Film Magazine Analysis

The mise-en-scene of the 'total film' magazine is effective to promate the film 'Inception'. The protagonist of the film is feautred on the front cover, wearing a suit and carrying a cane. The costume used is a black and white suit, the combination of black and white may symbolise good and evil. The suit makes the actor seem  intelligent and more intriguing. The lighting of the camera work is significant as the left side of the face has high key lighting and the right low key lighting creating a dark shadow on the face. This use of lighting is symbolic as it helps create the persona of a confusing character, maybe having too sides as both the protagonist and antagonist, making the magazine much more appealing to the audience. 

The typography on the front cover of total film is in a straight font type. The masthead of 'total film' is in a mechanical style theme, fitting in with the film the magazine is feauturing 'inception'. The most eyecatching typography on the page is the coverline above the masthead in bright red lettering, this could connote a sence of danger. The typography 'the mind blowing issue' also links in with the metallic machinery style lettering, making the words connect with the imagery creating an effective house style. 

Mode of address is quite masculine as the colour scheme is mostly red and white, assositated with masculinity. The masthead also shows a sence of masculinity as it features a machinary style layout which will appeal mainly to men. The magazine also clearly promotes the science fiction, futuristic genre, headlining films being 'inception' 'tron' 'The A team' and 'clash of the titans' these films are generally targeted at males, linking to the mode of address of the magazine. 

The layout of the 'total film' magazine front cover is organised, unlike many other magazine covers the coverline text is not organised around the picture but instead takes up a large portion of the image space, this makes the coverlines stand out more than the image itself.

The Colour scheme of the front cover is red and white. The red in the colour scheme could connote danger or caution, the white maybe symbolising a sence of serenity. The colour scheme is also heavily metallic connoting machinery and further promoting the film inception.

 The Camerawork on the front cover of 'total film' is a long shot of the actor in 'inception'. The long shot is framed from a low angle shot type making the actor seem dominant. The long shot also reveals the mise-en-scene of the actor wearing a black and white suit, making him seem smart, intelligant and therfore dominant.

Film Magazine Analysis

The mise-en-scene on the front cover of empire is primarily used through costume and makeup. 'Harry Potter' is shown wearing cracked glasses signifying an amount of action within the film. Mise-en-scene is used effectivly throught the use of make up, the effect of blood is used on the boys eyebrows and cheeks, symbolising a traumatic experience. Costume is also used effectivly through the use of mise-en-scene by dressing the actor as a typical 'teenage boy' in a hoodie and circle framed glasses,  making him seem innocent, geeky and vunerable.

The masthead 'EMPIRE' is much larger than the other typography on the page, making it the most eyecatching point of the page ,the typography is bold and sharp looking resembling the 'Empire state building' which is the inspiration for the name of the american magazine. The other typogrpahy on the page is slighly smaller, with the tag line 'bloody hell' standing out in a bright white font, used as a caption of the image. The typogrpahy of the Empire magazine cover is all in simular font making it proffesional to look at and easy to read.

The layout of the magazine is very conventional of a film magazine, the masthead is situated at the top of the page, covering a slight proportion of the main image. The masthead is the most dominant feature of the front cover making it the most eyecatching point of the page. The coverlines are mostly situated at the left of the main image drawing attention to the image of Harry Potter. There are only two images on the front cover of Empire, making the layout seem organised and suitable for a wide target audience. There are also a line of coverlines situated at the bottom of the magazine, this is typical of a film magazine. The coverlines are less detailed than the coverlines to the left of the cover, but still create an eyecatching effect to attract the reader of the magazine.

The colour scheme used on the front cover of the Empire are red,white and yellow, these are bright colours often assosicated with 'caution' signs, therefore these colours connote an element of danger or mystery to the magazine. The Masthead of the magazine is in bright red, which contrasts against the black background image, the colour white is also used heavily on the coverlines of the front cover, this may signify the innocence and vunrabilty of the young boy-Harry Potter.

 The Camerawork of the magazine cover is in a medium shot style. The medium shot shows the young Harry Potter looking directly into the camera, this directly connects to the audience of the magazine. The medium shot reveals elements of mise-en-scene such as the costume the boy is wearing- a hoodie which makes him seem inncoent and vunerable, contrasted with makeup-the blood and dirt down his face that symbolises a sence of action and mystery. A long shot is also used in the smaller image to show a series of actors in a film, a long shot is used to show the costumes that they are wearing as this aspect is important in creating the image and brand of a character. The language of the magazine is also shown through the camerawork, as the protagonist is looking directly into the camera to connect with his target audience.  The mode of address of the magazine is friendly and chatty this is shown through the coverline 'Bloody hell' which is a catchphrase used through the Harry Potter franchise .

Horror Poster Analysis

Poster Analysis

This is the poster of the ‘the woman in black’ which was released on the 10th February 2012. The poster follows the typical conventions of the horror genre. Mise-en-scene is used effectively within the poster, with the ‘woman’ dressed in black standing next to the prop of the cross being covered in smoke. The smoke connotes mystery and creates a sinister image, promoting the title ‘the woman in black’. The woman in the poster wearing black connotes death and a sinister circumstance. The costume used in the poster shows the protagonist in the center image wearing a Victorian style suit, this makes it clear to the audience that the film is in fact set in the Victorian era, common for ‘haunted house’ horror films. The suit that the protagonist is wearing signifies his heroic nature, as he is dressed in a white shirt signifying purity, the opposite of evil. The prop of an old house and a gravestone used on the poster are typical of the horror genre, showing an ‘old spooky house’ which is made obvious to the audience that is haunted by the ‘woman in black’ therefore the Mise-en scene is essential in promoting the film poster, as it helps the audience understand what the film is about. 

