Questionnaire

I created a questionnaire that I would ask 20 people to complete in order to gain an understanding of the general publics requirements from a film. The questions I asked were:

1. What age gap do you fit into? (Please tick appropriately)

-16 __
16-20 __
21-29 __
30-38 __
39-49 __
50+ __



2. Are you male or female?

Male __
Female __



3. How often do you watch films per week?

Never __
1-2 __
3-4 __
5-6 __
Every day __



4. Where do you hear about new films?

Cinema advertisng __
T.V. __
Internet __
News stories __
Magazines __
Newspapers __
Other __



5. What influences you to go and see a specific film?

Review__
Director__
Actors__
Friends interest__
News stories__
Subject__
Cinematic trailer__
Other (Please state):___________________



6. Do you think that it is appropriate for a captive audience to be shown a trailer concerning drugs?

Yes __
No __

Why? ______________________________
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7. In a film about drugs, what of the following elements would you expect to see?:

Humour __
Death/Injury __
Gritty lifestyle __
Hallucinations __
Mental pain __
Producing the drug __
Crime __
Friendship __
Lack of friendship __
Free of troubles __
Depression __



8. From what perspective do you think the media should portray drugs?

Positive__
Negative__
Indifferent__



9. What would expect the poster for a film about drugs to look like?

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10. What would expect the topical image to look like on the front page of a film magazine concerning this film?

___________________________________
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Fear and Loathing research - front page

I was unable to find a front cover for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, however, the Total Film website has a feature on the film. The review and other information on the film can be found at:

http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/fear-and-loathing-in-las-vegas

The main reason that it did not feature on a magazine front page is probably because it did not reach high commercial success at the time of its release, and was relatively low budget compared to films usually featured on magazine covers. Since 1998 it has been acclaimed by many to be a 'cult film', following in the footsteps of its origin, the novel: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson. Another reason for its sudden appeal may be Johnny Depp. His recent success and development into one of the biggest actors of our generation mean that many of his now fans will go and watch his back catalogue. Their opinion of the film will be influenced by how Depp is shown, both in moral and physicial aspects.

The reason I have chosen to analyse this film is because, as a group, we have had an idea to do a trailer for a film concerning drugs. As this is one of my favourite films about drugs, I thought it only appropriate that I use my knowledge of the film to create our own spin on drugs in the media. We do not wish to use the comedic aspects of the 'trip' this film concerns, however I personally do not wish to use a simply gritty and vulgar take on this subject in our trailer. We want to explore the darker sides to drug use, while not giving too much vulgarity or employing cheap shocks.

Shutter Island research - front page

This is the front cover of Total Film. This issue features Shutter Island as its main feature. This is obvious due to the name of the film being the second largest piece of text on the page, second only to the name of the magazine. Also, Leonardo Di Caprio, the films leading man, is the central focus point of the page. He is dressed in the costume similar to what we see him in in the trailer.

The light coming from the lighthouse has been placed over the magazine header to show that there may be a 'beacon of hope', a common theme linking this and the poster I have previously analysed.

The tagline for the main article: 'Inside Marty's Madhouse', uses alliteration to appeal to the reader by catching their interest. By using the name 'Marty' and not Martin, Scorsese or Mr. Scorsese, it implies that this magazine, as a source, is on an informal level with the likes of Martin Scorsese, therefore any interview with him inside will be detailed and unique. It also requires the reader to use their own knowledge to work out who 'Marty' really is, and once they realise it is a Scorsese film, they will be more interested based on his previous work.

The use of a simple image of half a face from 'Avatar' gives the article a sense of mystery. At the point of publishing, 'Avatar' was not as well known and no where near as successful, therefore people would be drawn to read further about it.

Fear and Loathing research - trailer

At the beginning of the trailer we see brief clips of the film, with a voiceover clip from the film, explaining the nature of the story. We hear the recommendation of a fast convertable car, presumably to tie in with the fast paced life-style they lead.

