2. The first step in creating my poster was to set the white background to black. The picture that I used I was taken from a prop from an acting group. I used a skull as it was a definitive symbol for my film’s genre. I then added an effect on the skull, I de-saturated the image (Image > Adjustments > De-saturate) and then applied a Glowing Edges filter (Filter > Stylize > Glowing Edges). This effect emphasised the skulls already supernatural and gothic motif. This revised version changes the glowing edge effect, as the previous poster, when printed did not appear clear on the page, therefore I decided to intensify the light from the glowing edges slightly. This process took a while due to the glowing edge effect being very difficult to handle as the effect may take away emphasis from the skull.

3. The next step in the creation of my poster was to choose a font style and confirm any text I had previously decided to use on my poster. I originally placed the title vertically down the left side to try and break conventions but feedback showed this was not a viable choice as readers were confused between tagline and title. I moved the title horizontally below the skull after more research into genre posters, in a more conventional layout. Then I burned the edges of the skull to make the transition from the black background to the skulls white less distinctive. Using the Burn tool (set to Mid-tones at an exposure of 37%) softened the edge that met the skull. I was trying to give the effect of the skull emerging from darkness, a very gothic image.

4. The next thing added to my poster was release date and the presentation at the top. This was a short process as it involved no editing or effect. The font I used for the presentation was changed from Arial Narrow to Steel Tongs as the latter font looked more professional, while the font used for the release date and the title was Trajan Pro; a simple yet smart font type.

5. The final touches to my poster was to add an ident, including a web address for the company and a logo as well as credits. I also added an outer glow effect to the title and release date. Riddle Films is the name of my invented film company, its name relating to the psychological/thrilling side of films and to the genre my company focuses on. I also added a website specific to the film as many other posters do; this makes the poster feel more professional and to stick to conventions. After feedback I added an outer glow effect on the title and release date, to add to the supernatural theme of my film.

6. After feedback, I thought that adding colour to the outer glow would add to the supernatural element of my poster. However, I soon came to realise that the colour seemed out of place on the otherwise black and white poster. The white glow worked as a more ghostly effect and after more research on other posters similar to mine, I concluded that very few added colour and so I stuck to the convention of my poster styles.

11. Feedback indicated that this cover was effective in attracting readers’ attention. It’s a fairly simple design with a strong main image with supporting secondary images. This, combined with the minimalist use of colour, helps it to stand out yet communicate key points about the magazine’s contents.