Homework: Poster & Website (& Analysis)

Poster & Analysis


Website & Analysis

Homework: Trailer Storyboard

'Mission Dex-treme' - Trailer - Storyboard

Homework: Scenes I'd Like To Add To My Trailer

Scene description	Function in trailer
Egg cracks on Dex’s face	Convey comedy genre, establish main character as a ‘geek’
“Dexter Simmons” written on notepad	Introduce main character
Wayne reveals mission to Dex	Reveal some of the plot
Wide shot of Antarctica	Establish setting, convey adventure genre
Dex lowers into room	Convey action genre
Dex and Rosa dodge bullets	Convey action genre
Wayne: ‘I’ve found just the guy’	Create enigma
Rosa smiles at Dex, walks away; he goes weak at knees	Set up romance sub-plot, convey comedy genre

Homework: How Effective Are Film Trailers? (Sheet)

Out of the film trailers we watched in class, the one I thought was most like my film idea was Avatar, as the main character goes undercover and explores an unfamiliar place, which is similar to what my character does.

For Avatar, I think the main target audience is men aged 25-45, who are interested in technology, and can be described as sort of 'geeks'. Also, any man that likes action would be included. They were targeted mainly through the 'Entertainment/Distraction' and 'Personal Identity' uses and gratifications. As people who enjoy technology, they would find the CGI animation and the 3D aspect of the film exciting, and this would entertain them and make them want to see the film. Also, they would consider their position on some of the issues the film raises, such as 'Is it right to destroy someone's home to access a resource?'. They would decide what their opinion was, and want to know how that issue develops in the film.

Homework: Opening Sequence - Shot List and Storyboard

'Mission Dex-treme' - Opening Sequence - Shot List and Storyboard

Homework: Film Marketing Research

I have chosen to research the marketing plan behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as it is part of a long-running franchise.

I wanted to see if they could come up with unique strategies to market the film, as audiences might be bored with the franchise and not want to see the new film as much.

There is extensive use of print, in the form of posters, from the first teaser poster to the many character-based posters that were released. A sense of the darker tone of the film is evident in all of them, from the heavy use of black, to the use of extreme close-ups and mid-shots of the central characters to create drama.

As well as print, moving image media in the form of trailers and TV spots is present too. The first teaser trailer, aired during the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, doesn’t give much of the plot away, but strongly hints at the dark tone of the film through eerie clips. The full trailer reveals that there will be a battle between the forces of good and evil, and shows many well-known characters from the franchise. These clips alternate with titles, with text such as ‘The finale of the worldwide phenomenon’, which emphasise how iconic the franchise has become. These give the audience a sense that this film is not to be missed. The TV spot focuses equally on both the protagonist, Harry, and the antagonist, Voldemort. They depicted Harry as being in grave danger, intensifying the drama for the audience so that they would be gripped.

The website is also a big part of the campaign. Opening with the trailer, it also offers pictures and videos, as well as downloadable content like screensavers. You can also play games on the website including “Harry Potter: The Quest”. Once you register, you play games and download free items to score points and unlock bonus content. There are various links to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook so users can share the website with their friends.

The website also links to the official online shop for Harry Potter, where users can buy a variety of things, from DVD boxsets and clothing, to bobbleheads and other collectibles. There is a list of categories to the side, making it easy for users to find the type of Harry Potter item they are looking for.

Hagrid's Hut, recreated in the theme park.

A lot was done to promote the film. ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ is a new theme park attraction at Universal Studios, in which locations that feature in the film (e.g. Hogsmeade) have been recreated. The public can go and visit these locations, use the rides and also purchase merchandise, of which there is a lot. Also, at Comic-Con 2010 new footage from the film was screened, in an effort to target the Harry Potter ‘geeks’ that were present.

In my opinion, the marketing plan worked well, as all the strategies and media involved all conveyed the dangerous tone of the new film. This made them synergetic with each other, helping to give the audience a clear image of the film. They worked to target both long-standing fans of the franchise, by incorporating characters and locations well-known to them, and also those who weren’t as fond of the brand, by amplifying the drama through the posters and trailers. Overall I think this marketing plan was effective in drawing in the audiences, and convincing them to watch this film.

Homework: Moodboard Representing Men & Women in A-A Films.

