Short Poster Analysis: Smafuglar/Two Birds (2008)

The first feature that is seen as a part of this film poster is the closeup over the shoulder shot of the boy. The amount of space left around him, especially as he is within close proximity to the girl, may imply themes of entrapment and/or protection and innocence. The overall colour scheme is quite pale and neutral, which may further support the implication of themes surround purity and innocence. The large amount of skin tone seen throughout the poster might suggest coming of age issues and themes also, especially as the two characters are pictured within close proximity. Already from the poster, the reader may be able to tell the protagonist as the shallow focus excludes the girl and draws focus towards the male character instead. It may also be interpreted through the similarity in appearance of both characters, that it is a reflection in a mirror. This might support Lacan's mirror stage theory of the child becoming aware of their appearance, thus connoting further issues surrounding coming of age. From the poster alone, the reader may be able to infer that the producer has chosen to represent age and perhaps sexuality and gender, through the characters, issues and themes that are implied through the image.

The poster leaves some negative space, in which feature film posters usually use to place text. This example uses the girl's shoulder, in which there is a solid background which allows the information about the film to be seen without the overall page looking cluttered. Furthermore, there is a border left around the edge of the image, in which there is no text or other graphics. This almost detaches the audience from the moment captured by the still, allowing them to look at it and attach different meaning to it, perhaps in a nostalgic sense, as it almost looks like a framed photograph.

The varying sizes and colouring of the text implies a hierarchy or an order in which the reader is likely to consume. The title is the largest and takes up the entire width of the image, and touches the border, so that it looks like it has been cut off, as it is the same colour. This may emphasise the closeup of the boy in the image, and serves a purpose to support the themes connoted earlier on by the image, of incarceration and/or protection. The title is the palest colour, which might imply innocence as well. The director's credit is the next largest and is grey in colour. This contrasts to the white title, and gives those who know the director by their name a reason for wanting to see the film. This might suggest that short film directors are interested in being recognised for their name, style and work as a collective as opposed to one well known text. The smallest writing in the poster is that of he billing block. It is unconventional because it challenges the stereotypical billing block used in feature film posters, in that the font used is larger and more spaced out. This possibly holds the purpose of giving the cast and crew a bigger credit as a whole, as it is easier to read and recognise amongst the other writing.

Considering what is placed on the poster helps to identify the context it which it was created. The absence of a tag line might prompt readers to ask questions about the narrative. Meanwhile, the lack of film festival laurel leaves suggests that the poster was used whilst attending such events, as a first release of the poster. Therefore, it may have been included in the electronic press kit for the release of the film overall. Furthermore, the dimensions suggest a portrait orientation within a magazine, or perhaps on a wall as an advertisement, or poster spaces that cater for portrait dimensions, such as at a bus stop.