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Movie Posters
Codes and Conventions
I have research movie poster codes and conventions to enhance my understanding and knowledge of how film production companies advertise a
film effectively through the use of film posters.
Movie posters only have one main image – which is usually at the centre of the poster or is the full size of the poster. One image is used to highlight the audiences attention to the main aspect of the film. For example, this film poster displays a rose for the image; this denotes a flower and immediately love is connotated to the film.
Codes + conventions:
ImagePrior to the films release there are two movie posters made – one features the main character while the other features a metaphor or significant item concerning the film:
The lighting of the image usually annotes the genre of the film itself – the ‘black swan’ movie posters used a mixture of dark and light colours to express the mystery of the film to the audience. Direct address is frequently featured on movie posters to appeal to the audience directly e.g through eye contact.
Codes + conventions:
Title
The title of each film is usually positioned below the main character within the image. The title is not the main focus on movie posters but it stands out among all other text that appears on the poster. The title appears in bold interesting and attractive font contrasting the genre of the film:
Horror – title appears unease and spooky.
Love – title appears fun and happy.
Movie posters must print the films’ title as the audience have to be informed of important details of a film that they can research or ensure they watch that specific film.
However, there has been few releases of movie posters of a film where the title of the film was not printed. This can only happen if the film has a massive niche audience, a franchise, and where the film itself is being talked about a lot. An example of this is the Harry Potter franchise. The final film in the series; ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2” released their movie poster without the title of the film as the film was widely expected by audiences because the blockbuster had previously been so successful.
Codes + conventions:
Text
Different text is used on movie posters; text appears in small fonts on the bottom half of the poster which includes simple but specific details concerning the film such as:•Ratings •Awards •Date of release
These details are printed in small print usually as although vital for the audience to know all about the film they are not important for luring a audience in the view the film. The information is not exciting and so the font used does not attract the audience is any given way. Instead, the font is clear and small – only readable at arms distance and so does encourage the audience to read the movie poster at close glance, intriguing an interest in the film.
Many times movie posters do not specify the specific date at which the film will be released; instead in a slightly bigger font it may read, “COMING SOON” which aids the excitement for release of the film.
In the small print of movie posters a list of the directors, producers, production company, soundtrack and screenplay is listed as legal requirements to allow the audience to recognise all those involved in the film. Most often the small print on movie posters is not read as it is not presented effectively to sell the film to the audience.
Attention is not diverted to the small print in the movie poster ‘Shutter Island’ yet it takes up quarter of the poster.
Codes + conventions:
Taglines ‘quotes’
Quotes or taglines are often used on movie posters to emphasis a hint to the plot or storyline of the film.Taglines are short and effective and often relate to the title of the film.
‘The Lovely Bones’ movie poster had a tagline that read; ‘The story of a life and everything that came after’. There is a clear connection between the title of this film and its tagline – the audience can recognise there has been a death (‘bones’ and ‘everything that came after’).
The film ‘Alien’ released their movie poster with the tagline ‘In space no one can hear you scream’ which connects the title of the film and the tagline – the audience are now aware space is the location and aliens are the subject.
Some movie posters use quotes that help the audience identify a film such as the film ‘Forrest Gump’, the tagline on the movie poster read, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates’, which became the famed quote of the film. These words were repeated throughout the whole film and so the film is often quoted using the tagline because it added to the quality of the film. Taglines are important on movie posters as they can be later linked to the success of a film – just like the ‘Forrest Gump’ example. The film, and its tagline, is considered a classic.