So this is my moodboard:


While researching representations for this moodboard, I learnt that:

• There are both conventional and unconventional representations of men and women:
• Traditional view: men are strong and muscular, women are weak and need help
• This creates easily identifiable binary opposition between the characters
• Modern view: men are more clever and emotive, women are brave and skilled
• This creates more rounded characters, which audiences find more believable

By heading my moodboard with two clear binary opposites - stereotypical and nonconformist - I wanted to show how common these stereotypes are in A-A films, but also show how films are increasingly abandoning these stereotypes to create more interesting characters and plots.

Homework: Presentation Feedback

Good points

• Clear characters
• Clear target audience
• Good USP

Things to do/improve:

• Consider secondary target market
• Think about unique marketing strategies
• Add onto blog:
• Iconography info
• Setting info
• References

The things I have added after the presentation will be in green.

My Pitch Powerpoint

Jan's Media Pitch Powerpoint

View more presentations from latymermedia.

Homework: My Film's USP & Marketing Ideas

OK, the USP of my film is that the hero is not your average action-adventure hero. He's not cool, or hot, or strong, or particularly brave. He's just a regular guy, clever but extremely shy, especially when around girls. I think this makes my film unique as it breaks the conventions of the typical hero character, so it offers the audience a fresh take on the action-adventure genre.

The app store on the iPhone
could sell the apps.

For marketing, as well as the generic poster/website/trailer elements, I thought there could also be some smartphone apps, that tie in with the spy theme of the film. They could be like spy gadgets, e.g. night vision goggles, or a hidden camera. I think this could be effective because the technology suits the lifestyles of the target and secondary audiences (boys and girls aged 12-24), who are likely to have some sort of smartphone. The apps would ideally be free, to ensure as many people download them as possible. They could also recommend the apps to their friends, and so create word-of-mouth advertising.

...because competitions are exciting!

Another idea I had is to hold a competition, with the prize being a trip for two/four to Antarctica. To enter the competition, people would have to answer a question about the film, which they'll know the answer of once they've watched it. This could attract kids or adults who are interested in a holiday to Antarctica. Also, the competition promotion would give the film more TV advertising space, as it could appear between various programmes.

Homework: My Target Audience Profile

I'd like to think that different types of people would want to watch my film. But I can imagine the typical viewer of this movie as an ordinary young male, around 12-25, who likes high-concept action films, but enjoys comedy films as well. They maybe identify with the hero's geeky side, and definitely aspire to be the "cool" super-spy that the hero gets to be for a while. They prefer films that offer escapism, rather than realism, as the most important thing for them is that they enjoy the film, even if it is a little unrealistic.

See, like this guy. He's not that geeky, but he is a bit.

I think there is also a secondary market, which could be young girls, around the same age. I think they would really enjoy the comedy in the film, because comedy is loved by both boys and girls. Also, the hero's love story with the princess will also appeal to this group.

Homework: My Film Pitch

OK so I changed my AA film idea, here's my new one. It's more action-adventure-comedy, if there is such a thing. Think Agent Cody Banks, but with The Transporter-style action sequences.


Title      Mission: Dextreme

Characters

Hero - played by Jack McBrayer

Dexter Simmons is your typical high-school nerd - highly intelligent but socially awkward. His hobbies include hacking to computers - just for fun, of course.. He wishes he could be brave, strong, and cool like the popular guys at his school. So he jumps at the chance to go undercover on a dangerous mission and prove he isn’t just a nerd.

Villain - played by Julian McMahon

Victor Jones is like a lot of villains – driven by money. He is crafty, sly and deceptive, willing to do anything to achieve his goal of being rich.

Donor - played by Don Cheadle

Wayne is Dexter’s mentor, and FBI officer. He donates Dexter with training to help mould him into the super-spy the FBI desperately needs. He can be tough at times, but is essentially kind and funny.

Princess - played by Emma Stone

Rosa Willis is Dexter’s love interest. She is slightly eccentric and kooky, but is warm and friendly. She is not a typical princess – she is brave and a good fighter. She evens saves the hero, which is usually the other way round.

Narrative

Some Narrative Techniques I could use:

• Suspense - As Dexter's mission is a high-risk one, there would be a lot of suspenseful moments while he's investigating - a lot of "close calls" as he's almost found out by Victor Jones.
• Open + Closed Narrative - Although the film has a clear ending, with Dexter completing his mission and going back to school, the scene is set for a possible sequel, in which Dexter might undergo another mission. This could be hinted to at the end.
• Ellipses - As there are many moments where not a lot would be happening, e.g. Dexter travelling to Antarctica, and monotonous daily activities, ellipses would be used to skip over those parts. However, if the next event is on the same day, clothes would remain the same, in order to retain continuity.

