Theory- Meaning

Rhiannah Baker

Snake Denotation

A reptile

Connotation Evil?

Flag Denotation

A piece of material that represents a country

Connotation Patriotism, the UK, Monarchy

Gun Denotation

Deadly weapon

Connotation Violence, death, America

Coraline (2009)

Coraline is a thriller fantasy film.The merging of the two colours in the centre of the poster with the dark purple and the bright blue represents the crossing of the two worlds, the Good and the Evil, but also day and night.This animated film places Coraline in the foreground of the poster, right in the centre to further highlight her as being the Main Character.The placement of the black cat next to the main character shows that somehow, the cat places an important role in the movie.The colours Coraline is wearing, may represent the fact that Coraline can cross between the two worlds, the good and evil.

Tim Burton

Sweeney Todd (2007)Sweeney Todd is a Drama/Thriller film.The black makes the audience feel uncomfortable and uneasy due to the sense of mystery it portrays. The main character is shown is in dark colours, covered by shadows holding a ‘cut throat’ razor to intimidate the whoever sees the poster. The red colour, which is the only colour on the poster, symbolises blood, and the fact it is splattered further adds to the horror theme.

The darkness is scary bc spooks.

Tim Burton

Alice in Wonderland (2010) Tim Burton

At a first glance of the poster the film looks like a very happy, and child friendly, family film. However when you watch the film, you find out that that isn’t true, that it actually follows Director Tim Burton’s dark and eerie theme.The bright vibrant colours along with both real life and animated characters, create a trippy and exciting world.

Soundtrack Clip 1

The soundtrack makes the clip seem more like action and adventure, and that something may go wrong.

Clip 2 This soundtrack makes the clip

suggest there is a romantic connection between the two characters.

Shining

The music was changed from the tense minor music from the original trailer to the happy, major music to make the theme seem more of a romance than a horror.

The length of clips in the original trailer are short to create tension, however in this fan made version uses longer pieces of footage the film.

In this trailer, few violent scenes are used. More scenes are taken out of context to appear as a happy family film rather than a nightmare fuelled horror.

Scary Mary

All music that plays, is played in a minor key, and at tense moments such as the table falling over he music spikes. The music is high pitched and has an eerie tone to it. The soft tone of the calming babysitters voice along with the contrasting music make the audience question the babysitters true intentions.

StereotypesMen

Strong Brave Butch Sporty

Women

Weak Delicate Cooking Cleaning

StereotypesUpper Class

Rich Snobby Privately educated Spoilt

Working Class

Low wages Hard workers State school Street-wise

StereotypesOld People

Bad with technology Wise Rude/Obnoxious Likes bingo

Young People

Good with technology Arrogant Rude Disrespectful

Iconography- Western

Showdowns

Cowboy hats and whips

Guns

Wanted Posters Hot Desert

Cowboy bootsLasso

HorsesOld towns Saloons

Iconography- Sci-Fi

Aliens

Other Worlds

Robots

Spaceships

Space

Iconography- Fantasy

Fairies

Dragons

Unicrorns

Castles

Mermaids

Good VS Evil

Narrative

Narrative Definition A product’s storyline

Linear Narrative Definition A storyline that is presented in the order; beginning,

middle and end Linear Narrative Film Example

The Nightmare Before Christmas Non-Linear Narrative Definition

A storyline that jumps around the product’s timeline; out of order/sequence, flashbacks, flashforwards

Non-Linear Narrative Film Example Deadpool

Clip Analysis

The Bad guys costumes are all in dark colours, like black, using red props which give connotations of evilness making it clear to the audience that they are the villains. The lighting is always darker around the bad guys, and even the light from the good guys lightsaber show that he is good. The dialogue suggests who is good and bad, and who the audience might support. The camera work focuses a lot on the good guys to help make a connection between them and the audience. There is lots of fast editing to build up the tension and action, the music goes along with this.