my evaluation answer to question 2

1. EVALUATION Q.2
How effective is the combination of your main product and
ancillary texts?
Beth Bodimeade

2. The importance of marketing a
film

The marketing of a film is just as important as the film itself, without the marketing
strategies used to push or pull the audience in there would be no views, and so no
money made. In order to make back the money spent on creating the film and to
make a profit, the marketing has to be very effective to the films target audience(s).

In order to do this the distribution company and film makers need to have a
thorough and accurate understanding of their target audience and the type of films
and ancillary texts they will be interested in. The target audience will often depend
on age, gender and lifestyle.

The target audience will then effect how and where the marketing will be done and
displayed. If the distributors are a wealthy, mainstream company there will be much
more money put into the marketing- allowing more coverage and effective push
strategies as bus billboards etc. Smaller independent companies depend more on
clever, niche pull strategies such as Monsters (2010) ‘infected locations’.

3. Target audience for ‘Dead Man’s
Hand’

Our film ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ will attract a primarily male audience, age range 15-25.
This target audience has been specified to this due to our main narrative of a bank
heist, and the inclusion of death and violence. Because our main character is female
I think this will attract both male and females, as women will enjoy seeing a strong
female lead in a predominantly male genre.

Our target audience has been specified to 15+ as the violence shown is not
appropriate for a younger audience. Our direct target audience stops at age 25,
however our secondary off-shoot audience age goes up to 50. As the off-shoot
audience we know they will consume the media, but will be perhaps more interested
into the creation of the film- and so the ancillary texts such as interviews with the
director will appeal.

4. Promotion of our film

‘Dead Man’s Hand’ will be produced by Miramax Films. Because our film is
independent, but will attract a mainstream audience (due to the success
of films such as ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’) Miramax is
perfect. When Miramax first started up they distributed independent films
only, now because of their success they also distribute mainstream titles.
Their mixture of both independent and mainstream corresponds well with
our film.

Also due to their size and wealth we will be able to use more effective
push strategies, so increasing the films revenue. Such as billboards,
posters on buses/bus stops, additional film trailers (teaser) on television
as well as the internet. On Miramax’s website there will also be
information on release dates, screenings, interviews with actors/directors.

5. Similar films: marketing through
posters

‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ was
marketed by showing Vinnie Jones as the
largest image on the cover of the film posters.
This is because, as Guy Ritchie’s first film they
could not base the marketing on him- instead
they left that with Vinnie Jones as he was
already famous. Although our director is also
up and coming we will focus on that instead of
discount it. This is because it is becoming more
and more important to certain audiences the
artistry behind the films- not just the feature
itself.

‘Pulp Fiction’ was marketed in a similar way to
how we will, by focusing on the director.
However as Quentin Tarantino was an already
well established director, it was much more
likely to become a definite success. The
characters in ‘Pulp Fiction’ are essentially
played by also well established actors such as
Bruce Willis and John Travolta.

6. Other marketing strategies

As well as film posters and trailers there is much space for promotion over
web 2.0- especially on social media websites such as Facebook and
Twitter. These websites are most accessed by a younger age range and so
because our film Dead Man’s Hand is targeted at the age range 15-25 this
is a perfect way to let more people know of the films release, screenings
and general information.

An example of a successful use of social media sites is the promotion
Vertigo Films did through Foursquare. By posting to the Foursquare
readers gradual information on their ‘infected areas’ it intrigued them to
attend the events, which in turn increased the amount of people who
watched the film at cinemas.

7. Analysis of our trailer

The first noise heard in our trailer is gun shots; straight
away the audience is pulled into the action. As our target
audience is 15-25 males who are excited by crime genre
and common crime conventions such as violence, the
opening of our trailer is in keeping with these conventions.
•

The first scene shown is the two bank
robbers, holding a gun and running. Again
straight away the crime genre is introduced
to the audience. Further introduced with the
next scene of a poker game.
By having the title quote ‘‘The new Guy Ritchie’ Sight and Sound
Magazine’ appeals to the target audience of Guy Ritchie’s films, this
is good for our film as we have been heavily influenced by Ritchie.
By describing him as ‘new’ we will also attract those in our audience
who are more interested in the creation and artistry behind the film.

The first character we introduce is our female lead
Sam. As well as our male target audience this will also
appeal to a female audience as, as stated before,
women will enjoy seeing a strong female lead.

8. Analysis of our trailer
•
We used split screens to give our trailer a more
postmodern feel. This also enabled us to display
our titles in an effective and interesting way.
•
•
Our use of bold title cards help to create the
excitement and tension that goes along with our fast
paced shots. The flash between slides ‘thousands of
pounds’ and ‘stolen.’ keeps the pace, and will keep
the audiences attention.
By using title cards along with the freeze frames the
characters are being introduced quickly and clearly. By
using the words ‘dopey’ and ‘grouchy’ the two men
appear to be your typical dumb and violent gangsters.
•
At the end of our trailer there is a more comic
scene, of the two men silent in a lift- with lift
music over the top. This will help attract a wider
audience as it a more comic side to film is now
suggested.

9. Our film poster(s)

As our film will be distributed by a more mainstream company we will be able to
afford the more effective push strategies of having our posters on big city billboards,
on buses/bus stops and in magazines and newspapers.

