Film Poster

The three film posters I have picked generally have some form of action or suspense implied into it, something I hope to include in my film.

My first poster is from the film "The Matrix", written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski.

PEOPLE

The characters on the poster are as follows;

· Keanu Reeves as Neo, the main protagonist of the film, known for his previous work in filming.

· Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, one of the main antagonists of the film, known for his early acting in the soap “One life to live.”

· Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, the final main antagonist of the film, known for her works such as “Lethal Tender.”

· Joe Pantoliano as Cypher, as one of the secondary antagonists of the film, known for his work in “The Goonies.”

DESIGN

The design of the poster depicts the characters standing in what appears to be an alleyway. Each one is dressed in combat clothes, each armed with guns, e.g. Neo is armed with an M16, and Trinity is armed with Glock 17 etc. It means that they are preparing for a firefight. This shows that the film will involve combat. The background also has what seems to be numbers, or more accurately code trickling down. This is a reference to the importance of computers and the Matrix itself. The tagline also states “The fight for the future begins.” This tells the reader that the film is set in the future, yet still leaves the question of why they are using old weapons.

COLOR

Most of the color shown on the poster is a light sort of purple, which helps to show the characters dark clothing. Most of the clothing is dark, making it seem dark and ominous.

My second film poster is from the film “The Deer Hunter”, co-written and directed by Michael Cimino.

PEOPLE

There is only one person in the poster, Michael (Played by Robert De Niro) who is pointing a revolver (an M1917) at his head, playing the lethal game of Russian roulette.

DESIGN

Most of the design of the poster is basic, having only three colors, black, white and red. The effect is a silhouette of the person, showing him shrouded in shadows. The gun is also visible, showing that there is danger. The red of the bandanna could also show what happens if you lose in roulette. It also gives some insight as to what the film is about, bandanas being used greatly during the war due to heat and weather or where conditions were unsuitable for helmets. The revolver also offers some in sight; the M1917 was used extensively throughout the Vietnam War.

COLOR

Most of the color is bland, having only black, white and red. It may show that men who have been scarred in service of the war, making them silhouettes of who they once were. The red also shows what happens if you lose a game of Russian roulette; a bloody mess.

My third and final film poster is from the film “Quantum of Solace”, directed by Marc Forster.

PEOPLE

Similarly to “The Deer Hunter”, “Quantum of Solace” only has one character, Daniel Craig as James Bond, a fictional agent of MI6 and the newest Bond in the series.

DESIGN

The poster shows Bond walking in what seems to be the desert, in the classic suit attire that has become recurrent throughout the series. He is also holding an H&K UMP45.acp submachine gun with stock and silencer, a weapon manufactured in Germany. This however is not very revealing, as the most common weapon used throughout the entire James Bond series is a Walther PP, a weapon also manufactured throughout Germany and Bonds primary sidearm. The use of the desert however does offer some insight as to where the films is set. The title is also depicted to have the classic 007 written into it, the same effect was used in the previous film “Casino Royale.”

COLOR

Most of the color is grey and white, helping to emphasize the location. It also helps to clearly show Bond in the suit as he walks through the desert.

Storyboards

Before the production of the actual film, we need to make storyboards, rough sketches of scenes of the film we wish to create. The scenes in yellow are key scenes, areas which need most attention as they play a vital role in the film.

The first few scenes are namely establishing shots, showing the main characters and the reason why they are there.

The second part of the storyboard shows that the men are being held captive by a mercenary, whom is now forcing them to play Russian Roulette.

After several blank shots, one of the captives is starting to lose his nerve. In an attempt to calm him, his fellow assures him that the next round is a blank. However, the next round is in fact a bullet, and the ma n is shot dead, leaving the survivor with guilt. As a twist ending, the mercenary then reveals that he intended to kill the survivor anyway.

The survivor tries to combat the mercenary, managing to steal his gun and land a blow. But the merc manages to recover, forcing the survivor to run. Using a second pistol, the mercenary gives chase, but loses him. Finding a door open, he walks into a dark room. A gun appears from the shadows, and as the mercenary turns to fire the screen turns to black. A shot is then heard, leaving the death unanimous.

Action Thriller Mood Board

Most of my images on the Mood Board are in reference to the deadly game of Russian Roulette, in which a single round is placed in a revolver. The cylinder is spun, the participant places the muzzle against their head and pulls the trigger. Other images include the roulette wheel and alcohol,. I picked these pictures as gambling can sometimes be done when a human is at its weakest, for instance in a drunken state. The blood money picture was added as any money gained in a game of Russian Roulette is gained when blood is spilled. Some of the other pictures include shadowy figures holding guns or lurking in shadows. I added these pictures as sometimes the game is played by those who have no background, who lurk in shadows until they are needed. I also added this in reference to how I want my film sequence to go, to have action and suspense.