Specific Genre Magazine

After looking at Sight and Sound I have decided to do a more specific magazine in terms of target audience. I am going to make a magazine targeting audiences who like film noir and similar genres, such as crime and thriller, and make the magazine a Noir special.

Here below are existing specific genre magazines:

• The cover line at the top of the magazine instantly lets the audience know what genre of book's, film and tv the magazine sole focuses on "Crime"
• A majority of the audience will know of "Poirot" and instantly be able to recognise the name along with the central image and will associate it with the genre of crime.

• The cover line at the top instantly allows audience to see that the magazine is all about sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. 
• The central image along with the main cover line are promoting Spider-Man 2 a film that belongs to the super-hero genre, a genre that has elements of sci-fi and fantasy. 
• The smaller images are of films that again belong to the sci-fi and fantasy genre. 
• The almost 3D, metallic lettering of the title of the magazine instantly suggests to the audience that the magazine will at least partially focus on sci-fi films. 

• The colour scheme instantly indicates the noir genre.
• The font used for "Film Noir" is in lower case letters, something smaller more independent magazine often do. 
• The mise-en-scene immediately indicates that the film is set in the 1940's, which is when classic noir were made.
• The smaller cover line also indicates to the audience that inside the magazine there will be details about the greatest crime films. 
• The red of the title and underneath the main cover line adds an element of noir, as red is often associated with the femme fetale as they are often perceived as manipulative, dangerous and seductive all elements that the colour red is often used to represent.

• The name alone of the magazine "scream" indicates to the audience that it is a horror magazine.
• The font used for the title of the magazine adds to the element of horror, making it more clear to audiences what genre the magazine belongs to. 
• The smaller images are dark and together with the blood like splatters are a clear indication for audiences that the magazine focuses on horror.
• The cover line above the masthead "blood, guts, gore and more" is yet another indication that the magazine focuses on horror. 
• The main cover line "The Walking Dead" has skulls and a hand reaching as though coming out of the ground, again hinting at the horror genre. 

In conclusion all of these magazines had certain elements indicating their specific genre, such as the type of font, the cover lines, the images and the colour scheme. Therefore when I start creating my magazine I will have to think carefully about each convention and how to lay them out.

Sight and Sound Cover Analysis - 5

Below is a Sight and Sound Magazine front cover.

• The front cover is of a well known director mainly known for his films from the 1940's and 1950's including "Citizen Cane", "Touch of Evil" and "The Magnificent Ambersons"
• The dominant image is a medium shot and is in black and white
• The font is done in 1930's/1940's style
• The cover lines mention things from that era of film such as silent film and Marilyn Monroe 
• The font is in colour but is plain 

Sight and Sound Cover Analysis - 4

Below is a Sight and Sound magazine front cover.

• The dominant image is of "The faces of the new French cinema" which are not well-known and are unrecognisable to a lot of audiences
• The colour scheme, (French colours) reflect the cover line "New French Cinema" 
• The cover lines include lower budget foreign films, such as Girlhood, The tribe and Phoenix
• Again the simplistic font is used

Sight and Sound Cover Analysis - 3

Below is a Sight and Sound magazine front cover.

• The dominant image is of a less well-known actor and reflects the themes of the dominant film mentioned, "Selma"
• The dominant image almost appears as a painting rather than a picture
• The cover lines mention independent films and the directors including Michael Mann's "Blackhat" and Peter Strickland's "The Duke of Burgundy"
• The image is a medium shot
• The same plain, simplistic yet colourful font is used 

Sight and Sound Cover Analysis - 2

Below is a Sight and Sound magazine front cover.

• Again the dominant image of a less well-know actress that only certain audiences would recognise
• Amma Asante a well known British screenwriter/director is mentioned as the director of Belle
• The cover lines talk about film festivals such as Cannes film festival and directors/writers including Mike Leigh, Cronenberg and the Dardenne brothers which are not known as "Hollywood" directors/writers
• The same simple font is used 

Sight and Sound Cover Analysis - 1

Below is a Sight and Sound magazine front cover.

• The dominant image is an unrecognisable director/producer/screenwriter and actor, that only particular audiences would recognise
• The image is a medium shot
• The cover lines talk about other independent films
• The colour scheme is plain suggesting that the magazine focuses more on information rather that images
• The magazine title is in lower case letters, suggesting it doesn't advertise/review big hollywood blockbusters that tend to have powerful font

Sight and Sound Cover Analysis - Introduction

As I have decided to do a Neo Film Noir, which is an independent film genre, I have chosen the appropriate publication for the magazine front cover for my film, which is Sight and Sound.

I am going to be analysing 5 different Sight and Sound magazines in terms of layout, colour scheme, font, images and more, so that when it comes to creating my own magazine cover I can use the conventions that represent independent film magazines, to make it appear as authentic as possible.

Film Noir Teaser Trailer Analysis - Nightcrawler

Below is the teaser trailer of "Nightcrawler".

• The trailer starts with a montage of establishing shots and a voiceover of the male protagonist, along with melancholiac music 
• By saying these things the voiceover immediately establishes that the lead male is a hard worker, sets high goals and is persistent. 
• In between the montage shots tagline appear
• The music gets faster and more intense matching the manages shots
• Reference to awards 
• Several shots of the protagonist saying his "motto" are used giving the trailer a comical feel, the last him he says it, he screams it suggesting he is desperate for it to be true
• The last image used is a shot of the protagonist sitting at a news table infant of a camera, suggesting his initial goals are reached
• The trailer ends with the film title in a light shade of blue, followed by the release date with the beat of a clock 

Film Noir Teaser Trailer Analysis - Brick

Below is the teaser trailer of "Brick".

