Tammy film poster Analysis

Does it contain standard poster features?

The film poster uses a star name (Melissa McCarthy) as a USP. Melissa McCarthy is a well known comedy actress, appearing in “The Heat” and “Bridesmaids”, so her appearance on the poster connotes comedy.

The tagline “She hit the road. The road hit back.” also connotes comedy because it implies some form of slapstick in the film.

The credit block appears at the bottom of the poster.

The producer/director name isn’t mentioned on the poster or the release date of the film.

The setting used is a diner, this social setting is a typical convention of comedy films. It’s presence on the main film poster also connotes that it’s an important part in the film.

What are the main colours used? What do they connote?

There is a variety of bright colours used on the poster, this suggests a feel-good or comedy film because the colours aren’t oppressive or dark.

The red used on the title makes the title more bold and could connote some danger, however because the film is comedy it is more likely to be slapstick or dark comedy. The paper bag and the prop in the characters hand (which appears to be a gun) also connotes danger because they could be used for a robbery.

The bright yellow sign is used to bring the diner to the forefront of the viewers mind, it shows that this could be an important location in the film. The character featured in the foreground of the images is wearing darker colours compared to the rest of the poster, the darker colours connote low wealth because people are more likely to wear brighter and less slob-like clothing if they are richer.

What symbols are used? Does the audience need foreknowledge to decode them?

The paper bag that the character wears has appeared in the trailer, the scene they were featured in was a robbery. The audience might have needed to see the film trailer to make the link between that and the props used on the poster.

The tagline also links to the film trailer because the trailer shows the character going on a road trip with her grandmother, so the audience may need to see the trailer to fully understand the reference.

Are the messages primarily visual, verbal or both?

Primarily the messages in the poster are verbal. The tagline is one of the verbal messages in the poster, it connotes that the film may feature some form of slapstick comedy because of a road trip.

The main visual message in the poster is the colours used. They are generally bold and bright and draw attention to the poster, the colours suggest that this is a comedy film because the colour palette isn’t dark. The bright colours connote a feel-good film.

What are the main figures/ objects / background?

All of the images used are represented photographically, which suggests that the film takes place in the present and doesn’t feature any exotic locations as we would expect these to be represented graphically.

Another visual message we see is the clothing that Tammy wears, it stands out and suggests that it’s key in the film. The fact that the shirt has a design on it suggests it’s important because it grabs the audiences attention.

The diner featured in the background uses bright colours like red and yellow to draw the viewers focus on it, this shows that it’s likely to be important in the film.

The main figure of the poster is Tammy, the main character. We see her in the forefront of the image because the film will be centred around her – she is key to the film and is presented at the front because she needs to appeal to the audience in order for them to watch the film.

The main object featured on the poster is the fast food bags on Tammy’s head and around her hand in the shape of a gun. The props connote some sort of crime and because they are featured on the main poster it suggests that it will be a main event in the film.

Who is the intended audience?

The intended audience appear to be fans of Melissa McCarthy’s work because her name appears in bold on the poster. It’s very prominent which suggests that her fans are some of the main audience.

As the lead of the film, Tammy, is a woman one of the intended audiences is likely to be women. A female lead is more likely to appeal to women so they are possibly one of the intended audiences.

Melissa McCarthy is known for her work in comedy, as her name appears in bold at the top of the poster one of the intended audiences are likely to be comedy fans as that is the genre she is known for.

Poster Persuasive Devices• What genre conventions are there?• The diner featured in the background of the poster is a convention of the genre. Comedy films often take

place in social settings where the main character is likely to be embarrassed or humiliated in front of an audience. The poster also uses natural lighting which is another convention used in comedy films because it creates a realistic environment. The props used in the main poster, i.e. the gun, are also conventions of comedy because the main character is likely to use objects which they could hurt themselves with, the props are used for slapstick purposes. The facial expression Tammy uses on the poster also seems slightly intimidating which could suggest confidence, comedy character often have traits that set them apart from ‘normal’ people – like overconfidence. The gestures she uses is also a convention of slapstick as those films often use hand gestures as a part of physical comedy.

• Is a star used as a USP?• Yes, Melissa McCarthy’s name has appeared in bold at the top of the poster. The fact that is grabs the

viewers attention shows that she is a USP of the film. This is likely to be because she has appeared in many comedy films and having her name on the film poster would draw in fans of her work.

Poster Persuasive Devices. • Are “expert witnesses” quoted?• There are no quotes on the poster, however the film features a well known actress so the poster might not

have needed reviewer quotes to help sell the film. • What pleasures are promised?• The film promises comedy, the hints of slapstick and the appearance of Melissa McCarthy (who is well

known for humour) show that the film will be a comedy. Along with this, the comedy also promises the audience a feel-good movie as it will make them laugh.

• How is attention gained?• Attention is gained through a familiar face on the poster. McCarthy is well known for comedy, people will

recognise her as a comedy actress featuring in a film that is likely to be comedic. Humour is also used to get attention, Tammy is wearing a food bag over her head and hand. This could be funny because she is wearing what people would consider to be rubbish, her facial expression and hand gestures also add to the physical comedy in the poster and connote slapstick humour.

• How does the tagline work? • The tagline works because it is humorous, “She hit the road. The road hit back.” shows that it will be some

form of journey. The film is a comedy and this ‘journey’ is likely to be funny and this will intrigue an audience. The road “hit back” suggests slapstick which makes more people want to watch the film as we know Tammy will encounter, presumably funny, hardships.

Critical Evaluation• Is it a good poster? • Overall the poster is good because it’s use of colours and large fonts make it interesting to look at and easy

to read. The clearness of the title, tagline and actor make the poster bold and more interesting because there is a lot to look at. There isn’t an overwhelming amount of objects in the poster, the simplicity of it makes it more appealing because there are a few bold objects to grab the viewers attention. The poster also uses conventions of the comedy genre – making it clear what sort of film it is and therefore attracting fans of that genre.

• Does it communicate effectively with the audience?• Yes because it conveys the genre clearly and also parts of the plotline, without revealing too much about

the film. • Are there any alternative readings which might harm the marketing message? • The gun used may connote violence to some people because (as it appears on the main poster) people

may think that violence is a key part of the film and may make them more reluctant to watch it. • Is it offensive? • There don’t appear to be any offensive messages on the poster or from the objects used in the poster, so

people aren’t likely to find it offensive.