Chosen templates

I am producing 3 promotional poster and 1 DVD cover. These are my influences for what I am attempting to construct. I have chosen Sherlock  because I like depth of the material, for example the teasers of the setting and the different characters shown on the posters and the DVD cover. Overall I feel confident with my ideas and I feel that my targets are achievable.

Photo inspiration and targets for Paige and James

Front cover

As an audience our attention is drawn to the protagonist (Sherlock) - he dominates the frame and has been positioned on the left.- It is a long shot photograph and Benedict Cumberbatch costume is - Trench (black) coat, traditionally what we see in private detective crime dramas. e.g. Murder she wrote - not a trench jacket, but a long coat. Jonathan Creek - long brown coat.

 Naturally we read text from left to right, therefore the name of the lead role (Benedict Cumberbatch) has been positioned on the left. - Those who enjoy watching films, previous episodes of Sherlock , reading magazine/internet blog interviews of Benedict Cumberbatch and generally keeping up with events of his other 'star roles' will be seen as more recognisable than Martin Freeman. Benedict Cumberbatch is the main attraction here to entice the audience to watch the series, or in this case to buy the DVD. Therefore his name will be positioned to the left.

Expressions - Sherlock - Angry/Curious - frowning - Dr Watson - half smiling, looks as if he's just going along with it.

Poses - They are both walking - striking, Sherlock  has his hand in his pockets - looks professional/serious. Dr Watson has his hands by his sides - just following.

Back cover

Again Sherlock positioned to the left, both side on - They looking into the camera - addressing us as an audience.

Screen grabs at the bottom. - screen grabs are used to persuade the audience to watch the series/episodes. We refer to theses are 'teaser' because they reveal important messages (in this case, characters) they make us want to find out who these characters are and what are their roles.

Overall

This is the DVD that I will be recreating - I have set a clear target to take four photographs of my friends Paige and James. (This is only for 1 DVD cover, I will have to take more photographs for my promotional posters.

Paige will be replicating Sherlock under the name of Cynthia Hart

James will be replicating Dr Watson under the name of Alex Cross

Screen grabs will not be taken against the white sheet - will all require a similar location to the DVD

Photo ideas

Need more than two protagonists - i.e. people in the background
colour scheme - blue
text - white sans-serif
tagline - "three unsolvable cases one unique detective" - something similar - enticing, makes the audience want to watch
torch light coming from behind them - in EVERY photo

- Shadows or bright lights, don't let us see everything, covering up, wanting to reveal - no trust




Buildings in the background compliment the characters role
Sets an idea of setting
- stars names, lead on the left of frame
- text - sans serif - tacky - similar to promotional poster 1
Benedict Cumberbatch  - side on - dominating the frame

Production Plan

Protagonist - Female
costume - long skirt (black) and white blouse, long detective coat (black) and plaid scarf (dark purple or burgundy)
dominates the frame
facial expression - curious

Angela Lansbury - Murder she wrote

Even though Angela is the protagonist for Murder she wrote , she isn't taken very seriously. However my aim is to subvert this. I want my protagonist to dress like a female, but to be taken seriously as a professional. I like this photograph (not including the background) and the positioning of the protagonist

Helper - Male
costume - plaid shirt, black formal jacket, blue jeans or black trousers (jeans?)
 positioned just beyond protagonist -e.g. Mr/Dr Watson - Sherlock
facial expression - curious

Promotional poster - teaser - e.g. 1

 

 

 

"Three unsolvable cases

one unique detective"

 

I plan to use this tagline or something similar on my promotional poster (teaser) because it draws in the audiences attention. It doesn't give away the storyline, but it suggest that Sherlock is different to other crime dramas and it makes us as viewers want to watch it because we want to know how and why he is 'unique'.

 

 

The iconography on the poster are screen grabs from the series that it is advertising

 

- man holding gun - silhouette

- staircase

-woman in car, light hiding her face - makes us want to know who it is? criminal? helper? murderer?

- crime scene, two men with flash lights

- man in box - who is he?

 

all these images make us question who these characters are and how do they contribute to the story line. The aim of the poster is to make us as an audience want to watch the series.

 

 

 

Examples of dvd covers

 


DVD conventions

• age classification
• tagline - to draw attention
• matching font - relate to other products
• image of protagonist
• hierarchy of importance (most famous actor will stand out more)
• Blurb on the back -brief description of what crime drama is about
• bonus features - inside information about the episode/s, crew and director
• production company - audience may recognise company from other products therefore indicates genre  
• directors name - audience may recognise director - assumptions
• screen grabs - gives audience an insight to the episode/s

Promotional Poster ideas

Bones
Female protagonist - dominating the frame, positioned to our left. - first image we notice, she's wearing a suit, therefore considered as important.

Male - situated further back into the frame - wearing socks, not as important - may not take him seriously.

Genre- forensic - skull buried under earth - protagonists are looking down into a whole

Location - forest

Whitechapel

3 men, - all wearing suits - professional and powerful. - hierarchy of important - where they are positioned within the poster.

Location- East London - Gherkin situated back right of poster - assumptions

Gritty, dull, grey colours

Sans white text

Happy Valley

Police woman - lead protagonist is female - subverts stereotype

bright yellow uniform

cuts on her face - violent - 'getting involved'

Glowing text - white - ghost like

Genre- police procedural



The following pictures of each promotional poster has influenced me to use a grey colour pallet, and create a gritty feel to it. To use a female protagonist, to subvert the stereotypes of the lead being male. However her costume will have masculine traits. For example, trousers. So that she will come across and professional and powerful. I will locate my pictures in a urban setting, roughly dusk. To demonstrate East London, so that my audience can make assumptions according to the location. I will use sans-serif glowing text, like the one for 'Happy Valley'  because I like ideas it suggests. It's mysterious.

Promotional Poster