Todorov's Theory as applied to my film

Equilibrium - Dexter Simmons, a nerdy Oak Tree High School student, wins an award for computing excellence. At the awards ceremony, he is mocked and booed off stage by the rest of the kids. A mysterious man in the audience writes Dexter’s name down on a notepad and swiftly leaves.

Disruption - Dexter returns home from school. His mom tells him he’s been selected to go on a school trip to visit the Antarctic Conservation Centre, in Antarctica. Dexter’s confused – he’s never heard of this school trip! He goes to his room – all his clothes are missing, but there aren’t any packed bags. Worried, Dexter leaves to go to the library, but is kidnapped and whisked away. He finds himself at a federal building. There the mysterious man from the awards ceremony introduces himself as Wayne, and tells Dexter his mission – to go undercover at the Antarctic Conservation Centre and find out whether anything illegal is secretly going on, using his hacking skills to access restricted files. The chairman – Victor Jones – has been acting suspiciously recently and the FBI want to investigate further. Dexter undergoes training to transform from an ordinary school kid to a superspy. He goes to Antarctica, and meets Rosa at the centre, an eco-warrior determined to save the world. He soon falls for her, but he can’t let her distract him from his mission. He soon discovers the Centre is just a cover for Victor Jones’ illegal plan to drill for oil underneath Antarctica, making him very rich. However, Victor finds out about Dexter, and kidnaps him, planning to kill him.

Resolution - Dexter is saved by Rosa, and he tells her everything. They’re both on the run from Victor’s men, and desperately trying to contact the FBI. Just as they’re backed into a corner, Wayne and his police officers arrive. They arrest Victor.

Restoration - A few days later, and news reporters are outside Dexter’s house, trying to interview him. He arrives at school, and suddenly everyone’s nice to him – he’s finally popular. But he ignores all his new friends, and walks down the hall with Rosa, now his girlfriend. Happy days.

Iconography
As the film is action-adventure, a lot of the conventional iconography will be there, e.g. chase scenes, explosions, weapons. Also, as the film has a spy theme, a lot of spy gadget-like items will be prominent, e.g. hidden cameras, night-vision goggles, microphones. Also, the hero will be wearing a traditional all-black secret agent-style costume.


Setting

This film will have two settings:

•         The high-school setting - this represents Dexter's everyday life. It will look quite typical, with lockers, crowds of kids and a sports area, as well as other conventions.
•          The Antarctic setting - this represents Dexter's special mission. The Centre will look futuristic, with high-tech equipment like computers, and minimalist design. Also, the landscape will be shown a lot to emphasise the extreme environment, which gives this film the adventure edge.

References



Agent Cody Banks is one of the major inspirations of this film. I liked the idea of a teenager going undercover, as an adult hero is typical, and the audience may find the convention boring.


The other major inspiration is Raiders of the Lost Ark. In it, Harrison Ford plays a geeky archaeologist, who later becomes an adventurer. I thought that having a geeky character who changes into a more conventional hero was both unusual and memorable. This would help give the audience the sense that my film had a refreshing idea.

Homework: Action-Adventure Clip Genre Analysis

This time I'll be analysing a clip from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (which is on my Action-Adventure Film List) according to NICS. Here, we are introduced to Jack Sparrow.

Narrative:

Equilibrium: Elizabeth Swann is living in Port Royal, Jamaica, with her father, who is a governor. She is friends with Will Turner, a blacksmith's apprentice, and Commodore Norrington, both of whom are in love with her. Jack Sparrow arrives at Port Royal, looking for a ship to commandeer.


Disruption: Elizabeth is kidnapped by Barbossa, captain of the Pearl, during an attack on Port Royal by the Pearl's crew. Barbossa believes Elizabeth can help to reverse a curse the crew are all under, which turns them into immortal, skeletal beings. Will enlists the help of the now-imprisoned Jack Sparrow to rescue Elizabeth. However, Will, suspecting Jack's intentions, escapes with Elizabeth, leaving Jack to fight off Barbossa.


Resolution: Jack and Will reunite to help defeat Barbossa by lifting the curse and rendering him and his crew mortal. They return to Port Royal, where Jack is still to be executed. When Will tries to save him, both end up captured. However, Commodore Norrington allows Jack to escape, and pardons Will.


