This document discusses the conventions of film posters. It explains that film posters typically include key information like the film title, actors, release date and images that represent the genre. Posters aim to attract attention, create hype and indicate if the film seems appealing. Common conventions are eye-catching photos, credits and designs tailored to the target audience. Barthes' semiotic codes also apply as posters use symbolic imagery and enigmatic phrases to intrigue viewers and start discussion. Overall, posters draw on standard formats but adapt details to engage specific audiences.

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FILM POSTER
RESEARCH
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2. Existing Film Posters
 Film posters differ in conventions due to the genre
 For example children's film posters have a very
different colour scheme and themes to adult horror
films
 Film posters often have similar purpose and follow
many of the same ‘basic’ conventions and building
on these to target a specific audience
 Every major, minor or independent film usually
has a film poster
 Major blockbuster posters do not usually are seen
more by the audience due to financing compared to a
lower budget film
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3. Purpose of A Film Poster
A film posters main purpose is to advertise an
upcoming film, often showing the release date in the
area that the poster is. This will therefore raise
attention to the film and create a ‘hype’ for the film in
the audience if successful. Film posters often
include main actors/actresses of the film, the BFC
rating and the title of the film; these details create a
buzz for the film as major actors and actresses will
be advertised and key information such as the name
of the film will be shown to the audience easily, so in
this respect a film poster can be seen as a delivery
of key information to the audience.
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4. Purpose of A Film Poster
The use of the image on the poster has the purpose
of signifying genre and grabbing the attention of a
person passing by, the person will then spread
information about the poster by word of mouth and
create a bigger buzz for the film. The use of the
rating plays the purpose of allowing a person seeing
the poster to see the age that the film is appropriate
for, such as if a parent was to see a poster they
would be able to judge if a film is suitable for their
children or not.
A final purpose of a poster is to allow an audience
member to see if the film is something they would or
wouldn’t like to see by the content shown on the
poster.
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5. Conventions of A Film Poster
 The key conventions of a film poster are;
 Having a picture from the film that is eye catching
 Information such as;
 Key actors/actresses
 Production company
 Awards won (e.g. BAFTA)
 Title of the film
 Release date (if not released)
 A design that attracts the audience
 Reviews by critics to attract attention to the film
 Social media link to the film e.g. facebook, twitter or
blipper – using the referential code to link the product
to the production company and there other products
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6. Classic examples
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 Here are some film posters following these conventions
All the examples use the standard conventions that include having the film name, release date, a main picture that will suit and
catch the audiences attention when passing and may create a sense of enigma, credits to main actors to draw a ‘buzz’ about the
film. The production company, a slogan to give some sense of the narrative and branding on some e.g. marvel which is a major
company and will generate a large percent of intresr as they are known for there quality products and productions

7. Barthes Codes Applied to Film
Posters
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 Barthe discuessed how texts may be closed or
open to interpretation
 Film posters can be classified by this as ‘open’
texts allowing many different ways of
interpretation as there is no one strict meaning to
an individual as they are made up of images and
a person may get a different meaning from the
images as another person looking at it.

8. Featured producers and
actors are used to give
attention to the film as it is
produced by a well known
producer and featuring well
known actors and will help to
raise popularity of the film
Composition of the image gives a sense of enigma to the audience
and draws attention to the poster as of the highlighted bright white
doll surrounded by the dull background creating contrast
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Shot used in the film fills the
whole spread, connotes the
horror genre with the use of
the doll and the person having
no facial features and
reasoning for the doll being
held creates wonder and
mystery signify the horror
genre . Also the composition
of colours being dark create
tension and ere, while giving
explanation to the story and
starts the audience talking
about the film
Films main actors are
highlighted on the poster
to raise hype about the
film
The slogan is a rhetorical
question that starts the
audience questioning the
films narrative and the
significance of the doll in
this context, a sense of
enigma to the film poster
Production information
about the film, may also
feature other films related
to this film to raise more
attention to both the
companies and films
featured
Release date of the film
to give hype to the film
Sharpe bold fonts that signify
the horror genre, along with
the text colour contrasting with
the background colour on
opposites to create a more
negative look signifying horror
Title of the film; giving
basic information of the
film. The font has a
shadow and shows the
genre with the echoing
being supernatural like

9. On The Doll Film Poster
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 The previous film poster uses the enigma code
with the sense of the doll providing a sense of
mystery as the reader does not know why the it
plays a key in the films narrative from the poster.
Making the audience want to know more about
the film and its narrative
 The doll also follows the symbolic code allowing
something that usually is a toy; the doll, as a way
of building the ‘horror’ to the poster which is its
opposite purpose, this creates tension and
exceeds excitement and anticipation for the film.

10. Conclusion
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 To conclude film posters often follow a set list of conventions to
follow what the audience is looking for in a film poster
 Posters use enigma code as a key to draw audiences into the film
for example an image or slogan
 The posters link to other texts using the referential code to link
products, companies and deeper meanings
 The symbolic code is often used to help generate deeper meaning
in the poster and give away hidden unobvious details about the film
 Many use ‘micro’ conventions of the genre in which they are set;
e.g. horror genre, darker colours, children's film will use brighter
colours in the poster
 Often use a juxtaposition within the texts to allow more of a contrast
within
 Specific wording that will target the audience is a key, adapting
language for the reader and there preference