Ancillary Task 1 - Research
- 1. ` Codes and conventions Short film posters
- 2. Title A common convention of short film posters is that they have white font for the title. This may be because it is simple and stands out, catching the eye of the viewer, especially when it is on a dark background.t Another convention is to have bold typography to create an impact and generate interest from the viewer.
- 3. Examples
- 4. Subject We found that some short film posters don’t have the face of a person in but instead either their hands or feet. This could show the importance of said hands or feet within the film or to not reveal the identity of the character as it a major part of the plot. These posters add some point of Todorov’s narrative theory. As the subjects hints to the point of disequilibrium within the film
- 5. Examples
- 6. Facing away When the poster consists of a person, a common convention of the posters is that the characters are facing away from the camera. A reason for the lack of direct mode of address could be that the character in the poster is trying to prove something in the film, like a journey of discovery. The colour code: all females which are in short film posters which we researched have lighter skin, considered more desirable and fit better into western ideology of beauty. As this would be more likely to sell the film. – Bell Hooks
- 7. Examples
- 8. Anchorage A typical convention a film posters is to have anchorage in a tagline, such as Jurassic World However this isn’t the case when it comes to short films as it isn't as much of a convention. Anchorage in full length films usually includes Propp’s Character Roles as they usually indicate there will be a hero and villain and can indicate other character roles. As there isn’t usually anchorage in short film posters, Propp’s narrative theory is a mystery until the short film starts
- 10. Tone and Register The tone and register of short films can vary dramatically as they cover all subgenres, however we are trying to focus more on the seemingly romantic tone with a light degree of formality, like young adults. This also includes Barthes’ Enigma Codes whereby the posters do not fully explain the situation and so it becomes a mystery to the reader until the film is seen and loose ends are tied and closure is achieved.
- 11. Examples
- 12. Previous credits is also a convention of film posters and is used a form of guarantee and a means of prompting audience expectations. This couples with a positive quote, something a newspaper, similar demographic or respected critics write and give stars for the film, which again is a big form of advertisement for the films and can reference aspects of the film which are not shown within the poster . Previous Credits and Positive Quote
- 13. Examples
- 14. Barthes and Short Film Posters The Proairetic Code is the idea that little actions that do not particularly raise questions creates tensions and builds suspense for audiences to guess what happens next. This could be used in short films posters, as little parts of the poster may not straight away raise questions, but may have an impact on the film as many short films contain a plot twist at the end.
- 15. Hermeneutic Codes When a text is not being fully explained, it is considered to be a Hermeneutic Code, as audiences want to find what happens as so far everything is a mystery. This is very common in film potters, as the viewer does not have the whole story, so they are curious to find out more.
- 16. Computer screen & Chair. How is it to do with the film. What is on the computer screen? Computer has connotations with sharing and lack of privacy which goes with title. Plot? Examples Why are they running? What is that light? What do they have to fear? Is he the collector? What does he collect? Who is the man behind? Who are they? Husband and wife? Where are they? Who is the man in the picture? Why does he have a gun?