A film poster is used by companies in order to advertise a film and draw interest from their target audience. The poster will usually give an indication of the genre of the film and what it could entail. One of the main purposes of mainstream film posters is the showcasing of the cast, director, or even film producer however independant films will not usually have have famous cast members or well-known directors and must therefore market the film purely through its art.
Film Poster Locations
Mainstream film posters can usually be found everywhere during the time of the film’s release.
– Bus Stops
– Buses
– Billboards
– Internet ad-space
– Magazines
– Newspapers
Independant films on the other hand are less-likely to be found in commercial areas but rather in places specifically suited to the independant film market.
– Film Festivals
– Indie Cafes
– Film Schools
Film Poster Conventions
I have created a list of film poster conventions below and have italicized the conventions that apply to short films wheras the un-italicized conventions are usually only found on mainstream films posters.
– Image
– Title
– Cast Names
– Social Media Links
– One-line Reviews
– Reference to Director’s Previous Work
– Film Festival Awards
– Production Company Name
– Certificate
We wanted our film poster to focus on a subject’s face in order to present the audience with the emotive vibe of the film.
The film poster for Her does not show much of an insight into what the film is about but rather focuses on the expression of a man’s face.
The film poster for Dorian Gray shows a disintegrating face which pays homage to the novel and will be relatable by the novel’s fans. Also, this gives the audience an idea of what the film is about.
I really liked the way this poster is an abstract image of a face. The creators took an original image and manipulated it to create a piece which is rarely seen on film posters.
Frame 