Horror movie posters typically use certain codes and conventions to identify them as part of the horror genre. They commonly feature the colors black and red, and use low-key lighting and close-up shots to create a sense of tension, fear and mystery. Settings shown are usually dark, old houses or mansions to establish an unsettling atmosphere. The layout generally positions the victim at the front and killer at the back or shows just the killer. Psychological horror posters specifically may use red, black and white colors and distorted fonts to depict a disturbed mindset.

1. Codes and conventions of
horror movie posters
By Mahfuza

2. Colours
 Horror movie posters usually contain the colour black, which identifies it as part of
the horror genre.
 If a poster is of an eye, like the movie ‘Unforgettable’, then they usually exaggerate
this image. For example, editing it to make the pupil of the eye more bigger to
create tension and fear. This is to show that the character is traumatized and
frightened of something. The colour of the eye is more noticeable as it is edited
brighter for the colour to be noticed.
 The titles tend to be white / cream / yellow / red depending on the sub-genres and
the plotline. It could even be blue. It varies a lot.

3. Setting and layout
 Many horror film posters include the setting of the
movie in the poster. For example the ‘Insidious’ poster
and ’The Last House On The Left’. These settings are
often houses/old mansions and are very old, dark and
gloomy. It creates the atmosphere of horror because of
hour scary the house looks itself. A dark and empty
house is scary, especially f you are on your own. This
also creates mysteriousness.
 The poster usually consists of the victim at the front and
the killer at the back, or just the killer itself. Usually this
is a close up picture.
 The main image is of either a person or an object.

4. Camera, editing & mise-en-scene
 Usually, for example, if the main image is of a
house or a person’s face, a low angled
camera shot is used to create a scary
atmosphere and to create suspense and
tension. The addition of low-key lighting
creates this effect more and identifies it as
the horror genre. This tells the audience what
to be scared of in the film and hints at what
the problem is.
 The weather attributes to this effect. It is
usually a dark, gloom and rainy atmosphere,
maybe with lighting sometimes.

5. Codes and conventions of a
psychological horror movie
poster
Sub - genre conventions - Mahfuza

6. Colours
 Most psychological horror posters follow
the colour code of red, black and white. This
is a convention of horror posters, where red
connotes blood, danger and killing, black
connotes darkness and death, and white
connotes pure, which could mean that it’s
always a pure / good person who gets
attacked or possessed, or whatever the plot
is related to.
 The title could have separate words in
different colours and fonts to show the
distorted mind relating to a psychological
horror movie.

7. Lighting
 The background is often dark, if not black
with grey tones. The low key lighting tends
to come from one side of the poster. Little
lighting creates enigma and climax. It adds
to the code of the poster relating to horror
and psychological because horror movies
are based in the dark/ the majority of the
action happens in the dark.

8. Layout and font
 The poster usually consists of the victim at the front
and the killer at the back, or just the killer itself.
Usually this is a close up picture or a close up of the
eye to be recognised as a psychological horror sub-
genre.
 The font tends to be either white or red which
relates to the common colour convention of the
genre, and this also makes the titles and credits (if
any) stand out in the poster. For example it the
poster said ‘featuring Wes Craven’ then the targeted
audience would be more likely to watch it because
they know who the actor/actress is and will then be
persuaded to watch the film. This creates a mass
audience and shows that a poster can be successful
in order to get people to watch a film.

9. Camera, editing & mise-en-scene
 Close up shots are usually used, for example the close up of
an eye. This acts as a direct mode of address to the audience
and makes them want to watch the movie as it creates an
enigma of finding out who the character is and what the
plotline is. Close ups also show the characters feelings and
emotions which makes their target audience want to find out
more.
 As with the eye example before, they are edited. This creates
enigma as the original image then becomes unnatural and
the target audience would want to find out more. They would
ask questions such as ‘why is the eye like this?’ ‘What is
scaring them?’ and ‘What is the plotline to the movie?’