Thriller Location Images

 Canted shot connotes confusion.

 Graffiti connotes corruption and seedyness.

Shabby looking, estate style shopping area connotes a bad neighbourhood.

 Wet streets are a typical convention of thrillers.

Block of flats looks run down.

 Bare trees show that the area is lifeless.

These pictures were taken at our filming location by Maddie and myself.

Analysis Of The Opening Scenes In One Upon A Time in America (1984)

The concealment of the majority of her face highlights the parts that are visible while the light reflecting off the pearl necklace is a good use of chiaroscuro.

The light of the lamp is the same colour as her clothing, this connotes that there is some kind of symbiosis between the woman and the lamp. This is further implied when the light is turned out after she is killed. The rule of thirds is also used effectively.

The angle of the shot connotes that the men are in a much more powerful position. Also, her prone body at the bottom of the shot frames the rest of the scene very well, emphasising the importance of the men. Examples of typical noir style clothing are present, as this wass the most common type of clothing at the time the film is set.

A shot of the elevator shaft with the elevator descending connotes a sense of claustrophobia. This shows that the general outlook of the film is negative as several tragic events take place in a short time at the beginning of the film.

A canted worm’s eye first person view connotes several things. For example, the canted angle of the shot shows that the person from whom the view is being taken is disoriented. Also, the very low worm’s eye shot shows the man to be much stronger and more powerful.

Briefcases are a typical aspect of thrillers, especially noir, as they connote mystery. It is impossible to know what is in a briefcase without opening it and an entire story can be based on wanting to know what is in a suitcase alone.

*Pictures aren't uploading, I'll add them later.

Preliminary Task Storyboard

 Subject 1 walking towards doors.

 Subject 1's hand pushing open door.

 Subject 2's viewpoint of Subject 1 walking through door.

 Over-the-shoulder shot of Subject 2 from Subject 1's viewpoint.

Over-the-shoulder shot of Subject 1 from Subject 2's viewpoint.

 Final shot of Subject 1 and 2.

Summary Of Ideas For Original Thriller Plan

Open with girl walking down road

Cut to girl walking into shop complex

Cut to hoodies in the middle of the way out

Cut to shot of alleyway

Cut to girl walking into alleyway

Cut to shadow across girls face

Cut to large figure at end of alleyway

Cut to figure attacking girl

Cut to hoodies running towards alleyway

Cut to figure running away

Cut to hoodies trying to help girl

Cut to figure escaping in car

Cut back to hoodies trying to help girls; sirens in the background

Cut to hoodies running away

Cut to hoodies footprint in the mud

End

Final Advert Evaluation

Several of the aspects of the advert are used to persuade potential customers to buy it. For example, the plane, which represents the customer, is shown high above the clouds. This connotes that using the product will bring success and allow the customer to experience a heightening of their social standing. Another example of this is the use of diagonals to bring the customers eyes towards the image of the product itself. The name of the product was chosen because it is a Latin word. The Latin language is commonly associated with extravagance and the upper echelons of society. This further enhances the connotation of success. The name itself has several meanings, “high, matured, great, deep, noble, ancient, old and secret”. All of these can be seen as a positive label to be associated with and therefore promotes the sense of being at the top. The combination of the name and tag, “Altus, the fragrance of success”, works because it rolls off the tongue and the tag itself highlights the selling point that the product will improve the customers’ life.

The advert would have been impossible had the aeroplane not been invented in the early 20th century. Nor would I have been able to get a sufficient picture of it if the capability of zooming in to take a picture was possible. The use of a digital camera made the taking and editing of the picture a much easier process while the Photoshop program allowed editing to become an extremely simple task.

In global media, the use of digital cameras allow for pictures to be taken in quick succession which mean that more can be captured. Photoshop gives the opportunity to edit a picture to alter its meaning or remove anything that may cause detriment to the pictures meaning. Unfortunately, this has also allowed pictures to be altered so much that things look completely different to the original image. This offers a skewed representation of what many people see as something they should aspire to. Also, the knowledge of how to use Photoshop means that people no longer see the magic of a picture which means that it takes more effort to make an advert that suitably interests potential customers.

The Internet and blogging allow anyone to express their opinions on anything. Therefore, anyone with similar ideas to another can communicate and express themselves in ways that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. However, blogging can cause problems when someone with radically alternative views tries to sway people to see things in the same way as them and could lead to serious consequences.

