1. The Sinister Poster
This Film poster above markets the film ‘Sinister’ a horror film in which could
easily be placed within the Sub- Genre of Supernatural/Possession. This
particular horror film is based around a family home where a horrific crime
once took place many years earlier. Within our group’s horror film, we also
want to use the family home as a place of safety and security which then
becomes destroyed by the past or some sort of possession, which within this
film ‘Sinister’ the evil, demonic character possesses the little girl, which is
shown above within the film poster. This element of the film inspired us as
media practitioners to use a little girl being possessed, as we felt it would be
effective as it is a common convention within supernatural/possession films to
use children. The idea of something being innocent turning evil and ‘sinister’ as
the title suggests clearly portrays the idea in which we as a group would like to

2. deliver within our own promotional packages in order to meet a professional
standard in our own trailer.
Within this film poster, content-wise the poster successfully includes the main
conventions of a supernatural/possession in its form. The image of the little girl
dragging what could be perceived as blood or ink from the film reel with the
image of the demonic creature within it dominates the majority of the frame
and displays the audience with an insight as to what the horror film’s narrative
is going to be based on but also brings an element of fear to the audience as a
face can be made out through the ink suggesting that within the narrative this
face will play the protagonist role. Both Protagonists and antagonists are
showcased within this film poster so the audience can evidently see that the
antagonist is a male character and the protagonist is a young female wearing
pyjamas exemplifying that the demonic male character may attack or possess
her at night, but the use of costume being pyjamas further exemplifies the
childs innocence through the colouring being white again connoting innocence
and purity almost displays irony as from the film poster it is suggested she
becomes possessed. Through the little girl dragging the blood across the wall
this could reflect that maybe she is now going to be carrying on his role and
killing innocent people. Although this film poster does not feature a tagline, it
does display institutional information such as ‘FROM THE PRODUCER OF
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY AND INSIDIOUS’ and “GENUINELY TERRIFYING. THIS
WILL SCARE THE HELL OUT OF YOU” institutional information is a common
convention on film posters as this can be used as a promotional method of
attracking it’s audience to look at the film poster, become inticed and go on to
watching the film. If a reader sees this new film poster and it is displayed that it
is made from the producers of ‘Insidious’ or ‘Paranormal Activity’ the reader
will automatically trust that this film is a successful horror as it has been
categorised next to extremely successful, scary horror films. Within this poster,
at the very bottom the actor’s names are written as well as the producers and
directors, although it is not clear. Not all horror film posters include the names
of the actors that play the starring roles as posters promoting films of other
genres do which could be down to some horrors often feature less known
actors to keep and maintain the sense of realism within the film. This particular
film poster of ‘Sinister’ is an example of where the actors name are not present

3. on the poster clearly, this is probably due to the fact these actors are not well
known and recognised.
The mise-en-scene contained within the film poster presents what looks like a
room in the house or maybe an attic as there appears to be floor boards
apparent, and the attic within the film is where the father of the house first
discovers the tape recordings of the demonic creature that killed the family
who lived in the house before, thus becoming significant, creating a link as to
why they have used that image as the background giving the audience an
insight as to where the action will be taking place. The audience will quite
clearly be able to guess that the face that is shown through the blood is the
demonic creature in which has invaded their family home and possessed them.
There is a significant reason as to why the attic/loft has been chosen to be
used as the background as attic’s are usually associated as something
creepy,old, dark and it’s known as a place you keep things you don’t want , a
place of no hope or warmth which we can assume is the reason it has been
used as it shows a clear reflection of the sub-genre. The colours are dull, dark
and the cracks within the walls create a cold textured look about them which
could reflect the image of the demonic face within the blood being dragged
along the wall.
The lighting used within the film poster is dark, dull and dismal in which has
been done to reflect the dreariness of the situation in order to demonstrate
the feeling of terror. In the poster there appears to be no under lighting
however as it all appears to be dark and gloomy yet the use of dark, thick
blood being dragged across the wall automatically draws in the attention of
the audience as the image of the demonic creature is the main source of
horror reflecting the genre of the film, thus making the audience immediately
terrified and uncomfortable, now gaining an insight as to what to expect within
the narative. The use of blood dragged across the wall by the little girl with the
image of the antagonist in the middle allows the film poster to become more
disturbing especially as the face looks straight towards the camera making the
audience feel more personal from the use of direct address. The protagonist
seems to be the only part of the film poster with light hanging over her maybe
reflecting the innocence she carries which is yet to be disturbed which again is
exemplified through the use of clothing, however the light emphasising the

4. little girl could also signal to the audience that she is now loosing that
innocence as the demonic antagonist has now fulfilled her life with darkness
and evil as the light within the rest of the poster appears to have evaporated
being replaced by terror and evil. This could also be a suggestion that all light
in their lives is about to be truly destroyed leaving the family with no hope or
escapism.