CONVENTIONS OF MOVIE POSTERS

Kirsty Card A2 Media Blog – Research

What are they for and where are they usually seen?■ Film posters are a form of promotion for a film.■ They are commonly seen on buses, billboards, bus stops, in train

stations and cinemas.■ Any poster is used as a form of advertising and will be aiming to catch

the eye of the target audience.■ The genre I have chosen to look at is Drama, these posters can

sometimes use stars but typically have an artistic element that creates a sense of mystery around the film.

The film focuses on Amy Winehouse's life. The focus of the photo in this poster shows her signature tattoo and lip piercing. This poster is using this as a symbol to the focus of the film.The title is in

block capitals and the bright pink colour is eye catching to the audience. The poster

provides the website, this allows those that are curious

This includes previous awards the director has won prior to the making of this film.

The release date tells the audience when the film will be in cinemas so they know when to go and watch the film. There is also a small caption that gives us a clue to the narrative focus of the film.

This small slogan alludes to one of the main themes in the narrative while still giving the audience a sense of mystery.

The dark colours used on this particular film poster is symbolic to the dark themes of the film. The image of the little girl tied to a chair gives the poster shock factor which can attract an audience. From the shock

factor given through the use of the image, the attachment of the statement ‘based on a true story’ creates interest in the audience as they become intrigued in the reality of a shocking situation.

Directors name – if the director is well known, people may want to see the film based on who made it.The title is in

yellow to attract the audience as it stands out from the dull nature of the rest of the poster.

Release date – informs audience of when they can see the film.

The image consists of contrasting filters, setting the mood of the storyline as the images change from vibrant colours to dull. The images are also just snippets from what appears to be a panorama style set of shots. It almost takes form of a collage as the images appear to merge well together as they form a new image in the centre.

The actors name can be placed on a poster to attract the fan bases of Hollywood stars such as Nicole Kidman.The use of the title with

this slogan is a reference to Alice In Wonderland as her entrance into her new surroundings was swift and not thought through, through the rabbit hole. This reference gives the audience something familiar for them to associate the film with, even though this film is a horror, this ‘safe’ anchoring to another story allows the audience to be effectively shocked when they see the film.

This shows the film is recommended by reviewers so that the audience feel like the film is worth watching.

The star’s name is placed above the film title so they are recognised for their work on the film and attract a fan base.

The image links to the title of the film and is symbolic to the destruction in its narrative.

This poster includes reviews showing that the film is highly thought of by critics and this becomes a selling point for the film.

Award shows the film has become acclaimed and suggests its success.

The title and images give no clue to the films narrative but the dark colour scheme alludes to its themes. This creates mystery and generates interest in the audience,

The credits commonly appear at the bottom of the posters to show who the main cast and crew were as well as the production company and distributors.

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