1. Analysis of a promotional
package
Batman – The Dark Knight

2. I have chosen to analyse the promotional
package of this particular film due to the fact
that the marketing of Batman – The Dark
Knight was award-winning, and therefore
extremely effective.

3. POSTER
•A considerable number of different promotional
posters were marketed for the film, such as the
ones in the next slide.
•Among these posters, one was nominated for the
"Batman Teaser" Poster and another won “Best
Summer 2008 Blockbuster Poster (teaser)”, both at
the Golden Trailer Awards.

5. The poster I am going to be focusing on is the one
below:

6. “Why so serious” has become a Drawing of the Joker’s
tagline and phrase associated ‘smile’ in blood, over the
with the film – including it in this top of his actual face –
poster creates recognition for
dramatic and suggests that
the viewer. The fact that it is
written in blood has this is the Joker’s iconic
connotations of evil and symbol. Blood also
violence, as well as with the suggests he is the villain.
villain of films – this is reinforced The fact that he is featured
by the fact that the Joker, the on the poster suggests
villain of this film, is featured on that he is a main character.
this poster.
His dark
Silhouette of clothing and
Gotham City in the
blurry face
background
reinforces that the
connote a
film is set in the sense of
same location as the mystery and
previous Batman intrigue.
film, Batman Begins.
Name of the film
over the Batman
Release date
Recognisable Batman symbol – iconic. Institutional symbol.
of the film.
Interesting that the name “Batman” information along
isn’t present on the poster, but his the bottom –
symbol is. discreet.

7. MAGAZINE COVER
Masthead – the fact that part of it is
Iconic Batman symbol –
covered demonstrates its iconic
recognisable. name and font – people therefore
don’t need to see the whole of the
Dateline: Date and price (here both in masthead to recognise the magazine.
British sterling and US dollars,
demonstrating that the magazine is Puff – eye-catching and
known and sold internationally). gives information about an
Conventional to all magazines. important feature in this
issue
Colour-
coordinated Main coverlines – relate
with the Joker’s to the image of the Joker
clothing: and establish that The
aesthetically Dark Knight is the main
pleasing. feature of this issue.
The main image is of the Joker; as
he is also featured on several of the
Coverlines: give
film’s promotional posters, this
creates synergy between them and information about the
helps the viewer to recognise content of the
associate the two. magazine as well as
being colour-
Barcode: conventional to all coordinated with the
magazines. Stands out from Joker’s clothing
the rest of the magazine so it
can be easily spotted to
scan.

8. How synergy is created between the magazine and the poster: The Joker is
featured on both of them, helping to create recognition and association between
the two, and also re-enforcing that he is a main character. The same can be said
for the Batman symbol, which also helps to establish that the film is part of the
Batman saga.

9. TRAILER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y2szViJlaY
Camera angles: Long shots, establishing shots, high-angle shot, bird’s-eye view, mid-shot, close-
up, low-angle shot. Mostly long-shots and mid-shots.
Editing: Rhythmic (in time with music), fades, fades to black, quick cuts as action progresses (helps to
create a sense of action and disarray), shot/reverse shot, match on action (continuity).
Sound: Diagetic: Noise of the Batmobile’s engine as it gets faster and faster (helps to build up the
suspense and action), Batman falling onto a car roof and smashing the windscreen, sound of
explosions, sound of Joker laughing (sounds austere), onscreen characters talking, sound of knife being
placed on table, Joker saying “Why so serious?” (catch-phrase that has become iconic of the film and
the Joker), Batman shouting (gives him a sense of authority and power), people in suits talking
(suggests that they have some important role in the film), sound of weapons/knives (emphasises the
action genre of the film, as well as the violence involved and fights between the protagonist and
antagonist), gunshot (evokes fear and creates tension), sound of lorry being thrown into the air and
then hitting the ground (dramatic).
Non-diagetic: Echo-ey sound effects (help to create suspense and tension), Joker’s voice being used as
a voiceover, soundtrack begins with fast, heavy drumbeat, sting (string instruments – creates a sense
of fear and tension), echo-ey sound effect simultaneous to the knife being placed on the table (helps
to build up tension), and again when there is a high-angle shot of the Joker’s face (emphasises that he
is a character of importance), soundtrack builds up (orchestral and in time with the editing- helps to
emphasise what is going on onscreen) and then gets louder every time a significant action is
happening onscreen, soundtrack stops and the Joker’s voiceover returns – ends with another of his
iconic catchphrases “Let’s put a smile on that face” and his deranged laughter, trailer ends with a sting
of orchestral instruments as the title of the film appears onscreen (dramatic, emphatic).

10. Mise-en-scène: Dark, moody colours (create austerity and a sense that all is not well), Batman’s
clothing is intimidating, shot of him standing on top of a building gives him a sense of
power, burning Joker card links in with the antagonist of the film, official-looking men and police
officers standing in front of a prison cell containing the Joker help to suggest that he is the
antagonist (not abiding by the law), Joker’s face paint is intimidating and frightening, yet also
gives the sense that he is slightly deranged (he resembles a clown), explosions give a sense of
action, the Joker leaning out of the window of a police car suggest that he is quite wild and
rebellious, the sophisticated restaurant/party setting is juxtaposed but his appearance (wearing
scruffy clothing, obscure face paint and holding a knife – appears threatening), the many
explosions and guns reinforce the action genre of the film.
How synergy is created between the trailer and the poster: “Why so serious” tagline of the
poster links it with the Joker’s use of it in the trailer, the blood in the poster ties in with the shots
of knives and violence in the trailer, the smile drawn in blood on the poster mimics the actual
face paint smile of the Joker, the silhouette of Gotham City in the background of the poster links
in with the many shots of it seen in the trailer, the Batman symbol on the poster links in with the
Bat-like outfit of Batman in the trailer and is also shown at the end of the trailer, the institutional
information along the bottom of the poster is also shown at the end of the trailer.
How synergy is created between the trailer and the magazine cover: The Batman symbol helps to
create association between the two, as well as the fact that the Joker is featured in both.
Furthermore, on the magazine cover he appears to be sitting in front of a prison cell, like the one
also featured in the trailer. He is also wearing the same clothing and clown face paint in both the
magazine image and the trailer, which means that he is easy to recognise on the magazine cover
for someone who has seen the trailer, and vice versa.