Because posters are seen by everyone they will help attract a wider audience, not
just our target audience. However the conventions, such as images/captions, of our
poster will affect who our poster will appeal to.

Our poster will help to sell our USP(s) of a strong female lead and a new and
upcoming director. To make these stand out to the audience we will have our female
lead centred on the poster, and have the directors name big. The actors names will
be smaller, this is because they are currently unknown, unestablished actors.

10. Analysis of our poster
The image of ‘Smiley’
corresponds with the
introducing title of her
character. She is
portrayed in this
image as strong and
in control, as she is
holding a gun. Both
these characteristics
are seen on her in the
trailer too.
The slogan is also
bold, and in the next
size down font. The
slogan will jump out
at the audience also
as it is right under
the main title.
We have introduce
the main starring
actor as her leading
role ‘Smiley’
The main title is bold,
and the white
contrasts with the
coloured image
behind making it
stand out even more.
Credits, giving information on the
production company, actors
names, directors name, editors,
who the music is by etc.

11. Similar film posters
The slogan is bold,
big and short. This is
perfect as it
immediately
introduces the
audience to the genre
and is quick and
snappy to read.
Mention of the Kill Bill
soundtrack is a clever
promotional tactic.
Because the producer
knows the poster will
be seen by thousands,
it is a good way of
selling an extra
ancillary product.
Credit information is vital on
the poster as a legal
requirement, as it gives
information on the distribution
company etc.
Central to the poster is
the female lead, her
stance and position of her
head gives suggests to
the audience that she is a
strong character.
The title is very
short, and so
having it in such
big lettering is
very effective and
eye catching.
Also in clear writing is the
mention of the director
Quentin Tarantino. This is
essential for the
promotion of the film as
he is a well established
and respected director.

12. Our film magazine cover

In order to attain further viewing of our film, we
will use the ancillary product of a film magazine
and be featured as the main cover story. This
magazine should be targeted at a similar
audience as our film (male, 15-25) so that the
readers will be interested and read the feature,
and so more likely to watch the film.

We will be featured on Sight and Sound
magazine because it is more likely to feature an
independent film- but does also feature more
mainstream films. This mixture of independent
and mainstream corresponds with our
distribution company Miramax and our film in
itself.

The actual feature itself will be on/an interview
with our films director. This is because Sight and
Sound are interested more in the artistry, ideas
and creation of film not the features themselves.
The magazine is ideal for us because they often
do features on directors, and as our director is
new and up-coming it will be a good way of
people finding out about him.

13. Analysis of our magazine cover
We have chosen
to use Sight &
Sound magazine
as it often
features both
independent and
mainstream films,
and so works well
with our film- a
mixture of both.
Individual interviews
with the 3 main
actors, these will
spread word of
mouth for them as
actors as well as
their characters in
the film.
Introduces the audience to
the new and up-coming
director of ‘Dead Man’s
Hand’. As is often found on
Sight & Sound magazine
covers we have chosen our
main feature to be focused
on the director not the film
itself. This will appeal to the
more ‘film fanatic’
readership, which is
appropriate for Sight &
Sound as its readership
statistics show the audience
to be less mainstream and
more interested in the
artistry of films, not the CGI
effects etc.
Because the director is currently unknown and hopes
to gain his credibility through this film it made sense
to introduce the films title as the largest type, not
the directors name.

14. Similar magazine covers
Masthead- this is important
as it will be what the
audience will see first. As it is
a more independent film
magazine the masthead
should stand out and be
easily seen. It should also be
the same on each magazine,
a more mainstream magazine
like Empire can afford to have
the masthead partially hidden
or designed differently each
time.
Having a twist on
Tarantino’s film
‘Inglourious
Basterds’ again
tells the audience
that the feature is
on the director,
not the film itself.
This lets the audience know Sight and
Sound magazine are in relation to the
British Film Institute.
By having the director as the
chosen image, not the
characters/actors shows the
magazine is more interested
in the creation behind the
film. Not the celebrity actors
involved.
Having Tarantino pointing
and winking at the
audience catches their
attention and involves
them more.
Introduces the other cover subject involved
in this issue. The writing is less prominent
showing it is Tarantino that will appeal
most to the audience.

15. How our trailer, poster, and magazine
cover work together

Because the main title ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is shown in the same font on both the film
trailer and the film poster, the audience will make the connection and immediately
know they go together. Seeing one and then the other will reinforce their knowledge
of the films existence. The font used for the title ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is the same on
each product making the connection easier for the audience to make, they will also
be able to connect the ancillary products to the trailer and to each other by the
imagery used- the props and character costumes in each poster/magazine cover
relate back to the scenes in the trailer.

The imagery used in both the magazine cover and poster will also link back to the
trailer, as we have used photographs of the characters/director in the character
outfits and holding the film props. The image shown on the poster(s) is of our main
characters in the outfits seen in the trailer, each holding a different prop. Our
female lead is holding a gun, this corresponds with her strong and in control
character in the trailer. The other two bank robbers are holding money and poker
cards, these will also link back to the trailer as the poker scene and robbery include
both. The image on the magazine cover is of our director, this is too introduce him
as a new and up-coming director, and should help to gain credibility for the film as
well as his directing career. This also adds scope to the marketing as the same
image being used for both the poster and magazine is boring and not very enticing
to the readers.