some of these include accelerando (a gradual increase in tempo) and crescendo (a gradual increase in volume or intensity). Another type of build up used in horror soundtracks is a build up in layers. This is where different riffs and motifs are introduced into the soundtrack one at a time and therefore creates a build up. The most iconic example of this type of build up within a horror soundtrack is Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' which featured in the original motion picture of 'The Exorcist'. At the beginning of the music, only one motif can be heard but as the music continues, other layers are introduced, creating a build up and therefore creating a sense of tension and suspense. 

MUSIC AND SOUND WITHIN COMEDY:

The genre of comedy is one of the broadest genres of film therefore the type of soundtracks used within them are varied. For example, a spoof film may use already iconic film soundtracks whereas slapstick comedy may use upbeat music to compliment the use of physical comedy. Unlike horror soundtracks, comedy soundtracks give off a sense of comfort and happiness which sets them up for laughter. The music also tends to be exaggerated and if the film is set during a certain time period or place, the music usually compliments and exaggerates these themes. An example of a comedy film that does this is the 'Austin Powers' films. A very iconic song from the 'Austin Powers' soundtrack is a song known as 'Soul Bossa Nova' which is commonly associated with the films. This music compliments and exaggerates the idea of the film being set in the 1960's. This soundtrack is shown below.

COMBINING HORROR AND COMEDY THROUGH MUSIC AND SOUND:

Creating a soundtrack for a horror comedy film is very difficult as you need to make sure that you take the best elements from both horror and comedy soundtracks and use the right amount of each to create a good blend of horror and comedy elements. A useful feature of horror comedy music is to set it up as if it was a genuine horror film but as a climax is expected to occur, it can be replaced by comedic action on screen along with a contrasting soundtrack. This creates the element of surprise within the film and this type of surprise helps create a sense of comedy within the film. This isn't the only way in which elements of horror and comedy music can be combined. Another way in which a perfect combination of music can be achieved is by having elements of both types of music playing simultaneously. An example of a film that does this well is 'Shaun of the Dead'. Within the opening scene of the film, the music features conventional elements of both horror and comedy film soundtracks. This is shown below:

The elements of horror that feature within this soundtrack include:
- Faint, creepy sounds of children singing (la la la la)
- Minimal motifs and a small amount of build up
- Misleading diagetic sounds (main character sounds like a zombie)

The elements of comedy that feature within this soundtrack include:
- The upbeat tempo of the music
- The exaggerated and misleading zombie noise made by the main character (this is also featured in horror soundtracks)
- The bizarre choice of timbre (boings/twangs/singing)

  

Character Stereotypes within Horror Comedy

Within horror comedy, stereotypes are a commonly used feature when creating characters and narratives in films. Using stereotypes is also one of the quickest ways to establish character and this compliments the comedy element to the horror comedy film genre. A narrative theory that compliments the idea of stereotypes is Propps theory of narrative. Propp deduced the theory that narratives contain character roles. These include the hero, the princess, the villain and many more. This is similar to stereotypes as in films, the stereotypical hero is a strong male who saves the princess, a 'damsel-in-distress'. These stereotypes, if exaggerated or performed in a humourous way, can easily create comedy and this compliments the character roles that can potentially feature in horror films, thus creating a nice blend of horror and comedy.

THE VILLIAN:

Villains within horror comedy tend to be the characters, along with the setting, who provide the main sense or horror. However, villains in a horror comedy tend to have some form of humourous twist to them that makes them more comedic and create a good mix of horror and comedy. These twists could include a change in costume, the ability of the villain (the horror, or lack of horror, that they give to the film), an amusing prop to associate with the villain or maybe even a strange or underwhelming voice. The villain also tends to be the main source of comedy and many horror comedy films tend to make it so the villain isn't very good at being a villain.





THE DAMSEL:

In many regular horror films, there is usually a character that comes across as a bit of a 'damsel-in-distress'. Some of the time, this character could also be the hero as they could eventually end up saving helping themselves as seen in Carol Clover's final girl theory, where the main girl overcomes the villain and is the only survivor. These characters also tend to be the ones who the story revolves around as they are commonly the characters that are being haunted, hunted or stalked (which are iconic narrative ideas within the horror genre). A good example of a 'damsel' type of character within the horror genre is the protagonist from the horror film 'Drag me to Hell'. In this film, a woman is cursed by a old gypsy woman in which she refuses to help her with financial problems. The woman is then stalked and haunted by the gypsy and then ultimately is dragged to the depths of hell. This kind of character is stereotypically a female as they are often portrayed as 'vulnerable', 'weak' and 'sensitive' however, stereotypes can be broken. In horror comedy, it is a very good idea to have a damsel character as this gives us the opportunity over exaggerate stereotypes to create comedy.

THE HERO:

Within horror comedy, the hero often turns out to be the 'damsel' as well as these characters commonly restores the equilibrium within the narrative themselves. However, if this isn't the case, the hero is stereotypically portray as a masculine and strong individually (commonly male) and in the narrative they save the 'damsel'. To create a sense on comedy with the horror, heroes tend to have a likable personality and a very good sense of humour and can, along with the villain, be a primary source of comedy. A good example of a hero character within a horror comedy film is Shaun from 'Shaun of the Dead'. Here, Shaun has to survive in a zombie apocalypse as well as save his close friends and family. In this film he is the main source of comedy. However, the stereotype of the hero being manly and masculine is broken as, even though he is still a make character, he isn't very athletic or strong but still manages to save his family (near enough).

How to make video look like film

One good way to make video look like film is by using a shallow depth of field. Using a shallow depth of field makes the film looks very professional and shows a higher level of skill in film maker. It also helps the audience to focus on what parts of the film are important and allows for a focus pull to be used in the film, making the film more interesting and enhancing editing skills. It also helps with making it look film like if you stick to the 180 degree line as the audience find the film easier to follow and are not confused when the characters suddenly have a different background behind them. Camera movement can make video look much more film like as it can be used in many ways. A film containing no movement can be just as professional looking as one with lots. Framing is important as it helps to create the mood and a bad framing can make the whole film have a bad feel to it, making all of the other work quite unimportant. Lighting is important as it can show mood or time of day in the film. Using three point lighting helps to make the shot look as natural as possible, making the video much more film like. When in post production, you can colour correct shots throughout your film. This is very useful when making your video film like as it can alter what the people see on the screen.

Making a Video look like a film

Our group are starting to create a small film however you always wonder how can you make a video look like a film. Firstly you need a storyline and something that is quite catching, and will get the audience to watch to watch it. Secondly you need to have a good setting, you need to background to look believable.  Many new filmmakers think that having a shallow Depth Of Field is the single most important element in achieving a film look. Ultimately Shallow depth of field is a stylistic choice that you have to make based on the look you want to achieve with your film. The majority of feature films today utilize a shallow depth of field on many shots, and if you want to get that look you are going to need a camera and lens that can achieve it. Camera Movement is another main focus on trying to make your video look like a film. The more importance you put onto your camera movement the more cinamatic it will fell.Great framing will make your video feel more filmic, but it will make your film better as a whole. Great lighting is another key aspect to making a film, it can either make or break it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSqvDRvv22M