The target audience of my product is the higher tiers of society. Aspirers, who want to feel they are at the top will consider the product an aid towards reaching the top, and Achievers, who are at the top and want to reinforce their social standing, are the primary target groups. As a result of this, the target group will fall into the A and B social groups, and will mostly be 30 plus.

The ideology behind the advert spurs from the connection of flying and succeeding, which is utilised in the plane flying high above the clouds. The best places to place the advert in order that the target audience see it are business districts of larger cities and on public transport going towards these areas. Another good place to put the advert is on billboards in major cities and on key motorways and roads. This will allow prospective customers to see the advert without having to go out of their way and will mean that there will be more time to buy the product without sacrificing time that could be spent improving their standard of living, in the case of aspirers, or maintaining it, for achievers.

Analysis of The Third Man (1949)

The opening title sequence of The Third Man is very unique in its establishment of the location of the film. The credits are shown in front of an Austrian instrument, a Zither. This shows that the film is set in Austria. The long running time of the opening credits is because people, at the time, used them to settle down for the film by taking off their outdoor jackets or hats. If is was not evident to the viewer that the film was set in Austria, a voiceover talks about how much the location, Vienna, has changed since the beginning of the war. The bombed out and destroyed buildings highlight the feeling of hopelessness that was felt in the city at the time. The ruins of Vienna also provide some very original shots throughout the film. The voiceover describes pre-war Vienna as “glamorous” and “full of easy charm”. As the film progresses, we see that the main antagonist, Harry Lime (Orson Welles), could also be described in this way.

The film starts with the main protagonist, Holly Martin (Joseph Cotton), arriving in Vienna, knowing very little about why he is there or what he is supposed to be doing. As he goes to where he has been told to by his old friend, Lime, he casually walks under a ladder. While this connotes that the film will be full of bad luck for him, it as it the first case of a series of black comedy moments that pop up through the entire film. When Holly arrives at his destination, a hotel, he meets the caretaker. As Holly doesn’t speak German, and the caretaker has only a limited grasp of English, their conversation is very confused. This sense of confusion becomes a key theme in the film and correctly represents post-war Vienna, which was being policed by multiple nations, speaking several different languages.

The tilted shots used for most of the film add to the confusion and give a surreal sense to what is happening. The repetition of low-angle shots connote that Holly doesn’t really know what is going on and that he is powerless. Character introduction is another key aspect of the film. When Holly is arguing with the caretaker, a ball randomly bounces past them, then the camera switches to a shot of the stairway. A hand appears in the door before the small boy is shown peeking round the corner of the door. This creepy way of introducing the character gives an indication that the character will later become an annoyance. The child later becomes a sprite-like character, leading a mob of people after Holly in a chase through Vienna. The use of lighting to make the boy’s shadow appear on large walls also adds to the devilishness of the boy. Another character introduction is the introduction of Harry Lime. He is shown hiding in the shadows, only revealed when Holly sees a cat rubbing against his legs. When Holly shines a light on him it only reveals his legs, leaving the rest of his body in shadows. This connotes that Lime is a very shady character, capable of slipping away into the darkness.

There are several chase scenes throughout the film and it is implied that the ruined city of Vienna and its sewer system are similar to labyrinths with their long, winding, dark alleyways and roads. This continued use of case scenes can bring the film together to show that everything is somehow linked. Another use of repetition is the funeral scene at the end of the film. Much like the beginning of the film, it is Harry Lime’s funeral. The second funeral follows the first almost identically which shows that the story has come full circle and that no one is any better of than they were at the beginning.

Analysis of Essex Boys (2000)

The beginning of Essex Boys is primarily about showing the audience where it is set. It also gives an indication as to what the main characters are like and who they should associate themselves with. This character alignment is achieved by a short voiceover by the main character, Billy (Charlie Creed-Miles). This allows the audience to connect with him and see this world through his eyes. This character is shown to be relatively innocent and naïve, at least in contrast to other characters in the film. The second character introduced in shown to be completely by debuting him through a dirty car window. This connotes the bad guy image of Jason (Sean Bean) which if further highlighted by his attire, slightly extravagant, and his actions, kidnapping a man, beating him up, and ditching him in the middle of nowhere. This location also serves as a window into the life of Jason, morally vacant and desolate.

