FILM POSTER

When distributors are looking at HOW they distribute their film, they have to focus on the cost of the campaign. According to the FDA website, there are two factors that distributors focus on when looking at the costs, these are;

1. The Above the Line costs - These are known costs for creating marketing material (such as posters and trailers), buying media advertising (like Websites and website banners, radio adverts or TV spots or newspaper adverting (online and on paper)) and creating an online presence for them (such as official pages on different social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter).

2. Below the Line costs - Publicity in the industry builds further awareness and interest in a film. Some distributors use authored articles or editorial interviews are sometimes more ‘trusted’ than buying media advertising for the film. With premieres, the cost of getting the stars and director to attend and hopefully generate press coverage all have to be covered without any guarantee that the press will write about the film. Such events offer special access to film stars for fans waiting alongside the red carpet for selfies, short videos and autographs. 

Digital 'prints' and advertising (P&A): 

When distributors have decided what selling points they are going to use for the film. They must decide how much to spend on advertising and  digital prints of the film to send to cinemas.

Prints and Advertising example:

POSTER

• Posters main role is to engage audiences by showing key aspects of the film that distributors think the audiences will enjoy. For example, they would put key moments of the film, the actors, credits etc.  The iconic image or design in a film’s poster is central to the film’s identity and is an essential feature of its release campaign and marketing buildup prior to the movie. A great poster is eye catching so that it can lure the viewers and interest them in the experience that’s promised by the film.

• When making posters for films, distributors are required to plan how they are going to present the poster, depending on the type of film. For an original movie, the poster must consist of bold dominant images, a key message or branding that will make the film stand out. For a sequel to a film, the poster has to noticeable to the franchise and it has to have its own meaning that is different from the previous film(s), this is to continue to engage their audience, keeping viewership high.
• The message can be shown on a poster in a number of ways such as:
  
  
  • Quote(s) from the film that will inspire their audience and that will show the message of the film.
  • Through the image(s) on the poster.
  • The stars of the film (actors)
  • The use of colours, sizing and style
  • the certificate (rating)
  
  
  
  
  
  

Types of trailers:

The film trailer is evidently  the most effective advertising technique available to the film distributor. It can give audiences a sense of genre, story, who is in the film and when it opens. 

Trailers can be classified in three ways:

• Teaser trailer
• Full trailer
• The T.V. spot 
• On-set blogs posted by key cast or crew

Teaser trailers start to appear in cinemas from up to a year before a film opens. The full trailer will probably appear between one and two months before a film opens. TV spots tend to be on screen a week or two before the opening of a film or just after a film has opened.

Trailer Analysis:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies:

How does the trailer show that this film is worth coming to see?

• The newest most unique version of the well-known classic film makes it stand out from the others in the same genre. Due to the fact it is based on a known established novel, the readers will be intrigued to watch and see what it's like.

What do you think is the hook of the trailer?

• The hook is the zombies. In the trailer the use of the turning point from calm, relaxing music to hardcore, loud, rock music it mirrors the contrasting themes of the film itself and displays the two  differences of the zombies and class are contrasting. 
• The unusual setting in the sea and on a traditional ship sets it apart from other action films and gives the audience something unique 

What are the features of the film?

• Non diegetic sound is used to narrate us through the story using dialogue that has been added in later on.
• The use of black fad in and fade out transitions builds up tension and retains the audiences attention to what will happen next 
• Tracking shots to follow the movements of the ship cause the audience to feel like they are going on a journey with the characters 
• The slow pace of the music at the start which builds up quickly when they are faced with the sea creature draws attention to the danger they are facing.
• They showcase the talent of the film
• We are not shown the story in narrative order
• Short, sharp clips are used to convey the most important points within the film