Coursework: Film poster research and pre-production

With our film trailers in production, we need to turn our attention in class to the second half of the brief - print.

The three film posters are as important as the trailer in terms of marks so it's vital we properly research and plan our print production work.

What do you need to produce?

You should create three posters to help promote the same feature film. You should identify the typical placement locations for each poster.

Each poster should be different and target a specific segment of the target audience. Specifically:

• Fans of the genre
• Females
• Males

The posters will be used to promote screenings of the film at a local film festival and the layout and design of each poster should be appropriate for its intended location.

Each poster should use a different image but the advertising campaign should appear coherent. Audiences should recognise each poster as being part of the same campaign.

Minimum requirements

• Appropriate layout and design choices for each poster
• Three different posters, each identifying a specific segment of the target audience
• A common visual style to the overall campaign creating a recognisable brand for the film
• At least three original images across the three posters with a different dominant image in each poster – these must be images generated specifically for the posters
• Images should be created and chosen to appeal to the specific segment of the target audience
• Appropriate choice of tagline for the film and each poster
• Appropriate choices of font, type sizes and colours to create meaning
• Appropriate consideration of the industrial context of production

Film posters: Research and planning tasks

Create a blogpost called 'Film poster research and pre-production' and work through the following tasks to complete your research and planning for the print side of the brief:

Film poster conventions

Do some generic research on film posters.

1) List the key conventions of a film poster.

2) What makes a film poster instantly recognisable?

3) What are regarded as some of the best film posters of all time? Why?

4) Look back at your statement of intent. What are you planning to produce in terms of your film posters? Can you take inspiration from your research above?


Film poster research - genre

Go back to the five film trailers you researched in your chosen genre (and additional films if you wish). For each film, find at least three different film posters for the film and analyse the following:

1) What conventions are the same on each poster for the same film (i.e. the film's consistent branding)?

2) What differences can your find between the alternative posters for the same film?

3) What target audience do you think each poster is targeting and why? How can you tell?

4) What can you use from these posters in your own film poster planning and production?


Planning and sketching

1) Create a spider diagram or bullet point list of everything you plan to include in your film posters AND all the ways you could target the three target audience segments outlined in the brief: fans of the genre, males, females. Make sure you also create a local film festival in order to meet this aspect of the brief.

2) Produce an A4 sketch for your first film poster, adding significant detail in terms of text and planned images (you don't need to draw the image if you don't want to - but must offer a detailed text-based description if not). Clearly label which segment of the target audience you are aiming for with this poster and where the poster will be displayed (outside location, magazine or newspaper etc.) Remember that each poster can either be landscape or portrait and also needs to link to the local film festival that will be screening the film (see details in brief above). When you have sketched the poster, scan or photograph it and add it to your blogpost.

3) Produce an A4 sketch for your second film poster, clearly identifying the segment of the target audience this poster will be aiming at. Pay particular attention to details you will either keep consistent (to create a brand identity and cover the local film festival aspect) or change (to alter the target audience). When you have sketched the poster, scan or photograph it and add it to your blogpost.

4) Produce an A4 sketch for your third film poster, clearly identifying the segment of the target audience this poster will be aiming at. Pay particular attention to details you will either keep consistent (to create a brand identity and cover the local film festival aspect) or change (to alter the target audience). When you have sketched the poster, scan or photograph it and add it to your blogpost.


Photoshoot planning

1) Which of your characters will appear on each poster? If the characters will be the same on each poster, how will you differentiate the images?

2) What images do you need for each film poster? Write a detailed description.

3) Write a shot list for the photoshoot(s). Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture (medium shots, close-ups etc.) to give yourself flexibility when designing the posters in Photoshop later. Will the photoshoot be out on location or in school with the white backdrop and lighting?

4) What costume, props or make-up will you require for the photoshoot(s)?

This planning should take around a week - perhaps slightly longer if you are currently filming. However, it is absolutely critical that you complete this pre-production work if you are to create three professional-level film posters.

Print planning deadline: Friday 23 November