Inspirational Text- Horror Films Review Page

Review Page Summary

Most review pages have three columns per page, which can be increased to four. A dominant image will convey the subject of the article to outline the film genre. The image needs captions to anchor the target audiences attention. Pull quotes may be used to highlight phrases appealing to the target audience. The article title must be intriguing and have visual impact; enigma,codes,puns, shock tactics, font size, colour usage and style. A strap line under the article header might explain the teaser or add further information designed to draw the reader in. A kicker will usually be used to hook the reader in and often denote in larger or bold type face compared to other text. The introduction will be one of a limited number of possibilities. Drop caps are conventional to guide the reader to the start of the text. Look for elements given quirky angles, especially diagonals to give energy into the layout. Overall composition and narrative flow important, does the text work?, where are the readers eyes been led? Limited colour palette, be smart using colours. Primary codes of language, style and tone of text. Font choice, where do you display fonts, title and strap line important.

  






Antichrist review page
This review page uses a distinctive style of separating into two sections. The top half contains an eye catching image from a main part of the film, which includes the title in a large bold white font to stand out from the dimmer image as the back ground and also a drop caption on the film clip. The second section of this review page consists of 2 columns containing a write up on the film in a small black font, which is simple to follow and stands out from the white back ground. A pull quote is used under the main image to increase the target audience’s attention keeping interest towards this film, which stands out from having a different font style and having a larger text size than the main information. A kicker is used at the bottom left of the review page to hook the reader in, which is detonated in a larger text, different font colour and style type face. This film review page has two more images including the films dvd cover and a status update on the film, which also enhances interest towards looking at this page. The brightness of this page is seemed to have been brightened from a effective using on a editing programme which is a good technique to make this page stand out to the target audience louring them in.

Thirst review page
This review page contains the same layout as the review page previous. There are two sections, top half main image of a scene in the film to catch target audiences attention, which has been brightened for extra effect to make it stand out even more, image of the films dvd to make the reader want to buy this product, different font colours/ styles been used in the form of a kicker and a pull quote to add extra interest towards this film poster and finally there are two columns of a write up on the film. 

Overall from analyzing both review pages I have come to the conclusion that having a simple layout only including key images and information e.g. kickers, pull quotes, limited columns, few images including one dominant and making the review page bright to stand out to the target audience can create an effective page. 

Inpirational Text- Short Horror Films

I have chosen these horror films purposely to analyse on the basis that I will be pulling out specific techniques relevant towards my own production. Both short horror films include lots of useful sound effects, special effects, camera angles, location, general narrative of a horror film and acting. However I have researched through many films and have found these two films to have a direct link towards my story plot, which will personally adapt my own knowledge when establishing my own film through the different stages of filming, editing and directing. From looking through each film numerous of times I have picked out key features that has caught my attention.   

Short horror movie

A slow build up is used to let the target audience feel comfortable and recognise the location of this film, which you can see is the main character’s home. Setting is at night time, dialogue at the start helps you understand narrative horror genre parents going out leaving son in house, leads to plenty of opportunities for an incident to occur. A non-diegetic sound is used around 30 seconds in to show tension and increase target audiences attention knowing something could happen soon. A special effect of the radio going out of signal making a loud noise normally indicates to a problem, which leads you to believe something is happening in this house. An incremental zoom is also used on the radio, which shows this object to have significance towards the film. High angle shots are used to let you see surroundings and also the characters facial expressions, while low angle shots are used when tension is build up through sound tempo showing the characters vulnerability and lack of authority. Cuts are used to build up the tension quicker to leave out unwanted wasted film time and pan shots used to show characters scared fast paced walk. A long shot is used effectively with the character lying down on the laptop, which gives you a feeling that someone is hiding behind a door. Door effective straight away alerts danger with the rattling noise no one there but door still moving and creaking. Ending is shows a pitch black effect with a flash light only showing light to allow the target audience to see characters facial expression and shortly after film ends with a dead girls face on screen seen to be in house with a loud sound used to get you off your seat. 

