Posters for films have long become a special genre of art: it combines painting, photography and cinema, as well as the fantasies of designers and screenwriters. The evolution of the film poster has been long: from an ordinary sheet with a list of actors and directors to a collage with frames from a film; to a familiar, unusual, and sometimes bold design solution that calls for time and attention to be given to the film. Although the visual style of posters for films of various genres is noticeably different, it is possible to find similarities between them. In this paper, the similarities and differences of the visual style of the posters of the films Inception (2010) and Geo Storm (2017) will be considered.
Both films belong to similar genres: science fiction, action and thriller. One can only add that Geo Storm, moreover, is a disaster movie. It is possible to start with the fact that the compositional balance on both posters is asymmetrical. Balance is the result of tension in the frame, the juxtaposition of elements, giving balance and a sense of harmony. The desire of the eye to balance one force with another lies at the heart of visual perception. On these posters, it is possible to notice the preponderance of the scale of what is happening in the background. The details of the background seem almost intimidating compared to the small human figures.
Nevertheless, the central attention of the audience is focused precisely on the characters that are opposed to the reality surrounding them. To achieve this goal, the heroes of the films are located exactly in the center of the poster and seem to be framed by the details of the environment. As mentioned above, the background on both posters is intentionally depicted as frighteningly large and approaching the viewer and the characters. This makes the audience immediately understand that the main characters are faced with something beyond their understanding, as in the movie Inception, or with something they cannot cope with, as in Geo Storm.
The background on both posters seems to be fraught with danger for the viewer, and makes the audience cringe internally from the destructive power of the human mind or the natural elements. Moreover, the background is depicted in dynamics, which makes the viewers unwittingly want to recoil from the screens in order to avoid this imminent danger. In order to create a sense of three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface, the perspective technique is used (Melendez 5). On both posters, it is possible see the road going into the distance, which gives the image a sense of depth and volume. Moreover, the images are rich in detail of high-rise buildings that go somewhere beyond the visibility of the audience.
Both posters depict an empty and distorted or destroyed city, which causes rejection or involuntary fear. It is possible to see how the cities in both images are absorbed by something unimaginable. In fact, the entire background is the most destructive and frightening thing that threatens to engulf the heroes of the film. Both posters use a similar color scheme consisting of white, black and blue. The color scheme of the images is cold, because it should emphasize the unexplored and therefore dangerous depth of the human mind and, in fact, the depth of the sea.
It is interesting to note that the names of the films are made in red, which strongly contrasts with the other colors of the posters. Red itself is the color of danger and is used to attract attention. The main difference between the two posters is the location of the characters. On the Geo Storm poster, it is quite obvious that the heroes are resisting the danger presented in the form of a natural element, as they are courageously turned to face the huge wave. On the Inception poster, the characters, on the contrary, stand facing the audience, not paying attention to what is happening behind their backs. This is probably due to the fact that absolutely all the characters in the film are professionals in their field and are well acquainted with the dangers of the chosen craft. They do not struggle with circumstances, but rather use their remarkable abilities, even despite the tragic consequences they can lead to.
The location and size of the elements on the poster plays a big role in the feeling of this image. Both posters seem to compare negligibly small and weak people and grandiose, large-scale forces that lie beyond human understanding. The cold color palette and rather dim lighting create a strong sense of mystery and danger that run through both films like a red thread. The elements on the posters are arranged in such a way that priority is given to the main characters that are fighting the main dangers of the films no matter what. Thus, a poster is the first visual message about a future movie, so creating an advertising poster is a real art. These posters undoubtedly have many similar features and features designed to create a certain mood and impression.
Works Cited
Melendez, Frank. Drawing from the Model: Fundamentals of Digital Drawing, 3D Modeling, and Visual Programming in Architectural Design. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.
Image: Inception. Advertisement. Design by Warner Bros. Pictures. JoBlo, Web.
Image:Geo Storm. Advertisement. Design by Warner Bros. Pictures. JoBlo, Web.