Codes & Conventions of Film Posters

Film posters are used to advertise the films by using iconography to establish which genre the film belongs to. By using of images that is associated with horror genre, the poster than can appeal to an audience, who like horror films. Through images and text posters communicates clues of what the film is about. Many people collect of movie memorabilia which includes film posters. It actor or actress is well known the film poster will advertise their name on the poster to attract the audience.

Prior to the film being release in the cinema, posters are exhibited in public this could inspire people to see the film. Examples of public places films posters are put on display; inside and outside the cinema, bus stops, trains, billboards, newspapers.    

There are different types of poster. A ‘Teaser’ poster, which is similar to teaser trailers is used at the near the beginning of the film promotion process. The tease poster contains a basic image and a small amount of text which is mall and simple so it doesn't give a lot of information away about the film. The poster gives release year or season of the film or say ‘coming soon’ and website address, were the target audience can visit find out more information about the film. The poster may also feature a tag line that will get the target audience thinking about film plot line. If the film is a large franchise, such the SAW saga many different poster could be released with only a few elements of iconography, but as the franchise target audience will immediately understand what the film is about.

    

Film posters have conventional layout. The main image is the first thing the audience will be attracted to. It reflects the narrative of the film genre-specific iconography. The main covers the covers the whole poster. There is text on top of the image, top of image is usually the name of actor, director or producer associated wit the film. At the bottom of the page information about the film such as date release, production credits and website address. Between centre and bottom of the poster is where the title of the film or the tagline or both is placed. Film posters avoid having much textual information as the audience as the audience usually have little time to stop and read it therefore film posters information such as taglines are quick simple and easy to read.