This is a poster created in order to advertise James Bond 007: Spectre, a movie which was released in 2015. This was the last analogue advertisement published in order to market the film before its initial release in cinemas. During and after this poster was showcased to the public; television, radio and the internet would have also played audio and/or visual advertisements in order to market this film.
This poster was developed by IMAX, an institution within the movie industry who would have published this poster onto other media forms. IMAX is a company that specifies in production videocameras; these cameras are not hobbyist toys, they are for absolute experts in film making. Famous directors such as Christopher Nolan commonly uses an IMAX camera to achieve a full experience within his films that causes his audience to feel like they are actually there. By presenting within this poster that it was produced on an IMAX camera infers that this movie industry has high hopes for this movie and that it will be successful (meaning the profits can cover the cost of the partnership with IMAX). The budget for this movie was $245 million to $250 million, it earned $880.7 million, presenting the fact that their predictions were correct about this movie being successful.
The approximate audience for this movie is 18+. This is because the silhouette of a gun and the fact the man (James Bond) is holding a gun in his hand signifies 'violence' and 'death', there fore it would not be suitable for the younger ages. The pictorial style of this poster is quite minimalist, this infers maturity and so its audience is mostly likely Adults. Movie posters which are aimed at the younger generation, typically are quite 'full' of photographic content, specifically backdrops- whereas this poster has only a white and plain background. However, to my surprise, this movie is a PG13, even though violent connotations are clearly shown within this poster. Despite its financial success, the movie was not rated as highly as expected. IMBD states that the mean rating for this movie is 6.8/10.
The poster shows a man stood to the left of the frame, whilst slightly behind him there is a woman looking over her shoulder. The 'man' in question, is James Bond- performed by Daniel Craig and the lady or 'Bond girl' as she's known, is called Madeline Swan- played by Lea Seydoux. We know he is the protagonist because he is the subject within this poster that stands out the most and is furthest to the front. James Bond is wearing a black suit, connoting that he has a high-position within society; the idea that he's holding gun whilst being dressed in a smart manner infers of his job-role, he could possibly have the 'legality' to hold a gun. A mans suit is not cheap, inferring that this is a man who has money and is most likely '1st-class'. His posture is casual, one hand is in his pocket, this could symbolise 'casual confidence' or the 'unwillingness to reveal'- meaning he may be a man of many secrets. His other hand holds a gun, the gun is aimed downwards and he is clearly not in preparation to shoot. The way the lady is poised behind him may be a sign of dominance or the fact he is almost shielding her. We can accept that there is an association between the man and woman because of how closely they are stood together.
Madeline Swan is wearing a light blue, silk gown. The colour 'light blue' symbolises 'trust', 'loyalty', 'wisdom', 'confidence' and intelligence'. Her aesthetics consist of a gown, 'vintage' make up and a hairstyle which reveals the right ear to show an earring. This is quite a glamorous look that can not be pulled of by everyone, this could connote her economic position and the fact she has the money to afford this style.
Within the '007' typography is imagery from the 'Dia de los Muertos' sequence that forms the opening of the film. We get the impression that this is a frame from a scene because the blur within the text is 'stretched', showing movement. Within this section, we can see someone wearing a skull mask and top hat. The depth of field within this scene must have been shallow because the figure wearing the mask is sharp in comparison to the background. The rule of thirds has also been used as he is positioned to the right of the poster, so he is not in contact with 'James Bond' and 'Madeline Swan'. The skull upon the mask may symbolise 'death', this can lead to the connotation of him being a villainous character.
The '007' logo is repeated again, this time in a much smaller font size and only in black. The fact it is black causes it to stand out in contrast against the white background. By repeating the logo, it reinforces the idea that '007' is the main brand or title of this film. Another reason why it may have been repeated is because the larger '007' logo in the background is partly hidden due to the people in front of it.
The 'Spectre' logo is in a font that consists contrasting colours (black and white), this use of highlights and shadows within the lettering causes the text to appear as if its being shuffled or its moving from a distance.
The difference between a 'Denotation' and 'Connotation' is that, 'to denote' something is to see something and 'to connote' something is to perceive from what you are seeing.
ReplyDeleteYou understand the difference between denotation and connotation - good.
ReplyDeleteYou also write with depth in your analysis of the poster for 'Spectre' which is an example of marketing rather than advertising but we will work later on understanding the difference between these things.
I am particularly pleased with the fact that you have not just skimmed across the surface of analysis but have drilled down somewhat further (apologies for mixing metaphors!) - in order to score highly in the exam it is important to analyse texts at a level that shows deeper understanding and knowledge and you show that you have the ability to do this.