Film Posters

Film posters of any genre will usually conform to some conventions, most noticeably perhaps in terms of their layout. All posters generally have:

Tagline: a memorable slogan for the film
Star names: The stars are often linked to certain roles in the film's narrative and draw the audience in. They can also indicate the budget of a film and whether it is mainstream or independent- for instance, having a high-profile star such as Matt Damon would indicate a high-concept film.
Typography: Posters often select a font and text style that is unique, as it helps to create a brand image.
Key image: This is the main image that suggests the film's narrative and will often be the largest item on the poster.
Language and mode of address: This is how a text 'speaks' to its reader and what tone it aims to give (a persuasive tone, an inclusive tone, etc). Some posters make use of direct address, for instance a tag line being, "You won't want to believe his story".
Enigma codes: Enigma codes are used to prompt the audience to ask questions regarding the narrative and to intrigue them so much that they go to see the film in order to find the elusive 'answer'.
Action codes: These are narrative codes that indicate what may occur in a film's plot or story.
Iconography: This is a set of elements that are associated with a certain genre; for example, in an action film the audience will likely expect to see an exciting car chase because it has become integrated into the genre's iconography.

Since every text has a target audience they are endeavouring to appeal to, which can be either mainstream or niche, they have to use particular methods to achieve the appeal. These can be summarised in four categories: technical codes/layout and design, language and mode of address, familiarity and novelty, and lastly, the use of stars/celebrities. Below I will be investigating a few examples of film posters and their use of these techniques and how they work.

Film poster analysis 1 from GeorginaGilbey