Horror poster analysis

1. Emma Collins, COWA

2. Conventions- The use of a bold main image is a convention as it is usually used to shock and confuse the audience
as they will wonder what the film is about. The colours are unusually bright for a horror poster, however the weird
nature of the photo means there is no need for menacing shadows. The dramatic nature of the image is conventional
for the supernatural horror. This image is unexpected and suggests something ominous will happen to the
character. This poster is typical to the genre as it is used to shock and draw in the audience.
Typography- The fonts used in this poster are
serif. This makes the fonts simple but stand out
to the audience. The largest text on the poster is
the film’s title, this is so it stands out to the
audience, conventional for all film posters. The
smaller fonts are used for the tag line and other
information such as the ‘From the producers of…’
and ‘In theatres soon’.
Colour- The main colours used in
the poster are natural, for
example the natural skin colour.
The use of the natural colours
make the unnatural image of the
hands on the face stand out. The
use of the light colours connotes
good and pure. This is a
contradiction to the nature of the
film.
Layout- The layout of the poster is very
conventional for the genre. The main image
dominates the poster, and the text is restricted to
the top and bottom of the poster. This is set out
this way to follow the natural root of eye, we
usually look from top left to right, the way the
poster is laid out we naturally will look at the
image first as it is in the centre.
Image- The shot type is a close
up shot. This places the
audience close to the creepy
image. It also allows them to
see the unnerving image of the
hands on the face, this is
conventional for the genre as
horror usually includes some
sort of body horror, such as
being possessed or something
taking over. This is suggested in
the image.
Form convention- The poster follows the layout for a regular horror poster. As
it is only a teaser they haven’t given away hardly any information, this makes
it a successful teaser as it leaves the audience wanting more. They have used
interesting typography, which draws in the audience, this works with the
conventional root of eye layout.
Emma Collins, COWA

3. Conventions- The main image used is a convention, this is because it is bold and shocking to the audience. The
colours used are very dull and also very conational for the genre, they work well with the fonts used on the poster.
This poster is a example of an effective, and conventional horror poster.
Colour- The colour used in this poster is
very conventional. The red is used to
represent blood, it shocks the audience and
suggests to them that something horrible
will happen in the film. The grey washed
out background can suggest the dark
nature of the film, it also makes the girl on
the left almost blend into the background.
The colours work well together, the dull
background helps draw the audiences
attention to the red blood.
Image- The image used is put on the
poster to shock and make the audience
wonder what the film is about as it
doesn’t give too much away. The blood is
the main focal point for the audience as
it a image made out of blood. This
shocks and suggests to the audience
that there will be blood and death in he
film. The girl on the poster is turned
away from the audience suggesting that
she is to be taken over by the antagonist
of the film, her white costume connotes
purity, which could be a contradiction to
what will happen to her.
Typography- The bold Serif font stands out
to the audience. The use of the blur and
smudges at edges of the letters helps create
the effect that the letters are burned into a
wall. This fits into the horror theme. The
same font is used throughout the poster to
create continuity. The choice of the dark
colours connotation of death.
Layout- The layout for the poster is very
conventional. The image is the centre of
focus. The text is located at the top and
bottom, however the title is in the
centre. Meaning the audience would
view the image and the title first. Form conventions- The poster follows the conventional root of eye layout.
It also uses colours which show contrast, helping the poster stand out. It
also uses bold and interesting typography, and tag lines leaving the
audience wanting more , making them wanting to see the film.
Emma Collins, COWA