Conventions of horror trailers, film posters and film magazines – with relation to existing media texts

1. Conventions of horror trailers, film
posters and film magazines – with
relation to existing media texts
By Jamie Dawson

2. Film Poster
Film posters are used to promote films by drawing in the target audiences by conventionally having an
artistic value. It is conventional for the genre to be made clear through the iconography used on the page.
The poster features a symbiotic link which gives clues about the film without watching the trailer, for
example featuring the villain as the main image - this is conventional. The main image is also used to attract
the audience, usually through having a well known actor being cast in the film. Film posters are used before
the film hits the cinemas for maximum effect when trying to create attention for the film, the poster is able
to do this by communicating with the audience through visual and verbal messages seen on the poster.
Teaser posters are also used by media companies to attract attention and build anticipation for their film.
One of the many teaser posters will include virtually no text on it, just an image accompanied with a name
or a date. This picture will again be relevant to the film and will create a symbiotic link between the media
pieces to follow.

3. Film Poster Conventions
● The image used on the poster will reflect the narrative of the film
● Genre specific iconography is used between pieces
● The image and background will take up the entire poster - text will be placed on top
● The image will reflect and appeal to the audience
● Different film posters (teaser and official) promoting the same film will feature similar images
● The costumes are important and will relate directly to the film
● The title of the film is placed in the centre of the page on top of the image to stand out to the audience
● The less important information is placed in the bottom right as it is the last place the eye looks on the page
● Posters have space on them to allow the main images to catch the attention of the audience and make the page
easier to read
● Film poster taglines that are used are commonly short and catchy and relate directly to a big part of the film
● Some films again will have more than one if they feature a teaser poster
● Although it is conventional for the horror genre, not all films use them
● The tag line is usually placed near the film title in a simple font in upper and lower cases

4. Example Of Horror Film Posters

5. Film Trailer
Film trailers also have many conventions that are commonly followed in an attempt to try and attract the
audience and encourage them to watch the film. A trailer is when a director and producer collaborate with a
marketing team to make a small selection of clips designed to attract attention to to the film from the target
audience into a small video. The trailer directors will use the same film techniques such as angles and sound
in order to show a symbiotic link and allow it to look professional. The trailer consists of selected scenes
from the film to create a ‘mini story’. Most of the time, the most interesting or scary parts of the film are
used in order to attract the attention of the target audience.
The trailer is designed to gain the film popularity and attention, which is why key elements of the film are
used but without giving away any spoilers to the audience. If this was the case, they would not watch the
film as they will already know the outcome - this would be an economical disaster for the directors and
filming team. Trailer scenes are usually in a different order to what they appear in the film, this is used to
scare the audience as they think they know what is going to happen next in the film, this is usually not the
case if the trailer is edited well.

6. Film Trailer Conventions
● Jump Scares
● Non diegetic sound
● Iconography of horror
● Montage editing
● Setting conventional to sub-genre, usually isolated
● Objects in shot reflect what is happening (storyline)
● Villain plays a huge role within the trailer
● Contrapuntal sound
● Foley sound
● Diegetic sound
● The use of the equilibrium in the trailer
● Uses of different colours (red, white and black)
● Sting

7. Film Trailer conventions - structure layout
Structure;
Act 1 - Lays out the story, usually through an equilibrium.
Act 2 - Drives the story onwards , usually ends in a climax at the end of this scene.
Act 3 - This is a montage of key moments in the film that is produced to grip and attract the audience.

8. Examples of Film Trailers

9. Magazine Front Cover
A magazine front cover is another media piece which is used by directors to attract attention for a film. Film
magazines celebrate and provide information about popular films both of the past and present and even
future. The best selling magazines usually focus on the popular ‘big name’ films with either a well known
cast, well known director or well known storyline. The readership for these film magazines are usually big
film fans, usually more male. The UK’s best selling magazine brand in the film genre is Empire, Total film is
second on the list. Due to its need to appeal to the target audience, the film magazines will ensure that the
fonts and colours will attract and relate to the target audience. The layout will remain the same for most of
the magazines, ensuring the main image is fully seen. This is because the image is what would attrate the
audience first.

10. Empire Brand Description
Empire is the UK’s most premiere movie destination providing new and classic movie information.Online
and in print, empires success has allowed exclusives such as the first look at Heath Ledger's joker and the set
to Steven Spielberg's and George Lucas’s Indiana Jones 4.
Empire's audience profile is;
76% male
ABC1

11. Magazine front cover conventions
● Masthead
● Sell lines
● Skyline
● Image
● Barcode
● Date line
● Main sell line
● Puff
● Tag line

12. Examples of Magazine Front Covers