The general location of the film, Essex, is established by several cultural signifiers, i.e. roads and signs. The accents of the characters are also used to show where the film is set. The white van adds to the mysterious quality of Jason as it implies that anything could happen in the back and no one would know. This compliments Bean’s character’s unpredictable nature. The dreariness of the locations and implied behaviour of the characters shows that the film is a crime thriller in just the opening scenes.

Final Advert

Target Audience

The target audience of my product people who either have or want a sense of achievement. This includes, those in classifications A and B, as well as aspirers and achievers. Aspirers will feel that using the product will push them higher in life and will associate it with being achievers. This is because the plane is thousands of feet in the sky and connotes success. It is also aimed at achievers. These people are already at the top so they don't need to use a product that makes them feel higher. Instead, they want it because it reaffirms their status at the top. Similarly to this, it will also interest esteem seekers and strivers, according to the Insight Value Group scale. Both groups will be attracted to it due to the symbol of status that the product has. The advert appeals to the self-actualisation level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as it can boost self-esteem, self confidence and will make people who use the product feel like they are respected more.

Title Font

Casablanca SF - There is a very elegant feel to this font and could work very well in grabbing the eye of a potential customer.

Delphi SF - This font is too extravagant as it is only in capitals. This would be too demanding on the eyes and would make the viewer lose interest quicker.

Onyx - This font is too small and would therefore be harder to read.

Seabird Light SF - This font also has an elegant quality and it has the potential to stand out from other adverts. 

Wicker SF - This font is too similar to Times New Roman, a very common font. This may lead to the product being seen as common and therefore unworthy of being bought.

Zanzibar SF - This font is very similar to Casablanca SF except that it is smaller.

Choosing A Picture For A Perfume/Fragrance Advert

While this looks aesthetically pleasing due to the cloud framing the image, there is nothing else to the picture and it conveys no meanings. If the picture was added to, it may be able to convey something.

The picture is too dark and is too gloomy for a perfume/fragrance advertisement. If the picture was brighter and more colourful, it may be more appropriate.

It is lighter in this picture than the previous one but it still doesn’t have any of the typical conventions of an advert for perfume/fragrance. The lamppost also makes the picture look very plain and too much like real life for a product that people buy to make themselves seem more glamorous.

There is very little in this picture due to the lack of anything in this picture. However, the plane could signify being at the top and would work very well for a product aimed at aspirers or achievers.

This final picture has a good basis, and the model’s action of moving towards the camera gives it a good touch but the background is completely different to what is usually expected from an advert for a luxury product.

*Some pictures aren't uploading so I'll do them later.

Advert Analysis 3

This advert has several parts that stand out to entice the customers into buying it by using connotations to make the customer want to feel like the model in the advert.

For example, the shininess of the perfume bottle connotes elegance. It is reflecting the light from behind the model which makes her seem mystical. The windswept look of her hair connotes glamour and sexiness. The glow of her skin makes her look even more glamorous and connotes that if you use this product you will have beautiful skin. The use of rule of thirds is present and the eye is drawn to the product because of its placing. The woman is staring out of the advert which connotes dominance. The use of chiaroscuro shows the contrasts between light and dark. Also, the positioning of the woman connotes that she represents innocence while the perfume allows you to access your dark/wild side. The nakedness of the model implies that the perfume is all you need to wear to look and feel sexy. The name of the perfume also sounds mystical.

Analysis Of Aspects Of The Thriller Genre In Peter Weir's Witness (1985)

The Amish boy's naivety is shown when he asks his mother what the water fountain is. His mother then shows her relative naivety by allowing him to wander off in a large public place. The boy sees a man that is wearing clothes similar to him and approaches. When he realises that the man is not part of his culture he seems confused and slightly out of his depth.

In a new scene the mother allows her son to go into the men's bathroom alone. This is another example of naivety/innocence. The bathroom is very dirty which connotes the corruption in the city. The Amish boy then witnesses the murder of a man in the bathroom by two others. The shot of his eye through the crack in the door connotes claustrophobia. When the boy makes an involuntary noise, one of the murders hears it and checks the cubicles. A sense of desperation overwhelms the boy as the murderer gets nearer. The boy manages to crawl under the wall just in time. The expression on the boys face is one of fear. The next scene opens with a shot of some handcuffs on a policewoman's belt. This tells us that the law has arrived. The use of low angled shots may connote that the film is from the boys perspective.

