1. Use Of Links Between My Film
Trailer And My Ancillary Products
2. In the marketing of a product, linking different elements of
the marketing campaign together is an effective way of
promoting the main product. For example if a poster looked
completely different to a magazine cover based on the film,
the audience would get mixed messages about what the film
is about and its style etc. I have made my products link
together as this will enable the audience who view all my
products to create a clear image of what the product offers
along with noticing recurring themes/ fonts/ styles that will
cause them to think more about what they are seeing and are
then more likely to consider viewing the film.
3. Representation of Genre and Content
Through Combination of Products
One aspect that all three of my products shared was a clear representation of the psychological thriller genre making it clear
to the audience what the nature of the product is that they will be viewing. In the poster and in several moments of the
trailer, the protagonist is seen in a state of peril which reflects the conventional, bleak atmosphere of the film. There is a
scene in the trailer that is very similar to the event depicted in the poster with an agent pointing a weapon at the protagonist.
Not only does this leave the audience on a cliff-hanger, intriguing them to find out what happens but it also creates a clear
link between the two products, emphasising the dramatic nature of the scene. If a reader of the magazine has previously
viewed the trailer, they will recognise the character on the cover as the antagonist of the film. The menacing portrayal of the
antagonist in both products reveals the dark nature of the film relating it back t the genre. The magazine also promotes
how it will reveal more about this character who is only briefly shown in the trailer. This will make the audience want to read
more about the intriguing character they saw in the trailer. A recurring prop in all 3 products is the white pill pot which is an
essential item in the narrative and also relates to the psychological element of the film. The emphasis of it in the products will
cause it to stand out as the key symbol of the film to the audience, making them instantly associate it with the film in a similar
way to Harry Potter’s scar in the Harry Potter franchise for example.
4. Mise-en-Scene
Many of the settings shown throughout the
products such as the ones in the images are
either vague and unknown or in isolation, this
adds to the mysterious nature of the film and
brings across its brand identity. Costume is also
used as an effective means of character
representation as the protagonist is portrayed
in casual clothing both in the trailer and the
poster connoting the idea that he is out of
depth in the desolate locations and events
unfolding around him. Contrastingly, the
antagonist is shown in more formal wear in the
poster and the trailer which highlights his
authority. Because the costume of the
protagonist in the poster highlights him as
vulnerable and the antagonists on the
magazine cover highlights his authority, it
creates a divide between the two products
suggesting they show two different sides of
the same story.
5. Photography and Cinematography
I also related the style of cinematography in
my trailer to the photography of my ancillary
products. Specifically in the scene shown to
the left with my poster image. The quick
cutting between the close-up shots and the
wide shots represent the psychological
damage done to the protagonist as well as the
situation of isolation he’s in. The blurred
background mixed with a close-up of the pill
pot in the poster similarly adds a distorted
psychological style while also showing the
protagonist in peril. This similar style between
products clearly represents the genre of the
film, therefore appealing to fans of the genre
while also bringing across a recognisable style
and identity to the film. The cinematography
that represents the antagonists superiority is
also shared with the image on the magazine
cover. Making a combined representation of a
conventional villain more effective than a
product could singularly.
6. Fonts and Language
The fonts for the title of the film vary from
product to product but maintain the same
bold sans-serif style within each one. All 3
represent the film’s aggressive nature and
clearly convey the same identity of the film.
The language conveyed in the strapline of
the magazine cover relates in style to some
of the on-screen text shown in the trailer as
they both speak directly to the audience.
This technique causes the audience to think
more deeply about what they are viewing
and encourage their enthusiasm for
watching the film. The language almost
places the audience in the situation of the
characters which positions the film clearly
in the genre and increases audience
awareness that the products are promoting
the same film.