Analysing Horror Film Posters - Conclusion

Having looked at posters from the horror genre I have identified a number of recurring conventions, many of which I will consider when designing the poster for my film 'The Well'.

These include:

• The use of children
• Specific colour schemes of red and black, the use of white and muted colours
• Fonts which feel appropriate for the genre, often scratched, eroded or altered in an unsettling way
• Bold lettering on the title
• Taglines which make reference to death or violence, but also which directly address the audience
• Production companies associated with the horror genre
• Winter release dates
• Reviews which use language associated with the genre
• Isolated locations
• Props and costumes typical of the genre, such as makeshift weapons and masks
• Iconography of death
• Enigma and mystery
• Female victims
• Low-key lighting - and techniques that create a sinister aesthetic such as side lighting, backlighting and underlighting

When I begin designing my poster I will incorporate many of these techniques, for example, my poster will include a female victim, isolated setting, low-key lighting, a bold, scratched out font, a tagline which directly addresses the audience and references death, and the inclusion of a production company associated with making films from the horror genre.