We then go to the mother and son being taken to a suspect by the police. The streets are very dark and wet which is another common aspect of noir thrillers. Chiaroscuro is also used. The location of the subject is a packed bar. This is another use of claustrophobia and little lighting. When the they are taken to the Inspectors sisters house to make sure they stay in the city, we find out that she has a man with her. This contrast of rigid Amish beliefs about sex and marriage and an unmarried women spending the night with a man highlight the differences between the two cultures. The Inspectors sister also shows some dislike for the Amish culture through her response to the mother acknowledging their beliefs.

The boy is asked to look at a lineup through a very dirty window which is a thired example of using dirt to connote the corruption present in the city. A second example of the differences between the Amish culture and everyone else is shown when they pray before eating while Harrison Fords character just eats it. When in the police station, a closeup shot is used to establish that the murderer is actually a police officer. Another key aspect of thriller films used is the underground car park scene. The loneliness of the the cark park and the elevator show that something bad is probably going to happen. The shootout with the corrupt police officer confirms this. This scene also indicates that the corruption runs deeper in the department as Book (Harrison Ford) had only told his superior. The barren landscapes in the Amish community enhances the feeling of emptiness and desolation.

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Analysis Of Advert #2

The contrasting halves of black and white connote the battle between good and evil, showing that use of the product is good (innocent) and bad (naughty) at the same time. The use of foreign words makes the product seem elegant and exotic. The use of a location relates the product to that place to gain some of its respect. By showing that it has won an award, the audience knows that the product is good.

Student Questionnaire

My name is Dan. I got 12 GCSE grades A-C including B’s in English and English Literature. I got my only A in History. I spend most of my time listening to music, playing sports or with friends.

Print Media:
I don’t regularly read newspapers but I will try to read an article if I am told there is something interesting in it. I have never taken to reading newspapers because I have limited access to them. I don’t look at magazines for the same reason.

Radio Media:
I used to listen to several radio shows on Virgin Radio. I listened to The Geoff Show and The Sunday Night Show with Iain Lee almost every week. After the radio station changed its name to Absolute Radio and the times of the radio programmes, I listened to them less frequently until I stopped completely. I tend not to listen to any other radio stations as I don’t really like the music played.

Music Industry:
I have a very wide taste in music genres but I mainly listen to post-grunge, symphonic metal and melodic metalcore. I used to play guitar and drums but I stopped as I didn’t think was good enough to be in a band. I get most of my music through Spotify, Youtube or CDs bought online. I think that downloading music illegally from the internet is a waste of time as the sound quality is usually terrible and it can take a long time to download or let a virus onto your computer. I believe that the music industry can affect some peoples attitudes and aspirations positively or negatively.

Video Games:
I don't have a specific favourite but I do enjoy playing Uncharted and Uncharted 2. The games use of long, cinematic scenes give it a sense of being as much about the story as it is about the gameplay. It also includes various comedic references and scenes, as well as the main character making sarcastic comments throughout gameplay if the player makes a mistake.

Most action-based video games are about a man who who has to use a lot of violence to solve his problems. Some activists think that violent video games should be banned because of stories that surface about "a troubled teenager who goes on a murderous rampage and then blames it on a video game". I think blaming violence on video games is a cheap way of excusing the someone who has done something wrong and then tried to think of a way to get out of the punishment. For the majority of people, playing video games actually allows them to release feelings that could potentially cause social problems.

New Technology:
A large amount of new technology available globally has allowed the entire world to come together and lets people keep up with news, friends and family even when they are hundreds or thousands of miles away. Technology lets me do many things. It lets me keep in contact with family members who live far away and friends if I haven't seen them for a while. I often use BBC iPlayer or 4oD to catch up on any tv programmes that I have missed and use Spotify to listen to music.

Television:
My favourite TV channels are BBC1, Virgin1, Sky1, Bravo and Sky Sports News. I think that the first four have several interesting programmes while SSN allows me to keep up with everything in the sporting world. My favourite TV genres are comedy panel shows and sitcoms because I tend to watch TV to wind down. However, I find that no shows are able to to keep me interested in the long term as I can't think of any shows that I would call memorable.

