Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Ancillary Product #2: Magazine Article Research // Adventure, Sci-fi

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

In the analysis below, I've described how the use of grey tones is important in conveying the sci-fi genre since it is a colour often prescribed a futuristic connotation. The symbol in the background is the mark of the Capitol, a leading body, similar to a corrupt government. The inclusion of this unknown symbol reinforces our reading that it is a sci-fi film because it is a symbol not used in today's society so can only be relevant to a future world/ different world. Furthermore, the characters' costumes are similar to wetsuits, however they are minorly different in the way they are universally the same. The texture is unusual. Often we prescribe unusual costume/ appearance/ film sets with the sci-fi genre because sci-fi films deal with unusual things. Therefore the sci-fi genre is further reinforced through the costume.

By including the former review of the first Hunger Games, the reader is made aware of the fact that both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire are linked together. Fans of the book and the first film will be aware that that film comes under the adventure genre. Including the first review will mean that the reader will come to understand that as a follow on from the first film, Cathing Fire will similarly be an action film.

The picture presents Katniss Everdeen as subverting the feminine stereotype. As we see, Katniss is wearing the same costume as Peeta showing that the two are equal. However we also find that she is standing further forward, implying she is the most important character in the film and that as a result, she is more critical to the plot and thus more powerful than Peeta. This shows she is subverting the feminine stereotype because conventionally women would have been seen as inferior to men. Moreover, Katniss' hair is tied back in a plait, connoting practicality, which is a stereotypically masculine attribute. This reinforces the reading that she subverts the feminine stereotype. As discussed, Peeta stands back from Katniss implying he is inferior, showing he subverts the masculine stereotype.

Both characters stand defiantly together, suggesting that they are are part of a great cause. Defiance implies the characters are courageous and have strong will which is often found and explored in adventure films. The lighting behind them, making it appear as if they are in the sky, suggests they must be the protagonists for the light is a sign of hope. It is conventional for film articles to use bright light to give the reading that the characters are the protagonists and a dark filter to imply that either the characters are the antagonists and/or that the film is dark and twisted.

Since there are no horrific images of violence or pain we can assume that the article is aimed at young adults/ a 12+ audience.







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