Science Fiction Film Poster Analysisby Tom Chamberlain

I Am Legend – Science Fiction HorrorThere are many indicators that suggest New York City has been abandoned and destroyed, as the weeds in the ground are not tended to and ‘Brooklyn Bridge' has collapsed into the estuary. The dark and gloomy clouds create a very negative vibe, while the overall golden colour grading convey strong emotions of pessimism and violence.

The male protagonist is represented as being insecure, as his long sleeved jacket and automatic rifle provide a level of protection against the harsh surrounding environment. It should also be noted that the dog is looking to the left and not strait forward, therefore the audience understand that the animal is protecting the protagonist as it vigilantly watches for danger.

The title style of the film text is very interesting, as it creatively connects the text composition to the narrative through the technical construction and positioning of the text. At first glance, it appears that the words are gradually getting larger, but when analysing their structuring to the narrative; it looks like an eyesight test. This can be justified, as infected marauders have their eyes scanned to find evidence of a viral infection. Overall I like the combination of images and the superimposition of the script running down the middle of the sky.

Dredd – Science Fiction ActionPower is given to the protagonist, as a low camera angle makes the audience feel inferior and vulnerable looking up at the male being represented as being very masculine and dominant; as he is well build in combat clothing and carrying a firearm. His helmet covers his eyes and the upper portion of his face, thus his identity is concealed from the audience, creating a sense of mystery to intrigue the viewer.

The colouring of the film title connotes strength, power, war and danger. The bold style may represent the boldness of the characters personality, and thus show that the protagonist is courageous. This can be justified, as the male is surround by burring buildings and fire, stereotypically an element that strongly scares and deters individuals.

The dark sky is a symbol of doom and ending, contrasted with the lighter shades of grey surrounding the male to show how his presence is creating a sense of hope amongst the gloom.

Finally I feel the film poster is very effective, as it clearly represents an authoritative figure fighting for order in the chaos. Overall it communicates well with the audience through simple graphic text showing the film title, release date and tagline.

The Dark Night Rises – Science Fiction CrimeGenre can instantly be established by the audience as the lead antagonist is framed in the centre of the image holding an iconic ‘Thomson Rifle’, suggesting the film text will include elements of crime, guns, gangs and thus violence.

As the male is the focus of the film poster, he is being represented to the audience as very eccentric, as the colours of his dress code and facial paint also suggests that he may be crazy and does not take his crimes ‘seriously’; meaning he is actually a ‘joker’. This statement can be reinforced, as the colour purple symbolises power and ambition, and is associated with creativity, mystery and magic. The background and foreground graphics and images create a feeling of destruction, as the sparks and shards of shrapnel imply that there may have been conflict between two characters which resulted in some form of explosion.

The audience understand that the film text may be set in a large city, such as New York or the fictitious Gotham City; as ideology of skyscrapers and large buildings is used to help the viewer recognize these iconic locations. To conclude, I like the style of this film poster, but feel it lacks vital conventions like taglines and film ratings to improve the visual and written communication between the marketing campaign and the potential target audience.

The Road – Post-apocalyptic DramaGenre can easily be established through the codes of this film poster, as the gloomy and colourless sky creates a depressive mise-en-scene, adding to the dark mood of the film text. As the title has a grungy style, it could suggest the roughness of the characters travels or the harsh living environments within the film universe

The wide angle establishing shot allows the audience to locate themselves within the scene, while the photo manipulation technique of adding a vignette draws the audiences attention to the centre of the frame. I feel the image connotes that family bonds stay strong during times of hardship, and thus the road shows the length of the journey the characters will be forced to endure if they choose to continue on the pursuit for a better life.

As there are no other significant conventions on the film poster, I can assume the designer wanted the primary focus to be the image and the tagline. I like how the tagline is in the centre of the poster, therefore it will not be missed unlike if it was positioned at either the top or bottom of the design. I think the film poster could have some added conventions, such as film ratings and reviews to persuade the audience that the text will not be another drawn out and dismal Science Fiction adventure.

The Book of Eli – Biblical Science Fiction Adventure

‘Denzel Washington’ is portrayed as ‘God’s’ last prophet, as his character ‘Eli’ wonders the planes of a barren Earth carrying a ‘King James Bible’.

The use of a low angle camera shot connotes the characters dominance and power, and thus helps the audience to understand that he is the key protagonist in the film text. While full face lighting does not hide any element of the characters face, his eyes are covered with dark glasses, creating a level of mystery as the viewer cannot see his true identity.

particularly like the creative position of the film posters text, as many other marketing products centre align all of the information. This technique may have been chosen as the actors popularity is being exploited as the unique selling point for the film text.

In terms of representation, the characters gun suggests the film content may be slightly violent and his dishevelled clothing adds to the overall semantic code of the image. As the lead role is played by a black actor, this conforms to society's stereotype of coloured males carrying weapons and intentionally harming others for their own benefit.