Evaluation of Movie Posters

Movie Posters . . .

So now having analysed 3 movie posters in total it has made it clearer the typical codes and conventions included in these types of posters. All of the posters i have looked at come under the same genre that i am aiming to focus my movie and poster on , horror/ thriller. Looking at all 4 posters together they all use the same typical conventions i.e. the dark colours used which create a good atmosphere. The dark colours used play a big role when creating a successful movie poster along with the lighting. Strangely all of the posters i have analysed all use moonlight for their light source which gives off a gloomy eerie effect , as not everything in this light is visible creating shadows. Especially the trees (another common convention), they are always displayed in darkness or shadows, perhaps suggesting this living thing is being taken over by darkness. Also the trees act like an establishing shot as it is quite clear the action is set in a forest or woods.
Another thing about these posters which i found particularly interesting is the fact that the most important information (e.g. the title) is normally displayed in a large, bold red font standing out from the background. Also the colour Red is usually there to show a warning but in these posters it's more about danger , and not forgetting blood (a typical convention included in most horror movies). Also the layouts are very similar title is either at the top or centred , small less important information displayed at the bottom in a white font to stand off of the black background and sometimes a brief sentence or quote from the film, enticing the audience to read it and gets them thinking. I also found that most posters include a date at the bottom informing the audience of the films release, which is key when trying to sell the film. Although this is nearer the bottom it still attracts the audiences attention but as it is normally in a Red font it still stands out. But finally the image or photo is the main focus of the poster taking up most of the space capturing the audience's attention almost straight away.
So overall i have found analysing these movie posters very worthwhile as i have developed a greater understanding on how they are constructed and the common codes and conventions included to create a successful horror movie poster. Also just by looking at these it has helped me develop my own ideas on how to produce my own movie poster and what i would like to include. For example i am now thinking of making the title in a Red font , so it stands out. And the idea of having a large meaningful image taking up most of the space. So i hope that when the audience looks at this picture they will be able to draw their own conclusions and assumptions about this film enticing them to view the product.