Conventions of Film Posters

Zero Dark Thirty (Poster 2)

Zero Darrk Thirty (Poster 1)

In regards, to our film being a War Drama, I researched into posters that represented films of a similar genre and looked at how their format differed to other films. I was particularly interested in the simple but powerful layout of Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and it's ability to convey the overall tone and storyline of the movie, without using a significant amount of photoshopped pictures or a detailed background. The use of a bold font for the title, goes hand in hand with the serious and suspenceful atmosphere of the film. In contrast, an epic fantasy film is more likely to use a cursive font to echo the stereotypical medival era in which a magic orientated story is set, rather than a bold font which indicates realism rather than reverie. An example of this would be Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings (2001) and the elvish language that is imprinted onto the scene in a ring like shape. It should be noted how Jessica Chastain's character is constrained within the title of the film in Poster One, as is the screenshots of pivotal moments in the film in Poster Two. This could be used merely as a device to keep the stories plot a mystery to the audience, the only clues being that the army is hunting for Osama Bin Laden and that this is a story that subsequently portrays these events. Or, it could be symbolic of how Jessica Chastain's character will be under pressure during the progression of the film and how her position of power, in a role that is stereotypically associated with men, will both constrain and liberate her as the story goes on. The black background, highlights the dark, subject matter as well as the atmosphere of the film.While, the use of acclaimed actress Jessica Chastain on the front of the poster, helps to promote the film by using an actor that is familiar to both American and British audiences. By informing the audience of other successful film's that the Director has made, the production team can draw in audiences who were impressed by this film and will presume that this film will be similar on it's level of positive reception. The second poster dosen't include Jessica Chastain's character on the front, choosing to advertise the film through giving references to the Director's other successful films, in order to appeal to it's potential audience. The use of pictures inside of the poster's bold writing, give an indication of what the audience should expect, such as war related material and American iconography. The caption 'the greatest manhunt in history' refers to the well known and infamous hunt for terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden. This caption will draw in audiences, as the relevance of the 9/11 attacks still hold today.

The cursive font used for the 'Lord of the Rings'

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