 The typography used in the poster is typical of the connotations of the horror genre. The typography is mainly in white contrasting with the black background images. The title of the film ‘The woman in black’ is in significantly larger text than the rest of the image making it the center point of the poster, attracting the eye of the audience. The title of the film is in a bright white colour with a hint of grey, this makes the title have a ‘moonshine’ effect, and this makes the title seem sinister as the moon is often used as a symbol of supernatural occurrences such as werewolves. 

The other typography on the poster is also in white and is used as a subtitle saying ‘FEAR HER CURSE’. This use of language of the poster presents a sense of fear and mystery to the audience, the language used is also very personal making the audience feels as if the poster is personally addressing them. The mode of address of the typography used is spooky this is connoted through the use of the word ‘her’ used to address ‘the woman in black’ showing a sense of mystery in her lack of identity. 

The Camerawork on the woman in black poster is a centre point image in a medium shot of the protagonist of the film. The medium shot shows the protagonists heroic nature and shows the costume of the protagonist-stating which era the film is set in. The shot is focused out on the image of the woman in black in the background. The woman is focused in the back of the shot which makes the camerawork have a mysterious effect. The Layout of the poster is quite ordered with the tree shaping around the protagonists head drawing the eye to the title. The centre point of the poster is the title which stands out in bold white writing.

 The colour scheme of the poster is black and white, symbolic of the title of the film ‘The woman in black’. The white and black title may connote good and fitting in with the conventions of the horror genre.

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Paranormal Activity Analysis

Paranormal activity 4 trailer

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Saw Analysis

Editing is used effectively throughout the Saw 4 trailer to create the conventions of a typical horror genre trailer. Title screens of text are used as an editing technique to create cuts from scene to scene creating continuity editing to make sure the trailer ‘tells a story’ and creates fear for the audience. This title screen then disappears using the ‘fade out’ editing technique, then fading out to a video clip. Fast paced editing is also used throughout the saw 4 trailer, this is used to show the action pieces of the film, the fast paced editing technique adds continuity to the editing and speeds the trailer up. Fast paced editing is also typical of the horror genre as the fast flashing screen creates fear and interest to its target audience.

      Camera work is used effectivly throughout the Saw 4 trailer to create a sence of fear and suspence typical of a horror trailer. An over the shoulder shot is used over one of the main characters shoulders to show a dark room with the curtains blowing in the background. The over the shoulder shot is used to establish the characters point of view and show the dark and distressing scenery typical of a horror film. A close up shot is also used on the dead body of ‘John Cramer’ also known as jigsaw. This close up shot shows jigsaw is dead, by zooming into his expressionless face. Medium shots are also used throughout the clip to show snippets of ‘torture’ traps, conventional to horror films. The medium shot allows mise-en-scene such as chains and machines to be shown along with the fear and expression on the characters faces, this shows a sence of fear and distress, conventional of a horror film.

Mise-en-scene is used in the Saw 4 trailer to portray a sense of fear, typical of the conventions used in a horror film. Prop is used in the trailer to create a motif of fear throughout the ‘saw’ franchise. The ‘saw’ puppet is seen as a motif in this trailer as a symbol of death and torture, the puppet appears slowly as the end of the trailer, playing on the fears and emotion of the viewers as clowns and puppets are often a sign of fear. Mise-en-scene is also used effectively throughout the trailer through the use of makeup. Makeup is used heavily throughout the trailer, mainly in the fast paced torture scenes showing blood and smudged makeup down the victims face showing a sense of desperation and fear. Makeup is also used of the close up of jigsaw, showing red stitching wounds through his head-symbolizing trauma. Jigsaw is also made to look pale and thin due to the use of contouring makeup techniques, making him look dead. Scenes and setting are also used effectively through the use of mise-en-scene. The scenes in the trailer all have low-key lighting making the setting seem grim and highlighting a sense of fear and suspense to the audience. The camera angle also focuses on the scene of an open window with the curtains blowing, this is often used as a prop to symbolize something sinister is about to happen, or someone is about to be kidnapped. Therefore the use of mise-en-scene is an important aspect in creating the typical conventions of a horror film.

 Sound is used in the Saw 4 trailer to create a sense of fear and suspense. A voice over is used in the trailer of ‘Jigsaw’s’ voice, the voice over reads out the title editing saying ‘ You thought it was over’ ‘You thought you were safe’ this voice over creates a sense of fear to the audience. The voice over also uses the word ‘ you’ which is personally addressing the audience, further creating a sense of fear. Non diegetic sound is also used in the saw 4 trailer firstly starting with a slow creepy music adding to the suspense of the trailer. The music then gets faster to match the fast paced editing of the clip and add tension and suspense. Ambient sound is also used in the extract with screams, crying and the slamming of doors being heard, these noises are typical conventions of the horror film genre.