A good movie poster is simple, creative, well-organized and easy to read
and understand from a quick scan. Even if your poster is a fake, if you
want to make it look real you have to stick to the guidelines that real
movie posters adhere to. Remember these overall points as you go about
designing your movie poster from a photo. You have only a few seconds to
convey an intriguing story idea and grab a passerby’s attention with a
visual, still image.
Instructions
- Photo-editing application
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1
Import the photo you want to
turn into a movie poster into a photo-editing application. For example,
Mac computers come with a built-in photo application called iPhoto that
features a few basic editing tools. Windows computers have Microsoft
Paint. For a photo-editing application with more robust features you can
install the free Photoscape application, or use the cloud-based Picnik
program. If you're willing to spend the money, Photoshop is widely
regarded as the gold-standard of photo-editing programs
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2
Use the application's editing
tools to remove anything in the photo that you do not want to appear in
the poster. For example, if the application you’re using has a “crop”
tool, you can use it to cut out the outer edges of the photo to
highlight a select portion of the canvas. If a photo shows a shot of
someone from the torso up but you only want the person’s head in the
poster, use the crop tool to crop the image of the person’s head. If the
application you’re using has an “Erase” or “Paint” tool, you can use it
scrub to out extraneous scenery in the background of the photo. Movie
poster photos are generally very clean looking. They usually do not have
busy backgrounds. Everything in the poster, including the image,
centers very tightly around a single theme or message.
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3
Import any additional images you
would like to incorporate into the photo. For example, if you want to
superimpose your photo over a sky background as part of the poster’s
theme, you’ll have to import a photo of a sky. Arrange the layout of the
images to suit your preference. Be sure to leave enough empty space at
the bottom and top of the image to insert the poster’s text.
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4
Create text boxes in the areas
of the photo where you want to insert textual information about the
movie. Generally this text is concentrated at the very top and the very
bottom of the movie poster. Most movie posters contain at least three
textual elements: the movie title, the head actor(s) name and standout
credits. In listing the credits, a typical example can read:
Film Company Name in association with Production Company Name
presents Title starring Head Actor Names written by Name directed by
Name produced by Name
Much of the text is often in capital letters. In addition to title,
actors and credits, some movie posters also list a rating label, the
movie’s opening date a website and a teaser line that encapsulates the
overall theme of the movie. For example, a teaser line on one of the
“Twilight” movie poster reads “When you can live forever… What do you
live for?”
