How I Used Conventions in My Poster for ‘When Duty Calls’

When I created my poster for 'When Duty Calls' I made sure that I used a number of the conventions I had found when researching posters - firstly from a range of genres, but then, more specifically, from the action genre and the action-comedy sub genre. 

My Analysis of Film Poster Conventions

Initially I planned to use all the conventions I had found, from certificates to references to film awards, but I decided not to include every convention because I noticed during my research into different styles of poster (such as teasers, or posters released for specific formats such as IMAX) that many posters vary the conventions they use slightly, and very few contain all of those conventions.

I included the following conventions in my poster for 'When Duty Calls': 

Billing Block

Most of the posters I looked at, from both within and outside the genre included the billing block which appeared most commonly at the bottom of the poster above the release date. In many cases the billing block was very small, but it seemed to be a consistent component of movie posters, containing the names of production companies, cast and crew and the title of the film.

Dominant Image of Key Characters

Action-comedy posters usually feature images of both the male and female protagonist to emphasise the central conflict between them.

Names of Stars

This is frequently seen on the posters for action films as they usually feature A-list stars, and are actors that have played roles in the genre before.

Production Company Logos/Sound Logos/Social Media Links

Production company logos, sound logos and social media links in action-comedy posters usually feature underneath the billing block in a small font.

Name of Director

Typical for action/action-comedies that are often produced by well known directors who have produced successful films in the past (often within the action genre).

Reference to Other Genre Films

Reference to other films from the same genre - either from the same director or producers - are frequently seen on action/action-comedy posters (and in trailers) as they create expectations for the audience in terms of genre, narrative and quality. Audiences are encouraged to see the film if they have watched the director's other successful work. These references are usually seen at the top of the poster.

Release Date

Release dates, from all types of posters, are usually seen at the bottom of the poster either as a specific date  - 'August 28' - or a vague date such as 'Coming Soon', 'Summer 2026', 'This Halloween'.

Reviews

Action/action-comedies usually feature reviews to emphasise popularity and critical worth of the films. Commonly, the reviews make reference to the genre, using language the audience would associate with action/comedy, or makes reference to other films from the genre. This is exactly what I did with both of the reviews which feature on my poster.

Tagline

Taglines for action films frequently appear near the title of the film and make reference to the genre and the narrative of the film.

Film Title

The title of the film is invariably the largest copy on the poster and is placed in a prominent, eye-catching position, often in a colour/font which stands out against the background colour of the poster. Additionally, the films' title often give an indication of both the film's narrative and the genre of the film.