Restoration: Will and Elizabeth stay in Port Royal, and are set to marry. Jack becomes captain of the Pearl, finally commandeering a ship like he originally wanted to.

Iconography:
The mise-en-scene of the film is mostly very light and bright, reflecting the Caribbean setting of the film. Natural colours, such as greens, blues, creams, whites are heavily present, again reflecting the setting. The mise-en-scene has been constructed in this way to emphasise the adventure element of the film. The use of props and costumes is significant too: the pirate theme is clearly displayed through the pirates' attire (dirty, worn clothing, pirate hats etc.), their huge pirate ships, and their weapons (e.g. swords). The navy officers are easily distinguishable too - they wear white wigs, military suits and use weapons such as guns and cannons. These pirate and officer costume conventions help to clearly identify them.


Character:
The main Todorov character roles in this film are the:


Hero - this role is played by Will Turner, who has the classic hero qualities. He is brave, determined and clever, and helps to save the day. However, unusually, he is not the single main character of the film, as heroes often are.


False Hero - this role can be attributed to Jack Sparrow. This is because throughout the film, he is shown to be acting on his own intentions, rather than for the greater good. Unlike a conventional false hero, he does end up doing the right thing.


Princess - Elizabeth Swann plays the princess, as she is the woman that needs rescuing, and the love interest of the hero. However, she shows qualities which are uncommon for princesses, such as defiance and strength.


Villain - both Barbossa and Commodore Norrington can be seen as the villain; Barbossa is the one that kidnaps Elizabeth, so he is seen as the primary villain. However, as Commodore Norrington clashes with the hero (Will), he can be perceived as a villain as well.


Setting:
The setting has been manipulated to convey the fantasy aspect of the film. From the stunning island beaches to the creepy dark caves, the setting helps to make the audience think they are with the characters, exploring the same settings. The setting takes the audience into the world of the film, creating an immersive experience.

Homework: Genre & Narrative Analysis

I chose to analyse Shrek, because, well, I love this film. <3 So enjoy the trailer.





Okay, let's talk genre. It's quite obvious that Shrek is an animated film, because you can see the animation in the trailer. But it also falls into other genres, such as comedy. The one-liners, especially from Donkey - "You definitely need some Tic-Tacs or something, 'cause your breath stinks!" - reveal that the film is a comedy. Other sources of comedy include slapstick, e.g. when Gingy spits in Lord Farquaad's eye. I would also say that the film falls into the fantasy genre, mainly due to Shrek's fairytale aspect. This is done by adding in common fairytale characters, like Pinocchio, and common fairytale settings (the royal castle, the dangerous derelict castle, the woods). To sum up, I think Shrek is a film that encompasses the genres of animation, comedy and fantasy.


Shrek's narrative structure is pretty conventional. The main storyline contains many of Propp's key characters - the hero (Shrek), goes on a quest, with a helper (Donkey) to save a princess (Fiona), who a villain (Lord Farquaad) wishes to marry. Here, Todorov's narrative theory clearly applies. The equilibrium stage is set up at the start, where Shrek is alone in his swamp, happy with the way things are. However, the disruption comes when he finds his swamp invaded by evicted fairytale creatures. He is forced to go on a journey to save Fiona and deliver her to a lord, in return for his land. Adding to the complications is his growing love for the princess, conflicting with his original intentions. The resolution comes when Lord Farquaad is killed, allowing Shrek and Fiona to be united. The restoration of events sees Shrek and Fiona getting married.


Although the characters in Shrek are common archetypes, they are not stereotypical. The biggest example of this is Shrek. He is an unattractive, grumpy ogre, with no heroic qualities, yet he plays the hero role in the film. Likewise, Donkey plays the role of the helper, accompanying the hero on his quest, yet he offers no help - he is more a source of irritation to the hero. Fiona, the princess, is shown to be able to defend herself when faced with danger, challenging the common stereotype of the princess being a helpless figure. While Lord Farquaad plays the villain, he lacks the intimidation normally expected from a villain - his unusually short stature makes him physically unthreatening.


I think this combination of common character roles & sequence of events with atypical characters is effective, as it provides the audience with a fresh concept, so as not to bore them with overly-common characters. However, it also retains familiarity, so the audience can still understand the basic concept without confusion.

JAN your blog is soo good :) how do you get the link to the home page there? >>
Feray x

My first post!

Hmm, my blog looked lonely, so thought I'd make a new post.
This is so cooool :)