Poster analysis of ‘The Ring’ 

The poster I will be analysing will be for the film ‘The Ring’. Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald this is a 2002 remake of the 1998 Japanese film ‘Ring’. This is a horror film on a disturbing video that whoever watches will die a week later after receiving a call from a young child.

The title of the film is quite ambiguous and unclear to what the film is about and it doesn’t tell us what is going to happen which will entice the audience to go and watch the film. The use of the font which is very common for scary films and the use of white which contrast with the rest of the background in a very daunting way. It looks as if a child has written it which is also part of the film. The colours used are very basic and simple. The white could connote the innocence which will usually occur in horror films maybe because the victim will usually be innocent. The black could connote the darkness and evil that will be shown in the film.

The poster can faintly have a representation of children because the title looks as it is written by a child is in white connoting to us innocence and this could be a representation of child innocence. Horror films are known to include children in the films who are possessed or who are dead but are haunting and scaring children, this is another convention of horror films.

The tagline is placed in the top of the poster which is a key vocal point where audiences will see. The words ‘Before you die, you see’ which is in bold capitals, this tells us that the film is going to include murder and horror and the fading of the words at the back which looks like shadows which is common in horror films could also represent the fading of life when you die and also attracts the audience to watch the film.

The USP (unique selling point) on the poster is the ring around the title which is what attracts the audience first because it in the centre of the poster. The fading ring around the title looks very scary and daunting and quite fuzzy like televisions screen which has something to do with the film so it is a very faint clue. The static in the background which represents the video that is being watched in the film on the television is also a clue the audience have about the film. The clues are even more connected to the film because the audience do not even know that the use of the static and the ring around are in connected with the film. This leaves the audience wanting to know more and creates a thrill about it.

The target audience for the film is a mass audience and for people who love to watch scary films. The tagline shows us that death will be a part of the film so we know that underage people are not targeted for this film. The poster does not give us key information about what is going to happen but the use of the features allows people to know that it is going to be a horror film.

The names of the actors, producers and directors are at the bottom of the poster so the audience can see if any of their favourite people are a part of this film. The names of the actors and directors are not a key selling point for the movie that is why it is small font at the bottom because usually for horror films the story line is more interesting and in most horror films there are not well known actors who are performing and it can still be very successful.

 By Olanike Adebiyi