Analysis Of Film Posters

The Happening

The Happening is a 2008 American thriller film that follows a man and his family as they try to escape from an inexplicable natural disaster. The plot revolves around a mysterious neurotoxin that causes any person coming into contact with it to commit suicide. The protagonist, a science teacher named Elliot Moore, attempts to escape from the substance with his wife and friends as hysteria grips the East Coast of the United States.

A large photo is used, covering the whole of the background. The image uses a lot of dim and dull colours, such as browns and greys. The rule of thirds is used to draw our attention to the abandoned cars along the side and the town in the distance. The use of the dull colours, stormy sky and empty cars in the image give the audience a sense of danger from some kind of a natural disaster they are incapable of controlling. The font on this poster is white which stands out against the background. It is also aligned in the center.

Vacancy

When David and Amy Fox's car breaks down int he middle of nowhere, they are forced to spend the night at the only motel around with only the tv to entertain them, until they discover that the low budget slasher movies they're watching were all filmed in the very room in which they're sitting. With hidden cameras now aimed at them, trapping them in rooms, crawlspaces, underground tunnels and filming their every move, David and Amy must struggle to get out alive before they end up the next vixtims on tape.

A large photo is used, consuming the whole of the background. The outside of the picture is black fading into the main image. The rule of thirds is also applied to poster because the audience's attention is drawn straight to the center of the poster. The picture has a slight hint of orange/red, which fits in with the colour of the title of the film. The colours that have been used stands out against the black border. The colour red can be used in different ways to portray different meanings such as: a warning, danger, blood within the horror genre or love and passion within the romance genre. In the center of the image is the reflection of the word 'motel' this helps suggest to the audience that there is a 'vacancy' in the motel. The actors in the picture have a scared/shocked expression, suggestin that they are in danger from someone or something.

Orphan

Kate and John Coleman are rebuilding their marriage after a troubled relationship. They decide to adopt a child and when they meet the nine year-old Russian girl Esther at the St. Marina Orphanage, they immediately fall in love for the well-educated orphan. Sooner Kate feels that Esther is manipulative and has some disturbance and she believes it could be hormone or borderline personality disorder but John refuses to listen to his wife and the wounds in their marriage reopen. When Kate goes further in the investigation of the past of Esther, she discovers that the girl is not who she tells she is

A large photo is again covering the whole of the background. The colours used aren't dull for example the light background contrasts with main image. The main image is of a young girl, the audience will be able to tell that she could be 'the villian' in this film because of the caption 'There's something wrong with Esther'. This also helps draw in an audience as this leaves them wanting to know whats wrong with her and what trouble she causes. The main colour for the font on this poster is in white, this doesn't really contrast with the light background, however because it is bolder it stands out more. The colour red is also used for 'Can you keep a secret?' by using the colour red, this highlights to the audience that there is some kind of danger from knowing this 'secrect' and can act as a warning.