This document analyzes horror film posters and their generic conventions. It discusses two specific posters - for the films "The Girl in the Photographs" and "The Purge: Election Year". Key conventions highlighted include using dark colors to represent darkness, having the bold title at the top to catch viewers' attention, and centering a large main image to show what the film is about. Specific symbolism of the colors and imagery in the two posters is also examined.

1. Analysing Horror Posters

2. The Girl in the Photographs
Generic Conventions of horror film posters.
Dark colours are usu7ally used to represent
darkness and sinister behaviour. The dark
brown and blacks on this poster represent
the girl being dangerous and neglected due
to the dull look of her face, clothes and
surroundings. The red on her lips shows
violence and death and red represents blood
and anger. It could also represent love
however, as the girls lipstick is smudged
maybe she has been heartbroken which is
why she’s turned evil.
The title of the film is in bold and is at the top
of the film poster, this is in the audiences eye
line, meaning they can easily read what film it
is.
In horror film posters there is usually a main
large image (optical focus) which takes the
centre of attention on the poster. This
instantly shows what the main image is and
what the film may be about.
Cover lines are also on the poster talking
about the films reviews, when it’d released
and who is in the film. This isn’t as bold as the
title as this information isn't as important.

3. The Purge: Election Year
Generic Convention's which The Purge poster has
followed:
The title of the film is the biggest thing on the
poster, it is bold and catches your attention,
meaning the audience can see it clearly.
The colours used are mostly blue showing how it’s
not mostly horror but also a thriller, the neon
colour shows how it’s a crazy and energetic film.
The red which contrasts the neon blue represents
danger and blood which shows how the film
includes a lot of violence and death. The costumes
the actors and actresses are wearing are covered
in blood again, showing anger and death. They are
all wearing masks showing different identities
showing how you don’t know who people always
are and how their real identities may not be as
pleasant as you think. The dark black background
from the sky which shows how the film is at night
is a generic convention of a horror film. Most
horrors are at night as this is when it’s dark and
more mysterious. The fear of the unknown is
mostly at night due to the fact that you cant see
much. The outfits and masks they are wearing are
America related as they are wearing the statue of
liberty masks, this shows the danger in America. It
also shows America's freedom to kill and how they
are showing that off.
The lethal weapons they are using shows danger
and aggression too.