Films that have been heavily invested in are expected to make a great profit, therefore marketing such a film is becoming a demanding, yet equally oppurtunistic experience. Any film will have some sort of marketing and these are almost definitely always in some sort of poster.
Posters generally use the 'AIDA' system. This is a four step system made of the following:
- Attention- grabbing the audience's attention
- Iconography- showing without telling
- Desire- making the audience want to find out what happens and to link some icons with the plot
- Action- making the audience want to see the film
These attributes can be seen in a majority of posters.
In the case of 'The Hangover', the posters use a main character which covers most of the poster, thereby grabbing the audience's attention. By using a part of the plot or a specific text, the audience carry on to stare at the poster.
Interest is created by placing the viewer in a scene from the film in it's poster. By not explaining how the scene arose or how it will the end or be resolved, the audience becomes interested and may go to see the film. This is shown in Christopher Nolan's 'Inception'.
This method works particularly well in films of a fantasy genre and of said content. Curiousity will guarantee ticket sales, in the case of 'Inception'.
In the case of 'The Hangover', the posters use a main character which covers most of the poster, thereby grabbing the audience's attention. By using a part of the plot or a specific text, the audience carry on to stare at the poster.
The gradient also draws attention to the eyeline of the characters.
Film posters also use iconography to portray a plot or feature in the film. The poster for 'Jennifer's Body' borrows from tv series 'True Blood', the two use a close up of female lips with the tongue showing, suggesting some sort of sexual tension, frustration or desire. The poster also, by using not a particularly gruesome photo, makes the more casual movie goer experience the horror film.