Feature Film:
While I tend to watch mostly comedy or action films, I think it is because I watch films based on who is in them rather than what critics say about them. A film that I consider as one of the best ever is Die Hard. It is an action film that took two relatively unkown actors (Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman) and catapulted them into stardom and resulted in both of them appearing in several major films over the last 20 years. The film is set in a skyscraper on Christmas Eve that is besieged by a group of German terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (Rickman) who want to steal the millions of dollars of bearer bonds inside a virtually uncrackable safe. Unbeknownst to them, NYC cop, John McClane (Willis), is also in the building. As he tries to inform the authorities of the threat, he is discovered and chaos ensues as the terrorists try to capture McClane, he tries to kill all of the terrorists and the bumbling police/FBI team outside try to resolve the conflict. The film also contains many features now considered classics, such as the main characters catchphrase "Yippee kai yay, motherf***er" and Gruber's slow motion fall from the building. The film contains many uses of music, diegetic and non-diegetic, to enhance the scene. For example, Ode To Joy, the classical piece by Beethoven, is used as a recurring theme for Gruber and his associates. Also, as the film is set around the christmas period, sleigh bells are used throughout as well as Winter Wonderland and Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Another film that I would call a classic is Some Like It Hot. The 1959 film stars Tony Curtis, who unfortunately died shortly before finished writing this, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe. It is about a pair of struggling musicians who witness a gang murder, similar to the St. Valentines Day Massacre, who escape to Florida dresed as women in an all-girl musical band. Also in the band is Sugar (Monroe), also escaping her past life, who becomes the love interest of Joe/Josephine (Curtis). Jerry/Daphne (Lemmon) also becomes the target of an admirer, in the form of eccentric millionaire, Osgood Fielding II, much to his annoyance. In an effort to woo Sugar, Joe adopts another alter-ego, Junior, heir to the Shell Oil company. Daphne is eventually convinced by Osgood to marry him. When things finally start to look good for Joe and Jerry, the gangsters arrive and the pair must try to escape without being caught. After several comedic chases, the duo escape down to the pier to Osgood, who is waiting for them. Having realised that Josephine and Junior are the same person, Sugar also goes to the pier and leaves with them.

While generally considered a comedy film, it also has aspects of romantic and gangster films. It was one of few films that went against the censorship rules at the time and contributed to its removal. The film also contains several songs sung by Monroe's character, Sugar. These fit into the plot well as the characters are portraying members of an all-girl musical band in an effort to hide from the gangsters. The film is generally considered a comedy classic and achieved first place on the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Laughs list as well as placing 14th on the AFI 100 Years... 100 Quotes with the final line of the film, after the main characters have escaped with Daphne/Jerry's (Lemmon) millionaire admirer, Osgood Fielding III, who proposed to Daphne earlier in the film, Jerry desperately tries to convince Osgood that they cannot marry before giving up and revealing he is actually a man, Osgood simply replies, "Well, nobody's perfect".

Most films I watch are on TV or a DVD played on my PS3. I used to regularly go to the cinema but have only been a handful of times in the past few years. I don't have a favourite cinema as I haven't been to one for a almost a year, but I used to go to Hollywood Cinema in Anglia Square often. I don't have a preference for watching films alone or in a group as I've done a mixture of both.

Conclusion:
I dislike the majority of mainstream "popular" music acts because I see them as generic and unoriginal. I also think the use of technology to alter voices is wrong and often sounds worse than the artists normal voice. There isn't anything in the media that stands out as altering my attitude towards anything as I tend not to go with the popular opinion but rather choose my own based on my experiences. If I were asked to create a media text to inform people about something I deem important, I would use an online article as it would be the easiest to access to a large number of people. I chose to do Media Studies as I am interested in some aspects of the media industry and wanted to find out more about those aspects.

Advert Analysis

The name of the product is very prominent which means that the eye is drawn to it. Also, the light shining onto the pizza connotes a godliness which makes it look tasty. The use of several colours excites the senses which triggers the desire for food. The garlic butter oozing out of the product name connotes that it really is completely filled with it. The stretchiness of the cheese connotes that the pizza brings you closer together or keeps you from falling apart. The presence of so many different types of food with such a wide variety of flavours connotes that all of the flavours work together to create the ultimate taste. The bubble effect of the font connotes the roundness of the pizza and the butter-filled crust.

Film Noir and Femme Fatale

Film Noir, or Black Cinema, is a term coined by French critics to refer to the films coming out of America after the Second World War when films became a lot darker and rarely had an optimistic ending. The films reflected the tension and insecurity felt by many in that time period.

It is not technically a genre but is a tone of film. It also refers to the films made in the decade after the Second World War and the name didn’t become known until the period had ended.

