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| Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun |
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| The Amazing Spider-Man (Left) & Star Trek Into Darkness (Right) |
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| War of the Worlds (Left) & Gladiator (Right) |
Wednesday 3 December 2014
Initial Thumbnail Design Sketches
These are the quick initial sketches I did for some of the films I was considering to design for my poster design. They are based a little on the original posters, but I intended to develop them a bit more later on so that they were more of my design than anything else.
Friday 28 November 2014
Research: Original Posters & Reference Pictures
Below are the images concerning the twelve films I had selected, to help me with the designs for my main poster. I also looked up the poster for the film 'Drive' to help me understand better the layout of film credits on a poster.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Drive
Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun (Doppelgänger)
_poster_art.jpg)
Star Trek Into Darkness
_poster_art.jpg){kind=link}
It's a Mad, Mad Mad, Mad World
http://hometheaterforum.cl.ipsdns.com/uploads/gallery_286742_24_499262.png
http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/styles/full/public/image/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world-1963-002-poster.jpg?itok=sbHjeN97
Noises Off
http://www.impawards.com/1992/posters/noises_off_xlg.jpg
Gladiator
http://www.impawards.com/2000/posters/gladiator_ver3_xlg.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NnDMJBU0HUcNU-c-iABG2sBHek21qrDHiskB6NOS8jJd-bA3imrQUjJPSYrq4pXdsR4hPmRf86kOS-_fXMyrpvAg85-apiUog6PqwYu8OeBp_KWQV5z4_0gARQIXn8Dn8f_ymP0YTHQ/s1600/Gladiator_1.jpg
War Of The Worlds
http://www.impawards.com/2005/posters/war_of_the_worlds_ver2.jpg
http://www.impawards.com/2005/posters/war_of_the_worlds_ver4_xlg.jpg
Skyfall
http://www.impawards.com/2012/posters/skyfall_ver8_xlg.jpg
http://www.impawards.com/2012/posters/skyfall_xlg.jpg
Fantastic Voyage
Interview with Film Projectionist 29/7/14
To further my research into film posters, I talked with Robin Smitten, who works as the projectionist at the Theatre in Chipping Norton and has a keen interest in film posters. Prior to meeting him, I established some key points I wanted to discuss with him:
1.
In what ways are film posters led by symbols?
(e.g. Major actor or actress)
2.
Which film genres would require narrative
elements displayed in film posters?
3.
How do you arrange and balance the imagery in a
film poster?
4.
Is there a specific layout for film posters?
(E.g. Position of Title and Credits)
5.
How would change of tone and colour affect the
mood of the poster?
6.
Is the logo required to stand out from the rest
of the poster to attract attention?
Notes on Robin Smitten’s Comments
·
Poster should consist of three things:
1.
Title
2.
Plot
3.
Mood
·
Some posters will only be seen at a glance. E.g.
Poster on moving bus.
·
Most modern film posters are led by images of
Actors and Actresses’ faces. Well-known stars attract attention of passers-byes.
·
More established films, such as James Bond, are
led by icons. Such as Bond character and ‘007’ icon.
·
Ideas for Final Designs – ‘Plan 9 From Outer
Space’. Use ‘9’ as icon.
·
Colour tone and shading can affect mode of
poster. E.g. Dark toning for last ‘Harry Potter’ emphasises dark tone of film.
·
Posters reused for DVD covers. Perhaps loses
feel of film poster.
GD Associates Meeting – 15/8/14
These are the notes I made from my second meeting with GD Associates:
1)
E.T – Has two symbols. ‘Touching fingers’ for
original posters + ‘Flying bike’ for reissues.
Later James Bond posters focus more on
character. (E.g. Casino Royale)
Early posters sell by Actor’s name.
More recent posters can be more easily
adapted into DVD covers.
2)
Narrative element depends on plot (E.g. Plot
twist – ‘The Sixth Sense’). Simple poster can keep plot twists secret.
Other films like ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’
are not so bothered about plot secrets and sell by both actor and narrative
elements.
3)
Arrangement and balance depends on images
available and tone. Tone of poster has to reflect tone of film (E.g. ‘I Am
Legend’ + ‘The Pirates’).
For example, ‘Captain America: The Winter
Soldier’ reflects character and darker tone.
Poster success depends on selling film.
4)
No obviously specific layout. Perhaps include
cast names, title and quote. Logo has to stand out if used.
‘Casino Royale’ led by actor and icon.
5)
Key features of poster depend on actor/actress
and whether film series is already established (I.e. Franchise).
Key elements can include date, quote, title
and actor/actress.
Sales can be boasted by including ‘3D’.
Taglines rarely used. Perhaps more commonly
used for comedy films. (E.g. Ghostbusters)
Directors name inclusion depends on rate of
success.
‘Pulp Fiction’ designed like magazine cover.
Film Choices For Poster Design
The basis of my idea was to design a new poster for an already existing film to gain new interest. I decided that I would either design a more modern poster for a relative old film or I would design a more narrative-led poster for a fairly recent film. To help me decide which film I would design a new poster
for, I looked at the various DVDs that my family and I own, and I narrowed down
to these twelve films, which I felt would sell better with a new poster to
advertise them.
- Fantastic Voyage
- Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun
- War Of The Worlds (2005)
- Ed Wood
- Red Planet
- Star Trek Into Darkness
- Skyfall
- It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
- Noises Off
- The Avengers (2012)
- The Amazing Spider-Man
- Gladiator
References
Fantastic Voyage /
Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea. (2003) Directed by: Richard Fleischer,
Irwin Allen. [DVD] UK, Twentieth Century Fox.
Journey To The Far
Side Of The Sun. (2008) Directed by: Robert Parrish. [DVD] UK, Universal
Pictures.
War Of The Worlds.
(2005) Directed by: Steven Spielberg. [DVD] UK, Paramount Home Entertainment.
Ed Wood. (2002)
Directed by: Tim Burton. [DVD] UK, Touchstone Pictures.
Red Planet. (2001)
Directed by: Antony Hoffman. [DVD] UK, Warner Home Video.
Star Trek Into
Darkness. (2013) Directed by: J.J. Abrams. [DVD] UK, Paramount Home Entertainment.
Skyfall. (2013)
Directed by: Sam Mendes. [DVD] UK, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad,
Mad World. (2002) Directed by: Stanley Kramer. [DVD] UK, Twentieth Century
Fox.
Noises Off. (2004)
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich. [DVD] UK, Touchstone Pictures & Amblin
Entertainment.
Avengers Assemble.
(2012) Directed by: Joss Whedon. [DVD] UK, Marvel Studios.
The Amazing Spider-Man.
(2012) Directed by: Marc Webb. [DVD] UK, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Gladiator. (2004)
Directed by: Ridley Scott. [DVD] UK, Universal Pictures.
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