Poster Analysis: The Conjuring

This poster conveys the film's narrative image by showing only dark and gloomy colours, with an almost spotlight look alike shining down on the rocking chair with a woman holding a doll that is looking directly at the viewer. This shows that the doll is a narrative and iconic image towards the movie, and with the title it displays a sentence of "based on the true case files of the warrens" which will stand out to viewers as it will be based on a true story, appealing to viewers as it will add to the thrilling of the story knowing that it is based on something that really happened. The image also shows the woman on a rocking chair in a white room with darkness surrounding her, representing insanity and adding to the thrilling feeling.

The film title is "The Conjuring". The Conjuring as a word means to summon an evil spirit or evoke it with a supernatural power. This already represents the genre to the viewer of the poster, showing that it will not be a rom-com or a love film, but will be a thriller/horror. It also represents the narrative, showing there will be supernatural happenings within the film, which will appeal and stand out to psychological thrillers.

The image of this poster is one layer, and it is surrounded by darkness on the outside, with a lighting on the woman and the doll. This could be done to enhance the fear to people, and it could also be done to raise questions. Such questions that may be raised on the poster are:
Who is the doll?
Has the doll been "conjured"?
Who is the woman holding her?
What happened to the Warrens?
Will it end good or bad?
The iconic image is also well represented of the genre, as it simply shows that the film will be a psychological thriller, instead of a horror, as there is no blood or gore involved, or anybody screaming which could represent the horror genre. From these two posters, you can differentiate the genres well.

The differences are clear, as The Conjuring gives you more of a spooky and chilling feeling, whereas the Saw poster gives you more of a horrifying feeling. This is from the blood shown and the fragmentation of the arm that has obviously been cut off, representing the title of "Saw".

This is taken from the poster of the two main stars, who are Vera Famiga and Patrick Wilson. Both these characters will stand out for the film as even though their faces are not shown, they are well known actors for being in this genre of film. Patrick Wilson is well known for Insidious and Hard Candy, whereas Vera Famiga is well known for Safe House and The Departed, which are psychological thrillers. 

The movie's tag line is "based on the true case files of the Warrens", which will also scare people and add to the fear. This may even have the effect on people to search up The Warren's case file before or after seeing the film.

The credit lines tell us that James Wan directed the film, and is a James Wan production. James Wan is well known for these film productions:

This shows what type of films to expect of James Wan's productions, and they are usually psychological thrillers or horrors. 

I feel the main appeal to the film poster about the film is the tag-line, which is about the film being based on true events. This is because I feel it will stand out the more than any other aspect. Another main appeal could be the main image, as it has a doll in which looks sinister, which shows the film poster and the film going against the idea of dolls being children's toys, and instead shows innocence being prevailed into something evil, that has been "conjured". 

I feel the target audience will be 20-30, as I think the doll will encourage young parents to see it as the doll could remind them of their own children's toys. It will also be a mixed gender audience, as both main stars are female and male, with both being protagonists, and representing a "heroic" image. The audience will also enjoy psychological thrillers and horrors, such as other productions of James Wan, like Insidious and Saw. This could also be the producers main target audience, as they state at the top of the film poster, "from the director of Saw and Insidious", which shows them trying to appeal to an audience who have seen this film. 

It's unique selling point will be the fact that it is based on a true story, which is the film's high concept, as it is unlikely for films to be based on true events, and if they are, they appeal greatly to an audience. Other psychological thrillers that have done this are Megan is missing and The Exorcism of Emily Rose.