Actors and directors names

Usually the actors and directors names are placed on the poster especially if the directors are well known To the target audience.
if the actors are well known it will be one of the main features on the poster, their names will be in big headings and at the top as it will be the first place a person will look at while reading the poster.
There is usually the name of one of the directors recent movies this is good as the audience many not know the directors name but will know of their movies which will attract them to watch the film

Quotes and ratings

Before a film is released it is usually viewed by film critics where they will write reviews about the film. Usually if there are good reviews the will be put on the poster for example "best film of the year"
Also once the film has been shown to the critics they will also rate it from 1 to 5 star which will also be included at the top or around the bottom of the poster.
The reviews or quotes on the poster usually use dramatic words to attract the target audience to go and watch the film.

If the film is still being advertised during the time when there is awards on and a member of the crew is nominated for an award it is usually added onto the poster which also attracts the audience to watch the film
if the film is nominated for an award this means that it is a well received film from the critics who have watched it, so audiences will be interested in watching it.

A tag line is a small amount of text which is designed to have a dramatic effect on the target audience making them want to see the film
the idea behind a tag line is to make a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone of the film.
A tag line may also hint to the target audience what the exactly the film is about

Film posters need to contain the release dates on them this is so that the audience know when it is comming out and when they can go to see the film
some movie posters use the precise date or else they say "comming soon" this grabs the target audiences attention as they will keep looking for the release date.
Some posters come out before the film is released so it does not have a release date but it still gets the audience excited for the film.

Film posters always need a title because if they don't no one will know what it is called and they will not be able to find anything out about the film.
The name of the film is key for promoting the film on other different platforms, as the name will essentially become a recognizable brand for the film.
the colour of the title must contrast any background so that it can stick out to the reader and grab their attention. This is why most titles are in a bold San serif Font
there may also be a costom made background to reflect the style of the film for example horror films may have blood running down the main title

The image on the poster is by far the most important part of any film poster. Most posters will contain one main image to catch the audiences attention.
the majority of films used for film posters use a direct mode of address meaning the picture usually contains one of the characters from the film looking directly at the reader. It is rare that the main person of the film is not featured on the film. Usually of the actor is quite famous there will be a close up of them so the audience can recognise them which will make then want to watch the film.

By Caoimhe Quinn