Contextual analysis
- 2. MISE EN SCENE • THE OVERALL MISE EN SCENE DENOTES THIS AS AN ACTION FOCUSED CRIME FILM WITH THE BASIC GOOD GUY VS BAD GUY FORMULA. YOU CAN ALSO SEE BY THE LANDMARKS THAT THE FILM IS GOING TO BE SET IN NEW YORK CITY WHICH IS A COMMON PLACE FOR ACTION FILMS TO TAKE PLACE. BY THE UNIFORMS YOU CAN TELL THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE FBI BUT IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT ROLE THE CHARACTER JOHN MCCLANE PLAYS IN THE NARRATIVE.
- 3. EDITING • THE EDITING IS FAST PACED WHICH IS VERY COMMON IN ACTION MOVIES BECAUSE FAST PACE EDITING HELPS TO CREATE TENSION AND CAN ALSO KEEP THE VIEWER ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEAT AS THEY WATCH, A LOT OF FADE TO BLACKS ARE USED AS WELL WHICH HELPS TO TIE IN WITH THE TITLE CARDS WHICH TELL THE VIEWER THE DATE AND OTHER NARRATIVE DEVICES.
- 4. CAMERA WORK • THE CAMERA WORK IS ACTUALLY VERY DIVERSE FOR AN ACTION FILM WHICH IS INTERESTING AS ASIDE FROM A FEW LIKE "THE MATRIX", HAVE VERY BASIC CAMERA SHOTS THAT ARE EITHER USED TO SHOW THE LOCATION (ESTABLISHING SHOTS) AND STRAIGHT CUTS TO MID SHOTS AND CLOSE UPS TO SHOW THE CHARACTERS EXPRESSION. HOWEVER IN DIE HARD THEY USE A LOT OF PANS UP AND BIRDS EYE SHOTS WHICH ADDS ANOTHER DEPTH TO THE MOVIE AND CAN MAKE THE USER FEEL MORE IMMERSED AS THEY CAN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE.
- 5. SOUND • THE SOUND USED IS MOSTLY NON DIEGETIC MOOD MUSIC WHICH IS QUITE DARK WHICH MAKES THE MOVIE SEEM A LOT MORE TENSE THAN A MOVIE LIKE SAY THE EXPENDABLES WHERE THE CHARACTERS COME ACROSS LIKE THEY ARE INVINCIBLE WHEREAS IN DIE HARD IT SEEMS MORE REALISTIC BECAUSE IT COMES ACROSS LIKE JOHN MCCLANE IS STRUGGLING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION HE IS IN AS CONNOTED BY THE MUSIC HOWEVER THE MUSIC ALSO IS QUITE EPIC AND HEROIC SOUNDING AT SOME PARTS SO IT ALSO PORTRAYS JOHN MCCLANE AS A HERO FIGURE. • THERE IS ALSO SOME DIEGETIC EXPLOSIONS AND GUNSHOTS WHICH HELPS TO FURTHER ESTABLISH THE GENRE AS AN ACTION MOVIE.
- 6. FURTHER ANALYSIS • THE SEQUENCE IS 1:16 MINUTES LONG WHICH IS GENERALLY LONGER THAN MOST TEASER TRAILERS THAT ARE AROUND 40/50 SECONDS LONG • A LOT OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN IS AROUND THE GENRE BUT NOT A LOT IS GIVEN ABOUT THE NARRATIVE ASIDE FROM THE FACT THE FBI ARE INVOLVED AND JOHN MCCLANE IS WHAT SEEMS LIKE PROTECTING JUSTIN LONG'S CHARACTER WHICH LEADS THE VIEWER TO BELIEVE THAT HIS CHARACTER WILL HAVE A BIG PART IN THE STORY AS JOHN MCCLANE USUALLY WORKS SOLO. • THIS LEADS THE AUDIENCE TO QUESTION WHAT THE STORY COULD BE ABOUT AS NOT A LOT IS GIVEN ASIDE FROM SEEING THE REOCCURRING CHARACTER OF MATT FARRELL (JUSTIN LONG) • THERE ISN'T REALLY MUCH OF A USP (UNIQUE SELLING POINT) ASIDE FROM THERE BEING SO MUCH CHAOS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS OF EXPLOSIONS IN THE TRAILER – THERE IS A KEY MOMENT WHEN 3 CARS NARROWLY MISS MCCLANE AND MATT WHICH IS A PRETTY MEMORABLE MOMENT IN CINEMA WHICH COULD BE SEEN AS A KEY SELLING POINT. • THE PRIMARY DEMOGRAPHIC IS MIDDLE AGE MEN AROUND 25 – 50 AS BRUCE WILLIS'S CHARACTER IS AROUND HIS 40S AND THE ORIGINAL DIE HARD CAME OUT IN 1988 SO THE PEOPLE THAT WATCHED IT BACK THEN WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO SEE HOW THE STORY HAS PROGRESSED AS THEY GREW UP WITH THE MOVIE. MIDDLE AGED MEN ARE REPRESENTED TO BE RESOURCEFUL (AS SEEN WHEN JOHN THROWS THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND SHOOTS IT) AND ALSO TO BE STRONG MASCULINE AND BOLD IN THE FACE OF TOUGH SITUATIONS. IT ALSO REPRESENTS • THIS HAS BEEN USEFUL FOR ME IN MY OWN PRODUCTION BECAUSE I NOW KNOW THAT I SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE A STRONG USP BUT ALSO HAVE A MEMORABLE MOMENT IN MY OWN LIKE THE 3 CAR CRASHING INTO MCLANE AND MATT SCENE
- 7. Blurred background – creates enigma (where is he?) Bold font connotes that he is also bold and strong stern facial expression and roughed up with cuts and dirt on his skin also adds to his brave image Tagline: connotes he has a reputation for being the best at what he does Grizzly look – makes him look masculine Sparks suggests he is in a dangerous environment I think this marketing campaign is successful because it will certainly appeal to a masculine audience as bruce is looking very
- 8. HOW WILL THAT POSTER HELP ME IN MY PRODUCTION • I HAVE LEARNED FROM THAT POSTER THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMBOLDEN AND MARKET THE MAIN CHARACTER A LOT ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS A FAMOUS ACTOR BECAUSE YOU CAN LEARN SURPRISINGLY A LOT FROM POSTERS ESPECIALLY WHAT THE GENRE OF THE MOVIE IS EVEN IF THEY DON’T GIVE YOU A LOT OF EVIDENCE E.G. NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE BACKGROUND. JUST BY LOOKING AT BRUCE WILLIS YOU CAN TELL THAT IT IS AN ACTION MOVIE. • I COULD BORROW THE TITLE PLACEMENT AND THE TAGLINE PLACEMENT BECAUSE THEY BOTH SIT UNDER THE FACE OF BRUCE WILLIS WHICH MEANS NATURALLY YOUR EYES WILL LOOK AT THE TEXT FIRST AND THEN LOOK UP AT THE BIG FACE OR VICE VERSA.