We then see the Universal and Summit logos, as it is usually required with funded films to feature a promotion in the trailer. Loud music can then be heard, incinuating the rock n roll lifestyle of drugs.

There are several elements of humour within this trailer, showing that this is a comedic take on drugs, however including a moral sensibility. We then hear that Terry Gilliam is the director. As a once member of Monty Python, we know that Gilliam has the ability to produce top class humour, therefore we assume that Fear and Loathing will have elements of the wierd world of Python.

The words 'The Ultimate Trip' have a double meaning. We know that the main characters are on a trip to Las Vegas, however they are also addicts. A common phrase for describing taking drugs is 'tripping' or 'on a trip'. We hear uncontrolable laughter, usually associated with being high, as it is common for people who are high to spontaneously break to into a certain mood, usually extremely happy. We see them then perform unusual tasks such as smashing coconuts on the bonnet of their car and drive across the desert towards an airport. This shows how irresponsible they become when high, which appears to be most of the film.

The phrase 'defined a generation' implies that this is an adaptation of a pre-existing media, for example a book. This then shows how important this film would be, and how correctly it would portray real life. The lizards we see are not intended to be real life happenings, but the hallucinations spawned from real life happenings by the characters themselves, and the drugs that they are taking

Fear and Loathing research - poster

This is the poster for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The image has been heavily altered to fit the meaning and purpose of the film. Johnny Depp's body has been distorted to show the drug addictions tackled within the film, giving the impression of how he as a drug addict sees things. He is smoking a cigarrette to show his addiction, with the smoke also being distorted.

The reflection in his glasses shows a busy night-time Las Vegas, a contrast to the other side of Las Vegas, the Nevada desert, which is the background of the poster. This contrast is a metaphor for the two characters in the story, and their conflict in ideas. The busy scene shows the life with drugs, the fast paced and blurry ideas that surround it. The vast, empty space represent the life without drugs, without dependancy and greed.

Several bats have been placed on the poster to show hallucinations that occur within the film, brought on by the addictions. They appear to be emerging from a black spill on the top of the page, suggesting that everything, as viewed by addicts, is not real and is merely their imagination running wild, fueled by the drugs.

The words 'Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas' is written in red letters, making it bold and therefore stands out against the background image of the desert. The font is scrawled and looks handwritten, maybe showing how untidy the life of drugs can most certainly be.

Shutter Island research - trailer

This is the trailer for Shutter Island. It is 2 minutes 30 seconds long, and manages to keep the audience interested and entertained for the duration. This is due to a series of fast cuts and tense music. We do not see any spoilers to the end of the film, and the ending is not predictable based on what we find out. We can tell it is a Horror because of the use of tense music which builds up throughout the trailer, as well as the dark, gritty locations. The first shot of a boat in the fog also suggests Horror, as fog is associated with 'the unknown' amd fear.

This trailer focuses a lot on Leonardo Di Caprio, using Star Theory to promote the film. People will be drawn to the film because of Di Caprio's reputation as an actor, as well as his female (and male) fanbase. Di Caprio is also the only actor mentioned on their own titles page, making him out to be the lead role and the sole importance of the film.

The production company: 'Paramount' is shown at the start of the film, however their ident has been changed to suit this film, by using the same effect that has been used on the title sequence. This makes Paramount seem different and fresh to the audience, by suggesting that they can keep changing and getting better rather than stick with the old logo they once had.

Shutter Island research - poster

This poster for Shutter Island is a good way of showing the genre as a horror. It uses dark colours to show the mystery, and a contrasting area of light to highlight Leonardo Di Caprio's face. The lit match is potitioned above the watchtower of the island to symbolise that there is a 'beacon of hope' within the film.

The text is small and therefore not overbearing. The words 'Someone is missing.' are very simple and do not take attantion away from anything else.

This poster uses star theory and relies a lot on Leonardo Di Caprio, as his name is the second largest piece of text on the page, as well as half the page being devoted to his face.