Photoshop: Movie Poster

Today we will begin creating a Movie Poster with Adobe Photoshop, but before we begin we should ask, "What makes a good movie poster?"  A good poster is attention-grabbing, succinct, convincing and memorable.  There isn't a specific color scheme, layout, or design that works best, but there are some definite characteristics that are general rules of thumb.
Some main characteristics of good poster design include:

1. Arrange the image(s) and text without a lot of  “busy” clutter. 
2. Arrange the design and lettering to attract the attention of passers-by.
3. Consider how effective it will look next to other movie posters.
4. Text and design should be large enough to be seen from a prescribed distance, usually 8-12 feet.
5. Use harmonious color combinations.
6. Design and text style must complement each other.
7. Use a modern up-to-date art style, unless you are deliberately trying to create a poster that is mimicking an older style.
8. The design should not detract from the impact of the words.

When I was a child, most of the advertising for upcoming movies was done via posters in the lobby of the local theater as "Coming Attractions."  The movie poster could make [or break] a movie.  Sometimes the movie poster was scarier [or more exciting] than the actual movie.  A few iconic movie posters that I recall include:

You can view more examples of movie posters at sites like http://onesheetdesign.com/ or http://www.movieposter.com/.

Assignment Requirements:

• Dimensions: 8 inches (width) and 10 inches (height)
  (Normally they are 27" x 40" -- This size is known as a One-Sheet and is the most common among US movie poster sizes, but it's too large of a project for our computers.)
• Resolution: 300dpi (or pixels per inch)
• Images: All images / photos must be high-quality / high-resolution
• File Type: Save your project as a PSD file until you have completely finished
• Text / Graphic Elements: 
• Movie Title
• Names of Main Actors / Actresses
• Fictitious Credits
• Movie Rating
• Dolby Stereo Logo
• Hook or Tag-Line [optional]
• Quotes from Fictitious Movie Review(s) [optional]

Your assignments is to create a poster for a movie that doesn't exist.  Some ideas include:

• A sequel or prequel to a movie that you would like to see
• A movie being made out of your favorite video game
• A movie made from your favorite book (or comic)
• A remake of a movie with better actors than the original
• A parody of a movie, book, actor, etc.

An example I created in class was for the fictional movie "Bieber Fever." It consisted of many separate pieces including a zombie, Justin Bieber (he's the one on the right), some "ruins" I downloaded from PhotoXpress, a foggy cemetery, and an ominous red sky.  I also downloaded a couple fonts; "Living Dead Dolls" for the title, and "Steel Tongs" for the "credits" at the bottom -- my personal favorite font for movie poster credits.  Steel Tongs can be downloaded and installed free (download it here).  Not only does it have the proper style of movie poster text, but it has built-in characters for "Written by", "Directed by", etc. -- as well as logo's for DTS, DVD, Closed Captioning, etc.

Finished Version

Components of Image

If you are having trouble thinking up a movie, think first of different movie genres.  I have a general list of genres below, or you can read more about genres here: http://www.createyourscreenplay.com/genrechart.htm

• Action (Disaster): Stories whose central struggle plays out mainly through a clash of physical forces.
• Adventure: Stories whose central struggle plays out mainly through encounters with new "worlds."
• Comedy: Stories whose central struggle causes hilarious results.
• Coming-of-Age Drama: Stories whose central struggle is about the hero finding his or her place in the world.
• Crime: Stories whose central struggle is about catching a criminal.
• Detective Story/Courtroom Drama: Stories whose central struggle is to find out what really happened and thus to expose the truth.
• Epic/Myth: Stories whose central struggle plays out in the midst of a clash of great forces or in the sweep of great historical change.
• Fantasy: Stories which are animated, or whose central struggle plays out in two worlds - the "real" world and an imaginary world.
• Gangster: Stories whose central struggle is between a criminal and society. A cautionary tale, rooted in a main character who commits crimes (This genre is often blended with Film Noir).
• Horror: Stories whose central struggle focuses on escaping from and eventually defeating a Monster (either human or non-human).
• Love (Romance): Stories whose central struggle is between two people who each want to win or keep the love of the other.
• Science Fiction: Stories whose central struggle is generated from the technology and tools of a scientifically imaginable world.
• Social Drama: Stories whose central struggle is between a Champion and a problem or injustice in society. Usually the Champion has a personal stake in the outcome of the struggle.
• Thriller: Stories whose central struggle pits an innocent hero against a lethal enemy who is out to kill him or her.
• The Black Comedy: A comedy that uses death and morbid doings as the root of its humor. Surfaces regularly. Most recent incarnations, Very Bad Things and Pulp Fiction.

I suggest using components such as movie ratings, logos (i.e. Dolby, 20th Century Fox, etc.), etc.  Here are some examples that you can click and copy -- or you can locate them online.

Some student-created "fake movie posters" can be found here (http://www.phswebclass.com/BIMM/movie_projet/student_examples.htm) and some other examples include:

We Were in the Paper!

The Lake County Record Bee did a nice article about our "Projects in Computers" courses here at Kelseyville High School.  While I wouldn't have started five paragraphs with any one word, I suppose starting them with "Griffith" makes up for it.  :P

(Click Article to View Full Size)

Edit: I just realized that they used the word "Griffith" 12 times -- therefore it's a well-written article.  :)