A2 Media Ashley Hamilton

Film Poster Conventions

Title The title of the film will usually be displayed, unless the
poster is a teaser. The title will be designed to stand out, usually
being quite large and an eye catching colour, such as red.
Image The poster will usually have a background image that
links to the film in some way. It will usually be a picture of a
character or characters from the film. On teaser posters, the
image is sometimes abstract or a logo of some kind, in order to
not reveal too much about the film.
Actors Names The names of the actors who star in the film are
usually included on the film poster. The most popular actor
sometimes has the largest font size, in order to catch the
attention of the audience who like the actor. The actors name are used to attract the
audience to watch the film based on whether or not they are interested in the actors. The
actors names are usually placed at the top of the poster.
Director The director of the film is usually included on the
poster, sometimes informing the audience on what their previous
films were. This is used to attract the audience to watch the film
if they enjoy the films that the director has produced in the past.
Release Date The release date will usually be included to
inform the audience as to when the film is being released. The
date may sometimes be left out, usually on teasers, stating a
particular season that the film is being released in, or that it is
coming soon. This entices the audience to follow the film to find
out when it is released, keeping them interested.
Tagline The poster will often have a tagline that relates to the film. This usually designed
to be memorable, reminding the audience of the film when they see or hear it. It will
sometimes give the audience an insight into the narrative.
Reviews Film posters sometimes have one or more star ratings
and short line from a review that has been written about the film,
and informs the audience who the review is written by. This is
used to entice the audience into watching the film, due to the
positive reviews the film has received.
Billing Block Film poster often have a billing block at the
bottom of the poster, in which it credits the key people and
institutions involved within the film, such as the producers,
director, co-producers etc.