• The trailer starts with the production company logo and the title of the film in waves of smoke and intense, thrilling music
• We see the male lead in a telephone box at night talking to someone who claims to have "messed up" immediately indicating the genre.
• At this point we see a montage of the male protagonist trying to figure what happened
• Reference to awards are shown in the same style as the title 
• Comical scenes are shown 
• A montage of shots show the male protagonist getting beaten up and him talking to an authoritative figure who offers no help
• Another montage of shots show the outline of the narrative with reviews and tagline's
• The trailer ends with the film title in smoke with unusual, unfitting and unsettling music
• The credits appear

Film Noir Teaser Trailer Analysis - Sunset Boulevard

Below is the teaser trailer of "Sunset Boulevard".

• The trailer begins with exciting and exhilarating music and tagline's 
• The creators names appear with reference to awards
• The film title with the production companies name is shown 
• The first protagonist we see is a female talking on the telephone, giving orders
• A montage of newspapers is used with the voiceover of the male lead
• The male and female protagonist are shown falling in love
• A montage is used showing the characters that will appear later in the narrative 
• At this point thrilling music is used as we see a scene between the male lead and a female character having a disagreement 
• Images of the female protagonist is shown indicating she will be the lead female 
• Stars names are then shown, along with exciting, thrilling and exhilarating music
• At the end of the trailer the film title, the directors name and the production company logo appear

Film Noir Teaser Trailer Analysis - The Artist

Below is the teaser trailer of "The Artist".

• The trailer begins with upbeat 1920/1930s jazz 
• The male lead is shown as confidant as he dances infant of a large audience, and makes "masculine" actions 
• The music calms to a romantic music as the female protagonist pumps into the male protagonist 
• The female protagonist appears shy 
• The male and female protagonist show an immediate liking to each other 
• The trailer continues with the female protagonist suggesting she likes the male protagonist
• Exciting upbeat 1920/1930s jazz starts alongside a montage of scenes from the film
• The music slows to a lustful, melancholic tone, with images of the make and female protagonist falling in love and the thing that keeps them apart
• Tagline's outlining the theme are used 
• The last image we see is the male and female protagonist hugging suggesting to audiences that they end up together
• The name of the film appear in white and red
• At the end of the trailer credits are shown 

Film Noir Teaser Trailer Analysis - Introduction

That that I have analysed the different conventions found in teaser trailers, I am going to look at film noir teaser trailers, to see if they share some of the same conventions. So that when it comes to making my own teaser trailer I can include the conventions, to make it appear as authentic as possible.

Film Noir Taglines

I am going to look at a number of different taglines from various film noir posters, to see if they share common themes and similar wording. When it comes to creating my own poster and teaser trailer it will be important to have taglines as it helps link them together as well as indicating to audience what genre the film belongs to.

1. Deadly is the Female

2. Killers

3. Big Sleep

4. Kiss me Deadly

5. Double Indemnity 

6. The Dark Night Rises

7. Insomnia

8. Reservoir Dogs

9. Usual Suspects

10. Drive

11. Blade Runner 

12. Fargo

I found lots of similarities between the taglines. For example a few of them includes to do with crime, such as "murder", "killers" and "crime" itself. Some mention the obstacle of the narrative without giving too much of the story away, for instance "now they all fear each other" and "man has made his match...now it's his problem".

Film Noir Poster Conventions - The Big Sleep

• Bright colours
• Male and female characters appear "in love"
• Stars names in different font to film title
• Tagline

Film Noir Poster Conventions - Kiss Me Deadly

• Images appear hand drawn
• Bright colours
• Colourful font
• Male and female characters appear "in love"
• Mise-en-scene (props) - Gun
• Smaller images of other characters
• Tagline

Film Noir Poster Conventions - Chinatown

• Images appear hand drawn
• Bright colours
• Colourful font
• Male and female protagonists appear on the poster

Film Noir Poster Conventions - The Maltese Falcon

• Images appear hand drawn
• Bright colours
• Colourful font
• Stars names in different font to film title
• Mise-en-scene (props) - Gun
• Male and female protagonist appear on the poster

Film Noir Poster Conventions - Double Indemnity

• Images appear hand drawn 
• Bright colours
• Colourful font
• Stars names in different font to film title
• Male and female characters appear "in love"
• Mise-en-scene (props) - Gun 
• Smaller image of other characters
• Tagline

Film Noir Poster Conventions - Introduction

Now that I have chosen what genre I am going to be going for my marketing campaign, I am going to analyse 5 posters from that genre, to get an idea of the different genre conventions. I am going to be looking at them in terms of colour, font and images. So that when it comes to creating my own poster I can include the conventions to make my poster as authentic as possible.

Choosing a Genre for My Marketing Campaign

After doing some research I have decided to do Film Noir for my marketing campaign.

Here below is a link to FilmSite a websites that has information about Film Noir.

FilmSite - Film Noir

Here are some things I found out through research about Film Noir.

• Mostly shot in gloomy greys, black and white.
• Includes character types such as private eyes, cops, gangsters, killers and crooks/criminals.
• Two types of female characters. Either reliable, trustworthy and loving or in opposition mysterious, devious, double-crossing and manipulative.