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With so much riding on a film’s success, marketing one is a massive opportunity for creative designers.

Looking into some of the most effective film marketing materials out there – the promo posters that have been used on modern releases and older movies – and established some key elements that have contributed to their success.

These aren’t just commercial successes either – everything from smaller cult movies to huge blockbusters benefits from these 7 simple movie poster design elements, from the professionals.

1. Attention – jump out from the wall.

The first step, and the one most important for designers, is attention – grabbing the attention of passers-by and encouraging them to look. By using the film’s characters or a major plot point, designers can establish some level of plot while still gaining the attention of anyone that views the poster.

2. Iconography – showing without telling.

The most effective movie posters are iconic, presenting the themes in the film without resorting to flat out saying what it’s about. They use imagery, whether a close-up of a character or item that’s a major plot point, or a simple graphic, to establish the film’s plot. Combined with an eye-grabbing design, this can be an incredibly effective way to gain attention and create interest at once.

3. Interest – create an incentive to see the film.

When using icons and more abstract imagery doesn’t work with your film, using an image that provides viewers with an idea of the story is a great idea. The incentive is that in order to resolve the situation, the person  looking at the poster needs to see the film and find out what happens.

4. Appeal – create desire with fans and non-fans alike.

With film studios cranking out comic book adaptations at a rapid pace, it’s the ‘true fans’ that end up last in the marketing line. Studios can rely on them to see their new releases regardless of its review coverage or promotional materials, since chances are fairly strong they’re already aware of it. Great film posters, particularly those for adaptations, use this dual appeal to enhance their advertising.

5. Style – a look that’s consistent with the film.

Whether you’re marketing an art film or a blockbuster, style matters. Some of the most memorable film posters out there have used bold, unique artistic styles to their advantage. What separates these posters from their ineffective art-for-art’s-sake rivals is that they’re consistent with style, in both the movie’s promotional materials and throughout the film itself.

6. Lasting Appeal – a look that suits other formats.

Here’s the danger in getting too ‘arty’ and delicate with your film poster: it’s eventually, after release and theater shows, going to be shrunk to a fraction of its original size for the DVD release. While a growing number of films now use different designs for their DVD cover than their in-theater promo posters, most of the classics and high-budget blockbusters still use the same poster for both.

7. Recognizability – if it’s a sequel, make it obvious.

From time to time, the entire box office seems to be made up of sequels. There’s a good reason for it too – some of the most financially dependable films are sequels to successful franchises. From films that dominated both the commercial world and the awards scene to purely commercial releases, few films can guarantee studios income like a good sequel. That’s why sequel posters tend to be highly related to the first release, generally with a giant title in the top third of the canvas and instantly recognizable imagery throughout it.

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A film poster is a poster used to advertise a film, just like a teaser trailer advertises too. Studios often print several posters that vary in size and content for various domestic and international markets. They normally contain an image with text. Today's posters often feature photographs of the main actors. Prior to the 1990s,
illustrations instead of photos were far more common. The text on film posters
usually contains the film title in large lettering and often the names of the
main actors. It may also include a tag line, the name of the director, names of
characters, the release date, etc.

Film posters are displayed inside and on the outside of
movie theaters, and elsewhere on the street or in shops. The same images appear
in the film exhibitor's pressbook and may also be used on websites, DVD (and
historically VHS) packaging, flyers, advertisements in newspapers and
magazines, etc.

Film posters have been used since the earliest public
exhibitions of film. They began as outside placards listing the programme of
(short) films to be shown inside the hall or movie theater. By the early 1900s,
they began to feature illustrations of a film scene or an array of overlaid
images from several scenes. Other posters have used artistic interpretations of
a scene or even the theme of the film, represented in a wide variety of
artistic styles.