COMPOSITION OF FILM POSTERS

GRID LAYOUT

This is where you divide the space into four equal rectangles and these blocks and tangents represent where you want to place certain elements. For example something important such as a key image will go in the middle.

There is a more complex grid layout as it is divided into more rectangles which you can see on the right.

RULES OF THIRD

This rule has been used for a long time and states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines that are all equally spaced. The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to focus on your main elements.

CIRCULAR LAYOUT

As a poster is often rectangular the circle is often oval. The idea of this is that it takes the audiences eyes around the picture and it often uses elements that are circular. Often, the poster that contains a circular layout uses type along a horizontal straight line at the bottom

THE ‘Z’ LAYOUT

The ‘Z’ layout is a when you super-impose the letter Z onto the poster. Place the items that you want the audience to see first along the top of the Z. Then the eye of the audience will naturally follow the path of the Z. Therefore the goal is to place your important information at the end, for example the release date.

VANISHING POINT

This type of layout creates a focal point for a specific element using perspective.

You can place that important element in one of three places:

1)in front of or at the vanishing point;

2) use the elements to create the perspective;

3) opposite the vanishing point. T

This layout can help to define the importance of various elements within a poster.