Exploring and evaluating promotional material for existing films.

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Exploring and evaluating promotional material for existing films.

Complete this task on your blog! As you complete this research, consider how you can use this information to inform your own film website.

1.    Start by choosing an existing film (Broken City) and explore (look closely at) the promotional mat erial that you can find online for these films.  This can include posters, animations and advertisements promoting the film.

2.    Save some of the promotional material that you find for each film in a website research folder.

3.    Describe each film including the genre, the style of film, the actors, the storyline (include synopsis if you can find one).

Storyline: "In a broken city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) seeks redemption – and revenge – after being double-crossed and then framed by its most powerful figure, the mayor (Russell Crowe).   Billy’s relentless pursuit of justice, matched only by his streetwise toughness, makes him an unstoppable force – and the mayor’s worst nightmare" - from website.
 

Genre: Thriller/Crime/Drama (directly from IMDb) It is obvious that this film is from these genre's because of it's crime elements (The synopsis's description of the film shows that it is a crime film, due to the description and choice of language ("rifle with injustice")). You can tell it is a thriller because of its suspense elements in it, shown by storyline of a man seeking redemption against an antagonist character. would be classified as a drama because of it's romantic elements of it - as seen in the trailer, the cop steals the mayors love interest. I would also say it would be a bit of action because it is obvious through the discription (due to the words, "redemption", "revenge", "double-crossed" relentless, streetwise toughness, force. ) that it is a violent film

Style of Film: Modern American crime. It has the very violent feel to it and important people in power (Mayor and then buddy cop who doesn't really know what he is getting himself into)

Actors: Mark Wahleberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones

 
Director:  Allen Hughes
Written by: Brian Tucker
Producers:  Allen Hughes, Randall Emmett, George Furla, Steve Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Teddy Schwartzman, Arnon Milchan Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones " - From Website

4.    Separately discuss the overall feel developed for each film’s promotional materials (is it clean, crisp and bright or dark, moody and grungy etc.)? Be as descriptive as possible, you could discuss the colours, textures, tone and use of movement in the website to create interest in the film.

 From all the promotional material, it is dark yet very crisp and has a "gangster" feel to it (including music). This gives it the "thriller" feel to the film because of it's dark, yet crisp and clear images. (if it were blurry then it would be suspense).

5.    For each film reflect on how the film’s website is laid out. Look at the links, font and how the information or promotional materials are presented. Create a ‘tree’ which diagrammatically shows how the pages are linked to each other.

 All the text is the same font and colour (except description text which is only the same colour). It uses the same colour scheme that was shown in the trailer and posters. The image that is used is from the poster. When you click on a link, it fades on top of the screen and the background is black, but you can still see the homepage in the background. The font text had a gold metallic glow to it and it is this colour scheme (gold, black, blue and green) that are all the promotional follow.

6.    Identify the Target Audience for the site (who are they? what age, interests, etc.) and discuss whether you feel the website is effective in appealing to this intended audience.

 It is targeted at audiences aged in the late teens-mid/late 20's, likely male. Well if it were appealing to that audience then it is doing a good job because I can tell. I think that it is that audience because of the violence and crime elements to the film. 

7.    Talk about what you like/dislike about the promotional material for each film. Why?

I really like the dark yet clear images to it and how it has a set colour code with only a few colours. It makes the film really clear and interesting. I like who the website is set out with the image on one side and the text on the other so that the film poster (as such) is never blocked throughout the entire exploration of the site. 

8.    Find a poster or advertisement for each film, save the images in to your folder and insert here. In as much detail as possible discuss the following:

Colour scheme: cool, dark, crisp. It make me feel not cold but a sense of darkness and violence. 

Focal Point: My eyes focus first on the title (because it is standing out from everything else) - then the faces (particular eyes) (because they are in focus)- then the date. (because it is clear amongst the grey text)

Sense of Balance: On the website it is slightly tilted to the left in means of balance because the most light is coming from that side (because of the image). I can see that they have tried to balance it out by adding the script in the brighter and more metallic font where the links are held. However this might be on purpose so that your eyes are drawn to the image and for you to remember the image. (?)  

Harmony: The mixture of blurred background and sharp clear font and faces of the characters which brings the attention to the front and title. It gives the whole advertisement a sense of harmony in the sharpness verses the blurred colours of the city behind it. 

Unity: I think that keeping it with the cool colours (blue and green) with the slightly warmer shade of yellow, tie the whole sense of advertising together and makes it join really well. The darkness in contrast to it really brings out those (otherwise) dull colours. 

Overall Message: I think that the overall the message of this film it that it is a "suspicious" film and that it is involving high important people. The clear crispness of the film allow it to stand out that it is obvious and clear (so less of a mystery). Very dominant on the important people and "suspicious" and dangerous happenings are/will be in the film.