Blog #1 The Parent Trap

In todays time The Parent Trap is a movie known and enjoyed by many people; however, one of its first entrances into society was done through the use of its movie poster. Not knowing the popularity to come, the movie poster was an essential aspect to creating success for the movie. Though at first glance the movie poster doesn’t look like much, each detail consists of ethos, logos, or pathos to correctly depict the movie genre as well as details to expect in the movie.

Immediately glancing at the poster the audience notices two redheaded, pre-teen girls with mischievous smirks on their faces. While the smirks may not be noticeable right off the bat, the total package of the placement of their hands combined with their playful smiles, created through pathos, shows that this movie will be good-humored with some drama. Adding to this good-humored theme, the addition of the snapshot from a scene in the movie placed strategically above the girls showing a moment of hugging between mother and daughter and laughter between father and daughter helps to prove that it is a family friendly movie. By the picture being an exact moment from the movie the viewer receives logos on the setting and pathos with the characters. It as imperative for the branding of this movie that the twins as well as their parents were shown in the movie poster to get away from the perception that the movie is just about the girls. The point of the movie is for the girls to bring their parents back together and if the poster just showed the girls that plot wouldn’t match. Another form of pathos occurs by simply looking at the title; the title itself is written in a playful style of font constructing the child likeness for the film. The combination of these aspects helps to give the audience an emotional connection that the movie will be a comedic, family friendly, drama.

Forming this emotional connection as well as creating logos was done by showing on the movie poster that this is a Walt Disney Pictures movie. Disney has a reputation for children movies so the branding of their name on the front proved that this movie will be appropriate and they are proud of what it represents for their company. Now a certain audience is targeted to view this movie, that of families, but it doesn’t specify to the extent where people such as teens and young adults would be disinterested. This could be attributed to the fact that Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson are main characters in the movie and shown in the movie poster. Both actors are known by adults due to their appearances in movies aiming at adult comedy and drama such as The Big Easy and Something to Talk About starring Dennis and A Month in the Country and The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish starring Natasha. These actors may also draw people in to see the movie based on fans that want to watch due to the attraction of the actors. Both Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson are attractive to many people and the build up of knowing there is a potential love affair between the two reels people in.

 Each small detail contributing to what makes up this movie poster is done to lure people in to see the movie. The designer of the poster took into consideration all parts of the movie and added it in in some way to best depict what to expect when the audience goes to see the movie. Through the use of logos, pathos, and ethos audience members were able to get an idea of what to expect in the film. 

Blog #1 Lone Survivor

 Lone Survivor Movie Poster

            Lone survivor is a movie based off of a nonfiction novel of a true story where four US Navy Seals were left in an Afghanistan warzone with no real chance for extraction. These men fought for their lives as they struggled through the rough mountain terrain of Afghanistan in order to escape enemy territory. In an intense, combat filled film; Mark Wahlberg leads three other men on a surveillance mission only to have their mission backfire by some unexpected strangers.

            The movie poster was actually very intriguing for me. I am a big fan of war movies (especially if they hold some sort of nonfiction in them) and this poster screamed intense war movie all over it. Even though there are different colors on the poster, they all have a dark shade to them, which expresses an intense them. The intense facial expression and look of pain on Mark’s face really draws me into the poster and makes me question what is going on that he has to deal with. His face is covered in dirt and cuts/blood all over which only add to the idea that he has been through hell in back.

            The poster really uses all Ethos, Pathos, and Logos extraordinarily well. Both the picture of Mark Wahlberg as well as his name written in bold letters has represented ethos on the poster. “Based on true acts of Courage” across the bottom only adds to the credibility for this movie. Logos, which can be seen by the same quote as well as things such as the rating and producer’s names on the bottom, is also well represented here. In the fine print we can even see that this movie originated as a nonfiction novel, which gives us information and also gives the movie credibility. Even by viewing the font, we can deduct that the movie is militaristic in nature. Pathos is by far the most represented on this poster however. This whole poster tugs on the emotions of the viewer. The way Mark Wahlberg is staring out into the distance with a frightened look on his face is quite interesting. The fact that this character is a rugged Navy Seal and that it is played by Mark Wahlberg (who is generally plays a confident role) makes this poster unique in that it makes the viewer question what in the world could be so frightening that it has Mark Wahlberg unnerved. Mark is also looking over his shoulder, which may mean that he could fear someone coming after him like he is the prey (another uncommon role for Mark). The dirt/grime and the wounds covering his face show that he has been through a serious struggle to get to where he is in this poster.

