Ancillary Task Research

Isaac Randall

A Poster

As part of the Ancillary task I have chosen to create a poster to accompany my trailer. The dictionary definition of a poster is “a large printed picture used for decoration” however, in terms of media a poster is used to advertise the film, and is one of the main ways in doing so. Posters are an easy way to advertise, as they can be placed in front of consumers almost 24/7. For example, in London they can be seen on the underground (inside trains or on the platforms), on the sides of buses, on billboards, in bus stops or online on social media sites.

Public Enemies

Film Title – Bold Font

Gun – Establishes Genre and violent plot of the film

Costume – Conveys the time period and the smart Gangster style look conveys the plot and genre further to the audience.

American Flags – Convey the geographical location of the film to the audience.

City – The city landscape further gives the audience an idea of where the film takes place, it could also be key to the plot.

The Car - The old car again highlights the period in which the film is set.

Actors – The actors names are featured on the poster to further sell the film based on who is in it, attracting existing fans of the actors.

Information – Information abut the production company, director etc are featured at the bottom of the trailer. Also, the films release date is featured, giving the audience this important information in one glance.

LawlessSlogan – A catchy slogan reflecting the crime genre of the film is used. It is also used to create the tense atmosphere amongst the audience that the producers want.

Characters – The main characters of the film are shown and are the main image on the picture, familiarizing the audience and conveying their character through their poses.

Violence – The violent scene is shown in the poster to show the genre and in particular the content that the film will feature.

Title – Again the film title is featured in bold and contrasting lettering.

Costume – Again the costumes highlight the time period that the film is set in and conveys the gangster character well to the audience through this factor.

Actors – The actors names again are featured in bold contrasting lettering that allows the audience to clearly see who is featured in the film, attracting fans of the actors.

Information – The content at the bottom of the page again highlights the release date of the film and the other biographical content, as well as stating the film is “based on true events”

GoodfellasActors – The actors names are featured at the top of the poster, drawing the audience towards the three protagonists.

Title – The title is in bold and contrasting to the background making it stand out to the audience.

Costume – The costume is very simplistic however, the suites that are worn highlight the genre further, giving a smartly dressed classic gangster atmosphere.

Slogan – The slogan is used to create a catchy line that will get stuck in audiences minds and convey the genre and plot subtly.

Simple – The poster is very simple, drawing the audience to the main features, that being title, actors and giving a subtle hint into the genre of the film. The poster uses a black background in order to do this and blend the protagonists suites into the background, giving a shadowy or dark atmosphere, reflecting the lawlessness of the characters in the film. Martin Scorsese – The

poster highlights that Martin Scorsese (American director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and film historian) is responsible for the film, selling it further because of his name.

Key ElementsAll posters have similar elements, in order to convey the important information to the audience quickly and even from a mere glance. The fonts of the titles and other important information like release dates and the certification of the film are often put in bold and contrasting fonts and colors in order to attract the audiences attention.

It is important for the posters to include all this information and to make it visible in order for the audience to easily see the information and before everything else.

The poster itself is a visual representation of what will be included in the film and gives the audience a quick and brief insight into the genre.