Analysis Of Horror Film Posters ( Click on images for Flickr annotations )

CONVENTIONS OF HORROR FILM POSTERS

Mise-en-scene
The backgrounds of the posters are usually quite plain and it is usually props and Make-up which are the main part of the poster, attracting the attention of the audience and drawing them into that particular film.


Image
The images on the horror posters are usually close -ups which creates the audience to relate to the character so that they can feel their fear. The close - ups also express the detail in the image, making it feel more realistic for the audience.



Lighting
Both low key and high key lighting is used for horror posters. The Low key lighting creates a sinister effect and creates the feeling of secretiveness. It also makes the audience feel uncomfortable because they cannot tell what is hiding in the darkness. High key lighting is also effective because it looks like operating table lighting which you get in hospitals. This adds to the eeriness because it implies death and shock. High key lighting can also be good for emphasising shadows.

Composition
The main image is usually in the center of the poster, followed by the title of the film either at the bottom or top of the image in a bold font. The billing block is usually positioned at the bottom of the poster, with the release date and actors name's. When these conventions are changed, it changes how the audience read the poster.



Billing Block
The billing block is usually placed at the bottom of the poster in a small, contrasting font to the main background colour. It mentions companies, cast and crew.

Colour Scheme
The main colours which are normally used on horror posters are Black and White. They usually have a contrasting colour which attracts the audience. Red is normally an important colour to include because it is iconic to the horror genre as it can imply blood, danger and death.



Tag line
This can draw the audience in because it is usually a memorable phrase and they discover a little bit about what the film is about.

Quotes
Normally the posters have star ratings from newspapers. This shows what other people think about the film.