            Overall, the poster was very effective in enticing me to see the film. As for surprises there isn’t much to be honest. The poster really doesn’t hide too much from the viewer due to the fact that the story was already known before the film. I guess if someone went into the film not knowing anything about what the movie was about the title or the fact that there is only one man on the poster could be considered foreshadowing. The poster clearly described what type of movie you would be seeing.

Blow

Z

The movie blow is about a man named George Joung. George grew up in Boston and moved to California in his 20s. He started out as a small time pot dealer. After getting caught with 660 pounds of weed he went to prison. In prison he met a guy who introduced him to cocaine. This man would eventually become his partner in selling cocaine once he gets out of prison. Once he got out he would fly to Columbia and pick up large quantities of cocaine and fly them back to US where he would sell it. Through this he made millions and millions of dollars. He then was caught again and sent to prison. The logos on the poster include a pile of money on top of a man and white powder (cocaine) spared at the bottom. Putting money on the poster would attract people to seeing the movie  If someone looking at the poster has some knowledge of drugs they would know that Blow is a slang term for cocaine and that the power at the bottom was cocaine. But if you didn’t know that blow was another word for cocaine you might not be able to figure out what the movie was about. Another ethos tactic that was used was putting two famous actors on the front cover Johnny Depp is a very well-known and phenomenal actor, and by putting his name on the cover the audience can expect it to be a good movie. The other actor that is on the movie poster is Penelope Curze although she isn’t a big role, she is a well-known actor. And by putting her name on the poster it will attract more people. Also by putting her name on the poster it will attract woman to watching this movie. Although drugs are not typically an interesting topic to woman. The fact that Penelope Curze is on the cover will attract woman. The pathos method that was used in the poster was the red background and black outline. This gives a negative or sad feeling. And overall the movie is pretty sad. His first wife dies of cancer and in the end of the movie his friends set him up and he ends up in prison. As the movie poster says it was based on a true movie this ethos tactic brings and expectation of the audience or being real. Another pathos method they use on the movie poster is the serious expression on both their faces suggesting that it’s a serious movie But Hollywood producers use the phrase “based on a true story” very loosely. And just like many Hollywood movies many of the events are exaggerate and made to make the movie more enjoyable. Over all I don’t believe that the movie poster shows the true storyline of the movie. Although most of the movie is about cocaine. The movie poster doesn’t show the whole process he went through of selling the cocaine or his time in prison.

 

Blog 1- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The poster for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo does not appear to reveal much information about the movie. The poster only shows a sparse background with the two main characters, some imagery, and information regarding the movie, but the poster actually says so much more about the story and themes of the film. The information and interpretations that images provide are endless, and without knowing it we succumb to the carefully crafted messages and meanings that the creators of movie posters, like this one, are trying to convey to the audience.

The poster is in black and white giving an ominous tone. The font is comprised of sharp, precise lines forming the letters. Everything about the font is dramatic and daunting. The letters are reminiscent of the blades of a knife.  Light and shadow highlight Rooney Mara’s profile, distinguishing her as a crucial character even though she is placed in the background. Daniel Craig’s face is partially lighted, partially shadowed placing a cloak of mystery on his character’s role in the film. He is positioned in the front of the poster which indicates him as the leading character. Both characters have clouded, serious facial expressions speaking to the tone of the film as both serious and mysterious. The background of the poster is a grey that fades from dark at the top to light at the bottom. The background reveals the shades of grey in the storyline of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. At the very bottom of the poster is imagery of a white house surrounded by snow and trees. It is a scary and strange image adding to the puzzling effect of the poster. Everything about the design of the poster (the font, background, colors, lighting, etc.) and the characters (facial expression and position) plays on the pathos, or emotions, of the viewer. They become intrigued in the mystery, but also have a sense of danger.

The ethos and logos of the poster come from the words. The tagline, “From the Internationally Best-Selling Trilogy,” provides both credibility and information. It is credible because it is related to the “best-selling trilogy” by the same name. We also get factual information from this because we can tell that the storyline of the movie with be the same as that of the book. By making this the tagline fans of the trilogy are targeted. This movie is also a remake of the same film, which was originally a Swedish thriller. So, just as the book has attracted an international audience, the movie can do the same.

The names of the actors are also on the poster. Daniel Craig, one of the leads, is an established actor, giving further credibility to the film. Rooney Mara, on the other hand, was a lesser known name before this film came out. Having Daniel Craig in the center might have been a ploy to attract viewers to the film by portraying him as having a bigger role than Rooney Mara, who is not as well known. This is misleading because Mara plays an equal, if not bigger, role as Craig in the film. The goal of movie posters is to convince people to see the movie, and I think this poster succeeds. It is alluring in it’s mystery and credible in that it will be loved as much as the books have been. By playing on the ethos, pathos, and logos of the viewer the poster accomplished its purpose.

