Western Film Research

                                                                                                          Westerns

Most Western films were created in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, which leads people to believe they target audiences only from this time period. However, once you dig deeper into their purpose, you will see that it is actually so much more. The protagonists and antagonists in Western films always appear to have a sort of manly-macho feel, which appeals more to the male audience. There is also usually lots of action and violence in these films, which catches the eye of a mature audience. 

                                                                             Content

Almost all Westerns include bar fight scenes. The "good" character usually is dressed in light or neutral colored clothing and the "bad" character in dark. One of them often barges through saloon doors and close ups are shown to portray their emotions. Tracking shots are another widely used techniques in western films. 

'True Grit' (2010) includes several horseback riding scenes displayed by tracking shots which allows the audience to feel fully immersed in the scene. 

Production Techniques

The low-key lighting used in Western films creates a mysterious atmosphere. 

'Unforgiven' (1992) uses low-key lighting by lighting up only his face and cowboy hat, leaving the rest of the image dark, giving off a sense of mystery to the audience. 

On the contrary, high-key lighting is also used in these films to portray the hot sun being a large source of light. This is because most Western films are set to take place is desert areas. 

                                                      Marketing Techniques

Like mentioned earlier, Western films mainly target manly males, usually older, due to the plentiful action scenes, fights, and powerful characters. With that being said, posters for these films include men with guns and vintage, rustic coloring. 

                           Examples