Research into poster design

Conventions of a film poster design:
A film poster must have many aspects involved in it to make it stand out and make it intriguing for a producers target audience and attract them to watch the film they have made. 

Important conventions of a film poster design:
- A film poster must be eye catching and captivating towards the chosen target audience
- There should always be a focal picture that will attract the audience
- The masthead should always be displayed in large, eye catching colours and font

- It should always show the films genre clearly: horror, drama, thriller etc.
- The poster should be designed to attract as many people as possible from different ages and genders.
- They always should include a release date or a 'coming soon', but can sometimes be less specific and state 'Coming to cinema near you' or 'In cinemas this summer'
- Information on the directors/ production company is often displayed in the billing block at the bottom section of the poster.
- There would also be quotes and reviews from other films the company has created or from film critics.

Example:

 Film poster for Harry Potter and the deathly hallows part one:
- Hermione has a red dress on suggesting danger or romance. She stands out in comparison to the other two characters who are both in black clothing. She is also looking in another direction, which also makes the viewer want to see what she is looking at with the expression on her face that she has got. Each character is looking in a different direction which suggests danger in every direction, which would make the viewer want to watch the film and see what is happening or about to happen.

- Each character is looking in a different direction which suggests danger in every direction, all of the characters have an almost scared fearful expression on their face.

- The title is in large and the same font used in every harry Potter film, which will instantly draw a regular fans attention as it is known.

- There is also a quote in the top left corner saying 'Theres no place to hide' which would intrigue the target audience to want to watch the film to see what is going to happen and why the characters would want to hide or have to hide.

- There is a date on the bottom left of the poster 'November 2010' in which shows when the film is available in cinemas.

- The bottom of the poster shows a 'Coming soon' sign which as I have said before is less specific when, but then above states 'November 2010'.

- Also on the bottom line in smaller text is the Institution, a website and production names.

- The colours used in the poster are dark, greys, blues and black which are all gloomy colours in which represent death or confusion which is exactly what is involved in a high class film like Harry Potter


How to create a film poster: 
I looked at clips on you tube and other video websites on different techniques and skills that go into making film posters, and here are some of the videos I watched and found useful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhs2MEPCmjw
http://uk.ign.com/videos/2013/09/26/how-to-design-a-movie-poster

Other examples of film posters:
These are some other examples of film posters that I have looked at, all from different types of genre. I looked at the different techniques that editors and poster designers use in order to foreshadow the film or relate it to something that later on occurs throughout the film.

• The borne legacy film poster above has parts missing which suggests mystery or hidden identity which could link to the film genre of action or crime. This poster has a redacted effect, in which hides some identity or adds a hint of mystery, I like this poster as i beileve it adds a sense of confusion and makes me as a viewer want to view the film to understand what is giving me the impression it is a mysterious film and if it relates to the poster well.

• The blues brothers poster contains the two things that show the identity of the blues brothers and makes them known which is the bowler hat and sun glasses, I personally recognise these characters by their costume therefore I understand why they have been placed on the advertisement poster

• This Twilight poster shows the two main characters, as one is a vampire it is showing the stereotypical aspects of a vampire, which includes: full moon, white skin, Apple, Midnight etc. 

• This film poster is for Juno, based on a young immature teenage couple in which become involved with pregnancy, it emphasises teen pregnancy. The poster is bright, colourful and demonstrates a basic happy film, as it doesn't contain colours like red or black which are the stereotypically dangerous colours.