Blog 1 - The Prestige

    The Prestige Movie Trailer    

The Prestige 

Emily Hopkins

     They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but are you watching closely? As viewers, we can discern valuable information from a movie’s poster; it can tell us anything from who is acting in the movie, to revealing subtle information about a character. The movie poster for The Prestige is no different; if watching closely, we are able to detect information about the film. Through ethos, pathos, and logos, the movie poster draws us in enough to peak our viewing interest, yet it also leaves some questions unanswered. 

     At first glance, our eyes are drawn to the faces of the three main characters: Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, and Christian Bale. Right away we are able to recognize them; even if you did not recognize them immediately, their names are at the top of the poster. In today’s culture, many people are familiar with these actors, have seen several of their movies, and have established a like or dislike for them. These actors have an ethos that is immediately discernible from first glance at a poster. By utilizing these three actors’ faces as the focal point, the creators of the poster are employing the positive ethos that the actors hold. Along with the ethos of the actors, we also see that the director of The Prestige is the same man who directed Batman Begins and Memento. This is no accident; the thoughtful placement of those words at the top of the poster allows us to assume the film will be just as good as those mentioned -you expect the same director to produce an equivalent quality of film. 

     After recognition of the actors, we notice a general lack of color. Black, white, and a slight hint of blue capture the personality of the poster and also the personality of the film. These colors clearly don’t suggest a comedy, so the viewer can conclude that The Prestige is probably something darker like a drama or a mystery. The expression on the actors’ faces also leads us to this conclusion; both Jackman and Bale display stern, serious expressions as they stare off in opposite directions. As onlookers, pathos peaks our curiosity about the nature of Scarlett Johansson character. The poster only depicts a portion of her face in a wisp of smoke; who is she? The positioning of her face is also essential to key information. She is placed in the center of the poster, in-between Jackman and Bale; what role does she have in the relationship between Jackman and Bale? This is no coincidence that she is placed in-between them. The thoughtful placement of her in between them makes sense after viewing the movie. 

     The film centers around two friends, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, who follow separate paths as they compete for the same goal. On their journeys, each discovers for himself his boundary of morality - this is reflected in the lighting of the poster. Once again, our pathos is triggered. Both Jackman and Bale’s faces are half lit and half dark, suggesting that they are neither good nor evil, but a combination of the two. This light against dark theme is also reflected in the text of the actor’s names and in the title of the movie. The first half of the title is slim and shrinks in comparison to the light, bolded second half. 

     When I first heard about this film, I did not know what it was about. I was given a one-word description of the film as my friends wanted me to view it with fresh eyes, not having any pre-conceived ideas of what to expect. Even if I knew the storyline before watching this movie, it would not have made much of a difference. There is so much that occurs, including several plot twists; you truly do need to watch closely in order to follow the story and comprehend it. The tagline “are you watching closely?” is shockingly true. I was paying attention throughout the whole movie, yet I was still left with many questions and the movie had to be explained to me. Without realizing it, the logos of the poster is strikingly accurate. Something that seems so obvious as paying attention to a movie can make the difference between understanding and enjoying a film and being incredibly confused after it is over. 

     Overall, the poster does a good job of capturing several aspects of the film; however, it is very illusive to what the movie is actually about. I do not want to say that it is misleading, but I would say that it is a marketing ploy. The disparity of props and setting adds to this. We have no reference for where the film takes place due to the absence of a setting. Along with this, there are no props and we are only able to see the actors’ faces. Clothing and props also allude to facts about characters as well as give us information regarding the time period of the movie. 

Setting, clothing, and props help us gather useful information and the lack of these things from the poster leaves us guessing. This movie poster peaks my interest enough to go see the movie without actually knowing anything about it beforehand except for the three main actors. 

Blog#1 - Boyhood(2014) poster

Boyhood

          This apparently simple but enticing poster of Boyhood successfully conveys the main idea of the film and entices me to experience it. The three main points of ethos, pathos, and logos with visual attractive elements shown on the poster successfully convince the audience to experience the movie.  

          

          The expressions and setting of the poster immediately catches the audiences’ pathos. The name of the movie, Boyhood, the lighting, and the shot of a boy lying on his back in green grass staring at the sky with much thoughts in his head infuse us with the contemplation of the so-called life and time. It can be easily recognized that this kid (Ellar Coltrane) is the main role of this film. This child is watching the world, and we are watching him, grow up from a baby fat to stubble. The questioning eyes of the kid and his pensive face directly indicates one highest possible film genre, drama of teens and family relationships. Moreover, the poster captures so well all the bright colors of green and blue, and the shadings of the process of “becoming” of certain people.

