Assignment 8: Film Poster 
Research 
Katia Martins
Give evidence of a range of film posters you have 
researched. 
Oculus 
(2013) 
Horror 
The 
Theatre 
Bizarre 
(2011) 
Horror 
The Last 
Exorcism Part 2 
(2013) 
Drama/Horror/ 
Thriller 
Alice In The 
Wonderland 
(2010) 
Adventure/Family 
/Fantasy 
The Unborn 
(2009) 
Drama/Horror/ 
Mystery 
The Proposal 
(2009) 
Comedy/Drama 
/Romance 
Four 
Christmases 
(2008) 
Comedy/Drama/ 
Romance 
The Avengers 
(2012) 
Action/Advent 
ure/Sci-fi 
Les Miserables 
(2012) 
Drama/Musical/ 
Romance 
Skyfall (2012) 
Action/Adventure
Put your posters into film genre categories and 
identify some common icons in each genre 
• Horror- the horror posters all portray abnormal 
things and extreme flexibility and bleeding. 
• Drama- the drama posters all show the 
characters usually 2 this is so we see who the 
main actors are and also gives a small clue on the 
background of the film. 
• Action- the action posters all show a lot going on 
and we can see their weapons which is what they 
use to protect themselves.
What are the different types of film posters? 
• Character posters 
• -Little information about the film and usually just focus 
on the character as a way of selling the film through 
this image. 
• Main posters 
• -This poster usually contains the most vital information 
that we need to know about the film such as the film 
name, the release date, the actors and the director of 
the film. 
• Teaser posters 
• -Reveal very little information, and only ‘tease’ the 
audience with given a hint about the film. Theses are 
promotional posters for the film.
Where do film posters get shown and why? 
• Billboards 
• Side of the bus 
• Bus stops 
• Train station walls 
• These posters are placed in these places 
because they will be seen by a lot of people. 
• There very big therefore they’ll catch peoples 
attention. 
• They are placed where people are usually 
waiting meaning that they're will be bigger 
chance of them reading the information on it 
such as the title and the release date of the 
film.
What is the typical size for posters? 
• The typical poster sizes is called “One 
Sheet”(27inches by 41 inches)- portrait 
format. 
• Billboards- (246 inches by 108 inches) 
• Bus stops and underground posters- (40 
inches by 60 inches)-portrait format
How are posters appealing/attractive to the audience? 
The posters are seen as appealing to the audience by the use 
of MES through the main image of the character. The 
audience are attracted because the poster only gives out 
vital information such as the name of the film and the 
characters in it, therefore the audience are left with 
enigmas such as, what happens in the film? What is the 
film about? What life does each character have? 
Does the appeal/attraction differ than that of the 
poster? 
The attraction of the poster is aimed at a wider audience than 
that of the trailer. Anyone can see the poster as it is 
advertised in public places. This means that the poster 
cannot be aimed at any particular audience therefore must 
be aimed at everyone to gain a wider audience.
What are the conventions?
Main Image 
The main image on the poster is usually an image of 
the main character/s, this is so that the audience 
knows who the characters are.
Titles/Credits 
Credits are usually 
placed at the 
bottom of the 
poster and they are 
used to give credit 
to some of the 
important people 
(actors/producers/ 
distributors/makers 
of film). The 
director usually has 
a different place in 
the credits.
Tagline 
Some posters have 
taglines to make the 
reader think about 
the message behind 
the film. They usually 
give the audience 
enigmas. 
‘Fight.Dream.Love.Hope’ 
‘You see What They Want 
You Too See’
Release Date 
The release date is usually at the bottom of the poster. 
Usually there is a specific date but some posters want 
to tease therefore they just have ‘coming soon’. 
‘The Last Exorcism Part 2’ has ‘March 2013’ this is the 
way of keep the audience involved on their website to 
keep an eye out when the release date is.
What are the similarities of conventions in similar 
subgenres? 
• Horror Thriller 
-Follows one or various characters life 
-There's always a problem or dilemma in a characters life 
• Drama Thriller 
-Follows one or various characters life 
-There's always a problem or dilemma in a characters life
What is the difference of conventions between 
different subgenres? 
• Comedy Drama 
- Funny episodes occur with a serious meaning 
-usually follows a family or a group of friends adventure. 
• Romance drama 
-Always someone or something against the relationship 
-Main character falls in love
Priorities: What do some poster prioritise 
• The 4 most prioritised things in a film poster is: 
1. Main actor names 
2. Film name 
3. Main image 
4. Release date 
These 4 things are the most prioritised 
things in the film poster because they are 
what the audience needs to know the most 
before watching the film and they are also 
what will interest the audience in doing so.
