Assessment+2

= Assessment 1 =

ANALYSING MEDIA: Movie Posters
You see them everywhere. Movie posters are prominently displayed on billboards, in the lobby of your local movie theater, in magazines, on the Internet, and even on the sides of buses. But how often do you stop and think about the effects movie posters have on you?

It's important to remember that movie posters are **advertisements.** The goal of a poster essentially is to "sell" the movie - to make you want to see it. How does it do that? The poster may have the movie title in a big and bold font. Images of the movie's attractive actors are usually featured. In addition, the actors' names are probably included somewhere on the poster to remind you that the movie has big-name stars. Designs, colors, and fonts are used to appropriately reflect the mood and tone of the film. And the poster probably includes a catchy sentence or slogan that piques your interest and makes the plot seem intriguing.

The visual elements on a movie poster can convey powerful messages. The best posters may make you anxiously anticipate an upcoming release. The worst ones may not have a persuasive effect at all. By analysing movie posters, you can gain a better understanding of the elements that effectively grab the attention of movie-goers and sell the movie's story—even before viewers see it for themselves. ** Activity 1: Comparing two movie posters ** You will be comparing the two movie posters, both for sequels of very successful blockbusters. Use the following questions to successfully analyse each of the movie posters.

 The positioning of objects, actors, and text within the frame of a poster to achieve a particular effect. For example, a movie poster for an action film might feature the main actor framed in such a way as to make him seem attractive, strong, and invincible.
 * Questions for each poster:**
 * 1) Is the movie title prominently featured? Is the text easy to read? What are the features of the text (ie font, colour, placement)?
 * 2) Can we tell the genre of the film? How?
 * 3) What mood and tone of the film does the poster set? Give an example of colour, layout and features.
 * 4) What images are included? What do you notice about the framing of the images?
 * 5) What do the characters appearances and expressions convey about the movie?
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What text is shown on the poster? Is there a catchy <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">slogan ? If so, what does it tell you about the movie's story?
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which demographic do you think this is aimed at? Include gender, age, region, social class, etc.
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Is there any other important information included on the poster?
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does this poster make you want to see this movie? Why/why not?
 * Framing**

The feeling created for a viewer by the director's use of details, music, and cinematography.
 * Mood**

A catchy and memorable phrase or sentence on a movie poster. An effective slogan should convey the mood, tone, and main idea of the film without giving too much away. It should capture viewers' attention and make them interested in the story.
 * Slogan**

The filmmaker's attitude as reflected in the movie - ironic, serious, and so forth.
 * Tone**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">**Activity 2: Evaluate the best and worst movie posters** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Now's your chance to evaluate the best and worst movie posters you've seen. Search the sites below for movie posters that advertise all different types of films, from the most current releases to older classics. After you've searched these poster archives, select __one__ poster that you find visually interesting and effective and __one__ that does not have a persuasive effect. Write a comparative analysis of both posters, explaining what you like and don't like about each one. Refer to the Questions as you write your analysis. Share your analysis in the <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">discussion <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> section of this page (link at the top of this page).

The Internet Movie Database [Sections/ Gallery] Posteritati Movie Posters Online Gallery [] Poster Image Archive [posters/ main.htm]

To insert your movie posters:
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click on EDIT THIS PAGE
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Click on the icon that looks like a picture frame (next to the television)
 * 3) Go to the EXTERNAL IMAGE section
 * 4) Paste in the picture's web address and hit load. You can find the picture's web address by right clicking the picture and selecting COPY IMAGE LOCATION
 * 5) Your picture should appear. Double click your image and the movie poster will appear on the page. Be sure to add to the list, next to your name, the movie posters you analysed.
 * 6) You are able to adjust the size of your posters using the little box that appears once you have inserted your poster. make sure your posters appear the same as the //Jurassic Park// and //Spiderman// posters do, two per line.
 * < **Name** ||< **Movie one (appealing)** ||< **Movie two (Non-appealing)** ||
 * < John Peterson ||< Terminator Salvation ||< My Sister's Keeper ||