Media Language
The banner poster for Skyfall is predominantly monochromatic, utilising only black and white for the background and clothes. This gives the effect of appearing striking as a poster, making it eye-catching without the need for it to be colourful. The white background allows for the things in front of it to appear bolder, such as the iconography of the 007, as well as the main cast themselves due to being dressed in mostly black, and this therefore creates contrast, heightening visibility. Furthermore, while almost half of the 007 is obscured by the cast standing in front of it, it remains recognisable to the audience due to the specific positioning of the actors and the general iconicity of the logo itself. Also, arguably the most recognisable part of the logo, the add-on that forms the gun with the 7, isn't obscured at all and fills the empty space above the film title. Therefore this means that even at a glance Skyfall can be recognised as a Bond film.
Representation
Three out of the four actors that appear on this poster are white, with Naomie Harris being the only person of colour featured. However, it does have an equal amount of men to women, with their positioning on the poster not connoting any obvious hierarchy of significance. Craig is dressed in a suit, portraying Bond the way he does in every movie, smart and professional. His posture indicates a certain readiness, further exemplified by the gun in his right hand. Severine, played by Marlohe is posed in a confident and purposefully alluring way, with the dress she is wearing accentuating her figure. This can be seen through the semi transparent material used on the sides of her legs and torso, as well as the absence of material at all on her upper chest. Through this, Severine is constructed to be a target of the male gaze, especially due to her role in the movie being the Bond girl. Conversely, Harris is dressed in a shirt, jacket and black trousers, which doesn't sexualise her the way Marlohe has been. Her stance is similar to that of Bond's, suggesting she could act as a counterpart to him within the film. Bardem plays Raoul Silva, the primary antagonist of the movie, and is dressed more casually than Bond, with black trousers, a jumper and a leather trench coat. Because he is faced directly towards the camera, a direct mode of address is utilised in order to make him appear more menacing. It is also important to note that all the characters carry a gun save for Severine, which could paint her as a stereotypical weaker female character, or one that needs to be saved by others.
Audience
As the film's main genre is spy/thriller, its target audience would consist of predominantly men. This is due to the main character, Bond, encompassing stereotypically ideal male traits such as seriousness, bravery and athleticism. This audience is also targeted through the inclusion of the Bond girl. While her role usually varies from film to film, the Bond girl is always conventionally attractive and usually about 10 years younger to Bond. This can be attributed to the uses and gratifications theory, as men will seek out Bond films to attempt to project onto Bond, while viewing the Bond girl, Severine in this case, as simply eye candy.
Industry
Skyfall was produced by Columbia, Eon, B23 and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions, and was distributed by Sony Pictures. It was directed by Sam Mendes, who has received multiple significant awards for his work in the film industry. He was also ranked as one of the most influential people on British culture, and therefore this reputation could encourage more people to view the film.
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