Analysis of a promotional package: Batman - The Dark Knight

As I will be making a promotional package myself, I thought it would be important to analyse existing promotional packages to help me learn about the techniques used in each element, as well as how synergy is created between them.

Analysis of a promotional package the dark knight

View more PowerPoint from Emily Scott

Teaser trailer analyses: Kung Fu Panda 2 and The A Team

Mise-en-scene

The mise-en-scène of a film can make it realistic and believable, so it is therefore very important for the props, costumes, locations etc. used in a film to be fitting of the genre. Here are a few examples:  

The Boat That Rocked

 

 The mise-en-scène of this film, The Boat That Rocked, is very effective; the costumes that the characters are wearing are archetypal of the 1960s, the period in which the film is set. Furthermore, the references to rock music, and the fact that the majority of the film is set on a pirate radio station, reinforce the fact that the film is set in a time of youth rebellion. This is further demonstrated by the music playing, which is classic songs from the '60s, although here we see an overlap into sound.

 James Bond: Casino Royale

 

This trailer begins in black and white, which has connotations of class. This is emphasised by the fact that the men shown are all wearing suits, and there is a shot of a woman in a classy evening dress. However the audience is also made aware from the beginning that it is an action film, due to the guns and expensive-looking cars that are shown; this also has connotations of wealth, which are reinforced through the shots of gambling. Finally, the audience is made aware that glamour and attractiveness play a large part in the film, such as in the shot in which the protagonist, James Bond, is shown walking out of the sea, showing off his muscular body.  

Avatar
  
 

 The mise-en-scène in this film is interesting due to the fact that the genre of the film is both action and fantasy; the mise-en-scène therefore reflects this, initiating props such as guns and helicopters, and costumes such as military uniforms alongside fantasy animation of surreal creatures and plants. The perfect ratio of both of these genres shown in the trailer through the mise-en-scène means that both genres are emphasised and demonstrated clearly to the audience.

Sound

Sound brainstorming

Here are a few questions which we have discussed as a group, giving our reasons as to why sound is effective:

1. What types of sound are there?
•Non-diagetic
•Voice-over/narrative
•Soundtrack
•Sounds effects
•Enhanced diagetic sound
•Theme song
•Sound bridge

2. What affects the type of sounds you hear?
•Genre
•Narrative
•Props
•Editing
•Setting
•Characters
•Audience

3. How does sound effect marketing/cross-promotion?
•Sounds that audience can relate to/recognise
•Popular music
•Catchy theme tune/sound that becomes associated with film
•Ringtones
•Quotations/catchphrases that stick in people’s minds
•Soundtrack
•Soundboards

Editing

Camera angles

Here is a video we have made of different camera angles: Different camera angles are effective for creating representations of moods, relationships, status, power, vulnerability, oppression, point of view, etc. This is something to bear in mind when thinking of different shots for our trailer.

Rise of The Planet of The Apes marketing presentation

Rise of the planet of the apes on Prezi

This is a presentation regarding research my group has made into the marketing and production of the film Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I mainly contributed to the section on media platforms, such as Facebook, as a way of advertising the film. This research is a good method of developing our own ideas in terms of effective marketing and advertising.

Introduction

For my A2 coursework I am going to be working in a group along with two other people, Lucinda Pain and Charlotte Booth, to create a promotional package for a film. This will include making a trailer or teaser trailer as a group, and then two ancillery tasks individually; for the ancillery tasks we have been given the choice between a film magazine cover, a promotional film poster and a film website. As I do not feel I have the skills to create a website, I have therefore decided to make a film magazine cover and a film poster as these involve using a combination of both creative and technical skills, as well as extensive use of Adobe Photoshop, a program that I feel fairly confident using and am eager to improve my knowledge of. I think that this coursework will be extremely challenging, due to, primarily the huge amount of work that goes into making a film trailer, as well as the fact that I will have to create synergy between the trailer and my ancillery tasks and ensure that the whole promotional package looks professional and conventional. Furthermore, I suspect that I will find working in a group quite challenging, as we will all have to agree on ideas etc. However, it is also quite a relief to be working on the trailer as a group, as we will be able to divide the work between the three of us, which will hopefully mean that we are quite organised.