M1 - Analyze the different approaches used in promos

Analyze the different approaches used in promos

This case-study will be discussing how purpose is created in visual promos through techniques and styles. A visual promo is a type of short video which is used to either inform, advertise, entertain or educate and uses different types of editing, mise-en-scene, cinematography and visual effects to bring meaning to a video. It will also include what these aspects connotate and the deeper meaning they bring behind a basic view of a promo. The two promos I have chosen to look into for this report are completely different from one another, but allows us to see two different perspectives to an audio-visual promo

Informative Promo

This video is a quick tutorial on how to make a fajita-style pasta dish. This is used to help inform the viewer the step-by-step directions of how to prepare and cook this food, as well as showing the order of ingredients and how long it takes to make. This promo was made by BBC Goodfoods, which is a food media company for BBC that provides recipes and cooking tips for people interested in catering. This is always done in a straightforward and formal way, which can be seen in this small cooking tutorial here.

This is all done through visuals, with a close-up view of the food being made and an off-camera hand pouring the food in. There's no context given to whose hand this is or any identity as to who they are. This works in allowing the viewer to not only focus just on what's happening with the dish, but to also imagine themselves in the perspective of making this dish themselves. Text is also used to identify the food and label what is placed in, the text itself not having much style or complexity to it. This is all done as it is because this video will most likely be watched while the viewer is cooking the food themselves, so they will need to pause or rewind to look at each step carefully. This is the same reason as to why there is no audio descriptors used, as loud cooking noises may overlap any commentary. Although there is not much detail aside from this, there is a word recipe underneath the promo that provides more detail, while the video itself is a perfect visual descriptor for what you need to do. This is probably done for people who learn via watching something play out in front of them rather than reading it.

The lighting is bright and clear, with the purpose of the viewer being able to see everything clearly with no possibly way of knowing the setting of the promo other than it's a kitchen. All of the focus has to be on the food shown, so no distracting settings, lightings or characters can be shown in the promo. The colours used consists of greys and whites, contrasting the colourful food that has to draw the viewers attention. At the same time, the video feel modern and minimalist with its setting and technology, making the aesthetic feel calming and formal. All of the cooking tools used are unbranded, meaning nothing is advertised while the promo plays. However, a small for of advertising can be connotated through the use of modern looking cooking tools, which may convince the viewer to buy something similar to what's in the video subconsciously.

You can tell this video is made for adults and experienced cooks with how the information is quickly delivered with no distractions in between or any additives that try to entertain the viewer in the process. Anyone outside of this target demographic may find this promo to be boring and too informative, which is why its only purpose as a promo is it inform.

Advertising Promo

This video is an advertisement for BBC Earth showing the content that will be seen and what the show is about, using the drama genre to make this science documentary feel dramatic. It does this by showing scenes that are presented to tell a story about how the planet was formed and how we came to existence, but also creates a story out of it that could help the general audience follow along.

The BBC is a company known for creating top-tier nature documentaries, so the audience they have built up from those would absolutely adore this series. The common imagery shown in the trailer is evidently and obviously the earth, as it will be the main focus of the show. Its importance is greatly emphasized with how prevalent it is in the promo, as well as where the whole advertisements focus is on. This can also be used for moral awareness, as climate change is a popular but important topic at the moment.

It uses a grand orchestrated soundtrack to emphasize how extraordinary this experience will be and shows visuals that could never be recreated in real life. The music helps build up both tension and excitement through a strong use of traditional singing and instruments that connotate to the audience how ancient and historic this series will be. It doesn't pause in between scenes, not giving the viewer any time to sink anything, which keeps them on their toes and excites them even more. You can tell its purpose is to advertise an educational show as it shows the many different versions of Earth before our own, using a mixture of CGI and real photography to create that connotation. However, the fast editing, low lighting, grand music and detailed visuals are used in the advert to make the series feel more serious and cinematic, which therefor leaves the viewer excited to see more. The camera also has a variety of angles and movements that allow the audience to see these historic moments with great detail and clarity.

The colours used are natural and contrasting, changing from fiery reds to icy blues. This is done to symbolize how much the earth has changed through its lifespan and makes the audience feel invested in that change through interesting visual. The lighting is as natural as the imagery, either emitting from the sun or the planet itself. No artificial light is used aside from those created within the 3D environments used to re-create history.

The audience of adults and older are shown in this promo trailer with its scientific imagery that appeals to a more scientific, older audience. It's also easy to tell the audience is older as they're the main demographic for the BBC, who are the founders and producers behind this series. This promo is an overly great advertisement that builds tension and drama through its visuals and music that draws any viewers attention.

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