Psychological Thriller Poster Analysis

Platform 7 Poster Analysis – Psychological Thriller

Train station platform background, instantly relating to the title of the series – action shot of blurred train speeding by, creating sense of fast-paced mishaps, relating to the speed of a jump scare. Motivated ambient lighting, which is very dim, only highlighting the main aspects of the poster (characters). The platform number is situated above the MC’s head, creating an eerie, yet purposeful atmosphere, as if there is a reason why the characters should be on Platform 7. Instantly makes audience question why she is there, how she got there, where she is going, etc. The girl is positioned in the centre of the poster, fitting in all 3rds, drawing immediate attention to her, highlighting her importance. She is wearing clothes resembling pyjamas in a stiff, basic pose, standing straight. Oversized jumper makes her look more vulnerable and in need of being protected, so aids this by wearing bigger clothes. Her hair is in braids, tucked over her shoulders to ensure we can see her face. She wears a tired, yet knowledgeable impression – she is not in shock or fear, but rather exhausted at the possible events of the show that have perhaps already happened – this makes us want to know why she appears calm yet carrying a heavy weight of emotion. Only her upper body is lit, with her legs emerging into the darkness, and her feet rooted there, barely visible. This stimulates the effect that she wants to be hidden, or perhaps needs to be, as if the darkness is protecting her. In the background to the left we see a blurry clock, indicating that time is a major theme in the show; a key feature in a thriller is a lack of time, or pressure of time, so it is effective that it has been made evident here, ensuring the audience that this series fits into the thriller genre Next to one of the poles in the background is a hooded figure dressed in all black – he is hard to see, implying that the character is sneaky and consistently present, without the main character knowing – she does not appear to have any idea that he is behind her in the image. He emulates mystery, eeriness, and creepiness, stimulating a sense of fear, tension, and suspense within the audience, as they may sympathise with the girl and feel worried for her safety. The colour scheme consists of colder, darker colours with a splash of gold and orange from the lights and the train, adding a contrast to the dull, murky nature of the setting and characters. The title reads across the poster just under the centre, below the hips of the main character. It is written in capital letter of the same font, same size, with a white colour which has foggy black specks inside, adding texture and interest to the title. The large font makes it increasingly clear of the title of the show, allowing audiences to interpret their own connotations to each word/number, perhaps predicting the basic plot of the show just from the title and supporting image. We can assume that the target audience for this show are young women 16-24 who have ever felt unsafe by themselves in the dark, or typically enjoy the thriller genre; this series is also based off a book, so has pre-sold fans who would be eager to see the translation from page to screen. The secondary audience would be middle-aged men (30-65) who enjoy a drama and are eager to solve a mystery. In this particular poster, there is no slogan, creating an air of curiosity about what the series is about, or strives to communicate, so encourages audiences to watch it so they can find out. There is no logo for the streaming service, as it is exclusive to ITVX, meaning the poster is only shown on the site and ITV channels on the television, so it is mainly targeting the company’s pre-sold audience.