How I used Conventions in My Poster for 'Equinox'

I made sure that I used a number of the conventions I had found when researching posters (initially from a range of genres), specifically from the horror genre, and the folk horror sub-genre.

Initially I planned to use all of the conventions I had found, from reviews to references to film awards, but I decided not to include every convention because I noticed during my research that it was very rare for any poster to do this.

The conventions I included are as follows:

Billing Block from the poster for 'Equinox'

Billing Blocks from the posters for 'Lamb', 'The Ritual' and 'Starve Acre'

Most of the posters I looked at, from both within and outside the genre, included the billing block, which appeared most frequently towards the bottom of the poster. In most cases the billing block was very small, and almost unreadable to the eye, but it seemed to be a key component.

Main Image of Key Character from the poster for 'Equinox'

Main Images of Key Characters from the posters for 'Starve Acre', 'Enys Men' and 'The Witch'

Sometimes posters feature multiple images from the film but most commonly they featured a single image, often of one of the key characters in a key scene from the film.

Production Company Logos and Social Media Link(s) from the poster for 'Equinox'

Production Company Logos and Social Media Link(s) from the posters for 'Gretel and Hansel', 'Lord of Misrule', 'The Witch' and 'You're Not Alone'

Production company logos (and sometimes sound logos) appear on posters, often next to or just underneath the billing block and above or alongside the release date (towards the bottom of the poster), and are organised around a hashtag or web address which directs the audience towards the film's social media page(s).

Reference to Other Genre Films by the Same Director from the poster for 'Equinox'

Reference to Other Genre Films by the Same Director from the posters for 'Lord of Misrule', 'Midsommar' and 'Men'

Reference to other films either by the same director or producer are an effective way to market a film. Posters often use the names of other successful or cult films (particularly in the horror/folk horror genres) to encourage audiences to see the film. These references can appear anywhere on the poster, but are commonly found near the top.

Release Date from the poster for 'Equinox'

Release Dates from the posters for 'Starve Acre', 'The Ritual' and 'The Witch'

Posters often feature the release date, towards the bottom of the poster either above, alongside or underneath the billing block. Sometimes the release date is specific, though sometimes it is vague (the month, the year or even phrase like 'coming soon' or 'in cinemas now').

Reviews from the poster for 'Equinox'

Reviews from the posters for 'Enys Men', 'The Witch', 'Men' and 'Starve Acre'

Reviews often feature on posters as a useful way of marketing the film to audiences, particularly if the film belongs to a low-budget or less mainstream genre and if it doesn't feature A-list stars. Commonly, the reviews make reference to genre, using language the audience would associate with that genre, alongside referencing other well-known/successful films from the genre.

Tagline from the poster for 'Equinox'

Taglines from the posters for 'Lamb', 'Lord of Misrule', 'Men', 'Midsommar', 'The Ritual' and 'Starve Acre'

Taglines frequently appear near the title of the film and will often make reference to the genre (through particular words or phrases) and the narrative of the film.

Film Title from the poster for 'Equinox'

Film Titles from the posters for 'Apostle', 'Enys Men', 'Witchfinder General', 'Starve Acre' and 'The Wicker Man'

The title of the film is invariably the largest copy on the poster and is placed in a prominent, eye-catching position, often in a colour of font which stands out against the background of the poster. The film's title will often give an indication of both the film's narrative and the genre the film belongs to.