Noir films were usually centred on a cynical, disillusioned male who encountered a beautiful and seductive femme fatale. She would use her feminine wiles to manipulate him, usually into becoming a fall guy for a crime. After a betrayal, she would frequently be destroyed, but often at the cost of the hero’s life.

Primary Characteristics and Conventions of Film Noir: Themes and Styles

The primary moods portrayed in noir films were melancholy, pessimism, moral corruption, paranoia and guilt. Heroes were usually conflicted detectives, gangsters, government agents or killers. They were often morally-ambiguous low-lifes from the dark and gloomy underworld of violent crime and corruption. They may also have been cynical, obsessive, menacing, disillusioned, struggling to survive – and in the end, ultimately losing.

Storylines tended to be non-linear and twisting. Narratives were maze-like and complex, witty and using flashbacks. Amnesia suffered by the protagonist was a common plot device, as was the downfall of an innocent Everyman who fell victim to temptation or was framed. Revelations regarding the hero were made to explain/justify the hero’s own cynical perspective on life.

Film Noir films typically showed the dark and inhumane side of human nature and emphasises the brutal, shadowy and sadistic sides of human experience. An oppressive atmosphere on dingy realism and fatalistic expectation of defeat and entrapment were also stylised characteristics of Film Noir.

Film Noir films were visually marked by disorienting visual schemes, jarring editing and circling cigarette smoke. Settings were often interiors with low-key lighting, Venetian-blinded windows with claustrophobic and gloomy appearances. Exteriors were often urban night scenes with deep shadows, wet asphalt and dark alleyways.

Femme Fatales in Film Noir:

The females in film noir were either of two types (or archetypes) - dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving women; or femmes fatales - mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women. Usually, the male protagonist in film noir wished to elude his mysterious past, and had to choose what path to take (or have the fateful choice made for him).
Invariably, the choice would be an overly ambitious one, to follow the dangerous but desirable wishes of these dames. It would be to pursue the goadings of a traitorous, self-destructive femme fatale who would lead the struggling, disillusioned, and doomed hero into committing murder or some other crime of passion coupled with twisted love. When the major character was a detective or private eye, he would become embroiled and trapped in an increasingly-complex, convoluted case that would lead to fatalistic, suffocating evidences of corruption, irresistible love and death. The femme fatale, who had also transgressed societal norms with her independent and smart, menacing actions, would bring both of them to a downfall.

"The Film Industry Is A Hit-Driven Industry"

This statement can be proved by several different reasons. The first is that a director of a successful film will be associated with quality films and will go on to be involved with other hit films. For example, since James Cameron directed The Terminator in 1984, he has gone on to direct five other award-winning films, including Avatar and Titanic, the two highest grossing films of all time.

Another reason is that successful films often have a large profit. Part of this profit can then be put forward to fund another film. This means that the next film has a lot of funding behind it and can afford better actors, CGI and marketing. Films that are made by the same company as a previously successful film can also be marketed as “from the makers of …”. This links the film to a commercially successful film and the producers behind it will hope that the first films success will rub off onto the second film.

A third point proving the above statement as true is formulaic filming. Films that are commercially successful, such as Shaun Of The Dead, which was eventually succeeded by Hot Fuzz, a film with an almost identical cast and a plot with several similar scenes or plotlines. These films usually achieve similar success or, in the case of Hot Fuzz, make even more. One reason that these films continue to make money is that the similarity between the films will allow the viewer to feel more connected to the story. Also, the use of the same cast ties in with using the profits of a previous film and the same production team.

Films that recieve a lot of publicity, whether its good or bad, will often do well at the box office. For example, The Dark Knight began to be featured in a large number of news articles due to the untimely death of Heath Ledger. This sombre news may have been an influenicing factor in the film becoming the seventh highest-grossing of all time. Another factor that may have caused it, and others, to become hits is that it is a sequel. Sequels are almost always hyped more than their predecessor and also have the advantage of being seen because people liked the previous one. To show how well a sequel often does, just take a look at the All Time Worldwide Highest-Grossing Films List on the imdb website. It shows that 26 of the top 50 films are sequels and a further ten eventually spawned sequels of their own.

Of course, not all films that do well have had all of the factors previously considered. One of the main points of making a film is to allow the viewer to enjoy the directors work. Some films that only achieve minimal success in cinemas go on to become cult hits which sold a large number of DVDs and videos. While these films are largely ingnored by mainstream media, they are often revered by collectors and hailed by many film critics as the true greatest films of all time.