Analysing Thriller Film Posters- Hunger Games

Analysing Thriller Film Posters

Considering I will be soon creating a film based on the thriller genre, I thought it might be of some use to analyse existing thriller film posters to inspire some ideas. I will be looking at the film posters and analysing why certain features have been used and the effect they have on the audience.

The Hunger Games

The first thing we can see on this poster is the main character of the film so instantly the audience know who the hero will be if the film follows the typical action story line The character is a young girl which draws the readers in and makes them feel curious and intrigued because it is not normally a female character who has the hero role in these types of films. The weapon the girl possesses creates a sense of war and fighting which again draws in the readers leaving them wanting to know what this young girl will do in this movie. The bow and arrow is aimed right into the camera giving the illusion to the audience that they will be a part of this action.

The target audience of this type of film would be teenagers and young adults because the storyline involves young children and teenagers fighting against each other. Research has shown that films and shows starring teenagers have been most popular with a teenage audience. The film is also aimed towards people who enjoy action packed, dramatic films.

The close up, zoomed shot on the character’s face suggests that the story focuses on her life in particular. The light shining up from the left of the page onto her face may also signify that she is the hero of this thrilling adventure. She also looks focused in this shot which conveys a sense of determination by her which the audience will see throughout the film. The questions they want to know are why is she determined? Why does she have a bow and arrow? This they must find out from watching the film.

The lighting in most areas of the poster is quite dark and dull which is a key convention of a thriller film because it portrays mystery to the reader because they don’t know what to expect. The fact the character is in darkness suggests that the outcome of the events are unknown.

Generally I think that this poster for the Hunger Games is a good one because it leaves the audience in suspense wanting to watch the film and find out more about the character and their role in this story. A good thing about this poster is the foregrounded image as the main character of the film and the eye contact she makes with the audience. I think this is good because it makes them feel part of the story alongside the action and drama that takes place. A bad point I would say about the poster is that it isn’t very revealing. On one hand this is good because it leaves the audience asking questions and being intrigued, however, it might be a good idea to put more on the poster so the audience know what to expect in terms of themes within the film. For example, a picture of her family in the background might show a theme of love and compassion which I know is very important in the film.