This document analyzes film poster conventions such as written language, typography, photographs, lighting, camera angles, and color schemes. It provides examples of how each convention is used symbolically in different posters to convey information about the genre and themes of the films being advertised. Key details like character icons, quotes, actor names, and lighting/photographic choices are deliberately selected to entice audiences and communicate what the films are about.

1. Codes and conventions of film posters

2. Written Language ‘ A comedy about growing up … and the bumps along the way.’ This dialogue is ironic, because from the iconography we can see that this girl is a pregnant teenager. As the quote from a critic situated in the right hand corner of the poster tells us, this is a comedy, so the snappy tagline supports this and may encourage people to watch the film. Some of the actors names are running along the top of the page, which is a way of trying to entice people to watch the film as if they like one of these actors they may want to see them perform.

3. Typography The text at the top of the poster tells us that this film is ‘from the directors of…’ However, the text is smaller than the rest as this information may entice people who have enjoyed the other films to watch it, but is not the most important part of this particular film. A colour-change here is used to make the phrase ‘but her life is,’ stand out from the rest of the sentence. This tells the audience that the film is about Georgia’s ‘mental’ life, the word mental is funny as it is unusual, so it may make people interested in the film. The words ‘angus’ ‘thongs’ and ‘snogging’ are all in larger font than ‘and perfect.’ This makes the themes of the film clear to the audience. The fact that the word snogging is larger than all of the others has connotations that there is possibly a theme of love in the film.

4. Photographs and illustrations This film poster has used a doughnut ring shape in exchange for the letter ‘O’, which creates comedy. This is effective as Homer Simpson, one of the main characters, is known for his love of doughnuts. The fact that Homer’s hand is reaching up and taking the doughnut is also funny because from one simple image we can see everything that is loved about the Simpsons, the yellow skin, Homer’s body size and his greediness.

5. Lighting The lighting in this picture seems very peaceful, as a bright yellow sunset is low in the sky, covered by blue/pink clouds overhead. The blue gives a calm sense, whereas the yellow sun signifies peace. However, the dark clouds rising overhead give a sense of something looming over the main character which suggests that something may not be as it seems. This is supported by the bottles of alcohol underneath the man’s sunbed, as this is not normally associated with peace, more so chaos and trouble.

6. Camera angle and shot The straight-on, extreme close up shot enhances the baby’s foot, which is an important way of symbolising ‘the tree of life.’ This camera angle allows it to be the main aspect of the poster design, while the extreme close-up enhances each line on the baby’s foot, paying attention to the detail and relating to the themes in the film.

7. Colour schemes The colour black can symbolise death, loss of hope, spookiness, fear. The colour scheme in this poster is red, black and white. The colour red can symbolise danger, blood, death and murder. The colour white symbolises ghosts, mystery and the unknown. The colours in this poster all relate to the thriller/horror genre, due to their connotations.