Love Hurts
The start of the film uses an effective non-diegetic sound(mood music) in a slow pace to build up tension, which gives a good indication to the target audience that the films genre is horror. Lighting in this film sets the scene perfectly for a horror film; it looks as if dimmers are being used with a faded spot light on the subject of the scene to bring style and dramatic content towards the narrative. A pedestal shot is used to view the subject of the mirror moving vertically up and then once the target audience’s attention is shown where the location is a pan shot is used to show the surroundings. This leads you to believe that this is where something is going to happen. Cuts are used effectively mixed in with a cautious sound effect and a special effect of blood running down the toilet sink, which gives you a gut feeling that the character shown is not safe. A over the shoulder shot is used to show the facial expression of the character from a mirror, giving a sense of feeling that the target audience is involved in the scene, looking at what the character is seeing. Mid shots are used when the music tone is steady; this is the build-up that something is going to happen. High angle shots are used when the character is currently safe showing she still has authority, however when music speeds up and there are more cuts there are low angles shots on the subject of the film shot at the time e.g. character or object. Establishing shots are used to create more tension that time is dragging something will happen sooner rather than later. The ending is very effective with the special effect of the evil girl killing the main character with fake blood splattered everywhere and the man been evil at the very end giving a good twist to the film.

Overall I have taken into consideration many aspects of both these films and valued the techniques highly. In my own production I will use certain camera angles and special effects, which has been showcased in this film e.g. death, fake blood, non-diegetic sound, high/low angle shots, cuts, tempo and camera movement (handheld), however I will use these in a different context and format. 

Inspirational Text- Horror Film Posters

Freddy vs Jason film poster
Denotations: In this film poster the background is of low key lighting, making the two images standout with their facial expressions shown from a bright effect and their weapons to be bright shiny. These images fit in with the film title ‘Freddy vs Jason’, which indicates that these two characters are rivals and are going to use each of their weapons on each other at one point of this film. However, the weapons in the poster are significant because of your eyes been drawn to them, which leads you to believe that in the narrative there will be blood, damage and death in this film, stating that the genre is horror. The film title is centred in the poster to show the tension between the two characters, the font is red with a creepy style used to showcase the horror genre, which doesn’t give much away about this film but catches the target audience’s attention and thoughts. At the bottom of the poster in a small font there is a release date of this film; shiny white font and also a web link; red font, this information is still important with the contrast of colours standing out from the background, which brings your eyes towards.

Connotations: This film poster gives away the key plot in the films narrative with the title been ‘Freddy vs Jason’ and two characters looking serious at each other’s face clinching weapons in each other’s hands. This shows that there will be a lot of conflict between these two characters. There are only two characters shown in this poster which leads you to believe that there are only two starring roles and an expectation that there will be a lot of film time on them.

Semiotics: In this film poster the two characters are the symbol, showing their authority from their serious facial expressions, which senses a fright factor between these characters and the target audience. The signs for the film are the weapons what these characters are clinching, which indicates that the events that are going to happen these weapons are going to conflict pain on each other.


Overall from analyzing this horror film poster I have picked out certain techniques, which I will take into consideration when creating my own poster for my film. E.g. lighting- dark/low key lighting directs to horror genre, main character or subject shown dominantly and to keep poster simple only including main features like title, information and images. These techniques have previously been shown to be successful from gaining target audiences attention through simple and eye catching posters not giving too much away about the films narrative apart from the genre of horror and a main characters or subject.

Hatchet film poster                        
Denotations: In this film poster actors are not been shown. However a dominant image of a hatchet is on this horror film poster, which indicates this hatchet to have a significant importance towards the film. The location is hard to figure out with the background having low key lighting with back lighting on the middle of the hatchet to bring your eye line towards the image, which you can see has blood on it. The film title is easily seen at the bottom of the hatchet handle which increases the importance of this image with the film title been called Hatchet. The font of the writing is high key, which is bright white because of the background been low key; the title stands out indicating that the 'Hatchet' is the main feature of this poster. There is a sell line at the top of the poster which gains your interest to find out what this film narrative actually is because of the poster not giving away too much information. Credits are also shown on this poster at the bottom in a smaller font: director, actors and website link.

Connotations: This film poster does not give away much about the narrative of the film but it indicates that a hatchet is a key symbol and importance to the film which you would expect this tool to be involved inflecting pain at some point of this film hence the blood on this tool, which relates to damage and pain. The title of this horror film is called Hatchet so the target audience knows that this tool will have some sort film time.

Semiotics: The image of the hatchet is the symbol of this film poster, which dominates most of the page showing high authority. The blood on this hatchet is the sign, which explains the horror genre of this film indicating that this tool is going to conflict damage and pain.   


Overall from analyzing this film poster I have came to the conclusion that for a horror film to be easily highlighted from the target audience that low key lighting sets the scene effectively. On top of that the main attraction of a film poster can be a significant object which is directed towards the film narrative and not just a main character. This poster has opened my eyes to more options when I come round to designing my film poster.