From Wales to Hollywood: Chosen Film Posters- Sense of narrative

From Wales to Hollywood: Chosen Film Posters- Sense of narrative

Understanding Narrative through Film Posters

  • Film posters play a significant part in communicating a film’s narrative to the potential audience.
  • They incorporate key aspects of the film like character, theme, and mood, to give a brief insight into the film’s plot.
  • By evaluating a film poster, we can develop an understanding of the kind of narrative journey the film might offer.

Visual Codes in Film Posters

  • Visual codes such as colour, font, image placement and size, are all used to convey certain narratives or plot indications.
  • For example, a dominating image of a main character in the centre can suggest their importance within the narrative.
  • Objects or symbols related to the plot will also provide clues about the film’s narrative.

Textual Information and Taglines

  • Taglines and other textual information on film posters often provide more direct hints towards the narrative or plot.
  • The tagline can encapsulate the overall theme or premise of the narrative, prompting audiences to question what the narrative arcs might be.
  • For example, the phrase ‘From Wales to Hollywood’ in a film poster might suggest a narrative involving a character’s journey from a humble beginning to achieving fame.

Role of Characters in Conveying Narrative

  • Character images are often employed on film posters in a way that’s intended to hint at their role within the narrative.
  • Their positioning, posture, clothing, or expressions can all provide indirect clues about their personality, status, and relationship within the story.

Significance of Location

  • Background images or landscapes often represent the setting of the film, which can strongly contribute to the understanding of the narrative.
  • For instance, a transition from Welsh landscapes to Hollywood skylines might suggest a journey-based narrative.

Analysing Film Posters

  • Critically analysing film posters requires an understanding of how iconography, textual cues, visual codes, and the overall design work together to hint at the film’s narrative.
  • Attention should be given to both the explicit and implicit narrative clues that these design elements may carry.
  • Effective analysis can result in a broad understanding of the film’s narrative before watching it, enhancing the overall film viewing experience.