Summer Research

Horror Film  Poster Conventions

• Close-up or focus on eye
• Eerie houses or locations
• Darks figures

The Woman In Black

 

Genre - British Supernatural Horror

Director - James Watkins

 

Synopsis - Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer, is recently widowed and grieving the loss of his wife when he is sent to a remote village to put a deceased eccentric's affairs in order. Soon after his arrival, it becomes clear that the villagers are hiding a terrible secret. Kipps discovers that his late client's house is haunted by the spirit of a woman who is trying to find someone and something she lost, and that no one -- not even the children -- is safe from her terrible wrath.

 

 

Media Language - On the posters the text is structured so that it does not distract from the main image. On both of the posters the main title 'The Woman in Black' is further towards the bottom of the page, this means that the main image is not distracted from. In the first poster, there is the use of the rhetorical question 'What did they see?', this attracts the audience as it gives an unanswered question with a tone of mystery and fear. It is a film poster convention to advertise the most famous celebrities, both posters use 'Daniel Radcliff' through advertising his name at the top of the page in a large font as a way to attract as large of an audience as possible.

Camera - In both of the images there is an extreme close-up of the main characters, which only shows half of his face. The surroundings are dark and gloomy which some of the only light coming from his face, which is shown to be quite pale, and from the surrounding text. Similarly, the images include other vital information such as the location of the mansion and clues to the kind of horror that the plot will face. It is a horror movie convention that there is a close-up or focus on the eye which is done through the icy blue being the brightest colour on the poster.

Editing - On the first poster, all of the images are edited to give them a black and white affect, this gives it the idea that the horror that is being faced may be old, ancient threats are a horror movie convention. However, in the image Daniel Radcliff's eye isn't given a black and white tone. but instead the blue of his eye is enhanced. This is done to draw attention to his eye and perhaps show that he will be the victim to the horror. On the second poster, there is blue and black tone which has been edited across the whole image, it makes it look as if a fog is hiding something to intrigue the audience. Similarly to first poster, there is an enhancement on the eye o make it the brightest on the poster compared to the blue and black fog.

Mise-en-scene - In both images, the age of the threat and the time that the film is set in is shown through both location and costume. The location of a seemingly abandoned mansion reveals to the audience how old the threat may be, whereas the old-fashioned clothing worn by the main character reveals that the film is also set in. Similarly, in both images Daniel Radcliff is making direct address with the camera which could show his vulnerability and perhaps fear as well.

 

 

 

 

Media Language - On the magazine front cover, the title of the magazine takes up the majority of the upper half of the front cover. This may be because the brand of the magazine is well-known and therefore for it to be seen with its main feature as 'The Woman in Black' is acts as further positive advertising. It also attracts a new audience to the film, people who may have previously be unaware or uninterested in the film before this feature.
Camera - Different to the movie posters, the magazine doesn't use an extreme close-up of the main character but instead a close up which shows from the chest up but with a loose frame which can show the location in the background.
Editing - There isn't a black and white tone added to the images, but the images are rather enhanced to add to any naturals lighting and bring attention to the main character. The natural lighting that is used throughout draws attention to the dark shadowed figure that s on the right hand side of the front cover, it gives the image a sense of mystery and dread.
Mise-en-scene - On the image, the main characters clothing shows the age of which the film is set in. The brown and overgrown grass that can be seen between the main character and the mansion, shows how unkept it is and perhaps how old the horror that is threatening may be.

Media Language - In the trailer, the media language is used through the title of the film as well as the logos of the companies involved in the production and distribution of the film. It shows the audience who was involved in the film, and may give further marketing if it brings in an audience who are interested in a certain director or company. Before the trailer begins the screen shows that the film has properly been checked with the age ratings, which can also tell an audience that it is an official trailer rather than a fan-made one.
Camera - At the beginning of the trailer, it shows an abandoned child's room that shows no one to be there, this builds tension when there is an big close-up of the monkey toys. This is because an extreme close-up of the toy when it begins moving makes the audience aware that there is no one there with the toy which means it has began moving on it's own, toys that move on their own are stereotypically used in horror movies to build fear and tension. A shot of the mansion includes the gates which are shown to be open but look as if they are hanging on by their hinges. This gives the impression that the abandoned house is welcoming in both the characters and the audience. Throughout the trailer, varying different shots that move from close-ups to long shots build tension and mystery.

Editing - The cuts used in the trailer, are almost matched in time with the music, when it cuts to a different image or scene the music playing in the background  by the toys is heard at the same time. This makes it appear as if it is being controlled by a supernatural force. As the speed of the jump cuts increase as does the temp of the music as the chimes are in sync with the cuts.
Mise-en-scene - Throughout, the majority of the scenes don't show the cause of the fear and horror, this is because it creates tension and uncertainty of when the character will appear. It also means that not too much is revealed in the trailer and it is only meant to be an outline of the film, and if too much were to be revealed viewers may then feel it is unneeded to go and see the film.
Sound - At the beginning of the trailer there is little sound other than a soft blowing of the wind, which is a common horror movie convention. The toy monkey playing the instruments acts almost as if it is counting down to when the action will start, this builds tension and puts the audience on edge. The narrative dialogue of the young girl talking builds tension as it shows the audience that children are involved in the film, which is a stereotypical convention, that adds to the context of the film. The use of rhyming gives it the idea that it is describing a fairy tale that has gone wrong. Throughout the clips the moments that are of the most impact, such as in the final moment when the figure appears behind the main character there is no sound, in order to build the most tension.

Evaluation of these products
In the advertising of this film, other than being for the same film they link in how they try to reach as far of an audience as possible, through going through different mediums some of which are online and some not. In order to bring as many new interested audience members in as possible. The people who benefits from these different advertising links, is the companies and studios that will financially gain with the increase in ticket sales from increasing awareness of the film. It also benefits the actors as the advertising another successful film for them increases their popularity and spread of their name.