Evaluation

A2 Level Media Coursework on Prezi

Trailer

Poster

Magazine

Risk Assessment

Mockup

The mockups for the posters I created, and posted below are here:

Actors List

Ben Hodgson - Protagonist
Stephen McKechnie - Antagonist/Stephen French/Cultivator
Sean Dignam - saviour/getaway driver
Sam Sharp - Victim
Michael Platt - Victim

Storyboards

These are the storyboards we followed!

Planning - Locations

Our production will require a number of different settings in order to make the trailer appear both professional and feasible. Trailer's produced by leading companies, as shown earlier in my blog provide the viewer with an insight to both the plot, but also the setting. The diversity in the setting is key, and the number of setting's is also a vital contributory factor in the overall appeal of the trailer.

For our trailer, we will be using the following locations:

Garage - A Dark area, it provides us with a number of options for specific shots, such as the opening of the garage door to reveal a body/murder taking place.

House/Living Area - The ambient lighting, digetic sounds such as television/radio noise, provide us with a location that can be used to display the equilibrium state that we will attempt to make apparent throughout the trailer. This location would conform to the 'White Picket Fence' stereotype of Hollywood horror.

Street - Street lights provide an urban environment that most cinema 'go-ers' can identify with, as familiarity for a viewer will make the film more hard-hitting.

Field - This wide open landscape provides us with an area in which an endless number of shots available. Preliminary ideas for the final scene involve the antagonist burying body parts of his victims, and this would be an ideal area to film this scene.

Front Page Analysis 1 - Shutter Island

As with the poster that shows the same film, Leonardo DiCaprio, the protagonist of the film is the main focus of the piece. This technique is used simply to sell more magazines, as mentioned in my poster and trailer analysis, star theory - using a 'star' as the focal point of a particular piece, can attract a demographic that isn't usually your target audience. Further correlation with the previous pieces of media produced for Shutter Island, comes in the form of the lighthouse. I previously analysed this in my poster research.

The article titled "Inside Marty's Madhouse" is a genius piece of journalism. Not only does that alliterration provide a catchy 'buzzword' effect, the use of the word 'Marty' suggests an informal side to an interview. This informal style can often provide people with the 'scoops' they so desire, as it is unlikely to be a generic one on one style of interview in which the subject shows no personality.

Poster Analysis 2 - Green Zone

Poster Analysis - Shutter Island

As with many of the promotional posters released for films, the protagonist of the film, and most high profile actor is displayed as the focal point. This is down to the Star theory that I mentioned in the previous trailer analysis of the same film. This particular image is desaturated, with the only point of light being the candle shown. This has immeditate connotations that the protagonist is in an area that lights have been swtiched off, and he is attempting to find safety or somebody. Further inspection shows the tagline "someone is missing," which confirms the connotation I noted. This immediate tension created, through the mere use of a poster is an effective technique. Not only is the match picture used to display the connotations previously mentioned, it also provides a contrast to the other dark desaturated colours displayed on the poster and immediately draws the audience's eyes towards the image.

Immediately noticeable on the poster is the picture of the island. The island is surrounded by crashing waves, which suggests there is a storm. To the audience, a pathetic fallacy is created, as the human mind will denote from the rough sea's, dark image and crashing waves that the island is a place which should be avoided. The single beacon of light from the lighthouse suggests that the Island is secluded and cut off from the rest of the world. Not only does this further the pathetic fallacy created by the aforementioned storm displayed, it provides enough information that the audience can raise some questions that will only attract them watch the film more, such as "why is it so secluded?" "why was it built?" "what is there?."

The title of the film "Shutter Island" is written in blood red text, in a deep contrast to the desaturated background.

Trailer Analysis 2 - Shutter Island

The trailer is effective immediately, as it shows the setting the film takes place within, in long establishing shots. Following this, the narrative is clear - the detective has gone missing at the prison shown in the original scenes.
Throughout the whole of the trailer, the only title screens are to show the names 'Leonardo DiCaprio' and 'Martin Scorsese' - this fits in with Richard Dyer's star theory, as one of the major points the trailers is attempting to show to the audience is the name of an actor with a wide appeal. DiCaprio, an actor acclaimed for his performances in Titanic and the Gangs of New York is one that has a large female following due to his desireable appearance. It is likely that the producer of this trailer has used his name in order to attract an audience that may not have normally been attracted to the Thriller genre, one that aims for a more masculine demographic. Scorsese on the other hand, is a critically acclaimed director with films such as Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York and the Departed to name but a few. His massive catalogue of incredibly popular films has seen him gather an incredible following, as such - Star Theory comes into play, as his name is displayed so that people reading 'Scorsese' have the connotation of an instant classic.
As expected with any trailer, there is a wide variety of different shots. Narrative points, displayed through the speech between detectives/guards/inmates are displayed through longer shots. The thriller genre however, normally has the conventions of short quick cuts, to develop a fast pace and give the film an eerie feel. This is done in the trailer for Shutter Island, with the shocking and 'scary' shots displayed through the use of quick cuts.

Trailer Analysis 1 - Green Zone

The first thing I noticed being displayed on the trailer was the "Unviersal" logo - this is used for brand loyalty. Universal is a company that is trusted, and credited with being involved in the creation of many classic films. Ultimately this company has connotations of success and its logo is used effectively. I will use this technique when I create my own trailer.

Following this, a plane with the date 1933 appears. This shows the setting and the time in which the film is set, and instantly - the audience can associate this time period with prohibition, and ultimately the mafia - which gives an insight of the narrative that will follow.

This connotation of the 'mafia' is continued when you see the characters holding 'Tommy Guns' this cleverly placed mise en scene only furthers the 'mafioso' narrative idea, this is attractive to the male demographic, who are attracted by the 'cool' protagonist.

This male demographic is clearly the target audience, when the quick cuts and clips of Car's speeding past with bullets firing across the screen adding to the action genre.

The main character, Johnny Depp is in every scene. Advocates of the Star theory would suggest this is used as Johnny Depp is an actor of a wide appeal, and not focused solely for the male demographic. I would agree with this, as although the narrative is clearly aimed at the aforementioned target audience, Johnny Depp's 'attractive' appearance, can increase the desireablity for the film to females.