Film Poster codes and conventions

WRITTEN LANGUAGE:

ACTORS: The main actors names run along the top of poster or around the image. The names can be found in different styles according to the actor and their billing, or how famous/well known they are. If the actor is well known, they will most likely have the larger font and bold text, may be an eye catching colour such as black or red to intrigue the audience of the poster.

TAGLINES: Depending on the genre of the film, it may be comedic or thrilling for the audience. The tag line can provide information for the audience on what the film will be about.

TYPOGRAPHY:

INFORMATION: The poster has to provide such information as "The director of..." and all the other key elements to how a film is made. This can intrigue audience members, if they are fans of a certain director.
- Different colours throughout the poster, such as different use of colours in the title from the tagline, will be eye catching towards the audience, as they will initially look at the title if it is in a larger font and bolder text than all the other text on the poster.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS: The main picture on the film poster will most likely be a larger image of the main actor(s). Or an object/iconography that is used in the film, this provides information on the theme or the story line of the film.

LIGHTING: The use of lighting and colour used on the poster connotes the film and it's story line. If the film was a thriller or horror, colours and lighting will be dark, black and red. But if the film was a comedy colours such as blue and yellow will be used with high key lighting.

CAMERA ANGLE AND SHOT: There can either be a extreme (close up) to show the main actor or the main object in the film. A mid shot- to show other actors and just one at full length. Or a long-shot to show the background which may show a location that us used in the narrative, this can give away the plot to the audience which is interesting.