RESEARCH AND PLANNING - Harry Potter poster analysis

In my opinion this poster is extremely effective in that it follows the typical conventions of a film poster, whilst adapting them to make it unique and striking. The majority of the poster is in darkness, automatically creating an effect of mystery and hidden danger. The image in the centre of the poster is bright and pale in contrast with the dark background, this gives the impression that this object/being, which appears to be a doe, is pure and good. The ghostly glow emanating from this creature throws it's surroundings into light, showing the setting of a dark and eerie forest. This image is iconic to the books as it is a reference to the Stag which represents Harry Potters character. However, to those who look closely it is clear that it has no antlers and is therefore a Doe, leaving unanswered questions about the narrative as it is not what those who have not read the books would expect, drawing the audience into the narrative of the film by sparking interest and suggesting there is new information to be revealed. The trees overhead are lit by this glow, showing the night sky above, a possible reflection of the narrative. The overall layout of this poster is very simplistic, showing only the image, title, web address and tag line, omitting details such as cast and credits. The inclusion of a website suggests that there is more information to be found, tempting the audience to follow this up and research the film further, causing them to find more information than if they had simply included it in the poster. The way in which the image glows and sparkles is a clear genre indicator, the suggestion of magic in the figure itself and also in the magical feel of the woods behind tell the audience that the film is a fantasy. The title is clearly displayed in a glowing and awe inspiring way, showing its wonder and significance, excluding the tag line the title is also the only reference to any narrative which may be revealed in this poster, as the image used gives nothing away. The tag line "one way, one fate, one hero" is an indicator of genre, clearly suggesting adventure. It is cleverly positioned down the centre of the poster at the very top, making it the first piece of information that you read, despite this it is shown in a smaller, narrower font than the title to show it is less important, and that the name "Harry Potter", which is shown is a large font across the bottom of the poster, is the most significant part, mirroring that characters significance in the narrative.

Lucy :)