Inspiration for Film Posters

In preparation of shooting a photo for our film poster main image, I decided to do some more detailed research into the film posters of other psychological thriller posters, and what they conventionally included.

In all of the posters I looked at I found that they mainly included dark and gloomy tones, due to the low key lighting in the photo. This is used to create an unsettling atmosphere and to obscure the audiences view. In the posters I studied, I found a variety of background's, with some being block colour such as Black Swan, and others containing some context of location, such as Gone Girl. However, I believe that as the majority of posters included a close up, or extreme close up of a character face, location was not the predominant area to consider. I believe these camera shots may often be used as it is unrevealing of anything else, as the image is focused one thing. This links with the genre and the tension of the unknown, which is an emotion synergised throughout the film production and its marketing.
The fonts used in the majority of posters are primarily condensed, sharp and defined, adding professionalism, whilst also signifying the hard-hitting and intense genre. In the two posters below the colour of the font contrasted with the foremost colours in the poster, making it more memorable for audiences, which is one of the primary aims of a film poster. If recognisable actors and actresses are in the film, their names are often featured in the top section of the poster, as this is conventionally the way audiences will interpret text, reading from top to bottom. Star power is often a main factor that marketers want to promote in the distribution of their film, therefore explains why is many posters it is featured in the top. 

I believe in my own poster I would focus on the use of mise-en-scene and the placement of the text I would want to include. The colour of font is also something I would have to consider as it is essential in conveying the genre. When shooting a photo for the poster, I would want to use either a mid-shot or a close up of my protagonist in my AS production, as it gives the audience information about the film, the cast and could also provide inferences into the genre of the film.