Designing a Poster That Still Works at Thumbnail Size

Design small first. Shrink your draft to about the size of a postage stamp and look at it. Can you tell what kind of film it is? If the image turns to mush, simplify it before adding anything else.

Pick one strong image. A single face, object or location with a clear shape reads better than a collage. Choose a still with good contrast and room around the subject, or build the image deliberately with a photo made for the poster.

Limit your colours. Two or three main colours, plus black and white, give a poster a recognizable identity. Pull them from the film itself so the poster feels like a preview of the look.

Treat the title as part of the picture. Use a readable typeface, give it breathing space, and avoid placing it over busy detail. Test it in black and in white to see which holds up.

Keep the credits block honest and small. Title, a short tagline if it helps, director's name, and any laurels you have actually earned. Only use a festival's laurel once that festival has told you to and has given you its approved artwork.

Prepare the right formats. Many festivals want a landscape still, a portrait poster, and sometimes a square. Export at a high resolution as well as a small web version, and keep the layered file safe.

Check licensing for every element. Fonts, textures and stock images all have terms. Read them, and if you are unsure, ask a professional. Print one. Taping a printed copy to a wall for a day shows flaws a screen hides, such as muddy blacks and tiny text.