          The big remarkable tag line on the poster, “A moving 12 year epic - that isn’t quite like anything else in the history of cinema” not only considerably provides logos but also helps build up credibility, beliefs and expectations from the audiences. The movie was filmed throughout continuous 12 years of the characters, which enhance the credibility for itself and also strike the audience with very first new film genre. Filming through the characters’ 12-year lifetime impresses us with the brand new fictional drama contoured but shaped by reality – something uniquely “epic”.  The process of maturity of specific characters is not only filmed on scene but also in real time progress, which is remarkably, fully expressed through the tag. The film let us be the third person, allowing us to contemplate, witness, and think about the protagonist’s life as well as our own life. This tag line does not restrict itself within the enjoyment of adults who would love to remember about their youth but allows younger viewers who could then discover their emotions and the meanings of life. “The moving 12 year epic,” a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of the child, is screened in front of our eyes. The words are concise but absolutely catch my attention right after the moment I saw it. The poster definitely succeeds in enticing me to see the movie, because the best way to understand the film is to experience it.

         Furthermore, below the tagline and the title, the appearance of the writer/director’s name, Richard Linklater, reinforces his own credibility and thus induces audience attendance. Subjectively, I think the movie is experimented with both professional and mostly non-professional actors/actresses. However, Linklater’s experiment with the brand new genre and not too famous movie stars successfully work out thanks to the director’s ethos. Life is always Linklater’s main topic. His subject is always people who walks through specific passage of lifetime, step by step. Such several previous movies of him as “the Before trilogy,” “School of Rock,” then, “Dazed and Confused” all shared the same theme, focusing on the process of “becoming.” Therefore, background knowledge about Linklater gives the audience the expectation of the subject and message of Boyhood. 

          Overall, the poster actually succeeds in illustrating the most important aspects of the movie, conveying its main topic, and enticing people to go for it. The film actually experienced its success on countless top 10 must-watch movie lists of 2014. To me, Boyhood is a worthwhile experience, to see myself there, to look back at childhood memories and think about the so-called lifetime.  

Blog #1: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Maria Barrientos

Fantastic Mr. Fox

 

The poster for Fantastic Mr. Fox gives off a fun adventurous feel with a warm family environment, a sense of togetherness all the while there is a diverse set of characters that drew me in to watch this movie.  The director Wes Anderson drew me in to see this film, however I was unsure until viewing the poster.  The central characters are indeed the leads for the movie.  The weasel, however does not play a large part in the movie with maybe one or two scenes on screen.  However, because the weasel is played or rather, voiced by Owen Wilson, there is a preconceived notion that it will be funny because of Wilson’s comedic performances prior to this movie.  

The poster could be misleading because of the title and background. Why is he so fantastic if the farmers (top right of the poster) are holding a shovel?

The poster fits the genre, family friendly with the rating of PG which can reach a wider audience that is able to view the movie.  the production house is featured to establish more credibility.  The release date is not featured but has a “coming soon” to create a sense of anticipation for the release of the film.  

The credibility or ethos for the film’s poster is featured in the title, director and actors.  

The movie is based on a Roald Dahl book, the same author as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda.  The movie’s base as a Roald Dahl book brings in another fan base that has to appeal the readers rather than just from the director or actors.  The director, 

Wes Anderson also brings credibility to the movie because he brings in his own particular style of directing and his own fan base for his movies.  Anderson is partial to symmetry 

and a specific palette in his films that attract people to his movies.  The actors that are 

in his movie are also displayed across the poster prominently such as George Clooney 

and Meryl Streep.  Furthermore, three of the actors also on the poster are actors that Anderson usually works with that are featured in the majority of his other films.  

Critic reviews are also prominent in the movie poster.  A bold sans serif font that is red 

with a contrast of a lightweight font (black), features action and stability in the colors chosen. The facts or logos is in the title from the Roald Dahl book that is featured in a rural setting and also set underground as seen in the poster.  Roots droop from the ceiling where

the main characters are featured.  Pathos or rather emotions that are used to draw in the audience are prominent in color.  As mentioned before, Anderson uses a specific palate for his movies, for Fantastic Mr. Fox, he uses yellows and red which indicate warmth with undertones of action and slight aggression.  The color for the font for the title is yellow and it is also in a bold sans serif for clear legibility.  The poster is visually symmetrical which does a good job in attracting someone to watch the movie, the colors are inviting and the characters facial expressions indicate for a fun film.