Film Poster Preparation

Preparation for film poster

In my second ancillary task I had to create a poster for my short film GSA. In order to create a poster for my film I had to do some research into what a social realism film poster should contain and how to create one.

To start my research on film posters I looked at my previous research into the magazine Sight and Sound as they regularly advertise social realism and short films. In Sight and Sound they advertise cinema release films, DVDs and film festivals. The posters in the magazine usually link with the content inside the magazine, for example an advert for a social realism film is place on the page opposite a review of a social film. The placement of the poster is important as the target audience the film is aimed at needs to be able to see it near other interests they have.

Looking at examples of film posters I have learnt that the majority of the posters contain a photograph of the protagonist, this could be a close up on the face, a full length image or even a selected body part. The colours in the photographs are muted and dull; this reflects to the natural lighting of the film genre but also connects with the themes and issues of the film itself. The posters have a simpler feel to it, this could be down to the low budget or it could just be the chosen style.

As part of my preparation, we were assigned a photography project. The project was to photograph something that communicates certain themes and issues, using light, sound, camera and mise en scene. When we were assigned this, my initial idea was about teen pregnancy, however throughout the process of target audience research my idea changed. However the skills and techniques I learnt through photographing teen pregnancy were still good for me to use in my photo about loss.

In order for me to create a photograph about my issue of Teen pregnancy I had to do some research into it. My research involved statistics of pregnancies, personal experiences, definitions and medical information on the subject. With an understanding of what Teen Pregnancy is I could build on camera meanings, this being the context in which a high angel shot could be used or the effect of a close up shot. When the picture is taken an important part of the photograph is the editing. The editing of a photo can affect the meaning of it, changing the brightness levels and saturation can give the image a darker atmosphere to the photo.

Taking all these elements into consideration and the previous exercise I feel I am able to create a film poster using original photography to communicate the themes and issues of depression and loss.
Drawn Film Poster
Film Poster Photography

Film Poster

Film Review Preparation

Preparation for Film Review

When writing a review for a film, DVD, music video or television programme, there are many different styles and techniques. For my own product I will be looking at film reviews, in particular social realism films. In order for me to look into reviews I had to find what type of magazines would be best suited for a review of my own film, GSA. The main magazine I came across was Sight & Sound.

From looking at the magazine in detail I felt that the style and content would fit perfectly for my film review. The cover of the magazine immediately drew me in as it features an image from the film ‘Fish Tank’. Not only was it created by a British filmmaker but it is also of the Social Realism genre, which is what my film is.

Throughout the magazine were various reviews from different genres of film, including features and shorts. As well as reviews the magazine advertises many films and festivals. Some of the adverts commonly printed in the magazine are social realism films or DVD released films.

When writing my review I will model it on some of the social realism reviews mentioned in the Sight & Sound magazine, by doing this I will be following the conventions of the review. The conventions of the review help me in how to structure my own, from the links with other films within the genre and a clear analysis of the film including a synopsis and a picture from the film.

As my film is a short social realism, Sight and Sound allows me to express and talk about the themes and issues presented in the film in an honest way. The use of this style means I can engage with my target audience better and can also attract an audience of film lovers through the review.

Film Review

My review for my short film GSA, in the style of Sight and Sound.