The document discusses film poster conventions for different genres. Horror posters typically depict evil, pain/suffering, abnormal people or gore. Thriller posters often reveal the victim but not the villain. Drama posters can show peaceful backgrounds or hint at the story. Comedy posters usually feature something strange and place the main character centrally. Posters are intended to attract audiences without revealing too much of the plot. They prioritize including the film title, actor names and production credits.

1. Assignment 8: Film Poster
Research
By Noor Naoum

2. Horror Movies
• Images revealing the evil
• Images showing pain and suffering
• Depicting some sort of abnormal person
• Depicting the idea of slaughter (bloodiness/gore)

3. Thriller Movies
Thriller posters almost reveal the victim or the villain in the movie, but
mainly the victim is shown and the background kind of portrays the danger
this character may be in.

4. Drama Movies
• Some dramas may have peaceful backgrounds such as “the fault in
our stars” and “boyhood”
• Drama movie front covers can sometimes give away what the story
may be based on.
• “the fault in our stars” shows a girl lying next to a boy with a tube
connected to her nose, this could link with the title and this
only gave away our thought.

5. Comedy Movies
• There is always something strange depicted on the movie cover
• The main character is always placed in the middle of poster

6. What are the different types of film
posters?
Teaser posters: These posters are used to promote the film and
only reveal the release date and maybe a sentence from the movie.
Character posters: These posters only reveal subtle information
about the character in terms of mise-en-scene and the body gestures.
Main poster: The main poster reveals the release cinema date
of the movie and maybe a little bit of information about the movie.

7. Where do film posters get shown and
why?
Film posters can be shown on:
• Billboards
• Magazines
• Trains/buses
• Street walls
• These posters are usually placed all around to attract the audiences attention and
make them want to watch the trailer and the film.

8. What is the typical size of posters?
• The film poster (standard size) is 27x41 inches.
• Billboards consist of 246x108 inches (landscape)
• Bus stop posters are 40x60 inches (portrait)

9. How are posters appealing/attractive
to the audience?
• The posters are appealing and attractive because they are made to attract the
audiences attention by not giving them too much information about the film. This
is what creates enigma and the audience can predict from the Mise-en-scene what
might happen and if that character is a victim or a villain.
Does the appeal/attraction differ than
that of the poster?
The attraction of the poster is made to reach a wider audience (mass audience)
meaning that the movie can be spread and many people can watch it if the
poster is published within the public sector.

10. What are the conventions?

11. Main Image
• The main image is made to depict the main characters/character
of the movie and gives us an idea of whether this character is the
villain or the victim. The main image also consists of MES
portraying the atmosphere they are living in. for instance
“Insidious” has a dull background whereas “Boyhood” has the
idea of green (nature) implying hope.

12. Actor names
• The actors’ names are very important to be shown on the film poster
because this allows their popularity to increase which credits their hard
work.

13. Titles/credits
• Credits are usually included on the poster and are usually found at the bottom of
the poster. These credit the ones who have contributed towards the film.
• Titles are usually found on the top of the poster it could even be a quote from the
movie.

14. Release date
• The release date is usually found at the bottom of the poster and not too much
information is revealed. This informs the audience when the movie will appear in
the cinema.

15. Tagline
• Taglines usually appear on posters to create enigmas and mainly based on the
character/characters who are on the front cover.

16. What is the difference of conventions
between different subgenres?
Horror thriller:
• Expect some gore/blood
• Expect death
Supernatural thriller:
• Expect some ghosts
• Expect some characters missing

17. What are the similarities of
conventions in similar subgenres?
Romantic drama:
• Occurring issues within the relationship
• Character falls in love
Action drama:
• Someone gets killed
• Good vs evil

18. What are the three most prioritised
features?
The three main prioritised features are:
• Name of the actors
• The titles of the film
• Credits to companies
• This is because the audience may wonder who the actor is and for instance some
young teens like to keep up with the celebrities and this gives the celebrity an
increase in their popularity.

19. Summarise how your film posters
reinforce conventions
• My film posters reinforce conventions because of the use of the MES it kid of gives
away the idea of who the victim/villain is and what the story may be based on.
This is what supports the use of enigmas and draws the audience into wanting to
watch the film.
• The font of the poster will also match the genre it is categorized as for example if it
is a horror movie the text will probably have some blood splattered on it.