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How to Make a Realistic Looking Cinema Poster

Movies do not sell movie tickets -- marketing does. Most successful marketing plans include multiple advertising venues, including print media; such as posters, which are designed to give the potential audience a sense of what the film is about and encourage them to see it in theaters. Whether you are an independent filmmaker wanting to advertise your first film, or a student who needs to create a prop, you should make your poster look as much like the real thing as possible. This lends you credibility as a filmmaker and persuades your potential audience that an hour and a half of their time is a good exchange for an opportunity to view your art.

Things You'll Need

  • Graphic design software
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Instructions

    • 1

      Create a new project in a graphic design program, such as Adobe Photoshop or InDesign. Give the project the same dimensions as a professional cinema poster, such as 27-by-40-inches for a one-sheet poster size or 28-by-22 for a 1/2 sheet size.

    • 2

      Incorporate images of the main character or characters, key locations, objects, symbols or events. Select and arrange these elements to reflect the mood and genre of the film.

    • 3

      Feature the title prominently in the upper or lower third of the poster. Use the same font you plan to use when the title appears in the film or on other promotional products.

    • 4

      Write the tag line above or beneath the title. This is a short, one-line phrase that hooks the audience, gives them a sense of what the film is about and conveys the film's mood and genre.

    • 5

      Create a billing block at the bottom of the poster that credits the key department heads, producers and actors. Use an ultra-condensed typeface, such as Bee, Universe Thin, Ultra Condensed, Empire or SteelTongs.

    • 6

      Place all pertinent company logos -- bugs -- beneath the billing block. These usually include the logos for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and Dolby Digital or THX.

    • 7

      Include the name of the production company or prominent stars near the top of the poster or above the title. You can also use "From the Creators of" followed by the name of a popular film released by the same studio. This step is optional, but is often used to sell the film.

    • 8

      Place the release date near the bottom of the poster, if desired. If you want to advertise the movie's release, but do not have a locked release date, you can use "Coming Soon" or "Coming Soon to Theaters."

    • 9

      Print the poster on semi-gloss paper.

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