Summarise how your film posters reinforce 
conventions 
• My chosen film posters reinforce their 
conventions through the main image. The film 
poster for Skyfall reinforces the conventions 
because the main image hints out to the 
audience that the film will have action and 
adventure due to the weapon and the red 
blood connoting death and crime.

Assignment 8 poster research

  • 1.
    Assignment 8: FilmPoster Research Katia Martins
  • 2.
    Give evidence ofa range of film posters you have researched. Oculus (2013) Horror The Theatre Bizarre (2011) Horror The Last Exorcism Part 2 (2013) Drama/Horror/ Thriller Alice In The Wonderland (2010) Adventure/Family /Fantasy The Unborn (2009) Drama/Horror/ Mystery The Proposal (2009) Comedy/Drama /Romance Four Christmases (2008) Comedy/Drama/ Romance The Avengers (2012) Action/Advent ure/Sci-fi Les Miserables (2012) Drama/Musical/ Romance Skyfall (2012) Action/Adventure
  • 3.
    Put your postersinto film genre categories and identify some common icons in each genre • Horror- the horror posters all portray abnormal things and extreme flexibility and bleeding. • Drama- the drama posters all show the characters usually 2 this is so we see who the main actors are and also gives a small clue on the background of the film. • Action- the action posters all show a lot going on and we can see their weapons which is what they use to protect themselves.
  • 4.
    What are thedifferent types of film posters? • Character posters • -Little information about the film and usually just focus on the character as a way of selling the film through this image. • Main posters • -This poster usually contains the most vital information that we need to know about the film such as the film name, the release date, the actors and the director of the film. • Teaser posters • -Reveal very little information, and only ‘tease’ the audience with given a hint about the film. Theses are promotional posters for the film.
  • 5.
    Where do filmposters get shown and why? • Billboards • Side of the bus • Bus stops • Train station walls • These posters are placed in these places because they will be seen by a lot of people. • There very big therefore they’ll catch peoples attention. • They are placed where people are usually waiting meaning that they're will be bigger chance of them reading the information on it such as the title and the release date of the film.
  • 6.
    What is thetypical size for posters? • The typical poster sizes is called “One Sheet”(27inches by 41 inches)- portrait format. • Billboards- (246 inches by 108 inches) • Bus stops and underground posters- (40 inches by 60 inches)-portrait format
  • 7.
    How are postersappealing/attractive to the audience? The posters are seen as appealing to the audience by the use of MES through the main image of the character. The audience are attracted because the poster only gives out vital information such as the name of the film and the characters in it, therefore the audience are left with enigmas such as, what happens in the film? What is the film about? What life does each character have? Does the appeal/attraction differ than that of the poster? The attraction of the poster is aimed at a wider audience than that of the trailer. Anyone can see the poster as it is advertised in public places. This means that the poster cannot be aimed at any particular audience therefore must be aimed at everyone to gain a wider audience.
  • 8.
    What are theconventions?
  • 9.
    Main Image Themain image on the poster is usually an image of the main character/s, this is so that the audience knows who the characters are.
  • 10.
    Titles/Credits Credits areusually placed at the bottom of the poster and they are used to give credit to some of the important people (actors/producers/ distributors/makers of film). The director usually has a different place in the credits.
  • 11.
    Tagline Some postershave taglines to make the reader think about the message behind the film. They usually give the audience enigmas. ‘Fight.Dream.Love.Hope’ ‘You see What They Want You Too See’
  • 12.
    Release Date Therelease date is usually at the bottom of the poster. Usually there is a specific date but some posters want to tease therefore they just have ‘coming soon’. ‘The Last Exorcism Part 2’ has ‘March 2013’ this is the way of keep the audience involved on their website to keep an eye out when the release date is.
  • 13.
    What are thesimilarities of conventions in similar subgenres? • Horror Thriller -Follows one or various characters life -There's always a problem or dilemma in a characters life • Drama Thriller -Follows one or various characters life -There's always a problem or dilemma in a characters life
  • 14.
    What is thedifference of conventions between different subgenres? • Comedy Drama - Funny episodes occur with a serious meaning -usually follows a family or a group of friends adventure. • Romance drama -Always someone or something against the relationship -Main character falls in love
  • 15.
    Priorities: What dosome poster prioritise • The 4 most prioritised things in a film poster is: 1. Main actor names 2. Film name 3. Main image 4. Release date These 4 things are the most prioritised things in the film poster because they are what the audience needs to know the most before watching the film and they are also what will interest the audience in doing so.
  • 16.
    Summarise how yourfilm posters reinforce conventions • My chosen film posters reinforce their conventions through the main image. The film poster for Skyfall reinforces the conventions because the main image hints out to the audience that the film will have action and adventure due to the weapon and the red blood connoting death and crime.