Blog 1 - She's the Man

            After learning different aspects needed to develop a strong movie poster, I further tested my knowledge by choosing a film, She’s the Man, and comparing it with its own poster.  Ethos, pathos, and logos were the main focus of study in this exercise. 

            The first item of ethos that stands out to me is the use of Amanda Bynes for the main character, Viola.  Bynes’ career as a comedic actress soared as the marketing team for the movie placed her in the center of the picture on the poster as well as setting her name apart from the other four main names listed.  The use of Amanda Bynes as a credible actor seems purposeful especially for the role in a comedy as such in She’s the Man.  Channing Tatum may also be a marketing ploy because of his popularity and star quality in different genres.  The plot thickens around the struggling relationship between Viola, Amanda Bynes, and Duke, Channing Tatum.  The movie presented by DreamWorks Films also builds credibility, as they are a big-name movie company. 

            Secondly, the pathos the movie poster creates revolves around curiosity and interest in what the story holds.  The tagline “Everybody has a secret…” captures the attention of the audience first.  The audience seeks information about the different secrets that are to unfold during the movie.  The designers use a playful and comedic font as well as utilizing the different and bold colors, black and red.  The faces of the characters also well present the main character traits of the different characters.  For example, Monique is fully engrossed in herself and her looks as she is throughout the movie, and Viola encases a mischievous look as she departs on a journey living the life of her brother, Sebastian, as well as herself, Viola, while making sure no one discovers her lies.  

            Finally, different aspects under logos can also be placed under the pathos category.  This particular movie poster utilizes logic and factual information more so than the other two categories of interest.  The poster has a shortened version of the different relationships that unfold and struggle throughout the movie as well as a picture reference of the main people in the confusion.  The picture of the characters lays out the shape of a pyramid of importance as well as next to the person or person’s that become connected in the movie.  In this, the poster is misleading because it does not mention Viola’s brother, Sebastian, but only mentions the character of Sebastian as Viola in disguise.  The main focus of the poster also misleads the audience to believe the plot revolves around the organization of the different relationships between the main characters although after viewing the film the main idea is noted more so as Viola’s passion for soccer and her journey to prove her skills as a player rather than the unleashing of the different relationships developed.

            The different features emphasized in ethos, pathos, and logos create a poster that entices different audiences to view the movie.  Although the genre of the film is comedy, She’s the man also utilizes romantic qualities to entice other audiences.  Marketing is successful in bringing the largest audiences through the use of a variety of techniques.