Movie poster for a screenplay

[Hans Gruber]

Hi everyone!

I made a movie poster for one of my screenplays. What do you think about the picture? Thanx.

http://imgur.com/gallery/XzTbmln

[DangoForth]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

I like it! But...
It feels like it lacks tension - that you're showing us the ending to the film. A good poster should establish stakes and make us want to see the film to find out how it resolves.
Just my opinion, though.

[Hans Gruber]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

DangoForth,

thank you for your comment. The story between these two guys is just a subplot, but it's the most intense part of the screenplay.

[Darthclaw13]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

Hi Hans,
I like your poster.
Isn't it fun to make them? It helps others to visualize your story.
I hope you don't mind me adding some of mine on your thread.
I have 3 here, all horror scripts. (I blurred the names at the bottom for privacy sake.)
Hope you all like them. Appreciate your thoughts.
Have a great day and keep reaching for your goals.
http://imgur.com/a/yvREU

[ComicBent]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

It should be:

»A Screenplay for a 100-Minute Movie«

not

»A Screenplay for an 100-Minute Movie«

But in any case you do not need to specify a time length in a poster.

And, honestly, I do not think that the poster will help, no matter how good it is. It is eye-catching, and it might (who knows?) help in a pitch because it generates attention, as does any graphic in a presentation, but in the long run it will not make any difference.

[Hans Gruber]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

Darthclaw13,

thanx for your comment. Well, in may case it wasn't funny to make the poster. I can't draw and I had this picture in my mind, so I came up with the idea to construct the picture with lots of other pictures. This was hard work and frustrating. At the end I'm happy that I did the picture.

In your second poster I would remove the red eyes. Without the red eyes I don't no what is waiting behind the gates, so it creates more tension because of the unknown. But this is jut my opinion.

ComicBent,

thanx for your feedback. A picture says more than 1000 words. And an eye-catching poster can lure the people into a movie. But you are right, the screenplay must be good.

[Crayon]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

A picture says more than 1000 words.

Sorry to be so blunt, but an amateur picture says AMATEUR!!! a thousand times.

But anyway, how would you actually make use of a 'screenplay poster'?

[nativeson]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

You can paste it BELOW your query, after the signature block. I got a response from Paradigm doing this.

[Hans Gruber]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

Sorry to be so blunt, but an amateur picture says AMATEUR!!! a thousand times.

The content / message of the picture or how I made it / styling?

But anyway, how would you actually make use of a 'screenplay poster'?

As a pitch. I send it to a film production company. I'll wait and see what happens.

nativeson,

congratulations!

[Crayon]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

The content / message of the picture or how I made it / styling?

Yes, in all those aspects.

I don't mean to be derisive (seriously, well done for putting the image together if graphics is not your profession) but I would worry that that poster will do you no favours. Not so much because it lacks professional execution (that may not be as important in a query/pitch context) but because the message/irony/sentiment of a weeping neo-nazi hugging a black man is so 'on the nose' to the point of being crass and cheesy. And those to whom you query/pitch might presume the same about your script.

A picture may be worth a thousand words - but at least half of those words are different for every person who sees it.

[BlackMolly]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

The 100-minute movie thing is a little funny. I'm not sure a potential reader wants or needs this information at this stage. Also to guarantee that your 100-page script will translate into a 100-minute movie feels a little amateurish. In any case, if you really think that's important info, maybe you should just say the script is 100 pages.

I also think it's a little off-putting for the gun to be pointing at the viewer like that, or perhaps there's just something wrong with the perspective on that hand. It looks...withered?

Also, having the tagline "When the enemy opens your eyes" right above an image of two guys with their eyes closed, for me at least is a real disconnect.

I do like the idea of an accompanying visual to send with a query. If it gets yours to stand out, why not? Good luck with the pitch.

[Juno Styles]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

Hi everyone!

I made a movie poster for one of my screenplays. What do you think about the picture? Thanx.

http://imgur.com/gallery/XzTbmln

I don't think it can hurt your chances, however I'm not a fan of the "toon effect" you have on these guys. I think you'd be better off using the traditional dodge and burn tools in photoshop if this is a real high resolution photo you started with. This is what people are used to seeing in most posters to some degree.

With that and some basic lighting/color grading techniques you could have something that looks semi professional if you're doing it on your own with no design background.

Thousands of tutorials on youtube to show you how to create a movie poster.

[Hans Gruber]

Re: Movie poster for a screenplay

Hi Crayon.

I have never seen before a weeping nazi hugging a black man. When I had this picture in my mind first it blew me away. For me it's a very strong picture.

Hi BlackMolly.

The eyes. You are right. I wasn't aware of this. I was more in the whole message of the poster.

Hi Juno Styles.

Thanx for the tips. I'm very bad in using photoshop. I also used Illustrator very much.