Conventions of Horror Film Posters

Ellie Aitken

Lighting Usually the lighting on horror film posters is very low, as it adds mystery and uncertainty. Low lighting also signifies that the location is isolated, a

common convention in horror. In contrast, high key lighting on the background is sometimes used for audience’s to recognize the isolated

locations such as, the woods or forest with a blur of mist. An example of this can be seen in the ‘Friday The 13th’ poster shown below. The use of

this lighting conforms to creating a juxtaposed feeling of tension, suspense and fear. This is interesting when thinking about our own film

being located in an isolated woods.

FontPosters usually have bold script or serif font to make the writing stand out. These fonts are very formal and the bold effect makes them stand out. In

focusing on horror, it has become common for font to be almost child-like. This type of font may not be in a straight line and would be very informal in comparison to the serif and script font. The child-like fonts used on horror

posters suggests chaos and paints a distorted picture, very unsettling amongst an audience. Popular colours are red, as it is bold and connotes

danger.

ProtagonistsIt is quite common for the main character/s of the film to feature on the poster, as this is a key selling point. However, focusing on horror, audience’s might not want to know too much about the film, and the director also might not want to give too much away, creating anticipation. Therefore, horror posters aren’t too detailed in terms of characters, with creates mystery and interest. Often, the villain is on the

poster as they usually look the most fearful and alarming. Moreover, shadows/silhouettes are often used which can be alarming amongst an audience

because they are uncertain as to what kind of threat they pose. Horror films commonly don’t use big Hollywood stars, this is because horror audiences might

not get scared if they recognize the actor. Applying these ideas to our film, we think that having characters on the front of our poster might take away the horror

element.

Colour codeIn horror films, colours are often used to help indicate the mood and feelings of the film. Colours such as black, red, brown, grey, and white are colours that are often featured on posters. These colours connote stereotypical codes and

conventions of iconography that are associated with horror films and help signify a visual picture of horror, darkness, and terror. As well as this, the

colours tend to be very dull and don’t ‘call out’ for attention, demonstrating fear and loneliness. This is a characteristic of a person who is lonely – maybe

a character in the film. For example, the villain of the film wouldn’t want much attention from people with the exception of their victim.

Iconography

The most effective movie posters are iconic, presenting the themes in the film without giving too much away. They often use imagery, or a simple graphic to establish the film’s plot. Combined with an eye-grabbing design, this can be an incredibly effective way to gain attention and create interest at once. For

example, on a horror poster the use of low key lighting foreshadows that there will be darkness and terror portrayed through some sort of villain. This conveys a sense of anxiety and fear for audience’s. The poster shown below is of the slasher ‘Psycho’. The image o blood indicates that the film is a slasher,

and the shower drain foreshadows the infamous shower scene.

Other connotations

The slogan of the film is usually always featured on film posters as it gives a clue as to what the film is about, without giving it all

away. The tagline has to be very catchy and has to keep the audience guessing. For example, our tagline is a rhetorical

question which will make audience members think about the question and how it might relate to the film. The release date helps promote the film so that an audience know when to go and see it. Lastly, institutional information is usually in a small

font at the bottom of the poster so that it doesn’t take any attention away from the main image. It includes information

about the cast and production